The Lies we Tell - Jane Corry

"It can't happen all over again. Not to my boy. My precious only son. I'd do anything to save him. And I mean anything”

Synopsis

Sarah always thought of herself and her husband, Tom, as good people. But that was before their son Freddy came home saying he'd done something terrible. Begging them not to tell the police. Soon Sarah and Tom must find out just how far they are willing to push themselves, and their marriage, to protect their only child . . .

As the lies build up and Sarah is presented with the perfect opportunity to get Freddy off the hook, she is faced with a terrifying decision . . .

Save her son . . . or save herself?

Review

This book was recommended to me by someone I went to school with on Twitter and I didn't really know what to expect. Jane Corry wasn't someone who I had read before and all I had to go on was a short synopsis but it intrigued me. It was different to the types of books I'd read recently and I was interested in where the story might take me.

The story centres on on a married couple with a teenage son called Freddie who has done something terrible. His mother, Sarah and Father, Tom are two very different people and as the story progresses, we get to see just how different and incompatible they really are. Secrets are revealed and there are genuine twists and turns throughout and moments of emotion which caused me to reach for the tissues on more than one occasion. 

“When it comes to a mother's love - that boundless, almost undefinable, primal, umbilical-cord wrenching bond that cannot be broken - there are no rules .”

While at first, I was a bit daunted by the length of the book (it sits at nearly 500 pages long), in hindsight I think that it is needed. This is a slowburner of a story which gives each character time to breath. We are given a true insight into how lying can cause a relationship to break down and the devastating effects that can have on those involved. In the first half, we are taken through Sarah and Tom's relationship while the second half concentrates on the fall out from Freddies actions. There are times, especially during the first half, where it does feel a little tedious but it's needed for the payoffs in the second half to count. 

Final Thoughts

This is a long book, make no mistake and there are times when it truly feels like a long book. However, when the payoffs come they really come and it's clear to see why a lot of the 'fluff' is needed. Yes, things are tied up a little too neatly when it comes to the end but I'm happy for that in the case of these characters. Some of them go through so much and are really put through the wringer so it's nice to see some resolution for them all. It's really impressive how Corry brings all of the different threads together and so this is an author I will definitely be keeping an eye on. 

Wonder - R.J. Palacio

"Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.”

Synopsis

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Wonder, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others.

Review

I'll admit that this is a book I read because I had to and not necessarily because I picked it up myself from a book store. By day, I'm a teacher and it's the first book we're going to read with the children in the first term of school. Sometimes though, the books that are thrust upon you are the ones you get the most out of and that is the case with Wonder, an absolutely gorgeous book and an experience of a story. It's uplifting and heartbreaking in equal measure and will have you reaching for the tissues on more than one occasion.

The story centres on August, a boy going into fifth grade who was born with a facial deformity. Multiple operations since have left him feeling more isolated and looking about as different from his classmates as you can get. Told from the perspectives of he and the people who interact with him, the story follows August as he navigates his year in fifth grade and the different obstacles he faces.

“Here’s what I think: the only reason I’m not ordinary is that no one else sees me that way.”

What is great about this story is how we see August from different perspectives. Not only do we hear August's inner monologue and understand how he sees his place in the world but we get an insight into how his deformity affects his family and friends. Constructing the story in this way is a masterstroke as we are forced to reflect on our own prejudices and question how we would act around someone like August. He repeatedly speaks of how people react when they first see him, from pitying looks to genuine squeals of shock and then the laughing and pointing. To him though, this is the norm but are these reactions justified? Can they ever be justified?

With this topic, it would be easy to guilt us into feeling sorry for a character like August. However, the story is written with such charm that we don't ever feel the need to pity him or feel sorry for him. He gets on with his life in such an affirming way and with such strength that to pity him would be doing him a serious disservice. There are times when his mask of strength slips but if anything, that vulnerability only goes to humanise him and make him a more relatable figure.

Final Thoughts

This is a book which will stay with me for a while! It's a realistic and honest look at a rarely discussed issue and it's often brutal in its depiction. However, there is so much heart within these pages and so much love between the main characters that it will leave you feeling like you've gone on a much needed journey of discovery. With a message which is ever more topical, Wonder is an essential read.

They Both Die at the End - Adam Silvera

“

“But no matter what choices we make - solo or together - our finish line remains the same … No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end."

Synopsis

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day. 

Review

I purchased this book in the same haul when I got The Midnight Library as it popped up in the 'Other books you may like' section. In many ways, I can see why the algorithm put these two books together as in many ways, they deal with similar themes. On first sight, the most glaring similarity appears to be death...or at least how to deal with death. That's perhaps the first (and wrong) assumption you can make about They Both Die at the End. Sure, the book spends a good deal of time discussing how the main characters think about death but actually, when you really delve into the pages and get stuck in, it's a book about life and friendship. Two people, completely unalike on every level are thrown together to spend their final day, aware that at any moment they could die, or worse, have to watch the other die.

“You may be born into a family, but you walk into friendships. Some you’ll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk.” 

It would be easy for Silvera to turn this story into a sci-fi mystery. How does this mysterious company know when people are going to die? Do they actually have something to do with people dying? What are the implications if someone manages to avoid death? However, what Silvera does is write a character examination and that is entirely the right decision. One of my favourite films is Finding a Friend for the End of the World which is based on the well worn 'asteroid hitting the earth' storyline. Except, the film pretty much ignores the big sci-fi elements and the race to 'save the world' which we have seen so many times. Instead, the film follows a couple of people who are flung together and we follow their journey into making peace with what is about to happen. This book is very similar in that respect and it was refreshing because of that. 

Something else worth commenting on is the LGBTQ+ visibility, specifically the B part. At first, Rufus comes across as a bit of a thug. In fact, the first time we are introduced to him, he is beating up his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend! However, as the story progresses and we learn more about Rufus, we discover that he's actually a product of the system and he's actually quite a nice young man. When the bombshell is revealed that he's actually bisexual, it doesn't really come across as a bombshell. It's just another part of who he is and it doesn't define him. As a bisexual woman myself, that type of visibility is really inspiring and actually kinda important. 

Final Thoughts

This is really fascinating concept and I loved how Adam Silvera made it about the characters rather than the big sci-fi questions. It's a true character examination and in Mateo and Rufus, we have two really different and interesting protagonists. At times, nothing much happens but that wasn't enough to make me want to put it down. If anything, it kept me reading as I repeatedly found myself just drawn into the tale of these two boys spending their last day on earth together. Two ordinary boys who have been forced to come to terms with their own mortality.  

Books of Beauty - Jurassic Park

A few years ago, I spent £65 on a book. I was a student at the time so it meant that I had to knock chocolate on the head for a while but it remains the best money I have ever spent. The book was The Lord of the Rings and it is honestly a thing of beauty. It is by far the most beautiful book I have ever owned and possibly will ever own. While the story remains one of the greatest ones ever told (in my humble opinion), buying this book and using my student loan to do so represented far more than me just buying another version of my favourite book. No, it represents my seeing books as something of genuine beauty. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved books and don't yet own a kindle for this reason. There is something genuinely amazing about a book with a cover and pages and books only get more beautiful the more you read them. I still own my first copy of The Lord of the Rings  and it is now a tattered collection of dog-eared and stained pages held together by sellotape and the grace of god but there is genuine beauty in that. However, books of beauty can be so much more than pages with the corners folded over and tatty covers. Beautiful books should generate a feeling in you of both nostalgia and of seeing something familiar for the first time. A paradox it may be but a beautiful paradox all the same. 

If you are in search for a book like this, I can heartily recommend The Folio society (find the link to the left of your screen in the Links box). They release reprints of books which are staggeringly beautiful in my opinion and I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Jurassic Park for Christmas. Released as part of the 30th anniversary of the books publication, this reprint is a truly wonderful and beautiful book. I first read this story way back in the mid nineties on a plane to Corfu. I had loved the film so was eager to read the book it was based on and in my opinion, the book is better. There is just so much more detail and peril in the book with some of the plot threads from this first book being used throughout the franchise. Characters who get short shrift in the film are fleshed out more in the book and their motivations given more room to breath. Yes, it is typical Michael Crichton in that you need a masters degree to understand all of the sciency stuff but that's just a minor gripe and doesn't take away from the story at all. In fact, once you do understand it a bit, it actually adds to the film and makes you view it in a slightly different way. Anyway, I digress a tad because rather than being a review of the plot and story, this is a review on the appearance of the book. 

Like most books from The Folio Society, the book is boxed but take it out of the box and gaze upon the beautiful art work displayed on the cover. And don't just gaze, feel because the cover images have texture! The velociraptors are smooth and scaly as opposed to the back ground image. The colours really pop too
and there are 6 full colour pictures throughout the book to enjoy, plus a black and white double page spread. Vector Fox is clearly a talented illustrator and his style matches the book really well. There's something very nineties in how he uses colour and tone which fits somehow. It is worth checking out his website as there are some illustrations which didn't make the book but which are still fantastic. You can find his website here. 

I'll be honest in that despite owning this copy of Jurassic Park for the best part of 7 months, I've still yet to read it. The fear of making marks with my grubby fingers is too much to bear at the moment. I will read it one day though although on that day, I'll be in a room completely absent of dust and wearing my favourite hasmat suit so as not to spoil this beautiful book with particles of my unworthy skin.

Don't forget to check out The Folio Society's collection of stunning reprinted works. Just follow this link.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce

“He must have driven this way countless times, and yet he had no memory of the scenery. He must have been so caught up in the day's agenda, and arriving punctually at their destination, that the land beyond the car had been no more than a wash of one green, and a backdrop of one hill. Life was very different when you walked through it.”

Synopsis

On finding out that a former work colleague and friend is dying, Harold Fry decides to write to her. But, instead of posting the letter in the post box, Harold just walks on past it and he carries on walking, So begins an epic 600-mile trek from Devon to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Relying on his own determination and the kindness of the strangers he meets along the way, Harold Fry discovers things about himself and life that he never realised.

Review

This was a book which I had on my bookshelf for a while before I finally picked it up to read. It was one which I'd randomly picked up in a bookshop and I hadn't read any reviews about it. Sometimes I find that's the best way to start reading a book as you have no preconceived ideas about it and essentially go into the story blind. Anyway, despite it taking a while to pick it up and start reading, once I had I was very quickly drawn into the world of Harold Fry. He's a simple man of 65, retired who spends his days tending his lawn in Kingsbridge, Devon. When one day he receives a letter informing him that Queenie Hennessy is gravely ill, he impulsively ends up walking the 627 miles to see her. Along the way, he meets all manner of characters and reflects back on his life, his marriage and his estranged son David and uses his pilgrimage to resolve certain issues from his life.

“You could be ordinary and attempt something extraordinary, without being able to explain it in a logical way.”

As Harold Fry makes his way from place to place, the story becomes a little bit episodic and veers dangerously close to repetitive but the variety of different characters (all with backstories and lives of their own) ensure that there is a certain amount of freshness on each page. From the young woman in the petrol station who inspires Harold to make his pilgrimage to the middle aged lady who has a history of self-harming, each character he meets on his journey help to push the narrative on and give purpose to the story. There is a certain joy to be had from following Harold along his path, even if he doesn't ever truly understand why he's making it and you will find yourself really rooting for him. Even as a media circus forms around him as his pilgrimage becomes public knowledge, it's Harold who we want to get to Berwick-upon-Tweed and like Harold, these other hangers on become more of a nuisance than anything else.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, despite finding it a little bit episodic at times. Rachel Joyce has crafted a nice story and one which I would recommend you to read. There's genuine hope in these pages and in each sitting, I found something to enjoy and to keep me turning the pages. In writing it, Joyce touches on a variety of different themes such as love, loss, death and regret so there really is so much to unpack within the pages. At times uplifting and at other times sorrowful, this book is one which has the ability to make you feel a range of emotions and is well worth your time which is why it's 4 stars from me.

The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

 'Between life and death there is a library,' she said. 'And within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices ... Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?'

Synopsis

When we first meet Nora, she is on a bit of a downward spiral to say the least. She has lost touch with her brother, she's been let go from her job and she seems to let everyone down who matters. To top it off, her beloved cat has just died so she decides to find peace at the bottom of a jar of pills. Stuck between life and death, she finds herself in the mysterious Midnight Library. Here, she can choose a life she could have lived had she made different choices, a life that could be vastly different from the one she had decided to escape from.

Review

The premise of this book is a fascinating one and an idea I have grappled with a lot. Given the choice, would I want to live another life? A life where I did better at school or where I never lost touch with a childhood friend. Would I then want to stay in that life or would it still offer up disappointment and regret? It's a really interesting concept and in writing this book, Matt Haig has crafted a beautiful and compelling narrative. On the surface, his protagonist Nora is at a place most of us have been at some point in our lives.  She is trying to live her life but is weighed down with regret and a severe lack of purpose. It would have been easy for her to drift into whiny territory, for her to come across as unappreciative and ungrateful for what she does have in life. However, we can all relate to her at some level and so it is easy to be drawn into her story and to actually like her. 

After the wine, a realisation hit her with total clarity. She wasn't made for this life. Every move had been a mistake, every decision a disaster, every day a retreat from who she'd imagined she'd be. 

Once she finds herself in the Midnight Library, that is when we truly get to understand who Nora actually is. We learn about her regrets and how her life choices have shaped her. I've often wondered how different I am in these other branches of the tree of life I inhabit. How my own choices have helped to mould the character I've become. Through exploring these different lives, and learning about Nora's past and present, we really get to understand her on quite a deep level. It is testament to Haig's narrative style that we are drawn into the book and Nora's story in this way and be under no illusions, this is Nora's story and by the time you turn the final page, you feel like you know her as well as you know yourself.

Final Thoughts

It's been a long time since I devoured a book in two days but The Midnight Library is a true page-turner. Being under isolation due to a ping on the NHS app probably helped but I genuinely think I'd have devoured it anyway. It's how the book makes you feel, how you get drawn into the story and how you can find common ground with the protagonist. It has made me ask questions about my own life in a positive and life affirming way and has made me appreciate the choices I've made. If I ever found myself in my own version of the midnight library, while I'd love to explore the billions of other me's I could have become, I like to think that I'd return to this one and it's only through reading this book that I've come to that realisation. It has honestly had a profound effect on me so I see no other option than to rate it 5 stars and to thank Matt Haig for writing such a beautifully profound book.