The Ocean at the End of the Lane, book review. (Neil Gaiman)

During a visit to the area where he grew up (for a family funeral), our narrator is drawn back to his old stomping ground where he re-experiences a childhood summer living up the lane from Hempstock Farm, Old Mrs Hempstock, her daughter and her granddaughter, Lettie.
The year he met Lettie, Ursula Monkton, and death for the first time, was full of the weird and wonderful, scary and sad, from the opal miner who had recently taken lodgings in his bedroom (meaning he had to share with his sister), killing himself in his parent's car, to a spirit giving out money (which seemed to be the only thing that made humans happy), to Old Mrs Hempstock and her daughter, cooking the most amazing pies, breads, soups and cakes which were so well described I could almost smell them on the page.
Lettie (who appears to be just a few years older than our narrator but has lived a thousand years many times over, has a pond in her garden that she calls an ocean [which, with the assistance of Old Mrs Hempstock, manages to transfer to a bucket later in the story], as well as curling cat tails protruding from the grass which, if you give them a firm enough tug, pull up kittens), takes our narrator with her when she goes to bind the money giving spirit and send it back to its own realm.
When our narrator gets scared and lets go of Lettie’s hand whilst she’s binding the spirit, a worm lodges itself into his foot and, although he manages to get most of it out (in a superbly written but rather gruesome episode in the bathroom), just enough remains, which forms a connection between realms which allows the spirit (Ursula Monkton) to stay, with dire consequences.
As Ursula gets bolder and more powerful, Old Mrs Hempstock has to summons the hunger birds. As the rain lashes and the winds howl, the hunger birds devour the spirit and you think everything is rebalanced but the birds need the tiny piece of worm (Ursula) that’s still inside our narrator, which has worked its way from his foot to his heart. In spite of Old Mrs Hempstock's attempts to banishes the hunger birds, she only succeeds after Lettie makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her friend and so, with deep sadness, she is laid to rest for a while in the ocean - which is back in its rightful place - with the promise that she may return one day.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a mix of fear, loss, loneliness and bitter memories of a time gone by, which Gaiman manages to weave into a tale that can be enjoyed by all. There's fantasy, magic, good and evil, all expertly mixed with a reality that bend the rules, and it’s a rollercoaster of love, wonder and amazement with a cold chill running down your neck, accompanied by the most beautifully threatening illustrations and, like the best books, takes you on a journey that is difficult to forget.
Four Stars for, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, then; the book that has hopefully, got me blogging again.

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Mad Mike's Writing blog, book of the year 2024

Welcome friends, book bloggers and avid readers alike, to my annual book of the year post. As usual, this post is not about books written or published in 2024, it’s about books I have read. I won’t bore you with a full list, for that you can look me up on Goodreads so, without further ado,

In at number five is: The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Great characters, superb writing and centred around an episode in history I knew nothing about - The Pendle Witch trials of 1612 - The Familiars is a fast-paced historical thriller which drips with secrets, intrigue, fear, hypocrisy and witches, with a constant inference of injustice, in spite the tenacious efforts of or heroine, seventeen-year-old mother to be, Fleetwood Shuttleworth.

The power struggle betwixt Fleetwood and her philandering husband and the pace and tone of the writing reminded me very much of the late great de Maurier and Frenchman’s Creek, which is why this superb debut novel earnt itself four stars and a place in my top five.

 

In fourth place: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Magical.

Scary, too, but magical.

Mixed with fear, lose, loneliness and bitter memories of a time gone by, Gaiman manages to weave a tail that can be enjoyed by everybody. There’s fantasy, magic, good and evil, all expertly mixed with a reality that still seems to bend the rules and it’s a rollercoaster of emotion, from love, wonder and amazement to that cold chill that sometimes runs down the back of your neck. All told, this book is stunning – I read the illustrated edition which wowed me visually, too – and like all good books, takes you on a journey that is difficult to forget. Four stars.

 

In bronze medal position, then: Mosquito by Rowland White

WWII has begun, but in a remote village in Hertfordshire a self-taught aviator, Geoffrey de Havilland, has a plan. He has what he believes the Royal Air Force needs, a twin engine 400 mph fighter, bomber, reconnaissance aeroplane that will take the fight to the enemy and, it’s made of wood!!

In spite the scepticism from the MOD (ministry of defence), de Havilland pressed on and creates possibly the best aeroplane ever made. It was faster than the Spitfire of the time and could carry the fight – with bombs, rockets, cameras or agents – to the enemy, and performed some off the most daring raids of the war.

Mixing history and facts with the first hand accounts of the men who flew the thousands of missions at treetop level over enemy territory, night after night, week after week, month after month for four years, this book takes you to the heart of the battle, be it the quietude of a moonlit field in Zealand, or the smoke filled cockpit of a doomed Mosquito, you get to smell, hear and feel everything and learn what fortitude, valour and hero, really mean.

Four and a Half Stars.

 

So, the runners: Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey

This is a book about domestic abuse, murder in self-defence, kidnapping, multiple personalities, mental health, young love and an imaginary fox, written with a delicacy I wasn't expecting.

From Beth's rise behind Liz's calm exterior, to Beth's cold-blooded ability to not just kill Liz's (her) ex-husband but to dispose of him with such composure is brilliantly executed. As is the relationship between Francine and Jinx, her imaginary animated fox friend that happened to turn up the day she woke after being kidnapped as a young girl. The way they speak, interact - Fran even holds doors open for her fox when she's going to see her therapist - is again, clever and very well executed as is the book in general.

With multiple perspectives: teenagers, adults, the real and the ethereal, the fictional and the fantastical, and the fear, the horror and the tranquillity, I fell that I’ve found an unexpected gem that needs shouting about. Four and a half stars.

 

And the winner: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I have a confession. I was a big tennis fan when I was younger, mid-80s to mid-90s – used to camp on the street to get Wimbledon tickets – which might have skewed my opinion, but let’s face it, this author writes superb books.

Carrie Soto won everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, so, when the new kid on the block closes in on her all-time Grand Slam record, Carrie Soto doesn’t take it lying down and we learn just how hard it is to be at the top: the fastest, fittest, the best.

Told from two timelines, the before and the now, we follow Carrie through the lows, the highs, the sweat and tears, the injury, self-doubt, the constant berating from the media: that she’s passed it, shouldn’t have come out of retirement, is embarrassing herself.

There’s her relationship with her father, the lose of her mother, the possible old flame/love interest and it’s frenetic to say the least, chapters passing in the blink of an eye – it took me just 9 days to read, I just couldn’t put it down.

So, like Daisy Jones & the Six, where you don’t need to be mad on music to enjoy it, I don’t think you need to be a tennis fan to enjoy this, it’s just a fantastically fast paced story full of emotion wrapped up in a sporting environment and is, by me at least, heartily recommended. Five stars.

To finish, I would just like to wish you all the best for 2025 and hope you find happiness in whatever form that takes.

Summer, book review. (Ail Smith)

So that's it. The seasons concluded, all read; so do I have a favourite? How does Summer stack up against the others?

Art and Charlotte (the real Charlotte), are back and doing their Art in Nature web posts, although they aren't a couple anymore, just friends. Art's mum has died since, Winter but they keep in touch with his aunt, Iris, the activist sister who marched on Greenham Common.

When Art's mother died she left a stone sculpture to Daniel Gluck who, it turns out, has the other half of the work, and so they journey to see him, inviting, Sasha, her brother, Robert and their mum, Grace Greenlaw to go with them - they only met Sasha at the beech that morning after her brother had played a cruel trick on her but now, having seen her home safely, via the A&E, they're all becoming friends.

Daniel now lives with his old neighbour and friend the art historian/lecturer, Elisabeth. He drifts in and out of reality, spending most of his time dreaming of the past and during those dreamy flashbacks the reader learns all about his life when he and his father were interned in a camp on the Isle of Man during WWII, due to his German heritage - even though he was born in England. We also learn of his sister, Hannah, who he used to write to, only to burn the letters because he didn't know if she was alive or dead - she was dead, killed by the Nazis in the war - but before she died she too would write letters she would never send. And so we learn about her life: how she fell in love, had a daughter, worked for the French resistance and died doing so.

Later, when Art & Charlotte meet Daniel & Elisabeth, Art & Elizabeth connect so, as the book draws to a close we discover Charlotte is living with Iris in the massive house, Chei Bres in Cornwall, whilst Art is living with Elizabeth the other side of the country.

The style of writing is carried across all four seasons as are the characters, Sasha even writes to a detainee in an asylum centre which brings Spring back to mind and it's a worthy conclusion to the tetralogy and merited the time I spent reading them and so, in answer to my initial question, no, I don't have a favourite as they all brought something unique to what is, essentially, a study of humanity (and a very interesting one at that), but the writing is quirky and if you do start with Autumn - the first one published and the weaker of the quartet in my opinion - keep going.

Four stars for this one then and do check out Autumn, (posted 08/11/23), Winter, (posted 06/10/22) and Spring, (posted 04/09/22) for my thoughts on all the Seasons by, Ali Smith.

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Mad Mike's Writing blog, book of the year 2023

Welcome friends, book bloggers and avid readers alike, to my annual book of the year post. As usual, this post is not necessarily about books written or published this year, it’s about books that I have read this year, and with dozens to choose from it hasn’t been easy. I won’t bore you with a big long list, for that you can look me up on Goodreads so, without further ado –

In at number five is: Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez.
This collection of short stories is exactly as advertised on the cover and, as with all collections of stories I guess - the ones I've read anyway - there are ones that stand out but none were lacklustre; none failed, in my opinion. All the stories here have a little something about them and Enriquez’s style is very much no holds barred, which unifies them, be they spooky, bloody, fierce, scary, sad or obscene, they're written with passion and well worth the time it takes to read them. If pushed, my favourites were: Adela’s House, Under the Black Water and, Things We Lost in the Fire.
Creepy, and excellent for it.

In fourth place this year: The Shining by Stephen King.

You know the writing's good when five hundred pages pass in the blink of an eye. With a dead women in a bath, a lift that works on its own, topiary that attacks and kills, a ballroom full of people when its actually empty, all mixed up with the claustrophobia of being holed up (albeit in a massive hotel), in such an isolated and snowbound location, with a man who is slowly losing his mind, a woman whose fear virtually drips from the page and a little boy who sees more with his mind than with his eyes, you end up with a truly fabulous book. If, like me, you choose to read this book during a dark dank November, then you might just be looking over your shoulder at the slightest thing. Shivers down the spine. One of his best (that I've read).

In bronze medal position, then: Operation Pedestal by Max Hastings
I know books like this aren't for everyone; they are horrific beyond measure, garner images of brutality few would actually enjoy reading about but, amidst all the carnage, books like this are full of hope, love and joy and above all, books like Operation Pedestal are so ruthlessly researched, so expertly written and so gripping that you feel like you can taste the salt of the sea air, feel the warmth of the Mediterranean sun and hear the drone of incoming dive-bombers as you learn about this most dramatic of historical events. I for one, am very glad that books like this exist and whole heartily recommend them to all but the youngest of readers.
Need I say it; Five Stars.
 

So, the runners up spot goes to: Good Omens (0r, The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch), which is the correct and full title of this hilarious novel, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Never before (and never again I suspect), have I read a book like it. It is immaculately written, funny - very funny - serious and is full of characters you can either relate to or would want to be friends with. Maybe not the four horsemen of the Apocalypse though, don't befriend them! They ride motorbikes by the way and although DEATH, War & Famine have survived, Pestilence had to retire in 1936 due to advances in medicine but fear not, they're joined by, rather fittingly, Pollution. Also, the world’s ending. Next Saturday in fact, just around teatime!
I’ll definitely do a full blog post on this one as it’s one of the best books I've read in a long time and certainly the funniest, and so I see nothing else for it but to recommend it to the big wide world, kick myself for not reading it sooner and award Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, five stars.
 

And the winner, my book of the year 2023 is: Imajica by Clive Barker.
The world building in this book is second to none and juxtaposes its extreme wonders with a London as mundane as it would be on a rain-soaked Tuesday commute in January, which grounds the reader whilst letting their imagination fly, which I found very clever.
Fantasy isn't a genre I necessarily gravitate towards but when a book is this well written I would argue that genre is irrelevant and so, on that basis, let us disregard that and focus on the facts. This book, in spite of its magic, its world building, its fantastical dominions and all those that live and die there, is about love. The deepest love a person can feel. The love that sometimes drives people to do silly, dangerous and illegal things but, above all, LOVE. (Okay, it's about sex too, quite a lot of sex in fact but we'll gloss over that for this mini review). And because we all love, be it a partner, a parent, friends, the cat, art, music or someone we shouldn't, this book will definitely have something within its pages for each and every one of you.

Imajica. Probably the best book you’ve never read and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Five Gold Stars.
                                       

To finish, I would just like to wish you all a very happy New Year and hope you find happiness in 2024, in whatever form that might take. 

A Cat's Christmas Eve! by yours truly - Merry Christmas.

There was a deep, deep silence all about the house,

Bar the crunching of the bones of a poor dead mouse.

The cat, she’d had fun, the chase had been long,

But the mouse was now eaten, even the tail was gone.

 

During her pursuit, baubles had been smashed,

The tree-topper dislodged, came down with a crash,

She’d torn all the crackers until they were shredded,

A large vase of flowers was now all deadheaded.

 

In spite of this destruction, she’d woken up no kids,

So settled down to sleep, was about to close her lids,

But then there was a noise, a grunt and a groan,

From the chimney it did come, this dulcet tone.

 

And just a minute later, two boots did appear,

Followed rather promptly by a sizable rear.

But with the room in ruins and full of detritus,

The cat thought, ‘HIDE! Better not let him find us’

 

But quick was dear old Santa, for he needed to be,

And seeing such destruction, and the fallen tree.

Cursed to himself and stared at the cat,

Before he drew a wand, from his big red hat.

 

He whispered very quietly and the tree was uprighted,

The baubles lights and crackers, were all reunited,

And happy with his work, he placed his gifts around,

The cat it seemed had scarpered, nowhere to be found.

 

So, Santa having finished fancied mince pies and cream,

But found the cat sat sitting and looking quite supreme.

She licked her lips all delicate, appearing very happy,

And said to Santa in ‘Meow’, that he had better hurry.

 

Santa saw the clock and gave the cat a wink,

Was up and out the chimney before she’d even blinked.

And with a Ho, Ho, Ho, he shouted his goodbye,

As the reindeers and his sleigh, zoomed off into the sky.

 

So, everything was silent, all about the house,

But . . . WAIT, WHAT . . .!

Was that the squeak of another mouse?

Slaughterhouse 5, book review. (Kurt Voonegut)

Hmm!
If you're looking for a war novel where a time traveling optometrist is abducted by aliens for their zoo, then I might have found just the book for you!
Set in the 1940s, 50s, 60s . . . you get the idea, the story of Billy Pilgrim going from 1940s war torn Europe - Dresden to be precise - where he is a complete idiot and totally out of his depth (he doesn't even have shoes or a gun), to being a successful optometrist and fairly wealthy - assisted by his father-in-law along the way - interspliced with a trip to Tralfamadore as a zoo specimen, could be considered interesting but in reality it's just plain weird.
Billy Pilgrim has had his share of good luck in life like, when he was in the thick of the allied firebombing of Dresden during World War II and survived (the estimates on how many died there varies but at least 25ooo perished, which puts some perspective on things), and he's had some bad luck, too; he actually knows exactly when and where he is going to die and can't do anything about it so, happily (maybe reluctantly would be a better word), he plods on.
I found very little 'anti-war' about this book (I say that because I've seen it referred to as an anti-war novel several times), but appreciate that when it was written it could well have come across that way.

This is a short book so there's not a lot of depth to any of it but with the author actually having been in the war, in Dresden, that part, along with when he visits an old war buddy, feels realistic but, when he's kidnapped and taken to Tralfamadore along with Montana Wildhack - so they can procreate in a Zoo there - I couldn't help but wonder if the author had run out of things to say, didn't want to go into the war in any more detail (for personal reasons maybe), or just couldn't be bothered, so made up the Tralfamadore bits.

If he'd left out the Sci-fi part and concentrated more on Billy Pilgrim's life, before, during and after the war, the novel would have been better in my opinion, even if his pre and post war life was mundane.

Parts of this book are narrated, too, which is confusing and might catch you out at first, and added to the fact that Billy Pilgrim's life isn't interesting, the alien abduction childish and weird, the timeline hopping around, which baffled me to the point where I had to go back and retrace my steps a few times, I started wondering whether to just give up and read something else.

Maybe it's because I go in cold on books, doing little to no research before I dive in, so don't know what to expect or maybe it's because this book is boring but, to summarise, if you like your books quirky and slightly baffling then this will certainly please but for me it just didn't work.

Two stars for, Slaughterhouse Five then and another American classic I'll have to add to my, 'Why don't I get on with American Literature,' pile! 😔

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Autumn, book review. (Ali Smith)

Being part one of the author's 'Seasons' series, I first read this about five years ago but, having read Spring and Winter last year (see post 04/09/22 & 06/10/22 respectively), I thought a re-read in order.

With the same style of narrative but lacking the cold of Winter and the brightness of Spring, Autumn is my least favourite of the series so far but it's not all bad. (I'm yet to read Summer ).

There is love and hope and sadness: there is art and war and loneliness, there is growing up and growing old, being young and being bold, angst between family and friendships between neighbours, and not a small amount of chatter about a certain antiques show on the television - no, not the Fiona Bruce one!

Elisabeth meets Daniel, who is seventy years her senior, when they become neighbours and, twenty years later, with Daniel on his death bed, Elisabeth is the only person who visits.

Daniel spends his days asleep, dreaming of his past life, how he fell in love when he was young, fell in love with an artist, the only female Pop Artist in fact and how that love was never reciprocated.

The artist in question, Pauline Boty, influenced Elisabeth enough when she was young for her to become an art lecturer, so Daniel's love for Pauline did, in a way, lead Elisabeth to her chosen career.

Aside from art and love and friendship, this novel is about Brexit, but it's about human failure and human achievement too.

Elisabeth's mother's failure to see her daughter and Daniel's relationship as unusual but healthy, as opposed to just, wrong. Daniel's failure to move on from a love he never had. Elisabeth's failure to form strong bonds with people and find love herself but, then you have to ask: are these really failures or are they choices?

Could it not be an achievement that Daniel dedicated his life to his career and later on helped Elizabeth with hers? That Elisabeth isn't looking for love, or is just plane happy in her own company? Could we not argue that Brexit is both a good and a bad thing, depending on how you look at it?

Autumn is written in a way that leaves me confused. It hops around a bit and the style - as I have eluded to before - is somewhat strange, and I've yet to work out exactly what this book is about. I suppose it's about all of the above: love, friendship, fear and hate, being old and being young, art and division but even though I've had plenty of time for all of that to sink in, I'm still not sure what to take from it, even after a re-read.

Three stars.

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