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rubygranger's reviews
299 reviews
The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing
5.0
One of the most interesting takes on a protagonist I have seen. You start of loving Mary and wondering why on earth anybody would want to kill her but as the novel progresses you begin to despise her. Mary's racism is truly shocking, especially seeing as Lessing describes it as a separate entity to her individuality (suggesting that it is not an intrinsic part of her but something that has been distilled by her childhood). There is definitely a Freudian approach being explored here and if you're familiar with his work, it is a perfect (fictional) casestudy to apply what you know.
Not only this, but the imagery is beautiful. At first, it is dismal and two dimensional but as Mary looks up, it is rich and full of wonder. There is a particularly enchanting passage which describes the South African night sky.
Not only this, but the imagery is beautiful. At first, it is dismal and two dimensional but as Mary looks up, it is rich and full of wonder. There is a particularly enchanting passage which describes the South African night sky.
The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell
3.0
Rather easy but wonderful. It actually reminded me of Harry Potter in places (in the quaint antiquity of the traders' market) and so I recommend it to the potterheads!
The Chimes by Charles Dickens
3.0
Dickens is a favourite and so I had high hopes when I picked this up. There are many philosophical and even existential questions explored in this texts -- more so than can be seen in 'Great Expectations', 'A Christmas Carol' and 'Oliver Twist' -- and there is a large emphasis on the reader in relation to our protagonist (Toby). I do recommend this!
A Childhood At Green Hedges by Imogen Smallwood
5.0
Simply marvellous. As a fan of Enid Blyton in my youth, this book instantly appealed to me. I watched the film 'Enid' back in 2009, a film which was largely based on Imogen Smallwood's memoirs, and can certainly see similarities between the two (though a lot seems to have been added to the movie for cinematic purposes). The story is, quite frankly, heartbreaking and it is awful to see how detached Smallwood was from her mother, especially considering the apparent closeness between her and Gillian. This level of neglect only led to social isolation and bitterness on her part which only proved to further the distance between the girl and her mother. Indeed, the novel 'Six Bad Boys' does seem to show some sort of recognition of this on Blyton's part because the story recognises that a child is usually bad as a result of abuse -- does this suggest some sort of regret on Blyton's part? Smallwood further critically assesses her mother's children's books and relates them to her own authorial experiences and influences. A good read for anybody who read the Blyton books when they were young.
Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward
3.0
I enjoyed reading this play -- it certainly was rather humorous (Madame Arcarti is a marvellous character!). Coward explores superstition, the inequalities of the class system and the breaking of convention in this mystical piece.
The Martian by Andy Weir
4.0
Wonderful science here. It was fascinating to see the narrator's thought process!
The Circle by Dave Eggers
5.0
An incredible read which captures the dangers of the internet. The society presented could very well be us in a few years -- after all, the major social media sites (snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and also google) have a massive influence on people of the 21st Century. Propaganda can be easily distilled and it is frightening to see how brainwashed Mae becomes over the course of the novel. The reader, gradually becoming used to and marvelling at the powers of the circle, soon realises just how dangerous their influence is and how quickly this alternate world could turn into a totalitarian state (that is, if it hasn't already!). I would call this a modern take on Orwell's 1984, similarly disturbing, intrusive and possible.