Never let me go, book review. (Kazuo Ishiguro)

Very thought provoking.
This book is so much more than just a love story.
It is about the vulnerability of children, about how we treat our fellow man (or woman), and with the thousands or refugees fleeing the wars in the middle east at the moment, is quite poignant. Like our fellow man, escaping persecution and death, there is a constant undertone of negative inevitability in this book, it's as if it doesn't matter what happens to the characters, their fate is sealed.
The book is not long, almost a weekend read, but due to it's atmospheric eloquence, strong characters and a convincing sense of foreboding, it will stay with you for longer.
Hailsham school is a places I will never forget, and for many different reasons, mainly because I now know what went on their, before they closed it down!
As you may know, the book was made into a film, which was shot beautifully, with convincing performances from all the lead actors; and it was in fact the film that led me to the book in the first place, and I was not disappointed.
A solid four stars then, (four and a half if I could) and inspiration enough for me to acquire 'The Remains of the Day, by the same author.

The Snow Child, book review. (Eowyn Ivey)

This one came about simply because I saw it everywhere.
I'd see it on peoples shelves on coffee tables, I'd see it in shop windows, on Goodreads, I'd see it in my local charity shop, and as you might know by now, when the charity shop has a book, I find it hard to resist. 
So, not recommended in any way, I went into this book with my eyes wide open. 
I read the end before the beginning, which sounds weird but it’s a good idea because you get a sense of the history behind the story and the author’s influences, which sets things up nicely. (I'd recommend you start there.) 
The story itself was intriguing. A couple who can't have children relocating to the isolation that is Alaska, to avoid the questions, the looks, the pressures.  
So, having settled in, our two main characters start to make a go of it, but there's always that nagging doubt, that unspoken word, that the move was wrong, that they should go back home, give it all up. That is until a child appears, a young girl hidden in the snow. 
I liked the main characters, and the sense of isolation that only a good book can portray. I liked the mystical aspect too, which reminded me a little about how I write. Was this magic, Gods will, or just dumb luck? I liked the cold, the chill, the ever present danger of being lost, or worse, attacked by wild animals in the vast northern tundra of Alaska. Reading this book in the summer did nothing to warm me.
So, why only three stars? Well I suppose the book just wasn't me. The writing was good, the characters fine, the story was somewhat quirky, which isn’t always a bad thing, and I did enjoy it, but I didn't bond with it.
I guess, some you do, some you don't.

Ian McEwan redeems himself with Sweet Tooth.

Ian McEwan has been on my radar for a while now. Friends have recommended him, and films have been made from his books, so I took the plunge late last year when I found an immaculate unread copy of Solar in the charity shop. 

It was short, but then most of his books are, and his characters where intriguing, but I found the story slow and to be honest a bit boring. 

I like a bit of escapism when I read, whether that means trolls and wizards or fast moving action, I don't really mind, but there needs to be something that grabs me. I love good realistic characters but I like it when they have more to aim for than just normality, and that isn't to say I don't like gritty realism, I do, I just need something with a little more umph.

When a copy of Sweet Tooth came my way, I was sceptical, but the blurb pulled me in and what a breath of fresh air. 

I raced through the book in a week and it was full of great characters, intrigue and a nice little twist to top it all off. 

Thoroughly recommended this one. A solid four stars and Ian McEwan is back on the radar again. (I have 'Saturday' waiting in the pile).

Inspiration for the day goes to all the short novels out there. It doesn't need to be a brick to be good.