June Reviews

I think it's really clear that I went on holiday, up to three books in a month again! I was so pleased to really put my nose in a book.

The Old Man And The Sea
Earnest Hemingway
5/5
Charles Scribner's Sons 1952
Kindle

The first in my 'short reads' series. In an effort to get my numbers up before New Years I am desperately seeking books like this that I can read in an afternoon. As it happens I read this on the plane to my holiday in Istanbul with my family. I loved this simple book, it threw me directly into the world of fish and salt and weather.
I was very impressed with the writing, from what I know of Hemingway as a man, I wasn't sure I would be attracted to his writing, but it was beautiful and really drew me in. There was an emotional connection right away, to the fish, to the old man, to the young man, to the village, to the sea itself. you can probably tell I loved this book.
I would highly recommend it to anyone. And I cannot wait for my next Hemingway.

Queenie
Alice Munro
3/5
Profile Books 17/10/2013 paperback
Internship Haul

This slip of a book has been on my shelf for ages, I thought I'd take it from my internship as a good little gift to slip into people's presents. In the end I had to read it for my self. I was absorbed, but I didn't rate it much as a short story. There seemed to be something missing, and on finishing the book I didn't feel satisfied.
The story is homely. It follows a sister who elopes with an older man and the sister who comes to visit once it's all over. I found it terribly sad. Everything about it was sad, the people, the town, their lives just filled me with sadness. Maybe that was the point.
I've not read anything else by Munro, but I think that I would enjoy her writing if it was given more space to breath. This story was so short and I needed more time to fall in love.


The Signature of All Things
Liz Gilbert
3/5
Bloomsbury 1/10/13 paperback
Internship Haul

I grabbed this book for my Mum for Christmas and it is just the sort of thing she would like. It also had the added attraction of being based around Plants in a big way, which my Mum is kind of into. When I picked it up after she had finished it I had high hopes. I was definitely interested, I thought it a brilliant story, I was enthralled with the details, and I kept turning the pages. BUT I think a book like this, that takes on a number of issues and is spread over a life time is in danger of the Don Quixote effect: And Then, And Then, And Then.
I kept waiting for things to happen and they did but I was swiftly whisked onto the next and maybe there was too much going on to really get engrossed.
This was my first Gilbert book and Eat, Pray. Love is definitely on the list, in hopes that I will enjoy it more.
Not the one for me, but I think plenty of people will enjoy it. Too long and too bulky with story for me.


The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer
5/5
Bloomsbury 10/5/2009 Hardback
Mummy's Library

I've just remembered a word I haven't used since university: Epistolary. a collection of letters that makes up the whole structure of the story. The way this book unfolds is the best version I've seen in this style. Between various characters the story unfolds about Elisabeth and her daughter.
It follows the occupation of Guernsey by the Germans during the second world war. It certainly spiked my interest.
The voices of each character was very clear, although heavily helped by the titles of each letter so you know who is talking, it does take away some of the writing skill in my opinion.
Overall, the story through this book was brilliant and it was an odd thing to pick up that I would definitely recommend and even read again!