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mgmason_author's Reviews (553)
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ah, ghost stories. I can't get enough of them, especially when they're modern gothic.
I especially love them when they're slow burn, beautifully written, with engaging characters and a plot that keeps you guessing, with deep mysteries that slowly unravel or get unpicked as the story goes on. And despite that I saw the ending coming, this definitely falls into that category.
Great stuff! Looking forward to seeing more from this author.
I especially love them when they're slow burn, beautifully written, with engaging characters and a plot that keeps you guessing, with deep mysteries that slowly unravel or get unpicked as the story goes on. And despite that I saw the ending coming, this definitely falls into that category.
Great stuff! Looking forward to seeing more from this author.
After several books travelling the empire, Falco has returned to eternal city. Book seven in the series sees his friend Petronius Longus catch one of Rome’s most notorious criminals. Convicted criminals who are Roman citizens and facing the death sentence are permitted “time to depart” a period of grace in which they might choose to leave the empire in exile, considered a fate worse than death.
After packing Balbinus off onto a ship at Ostia, Petronius Longus and Falco get the impression quickly that Balbinus will not stay gone for long. Following the discovery of the corpse of one of the arresting officers and later, a number of others associated with the case including several witnesses. What is more, Helena Justina is pregnant again and the matter is pressing that they get married… but Falco has yet to attain his promotion to Equestrian class.
More of the same from Davis and the formula is really working well by now. All of the previous elements are there: flow, good plotting, humour, characterisation. I guess I don’t need to elaborate further for those who are already fans and those who haven’t read them shouldn’t really be starting with the seventh book. It is certainly nice to see Falco return to his native Rome after a seemingly endless number of trips to foreign lands
See more book reviews at my blog
After packing Balbinus off onto a ship at Ostia, Petronius Longus and Falco get the impression quickly that Balbinus will not stay gone for long. Following the discovery of the corpse of one of the arresting officers and later, a number of others associated with the case including several witnesses. What is more, Helena Justina is pregnant again and the matter is pressing that they get married… but Falco has yet to attain his promotion to Equestrian class.
More of the same from Davis and the formula is really working well by now. All of the previous elements are there: flow, good plotting, humour, characterisation. I guess I don’t need to elaborate further for those who are already fans and those who haven’t read them shouldn’t really be starting with the seventh book. It is certainly nice to see Falco return to his native Rome after a seemingly endless number of trips to foreign lands
See more book reviews at my blog
Kim Stanley Robinson is one of those rare breeds in SciFi today, he writes what is traditionally called “hard” science fiction but he differs from the likes of Alastair Reynolds, Greg Bear and Peter F. Hamilton in that there is a great deal of focus on the fundamental changes in society that new technological advances bring. In this way, he is very much like Ray Bradbury.
This is a departure from Robinson’s hard scifi though as he branches out to explore the realms of alternative history; but the quality of the narrative does not suffer for the change in genre. This is book that explores and perhaps, gives us a clear indication of Robinson’s personal philosophies. I wasn’t surprised to discover later that Robinson is a Buddhist. Hinted at increasingly through his “Mars” series, this is the clearest indication yet.
Europe has been ravaged by the Black Death far more than it was in reality, so when travellers from the east reach western Europe they see devastation from which the European powers would never recover and the few remaining survivors are reduced to barbarism.
With Christianity and its influence on Europe (and eventually the New World) seemingly dead, we witness the rise of Islam, Buddhism and other eastern religions across the world unrestricted. We follow what at first I thought were the same families through history but are actually the same people reincarnated over and over again (hence his Buddhist beliefs). Far from feeling bludgeoned by his beliefs, Robinson is trying to write the novel as though the world he has created actually happened. Free from Christian traditions and mythologies, this is a world where the major faiths are Islam and Buddhism fighting literally or figuratively for dominance in the world.
The nations that develop go through pretty much the same events from our history: the discovery of the Americas, the enlightenment, reformation in Islamic Spain, world wars, female emancipation, atomic technology, a cold war and the global economy.
This is a heavy going novel considering the subject matter covering over 600 years of alternative history in ten books (chapters set in different time periods). Not for the feint of heart, but a rewarding and enlightening experience nonetheless. Robinson tried the alternate history experiment a second time in Vinland: The Dream
See more of my book reviews at my blog
This is a departure from Robinson’s hard scifi though as he branches out to explore the realms of alternative history; but the quality of the narrative does not suffer for the change in genre. This is book that explores and perhaps, gives us a clear indication of Robinson’s personal philosophies. I wasn’t surprised to discover later that Robinson is a Buddhist. Hinted at increasingly through his “Mars” series, this is the clearest indication yet.
Europe has been ravaged by the Black Death far more than it was in reality, so when travellers from the east reach western Europe they see devastation from which the European powers would never recover and the few remaining survivors are reduced to barbarism.
With Christianity and its influence on Europe (and eventually the New World) seemingly dead, we witness the rise of Islam, Buddhism and other eastern religions across the world unrestricted. We follow what at first I thought were the same families through history but are actually the same people reincarnated over and over again (hence his Buddhist beliefs). Far from feeling bludgeoned by his beliefs, Robinson is trying to write the novel as though the world he has created actually happened. Free from Christian traditions and mythologies, this is a world where the major faiths are Islam and Buddhism fighting literally or figuratively for dominance in the world.
The nations that develop go through pretty much the same events from our history: the discovery of the Americas, the enlightenment, reformation in Islamic Spain, world wars, female emancipation, atomic technology, a cold war and the global economy.
This is a heavy going novel considering the subject matter covering over 600 years of alternative history in ten books (chapters set in different time periods). Not for the feint of heart, but a rewarding and enlightening experience nonetheless. Robinson tried the alternate history experiment a second time in Vinland: The Dream
See more of my book reviews at my blog
Philip Pullman’s trilogy Northern Lights (The Golden Compass in the USA), The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass and collectively known as His Dark Materials is a trilogy of novels set in an alternate world to our own, where human souls are on the outside of the body and take the form of animals (daemons), where Dust (Dark Matter) is a substance that can be seen and experienced, a world so similar to our own yet so different… a world ruled by a tyrannical church.
The main character is Lyra Belacqua, a 12 year old girl who isn’t like normal 12 year old children in fiction. She is a liar, she is angry, violent, confrontational and rude. Despite all of these things, Lyra has a destiny to fulfill in some grand plan that she isn’t aware of for most of the first book. She lives at Jordan College in an alternate Oxford that is both familiar and alien to us.
Eary on, there is talk of children going missing, being taken by a mysterious group called “The Gobblers”. When one of her friends is taken, Lyra decides to head north where it is rumoured the abducted children are taken. On the way she meets talking bears, Gyptians and Witches. Against this backdrop, Lord Asriel is assembling an army from across the worlds, across realities for the greatest battle of the cosmos.
The controversy lies in the nature of the trilogy, Lord Asriel of Jordan College wants to overthrow the tyrannical church, kill a figure known as “The Authority” and establish a Republic of Heaven that is free and just and Asriel will go to any length to win the war. Of course, the notion of killing God has upset a lot of people and it is a book that many religious groups have protested against. However, these people do the novels a disservice by not paying attention to the content of the books and the revelations at the end demonstrate once and for all Pullman’s real intent… but I’m not going to reveal it here. Pullman also has his supporters in religious circles, most notably Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams who points to the dangers of dogma and people using religion for the power and personal gain.
This is a superb trilogy that captures the imagination and deals with some harsh realities of our own world by portraying people from another. It is a story about destiny, how we make our own and how we should be allowed to make our own. It is also a novel about standing up to tyranny and opposing the power hungry wherever and whomever they are.
Of course there is a hint of an anti-religious message here but it is in no way as large as has been portrayed by the right wing reactionary media. A former nun confesses that she realised she lost her faith, a witch with a grudge against the church will stop at nothing to bring down the church and an attempt to overthrow the angels provides enough material to feed the perpetually outraged for ten lifetimes. The real criticisms of religion are more subtle than that to me. In several instances, choices are given that religion would in the real world have taken away from us. This is true free will and it challenges the dogma we have been indoctrinated with. The first novel was interesting but it didn’t captivate me in the way that I hoped. However by about 1/3 way through the second I was hooked.
See more book reviews at my blog
The main character is Lyra Belacqua, a 12 year old girl who isn’t like normal 12 year old children in fiction. She is a liar, she is angry, violent, confrontational and rude. Despite all of these things, Lyra has a destiny to fulfill in some grand plan that she isn’t aware of for most of the first book. She lives at Jordan College in an alternate Oxford that is both familiar and alien to us.
Eary on, there is talk of children going missing, being taken by a mysterious group called “The Gobblers”. When one of her friends is taken, Lyra decides to head north where it is rumoured the abducted children are taken. On the way she meets talking bears, Gyptians and Witches. Against this backdrop, Lord Asriel is assembling an army from across the worlds, across realities for the greatest battle of the cosmos.
The controversy lies in the nature of the trilogy, Lord Asriel of Jordan College wants to overthrow the tyrannical church, kill a figure known as “The Authority” and establish a Republic of Heaven that is free and just and Asriel will go to any length to win the war. Of course, the notion of killing God has upset a lot of people and it is a book that many religious groups have protested against. However, these people do the novels a disservice by not paying attention to the content of the books and the revelations at the end demonstrate once and for all Pullman’s real intent… but I’m not going to reveal it here. Pullman also has his supporters in religious circles, most notably Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams who points to the dangers of dogma and people using religion for the power and personal gain.
This is a superb trilogy that captures the imagination and deals with some harsh realities of our own world by portraying people from another. It is a story about destiny, how we make our own and how we should be allowed to make our own. It is also a novel about standing up to tyranny and opposing the power hungry wherever and whomever they are.
Of course there is a hint of an anti-religious message here but it is in no way as large as has been portrayed by the right wing reactionary media. A former nun confesses that she realised she lost her faith, a witch with a grudge against the church will stop at nothing to bring down the church and an attempt to overthrow the angels provides enough material to feed the perpetually outraged for ten lifetimes. The real criticisms of religion are more subtle than that to me. In several instances, choices are given that religion would in the real world have taken away from us. This is true free will and it challenges the dogma we have been indoctrinated with. The first novel was interesting but it didn’t captivate me in the way that I hoped. However by about 1/3 way through the second I was hooked.
See more book reviews at my blog
This is one of my favourite books of all time having read it on a bus trip across Canada. Not only did it detract from the hundreds of miles of corn fields, it also helped me get hooked on Neil Gaiman’s fiction.
The central premise is that Shadow, having been released from prison, is on a plane trip home when he finds himself seated next to a mysterious man. This man introduces himself as Mr. Wednesday. He ends up offering Shadow a job as a bodyguard. Together they travel the USA meeting all kinds of strange people in an attempt to bring them together for a purpose that Shadow is not particularly clear about.
It is gradually revealed that these are the gods of the old world (can you figure out who Mr. Wednesday is?), from mythology and they are locked in a battle with new gods (people who go by the name of “internet”, “roads”, “skyscraper” etc). This is metaphor heavy but not pretentious and what results is an amazing commentary on modern life’s eternal struggle of progress vs tradition.
It isn’t preachy, nor is he trying to sway us in any particular direction. Rather, Gaiman is simply observing the eternal struggle and presenting us with how both are important aspects of humanity. Gaiman is intent on telling us a story, and what a story he has in store for us!
American Gods won a plethora of awards and in my opinion deservedly so:
* 2002 Hugo
* 2002 Neblua
* 2002 Locus
* 2002 SFX Reader awards (UK’s premier SciFi magazine)
* 2002 Bram Stoker award
* 2004 Geffen Award
...and a multitude of other nominations!
See more book reviews at my blog
The central premise is that Shadow, having been released from prison, is on a plane trip home when he finds himself seated next to a mysterious man. This man introduces himself as Mr. Wednesday. He ends up offering Shadow a job as a bodyguard. Together they travel the USA meeting all kinds of strange people in an attempt to bring them together for a purpose that Shadow is not particularly clear about.
It is gradually revealed that these are the gods of the old world (can you figure out who Mr. Wednesday is?), from mythology and they are locked in a battle with new gods (people who go by the name of “internet”, “roads”, “skyscraper” etc). This is metaphor heavy but not pretentious and what results is an amazing commentary on modern life’s eternal struggle of progress vs tradition.
It isn’t preachy, nor is he trying to sway us in any particular direction. Rather, Gaiman is simply observing the eternal struggle and presenting us with how both are important aspects of humanity. Gaiman is intent on telling us a story, and what a story he has in store for us!
American Gods won a plethora of awards and in my opinion deservedly so:
* 2002 Hugo
* 2002 Neblua
* 2002 Locus
* 2002 SFX Reader awards (UK’s premier SciFi magazine)
* 2002 Bram Stoker award
* 2004 Geffen Award
...and a multitude of other nominations!
See more book reviews at my blog
This highly acclaimed book from the world’s best-known evolutionary biologist takes an interesting approach to its narrative. Expressed in a format that is a homage to Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’, there are no chapters but mini stories as we travel on our journey back through time to unite the branches of the evolutionary tree (the Neanderthal’s Tale, The Gibbon’s Tale, The Peacock’s Tale etc) until we reach the dawn of life itself.
Each ‘Tale’ discusses the modern creature in depth and the features of the extinct species from the time when the evidence suggests that species split from all others. It is a sensible way of doing it, especially if he is attempting to appeal to people who know little about evolution but are curious to understand. Recommend this to your creationist friends!
Love him or hate him, it cannot be denied that Dawkins is a superb popular science writer proving that academic writing need not necessarily be heavy and dull, and that a light hearted narrative with an approachable writing style need not lack substance. At over 600 pages it may seem a daunting read at first but the flow blends the Tales seamlessly, meaning that you’ve covered a hundred pages before you know it.
One of Dawkins’ best, right up there with ‘Climbing Mount Improbable’
See more book reviews at my blog
Each ‘Tale’ discusses the modern creature in depth and the features of the extinct species from the time when the evidence suggests that species split from all others. It is a sensible way of doing it, especially if he is attempting to appeal to people who know little about evolution but are curious to understand. Recommend this to your creationist friends!
Love him or hate him, it cannot be denied that Dawkins is a superb popular science writer proving that academic writing need not necessarily be heavy and dull, and that a light hearted narrative with an approachable writing style need not lack substance. At over 600 pages it may seem a daunting read at first but the flow blends the Tales seamlessly, meaning that you’ve covered a hundred pages before you know it.
One of Dawkins’ best, right up there with ‘Climbing Mount Improbable’
See more book reviews at my blog
I wanted to like this, I really did. I am a big fan of Jasper Fforde and his clever method of mixing mundane storylines with a hefty dose of the bizarre. It is this formula that has given him success in the 'Thursday Next' and 'Nursery Crime' series. So when I found this novel with its interesting blurb I felt I had to get it.
Here is a world from which all colour has been removed, everything is coloured by artificial means by devices that look like fire hydrants. Furthermore, it seems that people cannot see colour very well and the rigid 'outraged middle England' social heirarchy is organised on the perception of it.
Eddie Russett is a 'Red' who dreams of greater status... until the day he falls in love with a 'Grey' (the lowest class) and persues her only to begin to discover that all is not well in his rigid but seemingly transparent world. I ploughed to the end, admittedly I struggled with this, which is a big difference with the other Fforde books that I flew through.
This is quite a messy book that is difficult to get into and at times lacks any sort of direction. The bizarreness of the world, instead of being amusing, makes it a slog at times and the plot that is seemingly heavily influenced by Gilliam's Brazil left, for me, very little to enjoy. Perhaps this was just a step too far in the weird department when coupled with characters I couldn't care about and a plot that was just too familiar.
See more book reviews at my blog
Here is a world from which all colour has been removed, everything is coloured by artificial means by devices that look like fire hydrants. Furthermore, it seems that people cannot see colour very well and the rigid 'outraged middle England' social heirarchy is organised on the perception of it.
Eddie Russett is a 'Red' who dreams of greater status... until the day he falls in love with a 'Grey' (the lowest class) and persues her only to begin to discover that all is not well in his rigid but seemingly transparent world. I ploughed to the end, admittedly I struggled with this, which is a big difference with the other Fforde books that I flew through.
This is quite a messy book that is difficult to get into and at times lacks any sort of direction. The bizarreness of the world, instead of being amusing, makes it a slog at times and the plot that is seemingly heavily influenced by Gilliam's Brazil left, for me, very little to enjoy. Perhaps this was just a step too far in the weird department when coupled with characters I couldn't care about and a plot that was just too familiar.
See more book reviews at my blog
This latest novel from Kim Stanley Robinson is at once both identifiable as Robinson's unique brand of philosophical science fiction and a departure from his work. In some ways it feels more like a homage to the early works of the likes of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.
It starts as a simple biography of the first true scientist as he first observes and then shows others the miracles he can observe through his telescope. But one night a mysterious stranger asks Galileo to take a look at his device. Galileo obliges and finds himself transported to another world: Europa in the 30th century to be precise. The Galilean moons are home to human factions currently arguing over whether scientific knowledge should be advanced by attempting to communicate with an advanced intellect that lives beneath the surface of the icy moon. The occupants of Europa require the assistance of Galileo to stop it happening and talking the other representatives out of their plan. This particular plot in so many ways reflects what is happening to Galileo in the 16th-17th century by mirroring in theme each phase of his engagement with the Vatican. He doesn't make one trip; instead he flits constantly between the two worlds to allow real-world events to happen before he is whisked back to Jupiter.
This is a "warts and all" look at Galilei Galileo. Far from portraying him as a Saint for the secular thinker, he is shown as a short-tempered bully, an excessive drinker, a womaniser and sometimes a fanatic whose single-mindedness in overturning the Ptolemaic model leads him to push his daughters into a convent without much thought for anything else. Also, we get an intriguing insight into the world of Vatican politics as a succession of popes are confronted with the problems of the age; not just Galileo but the impending 30 years war and other religious conflicts.
There is a moral tale at work too. The Europans are attempting to manipulate Galileo for their own end, pushing him further in order that he is burnt at the stake to become a secular martyr. Their ultimate goal is to end the war between religion and science quickly. Galileo feels uneasy at this; after all he always considered himself a good Catholic. In real life he died a sick man under house arrest having been brow-beaten into recanting.
Not only is this an intriguing and thoughtful novel, it is also quite fun. We delight at the sense of adventure as he explores the four primary moons and confronts the sentient being that lives in the Jupiter system. I really cannot fault this book.
See more book reviews at my blog
It starts as a simple biography of the first true scientist as he first observes and then shows others the miracles he can observe through his telescope. But one night a mysterious stranger asks Galileo to take a look at his device. Galileo obliges and finds himself transported to another world: Europa in the 30th century to be precise. The Galilean moons are home to human factions currently arguing over whether scientific knowledge should be advanced by attempting to communicate with an advanced intellect that lives beneath the surface of the icy moon. The occupants of Europa require the assistance of Galileo to stop it happening and talking the other representatives out of their plan. This particular plot in so many ways reflects what is happening to Galileo in the 16th-17th century by mirroring in theme each phase of his engagement with the Vatican. He doesn't make one trip; instead he flits constantly between the two worlds to allow real-world events to happen before he is whisked back to Jupiter.
This is a "warts and all" look at Galilei Galileo. Far from portraying him as a Saint for the secular thinker, he is shown as a short-tempered bully, an excessive drinker, a womaniser and sometimes a fanatic whose single-mindedness in overturning the Ptolemaic model leads him to push his daughters into a convent without much thought for anything else. Also, we get an intriguing insight into the world of Vatican politics as a succession of popes are confronted with the problems of the age; not just Galileo but the impending 30 years war and other religious conflicts.
There is a moral tale at work too. The Europans are attempting to manipulate Galileo for their own end, pushing him further in order that he is burnt at the stake to become a secular martyr. Their ultimate goal is to end the war between religion and science quickly. Galileo feels uneasy at this; after all he always considered himself a good Catholic. In real life he died a sick man under house arrest having been brow-beaten into recanting.
Not only is this an intriguing and thoughtful novel, it is also quite fun. We delight at the sense of adventure as he explores the four primary moons and confronts the sentient being that lives in the Jupiter system. I really cannot fault this book.
See more book reviews at my blog
He is known by several titles. Longshanks, Hammer of the Scots, Edward Plantagenet. He is Edward I and the author believes that his life is overdue a modern retelling of his life. Perhaps inspired by Alison Weir’s dominance of the Tudors, perhaps wanting to correct the injustices of Braveheart (cruel pagan indeed!), Morris has sought to provide a critical and factual account of his life largely bereft of personal prejudice. Some may sneer at the moral relativism of excusing Edward I’s anti-semitism as fairly conventional for the time, but for me this adds a harsh tone of reality for the King and his people of feeling toward the Jews in the 13th century.
Morris has worked well in carefully omitting whatever his own personal feelings are, showing in equal measure why Edward I was at once both a great and a terrible king, prolific builder, ruthless conqueror, shrewd businessman, tyrant, prolific taxer, defender of the faith concerned largely with ensuring the safety of his kingdom.
It is his history with Scotland that receives the most analysis. Morris carefully demonstrates the role Edward played in bringing the conflict between Robert Bruce and John Balliol to a close and the fact that the land north of the border would occupy his time right up to his death. His dealings with Scotland is a microcosm of the man: excellent diplomat on one hand, ruthless militarist on the other. One account describes his engineers building the largest trebuchet ever seen (which he named Warwolf) to besiege a certain castle; it was so large that the Scots, upon seeing it, decided to surrender. Edward refused to accept until the ‘Warwolf’ had been fully tested against them.
In conclusion, Morris highlights some interesting facts: Edward was so well travelled that it would see the dawn of the modern age before we would see another monarch who would visit as many countries. Where the author falls down is in his apparent belief that Edward sought to create a proto ‘Britain’. Even the sub-title ‘Edward I and the forging of Britain’, as tantalising as that might sound, urges us to caution. Certainly the case is compelling: he ended the Welsh royal line and first granted the title of the heir to the English throne ‘Prince of Wales’ but I’m not sure this can be indicative of anything other than a desire to expand the kingdom of England with a view to claiming lands he desired (Wales and Scotland) and lands he believed was his by right and had been lost by previous kings (France). Overall this is an enlightening read about one of England’s most notorious kings.
See more book reviews at my blog
Morris has worked well in carefully omitting whatever his own personal feelings are, showing in equal measure why Edward I was at once both a great and a terrible king, prolific builder, ruthless conqueror, shrewd businessman, tyrant, prolific taxer, defender of the faith concerned largely with ensuring the safety of his kingdom.
It is his history with Scotland that receives the most analysis. Morris carefully demonstrates the role Edward played in bringing the conflict between Robert Bruce and John Balliol to a close and the fact that the land north of the border would occupy his time right up to his death. His dealings with Scotland is a microcosm of the man: excellent diplomat on one hand, ruthless militarist on the other. One account describes his engineers building the largest trebuchet ever seen (which he named Warwolf) to besiege a certain castle; it was so large that the Scots, upon seeing it, decided to surrender. Edward refused to accept until the ‘Warwolf’ had been fully tested against them.
In conclusion, Morris highlights some interesting facts: Edward was so well travelled that it would see the dawn of the modern age before we would see another monarch who would visit as many countries. Where the author falls down is in his apparent belief that Edward sought to create a proto ‘Britain’. Even the sub-title ‘Edward I and the forging of Britain’, as tantalising as that might sound, urges us to caution. Certainly the case is compelling: he ended the Welsh royal line and first granted the title of the heir to the English throne ‘Prince of Wales’ but I’m not sure this can be indicative of anything other than a desire to expand the kingdom of England with a view to claiming lands he desired (Wales and Scotland) and lands he believed was his by right and had been lost by previous kings (France). Overall this is an enlightening read about one of England’s most notorious kings.
See more book reviews at my blog
This is the first in the "Sally Lockhart Mysteries" series concerning a quiet, reserved young girl as she attempts to unravel the mystery of her father's death. Set in Victorian England, this short novel is populated with a colourful cast of characters: cheeky cockney Jim, the sinister Mrs Holland, a noble photographer and his outspoken sister.
With their help, Sally gets suck into and then attempts to uncovers the mystery of a coded message she receives from her father and races against time to discover the secret of a priceless ruby and just why so many people have died because of it.
Sally is quite a fascinating character, far from being what is now a stereotype of a surprisingly emancipated woman, is practical, strong yet vulnerable at the same time. No big social issues are covered here and this makes a refreshing change amongst the wealth of historical fiction and relies on telling a good story that keeps you guessing until the end. Although aimed at young adults, this will also appeal to fans of Victorian mystery writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle.
A bit short at a shade over 200 pages but a cracking lazy weekend read. There was a TV adaptation a few years back starring Billie Piper as Sally, Matt Smith as Jim and Julie Walters as Mrs Holland.
See more book reviews at my blog
With their help, Sally gets suck into and then attempts to uncovers the mystery of a coded message she receives from her father and races against time to discover the secret of a priceless ruby and just why so many people have died because of it.
Sally is quite a fascinating character, far from being what is now a stereotype of a surprisingly emancipated woman, is practical, strong yet vulnerable at the same time. No big social issues are covered here and this makes a refreshing change amongst the wealth of historical fiction and relies on telling a good story that keeps you guessing until the end. Although aimed at young adults, this will also appeal to fans of Victorian mystery writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle.
A bit short at a shade over 200 pages but a cracking lazy weekend read. There was a TV adaptation a few years back starring Billie Piper as Sally, Matt Smith as Jim and Julie Walters as Mrs Holland.
See more book reviews at my blog