Review: Himmler's Cook

Publisher: Atlantic Books

I will admit, I've had this book a while. A friend of mine has raved about it at me a few times, but something always put me off reading it.

Now I am so happy I have read it!

The style is amazing, Rose's voice is fantastic and I am very impressed that a male author can write so astutely as a woman, be it a VERY old woman recalling her life, its triumphs, its failures, its loves and its woes. The writing beautifully crafts Rose's voice and I really felt I got to know her and what she stood for.

But, despite the beauty, there is plenty of comedy and plenty of darkness, both in equal portions. And they are thoroughly good in their own ways.

The life Rose has led through war, death, love, pain, communism, fascists and more is amazing, and of course fantastical, but it works so perfectly as a story, but also a summing up of our society and what the world and man kind has been, done and created over the 100 odd years the novel covers. In its own way it's a comment on society as well as glorious fictional memoir.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to man and woman, do not be put off by it being a love story, do not be put off by the title. The tag line 'a blackly funny yet beguiling tale of love and bloody revenge' is perfectly apt and indeed shows you that this novel has something for everyone.

Definitely one of the best books I've read this year....if not ever.....

ENJOY
BG

P.S. the only one niggle I have is regarding Himmler....but I don't want to spoil anything - so guesses and answers on a post card.

Review: Death in the Family

Publisher: Cutting Edge Press

 

I will be honest, when I started reading this book it was driving me round the bend. I found it really slow, it annoyed me that nothing much happened and all the characters were really self indulgent with their feelings and ways.

 

But, the more I read, the more I enjoyed this book and became deeply attached to Kalil, Maryam and Dee. In each of their own ways they are dealing with the death of their father, their lives and each other. And their other relatives are doing exactly the same thing. I really liked how the individual stories are told and woven together amongst the story of Ally and his death and life.

 

It was really interesting to have the stick in the mud, people will never change, tradition versus the changing world and modern times. The construction of the novel to include this was great too. I also enjoyed learning about Guyana of which I knew nothing about before.

 

IT's a short review, but I think I've said all I can. Get to know this family and their personal struggles, feelings and thoughts. Read about how the world can change but people won't. Read about how families can keep secrets and feelings.

 

Oh, there is one thing I'd say - the ending is all very neat and a bit unlike other CEP books....not sure how I feel about that...hmmm

 

 

Anyway, worth a read

 

BG!!!!

Review: Snow Blind

Publisher: Orenda

 

We are in a small town, with a big town guy, he doesn't know really how to deal with the small town mentality, but a shed load is going on there.

 

This book is a translation, as I'm sure you can imagine, and the one question I have is, is the original language as quaint as the translation? But, despite that the translation was good and also, I don't know why, but I had it in my head that this would be a very dense and hard to read novel but it really wasn't. It is your definition of a crime novel, it is compelling, surprising and a real page turner.

 

I am, as you may have noticed if you are an avid reader, pretty good at seeing what's coming. Either I'm losing my knack, or this book is that good. I really didn't see coming, what actually arrived. The book totally kept me guessing and I loved that.

 

There is the love element to this novel as well as the crime which provides some light relief, but the real darkness that comes across in some pages make this novel stand out in the crime world and probs helps give the book it's regional voice. I particularly like the italicised chapters. Really put a spanner in some works in my mind as to who done what!

 

I think one of my notes kind of sums up this novel for me 'Twas dark in places but also a bit lovely as people are close.'

 

A good crime read, a good plot, good characters.

 

Cheers

 

BG