All posts tagged: Challenges

‘Bonjour Tristesse/ A Certain Smile’ by Francoise Sagan ~ A Review

Published by

Contrary to the last book I read, as part of my “Classics” experiment (Paul Auster’s “New York Trilogy”), I’m sure as hell glad I picked this one up! Francoise Sagan’s first two novels have proved short, sweet and to the point ~ making the couple of days (on/off) it took me to read them highly enjoyable and utterly worthwhile. Amongst beautiful landscapes and fascinating, highly complex characters, Sagan weaves two searing, deliciously “French” tales of love, passion, jealousy and betrayal. One simply cannot help but marvel at the maturity and writing prowess of the (18 year old) author ~ while, simultaneously, looking forward to everything else she has to offer. I have to admit to being totally enthralled by Ms. Sagan’s work, of which I, definitely, plan to read more in future (looking up “The Unmade Bed” & “That Mad Ache”, as we speak). All in all, a highly recommended read!                                                 …

‘The New York Trilogy’ by Paul Auster ~ A Review

Published by

If you like puzzles or riddles with no clear answers, you might just enjoy this. I picked it, in an effort to follow up on my decision to read more of the “classics”. The premise sounded original & intriguing (fact which, I feel, made my eventual disappointment even more bitter. High expectations an’all…) Now, I am not one to easily dislike a book but I can, honestly, say I hated this 😦 I slogged through the stories, feeling like I was having my teeth pulled and desperately trying not to give up. In fact, had this book not been part of my blog TBR challenge, I would have definitely spared myself the pain. I remember reading a review that said “Somewhere along the way Paul Auster was decreed a “literary author,” so if you dare to say he’s boring, pretentious, and not really all that good with words, you are simply one of the great unwashed who don’t get it.” I am willing to take my chances… The three, separate narratives are supposed to be …

‘The Snowman’ by Jo Nesbo ~ A Review…

Published by

(a.k.a. Post a Week 9 ~ 21-27/02/2011) “The Snowman” is no.7 in the series of Harry Hole novels, published by Jo Nesbo (but, weirdly enough, only no.5 of those currently translated to English). It’s a skilfully written thriller, with a tight plot and a page-turning narrative (especially useful, given its 576 pages). The characters are all interesting, dark and complex (even the minor ones), giving the story an elaborate backbone and lots of “heart”. Despite the fact that the real killer is not really that hard to guess, after all, the story still manages to maintain its hold over the reader’s attention by providing a series of twists & turns, coupled by hefty doses of chilling images and pure horror. All in all, I can honestly say that I largely enjoyed my “time in the snow” and would be more than happy to delve into the rest of Harry’s story. Main debate now focuses on whether I should wait & go back to the beginning with “The Bat Man” (coming out next year) or just …

‘Hell’s Kitchen’ by Chris Niles ~ A Review…

Published by

(a.k.a. Post a Week 8 ~ 14-20/02/2011) A dark, situation comedy “populated” by a mix of interesting, funny and well-written characters. The intriguing premise of the book, combined with its fresh (multi-narrative) and fast-paced approach, captivated my interest from the very first page and had me reading late into the night -eager to see where the ride would end… A real good effort by Chris Niles -and one which makes me happy to, already, have another one of her books (“Vanished”-2004) on my bookshelf and TBR list 😉

‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath ~ A Review…

Published by

(a.k.a. Post a Week 7 ~ 7-13/02/2011) Lately, I have been trying to broaden my reading range by throwing in a few classics. Having heard much about this book, I decided to give it a go and see what I actually thought. Turns out “The Bell Jar” is an edgy, honest and unflinching account of one young woman’s descend into depression -a brave attempt by Sylvia Plath to face her own demons, made all the more heart-wrenching by the fact that she unfortunately committed suicide just a few weeks after this was published. Written mostly in the 1st person and filled with Plath’s poetic imagery, this is definitely not a light read but it is a fast one. The dry, almost cynical sense of humour succeeds in making the highly sensitive and intense content easier to “digest” and, despite its own “nature” the book somehow manages to hold on to a sense of hope. If you are looking for an unconventionally beautiful, though provoking classic you might want to consider picking this up –just make …