I have somewhat mixed feelings about Joanna Trollope's novels. I've enjoyed some very much, and found others less interesting. Still, they're all well-written, and since I started reading her books about ten years ago, I'm now slowly re-reading some of them.
My memory of 'A Village Affair', which I first read in about 1998, was that it was really a bit sordid. So I wasn't sure I wanted to re-read it at all. However I thought it only fair to give it another trial - ten years ago I hadn't read nearly so much modern fiction, after all.
I'm glad I did.
'A Village Affair' is the story of Alice, who's rather a bohemian artist, who hasn't felt like painting for quite some time. She dresses in floaty shawls and skirts, and wears a very long plait down her back. She has three interesting children - the bossy seven-year-old Natasha, the clingy four-year-old James, and the utterly delightful baby Charlie. She also has a rather dull husband, Martin, but gets along extremely well with his parents, Cecily and Richard.
As the novel opens, Alice and her family are about to move into the Grey House, a lovely old house with its own orchard, in a small village. She is convinced that it will be the place where her artistic fervour will reawaken. At least, she was right up until the story begins, when she suddenly gets terribly cold feet about it all.
Alice is thrown right into the midst of village life, as she meets several of her new neighbours. She's persuaded into working in the village shop, and helping with the church flowers. She's also invited to a formal dinner party...
It's the story of Alice re-discovering her passion for art, and some other passions which she didn't know existed. It's hard to say more without giving away the main focus of the plot, which rather shocked me when I first read it; it's the one thing I remembered from it on re-reading. However I was wrong in my judgement. It's not at all sordid. A difficult and controversial subject is given sensitive treatment. Alice's dilemmas as she has to make some very difficult choices seem believable and well thought out.
I did get a bit muddled about some of the minor characters involved, but the main ones were all three-dimensional and memorable, albeit slightly caricatured. The story works well at a good pace, and the ending is satisfactory and hopeful, if not a rosy happy-ever-after.
All in all, I'd recommend it to anyone who likes light fiction with controversial issues involved. It's not quite as dramatic as some of Libby Purves' novels that cover difficult subjects, but if you're easily shocked, you might do best to avoid it. I'm glad to see it's still in print in both the UK and USA.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Drums of Change (by Janette Oke)
I first came across Janette Oke when we lived in the USA for a couple of years, back in the early 1990s. she is actually Canadian rather than American, but is a popular Christian fiction writer in America. Her stories tend to be fairly light, suitable for teenagers as well as adults, with a low-key Christian message that isn't too pushy or preachy.
'Drums of Change' is one of her books which I hadn't previously read. It's set in the province of Alberta in Canada, in the late 1880s, when white people were starting to settle, and life became more difficult for the Native 'Indian' tribes.
Running Fawn is the main character in this book; we meet her when she is just six years old. Already she is a quiet, thoughtful girl who longs to sit and dream rather than fetching water for her mother all day. She loves her tribe's winter hideout, in the shelter of the mountains, and would love to stay there all year. But when Spring comes, they move to the plains, to hunt buffalo and to meet with other tribes for feasting and religious ceremonies.
Meanwhile a young and enthusiastic Christian called Martin Forbes has a strong calling to reach out to these people with the gospel message. He joins Running Fawn's tribe, learns the language, and adopts most of their customs; he also talks about God, and tries to help them understand that the Bible is not just for white men, but for everyone, whatever their skin colour or culture. And he starts a school for some of the children, to help them learn English, and to read, and to learn some of the things going on in the world, outside their locality and awareness.
Running Fawn is one of the children chosen for the school, and so is Silver Fox, the son of their chief. They both learn fast, and are then selected to go to a mission school many miles away. Silver Fox is delighted - he knows that it's important to understand white people, and their ways, if he is to lead the tribe in the future. But Running Fawn is devastated to be taken away from her family. Through her struggles to adjust over the next few years, she never forgets her home and loved ones, nor will she accept the God of the Bible.
That's just part of the story - it covers a ten-year span, ending when Running Fawn is sixteen. I thought it well-done - it didn't feel 'researched', but helped me know a little more about what life would have been like for the Native Canadians in those days of change. Running Fawn is a likeable character, full of questions and worries, yet obedient to the wishes of her parents and the tribal chief, as a young girl would have been.
The writing is crisp and the plot moves forward without undue description. The Christian message is clear, but without being preachy or pushy - or even spelled out clearly until a scene towards the end. There's no judgement either, of the sometimes stubborn and violent early tribes, or of the white people who tried both to help and to control. Martin and the people from the mission were sometimes ignorant, and made somewhat unreasonable assumptions, but their hearts were in the right cases, and they cared deeply about Running Fawn and her family.
Not the most thrilling of books - but I read it in a few hours, and enjoyed it on the whole. Recommended for anyone wondering what life might have been like in that period, or who wants a pleasant, undemanding light read for a wet weekend.
First published in 1996, but still in print in both UK and USA.
'Drums of Change' is one of her books which I hadn't previously read. It's set in the province of Alberta in Canada, in the late 1880s, when white people were starting to settle, and life became more difficult for the Native 'Indian' tribes.
Running Fawn is the main character in this book; we meet her when she is just six years old. Already she is a quiet, thoughtful girl who longs to sit and dream rather than fetching water for her mother all day. She loves her tribe's winter hideout, in the shelter of the mountains, and would love to stay there all year. But when Spring comes, they move to the plains, to hunt buffalo and to meet with other tribes for feasting and religious ceremonies.
Meanwhile a young and enthusiastic Christian called Martin Forbes has a strong calling to reach out to these people with the gospel message. He joins Running Fawn's tribe, learns the language, and adopts most of their customs; he also talks about God, and tries to help them understand that the Bible is not just for white men, but for everyone, whatever their skin colour or culture. And he starts a school for some of the children, to help them learn English, and to read, and to learn some of the things going on in the world, outside their locality and awareness.
Running Fawn is one of the children chosen for the school, and so is Silver Fox, the son of their chief. They both learn fast, and are then selected to go to a mission school many miles away. Silver Fox is delighted - he knows that it's important to understand white people, and their ways, if he is to lead the tribe in the future. But Running Fawn is devastated to be taken away from her family. Through her struggles to adjust over the next few years, she never forgets her home and loved ones, nor will she accept the God of the Bible.
That's just part of the story - it covers a ten-year span, ending when Running Fawn is sixteen. I thought it well-done - it didn't feel 'researched', but helped me know a little more about what life would have been like for the Native Canadians in those days of change. Running Fawn is a likeable character, full of questions and worries, yet obedient to the wishes of her parents and the tribal chief, as a young girl would have been.
The writing is crisp and the plot moves forward without undue description. The Christian message is clear, but without being preachy or pushy - or even spelled out clearly until a scene towards the end. There's no judgement either, of the sometimes stubborn and violent early tribes, or of the white people who tried both to help and to control. Martin and the people from the mission were sometimes ignorant, and made somewhat unreasonable assumptions, but their hearts were in the right cases, and they cared deeply about Running Fawn and her family.
Not the most thrilling of books - but I read it in a few hours, and enjoyed it on the whole. Recommended for anyone wondering what life might have been like in that period, or who wants a pleasant, undemanding light read for a wet weekend.
First published in 1996, but still in print in both UK and USA.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Those who Serve (by Marcia Willett)
I've been reading and enjoying Marcia Willett's novels for about ten years, and recently decided to re-read. I began with my favourite 'Chadwick' trilogy; then I decided to read the rest in the order they were written, rather than the order I first read them. This is because many of the characters re-appear in other novels; having read them out of order at first, I got a little confused at times.
'Those who Serve' is Marcia Willett's first published novel; I first read it in 2000 and enjoyed it. I had forgotten quite what an emotional roller-coaster it was when I re-read it in the past few days.
It opens in 1981 with a funeral. Charlotte, a teenager, is being buried. As the minister intones the words, Charlotte's mother Cass is in despair and agony, helped only by her oldest and closest friend Kate, who is nearly as distraught as she is.
This prologue is just a couple of pages. The novel then returns us to 1964, when Kate and Cass are both newly-married to men in the British Navy. Kate is a gentle person, unsure of herself in many ways, and not at all happy in her marriage. Her husband Mark puts her down continually, doesn't seem to want her with him, and cares very little about her happiness. Cass, by contrast, is very happily married to Tom - the two are outgoing, liking social gatherings and parties, openly affectionate to each other.
Kate is basically a highly moral person, yet Cass is (as Kate puts it) amoral. Kate remains faithful to Mark, yet Cass sees nothing wrong with casual affairs when Tom is away at sea. She is very attractive, and likes to have power over men who are drawn to her. This should make her an unpleasant person, yet she isn't. Marcia Willett is skilled in her characterisation: Cass, despite her many faults, is a very likeable young woman. She is always generous, and deeply attached to Kate.
There are some other delightful people in this novel - Cass's father the General, for one, who Kate goes to for comfort and advice whenever she is in despair. And there's Mrs Hammond, who cleans and cooks for the General, and helps out with several other families. There are also several other young married couples - I got a bit confused sometimes about who was who, but it didn't seem to matter.
The book gradually moves forward in time - chapters cover two or three years, then we leap ahead another three or four, and only see the intervening years in flashback. This is a technique that worked very well in the Chadwick trilogy, and I found it effective here. We see snapshots in time, rather than a continuum. During the years covered in the book, Kate gives birth to twin sons, and Cass eventually has four children, the oldest of whom is Charlotte.
Despite having read the book eight years previously, I'd totally forgotten what happened, and how Charlotte died. I watched her grow up - a lovely, caring home-loving girl who had no wish to be farmed out to boarding school like her brothers. She finds life difficult as a teenager, and hates the way her mother seems to chase after new men all the time.
I suppose the overall message of the novel is that people who play 'russian roulette' (as Cass describes her lifestyle) will inevitably end up badly hurt. Yet it's not at all preachy or condemnatory. At the end of the book, Cass behaves particularly badly to Charlotte, yet she herself has been hurt. Tom, too, feels guilt at an infatuation of his own, as does a young man who Charlotte was rather keen on.
The ending is dramatic, and tragic, and yet probably necessary in order to bring some resolution and hope for the future. I was glad of the prologue warning of what was to come: it would have been more shocking had I not known, but I would probably have felt cheated.
The characters aren't quite as real and empathic as those of Rosamunde Pilcher (to whom Marcia Willett is often compared) but they still came alive; I cared about what happened to them, and thought about them after finishing the book. I did find that there was slightly too much description of life in the Navy, which I was able to skim over entirely; but other than that, it was a very enjoyable light read.
Recommended. Still in print in the UK, and widely available second-hand.
'Those who Serve' is Marcia Willett's first published novel; I first read it in 2000 and enjoyed it. I had forgotten quite what an emotional roller-coaster it was when I re-read it in the past few days.
It opens in 1981 with a funeral. Charlotte, a teenager, is being buried. As the minister intones the words, Charlotte's mother Cass is in despair and agony, helped only by her oldest and closest friend Kate, who is nearly as distraught as she is.
This prologue is just a couple of pages. The novel then returns us to 1964, when Kate and Cass are both newly-married to men in the British Navy. Kate is a gentle person, unsure of herself in many ways, and not at all happy in her marriage. Her husband Mark puts her down continually, doesn't seem to want her with him, and cares very little about her happiness. Cass, by contrast, is very happily married to Tom - the two are outgoing, liking social gatherings and parties, openly affectionate to each other.
Kate is basically a highly moral person, yet Cass is (as Kate puts it) amoral. Kate remains faithful to Mark, yet Cass sees nothing wrong with casual affairs when Tom is away at sea. She is very attractive, and likes to have power over men who are drawn to her. This should make her an unpleasant person, yet she isn't. Marcia Willett is skilled in her characterisation: Cass, despite her many faults, is a very likeable young woman. She is always generous, and deeply attached to Kate.
There are some other delightful people in this novel - Cass's father the General, for one, who Kate goes to for comfort and advice whenever she is in despair. And there's Mrs Hammond, who cleans and cooks for the General, and helps out with several other families. There are also several other young married couples - I got a bit confused sometimes about who was who, but it didn't seem to matter.
The book gradually moves forward in time - chapters cover two or three years, then we leap ahead another three or four, and only see the intervening years in flashback. This is a technique that worked very well in the Chadwick trilogy, and I found it effective here. We see snapshots in time, rather than a continuum. During the years covered in the book, Kate gives birth to twin sons, and Cass eventually has four children, the oldest of whom is Charlotte.
Despite having read the book eight years previously, I'd totally forgotten what happened, and how Charlotte died. I watched her grow up - a lovely, caring home-loving girl who had no wish to be farmed out to boarding school like her brothers. She finds life difficult as a teenager, and hates the way her mother seems to chase after new men all the time.
I suppose the overall message of the novel is that people who play 'russian roulette' (as Cass describes her lifestyle) will inevitably end up badly hurt. Yet it's not at all preachy or condemnatory. At the end of the book, Cass behaves particularly badly to Charlotte, yet she herself has been hurt. Tom, too, feels guilt at an infatuation of his own, as does a young man who Charlotte was rather keen on.
The ending is dramatic, and tragic, and yet probably necessary in order to bring some resolution and hope for the future. I was glad of the prologue warning of what was to come: it would have been more shocking had I not known, but I would probably have felt cheated.
The characters aren't quite as real and empathic as those of Rosamunde Pilcher (to whom Marcia Willett is often compared) but they still came alive; I cared about what happened to them, and thought about them after finishing the book. I did find that there was slightly too much description of life in the Navy, which I was able to skim over entirely; but other than that, it was a very enjoyable light read.
Recommended. Still in print in the UK, and widely available second-hand.
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Five-Minute Marriage (by Joan Aiken)
I have mixed feelings about Joan Aiken's writing. I very much enjoyed her best-known children's novel when younger, and again as an adult when I read 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase' and its sequel ('Black Hearts in Battersea') to my sons. On the other hand, I started to read one of her novels for adults a few years ago ('Castle Barebane') - and it's one of the few novels I didn't finish reading, because the plot was so unpleasant.
However I've had 'The Five-Minute Marriage' sitting on my shelves for a long time, with a note in the front saying that I first read it in 1995. It looks as though I picked it up second-hand some years before that. Since I had no recollection whatsoever of what it was about, I thought I would re-read it this last weekend.
It's the story of Delphie, a young woman who works hard as a private music teacher, to support herself and her frail mother. It's set in the days of horses and carriages - perhaps the Regency period, or a little later. Two of Delphie's students at the daughters of the wealthy, widowed Josiah Browty, who is curious about her circumstnaces in a slightly nosy but very well-meaning way. It turns out that he once did a small service for Lord Bollington, who is Delphie's estranged Great-Uncle Mark.
So Mr Browty suggests that Delphie should pay a visit to her great-uncle, asking if a small allowance could be made to her mother. He gives her a rather badly-written letter of introduction, in case anyone should doubt her.
When Delphie arrives at her great-uncle's home, she is regarded with great suspicion. It turns out that there is someone else claiming to be her, who has been supported for many years by her great-uncle. Moreover, her great-uncle seems to be dying, and wishes his great-nephew Gareth to be married immediately to the imposter, or he will disinherit them both.
Delphie is drawn into a bizarre plan to deceive her great-uncle, but promised an annual allowance in exchange. The plot turns out to have long-lasting ramifications, and leads to a very exciting and fast-paced novel which I found almost impossible to put down once I had started.
It's a thriller romance, a little in the style of Joan Aiken's sister Jane Aiken Hodge, or Mary Stewart, and I very much enjoyed it. The outcome was fairly obvious from the start, but the paths to get there were very exciting and well-written. The main characters seemed real, and I particularly empathised with Delphie. She's an independent and very caring young lady, and I wanted her to have a happy ending.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed 'The Five-Minute Marriage', and sorry to see that it's been out of print for a long time. However it is fairly widely available second-hand. Definitely recommended.
However I've had 'The Five-Minute Marriage' sitting on my shelves for a long time, with a note in the front saying that I first read it in 1995. It looks as though I picked it up second-hand some years before that. Since I had no recollection whatsoever of what it was about, I thought I would re-read it this last weekend.
It's the story of Delphie, a young woman who works hard as a private music teacher, to support herself and her frail mother. It's set in the days of horses and carriages - perhaps the Regency period, or a little later. Two of Delphie's students at the daughters of the wealthy, widowed Josiah Browty, who is curious about her circumstnaces in a slightly nosy but very well-meaning way. It turns out that he once did a small service for Lord Bollington, who is Delphie's estranged Great-Uncle Mark.
So Mr Browty suggests that Delphie should pay a visit to her great-uncle, asking if a small allowance could be made to her mother. He gives her a rather badly-written letter of introduction, in case anyone should doubt her.
When Delphie arrives at her great-uncle's home, she is regarded with great suspicion. It turns out that there is someone else claiming to be her, who has been supported for many years by her great-uncle. Moreover, her great-uncle seems to be dying, and wishes his great-nephew Gareth to be married immediately to the imposter, or he will disinherit them both.
Delphie is drawn into a bizarre plan to deceive her great-uncle, but promised an annual allowance in exchange. The plot turns out to have long-lasting ramifications, and leads to a very exciting and fast-paced novel which I found almost impossible to put down once I had started.
It's a thriller romance, a little in the style of Joan Aiken's sister Jane Aiken Hodge, or Mary Stewart, and I very much enjoyed it. The outcome was fairly obvious from the start, but the paths to get there were very exciting and well-written. The main characters seemed real, and I particularly empathised with Delphie. She's an independent and very caring young lady, and I wanted her to have a happy ending.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed 'The Five-Minute Marriage', and sorry to see that it's been out of print for a long time. However it is fairly widely available second-hand. Definitely recommended.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Apple of His Eye (by Bridget Plass)
It's hard to find anything online about Bridget Plass, except in conjunction with her better-known husband Adrian Plass. But she is a writer too, though not as prolific.
This book is a series of short devotional readings, intended to be used during the Lent season, culminating on Easter Day. However I first read 'The Apple of His Eye' back in October and November of 2005; about as far away from Lent as it's possible to get! Despite that, I found it very helpful and encouraging, so this year I decided to use it, as intended, during the pre-Easter season.
Once again, I thought it extremely good. There's no deep theology, but short, gentle comments on passages of Scripture appropriate for today's women. They're intended, overall, to show how much God loves each one of us - how we are all, in a sense, the apple of His eye.
The first section - covering Ash Wednesday until the Sunday of the third week of Lent - looks at some of what we can find in the Bible about God as Father. The second section, covering the next two weeks of Lent, looks in some depth at the family Jesus was so fond of - Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Then there's a week looking at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and some of what she went through as she saw her Son grow up and then die in a most appalling way.
Following that is a week studying some of the last things Jesus said to his disciples, and then finally the readings for Holy Week cover the events leading up to Good Friday, finishing with the relevant reading for Easter Day, and commentary on it.
Each reading is given in full in the book, and the commentary is no more than two sides of print for each one. They're ideal for daily readings, for people who want a thought for the day without anything too heavy. There are some anecdotes in places, where relevant; there are also meditations at times, helping us see more clearly the reality of some of the Bible stories. Throughout the readings is the overwhelming theme of God's love.
Recommended to anyone who would like to explore this theme a little more, or to anyone who isn't sure what it means to have God love them. Don't sit down and read the book straight through, though - it's definitely meant to be a one-a-day book, taking six-and-a-half weeks to finish.
Still in print in the UK, though apparently not in the USA.
This book is a series of short devotional readings, intended to be used during the Lent season, culminating on Easter Day. However I first read 'The Apple of His Eye' back in October and November of 2005; about as far away from Lent as it's possible to get! Despite that, I found it very helpful and encouraging, so this year I decided to use it, as intended, during the pre-Easter season.
Once again, I thought it extremely good. There's no deep theology, but short, gentle comments on passages of Scripture appropriate for today's women. They're intended, overall, to show how much God loves each one of us - how we are all, in a sense, the apple of His eye.
The first section - covering Ash Wednesday until the Sunday of the third week of Lent - looks at some of what we can find in the Bible about God as Father. The second section, covering the next two weeks of Lent, looks in some depth at the family Jesus was so fond of - Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Then there's a week looking at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and some of what she went through as she saw her Son grow up and then die in a most appalling way.
Following that is a week studying some of the last things Jesus said to his disciples, and then finally the readings for Holy Week cover the events leading up to Good Friday, finishing with the relevant reading for Easter Day, and commentary on it.
Each reading is given in full in the book, and the commentary is no more than two sides of print for each one. They're ideal for daily readings, for people who want a thought for the day without anything too heavy. There are some anecdotes in places, where relevant; there are also meditations at times, helping us see more clearly the reality of some of the Bible stories. Throughout the readings is the overwhelming theme of God's love.
Recommended to anyone who would like to explore this theme a little more, or to anyone who isn't sure what it means to have God love them. Don't sit down and read the book straight through, though - it's definitely meant to be a one-a-day book, taking six-and-a-half weeks to finish.
Still in print in the UK, though apparently not in the USA.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
A Breath of Fresh Air (by Erica James)
On the whole, I enjoy Erica James' writing. I only discovered her about ten years ago, and have read each of her books so far. I decided it was time to start re-reading the earlier ones, since I had entirely forgotten what they were about.
I was a little scathing about 'A breath of fresh air' when I first read it in 2000, although I quite liked it. But then I wasn't quite such an avid reader of modern fiction, at the time. Since then I have become a lot broader in my reading; I hope it hasn't made me less discerning.
This time around, I found myself enjoying the book so much that I read well into the night twice, long after I should have been asleep. I finished the book in two days.
It's the story of Charlotte, who has been in an unhappy marriage, living in various places around the world. When that comes to an end, she returns to her home village, living near her parents and also her rather over-protective sister Hilary. Hilary's husband is an estate agent; he not only arranges the sale of the house Kathy wants to buy, but finds her a tenant for the granny flat: the rather handsome Alex.
It was, perhaps, inevitable that Charlotte and Alex would find each other attractive, and that they would also have misunderstandings and irritations, and take a while to get to know each other. Predictable, yes - but done very well, since Alex is a really very nice man. Not too good to be true, either. Charlotte, as well, is very believable - confused about her emotions, not sure whether she's done the right thing in returning to her old home.
There are other people involved, as happens in village novels - the slightly bizarre Derek and Cindy, who run a health studio and have painted their house shocking pink, for instance. They're caricatured, and yet they too show a human side when circumstances become difficult for them. I really liked their teenagers, too - the serious Barry, who isn't into fast cars, women or sport, but wants to study for his A-levels and then read medicine at university, and the rebellious black-clad Tiffany who fights her parents all the time, and yet is an excellent babysitter for Hilary.
I had totally forgotten the plot, and all the characters when I re-read the book. I didn't know how it was going to end, and didn't even remember the unexpected events in the book.
This was apparently Erica James' first published novel; her later ones are deeper and longer, but on the whole, I thought it a very good light read. Recommended for holidays or weekends, when you have time to read something encouraging, but don't want to exercise too much brain power. I'm pleased to see that it's been re-printed and is still available in both the UK and USA.
I was a little scathing about 'A breath of fresh air' when I first read it in 2000, although I quite liked it. But then I wasn't quite such an avid reader of modern fiction, at the time. Since then I have become a lot broader in my reading; I hope it hasn't made me less discerning.
This time around, I found myself enjoying the book so much that I read well into the night twice, long after I should have been asleep. I finished the book in two days.
It's the story of Charlotte, who has been in an unhappy marriage, living in various places around the world. When that comes to an end, she returns to her home village, living near her parents and also her rather over-protective sister Hilary. Hilary's husband is an estate agent; he not only arranges the sale of the house Kathy wants to buy, but finds her a tenant for the granny flat: the rather handsome Alex.
It was, perhaps, inevitable that Charlotte and Alex would find each other attractive, and that they would also have misunderstandings and irritations, and take a while to get to know each other. Predictable, yes - but done very well, since Alex is a really very nice man. Not too good to be true, either. Charlotte, as well, is very believable - confused about her emotions, not sure whether she's done the right thing in returning to her old home.
There are other people involved, as happens in village novels - the slightly bizarre Derek and Cindy, who run a health studio and have painted their house shocking pink, for instance. They're caricatured, and yet they too show a human side when circumstances become difficult for them. I really liked their teenagers, too - the serious Barry, who isn't into fast cars, women or sport, but wants to study for his A-levels and then read medicine at university, and the rebellious black-clad Tiffany who fights her parents all the time, and yet is an excellent babysitter for Hilary.
I had totally forgotten the plot, and all the characters when I re-read the book. I didn't know how it was going to end, and didn't even remember the unexpected events in the book.
This was apparently Erica James' first published novel; her later ones are deeper and longer, but on the whole, I thought it a very good light read. Recommended for holidays or weekends, when you have time to read something encouraging, but don't want to exercise too much brain power. I'm pleased to see that it's been re-printed and is still available in both the UK and USA.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sing as we go (by Margaret Dickinson)
As far as I know, I haven't read anything by Margaret Dickinson before now, although she's apparently quite a prolific writer.
'Sing as we go' is a fast-paced and well-written novel set in the early 1940s. The heroine, Kathy, is strong-willed and determined. Her father is unloving and sometimes violent, and her mother loving but not very strong. Kathy manages to leave - with her mother's blessing - and stays with her best friend's aunt in the city. She finds a job, makes new friends, and falls in love with the handsome Tony, who has reputedly broken several hearts already.
Of course, life is never straightforward. Kathy's boss is one of Tony's ex-girlfriends, and Tony's mother is a selfish and manipulative woman who doesn't want him to love anyone but herself. There's also the rather large matter of World War II looming, with all it involves.
I sometimes find novels set in the war years to be rather dry, heavily weighted in favour of factual accounts of the war, with the characters secondary. That isn't the case with 'Sing as we go'. I thought the balance was good - there's plenty of fictional plot, revolving around Kathy and her friends, and the war is only really mentioned when it impinges on them.
It's ideal if you want to pick up a bit of social history while reading a good story. Kathy sings with a group touring around the country giving concerts to servicemen, a subject I knew very little about. The scenes felt realistic rather than researched, and I found myself appreciating the value of those who gave their time and talents to the entertainment industry during the war.
It's a story of hope, of determination, and of picking up the pieces after making mistakes. Kathy is a likeable girl and I found myself turning the pages of this book at night, long after I really should have been asleep.
My main problem with the book is that some of the minor characters seem unrealistic, and rather inconsistent. Others just seem weak and faceless. But it wasn't a huge problem, since I found I could relate to Kathy fairly well - and most of the story is seen through her eyes.
All in all, enjoyable light historical fiction with a realistic background of the war years.
('Sing as we go' was sent to me by The Bookbag, and I initially reviewed it for their site)
'Sing as we go' is a fast-paced and well-written novel set in the early 1940s. The heroine, Kathy, is strong-willed and determined. Her father is unloving and sometimes violent, and her mother loving but not very strong. Kathy manages to leave - with her mother's blessing - and stays with her best friend's aunt in the city. She finds a job, makes new friends, and falls in love with the handsome Tony, who has reputedly broken several hearts already.
Of course, life is never straightforward. Kathy's boss is one of Tony's ex-girlfriends, and Tony's mother is a selfish and manipulative woman who doesn't want him to love anyone but herself. There's also the rather large matter of World War II looming, with all it involves.
I sometimes find novels set in the war years to be rather dry, heavily weighted in favour of factual accounts of the war, with the characters secondary. That isn't the case with 'Sing as we go'. I thought the balance was good - there's plenty of fictional plot, revolving around Kathy and her friends, and the war is only really mentioned when it impinges on them.
It's ideal if you want to pick up a bit of social history while reading a good story. Kathy sings with a group touring around the country giving concerts to servicemen, a subject I knew very little about. The scenes felt realistic rather than researched, and I found myself appreciating the value of those who gave their time and talents to the entertainment industry during the war.
It's a story of hope, of determination, and of picking up the pieces after making mistakes. Kathy is a likeable girl and I found myself turning the pages of this book at night, long after I really should have been asleep.
My main problem with the book is that some of the minor characters seem unrealistic, and rather inconsistent. Others just seem weak and faceless. But it wasn't a huge problem, since I found I could relate to Kathy fairly well - and most of the story is seen through her eyes.
All in all, enjoyable light historical fiction with a realistic background of the war years.
('Sing as we go' was sent to me by The Bookbag, and I initially reviewed it for their site)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Thank God it's Monday (by Mark Greene)
I had never heard of Mark Greene - apparently he used to work in a big advertising company, and now works for London Bible College. I came across this book because my son needed it for one of the modules he took in a theology degree course. He said it was well worth reading.
'Thank God it's Monday' was written in 1994, and updated subsequently. At the time, it was probably fairly radical in its thesis: that most ministry takes place in offices, and factories, and other Monday-to-Friday workplaces. These days I think more people have realised this, even if churches do seem, sometimes, to consider their full-time ministers and missionaries as having had a higher vocation than those who are in paid jobs.
In a way, it reminded me of the excellent 'Church that Works', although that goes much further - suggesting that Sunday morning gatherings are really unimportant in the scheme of things. Whereas this book looks more at what happens in the workplace - how Christians can and should behave if they are to be 'salt and light' in the world.
I found it a good read - it's peppered with anecdotes about people at work who respond well - or not so well - when confronted with problems. It shows how important it is to have integrity, not to go with the flow, and to have respect for others in the workplace. There are hints about how to share the gospel message directly, but always in a low-key way, after building friendships, and looking for suitable opportunities to bring the topic up, rather than being pushy.
I don't think I learned anything new or challenging through reading this book, but then I don't go out to work, so a fair bit of it isn't relevant to me, although the principles certainly still hold. Nevertheless, I kept reading, which is perhaps a testament to the writing style, which is light but interesting, and the anecdotes and stories which helped to keep it interesting.
I didn't read it in one sitting - I read about a chapter a day for a couple of weeks. It would have been a bit repetitive to have swallowed all at once, but in small portions it worked well, reinforcing concepts day by day.
Recommended to any Christians struggling with ethics or colleagues at work - or, indeed, to any wondering how they can be more of a witness to Christ during the week.
'Thank God it's Monday' was written in 1994, and updated subsequently. At the time, it was probably fairly radical in its thesis: that most ministry takes place in offices, and factories, and other Monday-to-Friday workplaces. These days I think more people have realised this, even if churches do seem, sometimes, to consider their full-time ministers and missionaries as having had a higher vocation than those who are in paid jobs.
In a way, it reminded me of the excellent 'Church that Works', although that goes much further - suggesting that Sunday morning gatherings are really unimportant in the scheme of things. Whereas this book looks more at what happens in the workplace - how Christians can and should behave if they are to be 'salt and light' in the world.
I found it a good read - it's peppered with anecdotes about people at work who respond well - or not so well - when confronted with problems. It shows how important it is to have integrity, not to go with the flow, and to have respect for others in the workplace. There are hints about how to share the gospel message directly, but always in a low-key way, after building friendships, and looking for suitable opportunities to bring the topic up, rather than being pushy.
I don't think I learned anything new or challenging through reading this book, but then I don't go out to work, so a fair bit of it isn't relevant to me, although the principles certainly still hold. Nevertheless, I kept reading, which is perhaps a testament to the writing style, which is light but interesting, and the anecdotes and stories which helped to keep it interesting.
I didn't read it in one sitting - I read about a chapter a day for a couple of weeks. It would have been a bit repetitive to have swallowed all at once, but in small portions it worked well, reinforcing concepts day by day.
Recommended to any Christians struggling with ethics or colleagues at work - or, indeed, to any wondering how they can be more of a witness to Christ during the week.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Consider the Lily (by Elizabeth Buchan)
I had read three books by Elizabeth Buchan. I enjoyed 'The Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman', more than I expected to. I was less sure about 'Against her nature', which I found a bit dull in places. And I had mixed feelings about That Certain Age', but still thought it was a good light read on the whole, if a little confusing in places. Still, I liked them sufficiently to put her others on my wishlist, and received another one for Christmas last year.
'Consider the Lily' is a sort of village saga, set between the world wars. It features a marriage of convenience, and the many problems within it, exacerbated by the husband's love of his wife's cousin. Taking this thread alone, it's quite a moving story, as mistakes are made, misunderstandings arise, and - almost imperceptibly - affection grows. The conclusion was powerful and satisfying.
The reason for the marriage is that Matty - the wife - is very wealthy, and can put to rights the delapidated ancestral home belonging to her husband. She loves him, and also wants to get away from her suffocating aunt, who has been her guardian since she lost her parents at a young age.
So there are also threads of the story involved in the gradual and tasteful renovation of the house, and Matty's growing love of the garden. There are secrets within the garden - her new husband and his family refuse to go in part of it, or even talk about it - and some mystery surrounding the family.
There's also the bad-tempered Sir Rupert, Matty's father-in-law, whose health becomes increasingly frail, necessitating the help of Robin Lofts, the newly arrived doctor in the village. Robin and Matty's sister-in-law are very attracted to each other, despite a significant difference of class, which was still important in those days.
But there are wider threads still, which didn't seem to intertwine much with the main plot at all, and simply made it confusing at first. The story opens, for instance, with Matty and her cousin getting ready for the wedding of Polly Dysart. Polly is in fact a future member of Matty's in-laws, but she really doesn't come into the story again.
There also seem to be several village people mentioned - all together, in the early chapters, with stories that don't really go anywhere, and simply left me confused. It wasn't until Matty's wedding - after over 100 pages - that the book settled down and became interesting. I nearly gave up before then, although I'm glad I didn't.
In addition to all this, there are interspersed short chapters simply labelled 'Harry' which mostly described, in detail, various flowers or anecdotes about gardening. I never did work out who Harry was - perhaps he was supposed to be a ghost (since Matty does feel haunted by several family ghosts). I soon realised that I lost nothing if I simply ignored these parts, which didn't appear to fit in with the rest of the book at all.
That all sounds rather negative, so I should balance it by saying that the writing is very good - crips and clear, and in places moving. There is little rambling, and no dull description that I can recall (other than the 'Harry' chapters). Matty's character is very believable; I could sympathise with her strongly, and found myself hoping things would work out. Some of the other characters were more two-dimensional, some of them eminently forgettable, but I don't mind that too much, so long as there's a main character to relate to.
It took me over two weeks to read this, which is most unusual for me, despite 'Consider the Lily' being a fairly long book - 570 pages in all. However I read the last half in the past three days, finding it more enjoyable and interesting the further it went on.
Overall, a good light read, if you can get past the early chapters.
'Consider the Lily' is a sort of village saga, set between the world wars. It features a marriage of convenience, and the many problems within it, exacerbated by the husband's love of his wife's cousin. Taking this thread alone, it's quite a moving story, as mistakes are made, misunderstandings arise, and - almost imperceptibly - affection grows. The conclusion was powerful and satisfying.
The reason for the marriage is that Matty - the wife - is very wealthy, and can put to rights the delapidated ancestral home belonging to her husband. She loves him, and also wants to get away from her suffocating aunt, who has been her guardian since she lost her parents at a young age.
So there are also threads of the story involved in the gradual and tasteful renovation of the house, and Matty's growing love of the garden. There are secrets within the garden - her new husband and his family refuse to go in part of it, or even talk about it - and some mystery surrounding the family.
There's also the bad-tempered Sir Rupert, Matty's father-in-law, whose health becomes increasingly frail, necessitating the help of Robin Lofts, the newly arrived doctor in the village. Robin and Matty's sister-in-law are very attracted to each other, despite a significant difference of class, which was still important in those days.
But there are wider threads still, which didn't seem to intertwine much with the main plot at all, and simply made it confusing at first. The story opens, for instance, with Matty and her cousin getting ready for the wedding of Polly Dysart. Polly is in fact a future member of Matty's in-laws, but she really doesn't come into the story again.
There also seem to be several village people mentioned - all together, in the early chapters, with stories that don't really go anywhere, and simply left me confused. It wasn't until Matty's wedding - after over 100 pages - that the book settled down and became interesting. I nearly gave up before then, although I'm glad I didn't.
In addition to all this, there are interspersed short chapters simply labelled 'Harry' which mostly described, in detail, various flowers or anecdotes about gardening. I never did work out who Harry was - perhaps he was supposed to be a ghost (since Matty does feel haunted by several family ghosts). I soon realised that I lost nothing if I simply ignored these parts, which didn't appear to fit in with the rest of the book at all.
That all sounds rather negative, so I should balance it by saying that the writing is very good - crips and clear, and in places moving. There is little rambling, and no dull description that I can recall (other than the 'Harry' chapters). Matty's character is very believable; I could sympathise with her strongly, and found myself hoping things would work out. Some of the other characters were more two-dimensional, some of them eminently forgettable, but I don't mind that too much, so long as there's a main character to relate to.
It took me over two weeks to read this, which is most unusual for me, despite 'Consider the Lily' being a fairly long book - 570 pages in all. However I read the last half in the past three days, finding it more enjoyable and interesting the further it went on.
Overall, a good light read, if you can get past the early chapters.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Prayer: does it make any difference? (by Philip Yancey)
I really like Philip Yancey's books. He's an American Christian writer who has a clear style of writing that gets to the heart of issues and problems. He uses anecdotes to illustrate his points, and his language is straightforward, yet very readable. I always look forward to his new books.
'Prayer: does it make a difference?' is one I have been meaning to read for a while. It's a fairly big book - larger in size than typical paperbacks, and over 300 pages. I generally read fast, but it took me some weeks to get through this as I found it rather heavier going than normal for Yancey. It's very well-written, and there are plenty of anecdotes as usual, but perhaps the subject matter required more thought, or perhaps he did more research than usual, so it felt a little dryer.
One slight problem I had was that ever so often there were quotations from various people taking up whole pages, on a different background to the main text. Sometimes one of these pages would appear in (apparently) the middle of a sentence of the main part of the book - so either I had to read ahead, and then go back to the quotation, or I'd read the quote and then back-track in the text. A minor irritation, but one that bugged me several times.
The other strange thing about it is that Yancey never seems to use pronouns to describe God. At least, he doesn't in this book. Mostly this doesn't matter, but once or twice it made for slightly convoluted sentences, where he repeated 'God' and 'God's'two or three times, rather than using 'His' and 'Him/He'. I don't know if this was deliberate (to avoid, perhaps, the controversy of whether to use a capital H!) or accidental, but it felt a little odd.
Having got all hat out of the way, overall I thought it was an excellent book - by far the most thorough I have ever read on the topic of prayer. It gets to the heart of many people's difficulties by looking honestly at what prayer is, what God wants of us, what we expect when we pray, what it means when prayer is not answered, and more.
The first part of the book is called 'Keeping company with God' and looks at how important it is to come into God's presence - not with rituals, or formulas, but to spend time with him, getting to know his presence, learning more about him - and about ourselves in the process.
Further sections look at reasons for praying, whether it actually makes a difference, praying for the sick, and so on.
All in all, I thought it was very good, well-written, and extremely sound. Just a little heavy-going, which isn't something I expect with Philip Yancey's books. But recommended, nonetheless. Just don't expect to read it in a couple of sittings!
'Prayer: does it make a difference?' is one I have been meaning to read for a while. It's a fairly big book - larger in size than typical paperbacks, and over 300 pages. I generally read fast, but it took me some weeks to get through this as I found it rather heavier going than normal for Yancey. It's very well-written, and there are plenty of anecdotes as usual, but perhaps the subject matter required more thought, or perhaps he did more research than usual, so it felt a little dryer.
One slight problem I had was that ever so often there were quotations from various people taking up whole pages, on a different background to the main text. Sometimes one of these pages would appear in (apparently) the middle of a sentence of the main part of the book - so either I had to read ahead, and then go back to the quotation, or I'd read the quote and then back-track in the text. A minor irritation, but one that bugged me several times.
The other strange thing about it is that Yancey never seems to use pronouns to describe God. At least, he doesn't in this book. Mostly this doesn't matter, but once or twice it made for slightly convoluted sentences, where he repeated 'God' and 'God's'two or three times, rather than using 'His' and 'Him/He'. I don't know if this was deliberate (to avoid, perhaps, the controversy of whether to use a capital H!) or accidental, but it felt a little odd.
Having got all hat out of the way, overall I thought it was an excellent book - by far the most thorough I have ever read on the topic of prayer. It gets to the heart of many people's difficulties by looking honestly at what prayer is, what God wants of us, what we expect when we pray, what it means when prayer is not answered, and more.
The first part of the book is called 'Keeping company with God' and looks at how important it is to come into God's presence - not with rituals, or formulas, but to spend time with him, getting to know his presence, learning more about him - and about ourselves in the process.
Further sections look at reasons for praying, whether it actually makes a difference, praying for the sick, and so on.
All in all, I thought it was very good, well-written, and extremely sound. Just a little heavy-going, which isn't something I expect with Philip Yancey's books. But recommended, nonetheless. Just don't expect to read it in a couple of sittings!
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