I'm afraid I am falling a willing victim to Waterstones' 3 for 2 offers a bit too frequently lately. Trouble is, there are so many interesting new books that I want to read. Here's what I have read recently, with marks out of ten, Remember that these are purely my own opinions and you might feel completely differently about them.
The Hand That First Held Mine, by Maggie O'Farrell. I was disappointed in it. I found it bitty, I thought the plot was rather contrived and even the period detail (1950s and '60s) felt a bit shaky at times. I wasn't completely convinced by Lexie and I heartily disliked all the male characters. 5 out of 10.
A Week In December, by Sebastian Faulks. Masterly. Contrived in places, such as the pulling together of all the characters by the dinner party list, but full of fascinating detail about the world money markets, and marked by intense characterisation and tautly written prose. My only 'hmm' was voiced towards the end, where there was a touch of melodrama and a sprinkling of purple prose. 8.5 out of 10.
I have just started reading the second in Colin Cotterill's Dr Siri mysteries. Not a new book, but a world in which one can get happily lost.
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2 comments:
That's interesting. I keep a notebook in which I write down every book I read and give it a score out of 10.
I've got the second Dr Siri mystery waiting to be read - I am so grateful to you for putting me on to Colin Cotterill. The first Dr Siri got a 10 in my book!
I'm so pleased about that, Teresa! I was about to start The Slap, by Christos Tsiolkas, but put it back on the shelf in favour of Thirty-Three Teeth. (About five more than I've got!)
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