Book Review Year 4 No 6
Aug. 7th, 2018 07:41 pmI'm quite surprised I've read 31 / 36 of this year's Goodreads Challenge. I suppose I could increase the number of books I'm planning to read, but at the moment I have no particular wish to do so. Averaging three books a month is quite acceptable to me, more is just a bonus.
Snuff by Terry Pratchett
The final book in the City Watch series in Discworld. I really enjoyed it - all my favourite characters were present, and the theme was compelling. I'm now thinking of treating myself to a AMCW hoodie for the winter.
The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles
I was reading an article and there was reference to the book, so I thought as I'd never read it (I've seen the film), I'd give it a go. It was not my sort of thing. I really disliked the main character, Charles Smithson, and found him self-pitying and pathetic. And the author interpolations reminded me of the sort of fanfic I instantly back-button. I finished it and returned it to the library. Feel free to disagree with my thoughts.
Biggles in France by W E Johns
DebrisWoman has a number of Biggles books and since, once again, it was something I'd never read, but the library had a few of the books I reserved one. Very much a book of its time, and of the boys' own genre, it didn't do much for me. Although reading about dog fights over the Western Front was interesting, having seen one of the planes in a museum a few months ago. Not my thing, but then cozy mysteries don't appeal to others, so I can understand why they are read. The language was very restrained compared to what I imagine it was like in reality.
Aunt Dimity Detective by Nancy Atherton
And so onto a cozy mystery. The heroine has some annoying faults, but at least she admits to them. And the characters who live in the village of Finch are an attractive bunch - not perfect in any way, no doubt frustrating as neighbours, but I wouldn't want any real harm to happen to them.
The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stonepicnicking_okapi refers to Alan Grant, the detective in this case, as Hobbit's detective, because he fits my competency kink very well. And I did enjoy following his deductions and the process he took to track down the killer, plus his determination to find the right person. The ending was a bit 'meh' to my mind, but that wasn't Grant's fault.
Famous 1914 - 1918 by Richard van Emden & Victor Piuk
This was one of the books I bought when we were on the battlefields tour. It tells about the war, and generally in each case one particular action, for a number of men who went on to become very famous after the war. Amongst them were C S Lewis, Ralph Vaughan Williams, J R R Tolkien, A A Milne, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. I found it fascinating, very sad, for they all lost friends or relatives, but at the same time a great insight into the period and also the effect the war had on them subsequently.
Snuff by Terry Pratchett
The final book in the City Watch series in Discworld. I really enjoyed it - all my favourite characters were present, and the theme was compelling. I'm now thinking of treating myself to a AMCW hoodie for the winter.
The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles
I was reading an article and there was reference to the book, so I thought as I'd never read it (I've seen the film), I'd give it a go. It was not my sort of thing. I really disliked the main character, Charles Smithson, and found him self-pitying and pathetic. And the author interpolations reminded me of the sort of fanfic I instantly back-button. I finished it and returned it to the library. Feel free to disagree with my thoughts.
Biggles in France by W E Johns
DebrisWoman has a number of Biggles books and since, once again, it was something I'd never read, but the library had a few of the books I reserved one. Very much a book of its time, and of the boys' own genre, it didn't do much for me. Although reading about dog fights over the Western Front was interesting, having seen one of the planes in a museum a few months ago. Not my thing, but then cozy mysteries don't appeal to others, so I can understand why they are read. The language was very restrained compared to what I imagine it was like in reality.
Aunt Dimity Detective by Nancy Atherton
And so onto a cozy mystery. The heroine has some annoying faults, but at least she admits to them. And the characters who live in the village of Finch are an attractive bunch - not perfect in any way, no doubt frustrating as neighbours, but I wouldn't want any real harm to happen to them.
The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey
stonepicnicking_okapi refers to Alan Grant, the detective in this case, as Hobbit's detective, because he fits my competency kink very well. And I did enjoy following his deductions and the process he took to track down the killer, plus his determination to find the right person. The ending was a bit 'meh' to my mind, but that wasn't Grant's fault.Famous 1914 - 1918 by Richard van Emden & Victor Piuk
This was one of the books I bought when we were on the battlefields tour. It tells about the war, and generally in each case one particular action, for a number of men who went on to become very famous after the war. Amongst them were C S Lewis, Ralph Vaughan Williams, J R R Tolkien, A A Milne, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. I found it fascinating, very sad, for they all lost friends or relatives, but at the same time a great insight into the period and also the effect the war had on them subsequently.
