Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding: A Review

I have had a busy, busy few months organising such life changing events as my own wedding (at last) and finally securing a promotion at work, whilst also volunteering to be involved in a pilot for a bookselling course and reading an extensive longlist for a bookprize. Needless to say I have been slacking with regards to my treasured little book blog and am feeling a wee bit rusty on the old keyboard. What better book to throw myself back into blogging than Helen Fielding's 'Bridget Jones's Diary'! There are very few women over the age of 25 that don't know of Bridget and her madcap escapades as a singleton in her 30's trying to navigate the terror that is dating in the 1990s. Admittedly a lot of us have experienced Bridget on the silver screen and laughed, and cried with her as her life takes one calamitous turn after another. I felt it was about time I delved into the literary roots of Bridget and get stuck into Fielding's first novel in this bestselling series. Also, with the renewed interest in this series due to the release of a new Bridget Jones's novel, I felt it was pertinent, as a bookseller, to get to grips with this much loved character.


First off, I loved it! I was slightly concerned in my observation of similarities between my own life and Bridget's, her approach to food (especially the calorie counting) made me laugh out loud and her over thinking of every situation she ended up in was distressingly familiar. Fielding proves herself to be a keen observer of people and the ways we behave towards one another, she creates a host of incredibly believable characters that have you thinking about your own friendships and how they tend to follow similar patterns from time to time!

As for the delightful love triangle, brilliant! I knew, without a doubt, that Daniel was a total prat from the outset yet the journey I took with Bridget was still surprising nonetheless as she discovers for herself how much of a womanising cad he really is. Mark Darcy was charming to the core, the perfect gentleman in spite of his poor choice in female partners early on in the novel. These two gentleman were very obvious stereotypes, and in all honesty a little one dimensional in their emotional capabilities, but they fitted well into the tale and were important additions to the narrative.

The humour in the novel never ceased to please me and cause fits of giggles, there is a lightness to Fielding's writing that makes even the most dire of situations seem incredibly amusing, even the horrid behaviour of Bridget's emotionally battering, controlling mother is mirth inducing. This is really where the author's true talent shines through and what makes this novel such a great joy to read. What I really loved, in spite of Bridget's sometimes worrying emotional state, was that Fielding threw everything at her and she bounces back every single time. This is a novel as much about optimism as it is about Bridget as a victim of pop culture and social 'norms'.

I did struggle to understand a couple of chapters, when Bridget soothes her emotional suffering with alcohol she becomes indecipherable, as do we all, instead of being frustrating, these little asides ramp up the empathy factor even more.

Upon finishing the book I gained a better understanding of what has made Bridget Jones such an iconic and identifiable character, this is, without a doubt, a genre defining novel and one that is very deserving to be read by anyone who adores chick lit. I can't help but think that without the drunken ramblings of the loveable Bridget we wouldn't have such a wealth of wonderfully light beach reads to chose from every summer. This is not to say that Fielding's work is trash, far from it. This is an apt and memorable observation of single life during the 1990s, written with admirable flair and great fun to boot. There is a little piece of Bridget hidden away in all of us!

I am having strong urges to watch the film again, now where did I put that chocolate bar.......?

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink: A Review

I was given a copy of The Reader by a friend as part of the World Book Night scheme in the UK so thought it only polite to give it a shot. I am still not entirely certain as to whether or not I enjoyed it and the my opinion of it improved mostly due to the novel's final chapters because they almost moved me to tears. Schlink tells a woeful story of shame, obsession, guilt and cruelty, one that grips you right from the start as his two protagonists engage in a short, inappropriate and unbalanced love affair. It is when the novel jumps forward many years that you begin to realise the gravity of this novel as the object of the narrator's affection is put on trial for atrocities committed during her service in a Nazi concentration camp.

The writing itself goes from compelling to tortuous, and I quite often found myself drifting off when the narrator goes on about law and philosophy, I felt that some of the passages were not crucial in the understanding of the message given. It was interesting as a reader to observe the narrator battling with his feelings for Hanna, as he goes from deep obsession over his first love into denial, guilt and coldness although it was clear to me that the obsession had never passed and he carried it with him indefinitely. Hanna is an intriguing character study, my feelings on her fluctuated throughout from hate, to disgust to empathy. She is the enigma in the narrative, and one that is not so easy to understand. Her treatment of the narrator seems cruel at times and she takes advantage of his youth and innocence to meet her own gain, then we go on to learn that her past has hidden horrors that paint her as guilty of war crimes and my hatred of her felt all the more justified. Schlink turns this around as we reach part three, and we are shown more of Hanna as a person, and what was black and white suddenly becomes grey. In spite of the atrocities committed I started to empathise with Hanna, she becomes a bit more real and less ghoulish, yet still retains her otherness. 

This is not just a novel about character, but also one about time and place. Schlink uses The Reader to explore and reveal the thoughts of a generation of Germans overshadowed by the crimes committed under Nazi Germany. He talks of the differences between generations, the shame felt by the youth with regards to their parents and grandparents and the movements of a community to restore themselves and atone for that which has gone before. I do not know enough of the impact of this terrible history on German culture to really go into any informed depth about Schlink's observations, but it is clear to me as a reader that the events in this novel are indicative of a country trying to move on whilst facing it's past all the while, Michael's emotional journey with Hanna is another indicator of this as he tries to block her out yet his feelings, his memories of her never go away and continue to plague his actions in life.

This is not an uplifting novel, it's deeply sad and moving in spite of some of the more clunky prose, and this might be due to the translation more than anything else. Well worth the read, even if you are not sure about it, the story is fascinating and has a realness to it that makes it all the more harrowing. The Reader is one of those rare books that is an engaging read although it's impossible to actually 'like' any if it's characters. I still feel unsettled by my reading of it and have no doubt that the novel's ending will stick with me for some time.

Thousand Cranes: A Review

I am a big fan of anything Japanese, being one of many westerners that struggle to resist the pull of something more exotic and different from our own life experience. This is why I picked up Thousand Cranes, I love Japanese literature having read through a number of Haruki Murakami, Ryu Murakami and Natsuo Kirino's novels I felt the need to travel further into a world laden with cultural fascination and enviable rigidity in tradition.

Kikuji has been recently orphaned due to the death of his adulterous father in post World War II Japan. He is invited to the tea ceremony of one of his father's meddling mistresses who intends to marry him off to one of her students, from here on in Kikuji begins to realise he may have inherited more than just his father's possessions.

Yasunari Kawabata penned this beautiful novel and has even earned the Nobel Prize for his contributions to literature, so I expected to be more than a little bit baffled by this novella as it sits rather far outside of my reading comfort zone. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this novel is incredibly readable and can be enjoyed on many levels, as I reader I found I could even enjoy it at face value without having to go too deep into the subtleties and metaphor rich prose with a fine toothed comb. This story reads incredibly well and I found myself getting swept into the plethora of extreme emotions put forward by the actions of the characters.

None of the people represented in this novel retain an air of innocence, even Kikuji himself is unable to tear himself away from his father's emotional legacy as he gets drawn into the unfinished drama between his father's mistresses. That these characters are driven more by their emotions than by logic is what makes this novel so beautiful, deserving of being re-read in order to delve further into this poetic world. If I was more informed about Japanese tradition I could offer a far more involved perspective on this novel, however, as I have already stated, you don't need to look too deep in order to enjoy it.

My favourite character by far was Chikako, just because I ended up hating her so much! She is a feisty forceful woman driven by envy, she spreads her spiteful poison exponentially as the plot develops. She has ties to every character in the novel and uses the tea ceremony to draw them into further levels of despair. It is because of her actions that decay, through hate, becomes a central theme to the novel, Kikuji allows for his father's tea house to fall into disrepair simply due to his dislike of Chikako. It becomes obvious very quickly that this woman is the reason behind Mrs. Ota's descent into depression and shame resulting in an action that can never be undone. Chikako forces Kikuji into his father's fate, as he continues the drama left by his father's death and to a degree becomes his father. She is an extraordinary character, no doubt about it.

The ending itself was perhaps the best part of the novel as it is left unresolved. I love ambiguous endings and as a reader I felt compelled to make my own mind up about Fumiko's mysterious fate. I shan't say any more, leastwise I ruin the journey of any reader wishing to give this story a crack.

A totally engrossing read that would suit just about anyone's taste, it's short and sweet so doesn't pose any sort of chore in reading. This novel was a true delight to read.

The Uninvited: A Review

I have tried, and failed, a few times to get my hands on this interesting looking book. I struggled to secure a reading copy from the publisher and the copy I got through as a digital proof was packed full of errors, so I was ecstatic when I saw it in the local library and as such snapped it up and ran off to read it snuggled under a blanket with a mug of hot Ribena. The Uninvited is Liz Jensen's eighth novel, and this is my first encounter with her writing. I am still not entirely sure what I thought of this novel, it leaves you feeling a touch mystified, maybe in keeping with the supernatural elements that this novel explores.

Terrible events are starting to occur all over the world, in short, children are killing their loved ones. At first cases seem to be isolated and under control, however, as time passes, more and more incidents indicate that the world is facing a terrible pandemic. Shortly after the first murder Hesketh is called out to investigate a mysterious business sabotage, a case which begins his journey into a more spiritual and terrifying world than he could have ever expected. Soon, parallels emerge between the murderous children and Hesketh's cases, parallels that force him to question the very basis of reality and how powerless human beings really are.

The first chapter of this novel is utterly compelling, it's fast paced and draws us straight into a vicious attack administered by a child with a nail gun. My jaw hit the floor and I couldn't help but feel I had discovered a disturbing gem of a novel. Sadly, however, the pace slows as soon as we are introduced to the narrator and the story unfolds a little less dramatically. This is not to say the pace doesn't pick up again, believe me it does, it just takes a while to establish the looming dread needed to push this novel along.

The story itself is brilliant, I couldn't wait to discover what happened next and it forced me to indulge in the darker side of humanity, a side we are not usually encouraged to explore, especially in children. I couldn't help but think I had been drawn into a world of creepy Japanese horror, one in which the kids are the ones you should be running from. I had flashbacks from The Ring and Dark Water....not pleasant. These children really do get mean, as soon as Jensen talks about cannibalism and ritualistic violence you know this novel is not going to have a happy ending.

I will admit, in spite of the excellent story, I was not particularly taken with Hesketh as a narrator. He serves his purpose well, nonetheless, documenting the goings on of the narrative with an organised and practical view. However, he is not very likeable as a character. His frequent mishaps in social encounters are attributed to his suffering from Asperger's Syndrome, but the way in which he treats the women in this novel are hard to overlook. He is, by all accounts, just mean. His saving grace is his love for Freddy and his willingness to do anything to pull the young boy back from the precipice, even to the detriment of those around him. What is interesting is watching Hesketh's understanding of the world around him change, as the order of reality shifts to become something entirely different. It is because of his honesty and frankness that other main protagonists take his observations seriously regardless of how bonkers they appear to be.

This novel's slow, spiralling descent into madness and disorder has a deeper meaning. I felt as though there was the implication that we, as a species, are destroying the world in which we live. These terrifying, time defying spirits are brought in to try and restore a type of order, to push humanity in a different direction. It is sad that violence is the only solution on the table, and this is perhaps a comment on how we solve real life problems. Jensen does not ram this down the readers throat, but we are encouraged to at least ponder these ideas.

The turning point in this novel, which takes it from average to good, is when Hesketh witnesses a suicide in Dubai. A young girl seems to disappear into the man as he falls, this is when I knew that this novel was going to take an unexpected and exciting turn, one that would keep me hooked until the very end.

The Uninvited is a good read, not one of the best books I have picked up but one I would recommend to anyone looking for something a little bit different, rich in imagery and thoughtful. If you get a bit queasy at the thought of a child shooting a nail-gun into someone's face, I would suggest that perhaps this book is not for you because this is not the only violent outburst in the novel. As I mentioned at the start, I was left feeling mystified with a small number of unanswered questions. In the answering of these questions I don't think that The Uninvited would have left it's mark, sometimes it is just better that you don't know and this novel is a great example of that.

The Universe vs. Alex Woods: A Review

This is the second novel to be featured as part of the Waterstones 11 for 2013, a campaign that celebrates and highlights strong debuts from new authors. I must say, the panel that decided on the books for this list deserve a massive pat on the back, The Universe vs. Alex Woods is a beautiful and original book. I managed to get my grubby little paws on a reading copy that magically appeared on the proof shelf in the staff room. So first and foremost, thank you to Hodder for sending this one out, I loved reading it. Now, on with the review....

Alex Woods has lost nearly a month of his life, his memories have disappeared with no sign of their return. The reason? A freak accident where a meteorite shot from the sky, through the roof of Alex's home and struck him in the head, knocking him into a coma. This is the catalyst for massive changes in Alex's life. He takes time out of school to help him deal with frequent epileptic fits of varying degrees of severity and discovers he has a thirst for knowledge beyond that of any normal child. The plot thickens when he returns to school and has to learn the tyrannical rules of the playground and sadly he becomes the target of a trio of bullies. As a result of a stressful escape from his tormentors Alex meets Mr Peterson, an elderly widower, and then the story really gets going. These two form an unlikely and important friendship that takes the both of them on a journey about the importance of freedom of choice and the strength of human spirit.

Gavin Extence opens this gem of a novel with a scene from the narrative's finale in order to introduce us to the varied and charming protagonist that is Alex Woods, who also serves as the first person narrator. This opening is what got me hooked, you desperately want to discover why Alex is wanted by the police and why he has his best friend's ashes on the seat next to him when he is stopped at the Dover border on the way back into the U.K.  It also creates intrigue through the little snippets of information that Extence plops into the narration that he doesn't explain until later in the novel. He uses this clever little trick throughout because you have no doubt all will become clear, as it ultimately does. I honestly thought that a retrospective narrative would irritate me, but it works incredibly well in the telling of this story.

Alex is an astonishing character and you would have to have a heart made of stone if you don't end up caring for him and wanting the best for him, he becomes more and more real as the novel progresses. Alex provokes a deep sense of empathy and I appreciated his simple honesty, this is a protagonist that is not afraid to ask questions even if the answers are hard to understand. His friendship with Mr. Peterson enriches the story and his dedication to his old friend's wishes encourages us to question our own thoughts on how far we would go for our loved ones.

From Alex to Mr. Peterson, a stark contrast of characterisation. Peterson is a stubborn but kind and worldly wise man from Texas who writes letters to try and encourage the righting of some of the wrongs in the world, and he is a man with strong beliefs. Extence handles Peterson very well, as it is this character that introduces the most moving theme of the novel and arguably the most important situation for Alex to overcome. 

It is hard to discuss the taboo theme of euthanasia in any capacity, but I can say with confidence, that Extence handles this subject with the utmost respect and in admirably good taste. This is a subject that comes up time and time again for debate in contemporary media and Extence actually uses the media towards the end of the novel to express the more negative views on the procedure. It is worth noting that although euthanasia is the matter at hand, it is made very clear that it is more about a person's freedom to choose and I was so pleased to find that the writing wasn't too bogged down by this moving and thought provoking subject. 

What I did love was the description of playground politics, and it's exceptional accuracy. I was teleported back in time to my own school days, when it was all about what designer sports wear you owned and how kids were ostracised depending on their interests or the way you carried your backpack. Alex is made a victim of this fickle exclusion and he actually seems to become a stronger person for it. There is a scene in which he is called to the head teacher's office along with one of his tormentors after a very public incident on the school bus. The dialogue and narrative that ensues is outstanding and I laughed out loud when Alex finally said exactly what he was thinking. This scene in particular is a ripe example of Extence's skill in creating a high level of tension and offering perfectly timed comic relief. This is by far my favourite chapter in the book and it's an important turning point for Alex's personal development. 

It is hard to believe that this is a debut, the story is sound, the writing almost poetic in places yet still what I would consider an easy read. You never get lost and the characters are extremely memorable, I never felt like I had to go back over parts of the book when I picked it back up to read. This is a real achievement and the careful balance of humour and drama is what makes this an all rounder, I can well believe that just about anyone could easily enjoy The Universe vs. Alex Woods. 

If you are a fan of discovering new and exciting fiction, have a peek at this year's full list of Waterstones 11 titles. There is something for everyone on the list.

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway: A Review

This unusual and slightly obscure novel grabbed my undivided attention when it appeared in the Waterstones Book Club list at work alongside 11 other novels vying for my readership. Why did it stand out? Well how could I resist a book that promised me mad monks, a doomsday device and as a quote on the cover says "pure unhinged delight"? Clearly I couldn't and I was not disappointed, Angelmaker is a thrill ride deserving of its many gushing reviews featured in and outside of the cover. 

Enter Joe Spork, a man trying to escape his father's criminal shadow by repairing clockwork and desperately seeking the quiet life. He is asked to repair a one of a kind, unknown device and is henceforth plunged into a world of violence, corruption and a plan to unravel life as we know it. Joe's tale is helped along by the back story of the mysterious and elderly Edie Banister, a woman with more to hide than your average pensioner. Throw in some hardy, golden clockwork bees, a disgruntled, blind pug and a crazed dictator seeking immortality and you have a tale that will stop you in your tracks and demand you read on.

This is the sort of novel that is almost impossible to review because of its ambitious scope and the achievement the author has made in writing such an intricate, involved novel. The story runs like one of the complex clockwork devices contained within. 

It is easy to imagine that Nick Harkaway lives in the crazy world that is Angelmaker. Everything is beautifully (or gruesomely where necessary) imagined using realism sprinkled with the fantastic. You never doubt this world is real, and to be honest I really wished it was. I would have loved to travel on the Lovelace, a steam train that hits high speeds and is more advanced than any train you could possibly imagine and to travel to the depths of the ocean with a merry crew of Ruskinites. The world seems so real that time passes far too quickly when you are reading, this novel devours time because it is hard to put down and return to reality. 

This is a tale that challenges the very notion of genre, as soon as you begin to think you are being submerged into a sci fi steampunk world you are swiftly whisked away by a thrilling spy novel and then smoothly dropped into a coming of age yarn. I loved this and it is perhaps why this is not a predictable tale, generic conventions get tossed away willy nilly. I also enjoyed the literary edge this novel has, it is not trashy in the slightest (an unusual choice for me). 

The characters are a mixed bunch, all of them are well formed and believable and there are a hell of a lot of them as the novel progresses. Joe is the main focus and his journey alongside his personal development is brilliant. He unravels his true nature one small piece at a time and the end result is startling. Even though Joe's journey is fraught with torture, loss and corruption he comes out the other end as a powerful, terrifying man, as far from the life he thought he wanted as he can get. Edie also deserves a mention, she is, in the narrative present, an astute old lady with a past that is completely unexpected. Edie's troubled history of espionage and love is the driving force for Joe's present. 

By far my favourite character is the barbarous Bastion, Edie's formidable pet pug. At first sight he is seemingly harmless, what with his two pink glass eyes and his one lonely tooth but anyone would be a fool to cross him. Bastion is loyal, ferocious and absolutely adorable. I was also taken with the baby war elephant, another mammal you would be wise to leave well alone. 

Every madcap apocalyptic novel needs a super villain and Shem Shem Tsien is one of the maddest, baddest nut jobs to be set loose in the world of literature. He is cold, calculating and perversely cruel, Harkaway makes sure to give him not a single redeeming feature and he is easy to hate. Shem Shem Tsien is everyone's worst nightmare that keeps coming back for more. The battle of wills between him and Joe as the novel draws to a close is tense and gripping in a jaw dropping fashion. 

I only have a single complaint, I struggled with one part of the narrative. Joe is imprisoned for a time in a ward where he is constantly tortured for information. I felt myself drifting off at points here, not because of the torture but because the writing wasn't quite so smooth and delightful as it is throughout the rest of the novel. But this is only a small chunk, pivotal to the story, so an easy niggle to overlook in light of its crucial relevance. 

This is a long novel deserving of the commitment needed to finish it and upon completion I was delighted to discover that Angelmaker ties up every loose end neatly in a bow, an impressive feat considering the vast scope of this novel.

I can't recommend this enough as you can probably tell from my gushing review, I can appreciate this is not for everyone but it hit all of my sweet spots. It reminded me of China Mieville and Neil Gaiman in places so I would image if you are fans of these two sci fi/fantasy behemoths you are likely to enjoy this book as much as I did. 

Storm Front: A Review

How Jim Butcher's writings of wizard for hire, Harry Dresden, have never before graced my reading interests I will never know, this is exactly my type of novel, urban fantasy, witty, gruesome and written well (unlike a lot of urban fantasies that are mediocre and easy to forget). I haven't yet seen any episodes of the TV adaptation of Butcher's series, and would now like to see how the world of silicon has captured a very engaging, slightly silly character and his many mad cap exploits.  

Storm Front introduces us to Harry Dresden, a wizard for hire and occasional police consultant for anything weird and unexplained. He is in need of money, can't be too close to electrical equipment and his car is constantly getting the better of him by breaking down. On top of that, he is also on his last chance with the White Council, who will execute him if he makes even one tiny magical mistake. Harry is in desperate need of a break. He is called into a case to look at a double homicide, one that will result in him being threatened by mobsters, hungry toad demons and an unhinged black magician. Seemingly all in a day's work for Harry Dresden. 

First and foremost, I devoured this in a couple of sittings. Storm Front is ridiculously fast paced and almost impossible to put down, I always wanted to know what came next. Jim Butcher never dawdles with the telling of the tale and for this sort of novel, that's just perfect.

As for Harry, named after a few famous magicians (Harry Houdini being one of them, NOT Harry Potter), he is a brilliant character and reminded me in places of a bumbling, socially adept academic and in others of a wisecracking detective. Harry is a varied and well formed fellow and it is hard not to feel some sort of empathy for him, he receives far more beatings than is normal for someone outside of a boxing ring. He is not Prince Charming however, he doesn't respect women particularly well and every woman in this narrative becomes a victim in some way or another. This becomes more noticeable the more you think about it and is my only niggle with Butcher's storytelling. I am hoping that in a later novel a magic wielding, vengeful woman comes in and kicks Harry's ass. Fingers crossed. 

Harry is of course only one of many characters, and you invest enough thought into all of them to have concern over their well being, or in the black magician's case, their demise or capture. I loved Murphy, the detective who calls Harry in to consult on a visually disturbing homicide. She is bossy and slightly scary, perfect for her role and happy to give Harry what for when he is being a bit of a wally. Bob, a talking skull, was hilarious, he is excessively pervy and indulges in sexual voyeurism whenever he is allowed time outside of the skull (he is a caged air spirit, not technically a 'talking skull', but near enough).

Butcher's imagery is compelling enough to make the reader feel quite unwell at the beginning, the double homicide is somewhat savage, even Harry vomits into a thoughtfully provided bucket. The narrative drive is that an evil practitioner of magic is making people's hearts pop out of their chest cavity, leaving a bloody mess at the crime scene. Storm Front is very much a magical whodunit. A whole host of creatures make their way into the telling, they are imaginatively rendered and leave a lasting image. Toot was adorable, a small, forgetful, yet informative fairy who loves pizza. The toad demon was vile and terrifying and I still can't quite shake the scene in which Harry is stark naked with his staff pointed at the electrical storm above (not a euphemism) with his other arm stretched in the direction of the demon, hoping to smite it with the power of the storm, brilliant. 

Storm Front is by no means a literary breakthrough but it is a novel that stands out from the rest of those categorised as urban fantasy, this is obvious in the series' success alone. The storytelling is sharp and events tie up neatly, and the style reminded me of Laurel K. Hamilton's 'Anita Blake' novels and also the work of Ben Aaronovitch. There is no doubt that I will be hunting down more of Butcher's Dresden novels, and I hope to enjoy them just as much as I did this one. Overall, a super sharp magical roller coaster and an enjoyable introduction to the series.