Sunday 20 October 2013

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.

Monday 14 October 2013

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.

Tuesday 8 October 2013

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.


Friday 4 October 2013

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.

Thursday 3 October 2013

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.