TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES By Thomas Hardy - PHASE THE FIFTH

Well I must say that I think I was definitely correct in my prediction of this phase. In my last Tess post I suggested that this would be an action packed out-working of the previous phase and boy was I right!

Can I just say that if I didn't hate Angel Clare before, I most certainly do now. I'm sorry Mr Hardy... but how can you write a book where you hate all the characters, but love the book? It just doesn't seem possible. The whole incident with Brazil made me furious to the point of wanting to put the book down.

One thing that I did find very interesting was the way that Hardy reintroduces a number of different characters from earlier on in the book. These include Alec, Izz, Marian, Farmer Groby and a few other minor characters. All of these have an expected, individual effect on Tess, but what I'm most interested in is the collective result they have on Tess and the future that she was trying to write for herself. All these people are from Tess's past and we know that, in going to Talbothoy's and marrying Clare, she decided to move on and make an effort to change the future society had set for her. The re appearance of these characters makes it seem as though fate is purposely forceing Tess to relive her past and not move on into the future. I think this is Hardy showing us just how important the judgements of society can be.

I think I've made my main points about this section of the book, but as it getting closer to the end of the book; only two phases left, its getting increasingly difficult to talk about the book without giving spoilers.

Sorry it's a short one. x

TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES By Thomas Hardy - PHASE THE FOURTH

In phase the fourth of Tess, a lot happens. We get to meet Angel Clare's family in some depth, Tess finally agrees to marry Angel, the wedding takes place and Tess takes that one important step we've all been waiting for and equally dreading. She reveals the truth about her history to Angel... after he marries her!

I must say I was shocked we Angel revealed his own secret which can as its own surprise if I'm honest, although I did feel that I shouldn't have been surprised by Angel's affair. Maybe I'm to hard on the lad, maybe I'm just extremely cynical about him. I'm finding that the more I read the book, the more I am being forced to like Angel. I say forced, because nothing about me wants to like, him. right from the start he's seemed too good to be true and I have been determined to hate him through and through and so far, Hardy is doing a fantastic job of making sure that doesn't happen. Drat those amazing authors!

In this phase we really do seem to get a better understanding of how far Angel has strayed from his roots in the vicarage. When he returns home, he is treated differently to his brothers and his parents will not talk to him about the future wedding other than to talk him out of it. Their difference of opinions and morals have really begun to properly separate this family. I guess the final decision to go ahead with the wedding was the straw that broke the camels back for Clare's parents. I had a feeling that Tess's parents would not attend the wedding but I was expecting someone from the Clare family to attend. When this didn't happen, it really made me realise just how much damage Tess is doing without actually doing anything herself. Just by being her, she has managed to separate Angel from his family, despite her best efforts to convince him otherwise.

Towards the end of the phase, after the wedding, Hardy does use incredibly obvious foreshadowing, maybe too much, with the crowing of the afternoon cockerel. This in itself is a perfectly good device to foreshadow a rather nasty, up and coming event, however the reaction of everyone else in the scene, really shouts out to us that something will definitely happen. Hardy infers a lot throughout this phase but this moment has to be the absolute clearest, especially as it is followed up with the notification of the death and near-death of two of Angel and Tess's prior colleagues.

I think the best way to sum up Phase the Fourth, it to call it the Phase of Revelation. Hardy reveals a lot of important facts and information in this part of the book, and equally not just to the reader. Hardy makes the characters reveal things to each other. Strengthening some relationships and stretching others. Judging by the number of secrets and promises that have been made and broken in this phase, I think we can safely say that we are in for a bumpy ride with Phase the Fifth.

THE WHISPERING SKULL By Jonathan Stroud

GOOD PEOPLE OF EARTH! ITS FINALLY HERE!

I've finally managed to get my hands on a copy of The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud, the waiting list at the library was not far off enormous.

Now, if you've been following my blog, you will remember that a while back a read the predecessor to this wonderful novel, The Screaming Staircase. I remember ranting and raving about how amazing that book was and as I brought this one home just three days ago, I felt that Stroud had indeed, set himself an incredibly high standard.

But never fear because, the genius author of The Lockwood and Co. series has done himself proud and gone over and beyond the standard he set himself last time.

I think the best thing about this novel is that as well as being a separate novel that can be read independently of the first, it takes one element of the previous novel and expands in, explains it and takes it to a whole new level. That tiny little side mystery that you never really get to see much about? well this time Stroud's written an entire novel on it. The other thing I think is brilliant things is that it isn't just a copy of the first book with different side characters and storyline. He has taken the supernatural and dystopian element from his work, and very cleverly woven into it a clear crime/detective style sequence of events making this book open to an even wider audience than it was before!

All the way through, I was on the edge of my seat, I was shocked and horrified as I was the darker side of characters whom I thought were just kids bent double with bad-luck, and all in all I don't have a bad word to say about it.

But one thing I will say is this: Mr Stroud, you better get writing, because that cliff hanger you left and the end almost killed me!

ANIMAL FARM By George Orwell

Well, this is the second of Orwell's novels that I've read and I must say that I enjoyed it just as much, if not more so than the first one (1984). I had previously picked up a brief idea of what happened from hearing people talk about the book in my literature class, so I had a faint idea of what to expect.

Animal farm is the story of a group of farm animals who decide they no longer feel that they should live under the control of the human farmers. So what do they do? Start a revolution of course!

In the first few chapters, it felt like I was reading a children's book. It's not everyday you get talking animals and angry pigs in regular adult literature, but I guess that was what made it so easy to read and understand. Orwell, took the message he wanted to put forward and simplified it so much it became almost childlike in its presentation. It is also only 100 pages long so it really doesn't take long to read at all.

Clearly though this is not a children's book, holding a lot of strong themes and ideologies, it is definitely a book for the more mature readers/ older teens and up I thinks. It really makes you think about dreams and ideals and how well they will actually turn out and above all, are our dreams any different from our reality? Is there a difference in what we have now and what we want to have or, is it just a different mindset, allowing us to see the same situation from a different perspective.

A very deep book and personally, one that has made me think rather than talk. This is a great, simply complex book which I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick but thought provoking read.

MESSENGER OF FEAR By Michael Grant

Erm... wow! Where to begin?

Before I get started, I would just like to say that this book took me very much by surprise. Having read the GONE series by the same author just over a year or so ago, I thought I knew what to expect from this author. I'm telling you now that I wont make that same mistake again! This book was so totally different from my expectations it was unreal. It also happens to be one of the weirdest book I think I have ever read. Great, but weird. Also did I mention that I read this one in around six hours?

I think the thing that I found most bizarre was the fact that you don't learn anything about the main character until right at the end of the novel. It worked surprisingly well, having a narrator whom you know nothing about.

I would have like to known more about Messenger, and I felt a little put out that all the way through, Mara talked about how she would eventually come to know Messengers real name and why he became the messenger of fear, but then she never actually tells you what they are. I really liked the characters Daniel and Oriax and I would have liked to have known more about them and had a bit more of a back story as to who they were, especially Daniel whom I never really understood. I really liked and connected with the messenger and although I want to know more about him and what was it he did that was so evil, but part of me wonders that if I did know that then my feelings towards Messenger would be different, and not necessarily a good different.

Also, as well as being a tremendously good book, it is also a valuable lesson about the effects of bullying and how  we should stop and assess ourselves occasionally, because sometimes we bully other people without even realising it.

I must admit, there were times when I was reading this book that I wanted to put it down, I didn't want to read any more, yet I just couldn't allow myself to put the book down. But I guess that was done so that I could feel what Mara felt. wanting to stop watching the suffering and pain and yet not having the ability to do so.

This is a very interestingly written book and definitely not for the faint hearted. Not you're traditional horror/fantasy novel but hey, why should we always stick to the tradition.

This is a great, if a little weird, read.

This book does contain graphic violence and some very mild sexual references.

EENY MEENY by M J Arlidge

OH MY DAYS!!!!! Read it! Read it! Read it! Read it!

And to think that I very, very nearly returned this book to the library without even starting it!!! I would be kicking myself now if I had done.

This is the story of DI Helen Grace as she tries to capture the serial killer who is taking pairs of people and locking them away with only one instruction. One person must shoot the other. One dies, the other goes free...

This book is so, incredibly gripping and twisting in so many brilliant ways. It keeps you hanging on right until the very last page, the very last word even. You think your just getting the hang of the story when it takes another brilliant turn in a completely unthinkable direction! I've read crime novels with a similar final target to this before, but never have I read one so unique and different!

Each and every single one of these characters is so deep and well written that they become almost real to the reader. My personal favourite (Other than Helen) being Charlie. But even the other, more minor characters such as Bridges and Sanderson, had enough material written into them that they had real emotion and story, that you can't help but remember them in the way that you remember an old friend from school. Not always at the front of your memory and mind, but still always, definitely there somewhere.

Mark was an incredible piece of work in my opinion. So very often, the cops are always the people who have over come everything and become what they are today, but I think Arlidge's take was very interesting. It's really rare to read about a cop who is still going through his life changing events while at what appears to be the top of his game.

Wow this is an easy book to write about!

This does does contain adult, mature and graphic content and is very likely to leave you thinking what you would do in that situation, who you would be with etc... This is a very gripping book, that moves at such a pace it is unbelievable.

I would definitely recommend this book at all maturer readers, but make sure you keep arms and legs inside the car at all times as you're in for a bumpy ride!