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andrewspink's reviews
532 reviews
Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The more I read by Elif Shafak, the more I like her work. This book has what I am beginning to recognise as typical characteristics; an interwoven plot of multiple strands, nice writing and the intersection between East and West. The attitude of the West towards Turkish Muslims is central to the book, and even though this was written eight years ago, it could not be more topical with all the anti-Muslim hatred by the politicians where I live (in the Netherlands). Shafak wrote in Rivers in the Sky that "there is no better space than literature, especially the novel as literary genre, within which to explore the most complex issues of our time with nuance depth and empathy". In this book, she proves herself right.
Luister by Sacha Bronwasser
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book's themes were ones which interest me. The difference between listening and hearing. Seeing through photography. Living as an immigrant in a new country. That was all interesting.
There were other aspects that I found more difficult to relate to. Were we supposed to believe in Philippe's ability to predict the future? In a story which otherwise didn't have any magic-realism elements, that was a bit difficult. Some elements were almost too realistic, I could have done with a bit less description of all the violence in Paris in the period that was covered. The aspect of how the fashion industry promotes eating disorders and body dysmorphia was a point well-made.
There were other aspects that I found more difficult to relate to. Were we supposed to believe in Philippe's ability to predict the future? In a story which otherwise didn't have any magic-realism elements, that was a bit difficult. Some elements were almost too realistic, I could have done with a bit less description of all the violence in Paris in the period that was covered. The aspect of how the fashion industry promotes eating disorders and body dysmorphia was a point well-made.
The Last Voyage by Brian McLaren
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
With people like Musk promoting the idea that the solution to our wrecking the earth's ecosystem is to decamp to Mars, this book addresses an important issue. I must say that I was not really satisfied with the way that it did that. It did not really address the issue of if the resources spent on colonising Mars would have been better spent on fixing the earth. What it does make very clear is that the problems on earth that are caused by issues like the greed and duplicity of people will be just as much a problem in a new colony. The people who leave for Mars fly around in private jets, apparently oblivious to their own environmental impact. (Incidentally, Airbus planes are made in Europe, not America, that's a strange mistake to make). A plot is uncovered to kill most people, but they don't seem to feel the need to do anything about it. It is unfortunately hard to imagine that with the level of environmental damage described in the book that there will still be any corals around in a few decades. They are vulnerable and close to extinction today.
The book is quite funny in parts, with amusing digs at Tump and so on. It is easy to be read, although there are some rather long philosophical dialogues which got a bit tedious. It does not go into overdrive describing the new technologies which will inevitably have been invented in the coming decades. Rather strangely, it goes into great detail explaining how AR glasses work in a manner which is very close indeed to present-day technology. The author doesn't seem to have used their imagination much in thinking how things might have developed in the future. It is set in the future, but feels very close to the present day.
In summary, I am glad I read the book, but it was not great.
This review is based on a free copy of the book provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The book is quite funny in parts, with amusing digs at Tump and so on. It is easy to be read, although there are some rather long philosophical dialogues which got a bit tedious. It does not go into overdrive describing the new technologies which will inevitably have been invented in the coming decades. Rather strangely, it goes into great detail explaining how AR glasses work in a manner which is very close indeed to present-day technology. The author doesn't seem to have used their imagination much in thinking how things might have developed in the future. It is set in the future, but feels very close to the present day.
In summary, I am glad I read the book, but it was not great.
This review is based on a free copy of the book provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Gebied 19 by Esther Gerritsen
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wat een interessant boek! Het gaat over allerlei onderwerpen zoals samenzweringstheorieën, geestelijke gezondheid en milieukwesties en toch gaat het ook over een persoon die er maar niet achter kan komen wat belangrijk voor hem is, wat hem gelukkig maakt en wat er gaande is in de wereld. Ik heb het gelezen omdat ik blij was dat een sciencefictionboek een grote literaire prijs had gewonnen, maar het overtrof mijn verwachtingen met zijn combinatie van een bladzijde-draaiend plot en complexiteit. Ik vond het ook makkelijk te lezen.
What an interesting book! It is about all sorts of things like conspiracy theories, mental health and environmental issues and yet it is also about anperson who cannot work out what is important to him, what makes him happy and what ins going on in the world. Inreadmit because it was great to see that a science fiction book had won a major literary prize, but it exceeded my expectations with its combination of a page-turning plot and complexity. Easy to read as well.
What an interesting book! It is about all sorts of things like conspiracy theories, mental health and environmental issues and yet it is also about anperson who cannot work out what is important to him, what makes him happy and what ins going on in the world. Inreadmit because it was great to see that a science fiction book had won a major literary prize, but it exceeded my expectations with its combination of a page-turning plot and complexity. Easy to read as well.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The book is set in a space-station, but it is not science fiction. In some ways it is more of a nature book, with extended detailed observations about seeing the earth from space. There is a bit of a plot, but that is more of a thread holding it together rather than driving the action. There is no action really, the characters are necessarily passive, observing the earth and thinking about it. The redeeming feature of the book, and I guess the reason that it won the Booker, is its beautiful prose. It is lyrically, almost poetically written. I read many sentences for a second time, which is not something I normally do, and I noticed that the text required more concentration than usual.
There is a debate with some people about how much authors can put themselves in the shoes of very different people (gender, ethnicity, etc). Harvey has never been into space, and yet I read that astronauts said that she had captured their experience perfectly. That is an amazing feat.
There is a debate with some people about how much authors can put themselves in the shoes of very different people (gender, ethnicity, etc). Harvey has never been into space, and yet I read that astronauts said that she had captured their experience perfectly. That is an amazing feat.
On the Trail of Animal by Baptiste Morizot
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A very thought-provoking book full of interesting ideas. I was interested by the idea of 'enforesting', for instance, "a twofold movement... we go out into the forest and it moves into us". Also this, "wild animals are not our friends... neither are they beasts to be conquered". And "territoriality was invented by evolution as a way of pacifying the relations between living things". All fascinating ideas which bear some thinking about, perhaps even meditation on.
Inevitably there are some thoughts which I was less impressed with. I thought that the idea that "tracking is an intellectual problem that probably helped to create the human being" did not bear much scrutiny. Firstly, the species that humans evolved from also tracked. Secondly, there is increasing evidence that hunter-gatherer societies were much more gathering than hunting (the ideas about the importance of hunting coming from more from the hobbies of 19th century gentleman scientists). So the skills of categorising, observing and reading a landscape were important, but less so some of the specific hunting skills outlined by Morizot.
Near to the end, he writes, "Attention to the animal landscape and to plant sociology... reveal another way of inhabiting nature, which becomes an unexplored diplomatic community". That was a statement that I could relate to. In the days when I worked as an ecologist, I learnt to read the landscape and understand its dynamics. I remember watching the film An American Werewolf in London and being distracted from the plot when they were on a Calluna heathland, where the vegetation dynamics were particularly apparent (I was working on Calluna at the time).
Either way, close observation of natural (or indeed artificial) ecosystems can indeed lead to a deepened understanding of and empathy with what is going on around you and this book makes a great contribution towards promoting that.
Inevitably there are some thoughts which I was less impressed with. I thought that the idea that "tracking is an intellectual problem that probably helped to create the human being" did not bear much scrutiny. Firstly, the species that humans evolved from also tracked. Secondly, there is increasing evidence that hunter-gatherer societies were much more gathering than hunting (the ideas about the importance of hunting coming from more from the hobbies of 19th century gentleman scientists). So the skills of categorising, observing and reading a landscape were important, but less so some of the specific hunting skills outlined by Morizot.
Near to the end, he writes, "Attention to the animal landscape and to plant sociology... reveal another way of inhabiting nature, which becomes an unexplored diplomatic community". That was a statement that I could relate to. In the days when I worked as an ecologist, I learnt to read the landscape and understand its dynamics. I remember watching the film An American Werewolf in London and being distracted from the plot when they were on a Calluna heathland, where the vegetation dynamics were particularly apparent (I was working on Calluna at the time).
Either way, close observation of natural (or indeed artificial) ecosystems can indeed lead to a deepened understanding of and empathy with what is going on around you and this book makes a great contribution towards promoting that.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The King of Cosy Crime has moved away from the detective story set in rural England to an international thriller. But he was done a good job of keeping the cosiness; the likeable characters are still there and it is still quintessentially English (in a good way). The light humour remains very entertaining. The plot is convoluted, not always in a good way, but strangely enough that doesn't seem to matter. The cat called Trouble is a high point. This book is very much about the journey of reading it rather than the destination of finding out who did it.
Something Childish and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Katherine Mansfield is famous for her short stories, but I must admit that I found this collection hard work. It is indeed superbly written, but her world of servants and class distinctions and the importance of wearing the right hat when you go out is so removed from the present day that it is sometimes difficult to relate to. Some stories I just didn't get because the cultural difference was too remote and because she writes so subtly. Others I read and thought, 'what is that all about'. The one about boys turning into sparrows, for instance. What that all inside the narrator's mind or what?
The Proof of My Innocence by Jonathan Coe
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I recently took a train in the UK, the first time for several years, seeing I don't live there. There was an exceedingly irritating security announcement in all the stations and trains every few minutes ending in "See it. Say it. Sorted". Apparently it irritated Jonathan Coe as well (to be honest, I can't imagine anyone not being irritated by it) as it is a recurring theme throughout the book. He manages to turn the irritation into humour, and indeed the whole book is immensely funny, as we have been led to expect from him. There are, of course, the inevitable references to lettuces (the book is set in the brief period of Liz Truss' prime ministership), but that is not overdone.
A particularly enjoyable aspect is that he also has fun with the cosy mystery genre, and indeed pokes fun at the literally world as a whole. I enjoyed the horror of the professional writer at discovering that they were talking to someone writing a novel and the thought that they might start to tell them all about it. He also has some interesting side comments on the process of writing, like a discussion on writing in the present or past tense (or was that meant humorously as well)? He even pokes fun at himself, giving himself a cameo part as a student at Cambridge.
The book is very political. Liz Truss' disastrous term of office is the backdrop and he does an excellent job of exposing the right wing of the Conservative party as being completely out of touch with reality and hungry for power. Of course, he does that in an amusing way too.
There is a lot to like about this book. The only thing I was less enthusiastic about was that I didn't feel he had quite mastered the cosy mystery genre. That's fine though, it means he was more himself, and we could not ask for better than that.
Acknowledgement: Thanks to the publisher for providing a advance review copy (via Netgalley) in return for an honest review.
A particularly enjoyable aspect is that he also has fun with the cosy mystery genre, and indeed pokes fun at the literally world as a whole. I enjoyed the horror of the professional writer at discovering that they were talking to someone writing a novel and the thought that they might start to tell them all about it. He also has some interesting side comments on the process of writing, like a discussion on writing in the present or past tense (or was that meant humorously as well)? He even pokes fun at himself, giving himself a cameo part as a student at Cambridge.
The book is very political. Liz Truss' disastrous term of office is the backdrop and he does an excellent job of exposing the right wing of the Conservative party as being completely out of touch with reality and hungry for power. Of course, he does that in an amusing way too.
There is a lot to like about this book. The only thing I was less enthusiastic about was that I didn't feel he had quite mastered the cosy mystery genre. That's fine though, it means he was more himself, and we could not ask for better than that.
Acknowledgement: Thanks to the publisher for providing a advance review copy (via Netgalley) in return for an honest review.
Hoe overleef ik alles wat ik niemand vertel? by Francine Oomen
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is not a book I would normally choose to read, but I was lucky enough to get a signed copy as part of the NS-Publieksprijs campaign. The author signed it for my daughter but told me that I should read it was well. So I did.
The book tackles big issues in an accessible way, which should make it interesting, but nevertheless, it is still clearly aimed at a much younger age group than myself. Francine Oomen says that it is meant for 25-year-olds, but my feeling is that it is written more for late teenagers.
A remarkable feature of the book is that it is 99% dialogue. Although a lot happens, the action is described briefly and the vast majority of the book is where the characters are talking, texting and voice-mailing each other. The use of different formats worked well and provided some variety in amongst the constant dialogue.
For me, the big benefit of the book was that it was so different from what I normally read, neither a thriller nor literature and very much from the perspective of my daughter's generation (despite the author being even older than me). When I was that age, my suitcase also fell off the roof of my car and spread its contents all over the motorway. Apparently, some things never change.
The book tackles big issues in an accessible way, which should make it interesting, but nevertheless, it is still clearly aimed at a much younger age group than myself. Francine Oomen says that it is meant for 25-year-olds, but my feeling is that it is written more for late teenagers.
A remarkable feature of the book is that it is 99% dialogue. Although a lot happens, the action is described briefly and the vast majority of the book is where the characters are talking, texting and voice-mailing each other. The use of different formats worked well and provided some variety in amongst the constant dialogue.
For me, the big benefit of the book was that it was so different from what I normally read, neither a thriller nor literature and very much from the perspective of my daughter's generation (despite the author being even older than me). When I was that age, my suitcase also fell off the roof of my car and spread its contents all over the motorway. Apparently, some things never change.