"Mary Saunders, a lower-class London schoolgirl, was born into rough cloth but hungered for lace and the trappings of a higher station than her family would ever know. In 18th-century England, Mary's shrewd instincts will get her only so far, and she despairs of the plans made for her to carve out a trade as a seamstress or a maid. Unwilling to bend to such a destiny, Mary strikes out on a painful, fateful journey all her own. Inspired by the obscure historical figure Mary Saunders, Slammerkin is a provocative, graphic tale and a rich feast of an historical novel. Author Emma Donoghue probes the gap between a young girl's quest for freedom and a better life and the shackles that society imposes on her. "Never give up your liberty."
This book is anti-erotica, depressing, but amazingly written. One of the best books I’ve read in a long while, one that stays with you. As dreadful as some of the characters are, they are all engaging. Even the main character of the story isn't inherently likable. But rather coarse, broken and vain, but still something makes you wish her a better life maybe purely out of human compassion. There is a beautiful array of female characters, who all show different aspects of being a woman in 18th-century society.
It's about a girl who is forced into prostitution by a heartless world (London in the eighteenth century) and who progresses in the course of the book from an innocent to the most depraved of humanity. This book is just a slow ebbing of Mary’s innocence. You think she lost it entirely when her mother threw her out of the house, but she kept finding new ways to build up hope and then destroy it. Simultaneously naïve and worldly, really.
The story wends its way from beginning to end and is interesting and readable, but it is a crabbed view of humanity, without any hope of redemption or joy. I enjoyed reading it once but its not one of those books I will seek out again.
Age Rating I would say strongly 15+. Trust me on this.
"I'm the one who's left behind. I'm the one to tell the tale. I knew them both...knew how they lived and how they died.
Claire is Ella Grey's best friend. She's there when the whirlwind arrives on the scene: catapulted into a North East landscape of gutted shipyards; of high arched bridges and ancient collapsed mines. She witnesses a love so dramatic it is as if her best friend has been captured and taken from her. But the loss of her friend to the arms of Orpheus is nothing compared to the loss she feels when Ella is taken from the world. This is her story - as she bears witness to a love so complete; so sure, that not even death can prove final."
Compelling yet disturbing, this is a perfect marriage of myth and modern story. It leaves behind all the stereotypes of a young adult novel and it feels much more mature and intelligent than most books in this genre. The characters were original but still mirrored the ancient myth. I am in love with the writing and I think that A Song For Ella Grey outshone many of his previous books, such as Skellig and My Name is Mina.
Ordinary as they may have seemed compared to some of the later scenes in the book, I loved the opening scenes where the group of friends make music and play by the sea; they seemed so real yet with a dream like quality. While I would have liked to have found out more about the minor characters in the group and their lives, I also like the way that this novel has many of the characteristics of a fable, in that it revolves around the central characters, Claire, Orpheus and Ella; most of their friends simply serve as a backdrop for their story. This way of telling the story also shows how, later in the book, Claire becomes worried and almost possessive of Ella, spending less time with the others.
The last chapters concerning the fate of Orpheus I didn't enjoy. I love a dreamlike open to interpretation ending but this pushed it a little too far for me.
This book would not be complete without its stunning cover. It is a rather abstract, artistic design, complete with pieces of metallic blue and amazing detail. I see so many novels with ugly or boring covers that I definitely appreciate books like this when they come my way.
Age Rating I would say 13+. They drink alcohol on a beach and "make love". There is also one gruesome scene at the end which may or may not have actually happened.
"Recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.
On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbours struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Borden's, those close to the family have a different tale to tell—of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.
As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbour to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling."
Hi Guys, I have been in Spain for a few weeks and was so busy I had no time to write any reviews. I had a very interesting time but I am now back safe and sound at home!!
We start our journey with a intense and mildly gruesome scene when the bodies of the Borden couple are discovered. From then on, we move back and forth in time and through the eyes of Lizzie, Emma, Bridget and Benjamin, we try to glue the pieces of a broken family together, to discover the events that led to the bloody murder. Now, this time technique is fascinating, but it also requires serious skills. Schmidt succeeds in this and presents the story in a way that makes you forget you actually know it. The book takes you with it and you cannot help but watching the events unfold with the same trepidation we’d have felt for any novel whose plot was unfamiliar to us.
There is an amazing combination of darkness and a strange tranquillity underlying the book. There are domestic scenes described in realistic detail, moments of family dynamics that are uncomfortable, wild. Bloody images that are never over the top. There is a distinctive aura of Gothic, gritty and primitive at times, but always poetically beautiful. It is difficult to describe. The writing was truly amazing but I found myself at times being slightly bogged down by the description rich dialogue.
The characters are equally well-written. It doesn’t matter whether they are likeable or not.Frankly, ‘’likeable’’ is boring. Most of the times... They are interesting, they drive the plot, providing dark company. Emma and Lizzie, the Borden sisters, couldn’t be more different. Emma is the eldest, sensible one, the daughter who wants to escape the family and yet is still shattered by the murders, despite the fact that her father was cruel and unloving.
Lizzie is the revolutionary, the child that doubts her father’s authority, the one who isn’t willing to compromise, she wants to punish what she considers to be cruelty and injustice. In fact, there were times when this novel was an uphill struggle for me. The one thing that will always stick out to me about this novel is Lizzie’s temperament. Throughout the novel it was eerily strange despite her obviously childlike temperament, menacing just below the surface in a way that was clearly deliberate on the author’s part. Whether she was not in her right mind in a vaguely sociopathic way or in a childlike way hinting at mental retardation I could not fully tell, the whole time I just felt like Lizzie was a sociopath and kept wishing Emma would just stop trying to take care of her.
This is a beautiful, dark book. Attractive, gritty, exciting, emanating a deep sadness for a family that is destroyed by a tyrannical father and ill choices. It also has a truly stunning cover. I agree that this story isn’t for everyone. Please understand that this is not a story about the case. It doesn't read like a crime drama or give you great amounts of info. I think the purpose of this book was to try and get inside and walk around in the skin of these people for little while.
Age Rating 14+. Dark subject matter, creepy vibe and..well...an axe murder. Do I really have to say more.
"Romance and suspense combine in a tense teen thriller that will leave you gasping for more ...
34 kids missing. Vanished without a trace.
Believing she is possessed, Genie Magee's mother has imprisoned her all summer encouraged by the sinister Reverend Schneider. Beautiful Rian, love of her life, sets her free, and their escape washes them up at Marshall's remote farmhouse downriver. But why are there newspaper clippings of the missing kids pinned to Marshall's bathroom wall? And should they believe his stories about the experiments at the Fortress, an underground research station nearby?
Genie meets Denis. Missing two years now, but hasn't grown an inch. Rian is haunted by Renée, who insists she's not actually dead. Soon they discover the terrible truth about Reverend Schneider and worse, Genie is next ... and Rian can't do a thing to prevent it."
Hi Guys, sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Had a long a busy half term.
It's one of those books that are long, 500 pages, however the lengthy journey is not without activity at all times, even when there's nothing happening; when we're not in the thick of things, the fantastic character development turns these characters and their relationships into something that you want to read.
Going into this book, you don't really know what to expect. The synopsis is very vague which is great. The mystery which ranges from creepy to spine-chilling, is one that every science fiction nerd will definitely find intriguing. Obviously, I'm being vague for the same reason as the blurb, it's best if you know nothing ahead of time and you get to learn of the town's freakishly dark side along with the characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed the scientific elements Hawksmoor introduced simply and without patronising a reader. I also loved how Hawksmoor handled the relationship between Genie and Ri. It was so different from what we’re used to. They were just two troubled kids, one heavily abused and the other “only” neglected, who saw each other as a chance to put it all behind them. Theirs was a young love, certainly, but a true love, not exaggerated, but simple, sweet and entirely believable.
Not one of the best Sci-Fi's I have ever read but enjoyable and the characters make it more than worth while.
Age Rating 13+ Only one gross scene at the end. Also Genie's abuse is quite emotional (nothing overly violent, just controlling) so if that bothers you stay away.
"Monsters lurk where you least expect…
Charlotte has always felt ordinary compared to her two best friends at the prestigious Weston Preparatory Institute. Not enigmatic and daring like Ariel or beautiful and brilliant like Devon, Charlotte has never quite met the standards of the school—or those of her demanding mother. But with Ariel and Devon by her side, none of that mattered. They became the family she never had.
Until the unthinkable happens—Ariel commits suicide. And less than a month later, so does Devon.
Everyone accepts the suicides as tragic coincidences, but Charlotte refuses to believe that. And when she finds mysterious clues left behind by Ariel, Charlotte is thrust down a path that leads to a dangerous secret about Weston Prep. There’s a reason Weston students are so exceptional, and the people responsible are willing to kill to protect the truth"
Honestly? I think this was just too flippant about suicide to be an enjoyable thriller. Or paranormal prep-school sci-fi story? I'm not even sure what it is.
I struggled with Charlotte. I understand being upset about the suicide of your best friends, but it felt like her inner monologue was glamorizing suicide. She kept thinking things about "not being brave enough" to join her friends in the dark.
There was an interesting story line, but it was boring at the same time. Everything felt so dramatic and overemphasized. For me, it got old really fast.
Overall, it was a quick read with an intriguing ending, but it lacked a spark and a layer of tension that I was expecting from a story like this.
I'm rapidly realising the if you stick a whole bunch of characters in a high-achiever school you get:
• girls who are cruel sociopaths for no real reason
• murder
• the main character will be nice and unassuming
• conspiracy theories
• threat of expulsion
• ONE SINGLE BOY THAT EVERYONE WANTS BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE BOY ON THIS PLANET
• suicide
• running through the dark woods to drink alcohol
• bad parents
• and the protagonist suddenly realising they are not the nice unassuming girl they thought they were
The cliches just piled up and I knew what the ending was going to be right at the start so either I read too much and I am sorry or this book needed more of imagination.
It's also my pet peeve when characters introduce themselves by tell us how boring they are and unfortunately it is true. Charlotte was boring. She drinks this mysterious thing after her two best friends commit suicide, which is never a good idea, and weird things start happening. She starts becoming super strong and numb.
So I understand that she couldn't control what was happening to her body but do you know how fun it is to read about emotionless people? Nada. Honestly a paper fork that's been through the dishwasher has more personality. I needed emotion to care about the story and it's always hard when a book starts off with pivotal characters being dead. I never knew Devon or Ariel so it was hard to care about them?
There is also a lot of heavy topics here, but they seemed so glazed over. I am 0% okay with most of the way it handled suicide. From the offhanded comments from Charlotte, to the way no one at the school even seemed to care? Also I don't think that Charlotte's eating habits where healthy and this was never addressed. She sounds like she had a borderline eating disorder and no one cares. I think it should've held more weight instead of being like an "ooh shock factor" thing. There's this part where (view spoiler)one of the girls burns down an animal shelter and murders dozens of helpless animals. This is covered in ONE PARAGRAPH and it's so callous and shocking and awful and yet really doesn't do anything for the story. It's so off-handed. I felt kind of sick. I love animals.
However I do like books about girls who enjoy being feminine and this book had competitive fencing in it. (I do fencing myself so I was very chuffed.)
Age Rating 14+ as I said flippant about suicide and eating disorders.
"Seventeen-year-old Abike Johnson is the favourite child of her wealthy father. She lives in a sprawling mansion in Lagos, protected by armed guards and ferried everywhere in a huge black jeep.
A world away from Abike's mansion, in the city's slums, lives an eighteen-year-old hawker struggling to make sense of the world. His family lost everything after his father's death and now he sells ice cream at the side of the road to support his mother and sister.
When Abike buys ice cream from the hawker one afternoon, they strike up a tentative and unlikely romance. But as they grow closer, revelations from the past threaten their relationship and both Abike and the hawker must decide where their loyalties lie."
Spider King’s Daughter is about parallel worlds colliding. Abike is headed for Yale University in the Fall. Runner G is happy if he sells two thousand Naira worth of ice cream in one day. Abike lives like royalty in a Lagos palace: well-manicured gardens adorned with bronze statues, pools, and fountains. Runner G wades through garbage to get to his crumbling Mile 12 flat that he shares with a sister and a depressed mother. Abike’s house is an impenetrable fortress. Runner G sleeps to the sound of gunshots coming from neighbouring flats being raided by armed robbers. But in a city with a population density of about 20, 000 people per square kilometer, it’s very easy for incomparably different lives to crash into one another. That’s exactly what happens one hot summer day. Bored to death during a chauffeured ride from school, Abike breaks her rules and rolls down the window of a her air-conditioned car to buy ice cream from a boy she’ll thereafter refer to as “my hawker.” There’ll be more ice creams bought. Then a date, followed by a few more dates but just when things seem so rosy, a dark and troubling past will come calling and put everything they’ve ever held dear to the test.
I love that the story starts out as your usual boy meets girl romance. You’re taken in by the chemistry between the two love birds but just when you’re getting used to the warmth and fuzziness of a traditional love story, things begin to get dark and never stop until the shocker of an ending that sends you reeling.
What I really love is the quirky details Onuzo uses to draw a compelling picture of life on the streets of Lagos. I’ve seen hawkers from the safe distance of a comfy car or through the broken window of a bus, but I’d never have guessed what it was like to be one. Thanks to Onuzo, I have a sense of the financial logic behind hawking, what the profit margins are, how the pecking order works, and what it feels like running after cars and putting up with abusive and impatient customers.
It’s refreshing when novelists play with form, no matter how subtle. The story is set up in such a way that the reader gets a first-person account of events from both Abike and Runner G. It’s fascinating to see how both characters narrate the same events differently, the kinds of details they choose to see or not see, include or keep out, perhaps, because while one is looking from above the other sees things from down below.
Age Rating I would say could be 12+. Interesting social dynamics but no swearing or anything untoward.
"It was a time when nobody called. Early evening, the hottest August in living memory.
A frightened girl bangs on a door. A man answers. From the moment he invites her in, his world will never be the same again.
She tells him about her family, and their strange life in the show home of an abandoned housing estate. The long, blistering days spent sunbathing; the airless nights filled with inexplicable noises; the words that appear on the windows, written in dust.
Where is her family now? Is she telling the truth? Can the man be trusted? Beautiful and disturbing, her story – retold in his words – reaches towards those frayed edges of reality where each of us, if only once, glimpses something nobody will ever explain."
Hi Guys, really sorry I haven't posted in a while. Took a break over Christmas but I am back at it now.
This novel unfolds through the eyes of an unknown narrator. Initially we know nothing about them or their connection to later events. The narrator tells the story of an unconventional family who return to the area, a dark history is hinted at. The family live in a decrepit housing estate surrounded by eccentrics and other shady characters on the edge of town.
This story is ambiguous. A lot is left up to the reader to form their own judgement as to what is fact or fallacy, real or imagined, nothing is "black or white."
Found the beginning to be a tad difficult to get into, it tended to jump around a bit but once you get into the story it does become a compelling reading. I had to know how it would end. In some ways it was a frustrating read in that it raised more questions than where answered. There is a sinister undertone to the novel that keeps the tension tightly ratcheted.
Overall I enjoyed it and the cover is gorgeous. Age Rating 14+ urban sinister.
"Mary Saunders, a lower-class London schoolgirl, was born into rough cloth but hungered for lace and the trappings of a higher station than her family would ever know. In 18th-century England, Mary's shrewd instincts will get her only so far, and she despairs of the plans made for her to carve out a trade as a seamstress or a maid. Unwilling to bend to such a destiny, Mary strikes out on a painful, fateful journey all her own. Inspired by the obscure historical figure Mary Saunders, Slammerkin is a provocative, graphic tale and a rich feast of an historical novel. Author Emma Donoghue probes the gap between a young girl's quest for freedom and a better life and the shackles that society imposes on her. "Never give up your liberty."
