Books

Book Review: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

Posted on by Libby Price

My eldest starting a new school means quite a lot of kicking about at the train station waiting for her to get on the train in the morning (she’s only 11, I wait until she actually heads off, I am sure, given time, I will slow at the kerb for her to jump out of a moving vehicle!)  and for her to arrive back in the afternoon – I have made VERY good use of this time by reading loads.

I was recommended ‘I Am Pilgrim’ on my Facebook page and in person by a number – and eclectic mix of friends – so I thought I would see what it was all about.

I_Am_Pilgrim_-_hardback_UK_jacket

This is the publishers synopsis:

“Pilgrim is the codename for a man who doesn’t exist. The adopted son of a wealthy American family, he once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence. Before he disappeared into anonymous retirement, he wrote the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation.

But that book will come back to haunt him. It will help NYPD detective Ben Bradley track him down. And it will take him to a rundown New York hotel room where the body of a woman is found facedown in a bath of acid, her features erased, her teeth missing, her fingerprints gone. It is a textbook murder – and Pilgrim wrote the book.

What begins as an unusual and challenging investigation will become a terrifying race-against-time to save America from oblivion. Pilgrim will have to make a journey from a public beheading in Mecca to a deserted ruins on the Turkish coast via a Nazi death camp in Alsace and the barren wilderness of the Hindu Kush in search of the faceless man who would commit an appalling act of mass murder in the name of his God.”

And I have to say it is BRILLIANT!!  It is very graphic – sexually at the beginning, but violently right through the book. At one point I was reading it through gritted teeth (and if I’d been watching it on TV would have covered my eyes!!) but this does not feel gratuitous, it is in keeping with the storylines.

The story is quite complex, jumping in terms of timezones and eras – and it feels very fast paced – so much so that you don’t want to put it down. It’s the writer’s first novel – and he has been a screenwriter – and you can feel that in the descriptive text he uses – this HAS to be made into a film. One of my friends has admitting to fancying Pilgrim – and I can see what she means (the casting for this film would have to be just right!)

I finished ‘I Am Pilgrim’ at 1am today (I Am Tired!!)

Guest Blog: Ugly Babies

Posted on by Libby Price

I am very excited to have my first guest blog.  Emily has set the bar pretty high – but if anyone else is up for a guest spot – then blog away!!

 

Ugly babies

How kind of Libby to hand over her blog to me for a guest slot!  I am feeling highly honoured to have been asked, but also slightly nervous.  You see, I don’t normally do this kind of thing…write that is, and certainly not for public consumption!

It’s a very brave thing to write a blog…to write anything really and put it out there for people to paw over.  You are immediately inviting people to comment on a certain aspect of you, a part of you, or your life, that you have decided to share with others.  Who would want to do that?

Well, lots of people actually.  Every book or piece of writing you have ever read has been crafted, agonised over, erased, re-written, erased again, wept over until finally, finally, there is something that the author feels happy with.  That they are willing to (to quote a famous Snow Queen) – “Let It Go!”.

Some authors say that writing is like having a baby; you spend months creating this thing, making it perfect, and then you hand it over to people who might say…”Oooh!  Isn’t your baby ugly?”  Again, who would want to do that?  And who, might you ask, would be so cruel and harsh to criticise such a labour of love?

Erm…well, that’s me.  I am the person who might tell you your baby is ugly.  I am the person who crushes dreams.  I am AN EDITOR! Mwahahah!!

I don’t really crush dreams…in fact I try to make dreams come true wherever possible.  But as a fiction editor (and one half of editorial consultancy Ruston Hutton) it is my job to make sure that the books/writing I edit are practically perfect in every way…not ugly babies, but beautiful, strong and gorgeous babies that everyone wants to munch (or read).  Because, believe it or not, not every book starts out this way.  Most authors will require revisions at some point and it is this process that can take a story from pfft to phenomenal!

So what do I do?  Well, I don’t go around criticizing babies – let’s just clear that up!  Primarily my job is to work with an author to ensure that their book is structurally sound; that characters are motivated and likeable and behave in realistic ways.  Also, that there is a sustained tension or conflict running through a story giving the reader that page-turning quality that makes a book completely un-put-down-able (not sure that’s even a word!).  I work with authors to help hone their writing style, or craft, and brainstorm new plot ideas if she (or he) has hit a brick wall.  It’s very much a collaboration to make their book the best that it can be.

And authors now come in all shapes and sizes!  You don’t need to have a huge contract with a publishing house to get your name in lights.  There have been some wonderful achievements by authors who have simply self-published their work (much like Libby is now!) and have found an online readership – a group of people thirsty for the story they are telling.

So in addition to helping an author to get their story to shine, I might also offer advice on commercial positioning – where a book might (or might not) fit in the current market.  As much as an author wants to write the story of their heart, there must also be a market for that story – a readership just waiting to be engaged.  What is a book if it isn’t read?  A doorstop.

Perhaps the most exciting part of my job is finding new shining stars in the writing world; whether it’s an amazing story waiting to be told or a unique voice just waiting to be heard.  Nothing beats that buzz of finding something special…a bit like when you get that tingle watching X Factor when plain Sam Bailey walks in and Simon looks bored but then she BLOWS them away!  That.

But the favourite part of my job is reading.  Lots of lovely books!  All day.  I read anything from romance (love a strong Alpha male!) to YA Fiction (Hunger Games blew me away!).  I know many of Libby’s friends share her love of reading – hurrah! – and it’s wonderful to see her book reviews generate debate and opinion on Facebook and Twitter.

But what do I like in books?  It’s so hard to choose, a bit like picking my favourite (non-ugly) child!  I suppose my favourite books reflect my personal interest in the role of women in society; how strong women in particular are portrayed, often feared and often  maligned.  I like books that have powerful leading ladies who are not always likeable, but who have an innate strength.  My top two are probably Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, so totally different to the film (which I also LOVED), but a soaring epic nonetheless, and The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory – we all know the story of Anne, but this turns an old tale on its head – a wonderful read!

So that’s me in a nutshell.  What’s your favourite book or what’s the one book that would become your doorstop?  How might you make that book better…?

Thanks Libby for inviting me over!

Emily xx

You can contact me at rustonhutton@gmail.com or visit our website rustonhutton.com  if you would like me to tell you your baby is ugly…or advise on your writing dream!!

Ruston Hutton fiction editors

Book review: Stoner by John Williams

Posted on by Libby Price

Now I know I said I didn’t think I’d do another book review before going away again – but I’ve snuck in another book (mostly whilst lying in the dark trying to persuade 2 pre schoolers that they really want to go to sleep despite it being light outside and their much older brother and sister still being up!)

Stoner – by John Williams

Stoner

This book was one recommended by a friend when my Facebook page became a virtual book club a few weeks ago.  It was actually the 2013 Waterstones book of the year – despite being written almost half a century ago, and it being 20 years since the author died.

It’s the life story of the eponymous William Stoner set in the US at the turn of the 20th Century. Most of it is based around a University where he first studies and then works and falls in love with literature.  It is beautifully written and I found myself completely enthralled by it.

If you’re after blood / guts / red room sexual exploits / humour then this is most definitely not the book for you – but if you appreciate great, well written. moving, absorbing literature then it’s well worth a download / purchase / borrow from the library. Now back to some blood and guts with the next recommendation from a friend ‘I am Pilgrim’…………..

 

 

Books – books and more books

Posted on by Libby Price

I love reading.  I always have, from Enid Blyton’s Five and Seven (Famous and Secret respectively), through Sweet Valley High and Judy Blume (I could probably still find the rude bits in ‘Forever’) to the deeply condescending entitled ‘chick lit’ genre of more recent years – interspersed with a ‘critically acclaimed’ to justify the grammar school education!

A fortnight’s holiday used to mean a suitcase full of paperbacks – but 4 kids and a Kindle has reduced the excess baggage charges (book-wise anyway – although the space this year was replaced with gin – see comment re holidaying with 4 children…..)

I swore for a long time that I wouldn’t succumb to the new fangled Kindle – in the manner of my 85 year old Grandmother – but once I’d tried it, I confess to being a convert.  It does hurt marginally more when you drop it on your face when you fall asleep reading – but that is probably one of the few cons (the other being when you aren’t allowed to read it on take off and landing on flights – but could read a normal book!!)

I do feel slightly guilty for not using my local library so much nowadays – although my children more than make up for that!  My Dad was never allowed to borrow books from the library as a child in the 40s / 50s as my Nan reckoned the books there had germs – but I have let my kids run the risk!

I have never joined a ‘book club’ but quite often my Facebook feed will end up in a pseudo-bookclub chat – as I have a lot of friends who like to read (this definitely says something about my circle of friends – in a good way!) And one of these friends suggested I should blog about books – so here we are (this is the second time I’ve taken up one of her content suggestions for this blog – the other was periods – this should be less messy!)

So – henceforth – I plan to do a short(ish – longer than Twitter – shorter than a magazine) book review when I finish a book – and I would really welcome your comments both on the books I review – and suggestions for what I might like based on my reading history – I am always looking for recommendations (I often rely on Viv Groskop in her monthly review column for Red Magazine – but there’s always scope for more!)

We’ve been on holiday for the last fortnight – so this is peak reading weeks for me – so I thought I’d kick off with a brief review of what I’ve read – and this should also give you an insight into what I like (and don’t!)

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Secret HistoryI struggled through The Goldfinch – another of Ms Tartt’s tomes (I read it on Kindle and nearly passed out when I saw the size of the hardback that someone else was reading!) – last year, enjoying the different style of writing – but struggling with the content and waffly-ness of it at times – and at the start of The Secret History was concerned it was going to be the same.  From the outset you know that a certain event is going to happen – and I found the build up to that a bit drawn out – but once that was done, I enjoyed it much more (guess I’m just impatient?!)  I have to say I didn’t particularly like any of the characters in the story (American University students) which always makes a book more of a struggle if you couldn’t really care about any of them – however, I enjoyed the Latin / Greek references (back to that grammar school education again!) – but it definitely wasn’t an easy read.  At least I can tick a ‘critically acclaimed’ off the list – and I wasn’t beaten by it!

Little Lies by Liane Moriaty (seemingly called Big Little Lies in the USA!)
Little lies
This was a Red Magazine recommendation – and I have really enjoyed some of her other works (What Alice Forgot, The Husband’s Secret) so I downloaded it immediately.  This was a great break from The Secret History – and I devoured it in a day (and night – holiday insomnia has it’s perks!)  She writes well, from the aspects of lots of different characters, and her topics (family life, suburban Sydney – where I lived for a while) are really relevant to me.  Although I’d like to think the PTA events at the schools my kids go to aren’t quite so scary!!  Interestingly, like The Secret History – you know that a certain event is going to happen in this book too – but I didn’t feel I needed to get to that point to enjoy the book. 

The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriaty
Hypnotists Love StoryI downloaded this after checking the authors history and what I had and hadn’t already read. It was lovely – another easy read – but not too cheesy.  Again – set in Sydney – which brings back fond memories.  I would have poo pooed the ‘hypnotist’ element of it historically – but with recent experiences I was not so cynical – which probably meant I enjoyed it more!

New Beginnings by Fern Britton
New BeginningsI have to confess to loving Fern a little bit.  Who cares that she lost weight with a gastric band and advertised Ryvita at the same time – I always think she would be a fabulous mate who you could have a real laugh (*drink*) with (and Phil could cook dinner for us all!) – and her stint on Strictly Come Dancing a couple of years ago made me love her even more (I hold her sparkly dress on the Strictly tour totally responsible for the one I had made for my 40th party!!)  I’ve read lots of Fern’s books – mostly set in Cornwall – and they’ve been a good easy read (particularly as I’m normally reading at home whilst trying to get small kids to sleep – so can’t concentrate on anything too mentally taxing in between demands for milk / water / nappies changed / extra blankets / aircon on / the toilet etc etc) This one isn’t set in Cornwall – and I think is her debut novel – it’s set in the world of TV – so I guess sticking to what she knew.  It’s about a 40 something mother – so lots to empathise with.  As with a lot of Fern’s books, it left me wanting to know what happened to all of the characters next – which I think is the sign of a good read!

Tickled Pink by Christina Jones

Tickled Pink
This was an Amazon Prime Kindle library suggestion (I only recently found out that our Prime membership entitled us to b borrow Kindle library books for free – and no risk of germs from this library either!!) and my Kindle knows me well it would appear!  Initially I was a bit confused by all of the different characters (although admittedly this may have been compounded by the Portuguese Vinho Verde I was knocking back!) – but I soon settled into it.  It’s a total rollercoaster and therefore not predictable – which I enjoyed.  You really get for the sleepy English village in which it’s set – I’d quite like to visit it now!

So there you have it – my Summer 2014 reading list! It’s 6 weeks before I go away again – so I doubt there’ll be another book review until then – but I look forward to everyone else’s suggestions and comments.  In the style of Strictly ‘Keep Reading!’