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crazygoangirl's reviews
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Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
3.0
This is the second book in the Phyllida Bright series by Colleen Cambridge. Binge read it after finishing the first book, Murder at Mallowan Hall. I listened to the audiobook alongside for a while but I don’t like the narrator Rachel Atkins, especially the voice she uses for Christie.
I like the premise and the numerous overt and subtle references to Christie’s plots (past & future) and characters. What I don’t like unfortunately is the main character, Phyllida Bright herself 🤷🏼♀️ I find her condescending and smug and it irritates me when she compares herself to Poirot, because, let’s be honest, she’s nowhere near his genius in observation nor in deduction. And yes, she still doesn’t love dogs, has no problems interfering with crime scenes and bullying the law. Yes Poirot could be smug too, but he was a professional with long years of experience in law enforcement. Phyllida is an amateur on her second case. She has NO reason to treat the law in the way that she does. Cambridge’s characterisation of the police also annoys me. They seem so inept and inefficient that it’s unbelievable!
I read this series for its supporting cast. They’re interesting and normal. In her attempt to make Phyllida stand out, Cambridge I fear gives her too much latitude- she doesn’t dress like a housekeeper would neither is her relationship with her employer as a regular housekeeper’s would be. I’m aware this is nitpicking and I’ve accepted it in other series like the Lady Hardcastle series by T. E. Kinsey, but it is what it is. I wish there was more Agatha. I just don’t like Phyllida and I don’t see that changing ever. Also, I see a love triangle being set up which is already annoying the hell out me!
In my opinion, this one was overly plotted, with Cambridge trying to cram too many twists and turns into one narrative. The Detection Club was fun, but I wanted more of Chesterton, Sayer and Berkeley. The concept of a village ‘Murder Writers Club’ and the Murder Fete afforded an intriguing context to the crimes but the motive was really rather thin in my opinion. Without giving away details, I can only say that Cambridge didn’t convince me and that I had guessed the murderer much before Phyllida had her Poirotesque denouement in the end.
Will be taking a break from this series for now. Don’t think I can stand another serving of smug Phyllida at the moment!
I like the premise and the numerous overt and subtle references to Christie’s plots (past & future) and characters. What I don’t like unfortunately is the main character, Phyllida Bright herself 🤷🏼♀️ I find her condescending and smug and it irritates me when she compares herself to Poirot, because, let’s be honest, she’s nowhere near his genius in observation nor in deduction. And yes, she still doesn’t love dogs, has no problems interfering with crime scenes and bullying the law. Yes Poirot could be smug too, but he was a professional with long years of experience in law enforcement. Phyllida is an amateur on her second case. She has NO reason to treat the law in the way that she does. Cambridge’s characterisation of the police also annoys me. They seem so inept and inefficient that it’s unbelievable!
I read this series for its supporting cast. They’re interesting and normal. In her attempt to make Phyllida stand out, Cambridge I fear gives her too much latitude- she doesn’t dress like a housekeeper would neither is her relationship with her employer as a regular housekeeper’s would be. I’m aware this is nitpicking and I’ve accepted it in other series like the Lady Hardcastle series by T. E. Kinsey, but it is what it is. I wish there was more Agatha. I just don’t like Phyllida and I don’t see that changing ever. Also, I see a love triangle being set up which is already annoying the hell out me!
In my opinion, this one was overly plotted, with Cambridge trying to cram too many twists and turns into one narrative. The Detection Club was fun, but I wanted more of Chesterton, Sayer and Berkeley. The concept of a village ‘Murder Writers Club’ and the Murder Fete afforded an intriguing context to the crimes but the motive was really rather thin in my opinion. Without giving away details, I can only say that Cambridge didn’t convince me and that I had guessed the murderer much before Phyllida had her Poirotesque denouement in the end.
Will be taking a break from this series for now. Don’t think I can stand another serving of smug Phyllida at the moment!
Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Came across a recommendation for this series on the YouTube channel, Jen’s Reading Life. Since it features Agatha Christie and her fictional housekeeper Phyllida Bright as the amateur sleuth, I couldn’t resist. I read this for free on Kindle Unlimited and listened to it on Storytel simultaneously. Disliked the narrator, especially the voice she used for Christie.
We follow Phyllida Bright, the fictional housekeeper of Christie’s fictional residence Mallowan House, who fancies her mistresses famous creation Hercule Poirot. She is the amateur sleuth and the main character in the book, with Christie herself downplayed. When Phyllida finds a dead man’s body in the library at Mallowan House, she endeavours to solve the mystery of his death and that leads her on a rather tortuous path until she reaches the final solution. I didn’t care for the motive much, but I recognise it’s a popular motive of the times (the series is set in the 30s’ I think). I did think the mystery was well plotted and paced though.
Phyllida was a mixed bag for me. Initially I liked her no-nonsense personality, efficiency and her camaraderie with her employer, but I didn’t appreciate her willingness to keep evidence from the police (even if she did eventually share it) and her smugness and condescension in the climax when she thought she was Hercule Poirot! Also, she doesn’t like dogs 😱 I did however enjoy the cast of supporting characters, the staff at Mallow House - the butler, the cook, various maids and the chauffeur. I would have liked more interaction between Agatha and Phyllida and I suppose Cambridge will elaborate on Phyllida’s vague mysterious past that she keeps hinting at and that frankly doesn’t interest me at all at the moment.
I will read the series for the supporting characters, especially Bradford and Myrtle and the random references to Christie books and characters. This is a quick, easy palate cleanser kind of read.
We follow Phyllida Bright, the fictional housekeeper of Christie’s fictional residence Mallowan House, who fancies her mistresses famous creation Hercule Poirot. She is the amateur sleuth and the main character in the book, with Christie herself downplayed. When Phyllida finds a dead man’s body in the library at Mallowan House, she endeavours to solve the mystery of his death and that leads her on a rather tortuous path until she reaches the final solution. I didn’t care for the motive much, but I recognise it’s a popular motive of the times (the series is set in the 30s’ I think). I did think the mystery was well plotted and paced though.
Phyllida was a mixed bag for me. Initially I liked her no-nonsense personality, efficiency and her camaraderie with her employer, but I didn’t appreciate her willingness to keep evidence from the police (even if she did eventually share it) and her smugness and condescension in the climax when she thought she was Hercule Poirot! Also, she doesn’t like dogs 😱 I did however enjoy the cast of supporting characters, the staff at Mallow House - the butler, the cook, various maids and the chauffeur. I would have liked more interaction between Agatha and Phyllida and I suppose Cambridge will elaborate on Phyllida’s vague mysterious past that she keeps hinting at and that frankly doesn’t interest me at all at the moment.
I will read the series for the supporting characters, especially Bradford and Myrtle and the random references to Christie books and characters. This is a quick, easy palate cleanser kind of read.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Wanted to begin March with a light read and this one fit the bill. The pretty cover and large print size made it a quick one too. The style is in the vein of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, where each character and their individual stories form an interconnected narrative.
We follow a few human characters who are each struggling to make their lives better. As is usual in Japanese literature, the humans are mostly beating up on themselves and borderline depressed because they seem unable to get what they want or have had it and lost it. So we have a once famous, now down and out script writer Mizuki, who is hoping to reboot her career; Akari, a media professional, emotionally repressed, stressed from always doing the right thing; Takashi, an IT professional, meandering through life with communication issues; Megumi, a successful hairdresser who has recently made a major career change.
Into the lives of each of these confused souls comes The Full Moon Coffee House, run by talking cats! Despite the obvious cover, I hadn’t realised that Astrology would play a major part in the story! I’m an enthusiast and enjoyed the horoscopes and planetary wisdom that the charming felines impart to their befuddled humans! I love the concoctions they come up with that offer succour and healing! Comfort food of the celestial kind - what’s not to like☺️
I found the felines delightful. I would love to sit under a sky full of stars with a cat reading my stars or explaining how to handle a retrograde Mercury or conduct myself in the Age of Aquarius, while I sipped a Moonlight and Venus Champagne Float 😃 Ultimately like every story told, this one too is about the human condition - about friendship and hard-work; about determination and courage; about love and ambition, all told in gentle, simple prose.
A feel good, relaxing read that I enjoyed all the more for its astrological context, which is very similar to the traditional Hindu astrological system that I’m familiar with. Also, the author mentioned how the idea for the book came to her after she came across a series of illustrations by Chihiro Sakurada depicting a mysterious Full Moon Coffee Shop run by a cat. I googled the artist and saw the illustrations for myself - they are beautifully whimsical!
*Read this for Prompt No.12 of my 52 Books Bookclub Reading Challenge 2025
We follow a few human characters who are each struggling to make their lives better. As is usual in Japanese literature, the humans are mostly beating up on themselves and borderline depressed because they seem unable to get what they want or have had it and lost it. So we have a once famous, now down and out script writer Mizuki, who is hoping to reboot her career; Akari, a media professional, emotionally repressed, stressed from always doing the right thing; Takashi, an IT professional, meandering through life with communication issues; Megumi, a successful hairdresser who has recently made a major career change.
Into the lives of each of these confused souls comes The Full Moon Coffee House, run by talking cats! Despite the obvious cover, I hadn’t realised that Astrology would play a major part in the story! I’m an enthusiast and enjoyed the horoscopes and planetary wisdom that the charming felines impart to their befuddled humans! I love the concoctions they come up with that offer succour and healing! Comfort food of the celestial kind - what’s not to like☺️
I found the felines delightful. I would love to sit under a sky full of stars with a cat reading my stars or explaining how to handle a retrograde Mercury or conduct myself in the Age of Aquarius, while I sipped a Moonlight and Venus Champagne Float 😃 Ultimately like every story told, this one too is about the human condition - about friendship and hard-work; about determination and courage; about love and ambition, all told in gentle, simple prose.
A feel good, relaxing read that I enjoyed all the more for its astrological context, which is very similar to the traditional Hindu astrological system that I’m familiar with. Also, the author mentioned how the idea for the book came to her after she came across a series of illustrations by Chihiro Sakurada depicting a mysterious Full Moon Coffee Shop run by a cat. I googled the artist and saw the illustrations for myself - they are beautifully whimsical!
*Read this for Prompt No.12 of my 52 Books Bookclub Reading Challenge 2025
Fia and the Last Snow Deer by Eilish Fisher
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I read this because I needed a light and easy read after finishing the very literary and challenging Orbital. It also fits Prompt 17 of my 52 Book Club Reading Challenge. Told in verse, it’s the story of young Fia and her snow deer Solas, who, along with her cousin Mish and Wolf, undertake a quest to find the Deer Mother and save her tribe from the long and harsh winter that has lasted more than 3 years.
On the way, both children and animals must face their fears, make hard choices and sacrifices in order to reach their goal and fulfil their mission. The Shadows they meet, deep in the woods were reminiscent of the Army of the Dead from the Lord of the Rings - desperate and evil. Fisher tackles themes of love, friendship, loyalty and sacrifice in this simply told but deeply touching story. The bonds between the four characters are deep and ultimately enduring. Fia’s character arc is deeply satisfying as she matures from an immature, jealous girl into a compassionate one, ready to do her bit to save her village. Fishe’s writing is very atmospheric and I felt like I was on the journey with these four intrepid travelers. Loved Gerd and her wisdom too ♥️
I listened to the audio while following along physically which is how I’m enjoying reading these days. My experience with narrators hadn’t always been the best but this narrator, Honi Cooke, did a great job! I think she’s Irish from her accent, which was perfect since the book is set in Ireland. The physical book, an illustrated hardcover (illustrated by Dermot Flynn), has stunning artwork in a grey, black and yellow palette 😍
I’m so glad I’m reading children’s literature more often. There’s a particularly soothing and comforting aura around them that warms the heart ♥️ I was unaware that this book had won the Children’s Book of the Year Award in 2024 at the Irish Book Awards. Very well deserved! Highly recommended to children and adults with a love of fantasy and children’s lit. A great book for parents and children to read together ☺️
On the way, both children and animals must face their fears, make hard choices and sacrifices in order to reach their goal and fulfil their mission. The Shadows they meet, deep in the woods were reminiscent of the Army of the Dead from the Lord of the Rings - desperate and evil. Fisher tackles themes of love, friendship, loyalty and sacrifice in this simply told but deeply touching story. The bonds between the four characters are deep and ultimately enduring. Fia’s character arc is deeply satisfying as she matures from an immature, jealous girl into a compassionate one, ready to do her bit to save her village. Fishe’s writing is very atmospheric and I felt like I was on the journey with these four intrepid travelers. Loved Gerd and her wisdom too ♥️
I listened to the audio while following along physically which is how I’m enjoying reading these days. My experience with narrators hadn’t always been the best but this narrator, Honi Cooke, did a great job! I think she’s Irish from her accent, which was perfect since the book is set in Ireland. The physical book, an illustrated hardcover (illustrated by Dermot Flynn), has stunning artwork in a grey, black and yellow palette 😍
I’m so glad I’m reading children’s literature more often. There’s a particularly soothing and comforting aura around them that warms the heart ♥️ I was unaware that this book had won the Children’s Book of the Year Award in 2024 at the Irish Book Awards. Very well deserved! Highly recommended to children and adults with a love of fantasy and children’s lit. A great book for parents and children to read together ☺️
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This was a hilariously rollicking adventure story that I found through Booktube (can’t remember from whom). Hadn’t heard of it before but I’m glad I found it. It had my kind of humour and was a great pick me up read after The Memory Police!
We’re following the adventures of Buttercup and Westley, from the farm where they’ve both grown up and first met through their very often absurdly over-the-top journeys involving kidnappings, attempted murders and death itself. Honestly, the characters maybe cliched & stereotypical, their actions largely predictable, but Goldman’s self-deprecating humour hits my sweet spot every time. There’s rarely a boring moment and I’ve laughed out loud many, many times 😄
Goldman’s imagination is on steroids! He’s invented stuff that I couldn’t imagine nor have I read of before. The Zoo of Death, the Fire Swamp, the Cliffs of Insanity and the R. O. U. S (rodents of unusual size), are all unique and scary. The Machine, whose description is still an enigma to me, is a terrible invention of Count Rugen that painfully sucks the very life out of human beings 😱 My favourites however are Inigo and Fezzik ☺️ Their friendship, loyalty and humour have my ♥️
Vizzini, Count Rugen and Prince Humperdinck make for a fabulous evil trio and although their single-minded dedication to wickedness is horrible, they’re great villains. Goldman thankfully doesn’t reduce them to caricatures (well, maybe sometimes!), but makes them intelligent and in their own way courageous characters. They lend lots of colour and excitement to the narrative.
Goldman presents the book as an abridged version of a book called The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern, first read to him by his father when he was ill with pneumonia. I must confess I googled Morgenstern to see if he was real which tells you what a great job he’s done with the narrative. His writing is pithy, witty and racy! After a while, the asides (presented in brackets and italics), did become repetitive and the novelty of breaking the fourth wall faded, but by then, I was hooked on to the story.
All in all, a fun, engaging read with a hint of magic, a touch of absurdity, loads of action and dollops of humour 😄 A great read at all times for fans of adventure tales but especially after more serious, literary reads. The fantastic cover helps! Recommended ☺️
We’re following the adventures of Buttercup and Westley, from the farm where they’ve both grown up and first met through their very often absurdly over-the-top journeys involving kidnappings, attempted murders and death itself. Honestly, the characters maybe cliched & stereotypical, their actions largely predictable, but Goldman’s self-deprecating humour hits my sweet spot every time. There’s rarely a boring moment and I’ve laughed out loud many, many times 😄
Goldman’s imagination is on steroids! He’s invented stuff that I couldn’t imagine nor have I read of before. The Zoo of Death, the Fire Swamp, the Cliffs of Insanity and the R. O. U. S (rodents of unusual size), are all unique and scary. The Machine, whose description is still an enigma to me, is a terrible invention of Count Rugen that painfully sucks the very life out of human beings 😱 My favourites however are Inigo and Fezzik ☺️ Their friendship, loyalty and humour have my ♥️
Vizzini, Count Rugen and Prince Humperdinck make for a fabulous evil trio and although their single-minded dedication to wickedness is horrible, they’re great villains. Goldman thankfully doesn’t reduce them to caricatures (well, maybe sometimes!), but makes them intelligent and in their own way courageous characters. They lend lots of colour and excitement to the narrative.
Goldman presents the book as an abridged version of a book called The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern, first read to him by his father when he was ill with pneumonia. I must confess I googled Morgenstern to see if he was real which tells you what a great job he’s done with the narrative. His writing is pithy, witty and racy! After a while, the asides (presented in brackets and italics), did become repetitive and the novelty of breaking the fourth wall faded, but by then, I was hooked on to the story.
All in all, a fun, engaging read with a hint of magic, a touch of absurdity, loads of action and dollops of humour 😄 A great read at all times for fans of adventure tales but especially after more serious, literary reads. The fantastic cover helps! Recommended ☺️
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
I didn’t know what I expected - actually I do know - something in the strain of Ogawa’s previous book that I’d read, The Housekeeper and The Professor- dealing with time and memory (I think they’re her favourite themes), but with the lighter touch she used in it.
This one is haunting, relentless, brutal, depressing, tragic, surreal, metaphorical, mesmerising, atmospheric and savagely scary. It’s like a tsunami of emotion and concepts and thoughts has immersed me in a narrative that is at once lucid and baffling. It’s hard for me to separate real from unreal, if indeed unreal is the correct term or are disappearing body parts merely metaphorical? The fact that the main protagonist is anonymous is unsettling. Nobody has names, perhaps they too gave disappeared, except for R, who to be fair has just a letter, and remains mysterious and yet perhaps the most ‘normal’ after the old man, who was my favourite character probably because he was most easily understandable and identifiable.
Vibes of Anne Franke and the Holocaust are evident throughout the dystopian context. There are powerful undercurrents of oppression - physical and mental, grief, fear, uncertainty, helplessness, acceptance and a complete lack of self-esteem and identity. When human beings are stripped of their rights and eventually their identities by consistently and relentlessly attacking their memories, how do they cope? Why do some humans find the will to fight and survive, while others accept defeat and disappear? When does oppression finally turn submission into rebellion? Is the sacrifice of some justifiable for the survival of others?
This was an extremely challenging book to read, especially since I try and avoid dystopian novels. It depressed and enraged me. I wanted to shake the protagonist and in turn, the protagonist from her novel, until they awoke from the apathy that had overwhelmed them. That was the old man’s job, when he was around - to keep her together, reassure her, uplift her mood and protect her from not only the Memory Police but also herself. He was good at his job.
It’s amazing how if disappearances are indeed a metaphor for death, Ogawa has managed to write an entire novel on the subject without once using the word itself! The novel that the protagonist writes in the book is like a microcosm of the world she herself is living in, until Ogawa manages a surreally terrifying crossover that I’m not still sure I’ve understood or that I was even meant to. It’s a complexly poignant narrative that is both in-your face and subtly nuanced - a rouble edged sword that cuts both ways. This review could easily turn into a thesis on the subjects of memory, life and death - I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head right now. A book that has given me a huge hangover 😵
Every reader will take away their own unique lessons and feelings as indeed happens with every book, bug doubly so with this one in my opinion. It’s just that kind of book. I was unaware before I started reading that it was short listed for the International Booker Prize 2020. I haven’t had the best of reading experiences with the Bookers. This book has affected me deeply. I love Japanese literature and although this was a difficult and disturbing read, it was worth it.
This one is haunting, relentless, brutal, depressing, tragic, surreal, metaphorical, mesmerising, atmospheric and savagely scary. It’s like a tsunami of emotion and concepts and thoughts has immersed me in a narrative that is at once lucid and baffling. It’s hard for me to separate real from unreal, if indeed unreal is the correct term or are disappearing body parts merely metaphorical? The fact that the main protagonist is anonymous is unsettling. Nobody has names, perhaps they too gave disappeared, except for R, who to be fair has just a letter, and remains mysterious and yet perhaps the most ‘normal’ after the old man, who was my favourite character probably because he was most easily understandable and identifiable.
Vibes of Anne Franke and the Holocaust are evident throughout the dystopian context. There are powerful undercurrents of oppression - physical and mental, grief, fear, uncertainty, helplessness, acceptance and a complete lack of self-esteem and identity. When human beings are stripped of their rights and eventually their identities by consistently and relentlessly attacking their memories, how do they cope? Why do some humans find the will to fight and survive, while others accept defeat and disappear? When does oppression finally turn submission into rebellion? Is the sacrifice of some justifiable for the survival of others?
This was an extremely challenging book to read, especially since I try and avoid dystopian novels. It depressed and enraged me. I wanted to shake the protagonist and in turn, the protagonist from her novel, until they awoke from the apathy that had overwhelmed them. That was the old man’s job, when he was around - to keep her together, reassure her, uplift her mood and protect her from not only the Memory Police but also herself. He was good at his job.
It’s amazing how if disappearances are indeed a metaphor for death, Ogawa has managed to write an entire novel on the subject without once using the word itself! The novel that the protagonist writes in the book is like a microcosm of the world she herself is living in, until Ogawa manages a surreally terrifying crossover that I’m not still sure I’ve understood or that I was even meant to. It’s a complexly poignant narrative that is both in-your face and subtly nuanced - a rouble edged sword that cuts both ways. This review could easily turn into a thesis on the subjects of memory, life and death - I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head right now. A book that has given me a huge hangover 😵
Every reader will take away their own unique lessons and feelings as indeed happens with every book, bug doubly so with this one in my opinion. It’s just that kind of book. I was unaware before I started reading that it was short listed for the International Booker Prize 2020. I haven’t had the best of reading experiences with the Bookers. This book has affected me deeply. I love Japanese literature and although this was a difficult and disturbing read, it was worth it.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
My previous experience with Michaelides books has been average. My favourite is still his debut - The Silent Patient. His second novel The Maidens was again average as is this one. In my opinion, his books tend to become formulaic and predictable even with the hallmark twists at the end. His reliance on unreliable narrators and unlikable characters doesn’t help.
The Fury is narrated by Elliot Chase, an unreliable and stereotypical character. He’s an abused kid who grows up into an insecure, damaged adult. There’s a horrific scene of him bring bullied in school that I confess I skimmed over. Elliot breaks the fourth wall ever so often, talking directly to us readers, but the contrived tone & cliched thoughts annoyed me. The book has all the usual suspects - unreliable and unlikeable narrator - Elliot Chase; famous theatre and movie star of yesteryears Lana Farrar; her son Leo - an aspiring actor; her second husband Jason and her best friend, theatre actress Kate - a flamboyant alcoholic with a chip on her shoulder. In addition there are Agathi - Lana’s housekeeper and general Girl Friday and Nikos - the reclusive caretaker who looks after Lana’s home on her private Greek island - Aura which on occasion suffers wild winds called The Fury. The island setting and closed circle mystery are reminiscent of Christie’s And Then There Were None, but lacking the sinister undercurrents. In fact, after the murder occurs, there’s an entire tableau in which Michaelides channels Christie’s Poirot in the person of Inspector Mavropoulou!
Michaelides spends a third of the book getting us to the island. He goes back and forth in time which is sometimes a little hard to follow. As always with a cast of shady, obnoxious, unreliable characters, adults act like juveniles and Lana’s seventeen year old son Leo is the most sorted of the lot! The twists when they came felt disappointingly predictable. I had foreseen them all and so there wasn’t that element of surprise. Still, the pace picked up toward the end and that was good. Also disappointing was the lack of atmosphere. There wasn’t the expected build up of sinister vibes given off by an isolated island setting in a storm. It was almost like Michaelides’ words fell short of doing full justice to the wild and ancient beauty of Greece. Don’t get me wrong, he does describe its beauty effectively but I didn't feel it was as atmospheric as it could have been.
The Fury is narrated by Elliot Chase, an unreliable and stereotypical character. He’s an abused kid who grows up into an insecure, damaged adult. There’s a horrific scene of him bring bullied in school that I confess I skimmed over. Elliot breaks the fourth wall ever so often, talking directly to us readers, but the contrived tone & cliched thoughts annoyed me. The book has all the usual suspects - unreliable and unlikeable narrator - Elliot Chase; famous theatre and movie star of yesteryears Lana Farrar; her son Leo - an aspiring actor; her second husband Jason and her best friend, theatre actress Kate - a flamboyant alcoholic with a chip on her shoulder. In addition there are Agathi - Lana’s housekeeper and general Girl Friday and Nikos - the reclusive caretaker who looks after Lana’s home on her private Greek island - Aura which on occasion suffers wild winds called The Fury. The island setting and closed circle mystery are reminiscent of Christie’s And Then There Were None, but lacking the sinister undercurrents. In fact, after the murder occurs, there’s an entire tableau in which Michaelides channels Christie’s Poirot in the person of Inspector Mavropoulou!
Michaelides spends a third of the book getting us to the island. He goes back and forth in time which is sometimes a little hard to follow. As always with a cast of shady, obnoxious, unreliable characters, adults act like juveniles and Lana’s seventeen year old son Leo is the most sorted of the lot! The twists when they came felt disappointingly predictable. I had foreseen them all and so there wasn’t that element of surprise. Still, the pace picked up toward the end and that was good. Also disappointing was the lack of atmosphere. There wasn’t the expected build up of sinister vibes given off by an isolated island setting in a storm. It was almost like Michaelides’ words fell short of doing full justice to the wild and ancient beauty of Greece. Don’t get me wrong, he does describe its beauty effectively but I didn't feel it was as atmospheric as it could have been.
The book improved a little toward the end. I think I would have liked it better if Michaelides hadn’t insisted on Elliot’s breaking the fourth wall to explain and justify himself. It got on my nerves because I knew he was lying. I thought there was too much plot and too little atmosphere. The narrative felt forced like Michaelides was trying too hard. I did enjoy the homage to Christie though!
On the whole, an average read that I wouldn’t have missed if I hadn’t read it. I’m going to take a break from Michaelides for a while. I need the time apart!
On the whole, an average read that I wouldn’t have missed if I hadn’t read it. I’m going to take a break from Michaelides for a while. I need the time apart!
James by Percival Everett
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Read this immediately after reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Together they fulfil two prompts on my The 52 books Bookclub, of books set in the same universe with different perspectives. As I often do these days, I’m listening to the audiobook while following along digitally on my Kindle. I feel it helps me better retain what I read. The narrator, Dominic Hoffman was excellent and listening to the accents made the tale feel that much more authentic.
Once again, what struck me most was the importance Everett gave to ‘language’ - not just his own as author, but within the narrative, the language slaves use amongst themselves and when talking with white people. The latter he labels ‘Slave’ and it is designed to diminish and demean them in the eyes of their masters to safeguard themselves in what little ways they can against the constant abuse they live with. Apparently nothing scares the white man like a slave who can talk proper English as they do; proved later in the story by a conversation between James and Judge Thatcher. There’s a telling scene at the beginning of the book, in which James is teaching his daughter and her friends the ‘importance of language’ by having them translate sentences from ‘normal’ English to ‘Slave’. Everett uses the dialect Twain used, but the tone though superficially light has dark undercurrents.
The pacing was spot on as well, with the steady buildup of tension as the story progressed. It was fascinating to see how Everett wove his own tale using Twain’s narrative as a building block. So though the basic story remained the same, what was adventure in Huck Finn became a dark and disturbing tale of escape and survival. The encounters that felt light-hearted in Huck became terrifyingly real. The casual way in which abuse was portrayed was chilling. There is a haunting quality to Mr. Everett’s prose that sent chills down my spine even when the language on the page was not overtly violent. I was terrified to read on for fear of what may happen but compelled to read because I had to know. Rape, beatings, shootings, lynchings - all were mentioned with the terrible nonchalance with which they must have occurred at the time. No overtly dramatic prose - just cold, hard, heartbreaking words. Brilliant writing!
There is a singular matter-of-factness to Jim and his friend’s encounters with white adult males that is absolutely terrifying. The episodes with Daniel Emmett and the Duke and the King were particularly difficult. They laid bare the evil bones of slavery and what seemed relatively harmless from a child’s point of view in Huck Finn took on sinister and dangerous tones when seen from Jim’s. He is compelled to constantly conceal his intelligence, his rage, his desperation, his loneliness, his fear, his guilt and often his very humanity. He must by needs also keep a constant check on his tongue, his speech, his very thoughts - all of which is terrifying and humiliating but crucial for survival. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit that even in these harshest of circumstances there is a semblance of hope. There is a form of friendship even if it often feels transactional. Sammy, Young George, Norman - friends, of a kind, all of whom suffered much but helped when they could. Trust is rare and precious and Jim and his ilk have precious little of it and yet they persevere. With Huck, Jim shares a deeper bond, a smidgeon of ‘affection’ even, if one may call it that although there is an inherent and inevitable unpredictability too. They share what trust a young boy and a slave may share - fragile yet on occasion comforting - to us as readers and to them. Huck’s character isn’t very different from Twain’s original, except perhaps for less mischief. He is brave and loyal but inconsequential because he’s a child and doesn’t have many rights either although he isn’t classified as ‘property’.
There’s an interesting twist toward the end that changes everything for the reader but not much for the characters. The interactions between Huck and Jim in the aftermath of the revelation are singularly authentic. There is guilt and anger and distrust. How could there not be? Meanwhile, America is on the brink of civil war as Jim fights his own internal demons. Is murder an acceptable form of justice? Is it evil to end evil? In the journey from Jim to James, these are some of the questions he grapples with, but the times and the answers are at best ambiguous. Yet there is no ambiguity in the love he feels for his wife and daughter and his desperate attempts to find them. It is impossible for us humans untouched by the horrors of slavery to truly understand the darkness that enveloped James’ life and the lives of the thousands of slaves like him. The abuse and indignity that humans inflict upon one another are inconceivable. Our ability to choose evil is incomprehensible. And yet, somehow, here we are, still surviving. Perhaps there is a reason. Perhaps in time, it will be revealed.
This is a brilliant book. It is deep, dark and disturbing but brilliant. Reading it after reading Huck Finn considerably enhanced my reading experience. Dominic Hoffman further improved it with his brilliant narration. It moved and angered me and forced me to think. I loved the way Everett illustrated the power of words - how they can unite, divide and redeem. It has left me with a massive book hangover of the best sort. James as a character has left an indelible mark on my soul. What more could one want from a book? This one has become a new favourite. Highly Recommended ♥️
Just a few of my favourite quotes:
Once again, what struck me most was the importance Everett gave to ‘language’ - not just his own as author, but within the narrative, the language slaves use amongst themselves and when talking with white people. The latter he labels ‘Slave’ and it is designed to diminish and demean them in the eyes of their masters to safeguard themselves in what little ways they can against the constant abuse they live with. Apparently nothing scares the white man like a slave who can talk proper English as they do; proved later in the story by a conversation between James and Judge Thatcher. There’s a telling scene at the beginning of the book, in which James is teaching his daughter and her friends the ‘importance of language’ by having them translate sentences from ‘normal’ English to ‘Slave’. Everett uses the dialect Twain used, but the tone though superficially light has dark undercurrents.
The pacing was spot on as well, with the steady buildup of tension as the story progressed. It was fascinating to see how Everett wove his own tale using Twain’s narrative as a building block. So though the basic story remained the same, what was adventure in Huck Finn became a dark and disturbing tale of escape and survival. The encounters that felt light-hearted in Huck became terrifyingly real. The casual way in which abuse was portrayed was chilling. There is a haunting quality to Mr. Everett’s prose that sent chills down my spine even when the language on the page was not overtly violent. I was terrified to read on for fear of what may happen but compelled to read because I had to know. Rape, beatings, shootings, lynchings - all were mentioned with the terrible nonchalance with which they must have occurred at the time. No overtly dramatic prose - just cold, hard, heartbreaking words. Brilliant writing!
There is a singular matter-of-factness to Jim and his friend’s encounters with white adult males that is absolutely terrifying. The episodes with Daniel Emmett and the Duke and the King were particularly difficult. They laid bare the evil bones of slavery and what seemed relatively harmless from a child’s point of view in Huck Finn took on sinister and dangerous tones when seen from Jim’s. He is compelled to constantly conceal his intelligence, his rage, his desperation, his loneliness, his fear, his guilt and often his very humanity. He must by needs also keep a constant check on his tongue, his speech, his very thoughts - all of which is terrifying and humiliating but crucial for survival. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit that even in these harshest of circumstances there is a semblance of hope. There is a form of friendship even if it often feels transactional. Sammy, Young George, Norman - friends, of a kind, all of whom suffered much but helped when they could. Trust is rare and precious and Jim and his ilk have precious little of it and yet they persevere. With Huck, Jim shares a deeper bond, a smidgeon of ‘affection’ even, if one may call it that although there is an inherent and inevitable unpredictability too. They share what trust a young boy and a slave may share - fragile yet on occasion comforting - to us as readers and to them. Huck’s character isn’t very different from Twain’s original, except perhaps for less mischief. He is brave and loyal but inconsequential because he’s a child and doesn’t have many rights either although he isn’t classified as ‘property’.
There’s an interesting twist toward the end that changes everything for the reader but not much for the characters. The interactions between Huck and Jim in the aftermath of the revelation are singularly authentic. There is guilt and anger and distrust. How could there not be? Meanwhile, America is on the brink of civil war as Jim fights his own internal demons. Is murder an acceptable form of justice? Is it evil to end evil? In the journey from Jim to James, these are some of the questions he grapples with, but the times and the answers are at best ambiguous. Yet there is no ambiguity in the love he feels for his wife and daughter and his desperate attempts to find them. It is impossible for us humans untouched by the horrors of slavery to truly understand the darkness that enveloped James’ life and the lives of the thousands of slaves like him. The abuse and indignity that humans inflict upon one another are inconceivable. Our ability to choose evil is incomprehensible. And yet, somehow, here we are, still surviving. Perhaps there is a reason. Perhaps in time, it will be revealed.
This is a brilliant book. It is deep, dark and disturbing but brilliant. Reading it after reading Huck Finn considerably enhanced my reading experience. Dominic Hoffman further improved it with his brilliant narration. It moved and angered me and forced me to think. I loved the way Everett illustrated the power of words - how they can unite, divide and redeem. It has left me with a massive book hangover of the best sort. James as a character has left an indelible mark on my soul. What more could one want from a book? This one has become a new favourite. Highly Recommended ♥️
Just a few of my favourite quotes:
Which would frighten you more? A slave who is crazy or a slave who is sane and sees you clearly?
I considered the northern white stance against slavery. How much of the desire to end the institution was fueled by a need to quell and subdue white guilt and pain? Was it just too much to watch? Did it offend Christian sensibilities to live in a society that allowed that practice? I knew that whatever the cause of their war, freeing slaves was an incidental premise and would be an incidental result.
I saw the surface of her, merely the outer shell, and realized that she was mere surface all the way to her core.
Folks be funny lak dat. Dey takes the lies dey want and throws away the truths dat scares ’em.
With my pencil, I wrote myself into being. I wrote myself to here.