silverliningsandpages's reviews
386 reviews

The Instant by Amy Liptrot

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

The Instant by Amy Liptrot is an evocative memoir of the author’s move from Orkney to Berlin, in search of experiences and love.  She charts cycles of the moon and and patterns of migratory birds, connecting nature’s ancient rhythms to her own understanding of heritage and self.  She also considers virtual footprints and how we connect online authentically - her heartache and longing are so raw and poignantly written.  It’s a strange little book but I love its intensity and the author’s perceptiveness. 

Another Man by Leslie Croxford

informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

2.0

I was initially fascinated by this atmospheric mystery about an English academic researching a prominent Nazi in southern Spain.  However, I found the misogyny distracting. Most, if not all the female characters are objectified by the male protagonist.  We have his frequent commentary on women’s voluptuousness (or lack of), how low cut their dresses are, his detailed assessment whether or not they are wearing anything underneath and a crude evaluation of whether he is attracted to them.  One of the sexy characters has “thick peasant calves”, but her bright, academic daughter looks dull and uncurvy and he finds her unattractive (to put it politely). I’m trying to paraphrase and describe this in a way that doesn’t make me cringe, but really, the male gaze in this book bothered me.  Most women can say we’ve been sexually harassed and objectified (many times) and it’s disappointing to read such attitudes in a new publication😔 I widely read and enjoy many great books by male authors with male protagonists, and I’m not prudish about love scenes but please, male writers: don’t reduce women to objects!  

Crow Court by Andy Charman

challenging dark funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Highly intelligent and meticulously researched historical crime.  Very impressively plotted.

Phase Six by Jim Shepard

adventurous challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

a literary thriller/mystery in which investigators travel to Greenland to identify the secret of a boy’s immunity to a plague.  Station Eleven is still my favourite ‘plague book’ but this was thought provoking.

Sixteen Horses by Greg Buchanan

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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

An absorbing, atmospheric crime story about a detective investigating sixteen horse heads found on a beach.  Intriguing but not for the faint hearted!

The Listeners by Jordan Tannahill

adventurous dark funny tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

“Can You Hear the Hum?”

Thank you to 4th Estate for the proof copy.  This is a wild ride of a book, that manages to be at turns funny, frenetic and serious.  The protagonist, Claire, hears a low hum which her husband cannot, and it seems that nobody else close to her can.  The sound is so penetrating that it causes insomnia, headaches and nosebleeds, and in her desperation and isolation she, together with a student of hers falls in with a group of “listeners”.  The group starts off as a self-help gathering, but the diverse members have competing motivations, ambitions and concerns; eventually events take a shocking turn.

This is a thought provoking, imaginative novel exploring self-validation, conspiracy theories, power, gaslighting, the fascination with the unknowable and a yearning for community and meaningful connections.  While some of the plot may seem extreme and dramatic, I also found it entirely plausible.  I recommend this to readers who appreciate conspiracy theories and stories with feminist themes.  I also think that if you enjoyed Leave the World Behind, this may be for you.

Rating: 4/5🌟

Breathe by Elena Kravchenko

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Breathe is a compelling novel about the 2004 Tsunami in Thailand and was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Part mystery, part drama, it follows a young, successful Swedish man who drops everything to search for his missing friends who have been caught up in the catastrophe.  Outwardly, Carl seems to have it all, but as his narrative develops, we see him reassessing priorities in life, and reaching a place of greater empathy and cultural awareness.

What I particularly appreciated was the suspense created by the author in the run-up to the ferocious tidal waves hitting land, and the sense of confusion and loss is heartfelt.  The book very rightly spotlights the humanitarian and political issues that arose from the rescue efforts, and the the privilege of Western holiday makers compared with many of the Thai people who were affected.

A Ghost In The Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

A Ghost in the Throat is a beguiling, fervent blend of auto-fiction, essay, investigation and translation.  In this innovative prose debut Doireann Ní Ghríofa entwines the experiences of two writers three centuries apart.

1700s

A Irish noblewoman, who discovers that her husband has been murdered, drinks handfuls of his blood and composes a remarkable poem of sorrow and fury.

Present day

A young mother comes dangerously close to tragedy.  She discovers Eibhlín Dubh’s poetry, and becomes fixated with the parallels in her own life.  Feeling a compulsive connection, she resolves to unearth and chart the rest of the poet’s life story and translate the poem.

I love the way this book is written, there’s a strange, otherworldly quality but it’s also full of busy, vibrant and frenzied thoughts that echoed with me.  Candid, relatable thoughts on education, knowledge, possessions, motherhood, domesticity, emotional labour and the gaping absence of women’s writings and records over the centuries.  I found the portrayal of women’s historical lack of agency and their place in the shadows pointedly sad, but a situation which the book goes a long way to challenge and rectify.  But it also highlights in many subtle ways the fine line between devotion and obsession, as well as the sacrifices and disadvantages women still face today. 

“This is a female text, which is also a caoineadh: a dirge and a drudge-song, an anthem of praise, a chant and a keen, a lament and an echo, a chorus and a hymn.  Join in.”

A magnetic work of fiery passion, love, rage, obsession, disappointment and self understanding, this is one I’ll read again!😍

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Before the Coffee Gets Cold has been compared with The Five People You Meet in Heaven, hence my posting them side by side.  They both have a touch of whimsy, bitter sweetness and regret, but ultimately are uplifting in dealing with missed opportunities.

The concepts are rather different though, and many of you bookstagrammers will know that Before the Coffee is about time travel.  A small back alley cafe in Tokyo offers customers the unique chance to travel back in time.  But it’s complicated - they must sit in a certain seat and return to the present before the coffee gets cold.

I love this premise which explores the question of what would you change if you could travel back in time?  Who would you want to meet, perhaps for the last time.  What would you decide to do??

I adore an emotional story that deals with unresolved issues and redemption.  However, there seemed to be something about the narrative flow that held me back in being captivated by this. The writing is quite repetitive with the style overly simple, and perhaps this is due to the translation?  Also, the novel is an adaption from a play; I can visualise such a production and imagine it being highly successful, but I’m giving the story in this format as a novel 3.5/5🌟 

Still very charming, thoughtful and gentle.  I also have the sequel so will come back and share thoughts on that.

The Ghostlights by Gráinne Murphy

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

“Little lights curled in her peripheral vision.  She stiffened and drew in on herself in case it was some late-night walker with a torch and dubious intentions.  But no, she blinked and the lights vanished.  When Ethel was a child, her mother would lean in close and explain that when someone went missing, if their families saw pinpricks of lights dancing in the darkness outside the window, they knew they were lost. “Ghostlights” she would whisper, her breath sweet with gin.”

As with her debut, Where the Edge Is, Grainne Murphy has evoked in The Ghostlights a clear sense of rural Ireland, community and all the complexities of family life.  Her writing reminds me of Donal Ryan’s work: she skilfully portrays the gritty reality of grief, ageing,loneliness and resentment with a subtle, careful sprinkling of folklore. I admire how she has such a strong handle on Irish culture; the mannerisms, dialogue, black humour and traditions are very sharply observed.

This story unapologetically yet intimately portrays the messy dynamics of family life when the body of an elderly Danish gentleman is found in the village Lake four days after checking in to a B&B.  The mystery of who he was and his final act of suicide stir deep compassion within the village, and is the catalyst for some humility, self reflection and reconciliation. It’s a brave, thought provoking novel that digs deep.

Grainne Murphy is an author to watch. My mum enjoyed her debut Where the Edge Is so much that she bought several copies for friends!