Book Reviews

Archive

You can also submit a book review and view the Library Catalogue to reserve a copy. All reviews are listed alphabetically:

• Armstrong, Lance - It's Not About The Bike
  - This is a compelling read about the amazing Lance Armstrong who struggled and fought with cancer whilst at the peak of his cycling career. Although this could be a formidable and depressing story, Lance's direct and honest style takes you with him on his journey. You become friends, proud of his successes, both personal and sporting, and finish the book amazed at his strength and determination.
• Bennett, Vanora - The Taste of Dreams
  - I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which is a memoir of a special time in the author's life. Her parents were musicians and their home in Britain was always filled with visitors (émigrés) from Eastern Europe. It was in her early childhood that her fascination with all things Russian began. Their home was filled with wild music and Russian fairytales.
  When she was older, Vanora sold her violin to get money for a trip to Moscow where she discovered caviar and befriended Russian gangsters and had a generally wild time. She returned years later as a language student and her descriptions of the family she stayed with, the people she met and constant eating of caviar are truly memorable.
  The author gives the reader a crash course on recent Russian history as well as documenting her own time and experiences in Moscow and Leningrad. The book is easy to read and well written and the author's love of caviar is seductive……… now which shelf in Tesco can I find a jar of Beluga or Sevruga or Osietra? Confused? Then read the book!
• Brown, Dan - Deception Point
  - An excellent book with a good story line, full of suspense and holds the imagination - suitable for adults (author of the Da Vinci Code)
• Chevalier, Tracy - Girl with a Pearl Earring
  - Set in 17th century Holland, Griet, the main character starts her first job as a servant in the Vermeer household. Through Griet, the story is told of the Vermeer family, the small town of Delft and of life with an artistic genius.
• Clark, Candida - The Mariner's Star
  - This is a gem of a novel for anyone who loves rich, powerful, poetic language. No word is wasted. The secrets unfold through the thoughts of a woman drifting alone in a small fishing boat as she comes to terms with loss. The story grips until the final page.
• Donovan, Gerard - Schopenhauer's telescope
  - A stunning piece of work. Compelling – I read it in two sittings. This novel meticulously details our capacity for loving and for monstrous evil, the narrative strands dance off the pages. Beautifully accomplished, but it might not make you happy.
• Dunmore, Helen - The Seige
  - I was drawn into the atmosphere - the cold, the way days passed. A very good read. Set in WW2 Russia when Petersburg was under seige. Enlightening and emotional. Frightening at times.
• Edison, Thomas - St Agnes's Stand
  - Never judge a book by it's cover. A friend recommended it to me. I would never have picked it up otherwise as I thought it was a "Western". I was hooked from the start and didn't put it down until it was finished. Not for the faint hearted as the Apache torture scenes are a bit gruesome. A gripping book which leaves you feeling good at the end. I've now re-read this book a few times and every other book written by Thomas Eidson
• Gibson, Maggi - The Flight of Lucy Spoon
  - This entertaining book kept me gripped from page 1. Set in modern day Ireland, there are lots of characters whose lives become intertwined. There are lots of coincidences and all the characters end up being held hostage by a pair of bungling would-be gangsters. This is a rollercoaster of suspense, laughter and a very happy ending.
• Irving, John - A Prayer for Owen Meany
  - This book was so touching at times that I wanted to weep. At other times it was so funny I had to get my husband to read it to me because I was laughing so much.
• Le Carre, John - The Constant Gardener
  - Hard to get into but stick with it. A deep thought provoking tale about big business - very believable. Don't expect a cold war thriller or a happy ending.
• MacLeod, Alistair - No Great Mischief
  - I loved this book, wonderful descriptions of a family, their culture and way of life in a land far from home. A poetic story of Scots families in exile in Canada - engaging but harsh
• Rahimi, Atiq - Earth and Ashes
  - This is very short book is a reminder of the tragic consequences of war. Written by an Afghani now living in France, this book tells the story of an old man and his grandson making their way to the mine where the man's son works to give him the horrific news that the rest of the family have been killed in a bomb attack. Stark but beautifully written, this book can be read in one sitting but lingers on in the mind.
• Read, Piers Paul - Alice in Exile
  - A love story set in England, France and Russia played out against the backdrop of the First World War. Full of emotional conflict, it portrays the dilemma of a strong, independent woman caught between two men who love her.
• Rose, Neil - Bagels for Breakfast
  - This is a light-hearted book which gives a little insight into, and pokes gentle fun at the way of life in the London Jewish community.
• Sheldon, Sidney - Nothing lasts forever
  - Spotlighting the lives of three doctors in a San Francisco hospital. Sidney Sheldon at his best.
• Sheldon, Sidney - Tell me your Dreams
  - A really good read.Couldn't put it down – had to know how it ended
• Slaughter, Carolyn - Before the Knife
  - This is the author's story of growing up in Africa in the 1950's surrounded by tragic family circumstances – a mother suffering from depression and an abusive and violent father living in an isolated landscape. One of the most disturbing aspects is the total cover-up of the father's abusive behaviour and the pretence that nothing terrible was happening. Something never to be spoken about but you can always sense the feelings of guilt from the mother towards her child – perhaps that was the cause of her depression. The one thing that provided a refuge for the author was Africa – her love for the country, both it's harshness and it's beauty is beautifully evoked in the book. I read this in two sittings. If I had more time I would have finished it in one. A moving and fascinating story
• Trigiana, Adriana - Lucia, Lucia
  - A cosy feel-good novel set in Italian America in the 1950s with some interesting ideas about love and marriage. A light read with unexpected twists - great for the beach