Sovereign By C. J. Sansom.
Autumn, 1541, King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North to attend an extravagant submission by his rebellious subjects in York.
Already in the city are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak. As well as legal work processing local petitions to the King, Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a special mission for Archbishop Crammer - to ensure the welfare of an important but dangerous conspirator who is to be returned to London.
But the murder of a York glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries, connected not only to the prisoner in York Castle but to the royal family itself. And when Shardlake and Barak stumble upon a cache of secret documents which could threaten the Tudor throne, a chain of events unfolds that will lead to Shardlake facing the most terrifying fate of the age.
The third book in the Matthew Shardlake series and just as compulsive, this could be read independently from books one and two but I would recommend the reading of them first as you will get a much better insight into the characters as well as a greater feel for the times they live in.
Sovereign, like the previous two novels, is wonderfully researched and full of detail with characters both real and fictional though always colorful and convincing. The plot is both atmospheric and winding and had me guessing whodunnit and why until the last.
Set largely in Tudor York, though some scenes take place in other locations, the story follows King Henry VIII's progress from London and is so descriptive that I felt myself to be there - if I closed my eyes I could actually smell, hear and feel (one scene took place in London Tower dungeon) the sights let alone see them such is the power of Sansom's work, he really is such a gifted and passionate storyteller.
30 Apr 2009
The Little Blue Joke.
A little blue man was feeling lonely and blue so he decided on a holiday at the Blue Dolphin Hotel and a week later, after packing his blue suitcase, got into his blue car and set off.
On arrival at the Blue Dolphin Hotel, the blue man got out of his blue car, took his blue suitcase and registered with the receptionist in the blue uniform.
He was shown to his room overlooking a very blue sea and found a welcome pack in a blue binder which ended with the warning "Under NO circumstances press the big blue button by the door."
Now, after unpacking his blue suitcase and watching an episode of The Blue Planet on the television, the blue man became curious about the big blue button by the door and decided to press it. AND do you know what happened?
Yes, it Blew up!!!
On arrival at the Blue Dolphin Hotel, the blue man got out of his blue car, took his blue suitcase and registered with the receptionist in the blue uniform.
He was shown to his room overlooking a very blue sea and found a welcome pack in a blue binder which ended with the warning "Under NO circumstances press the big blue button by the door."
Now, after unpacking his blue suitcase and watching an episode of The Blue Planet on the television, the blue man became curious about the big blue button by the door and decided to press it. AND do you know what happened?
Yes, it Blew up!!!
29 Apr 2009
My week end part 2
After a late night, I'm so not a night owl and as such am generally tucked up in bed by 9.30, I was surprised to make it to the Saturday Breakfast club which Hubby and I attend almost every week. However, make it I did though I must say that on this occasion I wished I'd stayed in bed - very little in the newspapers AND I was late so all of the chocolate croissants were already eaten.
Anyway after the aforementioned club, it was back to the Innisfree where, to continue with the 4oth birthday celebrations, an open seminar was being held. Led by Dr Ruth Cherrington of Warwick University and entitled " The rise and decline of the Working Mens Club" we looked at the history, present and possible future of the movement. Though it could have been better attended it was very informative and all the more impressive as Ruth actually works full time, doing this research in her spare time it really is a labour of love. So, as well as coming away more knowledgeable I also came away feeling I'd had a deprived childhood as so many of those present, Hubby and Ruth included, had such wonderful stories to tell of club social events and outings that they had attended as children. Such a far cry from many children today who, if we believe everything we hear, spend so much time isolated, alone in their bedrooms, playing on various games consoles.
I was going to end with Saturday afternoon but, to use one of my nana's sayings," In for a penny in for a pound" I've decided to continue with the rest of the weekends events. Sundays for me usually mean a morning in bed with the Sunday papers followed by phone calls to various family members and then the Innisfree Quiz but all week I'd felt badly in need of some retail therapy so we set off for Newcastle town centre and though we weren't there very long I found myself in need of the loo. Now I'm very proud of my city with it's impressive buildings and friendly people but it's got to be said the place is woefully lacking in public conveniences especially once the shops have closed so it's thanks to the staff at The Blackett Arms next to the Grainger Market for the use of their facilities. And, whilst thanking people, I must show my appreciation to Hubby who though he dislikes shopping with a passion (it's up their with his hatred of bingo) accompanied me with barely a complaint. What a star. Just don't tell him I said so.
Anyway after the aforementioned club, it was back to the Innisfree where, to continue with the 4oth birthday celebrations, an open seminar was being held. Led by Dr Ruth Cherrington of Warwick University and entitled " The rise and decline of the Working Mens Club" we looked at the history, present and possible future of the movement. Though it could have been better attended it was very informative and all the more impressive as Ruth actually works full time, doing this research in her spare time it really is a labour of love. So, as well as coming away more knowledgeable I also came away feeling I'd had a deprived childhood as so many of those present, Hubby and Ruth included, had such wonderful stories to tell of club social events and outings that they had attended as children. Such a far cry from many children today who, if we believe everything we hear, spend so much time isolated, alone in their bedrooms, playing on various games consoles.
I was going to end with Saturday afternoon but, to use one of my nana's sayings," In for a penny in for a pound" I've decided to continue with the rest of the weekends events. Sundays for me usually mean a morning in bed with the Sunday papers followed by phone calls to various family members and then the Innisfree Quiz but all week I'd felt badly in need of some retail therapy so we set off for Newcastle town centre and though we weren't there very long I found myself in need of the loo. Now I'm very proud of my city with it's impressive buildings and friendly people but it's got to be said the place is woefully lacking in public conveniences especially once the shops have closed so it's thanks to the staff at The Blackett Arms next to the Grainger Market for the use of their facilities. And, whilst thanking people, I must show my appreciation to Hubby who though he dislikes shopping with a passion (it's up their with his hatred of bingo) accompanied me with barely a complaint. What a star. Just don't tell him I said so.
28 Apr 2009
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society By Mary Ann Shaffer.
It's January 1946 and writer Juliet Ashton sits at her desk, vainly seeking a subject for her next book.
Out of the blue, she receives a letter from one Dewsey Adams of Guernsey- by chance he's acquired a second hand book that once belonged to Juliet- and, spurred on by their mutual lover of Charles Lamb, they begin a correspondence. When Dewsey reveals he is a member of Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet's curiosity is piqued, and it's not long before she begins to hear from other members. As the letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German occupation, Juliet soon realises that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name.
Where to begin with this novel- which isn't a novel as such, more a series of notes written between several individuals.
It is different- very well written and crafted , I'd even go as far to say it was very humorous in places, just not my type of read I'm afraid. Because of the way in which it was written the characters never seemed to develop fully and I couldn't seem to follow the plot- once put down it was quickly lost so I seemed to be constantly re-reading passages which I found most frustrating. On a more positive note I believe this book would make an excellent radio programme or theatre production, or, like poetry, I might even have found it more enjoyable if it had been read to me or I had listened to it as a "talking book".
Sadly as this was Mary Ann's first and only book, it was first published in Great Britain in 2008- the year she died aged 74,we will never know how she went on to develop as an author.
It's January 1946 and writer Juliet Ashton sits at her desk, vainly seeking a subject for her next book.
Out of the blue, she receives a letter from one Dewsey Adams of Guernsey- by chance he's acquired a second hand book that once belonged to Juliet- and, spurred on by their mutual lover of Charles Lamb, they begin a correspondence. When Dewsey reveals he is a member of Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet's curiosity is piqued, and it's not long before she begins to hear from other members. As the letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German occupation, Juliet soon realises that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name.
Where to begin with this novel- which isn't a novel as such, more a series of notes written between several individuals.
It is different- very well written and crafted , I'd even go as far to say it was very humorous in places, just not my type of read I'm afraid. Because of the way in which it was written the characters never seemed to develop fully and I couldn't seem to follow the plot- once put down it was quickly lost so I seemed to be constantly re-reading passages which I found most frustrating. On a more positive note I believe this book would make an excellent radio programme or theatre production, or, like poetry, I might even have found it more enjoyable if it had been read to me or I had listened to it as a "talking book".
Sadly as this was Mary Ann's first and only book, it was first published in Great Britain in 2008- the year she died aged 74,we will never know how she went on to develop as an author.
27 Apr 2009
My week end part 1
Now that I'm an experienced blogger - oh how I wish. The hubby still comments on what he sees as my poor mouse control. Goodness only knows what the neighbours must think when they hear him shouting " Just get a hold of it, stop tickling it, it won't bite.". Anyway I digress, where was I? Oh yes, as an experienced blogger I feel a strange desire to share my experiences, views etc with the rest of the world and it isn't always pretty- the term grumpy old women could have been coined with me in mind and I'm still only 41, oh dear.
In any case today I'd like to share my weekend. It started on Friday evening, as a weekend generally does I suppose, when I set out with high hopes to the Innisfree, our local working mens club, to celebrate it's 4oth birthday. There was much excitement as The Space Cadets, billed as having appeared on this years Britains Got Talent, were the "turn". Well, they had to be seen to be believed, words could never convey what they were like though, rubbish (I'm being polite here) seemed to be the general view.
What were they all about then? I suppose they could best be described as being a kind of Barron Knights (remember them?) type of act in that they dressed up, took well known songs and changed the words to make them funny (oh how we laughed - not) so that the Elvis song "In the ghetto" became "In the Netto" while the Meatloaf hit "I would do anything for love" became "I would do anything for food". You get the idea. BUT, that wasn't all. Their act included other sketches, one of which involved them appearing starkers with only balloons to cover their, er, modesty. These balloons were then popped and well I'll leave the rest to your imagination. As I said it had to be seen.
After a break for the raffle and bingo (what is it about bingo?) The Cadets returned. What could they do with the second half? To be honest I didn't really stick around to find out. I changed my return taxi home from 11.30 to 10.00 and thank goodness I did as at that point they went on to sing/ruin Hungry Eyes, one of my favourite songs. But I'm reliably informed that they changed emphasis and became a sort of motown tribute act with not a single "joke" in sight, however, they were, by all accounts, just as loud, Hubby's ears are still ringing 3 days later, and just as awful.
To be continued .......
In any case today I'd like to share my weekend. It started on Friday evening, as a weekend generally does I suppose, when I set out with high hopes to the Innisfree, our local working mens club, to celebrate it's 4oth birthday. There was much excitement as The Space Cadets, billed as having appeared on this years Britains Got Talent, were the "turn". Well, they had to be seen to be believed, words could never convey what they were like though, rubbish (I'm being polite here) seemed to be the general view.
What were they all about then? I suppose they could best be described as being a kind of Barron Knights (remember them?) type of act in that they dressed up, took well known songs and changed the words to make them funny (oh how we laughed - not) so that the Elvis song "In the ghetto" became "In the Netto" while the Meatloaf hit "I would do anything for love" became "I would do anything for food". You get the idea. BUT, that wasn't all. Their act included other sketches, one of which involved them appearing starkers with only balloons to cover their, er, modesty. These balloons were then popped and well I'll leave the rest to your imagination. As I said it had to be seen.
After a break for the raffle and bingo (what is it about bingo?) The Cadets returned. What could they do with the second half? To be honest I didn't really stick around to find out. I changed my return taxi home from 11.30 to 10.00 and thank goodness I did as at that point they went on to sing/ruin Hungry Eyes, one of my favourite songs. But I'm reliably informed that they changed emphasis and became a sort of motown tribute act with not a single "joke" in sight, however, they were, by all accounts, just as loud, Hubby's ears are still ringing 3 days later, and just as awful.
To be continued .......
23 Apr 2009
20 Apr 2009
The Almost Moon
The Almost Moon– Alice Sebold
Helen Knightly has spent a lifetime trying to win the love of a mother who had none to spare. And as this electrifying novel opens, she steps over a boundary she never dreamt she would even approach. But while her act is almost unconscious, it also seems like the fulfilment of a lifetime's buried desire.
Over the next twenty four hours, her life rushes in at her as she confronts the choices that have brought her to this crossroads.
One sentence about a third of the way through the novel summed up what, for me, it was all about. How I wished that this sentence had come earlier then I wouldn’t have had to read the book through to its disappointing and predictable ending. And read it I did, not because I thought it was an enjoyable or even good read I just desperately wanted to feel something/anything for any of the character. Sadly though I never did.
The author, in my opinion once again, as in Lovely Bones, set out to simply shock the reader. All very well some might argue but not when the plot and characters come a poor second. All in all a very unsatisfactory read written by an author who seems to write books are formulaic, which makes for dull and uninspiring books.
Helen Knightly has spent a lifetime trying to win the love of a mother who had none to spare. And as this electrifying novel opens, she steps over a boundary she never dreamt she would even approach. But while her act is almost unconscious, it also seems like the fulfilment of a lifetime's buried desire.
Over the next twenty four hours, her life rushes in at her as she confronts the choices that have brought her to this crossroads.
One sentence about a third of the way through the novel summed up what, for me, it was all about. How I wished that this sentence had come earlier then I wouldn’t have had to read the book through to its disappointing and predictable ending. And read it I did, not because I thought it was an enjoyable or even good read I just desperately wanted to feel something/anything for any of the character. Sadly though I never did.
The author, in my opinion once again, as in Lovely Bones, set out to simply shock the reader. All very well some might argue but not when the plot and characters come a poor second. All in all a very unsatisfactory read written by an author who seems to write books are formulaic, which makes for dull and uninspiring books.
Life Class
Life Class – Pat Barker
Spring 1914. The students of the Slade School Of Art gather in Henry Tonk's studio for his life drawing class. But for Paul Tarrant the class is troubling, underscoring his own uncertainty about making a mark on the world. When war breaks out and the army won't take Paul, he enlists in the Belgian Red Cross just as he and fellow student Elinor admit their feelings for one another. Amidst the devastation of Ypres, Paul comes to see the world anew - but have his experiences changed him completely?
I have quite mixed feelings about this novel, with my first impression being how cheap and nasty the book looked – the front cover being quite unremarkable and the pages themselves of poor quality.
That said, I found the first half of the novel to be such easy reading that I would recommend it as strictly holiday or bedtime reading. The characters at this point seemed to me, totally one-dimensional and without exception utterly unappealing. The second half did pick up a pace and had some interesting moments. However it was very similar to many books of its genre though not as well written as most. The characters themselves remained much the same as in the first half with little development except that Elinor became, to me, increasingly vile. The one exception to this being the introduction of Lewis who, being a Quaker, brought a different dimension to the story.
Am I inspired to read more of Pat Barker’s work that comes highly recommended? If this is a typical example then I would if the opportunity arose but I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to do so.
Spring 1914. The students of the Slade School Of Art gather in Henry Tonk's studio for his life drawing class. But for Paul Tarrant the class is troubling, underscoring his own uncertainty about making a mark on the world. When war breaks out and the army won't take Paul, he enlists in the Belgian Red Cross just as he and fellow student Elinor admit their feelings for one another. Amidst the devastation of Ypres, Paul comes to see the world anew - but have his experiences changed him completely?
I have quite mixed feelings about this novel, with my first impression being how cheap and nasty the book looked – the front cover being quite unremarkable and the pages themselves of poor quality.
That said, I found the first half of the novel to be such easy reading that I would recommend it as strictly holiday or bedtime reading. The characters at this point seemed to me, totally one-dimensional and without exception utterly unappealing. The second half did pick up a pace and had some interesting moments. However it was very similar to many books of its genre though not as well written as most. The characters themselves remained much the same as in the first half with little development except that Elinor became, to me, increasingly vile. The one exception to this being the introduction of Lewis who, being a Quaker, brought a different dimension to the story.
Am I inspired to read more of Pat Barker’s work that comes highly recommended? If this is a typical example then I would if the opportunity arose but I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to do so.
18 Apr 2009
Hello
As an almost computer illiterate (yes, there are some of us still out there), Hubby (he of little patience) has often encouraged me to drag myself into the 21st(?) century and learn how to use the net. Something I've always resisted when, after all, why would I when books, pen, paper and stamps are all still available? And besides which never let it be said I'd put our postie out of a job. Anyway, to cut a long story short, this has now all changed. Partly due to my increasing boredom (I'm largely confined to the house due to mobility difficulties) and partly thanks to a group of Hubby's fellow "bloggers" and their partners who we met in Leeds last month.
Anyway welcome to my first post. I'm not sure where this whole blogging thing will take me. At present I intend to write about one of my passions - books and in particular the last two or so books I have read at my book club. However it may also lead to me commenting on films, t.v. watched, newspapers read and/or the antics of my fellow blogger/sometimes (when I remember to put myself in his diary) hubby.
Anyway welcome to my first post. I'm not sure where this whole blogging thing will take me. At present I intend to write about one of my passions - books and in particular the last two or so books I have read at my book club. However it may also lead to me commenting on films, t.v. watched, newspapers read and/or the antics of my fellow blogger/sometimes (when I remember to put myself in his diary) hubby.
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