Two-part invention (by Madeleine L'Engle)

(Amazon UK link)

I find myself having a growing affection for Madeleine L'Engle's books. I only got around to reading her classic children's 'Wrinkle in time' series about fifteen years ago, and did not discover her non-fiction writing at all until relatively recently.

I was interested to find that she wrote a four-part autobiographical series, the 'Crosswicks Journal', based on her musings about life and faith while staying in her family home . I read the first in the series, 'A circle of quiet', last summer, and borrowed from a friend its sequel, 'The summer of the great-grandmother', which I read in the Autumn.

My son had the fourth book, 'Two-part invention' on his shelves, so I decided that as each book is complete in itself, I would read that next. Somehow, though, I kept picking up other books with the result that it took me two months to complete it. It didn't matter. Madeline L'Engle writes in a friendly, personal style that makes me feel almost as if I know her. Picking up one of her non-fiction books, even after a gap of a few weeks feels, almost like catching up with a friend who's been away for a while.

In this volume, she describes her first meeting with her beloved husband Hugh, when they were both working in the theatre. There are fascinating anecdotes about life as actors, and her general lack of boyfriends; the way she didn't quite 'belong' with the lifestyle of the famous and glitzy, and the gentle courtship that evolved when she and Hugh discovered that they had a great deal in common.

The book then tells of significant periods in their forty-year marriage, with high and low points as they raised children, moved to the country, and as her books started to sell. The book continues right up to the time when - as we know from the start is going to happen - Hugh loses his fight with cancer following some difficult and painful months.

I love the rather rambling style of these books: the regular digressions into other topics, and also the way that we're allowed so much insight into this very special relationship. In places it's quite moving, despite knowing all along what the ending would be.

Madeleine L'Engle talks frankly about her faith in places, without being the least bit pushy or preachy; she struggles with many questions, and rejects some of the traditional Christian viewpoints while seeking God and finding him her anchor in the most difficult patches.

She also talks about music; about how playing the piano helps her to relax, and re-focus, and begin to find healing and wholeness. The title of the book is from a piece by Bach.

Recommended to anyone who's read others in the Crosswicks series, or who likes fairly unstructured autobiographical writing. Still in print on both sides of the Atlantic.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 30th January 2011

The weight of glory (by CS Lewis)

(Amazon UK link)

I've enjoyed books by CS Lewis since I first discovered the Narnia series as a child. As a teenager and adult, I have read many of his Christian non-fiction books, which I find challenging and very interesting. I have most of his better-known books on my shelves, read regularly, but have recently discovered that some of his other work has been published. So I've put one or two on my wishlist, and was delighted to receive one for Christmas.

'The weight of glory' is a collection of sermons originally given as talks to students, during World War II. In the diverse chapters Lewis covers topics such as transposition, pacifism (why he was not a pacifist), theology as poetry - or not - and forgiveness, which (as he says) is sometimes confused with excusing.

I thought I might read one chapter each day for a week or two. But I found some of the thinking quite heavy - in a good sense - requiring me to pause to think about it. In the event, it took me four weeks to complete, but is certainly a book I shall return to in future.

Written in his usual clear, logical style, Lewis makes many points with his unique blend of diplomacy and forcefulness. I don't necessarily agree with all his conclusions, but that's probably because I don't agree with all his premises.

Yet, on the whole, I found myself nodding and sometimes understanding theology a little better due to his fine use of analogy. Unsurprisingly, some of what he says seems dated, yet the majority feels fresh and is entirely relevant to the 21st century Christian.

Definitely recommended, if you enjoy CS Lewis's style of writing, and would like something a little more thought-provoking than much modern Christian writing.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 29th January 2011

A Perfect Proposal (by Katie Fforde)

(Amazon UK link)

I've only previously read one book by Katie Fforde - the novel 'Stately Pursuits', which I read over eight years ago. I wasn't particularly impressed, and - unfairly, as I know realise - haven't bothered to get hold of any of her other novels.

But a few weeks ago, a friend brought her copy of 'A Perfect proposal', and said she was sure I would enjoy it. It sat on my shelf until a few days ago, when I thought perhaps I should start it - expecting it to take at least a week, maybe longer, reading for perhaps twenty minutes or so each night at bedtime. I really didn't have high expectations, but thought I should at least try it...

It turned out to be a very enjoyable light-hearted read. Sophie is the main viewpoint character. She's a generous, caring and quite practical young woman who lives in a family of academics and artists, most of whom rather despise her. Not that it stops them enjoying her cooking skills.

As the book opens, Sophie has somehow agreed to go and look after her great-uncle Eric for a couple of weeks, although she's not entirely sure why. Uncle Eric turns out to be blunt and outspoken, but much nicer - and more interesting - than she expected. So she quite enjoys her stay, and while there discovers some important documents which she decides to follow up.

Still annoyed with her family, she decides to apply for a job in the USA and visit one of her best friends. While there, she meets a delightful elderly lady called Matilda, who as a suspiciously aloof grandson called Luke. Luke happens to be rather attractive, but he is convinced that Sophie wants to get something out of his grandmother, and really doesn't want them to become friends...

The writing is nicely paced, with both Sophie and Luke eminently believable and likeable. While Sophie's two best friends are rather flat, with little role other than to look after Sophie at times and be her confidantes, and her family fairly dull, I did like Uncle Eric, Matilda, and a new friend she makes in Cornwall called Moira.

The plot was fairly predictable in the romantic stakes with initial apathy, growing attraction, and a steady stream of problems before a slightly far-fetched conclusion, but there were plenty of interesting sub-plots, including one about oil drilling rights, and the search for a cottage remembered from Matilda's childhood.

So, rather than reading for fifteen or twenty minutes at bedtime, I found myself drawn into the story, and enjoying the people so much that I kept on reading.. often well past the time when I wanted to be asleep. I finished it in just three days, and was quite disappointed to say goodbye to the people I was getting to know so well.

Definitely recommended to anyone who likes light women's fiction. Nothing explicit, and the only bad language is used in conversation under fairly extreme circumstances.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 27th January 2011

A Head Girl's Difficulties (by Elinor M Brent-Dyer)

(Amazon UK link)

I first discovered Elinor M Brent-Dyer's books as a child, staying with my grandmother in the summer. Some of the original hardbacks graced the shelves in the room where I slept; we had no idea of their potential value! In addition to the well-known Chalet School series, there were one or two others in a shorter series called 'La Rochelle'. They had a few links with Chalet School characters, and I enjoyed them very much.

In my teens, I discovered all the Chalet School series in my school library, but nothing else by Brent-Dyer. And while I've now acquired the full set of Chalet School books myself, I had assumed that the 'La Rochelle' series was unavailable. It was, indeed, long out of print; so I was delighted to learn that the 'Girls Gone By' publishers are gradually re-printing them. In print currently is 'A Head Girl's Difficulties'. It's set in the 1920s, and is the second 'La Rochelle' book.

The story is about the decidedly difficult year faced by Rosamund Atherton, head girl of St Peter's school. Accidents, serious illness, and various other problems beset those around her, interspersed with exams, sports matches, and defiant juniors. She copes well, on the whole, and matures considerably over the year, which brings some joys as well as pains.

Naturally, the style and language are somewhat dated. What slightly surprised me was that some of the concepts also seem remarkably dated ninety years later; rather more overtly so than is the case in the 'Chalet School' series. I was particularly startled by the great contempt shown for any hint of 'sentimentality', although perhaps I should not have been surprised: a different author writing in the same period (some of whose books were also at my grandmother's house) were very vehemently against any form of what they called 'soppiness'.

An essay at the start of the Girls Gone By edition of 'A Head Girl's Difficulties' by a modern writer examines this phenomenon, along with an apparently callous attitude to child mortality. I didn't read the introduction until I'd finished the book, worried about spoilers; there weren't, in fact, too many, and I did agree about the sentence that was the most jarring in the entire book.

I don't recall ever having read this book before; if I did, it would have been at least thirty-five years ago. It probably wouldn't appeal to most of today's teenagers, but it's a nice piece of nostalgia for anyone who has enjoyed the lengthy 'Chalet School' series by the same author. There are even a few links between the two series, and a nice bonus was to find a rather moving short story at the back, by yet another author (although in similar style) which expands on something referred to briefly in the main book.

It's paperback, but nicely produced with some of the original illustrations shown at the beginning, The story stands alone, but is likely to appeal mainly to those who are already fans of Elinor M Brent-Dyer's writing. Unfortunately no longer in print, and second-hand editions, either of the re-printed paperback or the original hardback, tend to be very expensive.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 24th January 2011

In the Company of Others (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

Jan Karon is the US author of the gentle 'Mitford' series, featuring the elderly Anglican minister known as Father Tim, and his writer/illustrator wife Cynthia. She is now writing books that focus on Father Tim elsewhere in the world; the first in this new trilogy was 'Home to Holly Springs', where Tim returned for the first time in many years to his childhood town, and unearthed some family secrets.

The second in the series, 'In the Company of Others' was released in hardback in Autumn 2010. I don't usually get hardback editions of books, but I had a voucher for Amazon.com, and friends travelling to the USA... so as I didn't want to spend half the voucher on postage, and couldn't find much else that I wanted, I thought I might as well treat myself to this new book.

In this book, Tim and Cynthia travel to Ireland for a long-awaited holiday. They stay in a guest lodge and get to know the owners, and something about their family tensions. They also discover a journal, about 150 years old, which is interspersed in some of the narrative. The holiday is unexpectedly extended, and they get involved not just in the lives and stresses of their new friends, but help to solve a crime mystery.

I have slightly mixed feelings about this book. I liked the pace, and the characterisation as ever is good. Tim and Cynthia have a delightful, believable relationship... and the dialogue, some of it in Irish brogue, was a great deal easier for me to read than that of the US South in 'Home to Holly Springs'. It was a gentle story, which I read in twenty-minute bursts at bedtime for almost four weeks, but I didn't have any inclination to read it at other times of the day.

However, taking so long over it meant that I found myself regularly confused about the other characters, of whom there were many - those in the journal as well as in the main story, and eventually I gave up trying to remember, which meant that the later part of the story had less impact than perhaps it should have done.

Fans of the Mitford series will probably enjoy it, so long as they don't mind the action having moved right out of Mitford, and since it stands alone, with mainly new characters, it would probably work as an introduction to Karon's novels too, for anyone who likes a gentle paced character-driven story. There is, as with all her books, a low-key Christian aspect to it, but it's nicely done without being preachy or pushy.

Overall I did like it, and am glad I read it, though I shall think twice before ordering another Jan Karon in hardback... even if I have an Amazon voucher to spend. The links at the top is to the current edition at the UK Amazon site, but it's often available online second-hand at much better prices.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 19th January 2011

The Secret of Helena's Bay (by Sally Quilford)

(Amazon UK link)

I came across Sally Quilford a couple of years ago, when I started following her blog, and took part in an online workshop there. I've read and enjoyed her column in the Writers' Forum magazine too, so was interested to hear that she had a pocket novel published last year. Unfortunately I couldn't get hold of it, so I was delighted when I read that it was available for the Kindle, at a very reasonable price.

'The Secret of Helena's Bay' is about Shelley, a young woman who is on a package holiday on a small Greek island. It's a fairly active holiday, with some sight-seeing, and some classes in local crafts, but she doesn't really feel part of the group. She's had a very tough year, and wouldn't be in Greece at all if it weren't for her mother. 

Shelley is rather angry with people in general, and determined not to trust any more men... but she does find herself rather attracted to the only other young person on the holiday: one of the staff, with the slightly unlikely name of Paris.

Odd things seem to be happening. Shelley meets an elderly man, but nobody else seems to have seen him. She finds some letters, and then they vanish. There are some archaeologists digging on the other side of the island, but they don't really seem genuine. Shelley almost begins to wonder if she's going crazy - and even Paris doesn't appear to believe her.

Despite it being a short novel - pocket novels only have around 30,000 words, considerably shorter than a normal novel - the characterisation is good, and I found myself feeling the suspense, turning my Kindle pages and reading for rather longer periods than I had intended. There's just the right amount of description to set the scene, without it becoming boring, and although inevitably with such a short novel, there aren't many subplots, there was plenty to keep me interested.

The ending was somewhat predictable. I even guessed what the 'secret' would be before it was finally revealed, after a tense climax... but I very much enjoyed reading it, and would recommend it to anyone who likes realistic women's fiction with a touch of suspense.

The link at the side is to the Kindle editions (UK), but it's also possible to buy 'The Secret of Helena's Bay' in large print book form.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 15th January 2011

Jack and Jill (by Louisa May Alcott)

(Amazon UK link)

I've long been a fan of Louisa M Alcott, best known for her classic novels 'Little Women' and its sequels. She wrote during the latter part of the 19th century, so her books inevitably seem rather dated, but the characters are believable and warm, and I've managed to collect copies of most of her books on my shelves over the years.

I didn't, however, have a copy of 'Jack and Jill', although it has recently been reprinted in paperback. It's many, many years since I had read it. So I was delighted to find a free edition for my new Kindle. It's the first full-length novel I have read in e-book form.

It's a pleasant enough story revolving around several teenagers in small-town USA, written 130 years ago. Given its age, I suppose it's surprisingly up-to-date in some ways although the style seems very dated; more so than with other Alcott novels. Jack and Jill are close friends despite vastly different social circumstances and temperaments. Jill is a live-wire who tends to lead Jack into trouble.

Early in the book, the pair have a nasty accident while sledging. The book follows them and their friends over the next year, as they convalesce, making their own amusements for the most part in an age free of technology to entertain them. I didn't entirely understand all the cultural references, and found myself just a little cynical that teens would be quite so motivated to study, to perform tableaux for each other, and so on, even if they didn't have any other forms of entertainment. But still, it's a gentle story and quite readable.

Subtitled 'a village story', it doesn't have any great plot - it just follows the lives of these two young people and their friends. There's a fair amount of authorial intrusion, much of which I skipped. Some of it is rather preachy, at least to modern ears, and I felt it went a bit overboard, even given the date and genre. It's hard to believe that even teens of the late 19th century would swallow quite so many moral lessons, as Jill learns patience and fortitude due to enforced inactivity, and I think it's unlikely to appeal to most modern children or teenagers.

Nonetheless it's a pleasant piece of social history, and I'd recommend it in a low-key sort of way to anyone who enjoys books of this age and genre. It was a good book to read on the Kindle, for twenty minutes or so each morning, without any feeling that I couldn't put it down. The links given above is to a paperback edition - of which there are many - but you should be able to find inexpensive or free e-book editions too, either at Amazon or Project Gutenberg.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 8th January 2011