The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

This book was shortlisted for the 2010 Orange Prize and I wanted to read it because I really enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible. The Lacuna is a similar style but not as good as The Poisonwood Bible, and it is hard to describe why.

The novel follows a half Mexican half American novelist whose early life is spent cooking for the famous Rivera painters and for communist revolutionaries, including Trotsky. The novelist then settles in small town American and begins to write novels about Mexican history. This is a very interesting book and the main character is very likeable, although he remains a bit distant. The last 100 pages of this book are excellent and very thought provoking, commenting on Western prejudices and stereotypes in a way which is not as obvious or superior as is sometimes the case in novels. I think what lets this book down is the 100 - 200 pages in the middle, which get a bit lost and slow down the pace of what is otherwise a very good book.

Love and Summer by William Trevor

Pretty dull. I bought this book because it was recommended on Amazon but it was disappointing. The novel is about a young orpan who is married off by her convent to an older man whose first wife died in a tragic accident. That is about all that happens. It is not a very interesting or entertaining book. In fact it is so boring that I can't actually think of anything more to say about it. It is quite short which helps.

The Way Things Look To Me by Roopa Farooki

I read this book in 3 days which is always a good sign. I also randomly met the author's mother on the tube which has got to be a sign of some sort.

The novel focuses on a family of three children, whose parents have both died. The oldest child, a boy in his mid-20s, is charged with the sole responsibility for his aspergis youngest sister as the middle sister moves out and advocates this task. The book is very well written and very believable. The narrative moves from each child very smoothly which makes the book very easy to read.

I really enjoyed this book and whilst it is not as thought-provoking as others I have read so far it is still worth a read.

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

The novel follows a young Irish girl who emigrates to America leaving behind her family. She creates a life in Brooklyn working at a department store and going to dances at the local Catholic Church. She meets an Italian American who is besotted with her and she marries him in secret. Bad news back in Ireland means she has to travel home and comes to regret her secret marriage.

This book is quite entertaining but nothing special, principally because the narrative is not very gripping and the plot is fairly thin. I bought the book because we were travelling to New York but there is not much history or local context to the novel, much of which is set in Ireland.

If you only read one book this year, don't read this one. But if you are planning on reading 52, this probably makes the list.

The Small War by Sadie Jones

Light, easy read. Not as good as her first book (The Outcast).

The story follows an Army officer's family stationed in Cyprus in the 1950s. It is an interesting book from the point of view of the history of that conflict. The writing is pretty average and there is nothing outstanding or memorable about this book. It just about holds your interest at the time but doesn't grab you.

Might be worth taking on holiday for a beach read but nothing particularly to recommend it.

Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant

I thought this was an excellent book. It is a bit unusual and takes a bit of time to get into. It is also a book which requires a bit of concentration to read.

It is about a girl who grew up in Canada with her father and uncle and who returns when her father dies in an accident. The narrative is told mainly by the girl (Audrey) and is a combination of a stream of conciousness and dialogue, which suprisingly works really well.

It is very difficult to describe this book but I would definitely recommend it. The writing is very clever without being too intellectual or pretentious. The characters are very realistic as well as being likeable. Worth reading.

The Still Point by Amy Sackville

Rubbish.

Don't bother reading this book. It is very boring whilst at the same time managing to be increadibly irritating. The writing is much too poetic and takes about 50 pages to say something along the lines of "Simon felt a bit depressed on his way to the office".

There is no discernable story-line and I would struggle to tell you what happened. Basically, an explorer tried to make it to the North Pole in the early 1900s and failed. The book is about his neice but honestly nothing at all happens. The most exciting bit is when the neice's husband thinks about having an affair. But then he doesn't.

Excruciating.