Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson was February's book club choice but I only managed to finish it this week, 6 weeks after I started. It's quite a weighty tome stretching to 621 pages and I found myself dipping in and out of it rather than devouring it like a lot of the book club did. This didn't hamper my enjoyment of it much though.

The premise is a simple one yet one I've not read before. What would you do if you could live your life over and over again? What would you change and how would you change it? This is explored from the very first page as we find Sylvia giving birth to our protagonist Ursula, but complications arise and Ursula dies within minutes. Darkness falls around her then she feels snowflakes. Ursula is now being born again, in the same place, to the same mother with the same surroundings, yet this time she survives. Just. Only for her life to end not long after. And repeat. Each time Ursula dies she is reborn on February 11th 1910 to Sylvia whilst a blizzard rages outside. It took a while to fully grasp the writing style but once I understood then it was a treat. We find out not just about Ursula and how her life pans out in several spanning arch's but also that of her family and friends. In one life a child is murdered whilst in another that same child grows up to wed Ursula's brother. There is never a conscious knowing if Ursula remembers her previous lives, but more that she has a feeling about what is right and wrong. Should she take the shortcut to get home or should she walk the long way? One way leads to a grisly confrontation so in the next life she unconsciously decides on the other path.

After the first few reincarnations her live's seem pretty similar and mundane, but then when Ursula turns 16 a shocking act occurs. I felt rocked by this act. I was emotionally sapped. I'd come to really enjoy Ursula's company and it veered away from the importance of focusing on how she's headed towards her deathbed to how she's going to cope with her current life. It was the first time I was happy for the story to start again, as that's the easy way out, rather than dealing with it.

Being born in 1911 meant that Ursula lives and experiences the second world war. Kate Atkinson has found several angles to approach this from. In one life we see Ursula living in Germany and has regular contact with Adolf Hitler himself, mostly in the mid 1930's. The book ask's itself not just 'What would I do differently?' but also 'What would I change?'. Does she pull the trigger on Hitler in the mid 30's to stop the war ever happening? And even if she doesn't in one life, does she in another? I must admit her time in Germany was the least engaging for me as I enjoyed her relationship with her family. Once she returns to the war in another life in London however I think this is the strongest part of the book.

The street's are transformed to rubble and glowing embers, explosions occurring almost hourly. The way Atkinson weaves Ursula into this is majestic. She throws several unlikely personalities together to create a band of amiable figures. Butchers, teachers, musicians all banded together to help clean up the streets along with Ursula. Sometimes Ursula lays down and accepts death and sometimes she's heading straight into a 20 foot mound of twisted metal and fire to see if anyone is alive, but never once do we feel that she's a different character each life. Her decisions in her life affect how she approaches the war. It was a very moving part of the book.

The main gripe with the book club though was the ending. How do you end it? Can she just keep being reincarnated  for ever more? I won't reveal how it does end but I disagreed with most of the club as I thought the ending was suitable and bitter-sweet. It was a long read, a sometime burden if I wasn't enjoying a certain route she had taken, but that route always ended a new path was taken as a new life. I would recommend it to most but perhaps make sure you devour it in a few sittings rather than the two dozen or so I had!

Rating books is a personal thing and I've decided against giving half scores this year. It's better than a 6 but not quite a 7, but I think it probably deserves the 7 for the devastating scenes alone so it's been awarded 7 cushions on the comfometer.

If you want to join the book club just add yourself to the Goodreads club and the Facebook club. Choices are posted at the end of every month to pick from and the winner announced when we chat about the previous book. We chat on Goodreads on the last Sunday of the month at 4pm but also have comments on Facebook too so if you only use one of these (Goodreads is best) then it doesn't matter.

Michael

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Over the past decade the interest in Sherlock Holmes has grown, mainly due to the release of several films and TV series. Robert Downey Jr. donned the (unquestionably wrong) cap in the 2009 film that seemed to spark a new interest in the detective for a new generation. The exceedingly popular BBC series staring Benedict Cumberbatch gained great reviews and the third series was the most watched drama on the BBC since 2001. Those that have read the blog for a while will know that as well as books I also use audiobooks and an e-reader on my phone. After reading War of the Worlds on the Aldiko app e-reader on my phone last summer, I opted to delve into The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes.

Fast forward 6 months and I have finally finished. Let me first say why it took so long. Reading on Aldiko is very easy for me. I use it when it waiting rooms and when my son falls asleep on me and any little bits here and there, rather than my primary book, as I usually have at least 2 on the go (4 at the moment). Round about the time I started reading this we managed to (sort of) transfer my son from sleeping on me in the day, to somewhere else. This reading time was more or less evaporated in one go. Second, I started my book club and had other books on the go too. Both of these things do not detract from the fact that I really enjoyed my first foray into Baker Street.

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, unbeknownst to me before reading, were the first Sherlock stories and are actually 12 short stories collected together. For reading on the e-reader this was perfect. In quick bursts of reading I could gain a whole short story. Some of the stories and characters I recognised from the TV and Film adaptations, including the first in the collection called A Scandal in Bohemia. Each story is told from the perspective of Watson, not Holmes, and often in hindsight and I loved this. The techniques and thought process of Sherlock is astounding and the majority of stories are cleared up pretty sharpish after only an interview or two, with maybe Sherlock investigating one crime-scene. They range from dark and perilous (my favourite The Five Orange Pips) to the ridiculous (The Adventure of the Red-Headed League) but all are satisfactorily resolved. In the later stories Sherlock seems to become a little more drawn-in and resentful rather than the jolly one we start the collection off with but still manages to be likeable.

I'd recommend it to anyone yet to dip into Sherlock literature. There are thousands of free classics on the Aldiko e-reader and also other readers too (Kindle, Nook etc) but I always encourage a BOOK. I just like to read as many things as I can and on the Aldiko it's literally in the palm of my hand. It's hard to give this book a score on the comfometer as some stories were a 9 yet some a 5, so I've gone for a 7.

Michael

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How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran

Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman caught my eye a few years ago as the front cover and title stood out. I had no idea who she was yet the Gothic font, ballsy title and hair like a badger drew me in. I bought it for my wife (secretly me) for Christmas. Since then it's sat unread by me and Caitlin Moran's profile has soared stratospherically. I thought it was about time I picked it up.

Part biography and part opinion piece, Moran is by trade a journalist with a long standing column, writing for the Times. Her childhood is not what I would call normal, as from the start we're thrown head first into her world of several siblings sprawling in the tiny house in Wolverhampton she grew up in. She writes with warmth and humour and never strays into self-deprecation, in fact quite the opposite, the fact she's brought up in a large family and with no friends at all is the catalyst for many warm reminiscences. Chapter titles hit you hard with exclamation marks on each one, with no ambiguity at all, such as 'I Am Fat!' and 'I Need A Bra!' which she then recounts her experience of. She continues to extend on these topics, dissecting questions that she's happened upon due to being female. The struggle and differences between the two sexes are at the heart of the book with her ideals of feminism the leading focus. 'Are you a feminist?' she asks. Many think it's a dirty word, but Moran and I have the same opinion in that if you think woman and men should be treated equal then yes, you are a feminist. Moran's life itself is quite a ride taking in her first job in journalism at the excellent (now defunct) music magazine Melody Maker and her time presenting a late night music show on channel 4 called Naked City.

I am a man, not a woman. Am I then allowed to read and enjoy it? According to some forum posts apparently not, and this is where the 'feminism' 'debate rears it's head in a demeaning manor. Feminism is, as written above, a means to make men and woman equal, not getting women to overthrow men, and it's a point Moran makes well.

I did enjoy this book a lot. Often she uses metaphors to add humour and it works but sometimes she uses just one too many to say the same thing, albeit they are enjoyable. I've read Moran in her column several times and also seen and heard a few interviews (one from Hay Festival was excellent) and she talks how she writes; frantic! 7 cushions on the comfometer.

I AM A FEMINIST!

PS. I've just noticed she's on tour in the summer and I may well go and see her. 

Michael

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Meltdown by Ben Elton

Meltdown is the thirteenth novel from one of Britain's most well-known writers Ben Elton. Included in his repertoire is the hugely successful musical We Will Rock You, plus the classic British comedies Blackadder and The Young Ones. His early novels gained overall good reviews and whenever a new book appears penned by him it'll enter the top ten. Meltdown was released in 2010 and revolves around a set of friends and their meteoric rise, and the subsequent fall due to the 'credit crunch'.

I've only ever read one Ben Elton book before, Chart Throb, and I never finished it. It wasn't bad but just forgettable. Meltdown had been sitting on my wife's bedside table for ages so one night I picked it up. The story revolves around a group of friends, with Jimmy taking the lead. This group of friends all met at University and the chapters flit back and forth between their time there and all the important bits in between until the current day. The five men who met at Uni have all in one way or another become successful and some ridiculously rich. Jimmy is in the Stock Market, Rupert is the head of a bank, David is a famous architect, Henry is an up and coming politician and Robbo, who is slightly different to the others, simply enjoys life and has found a successful wife. Jimmy has a beautiful wife with three children and a live-in nanny, then, the money disappears. The credit crunch arrives.

Ben Elton has written Rupert as an elitist snob, Henry as a bumbling politician and Jimmy as a Jack-the-lad. The problem is, they are all really irritating. Throughout, Rupert and Henry annoyed me and not once did I like being in their company. The worst part though was that Jimmy, the protagonist, is just as exasperating. He make's stupid decisions throughout. Several times I almost left the book but I persevered, with little gained at the finale. Robbo is the only one in the group who I could relate to as although I've said he's found a successful wife, he didn't go out searching for one and doesn't really live off of her. The wives of the group are a little better. Jimmy's wife Monica struggles with raising her kids once she can no longer afford the nanny and being a dad myself to a 2 year old, several of the scenes rung very true to me; toys splayed out everywhere, getting them to sleep at the proper time and enjoying the hour or two before your own bedtime approaches, only to be woken 5 minutes later by a screaming baby.

Ben Elton

As the book approaches the end it starts to feel like Elton is trying to cram as many ideas into it as possible. Insider Trading, Arson, Murder, Suicide, it all gets a bit silly. The book is light hearted but it seemed to me to drag a very thin plot to the end of it's considerable 382 pages. I simply didn't care when everything went tits up for Jimmy and I thought he got what he deserved, and when more misery was piled on top of him such as his young son having to leave private school to go to public school, I wanted to reach into the pages and punch Jimmy for being a snob. Although that's what the entire book is all about, realising life is more than money, being made to sit through page on page of a supercilious arse was literary agony. There were two stand out paragraphs that I thought were excellent regarding getting his daughter to sleep, again due to my recent addition to the parent club, but those alone failed to save the book.
I enjoyed Chart Throb a hundred times more so I won't be writing Ben Elton off as yet but Meltdown still gets a lowly 3 from me on the comfometer.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know below in the comments or tweet me @BigComfyBooks.

Michael
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The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

This word of mouth Swedish hit was voted to be our chosen book in the book club for January and it definitely split the club in two, with half loving it and half having to give up on it! I was very much in the 'loved it' camp.

I can understand the dissonance within the book club as the story veers wildly between the ridiculous to the down-right unbelievable. Allan Karlsson is the centenarian of the title and we're lead through his life from a boy up to (and past) his hundredth birthday, but the story itself starts just an hour before his hundredth birthday party in his lodgings at an Old-Peoples home. Sick of being holed up, he simply opens his ground floor window and starts to walk off without a soul noticing. The first few pages reminded me of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce but it soon turned a dark comedic corner. SPOILER AHEAD! Although Allan has made it to the age of one hundred he is still very mobile and cognitively sound so he leads us through a small town to a train station where he inadvertently steals a suitcase from a gang member. I think the next 20 or so pages is where you'll either really enjoy the ludicrous ride we're taken on, or it'll frustrate you with how silly it is. Half of the book club read between 50 and 100 pages then quit. One book clubber stated in our chat "just that it was too farcical, too much repetition, characters that didn't appeal to me."

You are left with a question as to why he'd simply up and leave but this is answered by the alternating chapters of history and storyline. Although we start the book on his hundredth birthday, a few chapters later we are thrown back to when he was a small boy and introduced to his mother and father, who have a love/hate relationship. The following chapter returns to 'the current day' and Allen's unplanned journey. In turn, the chapters slowly reveal Allen growing up, and also his current day adventure. Although this may sound a bit twee the book is spotted with dark moments. But let's get on to the crux of why this book has become so popular and unpopular in equal measures. 

Author Jonas Jonasson

Allen's life story is unbelievable, yet mesmerizing. Well known International personalities and events throughout history are not only touched upon but well and truly ingrained into his life. He has dinner with no less than three American Presidents and becomes on first name terms with Moa, Kim Jong Il, General Franco, Stalin, plus chats away to Churchill and becomes best friend to Einstein's brother amongst others. You'd think that he was politically minded but actually he has no political bone in his body with his aim to simply to have a nice meal, a bed but most of all, some Vodka. He just goes wherever he decides and, through his expertise of explosives, is sought after by many people. His carefree attitude and willingness to try something with his motto of 'it'll all be fine' sees him through many close encounters. The book lives or dies on if you go along with this. There were two films that came to mind whilst reading it; Forrest Gump and Big Fish. The 'current day' story is no less preposterous involving several gang members, car crashes and even an elephant.

I was taken along with Allen and thoroughly enjoyed his exploits. I've given it a pretty big 8 out of 10 on the comfometer.

Agree? Comment below or shout at me on Twitter @Bigcomfybooks

Michael

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Let Me Off At The Top! by Ron Burgundy

I received this book at Christmas from my best friend/confidant and fellow Barricades Rise member Jonathan Coates (he's a great photographer, here's some lovely pictures he took of my son and I). At University we were both huge Will Ferrell fans, starting from a little known classic called Night At The Roxbury. We devoured all 'Frat-pack' films, usually containing at least one of the following: Vince Vaughan, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller and later Seth Rogen. The one film that has stood the test of time and become a cult classic is Anchorman. It's the story of Ron Burgundy, the anchorman of said title and his crew, as they face challenges in the late 1970's from fellow news crews, bears and most importantly, Feminism. With the belated release of 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues', this 'autobiography' by Ron Burgundy hit the shelves.

'Every word in this book is true. You can fact-check most of it but much of it lives within my brain. Fortunately for you my memory is infallible. With the exception of people, places, situations and dialogue, I'm like a walking encyclopaedia of facts.'

I was a little dubious of the book as another fake autobiography I've read, I, Partridge by Alan Partridge AKA Steve Coogan, was patchy. There was always something telling me that, although it's funny, it's all fake. The difference between Partridge and Burgundy though is that the latter can go off on a ridiculous mythical tangent and still remain 'in character' due to the character's roots and the film he was born from. The film, although set in reality, has several off kilter moments (Jazz Flute!).

First lets start with the positives. The book alternates between biography and tips or musings. The biography part, especially his early beginnings, had me laughing out loud. SPOILER AHEAD! Verging on, then completely falling into the ridiculous, Ron's time at school was explained with more than a hint of Star Wars. The school in question was named Our Lady Queen of Chewbacca and his classmates ranged from Vinny Cithreepio, Brad Darklighter, Luke Walker and Lando Calrissian. Reading in Ron's voice it all became a lot funnier. He looks back at these times with fondness. The preposterous nature of the book does not die down. If anything it accelerates. A story about Bobby Kennedy, Peter Lawford and himself going out hunting in the desert for the (may or may not be mythical) Jackalopes really had me frowning at the start but by the end the conviction he writes with, often saying 'and this bit was definitely true' had me in pieces. The book doesn't touch any part of the film which I'm glad about, although it often mentions characters from it, especially his news crew and wife.

There are equal misses as hits especially when talking about his tips. One extremely funny chapter is named 'My Twelve Rules for Living Through a Prison Riot', yet the majority of his tip chapters fall flat. 'My Hair' tells about his majestic mane but becomes limp. As the book draws to a close it starts to lose focus and pace. The chapter on the nineties starts pretty funny, with stories of political cover ups and how Ron was involved, but quickly burns out and the joke just doesn't die. SPOLIER AHEAD! In one chapter he goes on about how he hates Mexico and how no-one should ever write about it, then he talks himself into writing it himself and towards the end actually uses a chapter as the intro to this new book. The set up was really well played but the final output is lame. I also had problems finding certain things funny due to it's American nature. Most celebrities he names I had never heard of yet after Googling several of them they are household names in the US.

The book is only around 220 pages and I ran through it quickly, finding it laugh out loud as well as tiresome, pretty much what I thought of I, Partridge. I would definitely recommend it for fellow Burgundy fans but otherwise I'd give it a miss.
One final grievance is the cover. It's made to look like a 1970s biography with it's black background and ugly font and although it fits in with the time of the film, aesthetically it's really off putting.

A middle of the road 5 on the comfometer.

Stay Classy.

Michael
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The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K.Rowling)

November's book club choice was this detective thriller by Harry Potter author J.K.Rowling, using her pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Crime thrillers are one of my favourite genres and although slow burning, this didn't disappoint.

A bit of back story first though. Harry Potter is the work of UK author Joanne Rowling and is one of the worlds most recognisable brands, with billion dollar films adding to the millions of books sold. It was always going to be difficult for Rowling to escape Harry. Her first book since the series finished, The Casual Vacancy, was received with a lukewarm reception. It's still on my 'to-read' list. Under the guise of Robert Galbraith, J.K.Rowling released The Cuckoo's Calling to critical acclaim, yet commercial failure. At the time of publication, no one knew her moniker. The Book Riot website has a good blog regarding why it didn't fair well with the public which can be read HERE. Once her cover was blown however, the sales started to soar. The film rights bidding war sprang up almost immediately so expect it to hit the pictures in the next few years.

J.K.Rowling

The latter Harry Potter books, The Half-Blood Prince in particular, seem to add more prose than necessary, taking it's time dragging itself to the finale. This has continued in The Cuckoo's Calling but, unlike The Half-Blood Prince, I think it increases the ambience of the tome and helps develop the characters and plot at a controlled and diligent pace. I was expecting a romp through London with chases and murders but what I got was a restrained, airy detective noire(ish) mystery. The protagonist comes almost as a complete package.

SPOLERS AHEAD! Cormoran Strike is an ex army doctor turned private investigator. Unlike a lot of detectives in the genre, he doesn't have a vice that he's driven by. Whilst serving, his lower leg was damaged beyond repair and amputated so he's unable to run far, often stopping to help his 'stump' heal. Instead of becoming angry and resentful, Strike has accepted this, never saying out loud how much it's affecting his abilities. He sometimes becomes frustrated but we only hear this through his inner monologue. We meet Strike just as he has left his long term girlfriend and in a lot of debt. This is all written with precision by Rowling, who never lets me feel sorry for him, as he doesn't feel sorry for himself. He's down on his luck when a temporary secretary turns up just at the same time his first job in a while does. A very well paid job.

The plot surrounds the suicide of popular model Lula Landry. Strike is hired by her brother to find a possible killer. All evidence points to a suicide and it's up to Strike to prove otherwise, to gather all the evidence after the police have closed the case and delve into the world of celebrity. One thing Rowling does well is pepper the plot with interesting characters ranging from the grandiose fashion designer Guy Some through to the esoteric Landry Family and Lula's boyfriend Evan Duffield (he has to be based on Pete Doherty, no?). Even secondary characters have quite a few pages and discussions dedicated to them as Strike gathers as much information form every aspect of Lula's life. Strike leaves the person he's interviewing to talk, regardless who it is, letting them fill any silence. Not once does he turn cold, aggressive or obtuse. I thoroughly enjoyed being in his company.

However, there was one aspect of the book that took me a while to warm to. His new temporary secretary (who he can't afford) read often like Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada, although they have very different circumstances. Robin Ellacott has just become engaged and is temping whilst she looks for her perfect job and she's all flowers and rainbows. There is little literary meat on her bones and she's a little sketchy. After Strike has had several temps Robin is viewed by him initially as the same, but once she cleans the desks, files properly and has an amazing ability to Google things, he see's something different in her. She tags along on a few interviews and becomes integral with her knowledge of popular culture and chit-chat with fellow ladies. Although this is the first in a series and her character needs time to develop, Robin will need more than the ability to type 80 words per minute to become integral in the second book. The next Cormoran Strike book will be published this year.

In our book club chat, Richard (@mr_spoon) felt that if it was an unknown author then it wouldn't have been pulished, yet I was captivated by the free flowing plot and I've given it a 7 on the comfometer. I hope the series does continue.

Agree? Comment below or tweet me @bigcomfybooks

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Michael
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Batman:Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

Our book club choice in December was Batman:Year One, a graphic novel and retelling of the origins of Batman. For the book club it was a little different from what we normally read. I admit, I added it to the choices as I've wanted to read it for ages. Several times I've picked it up in a book shop and skimmed through but never bought it, but now I had an excuse to!

I'll state from the start that I am very much a novice when it comes to graphic novels. The term Graphic Novel is also one that is not always accepted, some say that 'Comic' should suffice. There is a great Radio 4 Open Book debate about it which you can hear HERE, it starts at 13 minutes 50 seconds in. Regardless, that's for another time, I'm happy to call it a graphic novel. My graphic novel reading history can be counted on one hand: Maus by Art Spiegelman (a classic), Neonomicon by Alan Moore (bloody horrific, mesmerizing, disgusting, yet mostly fulfilling), a few Buffy series 8 volumes (meh) and half of Watchmen. I'd read reviews on Year One and was excited to read what many believe to be a masterpiece.

Lets start with the story. I knew it was an origins story, and I knew that Chris Nolan had used it as the springboard to make his Batman Begins film, which I adore by the way. I think because I knew the film so well, I put too much stock into the novel taking the same steps and thus here is where I struggled. Literally from the start I had Batman Begins, the film, in my head; the images, the dialogue etc. It quickly became clear that the film was only loosely based on it, and had taken more the aesthetic rather than rigorously stick to the storyline. I'm no Batman aficionado and always considered Commissioner Gordon to be a quiet hero who steered clear of the grey area, the middle ground. Well this was firmly beaten out of me as I'd estimate over 50% of Year One is based on Gordon. SPOLIER AHEAD! In Year One we see him cheat on his wife, constantly, knowing she is pregnant. We see him take revenge on a dirty cop. Although in the film (and previous films) Gordon does exact revenge, he does it through Batman, as they work (kind of) together. In Year One he has no problem beating the crap out of his corrupt partner, albeit after he himself has taken a beating. I think this alone made the story jar with me. As stated earlier, what I know of Batman comes from the films, so my preconception was very biased. 

As for Batman himself, his transformation from Bruce Wayne into the Dark Knight was satisfactory. Yet again my film experience overshadowed the book. If I had read it pre-Batman Begins I'm fairly sure it would have been a more enjoyable read. But it wasn't all a negative experience.

I was surprised and intrigued by the introduction of Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman, and how she became embroiled in the Batman universe. SPOILER AHEAD! Selina was introduced as a gritty, oppressive prostitute. We first see her looking through a window eyeing the street below and her fellow comrades, whilst a client is in the room, unseen. Down below, Brice Wayne, pre-Batman but still with his idealistic vision of cleaning up the streets, is provoking the girls pimp. Once a few fists are exchanged the girls attack Bruce and in a flash Selina is there to the help the posse, throwing her karate expertise into the mix. Her own revenge mission becomes distorted later in the novel as the public are never really sure who she is or what she's fighting for, a cause that I've never known myself! It was mentioned in the book club chat over on Goodreads that as there were so few woman in the book  it was depressing to see the most influential or well known female character in such a grim role.

The book is nearly 30 years old (published in 1986) and as I do not really understanding the techniques of graphic novels, I thought some of the panels were a little dated, moreover, some of them are fantastic. Overall I was disappointed, but I still enjoyed it and it's not put me off Batman, or graphic novels. I've given it a 6 on the comfometer.

Do you agree? Let me know in the comments below, or tweet me @bigcomfybooks using hashtag #ComfyBookclub.

If you'd like to join in the book club then go to our Goodreads page and add yourself. Alternatively add yourself to the Facebook group. Books are voted for from a handful of choices once a month, with our discussion taking place on the last Sunday of the month on Goodreads.

Michael

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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I don't often reread books, even my favourites, but I felt that after watching the first film in The Hobbit Trilogy I needed to refresh my memory. After all it had been about 18 years since I last read it!

Dean, grasping his copy of The Hobbit

I reviewed the first Hobbit film and although I enjoyed it, all the parts I remembered from the book were in the film which got me thinking what the other two films would contain. I had forgotten 80% of the book and I'm so glad I picked it up.

The Hobbit is a road trip, a story of friendship and a story of courage. I don't tend to look deep into meanings of books, I simply like to enjoy whatever adventure it takes me on and I was not disappointed with The Hobbit. The previous time I read the book, I was about 13, I loved Gollum and also the three trolls. Both of these seemed to appear quite quickly in the book, but I think that this may be because I was comparing it to Peter Jackson's film, in which he pads out the intro of the Dwarves to a full hour. The dwarves are all ready and waiting and on the road with Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit of the title) within a few chapters. A mix of memory from when I first read it and the film meshed together so it seemed the start really whisked along. Don't get me wrong, I loved discovering Thorin the dwarf along with his 12 companions in Tolkiens own words rather than Jackson's drawn out, somewhat pantomime way, I just think I'd have loved it even more if I hadn't seem the film.

Once the book gets to the part where the film ends this is where I could invest further, as I had no idea where it was going to take me. I was lost in Mirkwood, I was in danger with the Spiders and had a rollicking ride rolling in barrels. The 'Big Bad' of The Hobbit, Smaug the Dragon, is a shifty, Machiavellian devil and his booming voice and attack on The Lonely Mountain had me unnerved. The peripheral characters all played their part too and although some were a little sketchy, such as Thandruil, King of Mirkwood, there was enough atmosphere to pull me into their world. Beorn the bearman was a particular favourite and I can't wait to see how he is shown on screen.

The second film, The Desolation of Smaug is out tomorrow. I urge you to read the book first if you can!

I've given the book 8 cushions on the Comfometer.

Here is the trailer for the new film.

Michael

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The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

When The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton won the Man Booker Prize it obviously garnered a lot of attention and it's unfortunate that it was mainly due to the fact it's so large and that Eleanor is the prize's youngest winner. What should be highlighted instead of these is the plot, the characters and the setting. It's a deeply rich book filled with luminous characters (see what I did there) and a wildly complex plot involving gold, guns, politics, prostitution and death.

The setting is 1860's New Zealand, a wilderness slowly populated by travellers wishing to make their fortune on the recent gold rush. The town of Hokitika has recently been erected and is slowly growing and with it comes a culture of greed and power struggles. We start our journey with Walter Moody, fresh off the boat 'Godspeed', as he accidentally becomes embroiled in a secret gathering of 12 men. These men have all been connected to the disappearance of wealthy young entrepreneur Emery Staines, the death of a drunk hermit Crosbie Wells and the incarceration and reformation of former prostitute Anna Wetherall.

One by one, these 12 men tell their story to Moody of where they have been over the past few weeks, leading up to the secret rendezvous at the Crown Hotel, where they have met Moody. The tales vary wildly, with most stories involving at least one other member of the twelve. Men in the group range from a Chinaman, a Maori, a banker, a chemist and a chaplain amongst others. With so many characters each telling their own stories, intertwining with several others, it could have become a bit too muddled but Catton has fleshed them out so much that they become real. Along with these 12 (13 including Moody) characters, we also get to hear each persons view of several other key cast members including Anna Wetherall, the violent Francis Carver and the deceased Crosbie Wells.

The first chapter is a whopping 360 pages long but it absolutely required every page due to the detail of each statement of the participants. Chapter 2 is also over 100 pages and concerns two weeks after the meeting at The Crown Hotel, with each man now in the knowledge of each others secrets. With these secretes slowly seeping out, and each person with something to lose, it becomes a tense, beautifully rich mystery.

The story has all been laid out using astrology, and according to Catton, the stars in the sky in 1866, and the astrological science behind it, is all heavily researched and correct. You need to know nothing of this as it doesn't enter the plot at all and is used merely as a structural tool, but after reading it I saw that each character had been plotted on a character chart at the front of the book. It's a very interesting way to structure the book as if you are up to date with the astrological field in 1866 New Zealand, you may have seen a few plot twists coming. I, however, only know up to 1864.

I would never have picked this up if 1) It wasn't nominated for the Booker Prize and 2) If we hadn't had it as our book club choice. I am so grateful that I did as it's one of the best books I've read this year. Don't let the length put you off as 832 pages went past quite quickly. It took me about 6 weeks to get through.

On the Comfometer it has received an 8.5. I'm looking forward to reading more of Catton's work.

Michael
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Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett is the 19th novel in the Discworld series. I am a massive Discworld and Pratchett fan and have read the Discworld novels in publication order (apart from Jingo, which was the 21st published) so this was my 20th Discworld novel and it was based on The City Watch, my favourite group of characters from the series. I'd even go as far as to say it was one of my favourites so far.

The City Watch is the Police Force of the main city on Discworld, Ankh-Morpork. Commander Vimes, Captain Carrot, Nobby, Colon, Detritus and Angua round out the main characters from previous City Watch Books, with a new recruit in the dwarf Cheery Littlebottom. Each one of these characters lives and breathes on the page, and they have done since his first book and Littlebottom is no different.

The City Watch

If you have never read a Discworld book before then try to imagine Monty Python in a fantasy land with wizards, trolls, humans with a tongue firmly in a cheek. Several times I laughed out loud (I always do with Pratchett).

The story of Feet of Clay revolves around a double murder. It's implicated that a Golem has killed the duo, but how can a Golem, who has no 'life', it's simply a machine, have any murderous tendancies? At the same time the marvellous Patrician (One of Discworlds rare sensible beings) has been poisoned. It's up to Vimes and The City Watch to find the culprit and bring them to justice.

In each Discworld book several figures pop up from time to time and new ones appear. I loved the introduction of a new character called Wee Mad Arthur, a 6 inch hard-as-nails Ratkiller gnome, with the face off of him vs a bull a hoot.

The Discworld - Great A'Tuin

It really was a joy to read, more so than normal. I've given it a huge 8.5 on the comfometer.

I urge you to read a Discworld novel. Publication date is not a great way to start tobe honest but I'm half way through now so I'm not stopping! The books are all in series eg The City Watch books, The Witches books, Wizards books etc, but they are all set on the Discworld, with characters appearing in other series. Have a look at the Terry Pratchett site for more.

One of my favourite Discworld books.

Michael
@bigcomfybooks
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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

My first foray into Audiobooks was the children's classic The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Frances Hodgson Burnett

The beauty of the audiobook is that I can 'read' it whilst I'm doing other things, mostly driving, but you knew that anyway. Yes I'm late to the game. I only put it on when I knew I'd be listening to it and not concentrating on several things at once. I came across this audiobook via the app simply called Audiobooks and streamed it direct from my phone. It is part of the huge library on Librivox.org

It was read by Kara Shallenberg and as my first audiobook I found her tones were simple and didn't take me out of the story, although an American woman pulling off an old man's Yorkshire accent was startling at first! But she did it!

I picked The Secret Garden first as I always remembered a film version of it from my childhood but I could never reach those memories, and it turns out I made a lot of it up in my head.
The brash, rude 10 year old Mary is our eyes into her new English world, having been brought up in India by maids. Left alone in her new surroundings she is expected to live life like a child yet, she is so used to everything being done for her including dressing that it's a shock. The idea of 'playing' is alien to her but bit by bit she investigates the huge mansion and gardens, and one such garden in particular.

The garden has been locked up for 10 years and the mystery awakens Mary's sense of adventure. In India she had no friends and no inclination to speak to anyone but now in England she is slowly warming to becoming a child, and finding her childlike tendencies of inquisitiveness.

Leaves and things. It's a garden. And looks secretish.

These tendencies leads her to the young boys Dickon, the maid Martha's brother and keen gardener and later on, Colin, the master of the house's sickly demanding son. There is almost a chain in the relationships with Dickon very placid and calm, teaching Mary how to grow, both in the garden and emotionally, then Mary doing the same to Colin.

I enjoyed the book very much. At around two thirds of the way through I became a little frustrated at the pace, as I was enjoying the relationship between Mary and Dickon but it focuses more on Colin. It was written for children and if I'd had read it when I was 10 or so then it would have captivated me all the way through.

A healthy 6.5 on the comfometer

Michael
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Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson

I've seen a great documentary about Jeanette Winterson and I even gave her book Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? out on World Book Night, yet I've never actually read any of her books, so when Sexing the Cherry won the vote in our book club I was excited.

It's a hard book to describe. It roughly follows Jordan and his 'mother' in the 17th century, except time, space and all things real are not really true. Villages that float, an elephantine protagonist and the stories of the 12 princesses (great bit btw) all mash together with the London Plague, feminism and sexuality. At even 144 pages I really struggled to follow it. Winterson's literary tongue, especially towards the end, was overindulgent and suffocated what was already a convoluted idea. I really enjoy literary fiction but was sorely disappointed with this result.
The book club was split, with some also not enjoying it but some really revelling in the prose.
Here's hoping that her other books are not as muddy and troublesome for me.

A dour 3.5 on the comfometer.
I'm excited to start The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Michael
@bigcomfybooks
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The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

I picked this up as I had a gift card for A**zon that had about £3 left. I'm really glad I gave it a go as it was a joy.

Harold one day receives a letter from a lost friend telling him she's dying. Harold is 65 and stuck in a rut. More than a rut, a twenty year crater. Whilst walking to the post office to post his reply letter he starts to question himself. Is a letter to this friend enough? He skips the first post box and decides to walk to the next, just so he can think a while. This thinking travels over 600 miles.

Harold is a quintessential 65 year old Englishman. Too polite, forever rolling along on the tide of his life taking in whatever other people say and do. During his walk he encounters dozens of people from young evangelists to closet homosexuals, foreigners and journalists. But it's the relationship between Maureen his wife and himself that I found to be touching. She is fussy, picky, nagging constantly and a catalyst to his journey. Along the way, he reminisces about how they met, the good times and bad. The walk untangles some lost memories. They also make Harold face his fears he's held back for 20 years. With nowhere to hide, the memories keep flooding through. I've never cried at a book, but I had a lump in my throat twice with this.

I could write a lot more but I don't want to leave too many clues as to the ending. Seek it out.

A nice 7.5 cushions on the comfometer.

It also name checks Nuneaton which was nice.

Michael

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

This book review comes a while after reading this tome due to a family wedding, a break in and some shop stuff. Anyway, I read this as part of our bookclub, The Big Comfy Bookclub (join online! right HERE). Its over 600 pages so I gave myself (and the group) 5 weeks to read it, It's the second Neil Gaiman book I've read, the first being Stardust.

Gaiman is held in sci-fi and fantasy circles as a talisman, a hero of all. Comics, kids, YA and adult fiction all being conquered. I must admit, I was slightly disappointed with Stardust but delved into American Gods with no preconceptions. I thoroughly enjoyed it all, it was a blast.

The anti-hero of the book is Shadow, a prisoner just released finding his way in the world. The way he was due to navigate was quickly swiped from his grasp in the first chapter or so and thus begins his journey across America.
It's really a road trip. Several stories, characters and locations, both in this world and others, are visited and have an effect on Shadow. A few book club members questioned the reason for Shadow going along with situations just on a whim, or as easily as someone asking. I found this great as I never really knew where it was all heading. He had nothing to lose by going along.
A few minor points for me was every few chapters there would be an in depth story of a culture, a certain male or female, that ran for quite a few pages. It gave the book a larger canvass and understanding of the age of some of the characters, but it took me out of the Shadow story too much.

I've been given some more Gaiman book recommendations and will be tackling them in due course.

On the comfometer I've given it a very strong 7.5 cushions.

If you're in the book club (or want to be) then we should be reading Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson right now, and we have til Aug 30th to finish. It's only 140 pages or so.

I'm actually reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at the moment and thoroughly enjoying it.

Michael

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

Fun and happiness! Sorry, wrong book.

I seem to have acquired a few Murakami books over the years, yet I've only read one of them. I've read Norwegian Wood and thought it was excellent, although even that I had to restart as the first time I hated it and stopped after 20 pages. I picked this up when my band Barricades Rise did a photoshoot in local bookshop Astley Book Farm. This book can be seen in some of the promo pics we did with Redwood Photography. It's a slim book at only 187 pages.

Murakami seems to love heading straight for melancholy and staying in the middle lane throughout. He did with Norwegian Wood and he has with this. The story revolves around Hajime, a single child (rare in Japan in the 70's). Cast as an outsider due to his lack of siblings, he finds solace in Shimamoto the only other single child in his school. The pair connect on so many levels, winding up spending their entire childhood together. When Hajime goes off to college he realises swiftly he cannot adjust to life without Shimamoto, casting aside woman without thought. He marries and has kids but ultimately has a hole left in him. Until Shimamoto turns up once more.

I enjoyed the book, but can't really say it struck a chord like Norwegian Wood did. Like the jazz music that runs through the book, it seems to meander back and forth between complete hopelessness to overriding joy. Hajime and Shimamoto are a tragedy and it's clear from the start (and from the fact it's Murakami) what you are in for.

For those that like to shed a tear. A middle of the road 6.5 of the Comfometer.

Michael

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Book Club review

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn was the Big Comfy Book Club's first book club choice. The Big Comfy Book Club got off to a storming start with nearly 50 people joining the online club. Out of the 7 choices available we voted for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn as our first book. I received a lot of messages over the next 4 weeks telling me what they thought, where they bought it and what other books aill be in the future. It's been great already! But lets talk about the book itself. Beware, there are spoilers a-plenty.

The book has become a huge success both over in the USA and on our own Isles so the expectation by me and several other book-clubbers was high. A quick read of praise from the national newspapers on the cover gave it more gravitas too. So lets delve into it, did it excite and move me? Did it make a lasting impression on the club? In short. Not in the slightest.

The story revolves around Nick and Amy, a 'normal' couple living in New York. They have the great big posh flat, they are both authors and journalists, they met in a very meet-cute way. They are a Sophie Kinsella couple. But the story really starts after all this and how their relationship has dwindled due to the death of Nicks mum and his dads dementia. Amy has a huge trust fund from her parents, (Authors! Wow!) as their books are based around Amazing Amy, a fictionalised version of their real daughter. One day Nick gets a call from a neighbour saying his front door is wide open, so he returns home and sees that his wife has been involved in a struggle, and she's disappeared. She is Gone Girl. The resulting 250 pages are seen through the eyes of both Nick, at the time, dealing with what has gone on, the subsequent police investigation and the reveal of an affair, and Amy in the form of her diary written over the past 7 years. The format works to a degree but neither Nick or Diary Amy have many qualities to make you like them, Nick is weak and obtuse whilst Diary Amy is a pushover. I'm calling Amy Diary Amy as half way through there is a big reveal which I loved (the best part of the book). The format shifts slightly to the real Amy.

This shift kept the book alive for me as it was really starting to have that bad-movie kind of feel with very clichéd characters. The mum being posh and snooty, the dad being all 'hey sport' with the son-in-law, the good cop, bad cop couple. But really what I disliked was Nick. He's an idiot. He does the stupidest things for no reason. Only his twin sister Go (short for Margot) seems reasonable and normal. With the change in narration it gave a real insight into Nick from a different angle. But it didn't last long. The whole book was dragged to the finale. Gillian Flynn had written herself into a corner and had no way out and didn't have an ending. It was a frustrating, annoying read.

Once we'd all read it we had a long discussion on Facebook about it and nearly everyone agreed with me. We are still baffled as to why it has become such a best seller.

I've given it 3.5 on the comfometer. The lowest yet.

If you fancy joining the online book club then hop on over to the Facebook group and add yourself or alternatively if you're not on Facebook, just send me an email, tweet or comment on this blog telling me you're reading along. We've just started our next book, Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

Michael

War of the Worlds by H.G.Wells

I recently read War of the Worlds by H.G.Wells on the Aldiko e-reader on my phone. I love the fact I can get out my phone wherever I am and read. Owning a book shop you'd think I'd discourage it, but I really do want people to read as much as possible! I only read the free classics on my phone and have already got through quite a few I would never have read if it wasn't for such ease.
I didn't mean to read War of the Worlds. I had a free half hour as my son was asleep on me and I couldn't move so I browsed the available titles and opted for the H.G.Wells classic, on the advice of a young local author Rae Gee who I met at the Nuneaton library for the World Book Night event.

It was a fine suggestion as right from the beginning it immersed me. The late 19th century setting could easily have been transferred to modern times as the way humanity reacted and coped with the aliens, I felt, would have been exactly the same. The writing was fast paced and the descriptive prose outstanding leaving me with the smell of London in my nose.

If I had to say one negative though it'd be the way the protagonists brother is structured into the story. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed and was surprised by the view of the brother, it just seemed it didn't slot into the story as comfortably as it may have done.

Overall it was a rousing success. I've gone for 7.5 on the old comfometer.

As always, let me know your thoughts.

Michael

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

After the brilliant duo of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, the final instalment of The Hunger Games, Mockingjay, has let me down slightly.

I was told by several people that the third book was not as good but by half way through I was loving it. It is a complete departure from the previous two and I enjoyed the places that Katniss turned up in. She does get a bit whiny every now and then but her world has gone to pot.

Warning! There are spoilers ahead! Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want to know what happens...Where it goes off the rails for me is when Peeta returns from his capture, and the whole brainwash thing. I felt the previous two books had built him up to be such a courageous, big hearted guy and it was all snatched away to be replaced by some angry, emotionless robot. I felt betrayed by the author! The worst was that it wasn't fixed. That's it. He's damaged goods. Several other characters that were hinted at possibly being dead in Catching Fire were also confirmed, but there was no real grief (I'm thinking Cinna especially). It is such a downbeat ending, which I didn't see coming so take my hat off to Collins. I have thought whether I liked the ending and I'm still at a loss. I think I did, but all the emotional input that I gave the characters  Haymitch, Gale and Peeta over the series seems to be wasted somewhat. I did however, like the bit with Prim at the end.

I'm interested in how they'll fit all this on screen. Will they change the ending?

It's definitely the weakest of the three so I've given it a 6.5 on the Comfometer.

Thoughts?

Michael

The Hunger Games - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Those who read my Hunger Games review will know that I loved it so there was a lot riding on the sequel. It has taken me a surprisingly long time to get through it (about a month) but this is not due to the book, it's due to the shop falling through (twice), World Book Night and also birthdays (I turned 30! and my wife turned  ****, our birthdays are a day apart). I read the first chapter or two then left it and failed to read for ages then, last week I picked it up and zoomed through 200 pages in an evening. I was hooked.

It follows on from where the Hunger Games ends with Katniss and Peeta about to embark on a tour of the districts as winners. The book is split in three with this all happening in the first part. Treated like celebrities by The Capital and heroes of sorts by the District, it quickly gets to the nitty-gritty politics and balance of power with a shocking scene involving an old man praising them for showing up the Capital and the subsequent punishment. For a YA book it doesn't hold it's punches.

The mid section takes care of Katniss finding what her life will be now, for ever. Suzanne Collins paints the candy-land metropolis of The Capital vividly and peppers it with outlandish characters with faces like cats and 'Auto-puke' drinks, with just enough glimpsed to see how extravagant yet totally unaware the citizens are of the wider picture, much more so than the first book. The third part is where the action kicks in though.

I saw it coming. It's a Quarter Quell where every twenty five years since the Hunger Games began, there is a special rule, a uniqueness to all the other games that came before it. I pretty much guessed it once the Quarter Quell was mentioned but if you don't want to know what the third part is then skip a paragraph....gone? OK, so you must know, Katniss, along with Peeta and all the other remaining winners of past games get put back into this years Hunger Games. Despite the repetitive idea, it feels fresh. From the training right through to when Katniss arrives in the arena there is a renewed danger, a familiar yet completely different approach. Everyone knows what to expect, they've all done it.

I loved it all and have Mockingjay, the third in the trilogy, ready to go and can't wait to delve into it. I gave The Hunger Games an 8 on the comfometer so I'm going to give Catching Fire a 7.5, losing 0.5 just because of the sometime stubbornness of Katniss.

I've also held off watching the trailer until I finished the book and I've just seen it. It looks amazing. Roll on November 22nd!

What did you think?

Michael