melc's reviews
1233 reviews

Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman

adventurous dark informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell

emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book reminded me a bit of One Day. It's a blend of love story and family drama. O'Farrell always delivers solid, readable books in my opinion and this was no exception. A real page turner.

It had good characterisation and an interesting flow of fragmentary narrative that built moments of time to the conclusion.

I loved Alice, the protagonist and connected to her story and her character really well. I think there may have been a few too many perspectives at times and I'm not sure that all of them added much to the story. O'Farrell meanders at times which is fine as her writing is always a joy, but to be picky I think this could have been a bit tighter. The pacing was a little uneven because of this as well.

But this book was authentic and well-written with great characters.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

The Artist by Lucy Steeds

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This novel was full of beautiful imagery and evocative language. Some delicious personification!

 The book was about being invisible at the expense of other people's success and desire to draw attention. How sometimes when egos shine others fade. It was also about trauma leading to becoming a facsimile of yourself. 

And what it means to be truly alive!

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I love Strout and everything she writes - her characters are like friends. The writing and insights into life's ups and downs, trauma, heartbreak and love are beautiful and nuanced. Honestly, I think she is unique in her understanding of human relationships. This latest novel explored finding meaning in life in a world that gets tougher and accepting that we are what we mean to other people which goes beyond all we can achieve for personal gain. So full of empathy and generosity!

Nova Scotia House by Charlie Porter

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is a beautifully written, unflinching examination of love, loss and coming home.

This novel is written in a stream of consciousness style, which I don't normally get on with, but the poetic prose is vivid and powerful and I was immediately drawn in and swept away by it's raw beauty.

This is an incredibly moving story about grief and what it means to be loved. It's honest approach is refreshing and touching. The descriptions of place and architecture mirror the protagonist's interior life beautifully as he experiences the desolation of grief and loneliness towards healing and becoming seen again.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Under the Stars by Matt Gaw

informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

adventurous informative reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age by Eleanor Barraclough

informative mysterious medium-paced

3.0

This was well written and researched. I enjoyed the exploration of sources and how archaeology and DNA science have layered evidence over written testimony through the sagas and other historical accounts. I appreciated the explanation that a lot of our written sources come through a later Christian lens giving a bias we must bear in mind when examining Viking beliefs and ways of life. But this wasn't as compelling as I would have liked and didn't hold my interest that well. 

A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.

I couldn't get on with the stylistic choices of this novel at all as they all made the plot feel superficial to me and trite even though it was often dealing with very serious themes.

Firstly, the present tense made everything feel very immediate, but I don't think this meshed well with the type of storyline which at least for the first 70 pages I read lacked any tension and was more introspective. The confronting present tense felt incongruous and I would have preferred a more reflective style.

Second, I couldn't get on with Tibb's narrative voice. Why was she so naive? Her life experience said otherwise, with her vagrancy lifestyle with her murderous, do anything to survive mother surely had led her to witness all sorts of things. I get that she was quite young at the beginning of the novel when she experienced all of this, but surely she would have been more streetwise.

And then in contrast there was the wise Ivo, only a couple of years older but sagely helping Tibb understand and make sense of her experiences and what she encountered moving forwards.

This is a plot device that is used often, but in this case it just didn't stand up for me and was just annoying. Not to mention how quickly and easily the partnership between Tibb and Ivo began which again lacked depth and nuance and felt too convenient.

Finally, I don't get on with short chapters when serious emotional themes are being dealt with. It constantly takes me out of the moment and makes the pacing feel out of sorts with the subject matter.

Too be honest, this author has talent but has taken it down a gimmicky road in my opinion that just didn't culminate in a book that worked for me.