Review: Two Nights

Publisher: William Heinemann

This will be a brief review as I'm afraid I've not got all that much to say. This isn't the best book I've read but neither is it the worst. It's about Sunday a retired cop who is hired by a rich old lady to go on a mission to find the perpetrators of a crime that wracked her family.

I liked the parts about Sunday's past more than anything and I would actually like a book more about her past than her now. She's, to be honest, just another angst ridden and unhappy ex-cop who has somethings to get off their chest and finds a way to do it....that's maybe why I can't see this book as more than just a source of formulaic entertainment.

It's an easy read, the action scenes are decent, the plot is alright, you can kinda see somethings coming, the sub-plot/past story is really what carries it, well in my eyes.

I'm sure people will like it, easy holiday read, but nothing special

Cheers

BG

Review: The Good Women of China - Hidden Voices

Publisher: Vintage

So, I've had this book a while, quite a while and I'm sorry I've only just gotten around to reviewing....I even read it a little while ago now, I'm not good at staying on top of this lately, sorry....

Carrying on, this book reminded me of White Swan, but it was possibly even more bold, brave and open in its content and dissection and exposition of the Chinese world in which women have and do live.

The book is a series of stories and experiences experienced by one very impressive and brave Chinese radio journalist and broadcaster. In this collection she manages to show you every aspect of women's lives in China in a series of stories that have heartbreak, hope, love, joy, war and hate as components almost without exception.

This book really is an insight beyond what you think you know about the culture of China and the place women hold in the society.

Xinran is the voice of the hidden Chinese woman and everyone needs to read this book to hear what she has to say.

BG

Review: The Book of Hidden Things

Publisher: Titan Books

 

 

This book took me by surprise. I was expecting fantasy and magic and wizards, but instead you get gangsters, crime and a touch of comment on mental health, with indeed a little hint that maybe, somewhere there is some magic but you can't be too sure.

 

I love the fact that we are on a journey to find out what the hell has happened to Art, whilst we look at and analyse relationships between three old friends, their relationships with their loved ones and all from different points of view. The POV switches are fantastic and allows you to see character flaws, plot subtleties, and relationships in many different ways.

 

There is also the big question always of what the hell is real and what the hell isn't? Are we looking at real sneak peaks of fantasy in the real world or are we dealing with God or are we dealing basically with someone's terrible break down and mental health?

 

Overall a book I thoroughly enjoyed, a book that totally took me by surprise and a book I was very sad to finish.

 

Cheers

 

BG

Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Publisher: Harper Collins

This book is brilliant. My colleague read the back and said, ‘so basically this is Bridget Jones’. Oh how very very wrong.

Imagine Bridget but a version of it that’s got grit and balls and takes you to places about mental health, social care and beyond that you never thought it would go.

 

This book is full of so much love and compassion. Raymond is a glorious and beautiful creation but then again so is Eleanor. The book is obviously covering topics that the author deeply cares about and that is apparent the whole way through. The language is carefully selected and the progress of EO from who she is at the start of the book to who she is at the end is brilliantly crafted.

 

Definitely a book that all should read and the accolades, attention and awards enjoyed by the author and the team behind this book are much deserved.

 

Brilliant