It’s over two years since I bought this book from a second-hand online store. I was attracted to it by the fact that one of the authors is Philip Yancey, one of my favourite modern Christian writers, although I knew nothing about the other author, Brenda Quinn. I also liked the idea - as indicated in the blurb - of going through the entire Bible in a year. However I had an alternative reading plan last year so started going through this on January 1st 2015.
I was a little surprised to find that nothing is dated; instead the readings and brief commentaries are titled ‘Day 1’ up to ‘Day 366.’ The introduction explains that this is so that people can start at any time of the year, and take breaks if they wish. However, as I did want to complete it in a year, I went through gradually and marked in the dates of the year, with an extra one for the last day as it’s not a leap year.
Unsurprisingly I didn’t exactly stick to the dates as given; when we were away, I didn’t take this book with me as it’s quite a heavy hardback, so got a couple of weeks behind. Other days I was up too late, or did too much, and didn’t remember to read it. But since I had written on the dates, and wanted to finish by the end of the year, I was able to catch up by reading more than one on other days.
The format of most days is a chunk of text from the Bible, given in full (so there was no need to find references and read elsewhere) followed by about a page of commentary, sometimes on the historical background, sometimes on how Christian faith and theology relate to it, sometimes with challenges for the reader. Each one ends in a very brief thought or prayer for the day, relevant to the passage in question.
I was surprised at first to find that, while some of the quotations are a couple of pages long, others are significantly shorter; however I quickly realised that this doesn’t in fact cover every verse of the Bible; it has something from every one of the 66 books, but while some are covered extensively, others are only touched upon lightly. I was a little disappointed at first as I had somehow assumed that this was commentary on the entire thing; however, it’s meant to be a panoramic introduction, so it makes sense to be the way it is, and I appreciated it.
Sometimes I read for myself the chapters or verses that were not included, and in many cases they didn’t add anything particularly relevant. In a few cases they were very difficult or discouraging sections, about mass violence or strict laws that make little sense in today’s society. Undoubtedly the authors (or the publisher) picked and chose what they commented on, but I think on the whole it gave a fair view of the narrative sweep of the different books of the Bible. The order is not always that of the Biblical books, but is more chronological, particularly switching between different books when some of them run alongside each other historically, such as the books of Kings and Chronicles.
Every so often, instead of a new section from Scripture, there’s what’s called a ‘reflection’: maybe a summary of a book that’s just been completed, or a reminder of some principle or focus that’s been covered in recent days. I often found the reflections particularly helpful, as they were more free-form and often relevant.
I felt that the mixture of the two writers worked well; their styles weren't the same, but gave a good balance overall. Both writers are American, but I don't recall this ever being a problem. Many people would not be interested in something like this, but for those who would like a good overview of the Bible, with some helpful commentary and explanations, mostly in non-controversial language that would be of relevance to any Christians, new or long-standing, I would recommend this book.
Available on Kindle, and still in print in the US as well as widely available second-hand.
Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews
As so often happens, I needed something undemanding to read at bedtime during a very busy time of year. So I chose another of Elinor M Brent-Dyer’s Chalet School series, which I’m slowly re-reading in order. I was a bit disappointed in the previous two. I found that I had almost entirely forgotten the plot of this one, which I don’t suppose I’ve read for at least twenty years.
‘The Chalet School and Richenda’ reminded me, in the early chapters, of several of the other books. There’s a fairly common theme of girls who are reluctant to attend the eminent boarding school, but who gradually soften, or through some dramatic circumstances become ‘real’ Chalet School girls by the end of the book. In that sense, this is another of the same.
But Richenda is an interesting character. At fifteen, the only child of a middle-aged father who specialises in early Chinese ceramics, she is drawn to his room of precious vases and other artefacts by a longing she barely understands. We meet her with an almost priceless item in her hands which she almost drops - and her father, discovering her, is so furious that he decides to take her out of the school she loves, away from her friends, to a boarding school in Switzerland…
Although Richenda sulks at first, it’s not in her nature to continue, and she rapidly makes friends and discovers a great deal to enjoy in the Chalet School. She continues to let her hurt and anger fester, although I found my credulity was just a little strained at times. Her stubbornness and pride seem rather at odds with her generally sunny and generous nature. It takes the wisdom of Joey Maynard to help her see sense, as so often happens. There are some other interesting sub-plots in the story, including Joey’s own unexplained bilious attacks.
I liked the way that almost all of the story was told from Richenda’s point of view, including some close observation of decor in the school - particularly the dining room - and in local houses which she visits. This gave some new insights into how the author imagined the school and its surroundings to be, and is entirely in keeping with a girl whose passion is art, with a keen eye for detail.
All in all, I liked this volume in the series very much. Mine is an abridged Armada paperback, but apparently nothing of importance is missed out; I gather that details of a half-term visit are removed, but then I always skim the lengthy accounts of educational visits, so I won’t go looking for a full version.
Recommended to fans of the series; it wouldn’t be a bad book to start with, for someone interested in the Swiss era of the school, as so much is seen through Richenda’s eyes and there aren’t too many references to earlier volumes.
Not currently in print, but sometimes found second-hand.
Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews
I have mixed feelings about Trisha Ashley’s books. I like her main characters, usually, and enjoy her story-lines, but I tend to find the writing a bit too casual, and the extensive detail annoying. Nonetheless, when I spotted this one in a charity shop some months ago, the cover attracted me and I thought it could be a good light read during the busy Christmas season.
I was correct. I picked it off my to-be-read shelf a couple of weeks ago, and have read a chapter or two at bedtime most nights, finally finishing it this morning. It's light enough to make easy reading, and written in the first person so I didn’t have to get used to different viewpoints. While the various plot lines are mildly interesting, I had no compulsion to pick it up at other times of the day to find out what happened next.
The story is told by Lizzy, who is probably in her forties. She’s married, not particularly happily, to Tom, and they have an eighteen-year-old son Jasper who is soon to go to university. They live in a village where everyone is interested in everyone else’s business, and Lizzy is particularly keen on cooking… and comfort eating when she’s feeling down. She also writes books about living in a village, with recipes and cooking hints.
There are various threads of the story, as is typical for this kind of village-based women’s fiction. Lizzy’s best friend Annie is rather taken with the new Vicar, but they’re both rather shy. Tom’s cousin Nick seems to argue with Lizzy every time they meet, usually about recipes. There’s a Christmas committee who meet regularly to share ingredients and recipes and cook for themselves and others. There’s a rather narcissistic actor whose dog needs walking, and a somewhat melodramatic writer who nobody much likes…oh, and there are lots of rehearsals for a traditional ‘mystery play’ in local dialect.
At least, that’s what I remember a few hours after finishing. There’s a dramatic incident which should have changed the course of Lizzy’s life but which didn’t really have that much impact on her - or on me, reading it, although I was a little surprised that it was written the way it was. There’s all the preparation before Jasper sets off to university. And there are excerpts, at the start of each chapter, from one of Lizzy’s books reflecting events of the chapter concerned.
It works well, on the whole, but none of it really grabbed me. There wasn’t much about the magic of Christmas despite the title; the front cover, which is quite attractive, doesn’t really reflect the story at all. Most of what happens in the final chapters was entirely predictable; that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but might annoy some readers.
At the end there are a couple of recipes which look interesting, but I would have liked a few more as some of Lizzy’s creations sound rather good.
All in all, it was an appropriate book to read during the run-up to Christmas, but it’s not one I’d particularly recommend, nor something I’m likely to read again. However, it's quite popular and many people love Trisha Ashley's style, so if you're a fan, you may well enjoy it more than I did.
Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews
I hadn’t heard of Colette Caddle, but found this book when browsing a church bookstall just over a year ago. The cover appealed to me, and the blurb sounded like an interesting storyline. So I paid my 50 cents, and the book has sat on my to-read shelf for over a year until I finally picked it up a few days ago, hoping for a light and relaxing read in a busy period.
‘Changing places’ is about two sisters, Anna and Rachel. Anna loves her job as an estate agent, and is happily married to Liam. They’re just thinking about trying to start a family when disaster strikes… and they both start to become suspicious, anxious and increasingly unhappy.
Rachel is married to Gary and they have a small son, Alex. Rachel feels frumpy and overweight, and while she adores her son she is convinced Gary is having an affair, and she often feels envious of her sister. Their parents sold their home and bought a camper van, in which they’re touring Europe during their retirement, and the only person who holds Anna and Rachel together is their cousin Jill.
The scenarios are good, and the various plot threads run nicely together, showing problems that arise in both marriages, and in Jill’s own life too: Jill has just broken up with a boyfriend and is rather regretting it. Liam’s mother is quite demanding, and her neighbour rather fancies Liam; one of Anna’s clients is clearly attracted to her. Gary is out later and later in evenings, and Rachel hasn’t even told him some important news….
And yet, the novel didn’t grab me. The characterisation is all rather flat with lots of description and - at least at the beginning - very little actually showing the people in situations that enabled the reader to see for themselves. There’s a lot of introspection, too; viewpoints switch regularly so we see inside people’s heads, but a lot of their thoughts are shallow, going over and over the same ground, taking offence or becoming suspicious when a simple question could have sorted things out - or even assuming the best rather than the worst.
Moreover, while I could somewhat relate to both Anna and Rachel (though not their antipathy to each other, which feels forced) I really couldn’t believe in Jill. She’s supposed to be a peacemaker, but her personality doesn’t fit that role. She likes excitement, partying, drinking and expensive fashion, and sees flaws in anybody who’s attracted to her. Five-year-old Alex, too, was unrealistic. He's remarkably materialistic, always asking people what they had brought him, more interested in presents than people. I hope he’s not a typical child.
What bugged me the most, however, was the lengthy conversations full of small talk. Perhaps they are realistic, but one doesn’t expect real-life dialogues in books. I found myself skimming regularly when people greeted each other and asked after each other’s families and so on…with almost nothing that added to the story or built character in any way.
On the plus point, there’s not a whole lot of bad language, no violence, and no explicit scenes. Moreover, although at first I had to keep flicking back to check which sister was which, their characters did eventually develop somewhat, and I kept reading to find out what was going to happen. The ending works well, with one part I hadn’t expected.
Not recommended if you care about character-based women’s fiction, but if you don’t mind rather flat people and don’t object to lengthy conversations, it’s a pleasant and undemanding story that's competently planned and written.
Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews
The author Noel Streatfeild was one of my favourite writers as a child, although I only knew of about six or seven of her books. Her best-known children’s novel is probably ‘Ballet Shoes’ which was also made into a film, but she wrote a large number of books, some of which have been re-published in recent years. I have most of them, and often turn to her stories if I want to read something comforting.
It’s many years since I last read ‘The Growing Summer’; at least fifteen years, maybe more. I remember reading it aloud to my sons when they were young teenagers, and we all liked it very much. It’s not like Streatfeild’s more popular books; none of the children in this one are particularly gifted or artistic in any way. Nor are they particularly self-motivated.
Alex is nearly fourteen as the book opens; Penny is twelve, Robin is nine, and Naomi eight. They live in London in reasonable comfort; their father is a research scientist. In the first chapter he gets some exciting news about something he’s discovered, and sets off for a year’s international travel. The book was written as a contemporary novel in the mid 1960s, so air travel was becoming normal, but it wasn’t as inexpensive or straightforward to hop in a plan as it is today.
Circumstances change and suddenly the children are sent to life with their eccentric Great Aunt Dymphna, and thrown into an entirely different lifestyle. Aunt Dymphna drives like a maniac, lives in a cluttered house of ancient and very tattered old furniture, and doesn’t cook regular meals. A friendly neighbour gives advice and provides them with some groceries, but Penny is expected to learn to cook on an ancient stove, and Alex to catch fish and collect firewood.
The main part of the story, then, is about the children’s gradual changes and growth over the summer. Sometimes they wonder if Aunt Dymphna is completely crazy. Naomi, who is a bit of a whiner, has to learn to control her feelings rather more than she is inclined to. They all have to be resourceful and to pull together as a family.
There’s a lot more to the book too. I’d remembered the overall idea but had quite forgotten about the unpleasant and mysterious Stephan who causes them extra headaches. I had also forgotten the midnight fishing trip, and the other people whom the children meet and become friendly with.
The writing is good, the characterisation excellent, as with most of this author’s books. My only niggle is that - also typical with Streatfeild - it ends quite abruptly. I suppose there’s no need for a long drawn out ending when the various situations are resolved, but I’d have liked another chapter, I think, tying ends up more neatly and seeing a little of what could happen in the future.
However, overall I enjoyed it. It’s a good introduction to Noel Streatfeild for boys as well as girls, although most of her books were written primarily for girls. Sadly long out of print, but often seen in second-hand or charity shops.
Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews
I’ve enjoyed, in a low-key way, most of Joanna Trollope’s novels over the past fifteen years or so. So now, I’m re-reading the ones I haven’t read for a while, interspersed with other books. This is one I last read in 2004, and while I remembered the overall plot, I’d forgotten the actual characters and most of the detail.
The story revolves around Guy, a late middle-aged judge who is married to Laura and has two adult sons, Simon and Alan. As we learn right at the start of the book, he’s been having an affair with a much younger lawyer called Merrion for the past seven years. And as the story opens he’s decided to take action: to leave Laura, start proceedings for divorce, and move in with Merrion.
It’s clear from the start that, despite the thirty-year age difference, Guy and Merrion truly love each other. She’s struggled for many years with being the ‘mistress’ and is thrilled that, at last, he’s decided to bring their relationship into the open. What neither of them are prepared for are the repercussions on Guy’s family… and particularly on Simon, who feels an immense pull of loyalty between his rather manipulative mother and his long-suffering wife Carrie.
Simon and Carrie have three teenage children, and they, too, are affected by their grandfather’s decision. But they’re going through traumas of their own, as teenagers do, and suffering most from their father’s abstraction, as he tries to please everyone and finds it’s impossible to do so…
From a plot point of view, not a great deal happens. There are many nicely intertwined subplots, but they’re supplementary rather than running throughout. The story is character-driven rather than by any action, and those who prefer thrillers or complex plots would probably find it slow-moving, perhaps dull. But I like novels that explore family relationships, and found it well-written and thought-provoking; in places it was quite intense.
I’m not sure that I ever really believed in the insecure and manipulative Laura; it was no surprise that Guy had found someone more loving and accepting. But I very much liked Carrie, and thought the teenagers were nicely done, and quite believable. Guy, too, is likeable and evidently burdened with responsibilities, not just in his job but for his family; something that’s surprisingly hard for Merrion to adjust to.
The first time I read it I wasn’t really expecting the ending; this time, I knew how it would be resolved and saw the indications along the way. It was really the only ending that worked, and one that might give pause for thought to anyone in - or considering - a similar situation.
Recommended if you like women’s fiction with a deeper theme than most. Still in print in the UK, and now available in Kindle form as well as paperback.
Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews
