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samharnold's reviews
1095 reviews
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dickens is famous for picking an institution and showing what is wrong with it throughout his novel. Great Expectations is definitely an attack on patronage, as we see through Pip's journey that it does not always provide the results anyone hoped for.
In the 1800s, patronage was a practice in politics, the arts, and academia. It involved wealthy individuals providing financial support or favours to those needing assistance. In Great Expectations, Pip is given patronage from a mysterious benefactor to become a gentleman.
Pip is such an interesting character, and we see him grow throughout the novel. There were times when I loved him and times when I wanted to reach inside the book and give him a slap.
Dicken's is unbeaten in classic literature at writing from the child's perspective, and this book shows him at his best. When Pip returned from Miss Havisham's house he takes refuge in a series of outrageous lies, lies that we can imagine our own child spouting.
One of the passages that most affected me in the book is at the beginning when Pip imagines what his parents look like from the slope of their writing on their tombstones. This powerful image of a young boy who never knew his mum and dad.
When you think you want to love Pip better, you see the other side of him when he becomes ashamed of Joe Gargery and his common ways. This view of the working class is something I have questioned whether Dickens felt himself.
Great Expectations is an engaging novel that is hard to put down. Typically it shows the flaws in patronage and the class system of the Victorian ages, but over all it is a study of human nature that transverses the decades. It is undoubtedly one of my top 3 Dicken's books.
Newspaper Blackout by Austin Kleon
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Having read 1000s of books, I love it when a book or writer does something different. This is no exception as it is a collection of poems written from blacking words out in newspaper articles.
The author then takes this one step further by showing us all how to complete blackout poetry, which I can't wait to have a try with.
The author then takes this one step further by showing us all how to complete blackout poetry, which I can't wait to have a try with.
The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
emotional
sad
medium-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
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was a little slow at the beginning and I didn’t really know where it was going but after the first 50 pages I couldn’t put it down.
It reminded me slightly of The Reading List with the way you follow the story of many characters. The characters are diverse and there are some strong historical points to reflect on especially the treatment of Omar and his son.
This is an easy read which will keep you reading through I would highly recommend it and will be looking for more from this author.
The Men Who Were Sherlock Holmes: A True-Life Victorian Murder Mystery by Daniel Smith
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
I first thought this book would be a perfect read for a Sherlock Holmes fan like me. There was a great use of passages from the novels to support the evidence Smith was giving on why Bell and Littlejohn inspired Doyle.
As the book moved on from the initial chapters, the link between the book and the fictional detective seemed more and more strained. Littlejohn was never recognised as an inspiration for the Holmes character, and it may be that Smith used this connection to validate his book.
However, this is not to say that this book was terrible, as it is a brilliant read that looks at a fascinating case that would have confused even the great detective himself. For anyone interested in crime, it is also a brilliant look at early forensic techniques and where the methods we rely on today started.
The book is easy to read, riveting and well-researched, which is why the title of the book is disappointing. The book would stand well independently without the connection to Sherlock Holmes. The title encourages people to read it, which I can understand as a writer, but it seems to devalue the book.
This is not to say there is no connection to Holmes throughout, but they are only about a quarter of the book. The rest is this fascinating murder case. Smith provides examples from Doyle's books that he references as relating to the case, but they are so generic they could belong to any case.
Overall, I loved this book and couldn't put it down; if it had not been for the clickbait title, I would have given it more stars.
As the book moved on from the initial chapters, the link between the book and the fictional detective seemed more and more strained. Littlejohn was never recognised as an inspiration for the Holmes character, and it may be that Smith used this connection to validate his book.
However, this is not to say that this book was terrible, as it is a brilliant read that looks at a fascinating case that would have confused even the great detective himself. For anyone interested in crime, it is also a brilliant look at early forensic techniques and where the methods we rely on today started.
The book is easy to read, riveting and well-researched, which is why the title of the book is disappointing. The book would stand well independently without the connection to Sherlock Holmes. The title encourages people to read it, which I can understand as a writer, but it seems to devalue the book.
This is not to say there is no connection to Holmes throughout, but they are only about a quarter of the book. The rest is this fascinating murder case. Smith provides examples from Doyle's books that he references as relating to the case, but they are so generic they could belong to any case.
Overall, I loved this book and couldn't put it down; if it had not been for the clickbait title, I would have given it more stars.
The Wild Swimmers by William Shaw
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I would have preordered this book if I hadn't been gifted from NetGalley. I have read all William Shaw's Cupidi books, including the prequel.
Initially, I was attracted to the books because they were written where I grew up. But that would have only gone so far. I read them now because they are brilliantly written crime novels. The Wild Swimmers is no exception to this; in fact, it is one of the best.
Most books are made on their first lines, and this one sets the scene perfectly for what is to come. 'It came down to a choice between two directions, north or south.' The body is that of a young swimmer. Was she murdered, did she commit suicide, or was this a tragic accident?
This is the first story throughout the book to a well-thought-out ending. Although the clues were throughout the story, I didn't guess the killer. The second story that runs through is the private life of Cupidi's friend, Jill Ferriter. My favourite character, William South, investigates this additional story.
Part Two of the book changed voices, which I believe I am right in saying hasn't happened before in this series. I loved this aspect as it was told from the perspective of South. The prequel to this series, Birdwatcher, is also his story and one of my favourites.
The two stories combine perfectly to bring about a satisfying conclusion. Some would describe this as a cosy crime, but I don't think that does it justice. Shaw relies on his brilliant storytelling and unforgettable characters to tell an enthralling crime story that doesn't need blood and gore to entertain.
If the mark of a good book is one you can't put down, then I didn't stop reading this until 1 am. I read the whole book in one sitting, it is enthralling. Preorder this today if you like crime set in a beautiful landscape with fantastic characters. Until it is released, spend your time reading the first four.
Now, thanks to William Shaw, I need to go and wander in the shingle to look for a concrete man I never knew existed, even though I have lived in the area for nearly 50 years. Read the book, and you will understand.
Initially, I was attracted to the books because they were written where I grew up. But that would have only gone so far. I read them now because they are brilliantly written crime novels. The Wild Swimmers is no exception to this; in fact, it is one of the best.
Most books are made on their first lines, and this one sets the scene perfectly for what is to come. 'It came down to a choice between two directions, north or south.' The body is that of a young swimmer. Was she murdered, did she commit suicide, or was this a tragic accident?
This is the first story throughout the book to a well-thought-out ending. Although the clues were throughout the story, I didn't guess the killer. The second story that runs through is the private life of Cupidi's friend, Jill Ferriter. My favourite character, William South, investigates this additional story.
Part Two of the book changed voices, which I believe I am right in saying hasn't happened before in this series. I loved this aspect as it was told from the perspective of South. The prequel to this series, Birdwatcher, is also his story and one of my favourites.
The two stories combine perfectly to bring about a satisfying conclusion. Some would describe this as a cosy crime, but I don't think that does it justice. Shaw relies on his brilliant storytelling and unforgettable characters to tell an enthralling crime story that doesn't need blood and gore to entertain.
If the mark of a good book is one you can't put down, then I didn't stop reading this until 1 am. I read the whole book in one sitting, it is enthralling. Preorder this today if you like crime set in a beautiful landscape with fantastic characters. Until it is released, spend your time reading the first four.
Now, thanks to William Shaw, I need to go and wander in the shingle to look for a concrete man I never knew existed, even though I have lived in the area for nearly 50 years. Read the book, and you will understand.
Babel by R.F. Kuang
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book has taken some real thinking about, especially what grade to give it. The first 20% of the novel I flew through, I am a bit obsessed with Victorian England so this section was right up my street.
There was plenty to think about with this book. Initially, you see Robin's attachment issues, from how he is desperate for the Professor's attention to how he is drawn to groups that give him a sense of family. That was the only part of the book that the readers had to summarise themselves; everything else was spelt out. More on that later.
This book was a slow read in parts, but that is not always bad. Some aspects of it reminded me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The book deals with the issue of the English Empire and is well-researched, but there were times when the point felt too forced. Every other page was working through this issue at the expense of any character development or plot.
Here, though, is my biggest fault with the book, and that is the footnotes. Forgive me if I rant. On virtually every page are many footnotes for the story, most of them are irrelevant. Many people may have ignored them, but I am not that person, and reading them took away from the flow of the story.
They were almost like the author was trying to prove how clever she was, either that or this book was much longer when submitted, and to cut the word count down, she needed to add the footnotes so we had a clue what was going on. Either that or the author included some of her writing notes in the story.
Sometimes, they offered a little extra, but not enough for them to be so extensive. Some filled plot holes, but in my mind, these would have been better written into the actual story.
Even when I got to the end of the book, I could not tell you whether I enjoyed it, which is why the star rating was so hard for this book.
If this were a non-fiction book, it would be five stars on research and thought-provoking content. But it isn't. I know reading is subjective, so many of you might love this, but with a mix of the footnotes, awful characters you couldn't relate to and a slow plot, all things considered, I can only give it three stars.
There was plenty to think about with this book. Initially, you see Robin's attachment issues, from how he is desperate for the Professor's attention to how he is drawn to groups that give him a sense of family. That was the only part of the book that the readers had to summarise themselves; everything else was spelt out. More on that later.
This book was a slow read in parts, but that is not always bad. Some aspects of it reminded me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The book deals with the issue of the English Empire and is well-researched, but there were times when the point felt too forced. Every other page was working through this issue at the expense of any character development or plot.
Here, though, is my biggest fault with the book, and that is the footnotes. Forgive me if I rant. On virtually every page are many footnotes for the story, most of them are irrelevant. Many people may have ignored them, but I am not that person, and reading them took away from the flow of the story.
They were almost like the author was trying to prove how clever she was, either that or this book was much longer when submitted, and to cut the word count down, she needed to add the footnotes so we had a clue what was going on. Either that or the author included some of her writing notes in the story.
Sometimes, they offered a little extra, but not enough for them to be so extensive. Some filled plot holes, but in my mind, these would have been better written into the actual story.
Even when I got to the end of the book, I could not tell you whether I enjoyed it, which is why the star rating was so hard for this book.
If this were a non-fiction book, it would be five stars on research and thought-provoking content. But it isn't. I know reading is subjective, so many of you might love this, but with a mix of the footnotes, awful characters you couldn't relate to and a slow plot, all things considered, I can only give it three stars.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, I didn't expect to fall in love with this book as much as I did. I have seen reviews that say none of the characters are likeable. I think that was part of the attraction at one time or another, each of the characters was unlikeable. Isn't that what life is like, sometimes we do well, sometime we don't.
This is a story about disability those you can see and those you can't. It is also a story about depression and loss. But, more than this, this is a love story. Love that is so strong it is more than a relationship it is friendship that is so complete it is all-encompassing.
I can't see any book beating this in 2024, I simply loved it.
Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
3.0
A Night to Remember: The Classic Account of the Final Hours of the Titanic by Walter Lord
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0