blonde bookworm.

i will admit that i decided to read this book because i saw the fantastic film with judi dench and cate blanchett, and i thought that barbara’s narration in the novel was fantastic, and wondered if they had used the novel as a premise for the script, despite some obvious differences in plot… play.com was again my saviour, only costing £1.99 :)

so, the premise… told through the narration of barbara, it tells the tale of her befriending a new teacher, Sheba, and the realisation that Sheba is having an affair with a 15 year old student. this is the main theme of the novel, but the majority of the interest comes from barabra’s somewhat obsessive narration about the friendship. 

the review… the language used is, in places, a little old-fashioned, but this is to characterise barbara even stronger, as it seems she is stuck in her own era, and uses her intelligence almost as a defense mechanism to shield herself from the changing world around her. the relationship between herself and sheba almost confirms that barbara is so thrilled to have a friend who is young, modern, and lusted after, as she’s the opposite of her, and the woman she perhaps always wanted to be.

barbara’s obsessive nature is clear throughout the narration, however is obviously not pressed upon too much due to barbara being the narrator, and she would not show such a flaw in her personality. despite this, it is clear that she oversteps the boundaries of friendship a matter of times, especially through always being at sheba’s house, and once sheba doesn’t choose her over her schoolboy lover, barbara fights back in the worst way… there are some aspects of the novel that verge on the fact that barbara could be a lesbian, as she strokes sheba’s arms for comfort and sheba tells her she feels uncomfortable through this… another notable reference is when barbara describes her desperate lonliness, ‘a slight graze of a passer by sending a sense of longing to your groin’. it shows serious sexual tension, however there is never any reference to barbara thinking men are desirable, always putting her effort and time into sheba.

sheba as a character is seriously flawed, and seems to be trying to cling onto her younger life as much as she can. it is stated she married her college professor, and had children young, and detests not fulfilling her potential. it is also noted that she is of an upper class, but tries to downplay it, almost to be more humane. her relationship with her 15 year old lover, Stephen Connolly, is one that definitely isn’t based on love, which is what Sheba insists… almost to make her affair more personal, to make her not feel as guilty on cheating on her loyal husband and her two children. stephen is a working class schoolboy, who uses less romantic phrases such as ‘foxy lady’ and ‘you’re well fit’, showing his age. this may excite sheba as she has been around people of higher classes, and this feeling of difference makes her feel more approachable, and almost sticking up a finger to her class, and especially her mother, who she has a hostile relationship with. she doesn’t stop the relationship, even acknowledging how it’s wrong, but the excitement seems to spur her on. she seems to be a woman who’s used to having everyone at the palm of her hand, and when connolly eventually grows bored of the relationship, she becomes hysterical as she has been let down for once in her life.

barbara is obsessive, however, the secret relationship gives her a sense of purpose, as she relishes in being the person sheba confindes in, and could perhaps put off telling the headmaster of the affair and she is afraid sheba may not want to be as close without the glue of the affair keeping them together. it ultimatley leaves the reader with very mixed opinions about barbara, as on the one hand, you feel desperately sympathetic towards her, as she is alone, and thrives upon one conversation… however, on the other hand, find her slightly unsettling, as her obsessive nature and obvious sexual feelings towards sheba leave her ‘intense’, and much deeper than she lets on.

the novel is completely compelling, and sucks you in from the beginning, not just from the taboo (i love taboo novels) subject of a schoolboy/teacher relationship, but the fantastic narration from barbara, and the relationship between the main protagonists always leaves you asking questions about both of their real intentions. recommend so much that you read this!! oh, and watch the film, judi dench and cate blanchett are amazing in the roles :) louisa x 

I actually read this book a few months back because i chose to study it for my literature coursework, and i think it’s the type of book that everyone should read/be aware of :). it’s the kind of book that literally has so many topics it’s hard to stick to a word count (my c/w was initally 3000 words over the limit… i got an A in the end woo.) it’s been made into a film with tilda swinton, and i think it’s out in october :)

so the premise… written through the eyes of eva, in a series of letters written to her husband Franklin, it tells the story of what motherhood was like to eva. it explores how she never formed a motherly bond with her son kevin, who is kind of a psychopath. it shows him growing up, the birth of her ‘easier to love’ daughter celia, and the tragic turn of events that stems from kevin’s unsocial behaviour, and possibly, the fact his mother was so open with not loving him.

the review… the subject matter of a mother not forming the conventional bond with her child is one that has arisen in literature a number of times, however i have yet to find a novel that focuses in on it so much. eva seems to have felt pressured into having a child, as her peers started having families, and it would give eva and franklin ‘something else to talk about’. this could be a social comment on how women feel so pressured into having children, and those who don’t are seen as almost abnormal, and destined for a life with a gazillion cats… whereas, some women simply don’t want children, which i don’t see the issue with.

kevin as a character seems destined to be a murderer from the age of 1… it’s almost as if all of eva’s fears for the child were epitomised in him, a daily taunt of ‘haha you definitely made a mistake having me’. one of the more disturbing sections of the novel is when kevin begins to masturbate openly in front of eva, to horrify her, and to almost inject his own sense of masculinity and power over her. eva and kevin are, in a sense, the same person - they both want the power, the attention, and the feeling of being in control. eva has had this all her life, and for kevin to take it all away from her is too much for her to bare… especially as Franklin is devoted to kevin, and eva despises how he has stolen her husband from her. 

the novel centres around a drastic turn of events, as kevin shoots and murders a selection of students and teachers at his school… and some other people, but i won’t spoil it too much for you because when i read the twist i literally gasped. this subject matter of a school massacre is a fairly modern one, as after the Columbine shooters i feel that the subject was opened up for literature, and not as much of a taboo, fantasy subject to comment on. the whole novel could be taboo, or not socially acceptable, as eva’s hatred of her own son is so evident, and she never tries to disguise it from him. it’s interesting when she has her second child (although, to be honest, she shouldn’t really have had a second child when she hated kevin so much) as she finds her so much easier to love, describing her as ‘very much my child.’ Celia’s character is very loving, and easily led by Kevin, which leads to a few unfortunate sections of the novel. This personality allows Eva to be a generic mother as she has a generic daughter, and the challenge of kevin is far too much for eva to invest time in.

i found the novel incredible, if i can be so dramatic… it’s very hard to fully despise kevin, as weird as that may sound, as his path could have been so different if eva has just taken the time to try and love him, which she did attempt half-heartedly a few times, but never enough to make a difference. it’s difficult to fully sympathise with eva, as her own character is heavily flawed, but her narration is so powerful you find it hard not to feel sorry for her… the real character i felt sorry for was the unsuspecting Franklin, who just wanted a family, the ‘american dream’, and was bitterly let down.

i would fully recommend the novel… in fact, go and get it now, because it is truly a book you wont forget. louisa :) x 

i’ve been wanting to read this for ages and finally tracked down a copy cheap enough for me (i cannot justify spending 9.99 on a paperback, slim book. sorry, i just cant.) after doing some research and seeing it was published by a source of MTV i was a bit sceptical it would be a bit teenage dreamy… and it was, but in a lovely way :)

so the premise… it’s narrated by charlie, a newcomer to high school, and is written through a series of letters to an unknown source he clearly trusts, but he doesn’t know. it shows his new friends, new experiences and how charlie is clearly an outsider to regular kids his age, but the way he slots in with his group is just perfect for him. a series of minor events occur, but it’s more the narration which is attractive to the book.

the review… charlie is an instantly likeable character, reminding me slightly of christopher from ‘the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime’, through his almost blunt narration, and the fact he cries a lot and worries so much. it could be more to do with depression and sheer grief, due to his friend having committed suicide and his beloved aunt having died. he seems to be the character who all the more ‘exciting’ characters confined in, as they see him as slightly different, maybe leaving him more accepting to their own problems. but this may be why charlie is so socially awkward, after having observed his families ways, and having been so close to a family member who had such a troubled life, which he weighs heavily on his shoulders.

charlie’s narration at times can be described as beautiful. one part of the novel which hit me was when his infatuation with sam is truly realised as love for him, as he shows no happiness finding out she has broken up with her boyfriend. he simply wants her to be happy, and i feel that it was lovely that Chbosky kept charlie’s character as innocent, and didn’t drastically turn him into being happy at sam’s unhappiness. this is commented on by sam herself, questioning why he didn’t make a move on her. this fully reflects charlie’s status as a ‘wallflower’; a person who simply understands, doesn’t need the drama of life, and thinks of emotions before pure wants.

the fact drugs and suicide are so casually thrown in sometimes makes you forget that they are ven parts of the story, as they are mentioned sometimes casually, the description of their impacts being more important than actually taking them. this could be to relate to charlie’s personality, as he overthinks everything so much and he isn’t fascinated with what he was doing, more the feeling, as if he wanted to constantly feel ‘infinite’, which he described feeling with his friends. the secret gay relationship between patrick and ‘jock’ brad is something that is so relatable to life, and the heartbreak of brad calling patrick a ‘faggot’ is something that stays with the reader. although it is immature, it’s the message behind it, how much brad wants to remain ‘top dog’ in school, the secrecy and worry he feels at his friends finding out… and how patrick can be himself, but cant share it with the boy he loved. it’s a very modern topic which i feel should be written about more, which is what is commendable about shows like ‘Glee’ which portray a very similar storyline. (taken inspiration from here maybe?)

i’ll shut up now, because i’m just typing, and i dont want this to be too long… (even though i know no one is reading teehe). the novel has stayed with me after reading, which i didn’t think it would do as it is, ultimatley, a teenage novel. i feel that charlie is a real hero, a true friend within the novel, and his simple narration is what makes this novel a modern classic in my eyes. definitely worth reading (but don’t spend £9.99 on a paperback, get it on play.com instead) ;) louisa x 

so my first review is going to be for the much loved ‘one day’ by david nicholls :) i realise that this book has been made into a film recently (which isn’t half bad), but that wasn’t the reason i wanted to read it i promise. 

so the premise… dexter and emma are introduced on the 15th of july 1988, having just graduated university and had a drunken romance the night before. the story then returns every 15th of july (st swithens day) for 20 years, and narrates the lives of dexter and emma, their loves, tragedies, and how their friendship remains the most solid aspect of their lives. 

the review… the love story isn’t too unrealistic, which makes the reader feel so connected to the characters that you want emma and dexter to realise they are madly in love from the end of the first chapter. the intimate and romantic lines are so close to what an actual couple would say to oneanother in the 21st century, with sarcasm and put me downs used to combat the sheer love of a word. one of the most memorable lines in the novel, delivered from dexter, proves this:

you’re gorgeous, you old hag, and if i could give you just one gift ever for the rest of your life it would be this. confidence. it would be the gift of confidence. either that, or a scented candle.

the ‘old hag’ line reminded me of something my dad would say to my mum, so conversational, and so well written. the simplicity of the dialogue is what makes this book so relatable and powerful, again shown through dexter’s mother saying:

sometimes i worry that you’re not very nice anymore

such weak adjectives, but such a powerful meaning leaves the reader feeling just as deflated as dexter.

dexter and emma are relatable characters, however i felt more interested in what was happening in dexter’s life, perhaps as it became such a car-crash that i wanted to see what could possibly happen next to make me cringe more. yes, of course i was happy to see emma finally leave the horrific ian and the disgusting mexican restaurant, but once her life got on track it was no longer of much interest to me ;). i loved the banter between them, and could truly imagine them firing off each other, playfully and flirting. they seemed like a real couple, and i realised that nicholls has a knack for reality in his writing, as i read ‘starter for ten’ years ago and i felt the same… he seems like a funny man, which is shown through the two similarities in these novels through the cringey aspects. In ‘starter for ten’, brian gets stoned and truly embarrasses himself at his beloved alice’s house, and in ‘one day’, dexter manages to assault his wife sylvie in a playful game. hilarious, and im so glad that in both film adaptations they were put in to kind of weigh out the soppy sides to the book.

i guess i’ll stop there, as you may be bored, and i haven’t said that much about it… but i would most certainly recommend ‘one day’ - and would definitelyrecommend you read it before seeing film. not only because it is truly a lovely book which will stay with you after you’ve read it, but also to brace yourself for the twist so you’re not sobbing too much in the cinema.

thanks if you read this teehe :) louisa x  

sooo the next book i’m reviewing is ‘the slap’ by christos tsiolkas. it’s relatively modern, and i think it’s being made into a tv film for january 2012… i heard about it through online reviews that raved about it, and picked up courtesy of my grandma :) 

so the premise… through the eyes of 8 different characters, the main aspect of it is based around a bbq at Aisha and Hector’s (two main characters) house, when Harry (Hector’s cousin) hits 4 year old Hugo, who is unruly at the BBQ, however is not his child. This sparks huge tensions between all the characters, especially Hugo’s parents (Rosie and Gary), who feel isolated from the more middle class characters, who are all split in their feelings towards the slap. confusing? a little…

the review… after seeing all of the rave reviews, i was expecting huge things from the novel, but once i had finished it, i felt a little let down. it wasn’t awful, i can see why it’s so acclaimed, however some chapters felt a little slow. one chapter, which was narrated through the eyes of hector’s father manolis, i felt was the slowest of them all, and i actually sighed with relief when i finished it finally… which is quite mean to say, but it’s true. i preferred the chapters through the eyes of hector, aisha, and connie… who’s stories all interwined, which suggests to me that the strongest story lines of the novel came from these characters.

i felt that i would have appreciated the book a little more if i knew more about australian life and culture, as there was a distinct theme of social and racial class within the novel that i wasn’t entirely familiar with. many of the characters were muslim or greek, and it was obvious that this is an ordinary occurrence in australia. ‘wog’ and ‘mussies’ were commonly used throughout the book, and i felt a little confused at the racism and the obvious division in characters culture. i can see it is still racism, but i wasn’t aware of this issue in australia. 

all of the families within the book are divided over the issue of Hugo being slapped, which makes them seem to have strong fundamental values. however, it does seem that all of the characters have or do dabble in drugs or have an alcohol problem, and Hector and Harry (who appear to be such family men) have affairs or their own private hooker. Aisha even has an affair whilst at a conference… it goes to show how they may have needed to so openly display their disgust at the slap to cover up any doubt their friends may have had about their own flaws. it just feels that every character has their own problem, and the (ultimately) trivial issue of the slap simply brings to light their issues when they have to choose their alliances.

all in all, i would recommend it… but only if you have the time, it wasn’t as great as everyone is saying. or maybe i’m not clever enough to appreciate it haha :) louisa x