June in Books
What have you read this month? Here's my June in books:
Wolf Hall
England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
Three and a half stars. There were moments that made me hesitate, and at times I felt like I was persevering, but it was worth it for Mantel's Cromwell.
If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend Conspiracy by S.J. Parris
Transit
In the wake of family collapse, a writer and her two young sons move to London. The process of upheaval is the catalyst for a number of transitions—personal, moral, artistic, practical—as she endeavors to construct a new reality for herself and her children. In the city she is made to confront aspects of living she has, until now, avoided, and to consider questions of vulnerability and power, death and renewal, in what becomes her struggle to reattach herself to, and believe in, life.
Three stars. Perhaps it's my own fault for starting with the second in the trilogy, but this one, with its incomplete protagonist and overtly literary reflectiveness, didn't quite hit the mark for me.
The Mark and the Void
Claude is a Frenchman who lives in Dublin. His birthplace is famed as the city of lovers, but so far love has always eluded him. Instead his life revolves around the investment bank where he works. And then one day he realizes he is being followed around, by a pale, scrawny man. The man's name is Paul Murray. Paul claims to want to write a novel about Claude and Claude's heart sings. Finally, a chance to escape the drudgery of his everyday office life, to be involved in writing, in art! But Paul himself seems more interested in where the bank keeps its money than in Claude - and soon Claude realizes that Paul is not all he appears to be.
Four and a half stars. Come for the beautiful cover, stay for the thoughtful wit.
If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend Waiting For Monsieur Bellivier and Purity
Gone Viking
Frazzled mum Alice Ray likes to think she’s on top everything – she has FOUR bags-for-life in the boot of her car for heaven's sake. But after spectacularly embarrassing herself at work, she finally gives in to her sister’s pleas to take a much needed break. But this is not the luxury spa holiday Alice hoped for – instead, she finds herself in Denmark, in the middle of nowhere, on a ‘How to be a Viking’ getaway. Can the two sisters finally learn to get along or will learning to embrace their inner warrior just make them better at fighting?
Three stars. A wonderful concept with brilliant, and realistic, characterisation, but, unfortunately, not as witty and engaging as I'd hoped. (Although, please note that I did read an advance reading copy).
If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend Today Will Be Different
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter is midway through his training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup. He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. But unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal - even by wizarding standards. And in his case, different can be deadly.
Five stars. Returning to the magical world of Harry Potter is something I look forward to every summer, and I started with the fourth book because I read the first three last summer. It's impossible to pick a favourite from the series, but Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is definitely up there; I love the Triwizard Tournament, and in particular how Hermione explains Ron's reaction to Harry being chosen to compete, how Harry deals with the second task, and what Harry does with his winnings.
Paradise Regained
While Paradise Lost tells the story of the fall of man, how Satan tempted Adam and Eve and caused them to eat from the forbidden tree of knowledge and thus to be expelled from the Garden of Eden, its sequel tells the story of Christ's fasting in the desert. The premise of Paradise Regained is that mankind recovers Paradise by Christ's ability to resist the temptations of Satan; it having been lost by Satan's success in tempting Adam and Eve.
Four stars. Interestingly, Milton preferred his final epic to Paradise Lost and could not bear to hear it disparaged, yet it was less popular when it first appeared, and has remained so throughout its critical history. I have put off reading Paradise Regained for too long, and was pleasantly surprised by it, but I still have to side with the general consensus in my preference for Paradise Lost. I would, however, recommend its lesser-known sequel to anyone who has read and enjoyed Paradise Lost, since it is still a very interesting read (especially in its relationship to its epic predecessor), and only four books long.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth novel in the Harry Potter series. It follows Harry Potter's struggles through his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including the surreptitious return of the antagonist Lord Voldemort, O.W.L. exams, and an obstructive Ministry of Magic.
Five stars. I adore the character of Umbridge (any character I can feel that much hatred for is a character well created), and I also like this book's move towards a darker tone. While I enjoy the film adaptations, it always annoys me how many of the book's nuances they miss out (as well as some brilliant lines of dialogue), and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is particularly subtle in its foreshadowing and tying together of loose ends. I also love Fred and George's farewell to Hogwarts.
The New Urban Crisis
Our cities drive innovation and growth, but they also propel us into housing crises and give rise to ever-greater inequality, as the super-rich displace the well-off and the workers who run our essential services are ghettoised and pushed out to the suburbs. There is a new urban crisis, and it is undermining the foundations of our society. In this bracingly original work of research and analysis, leading urbanist Richard Florida demonstrates how our cities are evolving in the twenty-first century, for good and for ill. From the world's superstar metropolises to the urban slums of the developing world, he shows how the crisis touches all of us, and sets out how we can make our cities more inclusive, ensuring prosperity for all.
I'm still reading this one, although what I have read has certainly captured my interest. This promises to be a really fascinating, and relevant book, and my original concern that it would be too focused on America does not seem to be true.
Wolf Hall
England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
Three and a half stars. There were moments that made me hesitate, and at times I felt like I was persevering, but it was worth it for Mantel's Cromwell.
If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend Conspiracy by S.J. Parris
Transit
In the wake of family collapse, a writer and her two young sons move to London. The process of upheaval is the catalyst for a number of transitions—personal, moral, artistic, practical—as she endeavors to construct a new reality for herself and her children. In the city she is made to confront aspects of living she has, until now, avoided, and to consider questions of vulnerability and power, death and renewal, in what becomes her struggle to reattach herself to, and believe in, life.
Three stars. Perhaps it's my own fault for starting with the second in the trilogy, but this one, with its incomplete protagonist and overtly literary reflectiveness, didn't quite hit the mark for me.
The Mark and the Void
Claude is a Frenchman who lives in Dublin. His birthplace is famed as the city of lovers, but so far love has always eluded him. Instead his life revolves around the investment bank where he works. And then one day he realizes he is being followed around, by a pale, scrawny man. The man's name is Paul Murray. Paul claims to want to write a novel about Claude and Claude's heart sings. Finally, a chance to escape the drudgery of his everyday office life, to be involved in writing, in art! But Paul himself seems more interested in where the bank keeps its money than in Claude - and soon Claude realizes that Paul is not all he appears to be.
Four and a half stars. Come for the beautiful cover, stay for the thoughtful wit.
If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend Waiting For Monsieur Bellivier and Purity
Gone Viking
Frazzled mum Alice Ray likes to think she’s on top everything – she has FOUR bags-for-life in the boot of her car for heaven's sake. But after spectacularly embarrassing herself at work, she finally gives in to her sister’s pleas to take a much needed break. But this is not the luxury spa holiday Alice hoped for – instead, she finds herself in Denmark, in the middle of nowhere, on a ‘How to be a Viking’ getaway. Can the two sisters finally learn to get along or will learning to embrace their inner warrior just make them better at fighting?
Three stars. A wonderful concept with brilliant, and realistic, characterisation, but, unfortunately, not as witty and engaging as I'd hoped. (Although, please note that I did read an advance reading copy).
If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend Today Will Be Different
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter is midway through his training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup. He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. But unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal - even by wizarding standards. And in his case, different can be deadly.
Five stars. Returning to the magical world of Harry Potter is something I look forward to every summer, and I started with the fourth book because I read the first three last summer. It's impossible to pick a favourite from the series, but Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is definitely up there; I love the Triwizard Tournament, and in particular how Hermione explains Ron's reaction to Harry being chosen to compete, how Harry deals with the second task, and what Harry does with his winnings.
Paradise Regained
While Paradise Lost tells the story of the fall of man, how Satan tempted Adam and Eve and caused them to eat from the forbidden tree of knowledge and thus to be expelled from the Garden of Eden, its sequel tells the story of Christ's fasting in the desert. The premise of Paradise Regained is that mankind recovers Paradise by Christ's ability to resist the temptations of Satan; it having been lost by Satan's success in tempting Adam and Eve.
Four stars. Interestingly, Milton preferred his final epic to Paradise Lost and could not bear to hear it disparaged, yet it was less popular when it first appeared, and has remained so throughout its critical history. I have put off reading Paradise Regained for too long, and was pleasantly surprised by it, but I still have to side with the general consensus in my preference for Paradise Lost. I would, however, recommend its lesser-known sequel to anyone who has read and enjoyed Paradise Lost, since it is still a very interesting read (especially in its relationship to its epic predecessor), and only four books long.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth novel in the Harry Potter series. It follows Harry Potter's struggles through his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including the surreptitious return of the antagonist Lord Voldemort, O.W.L. exams, and an obstructive Ministry of Magic.
Five stars. I adore the character of Umbridge (any character I can feel that much hatred for is a character well created), and I also like this book's move towards a darker tone. While I enjoy the film adaptations, it always annoys me how many of the book's nuances they miss out (as well as some brilliant lines of dialogue), and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is particularly subtle in its foreshadowing and tying together of loose ends. I also love Fred and George's farewell to Hogwarts.
The New Urban Crisis
Our cities drive innovation and growth, but they also propel us into housing crises and give rise to ever-greater inequality, as the super-rich displace the well-off and the workers who run our essential services are ghettoised and pushed out to the suburbs. There is a new urban crisis, and it is undermining the foundations of our society. In this bracingly original work of research and analysis, leading urbanist Richard Florida demonstrates how our cities are evolving in the twenty-first century, for good and for ill. From the world's superstar metropolises to the urban slums of the developing world, he shows how the crisis touches all of us, and sets out how we can make our cities more inclusive, ensuring prosperity for all.
I'm still reading this one, although what I have read has certainly captured my interest. This promises to be a really fascinating, and relevant book, and my original concern that it would be too focused on America does not seem to be true.
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