Review: Soul Cage

Publisher: Titan Books

 

I'm going to get it out there early, the only thing that I couldn't hack in this book were the names. I know that makes be a bit of a dick but I found it hard to follow with the Japanese names as lots were quite similar.

 

But other than that, this book took me by surprise. Excellent badass female main character, cracking plot with an incorporated subplot, great that we had a bit of gangster and mafia action, and I had that OH MY GOD yes moment just at the same time as our heroine did too. So it was brills to read a crime novel/thriller that I didn't see coming early.

 

I think the translation is outstanding. Nothing was lost or misunderstood and you could still see the author's turn of phrase and style come through. Sometimes I find with translations an author's voice is lost as getting the plot rather than the style is focussed on.

 

I would like to read the book before this one and read others to get to know the characters more. As while these can be read as standalones as the plot is the main focus, the underlying character stories seem intriguing and interesting.

 

 

So, yep a surprisingly good read

 

BG



Review: That Dark Remembered Day

Publisher: Headline

 



The whole way through this book I had deja vu. But I know I've never read it. I'm wondering if it's because of the Falkland link that it reminds me of another book I read.

 

Anyway, we are with Stephen as he visit his mum in his childhood town where a horrid event happened that changed his and the lives of many others forever. I'm not going to tell you the even that happened because that's the whole point of the story. But, we get to know Stephen and his life and the events very slowly. This is intriguing and keeps you reading and (tbh) you can guess what happens more or less. But indeed it's worth a read.

 

The events, war, soldiers, PTSD etc are dealt with quietly and calmly, as are the fallouts of the events that dictate the entire novel on that day in the 1980s.

 

 

 

There isn't however anything to make this a stand out book. As I said I thought it was another book for ages. Decent effort though

 

BG

Review: Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

 

I've had this book since 2012, and it has been one of those ones I've been ignoring on my bookcase not really knowing what it's about and then reading the blurb and not really being grabbed by it.

But a little while ago I thought, no, read it, do it!

 

And it's been another one of those books I'm THRILLED TO HAVE READ!

 

Meet June and Greta and their Uncle Finn who is painting a portrait of them, he's paining it because he is not long for this world.

 

This book is about love, relationships, familial and otherwise. It's about the 80s and how illnesses were looked at, discussed, treated and stigmatised. It's about being there for each other, or even not being there for someone at all.

 

Really, this book was gorgeous. The characters were real, the plot convincing, the feelings tangible, the bonds almost visible. But all was so delicately portrayed.

 

In all honesty, the more I think about this book the more I think I loved it. I would recommend it to any one and everyone, I think people will really appreciate it for what it is regardless of their usual reads and genre preferences.

 

Please have a read and embrace.

 

BG :-)