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Book Review Year 2 No 2
Aug. 29th, 2016 04:21 pmAs promised, here is my second book review of the year. As I mentioned in my last post on my goals, these are all follow up books in one way or another.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
I read The Goldfinch by the same author last year, and several people instantly suggested I read this one. It's a very interesting read and one I got through quicker than I expected, reading more each day than I'd planned. Which has to be the sign of a good book, when you really should go to sleep, but then it's 'just one more chapter' - fortunately most of the chapters are short. The characters, although not always attractive, are fascinating. The plot, although it sounds strange when just stated, makes sense. Definitely recommended for quite an intense read.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
Fourth in the Temeraire series. And yes, I am still enjoying these. This time the book takes us to southern Africa, in the hunt for a cure for a deadly dragon flu. The characters remain appealling, both human and dragon. And, yes, the next book in the series has arrived.
Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis
The second in the series of stories about Marcus Didius Falco, the Roman informer. In some ways a typical detective novel, although set in Ancient Rome, it has a good collection of supporting characters, as well as an air of humour about it. It took me longer to read than I expected, but that's partly because I've also been reading the vicar's books first and then finishing with Falco. Enjoyable, and when I went to order the next in the series the Ebay seller had 15% off 4 books, so I ordered the next four (they'll keep).
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling
At times I had to really force myself to keep going. I have lived through teenage angst and unreasonableness (twice) and I don't need to read about it as well. And, I did skim read some of the pages.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
I read The Goldfinch by the same author last year, and several people instantly suggested I read this one. It's a very interesting read and one I got through quicker than I expected, reading more each day than I'd planned. Which has to be the sign of a good book, when you really should go to sleep, but then it's 'just one more chapter' - fortunately most of the chapters are short. The characters, although not always attractive, are fascinating. The plot, although it sounds strange when just stated, makes sense. Definitely recommended for quite an intense read.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
Fourth in the Temeraire series. And yes, I am still enjoying these. This time the book takes us to southern Africa, in the hunt for a cure for a deadly dragon flu. The characters remain appealling, both human and dragon. And, yes, the next book in the series has arrived.
Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis
The second in the series of stories about Marcus Didius Falco, the Roman informer. In some ways a typical detective novel, although set in Ancient Rome, it has a good collection of supporting characters, as well as an air of humour about it. It took me longer to read than I expected, but that's partly because I've also been reading the vicar's books first and then finishing with Falco. Enjoyable, and when I went to order the next in the series the Ebay seller had 15% off 4 books, so I ordered the next four (they'll keep).
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling
At times I had to really force myself to keep going. I have lived through teenage angst and unreasonableness (twice) and I don't need to read about it as well. And, I did skim read some of the pages.
