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Book blogger. 

[thespillingquill]

Steppenwolf – Hermann Hesse

Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Existential

Published: 1927

Summary: Harry Haller is a lonely man who has two facets to his personality. He grapples with his academic, bourgeoisie lifestyle and the gnawing persona of Steppenwolf which makes him borderline suicidal. He meets Hermione who introduces him to new hobbies and reminds him of the pleasures in life.

Review: Hesse effectively explores inner conflict and the journey from pessimism to optimism through Harry Haller’s character. This modernist text uses a mixture of formats to create an abstract story and occasionally ‘spacey’ atmosphere. 

Hesse creates believable characters. I particularly enjoyed the binary of Harry/Steppenwolf in contrast to the fluidity of Hermione. The voice of Harry is clear from the start and the expressions. The alter-ego is a theme Hesse explores slowly, and fittingly painfully. 

The suicidal moments make me uncomfortable and the most shocking parts are graphic. This makes the novel engaging and effective at communicating raw emotions that any generation can understand. 

The struggle between having humble values and holding a pacifist view whilst contrasting with an indulgent and bourgeoisie lifestyle will resonate with multiple audiences. Harry’s key problem is that the things you hate can fuel the lifestyle you want to live.

The novel does wander. I was underwhelmed by the Editor’s Preface as it was uneventful and the story could do without it. This makes the prospect of re-reading the novel less inviting. Harry’s poetry is bad but I can excuse it considering the context and his character at that point in time. The novel repeated itself a lot and could have been shorter and as a result, more effective.

 I do appreciate it for being unpredictable and for having no direction but a sense of personal purpose. Harry’s voice is philosophically executed, creating an ethereal sense to Hesse’s writing.  I really like how the constant thread of despair frayed into hope at the very end, leaving what seemed like a despairing story, finishing on a sweet note. 

[thespillingquill]

Killing and Dying (Six Stories) - Adrian Tomine

Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Graphic Novel, Everyday Drama

Published: 2015

Overview: Tomine crafts six individual stories using variations on his drawing style which is refreshing. The plots are engaging, containing characters that are believable. To add to this, he displays human connections with a strong sense of reality. The style is simplistic but it works with the plot. I will focus on three of the stories.

Review: ‘Amber Sweet’ is cleverly narrated. The protagonist explains how a porn-star doppelganger ruins her life and relationships, indirectly. Tomine displays the narrator’s emotional stress, her mental wellbeing and physical changes throughout her recount. The ending provides closure as to whose perspective this is told from and to, creating a sweet finish to the story.

‘Translated, from the Japanese’ has the best art style, with close and wide shots of the landscape and infrastructure. Despite these shots, it retains a sense of intimacy through the narrative voice. It is not always clear whom someone is addressing and who is related to each other. The ending though, is profound.

‘Intruders’ uses a bold art style to match the psychotic protagonist. It is a creepy story that intrigues the reader, builds up and releases tension so by the end, the reader feels simultaneously hopeful, anonymous and at a loss for words.

[thespillingquill]

The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid

Rating: 8/10

Genre: Psychological Fiction

Published: 2007

Summary: A Pakistani man goes to Princeton University and works for a prestigious financial company in New York. He falls in love with an American women and his perception of the USA changes when the World Trade Centre is attacked. He recounts his observations to an American in the streets of Lahore.

Review:  Hamid has simple style and the narrator’s tone is very distinctive which works throughout the novel. Hamid weaves two threads together: the protagonist’s reflection on New York and his conversation with his American friend in Pakistan. This enables Hamid to provide narrative breaks from the main story line and urges the reader to fluctuate from location to location.

Hamid builds pictures of New York and Pakistan clearly, using sensory imagery and precise observations. The book is told from an Eastern perspective with heavy Western influences. The narrator applauds the USA for providing unique experiences, for example, the exclusive job opportunities and the multicultural cuisine and people in NYC. Hamid sets out the differences, but most importantly, the similarities between the East and West using comparisons and specific analogies.

The characters clearly change over time, progressing and regressing. The narrator’s self-realisation concerning the way his job affects others is enjoyable to read as you see his change in perspective of the USA post-9/11. The stereotypes and fear people of colour are subjected to, is brought forth clearly and concisely.

The tone of the narrator hooks the reader in at the start and continues to hold their concentration through an addictive prose style. The politics is set out clearly and is therefore easy to understand. I particularly like the ending for leaving a lasting impression on the reader regarding assumptions and instincts.

There are some flaws though, in my opinion. No other characters are heard – I think the voice of the American would be interesting to hear instead of solely the narrator. Then again, I see why Hamid made this choice. I thought the focus on Erica (the love interest) would dissipate by the half-point mark of the novel. However, there is a great focus on her throughout which does not add to the story because her character is not likeable, to a great extent. I would have liked more depth in the atmosphere and changes surrounding people of colour, post-9/11 rather than details of the petering romance between Erica and the narrator.

The book ends quite abruptly. It is too short! I highly recommend it, as the insights into the narrator’s life and the change he experiences teaches me a lot about ideals and critical thinking.

Hamid manages to connect the span between the West and the East and simultaneously explain the divisions between the two, particularly America’s role in the Middle East, which is still impacting people today. I look forward to reading more of his work.  

[thespillingquill]

Girl With A Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier

Rating: 8/10

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Published: 1999

Summary: Griet grows up in a poor family and is taken from the confines of her home in Delft, across the city to be the maid of Vermeer, a painter. She is treated differently to the other servants and navigates the line between social classes. The events in her role escalate, along with family issues, causing Griet to realise where her loyalties lie.

Review: For a historical fiction novel, Chevalier effectively re-creates seventeenth century Holland, giving me a clear idea of class divisions, social customs, religious differences and daily life.

Chevalier has a lovely writing style that flows as smoothly as a shallow boat along a canal.  The novel consists of small events but the writer keeps me turning the pages. The similes used are unusual, short and very effective, due to their simplicity. The way she builds up the location of the Delft and describes paintings and how Vermeer creates them is entrancing. What makes the book even more pleasant it the satisfying ending.

Chevalier connects the reader and the character by describing emotions well. She places traits within each character that enables the reader to rapidly form an opinion of each one. Griet’s emotions are expressed clearly and in such a way that makes her characters believable. The most emotive parts are the melancholy ones concerning her sister and the broken tile which foreshadows the family split. To add to this, hints of Griet’s love for Vermeer are placed instead of declared. 

However, the novel does have its downsides. The protagonist is likable most of the time, but there is no substance behind her feelings for Vermeer. Griet struggles to stand up for herself, multiple times which is frustrating. However, she does develop throughout and rapidly so, at the end. Vermeer is meant to be the love interest but Chevalier gives me little reason to take interest in him or support the romance between the two. Vermeer is skilled at his work but is also inconsiderate, cowardly and a liar. He does not stand up for Griet nor does he tell his wife the truth. Another setback is the minor characters that are not distinct and blur together, especially when they are not mentioned in a long time.

Chevalier does repeat the mundane tasks Griet has to complete each day and this draws the book out. To add to this, not a lot of action occurs except for the very start and the end. The in between is a slow progression but enjoyable to read, in my opinion. 

Overall, I liked this novel and would recommend it to any writer who aspires towards a minimalist style and is interested in how to revive past eras, locations and weave in themes such as social divides and power dynamics, subtly. This novel is memorable and encourages me to seek out Chevalier’s other historical fiction books. 

[thespillingquill]

Across the Nightingale Floor - Lian Hearn

Rating: 6/10

Genre: Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

Published: 2002

Summary: Takeo’s village is massacred and taken over by the formidable Tohan clan. He is adopted by a member of the Otori clan and learns he has special qualities that enable him to discreetly avenge his village and other betrayals. Kaede is a young woman who is married off and taken from one location to the next as a political pawn. Takeo and Kaede’s lives intertwine as the political scene collapses into chaos.

Review: Hearn creates a strong opening that hooks the reader; she jumps straight into the action.

The title and focus on the nightingale floor led me to expect a great focus on the floor and how Takeo could cross it without making a sound. However, the feature is only mentioned halfway through the book and Hearn skips over the action of Takeo crossing it, so it feels as though the title of the novel is not relevant.

The book has potential but does not fulfill it. The exposition drags on, the thoughts of the characters are not always believable and the love at first sight trope between Kaede and Takeo is painful to read because it is not substantial. To add to this, Hearn does more telling than showing.

There is a character splurge where too many new characters emerge when the key ones are not established yet. Talking of characters, many of them are unfeeling (except for Shigeru) and are hard to connect to. Hearn did not distinguish between the Tribe and the Kikuta (the Kikuta are a clan within the Tribe and this idea could have been made clearer, especially considering the rush of terms and names). The map at the beginning of the novel is helpful but the geographical descriptions and battle tactics are hard to picture in a book – this would be done better in a visual format. 

That being said, Hearn is good at world building. The only issue is, she bases the world off feudal Japan when she could have set the story in Japan and integrated features of this period through thorough research. Hearn is skilled at writing action scenes and creating tension. These parts stood out in the novel. I am glad Hearn surprised me: I did not expect one of the characters to murder and for another to die. Considering the behaviour and attitude of the former character who is portrayed as love-sick and weak-willed, it is refreshing to see her have some guts and act on it.  Her descriptions are beautiful: simple and most of all, visual. The pacing is fair – I will not lie, Hearn had me turning the pages, even when points were uneventful. 

Hearn can tell stories but the plot and style needs tightening. The novel was a pleasant read but the setbacks and lack of character connection deter me from re-reading this one and from reading the rest of the series.

[thespillingquill]

The Wrath and the Dawn – Renée Ahdieh

Rating: 8/10

Genre: Magic, Romance, YA

Published: 2015

Summary: In a world, inspired by the Middle East, a ruler marries a new bride every night, only each one is murdered the next day. Shahrzad is the first one to voluntarily marry the ruler, after her best friend is married off and murdered in his palace. Her plan: revenge. However, after meeting the palace workers and hearing the reason why the ruler behaves so appallingly, Shahrzad reconsiders. To add to this, her childhood friend leaves the city with her father, in the hopes of preparing to take down the ruler, using unusual methods.

Review: Ahdieh uses lavish language to create an evocative and visual story. Her ability to craft language that reflects the rich setting of her story is done brilliantly. The Middle Eastern setting and cultural references bring the world to life and make the novel even more enticing. Ahdieh pinches elements of One Thousand and One Nights, The Bloody Chamber and The Hunger Games and moulds them into her narrative effectively. The story develops nicely, with the writer bringing in other character’s perspectives that run parallel to the protagonist. I would like to hear more from Tariq’s character in the second book. The book is engaging from the first page but the pacing can be slow, often when the protagonist is describing her feelings for Khalid.

I like the range of characters Ahdieh creates, ranging from a Theban handmaiden to a cowardly father who has magical abilities. The protagonist is strong and feisty, making her likeable. However, the relationship that develops between her and Khalid is not entirely justifiable considering his behaviour. Their love is based on passion and Khalid’s admiration for breaking the rules instead of them exchanging conversation. Khalid’s character can, at times, seem a little bland and the romantic scenes often seem idealistic instead of believable. They can leave the reader feeling gooey instead of sweet inside. To evoke sympathy in readers, Ahdieh could have given them more detail about Shiva’s friendship with Shahrzad and their bond, as this is crucial in building up dislike for Khalid and support for Shahrzad.

The ending lacks punch, leaving the reader feeling a little underwhelmed. It suggests that the book can stand alone rather than be part of a series. The beginning excerpt of the second book should conclude this one as it is riveting and causes the reader to anticipate more of the story. The blurb is misleading. The protagonist does not uncover the reason Khalid murders his brides – Khalid tells her. Magic is set up to form the basis of the story but it only played in snapshots throughout the book. It should have been sustained throughout, to keep up with the reader’s expectations. This is marketed as a fantasy book but is primarily focuses on romance.

I like the tensions in power that Ahdieh displays through the dialogue. Sharzhad’s thoughts are short and hooking. The chapter names are thoughtful and add to the anticipation of each chapter. I am interested to see where the story goes next.

[thespillingquill]

Poetry Collection…And The Modhumoti Flows Quietly – Rudrendra Ghosh

Rating: 5/10

Genre: Poetry

Published: 2016

Summary: This collection covers themes such as the political turmoil in India, long-distance love and childhood memories, expanding on each one in various poems.

Review: The opening poem ‘The Dearest’ gives off the sweet expression of long distance love. Ghosh uses colourful metaphors that create pictures in the mind of the audience. In ‘The Beacon of Cosmo-polis’, Ghosh is self-reflective, creating a montage of his childhood memories that are heartfelt and genuine. The poems surrounded hard hitting topics such as terrorism stand out the most, as his argument and insistence on justice is strong, contrasting to the slow flowing poems about love. ‘Mere A Migrant’ has a wonderful transitions within it and poems where Ghosh pays homage to places he is attached to have a distinct style and well-built atmosphere. ‘Mona Lisa – Mystic Smile of My Mother’ is cyclical, providing an unexpected twist that surprises the audience. This poem in particular breaks the pattern of the collection successfully. The last poem is a pleasantly captures the poet’s tone throughout the collection.

Ghosh tends to tell the audience a lot, instead of showing them his point through the poems. It would be better if he let the reader come to their own observations, instead of giving it to them. All of the poems are lengthy and it would be better to keep the audience engaged by varying their duration. Ghosh often repeats pronouns too many times in one poem, which does not strengthen the message of it. A lot of the time, the language is so flowery that the meaning of the poem is obscured and the audience loses track on what to focus on.

The images accompanying occasional poems are a great addition as they are versatile in art style and so capture the audiences’ attention. Not only this but they relate to the adjacent poem and break up the long collection.

True to its title, this collection drifts slowly and steadily between locations and matter. 

[thespillingquill]

Let Them Eat Chaos - Kate Tempest

Rating: 8.5/10

Summary: Seven Londoners who live on the same street see each other for the first time when a storm occurs. Tempest comments on the state of the Earth and our place in it.

Review: Tempest is exceptionally skilled in relating believable stories through spoken word poetry. She gives the audience seven snapshots of the lives of Londoners, adding gravity to their situations and depicting the divide between their exteriors and interiors.

She zooms out at the start and end, giving the audience perspective of the planet and how we are destroying it. She cries for us all to fix it. She points to issues that are overlooked e.g. the crimes of the West, particularly the UK against countries throughout history and up until today (war, slavery, resource exploitation) but sadly, she does not go into depth.

There is a lot happening in the plot and not all the characters are memorable but I like how she uses the storm to unify them – a moment of Nature’s outrage and panic forces them to see each other.

The repetition of time is effective but there are other moments when the repetition used is not effective. Her ability to rhyme, her rhythm and her placement of words on the page is well thought through. She has a unique writing style and her poetry is semi-dense, compelling me to re-read her work but also follow along with the plot.

The voices she creates are believable and Tempest has a visual way of writing (she zooms in and out of London, creating scale, as if directing a film).

Her messages of the people, the city and the planet are powerful but her ending could use more punch. I can’t wait to see what she writes/performs next.

[thespillingquill]

Palestine - Joe Sacco

Rating: 7/10

Summary: Joe Sacco, a journalist travels to Palestine to hear the voices of the Palestinians, living on the Gaza Strip and suffering from a conflict that is unlikely to resolve anytime soon.

Review: Sacco has put immense effort into creating this visual and heart-felt depiction of Palestine. The message and purpose of Sacco’s project comes through clearly and is hard-hitting. Palestinians have suffered greatly at the hands of Israeli extremists and will continue to live in horrible conditions, constantly at threat of violence.

Sacco provides a platform for Palestinian voices – those that are unheard and denied a place in mainstream media. The violence they are subjected to is graphically portrayed. The stories blur together after a while as each experience becomes bleaker than the one before. The series of comics is longer than it needs to be – the points are made without Sacco needing additional stories.

Sacco’s personality is hard to warm to at first because he comes across as intrusive and unfeeling but at the end, these qualities are redeemed, when he debates with the Israeli women. He demonstrates rhetoric strength, unlike his reaction to the Palestinian’s pressing questions.

I am not a fan of Sacco’s drawing style. He can depict landscapes and the living conditions of the refugee camps in great detail, highlighting the horrible state of infrastructure the Palestinians are forced to live in. Everyone is drawn in wonderful detail apart from Sacco, who appears as a caricature.

Sacco relays the rhetoric surrounding the Israeli-Palestine conflict accurately and highlights the countries that are to blame for fuelling it. He depicts the crimes committed on both sides but also contextualises them, leaving the reader to judge the situation themselves.

The most effective parts are when Sacco breaks the forth wall and when he encounters children/teens, as they depict the conflict in a different manner. The episodes about the Ansar prisons, the olive groves and the old woman losing her family and not receiving quick medical care are the most insightful and gripping parts to the compilation. However, the ending is abrupt – if feels cut off, not complete.

Sacco includes a flood of names and recounts historical events that make the comic dense in certain parts. It is easy to lose track of what each party stands for and their actions, but this reveals the complexity of the conflict.

The cartoonist suggests that the issues at play will remain unresolved but this project is important because it provides a platform that expresses the voices of many Palestinians, a group whose stories have been denied exposure. Their voices are not only presented, they are preserved.

[thespillingquill]

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami

Rating: 7.5/10

Summary:  A 15-year-old boy leaves school and adopts a new identity to find his purpose in life and fulfil a fate that mirrors Oedipus. An illiterate man travels across the country to try and close a dimension that is causing strange events. Both have never met each other yet their stories and paths interlink.

Review: Murakami has beautiful writing style – simple yet carefully constructed.

The plot is unusual – a teenage runaway, his shadow Crow and an old man who can talk to cats are all looking for closure. Each storyline links in a threadbare manner which becomes more substantial as the reader progresses through the novel. There is a large focus on the mushroom episode (at the start) that is not addressed by the end of the novel.

Murakami is versatile in his writing. He uses poetry, lyrics, interviews, reports, Kafka’s subconscious and prose to relay the story. He mixes the supernatural with the real, leading to interactions that have a dreamlike quality. Occasionally, some come across as soupy.

Lots of characters are introduced in the first half and they tailor off towards the second half, making it unclear who to focus on from the start. Murakami surprised me with a transgender character, writing him well, as he reveals this through the dialogue of the character and without attaching stereotypes. 

The Oedipus concept seemed to condone rape, claiming it is part of Kafka’s ‘fate’ which I strongly oppose. The sexual scenes are uncomfortable due to age differences and consensual parts which are poorly justified. There are a lot of forces and events that are not explained and the novel is longer than it needs to be.

Murakami conjures memorable similes and the dialogue is charming. This is a nice tale of finding closure, purpose and belonging amongst friends. It also depicts the pain and tiresome effort of fulfilling one’s fate.

[thespillingquill]

Born A Crime - Trevor Noah

Rating: 10/10

Summary: Trevor Noah is a South African comedian who now hosts ‘The Daily Show’. He grew up in South Africa during the time of the apartheid, his existence a crime due to his mixed parentage. In this autobiography he relates stories of his childhood to the politics of his country and explains the historical and cultural changes he witnessed and experienced.

Review: Noah’s autobiography is a master-piece of its time. Noah engages in the political climate of South Africa during the time of the apartheid and comments on the complexity of the system. He highlights how different racial groups are oppressed and intersects this with their tribal roots, language and religion, providing great insight into South Africa’s divisions. Each chapter is preceded by South African history/cultural context that Noah clearly relays. Cleverly, these link into his autobiographical narrative. He effectively relays the social struggles of fitting into one’s identity and he makes insightful observations regarding the power structure in South Africa. Noah selects entertaining events from his childhood and relates them to the wider picture of his world. In retrospect, he acknowledges the change in his perception from when he was a boy, to his thoughts as a man, regarding the treatment he received because of his mixed race, showing self-reflection. He does not gloss over his flaws nor does he flaunt his victories.

By the end, I realised that Noah is not the only star of this novel – his mother is too. She raises him with strong values, making him emotionally mature from a young age. His mother is a bold character and provides the anchor in Noah’s life. His comparison between an African upbringing and a European one is comedic and he explains the logic behind his mother’s actions. This exposes Western readers to the psychology behind culture differences.

The book leaves the reader feeling angry at the warped justice system and the long-lasting effects of colonialism, sexism and racism. However, Noah provides plausible suggestions to a solution and although he ends the story abruptly in an intense, emotional episode, readers come away with a greater understanding of South Africa as a whole (its people, the political scene and why crime has become so severe to name a few factors).

Weaving comedy with politics, reflection, childhood memories and an optimistic outlook, Noah not only celebrates his life but analyses it, providing one of the best autobiographies ever written and a book that is worthy of classroom study, internationally. This book made me laugh out loud, multiple times but also reflect on how much more humanity needs to progress.

[thespillingquill]

Tangled Tales - Niall O’Cinnsealach

Rating: 6.5/10

Summary:  Poems about Spanish culture, love and inner struggle are brought together in this collection.

Review: O’Cinnsealach uses subtle and consistent imagery throughout his collection of poems, mainly using fire as a focal symbol. He captures the atmosphere of a festival well in ‘La boina – the beret’ and the fast-paced ‘La Mascleta’ encompasses the violence of a rebellion in a concise manner. The poet commendably writes bittersweet love poems and ‘La Cucaracha’ is enrapturing due to the dark twist at the end. O’Cinnsealach’s forte is building atmosphere using a short amount of words, which is enjoyable to read, particularly in ‘Ciudad atormentada – Tormented City’. ‘Pop Star Craze’ is a wonderfully written poem that is haunting and stands out from the others because the topic is different.

However, the poet occasionally uses archaic language which does not add to the meaning of the poems and some of the rhyming comes across as forced. Not all of the poems link smoothly or fit into the same theme, so the collection could have been split into parts. The titles of some poems could be more engaging and select poems need footnotes that translate Spanish vocabulary into English so the reader can understand the full meaning of them.

Overall, O’Cinnsealach writes nicely and has the ability to build on his poetry collection and write about the complexities of his chosen themes. I look forward to reading more of his work, particularly those with Spanish themes.

[thespillingquill]

Twilight and Homecoming - Uzoechi Nwagbara

Rating: 6.5/10

Summary: This collection is filled with poems relaying the sorrow of exploitation and the need for stronger laws that will abolish the inequalities that exist. Nwagbara comments on the degradation of the environment and how this is linked with the social impacts, creating a piece of work that causes the audience to reflect upon corporations, leaders and the people who fall victims to their power.

Review: Nwagbara’s opening poem ‘Homecoming’ is enrapturing and haunting, creating a strong start to a collection that contains similar themes. He effectively hints at the setting for each poem and his imagery in ‘I Sing Your Praise With Nostalgia’ is particularly rich, similar to ‘Deathly Desire’, which closes the collection using corporeal imagery that depicts the intense exploitation of workers and how people are robbed of their livelihoods because of a hierarchy, run on money.

‘Ironic Voices’ is one of the best as the contradictions demonstrate people’s need to assert their roles and their struggle to become fluid as their own claims has trapped them in a fixed role. One poem takes a clever approach on the abbreviation ‘CSI’, highlighting the way countries are manipulated to give over their resources with little payment in return. A couple of the poems are melancholy, slowing the pace of the collection, only to be interrupted by ones that comment on the injustices in the world, such as ‘My Choice’ which is about armed violence. Nwagbara uses opposites to demonstrate the stark inequalities people have to live through, and he ends the poem in the hope that arms will eventually be abolished. This is relevant to the countries whose populations suffer from the abundance of armed violence.

There is a tendency for Nwagbara to overuse the exclamation mark in his poetry, particularly at the end of his poems, which over time, do not add any effect to the words. Some poems blend into others due to their overlapping themes, therefore it would be nice if they were distinct from one another, for example, some topics could have been written in more depth and included more specific details.

Overall, Nwagabara has made a fine collection of poems. The start and ending poems are strong and the best ones stand out for their imagery and insightful comments.

[thespillingquill]

The Death and Life of Michael Blacker – Russell J. Smith

Rating: 3/10

Summary: After Michael commits suicide, he reckons he is done with life. To his surprise, he finds himself in the afterlife. He chooses to explore, finding some friends he did not know he was missing along the way as well as a series of problems he must face, head on.

Review: Smith uses a comical tone and juxtaposes it with serious content, making the beginning of the book engaging. There are rare moments of beautiful writing. Smith uses brilliant similes , likening the internet to a city and Michael to a star, giving the book flair.

‘I liken myself to a star, insofar as a star is prevented from collapsing under its own enormous gravity by the outward push of energy created at its core. I’m the most puffed-up, when my energy burns fierce and hot.’ (58)

However, too many new characters are introduced at once which leaves little time for the reader to get to know the main ones. Then again, the sarcastic tone of Michael helps the reader to keep track of him speaking. Smith uses dark humour to his advantage, creating a character the reader can warm to. The description of Kerry at the start is meant to be romantic but can come across as creepy due to the way the protagonist focuses on her.

Smith does not make it clear how the alternate world works, causing the reader to feel just as lost as the protagonist is.  The direction of the plot is ambiguous but Smith manages to develop a sweet relationship between Michael and Kerry. The snapshots of care that Michael has for his sons, brings the novel back to the theme of life and the importance of reflection, making the reader feel empathy for the protagonist:

‘It’s the same intensity of worry that I frequently endured when the boys were babies, then toddlers, then young boys, then slightly older boys, although the nature of it is slightly different; back then, I was afraid of something happening right before my eyes, with me being equally powerless to prevent it.’ (269)

This will be of interest to anyone who is intrigued by the idea of a technological afterlife.

[thespillingquill]

Empires in the Sky - Stuart Hill

Rating: 2/10

Summary:  Cosmopolis space station is eliminated by a terrorist attack in the 21st century. Breaker Jackson (survives the attack) and his crew team up with the military to fight off an alien threat. The crew of the ‘Jakarta’ travel through space, searching for Jackson and learn about one another on the way.

Review:

Set in the future, Hill gives the reader a rundown on Cosmopolis, what happened to it and the state it is in now. He clearly establishes the political events that have occurred in the 21st century and what organisations have risen as a result of this. He suggests the consequences of capitalism going too far. This provides good context to the book. The set-up creates anticipation as it contains a strong, comedic tone.

Hill splits the story into interviews but they do not follow the interview format – instead, they read as prose narratives. The quotes at the start of each part do not relate to the story clearly, making them irrelevant. Hill relies on large chunks of descriptions, interspersed with equally large parts of dialogue which prevents the book from flowing, resulting in a start and stop manner. Many names and locations are mentioned but go unexplained, making it hard for the reader to see the relevance of them to the plot. There is a lot going on at once which makes it difficult for the reader to concentrate on one thing. The plot is slow despite the overload of information packed in. The robbery at the beginning is drawn out, an event that would work better at a faster pace. Hill would do better to focus on a few dilemmas and characters and fully develop them.

Hill builds characters well but many of them conform to sci-fi stereotypes, e.g. Gardenia and Brett Talby are sexist clichés and Molly is the bad-ass woman of colour who is objectified by her peers, yet is one of the most adept with the task at hand. Sadly, it is unappealing characters such as Brett that take up a lot of the book when other characters would provide a more engaging perspective.

Hill is good with dialogue but the female characters often lack nuance and come across as unoriginal. All the women in the book are defined by their race or shape, instead of this complimenting their characters. Their interviews are dry and they often lack distinct personalities. The author dodges their dialogue by putting in conversations between other characters.

Hill is ambitious – this evident in the amount of pages he has written. However, the hectic plot and lack of appealing characters leaves the reader feeling lost in space.

[thespillingquill]

Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi

Rating: 8/10

Summary: Effia and Esi are half-sisters that grow up in Ghana in the 18th century. They do not know the other one exist. Both are forced into the slave trade and we find out about their lineage through the eyes of their descendants, up until the present day. Readers are given an idea of the social and political climate in Ghana and America and how this has affected people of colour since.

Review:

Gyasi writes beautifully. The first few sentences of the book will draw reader in. She manages to write three centuries worth of perspectives, each in distinctive styles. Gyasi manages to link each story in an unexpected and effective manner.

However, some characters are more intriguing than others. It would be nice if their narrative was longer. Quey, Marjorie, Akua and Sonny’s stories are the best as they are emotive and give the reader an insight into the society of that time period. Gyasi manages to touch on sexuality, the problematic relationship between slave owners and their concubines as well as the stigmas surrounding aspects of racism.

Gyasi highlights the everlasting pain of African-Americans and reveals the physical and psychological struggles they underwent in their homeland and undergo today, in America.

Sadness injects itself in every story, along with traditional customs and only the occasional sprinkle of happiness. Having said this, the story has a hopeful ending and manages to bring the reader out of the disheartening narrative. This story is not cheerful, nor does it inflate the graphic scenes that usually accompany depictions of slavery. Gyasi has the ability, as a storyteller, to make her narrative appear organic and honest, rather than embellished and extravagant.

Gyasi writes poetically but does not always sustain this because of the change in character voices. This book is impressive because it covers such a wide timeframe but manages to keep the narrative concise. Readers will come back to the characters they are fond of but may be less inclined to re-read the whole book. Unfortunately, because of the amount of perspectives in this book, it is easy to forget some characters and their stories.

The amount of work Gyasi put into creating this relevant and vast story is evident. This book is worth reading if you are interested in slavery, its effects throughout time and through the eyes of various characters growing up in different generations.

[thespillingquill]

The Last Queen of India – Michelle Moran

Rating: 8/10

Summary: It is 1857, a time when British colonialism dominates India and Sita is chosen to move from her village to the Queen’s palace, to form part of her all-female guard. Sita grows up next to the Queen of Jhansi (Rani) and witnesses a woman fighting to protect her kingdom from colonial and internal forces.

Review: Moran’s language is not particularly elaborate but I appreciate how effectively she brings the Rani to life. This historical fiction novel is told from the point of Sita’s view. More information on the Rani would add to this novel seeing as some scenes were drawn out, as they only contained Sita and characters relating to her.

Moran’s historical note is particularly helpful, as it sheds light on the contribution the Rani made to India’s history and social scene at that time. Readers will learn a lot about traditional Indian culture through the words Moran uses – she has evidently done her research well.

Moran makes the Rani a three dimensional character as she does not brush over the cruel side of the Rani nor does she milk her victories. Readers see the Rani as vulnerable and invincible at once. This story will make you admire the Rani as she is portrayed as a young woman ahead of her time. She is revolutionary and has unconventional thoughts, causing the reader to anticipate her appearances in the book.

Moran captures the atmosphere and the people’s views of the Rani, indicating how important she was to them in that pocket of political and social turmoil. This book is emotional and does not hide the appalling actions of the British in 19th century India. It is not difficult to read, and telling the Rani’s story from the perspective of a female guard is innovative. However, Sita is not a particularly interesting character, once the Rani is introduced.

If you would like to try a historical fiction novel, I strongly recommend this one, as it is easy to understand, the plot is compelling and based on the true story of a woman who was integral to the fight for India’s independence.