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I've been meaning to write a few quick comments on a couple of things I've read so far this year so:
A Thread of Grace - Mary Doria Russell
Fascinating, sad and moving. A bit of history I had no knowledge of. Manages to be tragical and yet oddly uplifting at the same time. Mary Doria Russell's best book so far.
9Tail Fox - Jon Courtenay Grimwood.
A bit disappointed by this one. Underneath the posthumous fantasy trappings is a rather ordinary thriller. After Pashazade and its sequels and Stamping Butterflies this felt like a step backwards.
The Tears of the Salamander - Peter Dickinson.
Young adult fantasy that starts rather slowly but builds into a fascinating little tale. Especially good in that the hero reasons his way out of his situation, rather than relying on violence (although violence does ensue) or adult intercession.
Ring - Koji Suzuki.
An oddity this. The film Ringu is bleak and spooky (I found the film more scary when I thought about it after watching it rather than during) but this, the book it is based on, is a potboiler. It is an entertaining page-turner but it isn't particularly scary. Interesting that the film has a female lead character whereas the book has a rather ineffectual (and not terribly likeable) male lead. Interesting, but I can't see me rushing to buy the follow up.
A Thread of Grace - Mary Doria Russell
Fascinating, sad and moving. A bit of history I had no knowledge of. Manages to be tragical and yet oddly uplifting at the same time. Mary Doria Russell's best book so far.
9Tail Fox - Jon Courtenay Grimwood.
A bit disappointed by this one. Underneath the posthumous fantasy trappings is a rather ordinary thriller. After Pashazade and its sequels and Stamping Butterflies this felt like a step backwards.
The Tears of the Salamander - Peter Dickinson.
Young adult fantasy that starts rather slowly but builds into a fascinating little tale. Especially good in that the hero reasons his way out of his situation, rather than relying on violence (although violence does ensue) or adult intercession.
Ring - Koji Suzuki.
An oddity this. The film Ringu is bleak and spooky (I found the film more scary when I thought about it after watching it rather than during) but this, the book it is based on, is a potboiler. It is an entertaining page-turner but it isn't particularly scary. Interesting that the film has a female lead character whereas the book has a rather ineffectual (and not terribly likeable) male lead. Interesting, but I can't see me rushing to buy the follow up.
