Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick

I much preferred this to Blade Runner! A funny futuristic story about cloning. I like that sort of stuff. He's got to kill the clones ... but is that ethical?! And all to get a real sheep ...

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

Another funny and well written book from Mark Haddon. Really enjoyed this story of a wedding and all the thrills and spills that go with it! Highly recommended.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Another of Richard and Judy's books. I did enjoy this one. Two babies are born on a cold winter's night, one is supposed to be given up for adoption but instead is kept by the nurse, who keeps the memory of the birth until ... Well, the end is a little hazy because I read it months ago, but that's probably just as well, don't want to give anything away!

Disgrace by JM Coetzee

It's now some time since I read this, but I can still recall it fairly clearly. A lecturer has an affair with a student, this brings about a disgrace, so he goes off to live with his daughter ... at some point her home is broken into, so the narrator has to deal with the consequences of that as well. An interesting read, neither enjoyable nor unenjoyable. Well written, I'd probably read another Coatzee at some point, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

Happy New Year!

Well, it's another new year, and I haven't updated this blog since August! Which is dreadful, since I have still been reading books ... And my Mum got me a book for Christmas which I read earlier this year, but she pointed out that she had looked at my blog and I hadn't mentioned it so she assumed I hadn't read it yet, so if the blog is being used in a nice, practical way like that it's only reight that I use it properly! So I will try and update it a bit just now, then have a new year's resolution to try and keep it in better order this year!!

The Outsider by Albert Camus

Yes! I have just read the first line of the entry for this book in "1001 Books to Read ...". It states: "The Outsider is a novel of absolute flatness." I couldn't have put it better myself. Quite bizarre ... the reader learns about the death of the narrator's mother, his relationship with a girl, his sort-of relationship with a neighbour, into whose life he becomes involved because it might sort of seem rude not to, although that would insinuate some sort of feeling of which there appears to be none, a murder occurs, a trial, an execution looms ... all dispassionately accounted, blankly, without emotion or apparent interest. Very strange book to read ...

A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Greene

I always enjoy a Graham Greene book, and this one was no exception, although I have read better. Querry arrives at a leproserie in the Congo, wanting simply to be away from his old life. He's bored with life. The priests mostly let him get on with it, just being, but an expat (or "colon") discovers who he is - "the" Querry - and gets involved being a busybody. Poor Querry.

There is an underlying theme of belief and non-belief, and an interesting, if quite bizarre, ending.

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

Well, I've finished it. In about four days I have completed the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, with the final book being read today. And I have enjoyed it. There were a number of strands of the story going on all the time, but I managed to just about follow them. Many people have spoken against this trilogy, because it seems to be against the Church, and the main enemy in the book is an organised religion that has many trappings of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church; however, writers have always used different ideas and institutions as inspiration, and the story of friendship and love triumphing (although over what is never entirely clear) and people from different races working together is a positive and encouraging one. Even if the ideas of the Almighty and the Metatron being overcome are slightly absurd and comical in the telling ... It's been a good journey, and journeying is what this book is all about.

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

I managed to read this book within the day ... and I have sought out the final book, The Amber Spyglass, from amongst the books on the bookshelf, this morning. Pullman introduces Will, from our own universe, who clambers through a window to another world, where he meets Lyra, also out of her world. In this world, spectres suck the concentration from adults leaving them listless, but they leave children alone. The two children are still interested in Dust, and Lyra meets with Dr Malone in WIll's world, who may be able to help them - in the final book. There are a few incidents which begin in this book but are not mentioned again - many threads to be tied up in the final book. Right, must go - I've a book to read!

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

I had not really fancied reading this first book in Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. I think perhaps because of the width of some of the books, which looked quite long, because of the controversy, the comments that it is anti-Christian, because of the fact that it is fantasy, with daemons, witches, and other such creatures.

However, facing a long tube journey, I decided that now was the opportunity. I would have nothing else to do for 20 minutes - perhaps I could make a start.

And start it I did - that was noon yesterday, and by around 10am this morning I had finished it.

I really enjoyed hearing about Lyra and Pan's travels and adventures, with her alethiometer, the gyptians, a bear clad in sky-metal, trying to rescue Roger and the other children that had been kidnapped by the Gobblers, who were facing the horrors of intercision, and trying to escape from her mother while trying to reach her father. A story of betrayals and heroic actions.

I have now started on "The Subtle Knife", in which Lyra is joined, a few days after "Northern Lights" finishes, by Will, from our universe. More later ...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

It has been done! In about ten hours, I have finished the 600+ page book. I know the fates of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest. I managed (mainly) without seeing spoilers (I vaguely saw one, a really bad one as it turned out, but fortunately I closed it down quickly so managed to not see all the words clearly and got some of the ideas muddled up, which was good).

The writing itself is not important - in places it is a pedestrian and overwrought, a but cliched, but overall it is gripping, because of the importance of this story. What will happen? Why did the things that have happened in the past happen that way? Towards the end there are some (almost deus ex machina like) revelations, which I enjoyed because I wanted to know them, but perhaps too simply shared! But we are talking about wizards, so these types of revelations are not that unusual - I mean the manner in which they are revealed, not necessarily the revelations themselves!

To be honest, there is not a lot of character development here - we do get to know more about many of the characters, and they do get to know more about themselves, but in the main the characters are by now developed.

(Sorry, this is quite hard to review without giving away any details!)

The best bit was obviously when Snape marries McGonagall. Nice touch, Dumbledore giving them away.

(Would I do that to you? Really?!)

Don't Tell Mummy by Toni Maguire

Why read this book? Well, if you want to read shocking and fairly graphic tales of incestuous rape, then I guess this is the book for you. Not for me, I have to say. Felt I ought to finish it, but I felt it was really lacking in any sort of hope or positive message. The reactions of people who learnt about the situation was appalling, and hopefully police, doctors, social services etc don't react in the same way now, but other than that, I wouldn't really recomment it. It's a strange, morbid fascination sort of book.