Tuesday 24 September 2013

The Art of Being a Woman by Patricia Volk

The Art of Being a Woman is both a coming-of-age memoir and intimate portrait of a mother-and-daughter relationship. Entering her second decade of life, Patricia Volk was already acutely aware that she would never be able to live up to her mother’s beauty or her exacting standards of womanly refinement. Sadly, Patricia was ungainly and unattractive.

Audrey Volk prided herself on having the best, whether it was the best fur coat or the best dentist. And, she was never short of advice to pass on to her daughters, especially about the two most fundamentals of life: their physical appearance and how to catch and keep a man. When it came to dating advice, Audrey had a long list of non-negotiables – do not talk loud, leave some food on the plate, never call a boy, do not open car doors, and never offer to split the check. If you expect to be treated like a lady, you will be; your feminine charm secures your future place in the world.

When 10 year old Patricia discovered a copy of Schiaparelli’s autobiography on her mother’s bookshelf, she couldn't help but  contrast the two. Elsa Schiaparelli was everything Audrey Volk was not. Audrey was the model of elegance and etiquette, whereas Schiaparelli was scandalous and impulsive. Rejecting the demure life of a typical 1900’s Italian aristocrat, Schiaparelli had carved out a life of creation, innovation, and personal freedom. As part of the surrealist movement, her fashion designs were outlandish in their concept and construction. Eighty years before Lady Gaga, she fashioned a dress out of meat. Years before Alexander McQueen’s spine corset, Schiaparelli had already invented the skeleton dress.

Sneakily reading Schiaparelli’s book opened up a world of possibilities for young Patricia. No longer was she trapped in her mother’s reality of what it meant to be a woman. Volk writes of Audrey’s world view, rendering it rather amusing and quaint, but there is real substance behind the froth when reading between the lines. The Art of Being a Woman manages to be an entertaining reflection on life and its alternative possibilities.

Reviewed by Spot

Catalogue Link:  The Art of Being a Woman

Thursday 19 September 2013

The Road Between Us by Nigel Farndale

In the opening scene of The Road Between Us, Charles and Anselm are caught out for ‘conduct unbecoming’ in a London hotel room. This is unfortunate, not only because they are both men and it is 1939, but also because Word War Two is about to start and while Charles is English, Anselm is German.

Both are to experience a difficult war – Charles loses his RAF commission, while Anselm, sent home to Germany, struggles to survive in a concentration camp.

The narrative switches between their story and that of Edward, a career diplomat who has been imprisoned by the Taleban in Afghanistan for eleven years. It is a different kind of war, but his barbaric imprisonment in a cave with barely enough food and no light, makes his experience similarly life-threatening.

All three characters must dig deep to get through and for each of them it is love that keeps them going. Edward’s release and adjustment to a world that has changed enormously also throws up some other connections to Charles and Anselm’s story and a mystery that is not revealed until the end of the book.

On one level Nigel Farndale’s latest novel demonstrates the effects of war on individual lives. It also explores the power of love, and the difficult decisions and sacrifices that must be made on account of love. An engrossing and well-crafted story from the author who brought us the critically acclaimed novel, The Blasphemer.

Posted by JAM

Catalogue link: The Road Between Us

Monday 16 September 2013

How It All Began by Penelope Lively

The gem that lies at the heart of Penelope Lively’s novel, How It All Began, is her characters. Using a simple plot device to connect them, in this case the domino effect of one small incident, Lively weaves in drama and tension making this story a compelling read.

It all starts when Charlotte, an elderly widow, is mugged – a violent incident that leaves her with a broken hip and unable to look after herself. Her daughter, Rose, brings her home and nurses her, temporarily leaving her job as personal assistant to Henry, a retired academic. Snobbish and vain, Henry requires the attentions of his niece, Marion, who has to put on hold her work as an interior designer to attend a conference with Henry where he is giving a talk.

These initial disruptions create further ripples in the lives of other characters, too. Charlotte teaches English to recent immigrants, including Anton, who she continues to tutor at Rose’s home. Rose meets Anton and helps him shop for a gift for his mother.

These may seem to be small events, but given the nature of the various characters, they create plenty of upheaval. The novel becomes a bit like a chemistry experiment: what happens when this character and that character are combined in this situation? Add Lively’s intelligent writing, by turns ironic and at others sympathetic, and you have a perfect little novel. If you haven’t read Lively before, you have much to look forward to.

Catalogue link: How It All Began

About the Author

Penelope Lively's website: www.penelopelively.net

Sunday 15 September 2013

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver

Lionel Shriver is the Orange Prize winner who wrote We Need to Talk About Kevin. In this novel, she examines another social problem of our time – morbid obesity.

Pandora has not seen her brother Edison for four years. He has been down on his luck in the ensuing time, so Pandora offers him sanctuary with her family. Since she has last seen him, he has had a massive weight gain, and the older brother she once held on a pedestal must now rely on her.

Edison’s extended visit causes friction between Pandora and her husband, Fletcher. Fletcher exercises and monitors his food intake obsessively. When Pandora decides to take her brother on as a project, it has a huge impact on her whole family.

Big Brother gives a fascinating insight into our relationship with food, as well as the enduring ties of a close sibling relationship. Shriver’s own brother died in recent years, due to obesity related illness. In Big Brother, she once again tackles broader social issues and what they say about Western society.

Reviewed at Young at Heart Book Group

Catalogue Link:  Big Brother

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo

Linda Castillo does it again!

If you like a good thriller that's easy to read, you just can't go past this author. Her main character Kate Burkholder, ex-Amish Chief of Police, damaged but tough as old boot nails, gets me every time.

Like her previous novels this is based around members of the Amish community in the small town of Painters Mill, Ohio. An Amish father and two of his children die in a buggy accident. But was it really a tragic accident or did someone ram them off the road on purpose?

Amongst the action, twists and turns of this investigation we also follow the personal journey of Kate who is still trying to overcome the tragic events of her childhood. 

A great read that also give us a glimpse into the Amish way of life.


Posted by Cookie Fan

Catalogue Link: Her Last Breath

Thursday 5 September 2013

The Things We Never Said by Susan Elliot Wright

Imagine waking up in a mental hospital not knowing how you got there. This happens to Maggie, who in the early 1960s has a break-down following a chain of heart-breaking events.

Maggie’s story begins when as a young woman she takes a job with a repertory theatre company in Sheffield. It is a wild and stormy night when she goes to a party with madly attractive Jack, an event that will dramatically change her life.

Woven in with Maggie’s story is that of Jonathan, who similarly undergoes several reversals of fortune. In this present day story thread, Jonathan and his wife are expecting their first child, but he can’t bring himself to tell his father. This puts a strain on their marriage, but things get worse when Jonathan’s father dies and a student at the school where he teaches accuses him of assault.

The reader soon realises there is a connection between the two, although it is not until the end of the book that the past makes sense to both Maggie and Jonathan and there is some form of resolution. In the meantime, Susan Elliot Wright creates a rich and compassionate account of these two very different lives.

Although it doesn’t forge a new path in fiction, The Things We Never Said is a stunning debut novel, which will leave you with a lump in your throat.

Posted by JAM

Catalogue Link: The Things We Never Said