THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life Of Bees was recommend to me by a very good friend of mine who said it was a brilliant book and one that I would really enjoy, and I must say that she was more than right. I have enjoyed reading this book so much that I want to read it again and again and again.

It is the story of a young white girl (Lily) and her Negro friend (Rosaleen) who end up an a spot of bother and end up running away from Lily's father, breaking out of jail and numerous other plights. The two are taken in by three Negro bee-keeping sisters who protect them and look after them while they are hiding from Lily's father and the law.

I cannot put my finger on one, single way this book made me feel. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I got angry, I feared for the other characters, I even loved throughout the course of this book. This, I think, is the sign of an impeccably written book.

To be honest with you, the plot was nothing like I expected it to be, even after reading the blurb, but I cannot fault what has been woven into these pages. The Secret Life Of Bees is an enormously powerful book that represents brilliantly the struggle of coloured men and women in the 1960's and the hostility that they faced from white society. I think that the coming together of races and denominations is fantastic and something that should most definitely be encouraged by all.

My favourite character has to be August Boatwright. I feel like I know her now, I feel like she has taken me under her wing and been there for me through trial and struggle. Of course she is only a fictional character, but she has been so beautifully written that she could very well be real. I admire her bravery and her solidness that she shows throughout everything her and her family are forced to go through; including deaths. She takes everything in her stride and freely admits that everyone needs time to be alone and grieve for their own personal problems in their own way. The thing that I found came across strongest about August was her passionately, pastoral heart which leaked through the pages of the novel and seeped into the reader. The fact that she would rather do something like pain the house bright pink because it helped to keep her sister stable, rather than paint it blue because that was what she wanted and that her her favourite colour. I found there really was a lot to admire in August.

I really felt drawn into the complexity of Lily's character. There are so many layers to her that there is something that everybody can relate to in some form or another, the most difficult part for me, when Lily breaks down admitting her feelings of being unlovable.
I felt that throughout the story, Lily grew up and became a woman. At the beginning of the novel, she seemed no more than a child catching bees in a jam jar, but at the end she had grown and matured into a strong, independent woman who was able to stand up to her Father and tell him what he needed to hear, but still deep inside she still had that child-like longing for a Father who loved her. All the way through we see this battle within Lily, between the part of her that remain a child and be held by her mother, and the part of her that wants to grow up and leave her family behind her, making a fresh start for her adult self, and I think it is really interesting how we see this physically through her actions as well as her thoughts and her speech. The main evidence of this battle is when she's alone in the Honey House and on one occasion she begins throwing jars of honey and making the biggest mess she can, an another time she cannot sleep and so begins a mad, cleaning frenzy. Two completely different activities - One more likely to be done by a girl and the other by a woman.

Over all this really is an incredible book and one that I would definitely recommend. I would probably say that it is more suited to older teens and adults but that's not to say it wouldn't make a good read for anyone younger (however there are taboo terms used throughout). As I mentioned before, it is an incredibly powerful book and definitely a story to combat prejudice and racial discrimination.

A CUT GLASS BOWL (short story) by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I must say, after reading The Great Gatsby by the same author, I wasn't exactly looking forward to reading Fitzgerald's short stories, however I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised by A Cut Glass Bowl and I have really enjoyed reading this first short story.

The story covers about twenty years of a woman named Evelyn and the events of her life over this period of time. We also get insight into her husband although this is usually negative considering the circumstances or her affair in her younger years at the start of their marriage. Although her children do get mentioned in the story, we hear little about them far from the few details about Julie's accident.

I think that this is a truly is a fine example of a short story. It has everything that a novel should have but in far fewer words. There is love, disappointment, fear, drunkenness, sadness, anger, hate, awkwardness. In just a few short pages you are over loaded with so many different emotions and feelings that all add up to create this incredible story that flows brilliantly.

One of the things I find interesting about this tale is the way that Evelyn describes her house maids. Not only does she put them down "well those swedes-", she doesn't even finish her sentence, assuming that the audience share her disgust at the maids, but also that way that Fitzgerald writes their dialogue makes the maids sound almost unintelligent and very simple minded. Through this I feel that the author is making a statement or a suggestion about society at this period of time in history (beginning to the 20th century). I feel that the author is trying to tells that immigrants from central and eastern Europe are looked down upon by these upper-middle class Americans and possible seen as inferior, they failed to move to America and make their fortune when they had the chance so now they are having to wait on the people who beat them too it. Even when referring to western European places such as Ireland, although she describes them as being good maids and being good at what they do, she is still assigning them to remain as nothing but house maids.

I thought that the ending of the short story was incredibly effective. Not once was it mentioned in the text that Donald (Evelyn's son) had died and yet through the way the text has been written and the actions and thoughts of Evelyn we see very clearly what the situation is. Throughout the story it is fascinating how the thing that is supposed to be a wonderful, beautiful gift that is displayed for everyone to see and yet to is the source of all Evelyn's problems.

Overall I felt that 'A Cut Glass Bowl' had everything that I needed it to have to be a complete, entertaining, quick and intelligent read. I'm not a hundred percent sure what else I can write about to be honest, other that during the chapter describing the punch party, I genuinely felt myself getting more and more anxious on Evelyn's behalf which I believe is a sign that Fitzgerald has done his job properly. These are just my first impressions of the story as a whole, until I have studied it in deeper detail I think I have summed up my feelings about the story.

THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien

I must admit that the first time I tried to read this book; about five or six years ago, I got no further than chapter five. This time however, I am older and a more mature reader and I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire book, the only regret I have is not reading it again sooner. It really is a masterpiece and a genuine work of art. I have not seen the film which I am pleased about because it has meant that I could read the Hobbit without anyone-else's interpretations influencing my imagination.

I love dwarves, they really are funny little creatures although they would probably not thank me for describing them as so.

The thing that I think surprised me the most about the Hobbit is the unending list of hidden messages that the author has embedded in the text. For example, the idea that two people can carry out the same task but for two completely different reasons and with different motivations. Thorin Oakenshield wanted to reach Lonely Mountain ultimately to retrieve the lost treasure whereas poor Bilbo did it purely out of not wanting to break a promise he had made. There are so many other messages, too numerous to mention, but I think the most fascinating thing in that these messages can change depending on who you are and how you read it.

My favourite part of the novel is when Bilbo talking with Smaug and is trying to bluff his way out of being eaten. I absolutely love the language that Tolkien has used here and I must say that I felt as entranced by the dragon-speak as Bilbo was. I was totally enchanted by the conversation and I feel that if I had not known what I did, then I would probably have been tricked into believing the dragon and falling for his trap.

I find Tolkien's use of words incredible and incurably poetic. All the way through the book, right from the beginning with the songs and the poems of the dwarves and the elves, right through to the riddles in the dark with Gollum, to the discussions and the parlay between the dwarves and the men/elves towards the end. I everything the Tolkien writes, he has a knack for creating the most wondrous speech. He spins his sentences like a spider spins silk, drawing you into the story and trapping you within the pages, unable to draw yourself away from the magic woven by the author. The language that he uses in his description is equally as incredible and the language that he uses in the character's dialogue -

"A black cloud hurried over the sky. Winter thunder on a wild wind rolled roaring up and rumbled in the mountain, and lightning lit its peak. An beneath the thunder another blackness could be seen whirling forward; but it did not come with the wind, it came from the North, like a vast cloud of birds, so dense that no light could be seen between their wings."

There is so much I could write about the Hobbit if I had more time to do so, although in someways I feel that this book should just be enjoyed for what it is and interpreted by individuals rather than analysed and reviewed on a large scale.

I would be more than happy to recommend this fabulous book to anybody, young and old. Although it is quite dense and may take a while to read, I have found it incredibly easy to read and I would definitely describe it as a 'page-turner'. One fantastical oddity leading onto the next, drawing you from page to page, the text not for one moment relinquishing it's grip on the reader.

The Hobbit is a beautiful book full of adventure and sorrow and victory. Perfectly written and awaiting its readers.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 22 - 25)

Chapter twenty two starts off with a short paragraph, where Offred is explaining how she is feeling after the Birth, however the way she speaks, in short, breathless sentences makes it sound more like it is Offred who has given birth to the child rather than Ofwarren. As I mentioned last time, this reflects the ideology that the Handmaids are all one body, carrying out one purpose. The shortness of the paragraph also suggests that it is something important that she neither has the energy, or wants to talk about and therefore sums it up quickly.

The format of the rest of this chapter is rather clever, because it is Offred talking about another handmaid and she is retelling a story that has been passed onto her. She narrates the story in third person which makes this element stand out against the rest of the narrative because you have first and third person narrative juxtaposed together. This emphasizes the importance of this story to the readers. It is only once, Offred reveals this to the reader, this she becomes to act more bravely and starts to break the rules more frequently. This could be representing the empowerment of knowledge. By physically telling the story of Moira's defiance, she has come to believe it more definitely, to the point that she feels that she can do it also, that she also has the ability and the power to do such things. This also shows us clearly the reason that the handmaids conversations with each other are so restricted; because of the powerful effect that this information can have.

The other thing that really stands out to me in this chapter; short though it is, is the way that Moira swaps her clothes with the aunt, this is not what surprised me though, what surprised me is the reaction that everybody has. No one begs to differ that Moira is an Aunt merely because she is wearing the Aunts uniform. Here we see all to clearly that in Gilead, what you wear defines who you are. You are judged by the colour of you're dress. This is something that we as a reader can relate to because we live in a world where, although we are encouraged not to judge people by what brands and labels they wear, we still subconsciously do it. We make assumptions based on what we see people wearing, just as the Guardian assumed that Moira was an Aunt based on the dress she was wearing.

"This is a reconstruction" is the opening statement of chapter twenty three. I find this most fascinating because although Offred is talking about her story; and this suggests that she is writing this after Gilead and she is no longer a handmaid, I believe that is is also Atwood referring to the entire world this the story is set in. Gilead is a reconstruction of society, constructing it how they believe it should be run. Also they have reconstructed many religious values, which also have been rebuilt to suit the needs of Gilead and the people that are in charge. So I feel quite unnerved at the thought that somebody has taken a strong, thriving society (as we know it) and they have rebuilt/reconstructed it to fit with their ideas and their regime.

I love chapter twenty three, I really do love it. I think it is brilliant how Atwood creates this terrible suspense as Offred is summoned to the commanders office for reasons we know not. I know personally, I began to feel scared for Offred because I thought his intentions were to rape her or force her to carry out some equally degrading activity. I felt that the poor girl had been through enough and I really felt like she didn't need this, however when she enters his office and asks her to play SCRABBLE! I physically started laughing out loud because it just didn't seem real at the time; that the commander should summon his Handmaid in the cover of night to attend to him in his office... to play scrabble of all things. It almost adds an element of comic relief to the story. It seems so trivial to us, scrabble isn't something that we would normally get excited over, but for Offred it is sweet,sweet honey, after all words and literature are forbidden to her, so this opportunity to play word games is absolutely unbelievable. It has added something to her life now that she can actually look forward to however it also raises the question: Is this to good to be true?

The whole scenario in the commanders office is very much separated from the rest of Gileadean life. Even the Commander himself is completely different once he is in this room with Offred, even the way that he speaks to her. I found myself quite taken aback when he said hello to her because this is not to required greeting, it is something of the time before. However Offred explains to the reader that she had difficulty remembering the correct response to Hello. This shows us that despite her defiance, the ways of Gilead have finally managed to make some impression on her, pushing out old memories that used to seem so trivial and causing her to automatically think that there is a correct response to everything. As well as breaking the laws of reading and literature, I also believe that the Commander is breaking the laws of education in Gilead, re-tutoring her in the ways of the time before Gilead; almost as if he feels sorry for her and he is trying to help her hold onto herself in this society so set on separating itself from the rest of the world.

I think the words that Atwood has chosen for the Commander and Offred to play during the game are very clever and if you look closely at them, you can see the hidden meaning:

Larynx: The part of the throat that causes you to create voice, Offred's voice is silenced in Gilead

Valance: A piece of material draped over another, could in this instance the dress that Offred is forced to wear.

Quince: A fruit - Fruit of the womb, children, fertility

Zygote: The beginning stages of an embryo, Offred has still yet to concieve

Limp: Could be a pun aimed at the commander and his manhood, considering he has still to get her pregnant

Gorge: Offred is gorging on words which she wouldn't normally have access to while she has the opportunity too. Gorge is also a chasm which could represent the distance between her and the commander and/or how Gilead has left Offred feeling inside.

Finally for this chapter, in his office the Commander even has the audacity and the self felt empowerment to ask Offred to kiss him, which she has already explain in chapter sixteen: "Kissing is forbidden between us".
It shows us a little bit about who the commander thinks he is, Untouchable and that he cannot be punished because his is too high up in the chain of command. However, even though he feels like this, he doesn't flaunt it, he keeps it to himself and pleasures himself with his own illegal secret.

Chapter twenty four is such a contrast to the previous chapter, she has just had one of the best nights of her new life and yet, the night time section; chapter fourteen, is so feminist centralized. we hear her recalling things that Aunt Lydia said about 'Men are sex machines' and she also thinks of her mother who, by know, we know always was an active feminist. Almost as if now she is trying to convince herself that it is too good to be true and that she shouldn't get too comfortable with him.

But something has change, now, tonight. Circumstances have changed.

I really like how Atwood has used this sentence, because it marks turning point in the entire book, which Offred does not yet know about. This works well because we know that there are somethings which she isn't telling us, either because she doesn't know or doesn't want to experience that pain anymore than she has to, and now it is almost the opposite, she is revealing something that she doesn't know she knows yet.

Atwood has juxtaposed different emotions and atmospheres really well, after you hear Offred contemplating humanity and how easy it is to reinvent it, thinking about makeup and clothing and the apparently dire effects it had, and then all of a sudden, it switched into this crazed hysteria, that is so great it causes Offred to collapse. I think this direct juxtaposition works incredibly well to express the certain effects of just how drastic hysteria can really be. I also think that Atwood's choice of the word Hysteria is really interesting, coming from the same origins as the word Hysterectomy which applies only to women and the removal of the uterus and the womb, which of course, Offred would be useless without, so this word could represent that some important part of her has been taken from her; personality, name etc...

'Red all over the cupboard' is a sentence in this chapter which has really grabbed my attention and really made me think. This could literally mean the red of her dress but then it also makes you wonder if she is bleeding in someway, a sign that maybe she has failed to get pregnant again. But also I feel that maybe Atwood has used it as a metaphor, linking it to the phrase 'seeing red' which means that someone is really angry, furious even. The idea that you are so angry that you begin to see everything in a red tint, because of the hate and the frustration and the anger that you are feeling. I feel that this is a metaphor for how Offred is feeling at this point, that the whole event with the Commander has gone beyond puzzling her and has actually made her feel angry about it.

Chapter twenty five has a great mix of different themes and thoughts and snippets of memories, as if Offred is struggling to focus on one particular thing for too long with out being distracted or forcing herself to think about something less painful. Initially she talks about when Cora discovered her in the cupboard, however after only a couple of pages, she skips ahead missing out entire months which we hear nothing about. This backs up the idea of the unreliable narrator; the idea that Offred is hiding things from the reader, whether it is because she wishes not to share or because she is unable to share for fear of punishment  we do not know, however it does make us wonder about whether we are hearing the whole truth. Also during the section that Offred skips ahead to, she describes how out of everything that Serena Joy has, the only things that she really genuinely coverts is the shears that she uses in the garden, this links back to previously in the novel when Offred expresses an interest in stealing something from the house but it also suggests that maybe she is beginning to think about ending her own life; equally it could be that she just wants ownership of something that would give her power. It reminds me of a part in The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, where Gus always holds a cigarette between his teeth yet never lighting it, the idea being that you have control over the killing thing and whether or not it has the power to kill you. If you don't light the cigarette, it can't cause lung cancer. It could be a similar situation, Offred wants the shears not to end her own life with them but just to know that she has the power to do that if the need ever arose or she ever wished to do so.

Chapter twenty five also plays host to the third meeting of Offred and the commander. All in all, these meeting with the commander, reveal to us the journey that Offred is going on and how she is becoming more and more adventurous and brave. On this third meeting she asks the Commander for some hand cream (a forbidden substance). I suppose to us it would be like asking you're legal guardian or boss for drugs or something equally and illegal.

She also takes the step as to explain to the reader, the arrangement that she has with the Commander. This suggests that she is beginning to trust the reader and to feel more comfortable with the people she is speaking to. This backs up the idea addressed in earlier posts, that Offred is an unreliable narrator. It confirms that she has been hiding parts of the truth from us as she is only now beginning to reveal these to us.
'The Commander and I have and arrangement. Its not the first such arrangement in history, though the shape it's taken is not the usual one." I find this quote fascinating as it hints to the realization that Offred comes to at the end of the chapter. It is as if she is looking back in hindsight at what happened and is trying to warn her previous self that she is growing too comfortable with the commander and that "for him, I must remember, that I am only a whim". I feel that the first quote leads up nicely to this latter one, letting the reader see something that our narrator didn't see themselves at the time. "It's not the first such arrangement in history".

Finally, the way Atwood repeats the use of listing devices when describing the scrabble game helps to emphisise how the ritualistic and orderly way in which these meetings flow. Everyone appears to be the same however the difference in the way that Offred describes them changes, showing us that her attitudes towards the Commander and his arrangement have changed and are changing.

THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Well I finally managed to finish this book. I can't say that it is one of my favorite books that I've read and I doubt it will be one that I read again in a hurry.

On the whole I found it difficult to find any real plot at all, beneath the mass of description. Although I cannot fault the description used by Fitzgerald. Although I found that in many places it was harsh and sometimes almost vulgar, I thought it did a lot to reflect on Nick's character. When Nick says 'I am inclined to reserve all judgment', and then follows it up with page upon page of his opinion of people, it really goes to show how judgmental Nick really it. I felt that Fitzgerald got himself so lost and so deep in his excellent description that it's almost like he forgot to write a plot to the book and I think had it had a more solid plot then it would have made for an incredible book.

Towards the end some plot did begin to develop rather than Nick telling stories in between talking about himself and other characters, however I felt a little disappointed that this plot didn't come into the novel sooner. When I was reading it, it felt a little bit rushed and it think it had potential for Fitzgerald to do so much more with it, and I fear that had I not been reading this for my English Course then I may well have stopped reading long before the story really, truly got going.

Initially I thought that I liked Daisy the best out of all the characters however, this opinion has indeed changed. By the end of the novel, I can now say that I don't really like any of the characters at all. The only person in the book that I come anywhere close to liking is Gatsby and even then I spent most of the novel angry and frustrated with him because he was completely blind to the fact that he is such a great fool. I disliked Jordan from the start of the novel and although the initial harshness fell away as her character developed, I still felt uneasy when other characters were around her and at the end I see that I had good reason for this. Personally I felt that she behaved despicably towards Nick.

I feel that The Great Gatsby does portray a fairly accurate picture of 1920's Eastern America, even if it is all though the eyes of one upper-class individual. However no matter where you look, most stories are told from one point of view and that is what makes to warm to the characters and forces you to side with them. I thought it was nice to finally have a book that gives the upper-class perspective on things. I've found that many books set in this era tend to be about the struggles of the lower-classes and how difficult things were for them, so in that respect I did enjoy reading from a different view point. Also I thought the author also did a good job in presenting the difference between women in the different classes, e.g. Daisy and Mertyl.

All in all this book didn't live up to my expectations and left me feeling a little disappointed and I found myself having to plow through it to finish it. However there are indeed a number of good elements and once you sit down and start to analyse it there is a lot to this book. A good book to study for an English course, but certainly not one that I would choose to read for pleasure.

DANCING JAX by Robin Jarvis

Oooohhh!!!! I like a creepy book every now and then, and I must say that it doesn't get much creepier and spine chilling that Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis. (In fact it think I've only read one book creepier: Long Lankin, and I shiver just think about it)

Basically, it about an ancient Occultist who wrote a children's book which should never be read by anyone.... ever! it takes you over and turns you into a different person!

At the outset, just off reading the blurb, it sounds as if the author of Dancing Jacks (The book in the story) has got everything sussed when it comes to getting people to read his work. As a writer myself, one of my main aims is to get people interested in reading my plots and leave them wanting more. I believe that a good book should draw you into it's pages. You should feel like you're actually involved with the story rather than just reading words on a page, but I never hope that my work causes the same reaction as it does in this novel. The creepiest thing about this for me, is the way that Jarvis has taken the writers ideal, and taken it to such an extent that it becomes evil and world destroying.

I have to admit that initially I found it a little slow going and difficult to get into. The first chapter left me feeling a little disappointed, feeling like it hadn't delivered on all of the brilliant reviews I had heard about the book, but being the enthusiastic reader that I am, I plowed on through the first chapter believing that it would get better and I certainly wasn't disappointed! By the beginning of the second chapter I could hardly put the book down.

I know for certain who my favorite character has been throughout the book. Paul Thornbury. I find him adorable I really do, and as a reader, to me I think of him as a little brother, or what i would like my little brother to be like. When Dancing Jacks is finally forced upon him in one of his English classes, I found myself wanting him to break free, not wanting to read on unless he was going to be okay, all the way through the book; even though Jarvis hints at an unhappy ending, I was praying all the way through that he would never fall victim top the evil book and it's followers. I was heart broken when he finally gave in and just as Carol turns and tells Martin that Paul is no longer her son, I felt that Paul was no longer the imaginary little brother that I adopted at the start of the book.

I also like Martin's character although I'm not sure I would have liked him as my maths teach although I've probably had worse. The scary thing is, when it comes to Martin, I know people who have similar obsessions and I understand that Martin's character is totally believable. It sort of one of those where you have to see it to believe it. I really like the relationship that Paul and Martin share, because even though Martin is to become his step-dad, there is this lovely brotherly, best friend relationship between them. Initially this is good because it causes the reader to believe that Paul wont have to face his battle alone, but every time you think that Paul could do nothing  more to convince them, they believe just a messed up little boy which is heart-wrenching when you compare it to the relationship he has with martin at the beginning of the book.

It is definitely a book that I would recommend to everyone else, probably not too young-a-children though, I don't want to be responsible for night mares and sleepless nights. But I think that anyone who is looking for a good creepy read would definitely enjoy this one. If like me you struggle a bit with the first half a chapter or so, I advise just to preserver for just a tiny bit longer and all of a sudden everything will become clear and everything will have been worth it!

THE GREAT GATSBY - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Initial Thoughts)

So far, I have only read the first chapter of the Great Gatsby and already I am feeling a number of different feelings about it. The Great Gatsby, has always been a book that I have considered to be a classic and when I found out that I would be studying it I was more than I got quite excited at the prospect of reading it.

Personally I found it a little difficult to plow through the first couple of pages. As a reader I struggle to listen to a narrator ramble on about their environment before the actual story starts. I prefer to learn about this bit by bit as we progress through. However now that I have made it through the rest of the first chapter and the narrator has actually stated recalling the story, I am hoping that it will continue to be easier to read through than the beginning.

In terms of character's, I seem to have taken an immediate liking to Daisy, which is very different to my immediate dislike of Tom and Miss Baker. I think the thing I like about Daisy so much, is that right from the moment you first meet her, you know she is hiding something, but not hiding something sinister as such, however I feel that this makes her a more real character which I felt more able to connect to. Tom and Miss Baker, in my mind seemed to good to be true and too far removed from myself for me to be able to form any really connections or judgments on them, however I feel that this may be beneficial later on in the book.

One line in this first chapter really stood out to me as a little odd but at the same time, rather intriguing. It's when he talks about visiting old friend whom he didn't know particularly well. This just didn't seem right to me that he should refer to someone whom he didn't know very well, as an old friend, who is someone you have known for a long time, have learnt a lot about and generally grown rather close to.

I cannot say that I am head over heels in excitement about ready the rest of this book, but I can see that it has a lot of potential and I therefore cannot deny it the chance to prove its brilliance.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

I'm not quite sure how, but it seems that currently I seem unable to pick up a bad book, as once again I have managed to find yet another absolutely exemplary book. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is a book that I have previously heard many a great review on and after seeing it appear on our college book club reading list, I figured I would give it ago and I have no regrets what-so-ever about doing so. I cannot remember the last time that I read an entire book within the space of twenty four hours.

The story is of a young cancer sufferer who believes she will never find love and fears doing so in case she should hurt anyone, however no matter how hard she tries, she cannot stop love carving it's path in her life. This books presents excellently the powerful image that love conquers all. It is a tear-jerking, heart-wrenching story that inspires and forces you to realise just how lucky we really are. One thing that reading this book has done for me is that it has made me look at my own life in a completely different light.

I think my favourite element of this book it Augustus's obsession with metaphors, particularly the cigarette metaphor of holding the killing thing between you're teeth but not giving it the power to kill. I found this really thought provoking and almost empowering to an extent, however it was also a bit scary realising just how much power human really have. I found this metaphor obsession the most charming and attractive thing about Gus and at times I almost found myself falling for him,

The other thing that I found really difficult about this book was the revelation that our life-time hero's may never live up to our expectations and may very well disappoint should we ever meet them in real life, I suppose, in a way, this is Green emphasising the importance to separating fantasy and reality. To make sure that fantasy and dreams keep their magic, they must never cross with the truth and the true reality. I really did feel very hurt when our two main characters got to meet their hero and he dismissed them as a pair of sick children. I found him a very brutal character, however I feel that the way he presented his opinion of cancer was necessary for us to develop the feelings that we do towards Hazel, Gus, Isaac and the other young people.

Throughout the beginning of the book, I expected it to be the story of  Gus supporting Hazel to the end and I never expected Green to turn it around and to juxtapose the characters in such a way that it almost appears as if Hazel is the healthy one, supporting her terminally ill boyfriend. This I think is what makes the story all the more heart-breaking, you manage to steel yourself to the idea that Hazel will die and then all of a sudden, we lose Gus who seemed so well recovered. This just goes to show the unpredictable nature of cancer.

It is a book that not only would I recommend, but I really do feel that it needs to be read. Yes it is a tough read, but it is made bearable by the comic relief Green has used throughout. I believe that it is an important book as well as a gripping page turner. It shows really well how this awful disease effects more than just the sufferer, and it also illustrates ass differing human natures beautifully as well. I beg of you, please add this inspiring and empowering book to you're reading list.

MIDWINTERBLOOD by Marcus Swedgwick

I have been wanting to read some of Sedgwick's work for quite a while now and the funny this is, is that I didn't even realize who the author of this book was until I had got it home and had read the first chapter. All I can say at this point is that I will definitely be reading some of his other work in the future.

The crops have failed three years in a row and numerous sacrifices have failed to restart the growing of crops and the people have no alternative than to sacrifice their king, King Erikir in a hope that this will please the gods and cause the crops to grow again, torn from his beloved wife he promises to live seven times and to find her in each life and love her like never before. Midwinterblood follows Erikir on his journey through his seven lives, searching and loving his beloved Merle until his final life as Eric Seven.

I was hooked into the book after the first page and found it incredibly difficult to put down. Seen as the book is split into seven parts and and epilogue, I tried to ration myself to a part a day, so that I wouldn't get so drawn into the book that I would have no time left for my homework, however instead of reading just part three on the third day, I couldn't tear myself away from the book to such an extent that I read parts three through seven and the epilogue as well.

MIDWINTERBLOOD really is a fascinating book; as it starts in the year 2073 and with every section of the book, moves back a number of years until the final part which is set in some unknown time before the tenth century. At first I was very skeptical about how this would affect the book and its narrative, but I found that I had nothing to fear because as well as making for an incredible read, it really developed the story in a way that could not be done by a conventional linear narrative. what Sedgwick has done is very rare and I think quite risky but I am pleased to say that I believe that he has done himself proud and produce a novel that is worthy of the award it has been nominated for (Cilip Carnegie Medal 2013). The other thing I found that these backwards time movements caused was a shift in genre, initially it started out as a modern day love story, then a war tale and the further back in time we went the more fantastical it got until we were reading about vikings and blood sacrifice, superstition and witches.

MIDWINTERBLOOD, is like seven separate stories that are all connected un some way: Eric, Merle, The hare, they all lead to the same point and each one has its own characters which reflect those in the initial part, like when you read a book and all the characters have an uncanny resemblance to someone you know.

It is not often that I become attached to the main characters of the story, normally I look into the side characters who normally get overlooked however in this book I definitely attached myself to Merle, also Eric, but not as strongly as Merle. I think this is because I could see that Merle knew the secret of her past and she knew Eric from before in their other lives, but right from the start I felt a connection between the two of us.

I am really pleased that Sedgwick chose for Eric and Merle to appear in each other's live as different people rather than just lover (mother and child, Brother and sister etc...) not only because I think had they constantly found each other as lover's it would have been predictable and less emotive, but I think that fact that they found each other in so many ways, really symbolizes the depth of their love for each other, a love that goes deeper than romance.

I really liked the motif of the hare that Sedgwick has used throughout the entire book. It is subtle but obvious at the same time, it doesn't stand out and shout at you but you always know it is there through out the book.

Out of the seven lives that Eric and Merle live I think the one that the author titles The Artist is my favourite. I really felt moved by the chapter and I though it was really emotive and sweet. I recognised part of myself in the child; Merle and I remember that when I was young I spent most of my time talking with adults just as she does in this life. I think that is why I found this chapter so relatable.

The final thing that I am going to leave you with is the thought of the dragon orchid and its importance in the book. Although it does not seem to be focal point, and not even the reason that King Erikir was killed in the first place, but that flower is the reason why the island is how it us and without it, there would be nothing magical and nothing special about the Island of blessed, but maybe there's more to the flower than first meets the eye.

This is a book that I would highly recommend to everyone, the individual parts are so unique that there is something for everyone to enjoy in this magnificent book my Marcus Sedgwick. I have nothing for this book other than very high praise. Next time you get the chance, grab a copy and dive in. Its a quick and easy read that will keep you turning the pages.

Response to JEZEBEL'S in THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood

If there are any good sides to being stuck at home ill, then it has to be that it gives you plenty of quite time to read a book without the distractions of work or college etc... While reading The Handmaid's Tale, tucked up in bed, I was able to think about some of the more shocking things that I came across in the book.

Please note that this post is not connected to the series I am writing which works through this book in depth and detail. This is a one off post expressing my reaction to part of the book we were assigned to look at at home.

If you just merely read a synopsis of the book or a brief overview , then it would be very easy to say 'oh well, nothing is ever as pristine and perfect as it seems, there's obviously going to be something going on behind the scenes, however I found that while reading the book, I was caught into thinking in the way of Gilead, encouraging Offred not to do things for fear of punishment, and although the black market trade was of little surprise to me, the idea that somewhere like Jezebel's even existed was totally out of the question. I think Atwood has been very clever in making sure that the book isn't as predictable as it could well have been..

The first thing that surprised me about this section of the book, was the Commander's very sudden change of attitude. For night's on end Offred has been summoned to play scrabble and read books, and then all of a sudden, he requests that she should wear a feathery, sparkly, sequinned leotard and make up. My initial thoughts were just that the Commander had finally gotten bored of playing word games and enticing Offred with things she couldn't otherwise have, and he had finally decided to use her for what everyone initially thought: sex.

I can understand the existence of the Black market for alcohol and cigarettes, however Jezebel's; which in essence is a brothel, is everything that Gilead has ever fought against. It is in the same league as porn and strip clubs, ultimately men objectifying women. This is also the thing that shocks me the most about Moira being there. As a feminist, standing for women's rights, Jezebel's is the last place I would have expected to see her.

The final thing that took me by surprise was the presence of the Aunts. I first thought that may be it was just an enterprise run by a couple of rebellious commanders and guardians, however seeing the Aunts suggests that the women who end up here, are groomed for this just as much as the Handmaids are groomed for their job. An illegal part of society that people don't just ignore, but they encourage and support.

The whole thing shocked me, this supposedly pure and pristine society, seems to have some very dark stains indeed.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 17 - 21)

Chapter seventeen is so different to chapter sixteen, that it almost takes you aback when Offred returns to her room as if nothing has happened.

The way that Offred uses the butter is yet again something that is completely alien to us; something else that was once strange, but has now become the norm for our narrator, however even though it is completely alien to us, it still shows us how Offred and the other Handmaids are still, to some extent able to think for themselves. They use butter as a substitute moisturiser; 'A trick I learned at the Rachel and Leah school'. Rachel and Leah being the two women from the Bible who have supposedly inspired this society of surrogacy. This clearly displays the fact that Offred isn't the only one who is doing things that she shouldn't be doing.

At the top of page one hundred and eight, she mentions that she's alone in her single bed. This isn't the first time that she has nodded to the fact that she has a single bed, she does this also at the start of chapter twenty three. This could be Offred revealing to us one of the things that she is struggling most to adjust to. If for years she has been sharing a double bed with Luke as we are lead to believe, then it would be very difficult to get used to sleeping alone in a single bed. This could reflect the loneliness that Offred feels, and it also alludes to the notion that romance is never an option in Gilead.

'The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow' is a line from The Night Before Christmas, which is a happy poem about Christmas and the excitement that it is to bring, not only does this contradict the atmosphere of Offred's entire life, but it could also act as a metaphor for what is to come, when she is summoned to meet the commander and it seems as if all her Christmases have come at once; reading, books, magazines, unrestricted speech...

I find it quite strange that all of a sudden, Offred declares her undying craving to steal something, which catches you off guard a little bit. It seems like a bit of an anachronism, you get this long heart felt cry about how she longs to have Luke and to be held and feel something other than oppression, then all of a sudden 'I want to steal something'

However this impulse that she gets unknowingly leads her to Nick who allows her to feel for a short moment how she longed to feel with Luke. It allows us to see that Offred still does have the ability to feel what she thought she had lost forever. Romance is never an option in Gilead however in that slight moment, it appears that although it may not be an option, it does still exist. This is also backed up on page one hundred and twenty three, (chapter nineteen) when she tells us about the initials and dates carved into the desk, in an attempt to create something permanent to show that those concerned would be in love forever. However there were none of these from after nineteen eighty, which gives an indication as to when Gilead first came to be about.

I think the simile of the crystal glass sound that Offred uses to describe herself is really effective, because it allows her to show just for delicate and fragile she is feeling. Something beautiful, yet fragile.

The rest of this chapter; I think, is really interesting because, Offred talks about what she believes about what happen to her beloved Luke after they were separated. This in itself is not unusually, people often talk through what they believe as if they are trying to reinforce it in their own minds, to help the to believe it more, however what IS unusual about this is that Offred talks through three or four different possibilities as to what has happen to Luke and each one is very different to the one before. I find it interesting how she tries to tell us that she believes all three of these. You can believe someone is dead, a prisoner and free all at the same time. It just isn't possible for someone to be all of these things at once.

Towards the end of chapter eighteen, we also start to see something else rather interesting begin to happen. 'In Hope. why did they put that above a dead person? Was it the corpse hoping, or someone still alive? Does Luke hope?'
Firstly, this quote tells us that out of the three possibilities she talked us through in the chapter, the one where Luke is dead is the one she believes the least because she can still talk about Luke as if he is still alive and they are just separated.
Secondly, the reasons that In Hope is put across gravestones is because the people who buried them are hoping that they will go to heaven. So the fact that Offred is wondering what there is to hope about suggests that she has lost any faith that she had before Gilead. The one thing that is supposed to be built around religion is the very thing that has caused her lose her religion.

Atwood has named part eight Birth Day as apposed to Birthday. This is an effective play on words. In Gilead, a birth day is not a celebration of someones birthday but the day that a child is born, and all the handmaids gather to share in the birth and the Commanders wives gather together to celebrate the birth of the commanders wife's child.

I really like the metaphor that Atwood has used for describing Gilead. The cushion that used to be part of a set of three FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY. 'HOPE and CHARITY, where have they been stowed?' out of these three hope and charity have been taken away. Just as there is no hope in Gilead and certainly no charity. This leaves only faith. After all Gilead is built on faith and religion, so if you choose not to accept faith, what else is there left?

The scene with Offred thinking about the chair is also very effective because it raises so many things that have a relevance to Gilead and/or Offred:

• leader of a meeting - chairman - COMMANDER
• mode of execution - electric chair - PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXECUTED IN GILEAD
• first syllable in charity - ONE THING MISSING FROM GILEAD
• french word for flesh - HANDMAIDS ARE NEED FOR THEIR BODIES - THEIR FLESH

To Offred they are unconnected but to us the reader they are most definitely connected. It also indicates that Offred could well have once been a fairly well educated woman before she became and handmaid.

 While Offred is in the Birthmobile, she tells us a small amount about what the inside looks like, however I get the impression; from the benches and the fact she has to get in the back door, that the Birthmobile is nothing more than a pimped up prison van, used to transport the Handmaids in large numbers. this reflects the idea that Offred is a prisoner in this society and this world.

Chapter twenty is interesting as it really does lay out in front of you, the views of this new world. I think of all the neologisms that Atwood has used throughout the novel so far, the term Unwoman, that we find here is by far the most interesting. Initially I thought it just meant women who were infertile and unable to carry out their purpose in life, however as Aunt Lydia continues on, it becomes clear that it actually encompasses all women who are 'wasting their time'. This points most directly women who have sex with other women, i.e lesbians.

However Aunt Lydia says 'We would have to condone some of their ideas, even today. Only some, mind you'. This shows us that this community of Gilead would agree with some of the things the Unwomen fought for and said, which tells us that these were Lesbian Feminists.

I'm going to move onto chapter twenty one fairly swiftly because I feel that this is a very important chapter in this section of the book.

The colour symbolism in this chapter is really incredible, for the first time we see a handmaid not dressed in red, Janine/Ofwarren who has gone into labour, has been permitted to give birth wearing white. This could symbolize that she is no longer just a handmaid, but she has completed that task that has been set, she has not only gotten pregnant, but she has carried it to full term and is giving birth to it. She has completed her purpose.

The fact that all the handmaids are there and also all the commanders' wives are there, works well to symbolize the idea that they are all one body; one flesh. This is further backed up when Offred describes the labour pains that she and the other Handmaids begin to feel in sympathy with Janine.

I have really enjoyed reading this section of the book and I do believe that the book continues to get better.

ONE DAY by David Nicholls

To be honest with you, I felt a little disappointed with this book. When I was at high school, the Library lady wouldn't let us read it because it was 'too mature', so when I got to college and I could read what I liked this is one of the first books I picked up.

In the week I have been reading this book, I have yet to make it past page twenty five, so far I have found the plot a little flat and its just not what I wanted or expected from this book. Perhaps in a few months time I will attempt to read it again and who knows, by then things may have changed and I may really enjoy it, but at the minute I am just finding it far too easy to put down in favour of another book. I believe a book should hook you in from the first paragraph and keep you there, unable to close the book let alone put it down, and ONE DAY just isn't doing this for me. Its not exciting me in the way a gook should.

This is only my opinion on the book, don't let me keep you from trying it for yourself, it may be your thing, you may really enjoy it. You'll never know if its the book for you until you turn the first page and begin to read.

As I said before, I do plan to come back and try this book again in a couple of months.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 11 - 16)

I think that chapter eleven is a really interesting chapter in the book, because it really opens up a whole new side to Gilead that the reader hasn't yet been able to see, because of Offred's restricted view of the world. Looking back in previous chapters, we have seen that there have been rebels who have been executed for going against the system, and naturally you would think that this would deter people from committing these 'crimes' however in chapter eleven, it is more than apparent that this is not the case. There are definitely those who still attempt to rebel against Them and their new society.

Even the medical professionals who are responsible for making sure the handmaids are in full health as to be able to carry out their job; are not allowed to look at the handmaid's faces. This goes to show the restricted nature of Gilead; many medical professionals from our own time have admitted that they can only present a very restricted medical diagnosis is they cannot see the face of the patient. However, we later learn that for anything more than a sexual health check-up, the Handmaids are taken to a hospital which we hear incredibly little about. We are told nothing about what goes on in the hospitals, this is because Offred has so far never been to one of these hospitals and has possibly never been in contact with anyone who has and/or wishes to share their experience.

It is also in chapter eleven when Atwood really hammers it home how important getting pregnant to these women is. Offred genuinely considers accepting the help of this doctor, who is offering himself and his services to her so that she might conceive and not receive the fate of an Unwoman. Despite it being illegal and extremely dangerous, she still considers risking it to make sure that she fulfills her duty as a handmaid.
However, Atwood lures you into thinking that Offred is going to accept so when she turns his offer down, it comes as a slight surprise, not enough to throw you but just enough to make to have to step back and review the situation. This shows us that Offred is afraid that by accepting the doctors offer she will be giving in to the new world she is being forced to live in, doing anything to please her commander and fulfill her job; but by rejecting it, she is holding onto the little bit of her self control and herself. For Offred it can't all be about getting pregnant in anyway possible because then she does what she has tried not to do for so long; give in.

I think it is really effective that chapter twelve starts in the bathroom, as if the events at the doctors have left her feeling dirty and unclean. That she has had a bath immediately afterwards to wash away the unclean and illegal actions of the doctor. To remove every last speck of their conversation from her conscious.

The way she describes 'my nakedness is strange to me already' allows the reader to understand that not only has Gilead managed to alter society's view of women, but it has managed to to change women's view of themselves. In what appears to be a fairly short period of time; one, maybe two generations, women have stopped being comfortable in revealing clothing and makeup and now they are uncomfortable even in the bath with only themselves there. This is a really good example of what Aunt Lydia meant when she said 'This may not seem ordinary to you know, but after a time it will. it will become ordinary'. For so long, all the women have been forced to cover themselves from head to foot that now they cannot stand to be uncovered, even in front of themselves.

This bath time event acts as a trigger for Offred, causing her to think about her own daughter from the time before. However these are not happy memories. Initially she remembers her daughter being stolen from her in a supermarket, which allows us to sympathize with Offred because we know that her daughter has not been the only thing that was taken from her, but also her freedom and the rest of her family. She recalls thinking at the time that it was an 'isolated incident' which we know wasn't the case. This backs up the idea of the unreliable narrator, admitting that she got it wrong, so how do we know now, that elements of her life now are not being recalled incorrectly or that she wrongly informing us of things that are happening.

About half way through this interesting chapter, we learn that Offred has a small tattoo branding her with her new life and role, at the time when I read this I thought little of it, however in chapter twenty-four, Offred talks about the Nazi concentration camps and this allowed me to make the link. Prisoners in the concentration camps were branded with a tattoo of a number just as Offred has been in her world, signifying that Offred is in fact a prisoner, with orders to carry out and strict rules to stick to, or suffer the consequences.

Chapter thirteen is a nap section, which I believe in itself is unusual, throughout the rest of the book, it has always been Night sections that have been slotted in between the rest of the story, allowing us to alternate between the two, however this time rather than night, it is a nap which we are welcomed into by our narrator. Letting us see that they have some 'freedom' during the day. The same sort of freedom that Offred always seems to take full advantage from and her we are informed about the arrival of Moira; and the arrival of Moira also reveals even more information to us about the strict culture that has been forced upon them. She talks about how friendship are frowned upon and suspicious and her secret meeting with Moira reveal how strict the Aunts are even about small things like going to the toilet.

I find it interesting how, during her nap time, Offred is thinking about a nap time along time ago from when she initially started as a handmaid. Through out the rest of this Nap, Offred recalls (or dreams) about a number of different memories, she remembers being in her old apartment with everything packed into boxes apart from her clothes which are hung up in her wardrobe. I feel this is a really important part in showing Offred's current emotional and mental positioning. The fact that she doesn't recognize her own clothes in the wardrobe, isn't because she couldn't recognize them at the time, but because now, in Gilead, Offred has been conditioned to the ways of the world to such an extent that she can no longer remember or imagine herself wearing such clothing. Also the way she calls out to Luke and then as a side, say that it 'Occurs to me that he may not even be alive.' You would only think something like that looking back on it, not at the time the memory took place.
This in turn, triggers another memory, of her running through a forest with her daughter trying to escape, however she had drugged her daughter to keep her quiet, but that made it difficult to travel with her, it showed her that doing WHATEVER it takes doesn't always payoff, this could have been one of the reasons that she turned down the doctor on his offer, but this isn't the only time she admits to drugging her daughter as we see later on in the book.

Offred also reveals; whether on purpose or not, that she has been having the same dreams over and over again: Of all the dream, this is the worst.

Now then, I feel that chapter fourteen, fifteen and sixteen should be tackled as one element,especially as it is all part of the same Ceremony.

Before the Commander arrives, we see for the first time the smallest glimmer of compassion from the Commander's Wife; Serena Joy. Despite the fact that they are not aloud to read or watch any form of television, Serena Joy allows them to watch the news before the ceremony begins properly, however the way that she switches it off before the Commander arrives suggest that he himself is unaware of this that his wife is doing causes us to think that maybe, he also is hiding things from his wife, however at this point it is just an assumption. While all this is happening, the seemingly unimportant Nick (the car man) suddenly makes a move on Offred, Touching his toes to her and stirring a reaction in her which takes her by surprise, not only because what he is doing is forbidden, but also because she didn't realize that she could still respond to men in this way.

After the commander enters, the atmosphere seems to change quite dramatically, it goes from silent excitement and gratefulness to being extremely formal and serious. The commander has arrived and therefore, the proceedings can begin.

I'll admit that I'm struggling as with what to write in terms of chapters fourteen and fifteen, a lot of it is just seems to be Offred trying to postpone telling us about what happens in chapter sixteen. Its almost as if Offred is trying to get out of telling us what she has to go through by explaining the first part of the ceremony in such detail that it takes up two chapters.

I think this is very clever of Atwood because she has drawn out the wait for this moment for so long that when we do finally find out what Offred's purpose in this life is for, it hits us like a bomb shell.

When I initially read chapter sixteen it made me feel incredibly awkward and almost embarrassed at what I was reading. Sex is something that traditionally is kept between the two people involved, so the fact that three people are there is uncomfortable in itself, but as a reader I felt like I had walked in on something that I shouldn't have done. I think we can all agree that in this case, Atwood has definitely succeeded in creating some rather Avant Garde emotions in her reader.

The thing that made this the most uncomfortable for me was Atwood use of the word f**k. However, even though it is a word that I myself am uncomfortable with, I believe that it was the right word for Atwood to use and she explains it beautifully in the chapter itself.

I do not say making love, because this is not what he's doing. Copulating would also be inaccurate, because it would imply two people and only one is involved. Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven't signed up for.

I think that sums this point up to be honest with you.

Another point of interest for me was when Offred talks about the Commander not being as bad as the last one, which suggests that there is more than one man that she has been made to have sex with, which seems to contradict the so called christian nature of this society. So if this society is so religious, how can they permit it that woman can be forced to have sex with multiple men whoever they are assigned to? But then she talks about how this is the life she chose, it's almost like she's hedging it a bit, because in fact, it was either this life, of being sent to the colonies which was almost certainly resulting in a slow and painful death from radiation poisoning.

I think I will be glad to move away from this section of the book and move on, in a hope that something more positive is to come for Offred.... one can always hope.

THE DEAD HOUSE by Anne Cassidy

Wow! What a book. I must say that this has been one of the most thrilling and hooking books I have read in a long time.

Ten years ago, Lauren's mother and sister were murdered and an attempt was made on Lauren's own life. After the tragic event, Lauren moved to Cornwall with her Aunt Jessica and Uncle Donny, but now ten years later, circumstances have unfolded and brought her back to the London house where she lost her family. Throughout the novel we join Lauren on her hunt to find the truth about what really happened that night.

The best thing about this book for me is the way that there is more than one genre all rolled into this one, fantastic book. Teen romance, horror, mystery, family, crime all feature in The Dead House.

In addition to this, Cassidy has very cleverly slid in to plots into a single story, which makes for a very interesting read, because although Lauren's story doesn't affect Jess and Donny's, their story does have an incredible impact on how Lauren's story unfurls.

My favorite character through out probably has to be Donny. Despite that fact that he causes to much pain and anguish to Lauren's Aunt Jessica, I couldn't help but feel like he was the victim in this side story which runs parallel to the main plot of the story. I feel like you have all these stereotypical story book characters like like Lauren who is a survive trying to get on with her life, Nathan the night in shining Armour and Julie who is very much the girly best friend who is obsessed with anything male. Then you have regular old Donny who gets it wrong and tries to set things right, its a place we've all been in isn't it. You mess up big time and then you try your best to fix it up. I really like the way that Cassidy has given him human emotions rather than fictional. What I mean by that is, when he goes to fix things with Jess, he isn't all bravado and laid back, he's scared and nervous like any normal person would be.

I think that the way the chapters of the book are set out is really effective. As well as having the conventional chapters, the book is split into four part:

• House of ghosts
• House of memories
• House of revelations
• House of secrets

I think these four titles really reflect the way that Lauren's emotions progress throughout the book.

I have never been a fan of traditional clowns with all their makeup and costume, so this element of the story made it particularly spine tingling for me. Initially the motif of the clown appears occasionally during the first chapters however it soon becomes evident that it is much more than that. I think this works so well because Cassidy has taken something that many people fear and turned that fear into reality.

I found I was able to connect with Lauren on a basic level, in terms of the fact that she is very determined, and although I have never been through anything as horrific as Lauren went through, I understand how hard it was for her to change her mind about her Dad, in fact the author had so well made up MY mind that I wanted Lauren to stick to her guns and not give in to the idea that she might be wrong. When I make my mind up about something, it takes a lot to change it and I see this element of myself in Lauren.

I would highly recommend this book to all people young and old, that's the beauty of this book, it fits into so many categories that everyone can enjoy it!

FROM THE MOUTH OF THE WHALE by Sjon

If you're the kind of person that enjoys sitting with elderly folk and listening to the tales they have to tell from their former years, then this book is most definitely for you.

It is quite difficult to write about this book because there is no real plot to follow and the narrative extremely fragmented. However I think ths works well in the context of the story. If Sjon had followed a linear plot, I feel that the book would indeed have been much more boring than it otherwise was.

Poet and self-taught healer; Jonas Palmason has been exiled for some hereticle crime which is unknown until the end of the book. Jonas begins his tale talking to a Sandpiper who has joined him on his island, and throughout the year and a half that we accompany Jonas on his island he tells us stories from his past; how he met his wife, childhood ceremonies he was made to attend, escapades in trying to flee his exile, and in many ways I felt more like I was at the feet of my Grandfather, listening to his own tales and stories rather than sat reading a book. As his tale unfolds you begin to develop a respect for Jonas that you would normally find yourself feeling towards an elder or a Father.

This is very different to the contrasting hatred that I felt toward Ari Magnusson, who I felt abused his power and I felt it should have been him that was exiled on the island. When you juxtapose Ari with Jonas, it becomes very clear that they are two very different people. They both have power, Ari has the power through law and authority, whereas Jonas has the power of knowledge and speech. The thing that seperates these two men apart, is Jonas is very humble in his acknowledgment of his power where as Ari is very selfish and self centered.

The thing that mosts excites me about this book is the extravagant description that Sjon uses throughout the novel. I find it inspiring and I feel that it is this description that draws you through the book. My favorit example of this is actually in the prelude describing boar:

"But this huge-tusked boar was without doubt the most savage brute the north had ever snorted out of its icy nostril."

The other thing that I believe contibutes greatly to the success of this story is the use of Icelandic beliefe that has become a motif, popping up throughout the story. As it recurrs so frequently and the narrator keeps coming back to it time and time again, it gives the reason to hope and keep them willing that Jonas will survive his ordeal of exile. This is what makes it so heart wrenchingly terribly when Sigga (his wife) passes away. As a reader, you begin to almost pray that his God will protect him, hoping desperately that they will both survive, so when this doesn't happen and she dies, you feel let down and upset because Jonas has been let down by the one thing that all his hope and security has been held in all this time.

The only thing I must say that I didn't particulaly like was the fact that there are not chapter as such, just the whole book split into five seperate parts. I prefer reading with chapters as I dislike stopping half way through a chapter, however I think in this instance, it did not detract too much from this fabulose book.

I have very much enjoyed reading this book and would deffinately recommend this to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction and/or, as I said, just sitting and listening to tales of the past from our elders.

NB: Please excuse the missing accents above the letters in the Icelandic and Nordic names, I have yet to find out how to do this on blogger and will change it as soon as I know how to. Please comment if you know how to do this.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 7 - 10)

So at the end of chapter six we left Offred and Ofglen looking at the hanged men on the city wall on their way back to the houses they have been assigned to live in, and our Handmaid narrator recalls something that Aunt Lydia said, which proves to be rather unnerving.

"Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what we are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary".

Personally, I find this thought quite scary, the idea that everything that I once knew and did as part of my daily life, would soon become so far separated from who I am that it would no longer seem ordinary. By using this quote, Atwood had gotten deep inside the head of her reader, making them feel like the narrator, helping us deepen our connections with Offred.

However throughout the story, Atwood uses fragmented narrative. All the chapters are broken up with flashbacks, varying in the time of the memory, sometimes they are memories merely months old; recalling when she first started her new life as a Handmaid as we see on page 23, and some times they are much older, going back many years before the 'war'; such as when she remembers holding her daughter on page 73 later on in chapter twelve. Another way that Atwood achieves this fragmented narrative is to add chapters to the book when Offred isn't restricted to the ways of Gilead.

This is what we have in chapter seven. 'The night is mine, my own time, to do with as I will'.
Initially, as the reader I felt a sigh of relief when I read this first sentence because from the beginning I have wanted her to be able to have even a small time to herself, but that relief I felt for her was short lived as she goes on to explain that 'as long as I am quiet. As long as I don't move. As long as I lie still'. Even the time she is given to herself is controlled by the people who own her. But I feel that this is where Atwood most reveals the resolve of the Narrator; Offred. She uses this time to do what she is advised not to; she uses it to think, to dream, to be her own soul. This is also when we first meet Moira.

She also refers a lot to the reader in chapter seven more so than in the rest of the book, explaining the versatility of the word 'you' and how it can mean a number of different things, almost as if she is trying to catch the readers attention, like a plea for help, we are outside this society and therefore the only ones who can help her.

Chapter eight returns back to the main story-line where chapter six left off, looking at the bodies on the city wall (which have now been changed which indicates they have been waiting and watching a while).

When Offglen says to Offred 'it's a beautiful Mayday' it triggers another flash back to one of her discussions with Luke (her husband before Gilead) to the origins of the distress call 'mayday', this is just another example of Offred trying to retain her sanity in the midst of a culture where she cannot, think for herself or read or do anything remotely similar to her old life. She is clinging on to what is left of her old life and refusing to let go.This mention of 'mayday' and also 'SOS' could also once again be Offred's subtle attempting at calling out to the reader for help and salvation. However on page 59 when she sees the Commander out side her room, she actually refers to it as her room; her personal room, and she acknowledges that she calls it her room, which shows although she could be slipping into believing that this is a normal life, she still has the opportunity to stop herself from falling out of reality.

Chapter eight is quite long and covers a number of different settings, including the town, the kitchen with the Marthas and the hall outside of the room Offred has been assigned. We spend every little time in the town and the return journey to the house is very short and to the point, almost rushed which could reflect how They feel about the Handmaids being in the town with other people. Earlier we learn that the university has been shut down; this can implore the idea that 'knowledge is power' and university is a source of knowledge. This shows us that They don't want anyone to pose as a threat to their position of power. However people can also gain knowledge by talking to other people, so by controlling the language used and the topics of conversation which are acceptable between Handmaids, keeps the passing of information to a minimum. The short amount to time spent talking about the time spent in town and the journey home, also suggests that the people in charge, don't like the Handmaids to be away from their houses for too long.

This though is continued on into chapter nine, when Offred finally gives into the idea that it is her room and that if she is to keep hold of her sanity, she really must have somewhere to call her own, something more than just a hotel room, as she refers to it when she recalls exploring the room for the first time.  The fact that initially thought of it as a hotel room, showed that Offred had a glimmer of hope when she had first entered her current situation however the way that Atwood has juxtaposed the past and present, it is really clear that by accepting this 'hotel room' she has accepted that this new world is not a temporary measure and it is more than likely that she may never see the end of it.

Throughout the rest of the chapter, Offred talks us through the search of her room that she did, which I think is a very personal thing to do. This is the only place that she has to herself and she chooses to share that with us. Even down to the one thing that she is strictly forbidden to do; reading, when she finds those few words (Nolite te bastardes carborundorum), Even though Offred doesn't know what they mean, she still holds them very close to her, something that no one else knows about and that she can keep to herself, but even these she chooses to share with us.

Atwood uses another religious reference when she says, 'I saved the cupboard until the third day'. In the Christian belief Jesus rose again from the death on the third day after his crucifixion to bring salvation to man kind, I think this could be a metaphor that whatever Offred found in that cupboard and what ever those words mean, could be the key to her salvation from Gilead.

About half of chapter ten is about Offred remembering memories of her songs she used to sing with her other and also memories of chatting with Moira. Flitting between the two - past and present - ever couple of paragraphs. These past parts of the chapter are very familiar to us, not only because Atwood has written one similar to it earlier in the novel but also because it include things that we ourselves can relate to.

The other half of this chapter is Offred narrating her current situation. The way that Atwood describes and writes about the new summer dresses make them sound almost pleasant, and less like the habits that they are forced to wear as their uniform. Atwood's use of the word Things makes it very clear about how sexual behavior and harassment is felt about in Gilead. 'Such things do not happen to nice women', Linking this back to the comment that Aunt Lydia made about 'Freedom to and freedom from', we can see that this society is trying to convince Offred and the other Handmaids that they're much better off where they are now, than where they were before. They are selling Gilead to the women as a place where they are free from the harassment from men and they no longer have to be embarrassed by showing to much skin or being groped by old men because non of that will happen to them in Gilead.

I feel much happier now that I have a name for the Handmaid, although we will never find out what her real name is, I still this it is important that we can refer to her with a name, to treat her with the humanity that no one else does, however this just goes to show that to Them, she is nothing but an instrument in their wider plan.

Finally, in chapter ten, we really hear Offred's thoughts about the commander clearly for the first time. we get a description of his grey hair, 'silver you might call it if you were being kind'.  And the Handmaid also tells us about how she feels about him; where as you would expect her to feel anger, hatred and respect for this man she explains how she has a feeling for him she doesn't know how to describe, however makes a point of telling us that 'I don't know what to call it, It isn't love'.  this could be an indication that the narrator is hiding things from her audience and that she may possibly be unreliable.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 1 - 6)

Initial thoughts:

Even before I had been given a copy of the book, I had begun to form some initial thoughts and feelings about the book. Just on hearing the title of the book, my first reaction was to think I would be reading a period novel set in a medieval time period. I assumed it would be told from the point of view of a servant girl/maid who served the Queen/Duchess etc.... and we would be following the story of her life in the palace and we would endure her hardships together. However this could not have been further from the truth. Initially it stood out to me as a book that I would not normally pick up although I was not reluctant to read it and up to now I have been pleasantly surprised.

The book:

I have found the first chapters of the book rather overwhelming but equally I have found them incredibly interesting and intriguing. I feel that Atwood has been very clever in the way she has started this book. She provokes so many questions in the reader's mind that it leaves them no option but to carry on reading in order to discover the answers.

In my opinion, The Handmaids tale strikes me as a novel set in the future (although, there is no mention of a time period so far), and something has happened to society, causing it to take a step back in order for it to be able to move forwards.

In chapters two through six, we learn a lot about the environment and it seems that Atwood is gradually introducing us to this strange, new, dystopian world. In chapter two, the reader is still fairly familiar with the surrounding environment. 'A chair, a table, a lamp' are all things that we are familiar with and use in everyday life. However the fact that everything in the room has been modified to make it suicide proof is the first real clue that we get into the attitudes of the society that our main character is dwelling in. It suggests that the main character (who is still unnamed at this point), is living in a world where her own actions are being controlled by other people, it also point to the suggestion that these people don't trust her and that she is not here because she wants to be.

When 'The bell that measure time is ringing' and the Handmaid ventures out of her room in chapter two, Atwood begins to reveal the hierarchy of the society that the story is set in. When we first meet the Martha, it is immediately clear to us that she is of lower status than the handmaid however it is not immediately obvious why. It is only when the handmaid recalls the Martha Cora recall the fact that it could have been her if she hadn't had her 'tubes tied' we get the first inkling into why the handmaid might be here even if it is not to clear, this is supported later in the book when her and Ofglen are sent into town and they see the men in white coats still hanging from their nooses and they describe 'the placard hung around his neck to show why he had been executed: a drawing of a human foetus'. This indicates to the reader that these men were executed for carrying out abortions for women. This suggests that abortion is forbidden in this society and leads us to believe that this has something to do with the purpose of the handmaids. I say purpose because as the name of her partner suggests (Ofglen = Of Glen. Ofwayne and Ofwarren are other examples) these women no longer have a life of their own but they are owned by their commanders and are treated as so. Therefore, it can be concluded that the handmaid narrating the story will have a similar name to that of her partner.

The colours of each woman's dress also tells us a lot about who they are, what their job is and their position in in the sociological hierarchy.

The red dresses that the Handmaids are made to wear could represent women in scarlet, and seduction which inferences towards the job she has been given, yet not revealed to the reader. The red could also signify the fact that she is a possession of the Commander, she has a contract with him that cannot be broken; almost like a blood contract (blood red). Also this can be liked to page 18 when Atwood uses the phrase "Sister's dipped in blood". Nun's have an agreement with God to serve him, so likening the handmaids to Nuns, not only reflects the religious nature of the society, but it also suggests that they have a contract or an agreement with someone, to serve in some way.

The blue dresses that the Commander's Wives wear, represent their purity and the respect they expect to receive from the handmaids and the marthas. These blue dresses can be likened to the blue dress that the Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing.

Catholic and High church views are a recurring theme throughout the story so far and I believe that this will be no different as the story continues. Not only in the dress that the women are forced to wear, but also in the way that they are made to speak. 'Blessed be the fruit' is the preferred greeting between the handmaids and 'may the Lord open' is the preferred response, however other phrases such as 'praise be' are commonly used in conversation when such conversation is permitted to take place. The term 'blessed be the fruit' could be another nod towards the handmaids purpose and place in this society, Which I think we can now conclude has much to do with bearing children and children are often referred to as the 'fruit of the womb' in religious circles.

The thing I have noticed the most about these first chapters of the book, is that Atwood has used an incredible amount of inference to point towards major points in the book without actually giving to much away too early in the book.

The 'GONE' series by Michael Grant

Despite it being a series of six books, there is no way I could ever review them as individual books; it would be like trying to write a book review for on a chapter of Harry Potter or the first half of the Hobbit. The GONE series is less like a collection of book that follow on from each other, and more like one single story that is just too voluminous to be pack into a single book.

Initially I was reluctant to pick up the first book as I thought it was going to be below my usual reading level and I didn't want to think of myself as reading a book that was aimed and written for much younger people than myself. I now see what a terrible attitude this was to have. However, in the end it was the brightly coloured pages and the contrast between black and neon that drew me to the book and force fingers to turn the first page, and I must say that after the first page was turned, there was no stopping them.

When a melt down happens at the nuclear powerplant, Little Pete Ellison uses his unknown power to create the FAYZ, a 'protective' barrier around Perdido Beach and all of its residents. However in his ignorance, Little Pete teleports everyone aged fifteen and over outside the dome, leaving hundereds of children to fend for themselves in a world riddled with mutant creatures. Fortunately, Sam Temple steps up to the plate and takes the role of mayor in this very different town. Through out the story, you will follow these children as they prematurely become young adults, as they fight to survive the FAYZ.

The thing that shocked me the most about these incredible books if the connections that you create with the characters and the way these feelings change so dramatically. The best example of this would be the connections I made with the character 'Diana Ladris'. Diana is the girlfriend and companion of the sociopath Caine. At the start of this journey I hated Diana with everything I could muster within me. I thought she was an evil witch who would do anything to get her own way or allow Caine to get his. This is very much how she was for the first three to four books in the series. I despised her character and genuinely wished ill of her if there was ever a battle or an argument between her and Caine. I wished for Caine to use his mutant telekinetic powers to destroy her in some brutally horrific way that would cause her to suffer as much as the people she herself had damaged. However when she becomes pregnant and leaves Caine to live with Sam (the other main character (the good one)), I began to truly believe that maybe she had a good seed in her heart that just needed nurturing in order to flourish. It was then I began to feel bad at myself for being so hostile towards Diana and not giving her a chance to show herself for who she really was when she didn't have Caine to perform for twenty four hours a day. I thought the way the Grant lures you into thinking to that you can trust her and that she is a changed woman, is very clever. He appeals to the human nature of his readers. It doesn't matter that you hated her before and that you wanted her dead, now she is pregnant and our own human instinct is to look after and care for this person so that they don't die and the don't get hurt; just by changing one element of Diana's situation, Grant has cleverly turned our opinion of her on it's head.

Later on in the story though, when Diana gives birth to her child, the baby is taken over by the Gaiaphage which takes the baby to use as its own body. Understandably Diana follows that dark and evil creature, following her newly found mothering instincts to look after what she believes is still her baby girl. Even though as a reader I understood that Diana couldn't possibly tear herself away from her child, I still felt deeply hurt and disappointed in Diana  that she had turned and followed the Evil one. I really felt like I'd been let down, as if I'd put my trust in a close friend and they had turned they're back on me. This really knocked my opinion of Diana for the rest of the story and even right at the end when Sam and Astrid (his girlfriend) offer hospitality to Diana, I still felt unsure of her however, because Sam had been the leader and the hero from the beginning I felt obliged to trust his judgement and not to question his decisions as after all, they were the reason so many people had survived the FAYZ.

This deep connection that I built with many of the characters, lead me to start thinking in the same way as the children trapped beneath the barrier. At the start I desperately wanted them to escape so they could be with their parents again, but as the story progressed and I journeyed with the characters, I almost became adverse to the idea of the of the FAYZ wall coming down. The young people had learnt to build a society on their own and I as a reader had been there with them while they had committed atrocities that would appear outrageous and worthy of various prison sentences to the outside world, however being there with them, I understood that these children had no other choice and that the majority of them only did what they had to in order to survive. I wanted the wall to come down only because no one would survive very long unless it did. I was scared for the young people because I knew the outside world would not understand what had happened and they would try and prosecute and drag them through councelling and various therapies. The people who had survived the trauma of living in the FAYZ would not get the medals and the heroic welcome they deserved so badly.

Right at the end of the final book, after the acknowledgements, Grant wrote a short letter to his readers, thanking them for reading his books and taking the time to take the journey with Sam, Astrid, Diana, Caine and all the others. During the letter he explains that the main thing he wanted to achieve was that his readers would be able to feel for the characters and feel as if they were really there with them.

I feel that the author has achieve his goal many times over in the course of these books, and I feel that this is only emphasised by the fact that each relationship between reader and character is completely unique from any other one.

Finally I would just like to add that I would highly recommend this series to just about anyone, no matter how old you are.

This book probably should not be read by people who feel strongly against children being exposed to violent and life threatening situations.