Blog Tour: Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton

 

I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to participate in the blog tour for Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton, especially after reading the buzz from other readers who had been entranced on it's initial release.

As suggested by the novel's title, the story progresses over three hours of real time, from the moment the first gunshot rings through the halls of an innovative school set in woodland surroundings close to the Somerset coast. Cliff Heights is a co-ed, progressive school for students from infants through to senior school ages. and through the reflections of the characters it's clear that staff and students alike genuinely experience the school's ethos to care. 

Snapshots of plot development come from the various areas of the school under lockdown: New School, Old School, Junior School and the isolated Pottery room in which a sole teacher and some of the youngest students are trapped with no means of communication. Gradually, the circumstances which have led up to this point in time are revealed through flashbacks: we learn early on that at least one gunman are holding siege on the school; the headteacher has been shot and is being cared for by students who have barricaded themselves in a classroom; a lone policeman has also been attacked and has taken refuge in the school's gatehouse; a homemade bomb has been set off in the woods... 

Layer upon layer of story build up the tension to boiling point. Whilst reading Three Hours I found it impossible to put down: the need to know what happened next was overwhelming, though my compulsion was not simply the based on the thrilling elements. Lupton weaves humanity throughout her masterful novel: her characters become larger than life, feeling as though they are actual people with all of their emotion, flaws and empathy laid bare on the page. There are so many themes flowing through like threads that slowly wrap around to reveal in the final pages the most beautiful tapestry of a novel which I'm sure will stay with me for a long long time (and which will demand periodic re-reads). 

Despite the difficult themes of terrorism, racism and mental health, I found the prose beautiful and soothing. It takes a master storyteller to portray such horrific and terrifying scenes such as are portrayed in Three Hours as a work of art, but that is indeed what Rosamund Lupton has achieved. I will treasure this book, and have already pressed copies into the hands of friends with the words "trust me, just read it". No explanation of why is needed beyond reading that initial page. 

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton will be released in paperback on 29th October 2020 and can be purchased from Waterstones, Amazon and all good booksellers.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 27th October, 2020. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

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Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker - Book Review

Reading Call Me Mummy was like looking at the aftermath of a car crash: a visceral, intrusive glimpse into the motherhood experiences of two very different women through which I felt I should turn away but was compelled to continue.

The plot shifts between the point of view of "Mummy": an unnamed woman who steals a little girl named Tonya away from her "undeserving" mother at a shopping precinct, and Kim: Tonya's pregnant mother. Several interludes present Tonya's internal monologue and social media updates from the public watching the case unfold over the course of several months.

From the outset the tension is palpable. We are introduced to the discomforting contrast of polarised women, the first, a mother whom we may easily judge on first impression. Kim is working class, harried, pregnant, with a toddler in a stroller, paying more attention to her mobile phone than her daughter who is left to wander the shop unattended. "Mummy" is wealthy but childless: a woman who would feed a child of her own nutritious meals, deliver a rounded education and make all of the provisions needed for the development of a healthy, happy child. Which indeed she tries to do, once Tonya is safely contained in her perfect, sanitary home. It is at this point we begin to learn that appearances are so rarely indicative of a person's lived reality.

Both Kim and Mummy's background and secrets are slowly revealed through the course of this haunting (and at times, horrific) novel. Perhaps certain scenes and revelations affected me most because I am a mother myself. The ending could have been difficult to pull off, but proved very satisfying, particularly as this was Baker's debut as an author. I look forward very much to reading what she may write next!

Thank you Netgalley and Viper Books for the digital ARC!

Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker will be released on 24th February 2021.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 23rd October, 2020. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell - Book Review

Having read all of Purcell's previous Gothic novels, I was very excited for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of her latest offering via NetGalley.

The Shape of Darkness is Purcell's fourth novel, and I will state from the outset that it's the scariest yet! The plot revolves mostly around Agnes Darken: an older spinster, who crafts by hand the art of silhouettes, an art on the cusp of extinction as the more popular daguerreotypes are increasingly preferred. Agnes begins to realise that her patrons (sadly few and far between) are seemingly murdered after sitting for her portraiture. In parallel is Pearl Meers, "The White Sylph": a young albino girl working for her sister as a spirit guide. Pearl's gift is suddenly increasing in its intensity, causing her to experience the same symptoms of the victims of Bath's supposed serial killer.

As their paths cross, the danger intensifies building up the tension and horror to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion which I did not see coming. What an exhilarating read this turned out to be!

With The Shape of Darkness, Laura Purcell has cemented her status as the queen of modern Gothic novels, and I for one, am very much looking forward to reading anything she may choose to publish next!

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell will be released in the UK on the 28th of January 2021. You can pre-order a copy of this gorgeous hardback from Waterstones or Amazon.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 19th October, 2020. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

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The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex - Book Review

I was really excited to be given the opportunity to read a digital ARC of The Lamplighters via Netgalley. This book has generated a lot of excitement, and while I hadn't previously learned much about the story behind this novel, I was intrigued by the blurb and cover to learn more.

First I should admit that I'd expected The Lamplighters to have a supernatural element to the story. In fact, there is something supernatural about this novel, a light element if you will (which I won't give away in this review) though it is not what you'd expect. Instead, this novel is more closely focused on the lives and relationships of the characters; on stories, rumour and speculation. In fact, I found these aspects far more interesting than the theme I had initially expected.

The narration of The Lamplighters has - at least for me - a strange rhythmic cadence. Chapters swing from events of the past to the present day; from the events leading up to the disappearance of the three lamplighters, to the impact on those left behind. Yet this does not feel disjointed: instead it flows smoothly, and made me think of stories told by firelight over the course of several winter nights.

Only after finishing The Lamplighters did I set out to explore the true-life story on which it was based. Then I realised how cleverly Emma Stonex had crafted this remarkable retelling, which lingered in my thoughts long after I'd turned the final page. The temporal setting was transported form the turn of the 20th century to a more contemporary decade, at the point which manned lighthouses were on the cusp of being replaced with automation. I found this added a great richness to the story, and more potential for each of the lamplighter's backstory, in addition to the clever twists and turns of the mystery which kept me guessing until the very end.

Do search this book out at your favourite bookstore when it is released next year! I'm sure this novel will be enjoyed by readers who crave well-crafted stories with realistic characters and an element of mystery.

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex will be released in the UK on 4th March, 2021.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 18th October, 2020. Rating: 4 out of 4 stars.

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Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman - Book Review

 

Magic Lessons is a prequel to her other books chronicling the Owen's witches in the vein of an origin story. 

Having previously read and loved Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic, I was keen to learn more and was not disappointed. 

Hoffman's style of writing reads to me like a warm hug. That's not to say there is no peril in these novels, there certainly is, but these stories make me feel as though they are being read to me by someone friendly and familiar, in front of a warm fire on an autumn evening. 

Familiarity with the history of witchcraft in both Europe and America is certainly present in Magic Lessons, as we follow Maria Owens, adopted by Hannah to the family name, seek out her fate across two Essex counties separated by oceans. Maria is a bloodline witch, therefore her powers are innate and strong. We learn of her familiar, a beautiful black crow; the heartbreak which sets her on her path of tragedy and destruction towards that fateful curse which prevents her descendants from ever experiencing true love.

Interspersed with the story are the titular "magic lessons": recipes and instructions for spells, relevant to the passage of text they proceed. I rather liked these sections, which remind us that in times past women were tried as witches simply for using herbs and simple tinctures to cure ailments (whereas men were praised as doctors and healers for doing exactly the same). Feminism is also a theme through this story, warning us that women were not always equal to men. 

Although readers may already be familiar with the women of Owens lineage, I don't wish to spoil the story by saying too much in this review. It is a calm and tender read, full of love, heartbreak, revenge and loss, but whose final lines provide us with a mantra to help us live life well. 

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman will be published on October 6th, 2020.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on October 1st, 2020. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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Paris by Starlight by Robert Dinsdale - Book Review

 

Dinsdale's previous novel, The Toymakers, is a particular favourite of mine, which I read in the lead up to Christmas as the magic contained within is of that particular type.

His new novel, Paris by Starlight, is written in the same vein. No particular time in history is offered for the setting, though I would suspect it's before the advent of smartphones and portable technology. 

There are two main protagonists: a young woman who finds herself drawn to Paris in search of her father, and a young man:  refugee from an unnamed country which no longer exists. The couple find each other in Paris and are drawn together by their parallel themes of family and loss.

The magic in this book comes from the young man's ancestry, and the legendary stories his family share from The Nocturne, a volume of fairy tales. As the refugees settle in Paris, they retell stories from the Nocturne of times past when the country lived by starlight and magical flowers bloomed and glowed in the evening light. Soon these stories begin to come to life, first around their new-found home, then spreading outwards across the whole city.

At first, the native Parisians find the nighttime blooms enchanting, but as more seek refuge and to live by Starlight in their city, Paris finds it's inhabitants divided, and so do the star-crossed couple...

Paris by Starlight is certainly an enchanting book, with themes we may find parallel to our own experience and feelings towards real-life asylum seekers who seek safety at our shores. Love and magic are the prevalent themes here, and while I don't find this novel quite as unforgettable as The Toymakers, it is certainly a beautiful novel in which to lose oneself in the depths of imagination.

Paris by Starlight by Robert Dinsdale will be published on 5th November, 2020.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 30th September 2020. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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The Once and Future Witches by Alix. E. Harrow - Book Review

Earlier this year, I discovered the unexpected delight of Alix. E. Harrow’s Ten Thousand Doors of January (I muse upon that excellent title in the review post), so when I learned that this excellent word-mistress had another novel in progress, I was very excited to read it!Thanks to Netgalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of The Once and Future Witches, which I consider to be a glorious feminist approach to Witchcraft in literary form. The plot revolves around three sisters: James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna, who have - at different times in their lives - escaped their abusive father and drifted to the town of New Salem. Though at first, none of them are aware of their other sisters’ presence. An ominous magical occurrence draws them together, though at first the bond between them is frayed. Remembrance of their grandmother’s tales Witchcraft and the poetry of spells help fortify them - and their allies - against the oppressive dangers of the patriarchy and the witchfinders who would do them harm.I loved the research Harrow must have put into crafting this lengthy and beautiful novel. Her historical knowledge of witches, fairy-tales and nursery rhymes are woven together to create a magical realist world and I loved each and every page. It is my sincere hope that Alix E. Harrow will write many more novels, as I’ll be front of the queue for anything she sets her mind to write!The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow will be published on 15th October, 2020.Review by Amanda Kennedy on 02/09/2020. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

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The Devil and the Dark Water - Book Review

Having read and loved Stuart Turton's debut, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I was very excited to be able to read and review The Devil and the Dark Water.I knew from the start that this would be a very different story. Set in the 1600's, the plot follows "Problematory" Samuel Pipps, who has been imprisoned for a crime he may or may not have committed, aboard a ship setting sail from Batavia to Europe. He is accompanied by his bodyguard, Arent; there are similarities between these two and Holmes/Watson, though there are MANY more differences, which makes these characters uniquely compelling. As they board the ship, the crew and passengers behold a demonic premonition of the problems which will besiege the ship in the coming weeks, and the promise of a terror which may (or may not) be supernatural. The duo are assisted in their investigations by a feisty female heroine and her teenage daughter, while blighted by other passengers and select persons from the crew. The plot is a highly complex mystery, with many twists and unexpected revelations set against a historical backdrop which left me breathless at times. I was right to anticipate this novel highly! Though there is a section in the middle which slows ever so slightly, the overall novel is fascinating, intelligent and at times, rather frightening. The brilliantly constructed ending provided a strong sense of satisfaction which tied up the intricacies of the mystery and made me long for more.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton will be released in the UK on 1st October, 2020.Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 4th September, 2020. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

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Sweet Harmony by Claire North - Book Review

I was really pleased to discover that Claire North had written a new title. Everything of hers I've read so far has been insightful, intelligent and hugely enjoyable. Sweet Harmony is no exception: though a shorter novella than her standard books, it packs a punch in its exploration of human nature through a slightly dystopian setting in the near future. The plot centers around Harmony: a young woman dissatisfied with her appearance and her life, who chooses to seek assistance from"nanos": a new technology to physically aid and enhance our bodies. The plot shifts between the recent past and the present, in which Harmony is in debt, and unable to continue payments for her nano packages. We learn how Harmony found herself in this situation: her dissatisfaction that her "plain" physical appearance proved a barrier to her career; the abusive relationship which led to a breakdown... It reads like an episode of the TV series, Black Mirror, in which every word and sentence is perfectly chosen for maximum impact.Claire North is a master storyteller who, in my opinion, is not promoted anywhere near enough for her talent with the written word. If you haven't yet read any of her work, start with this as a short introduction, then follow up with one of her excellent novels (I'd suggest The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, or The Pursuit of William Abbey). Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the advance reader copy in return for my honest review. Sweet Harmony by Claire North will be released on September 22nd, 2020.Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 07/09/2020. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - Book Review

'Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices... Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?'

The Midnight Library is the life-affirming, feel-good book you didn't know you needed! Usually books of this type are not on my reading list, but the title, fantastic premise and beautiful cover were enough to persuade me to give this book a chance. Pleasantly surprised I was indeed to realise that I rather enjoyed it, being the type of story with simple yet reassuring prose which feels like a warm hug. It became a treat to read over a few evenings with a warm drink before bed, leaning in to the exploits of protagonist Nora while making mental parallels if her life-choice regrets with my own. If Matt Haig had hoped to help readers feel that "yes, life's actually okay, we make our mark on the world and can make our choices moving forward" then he truly hit the mark.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 13/08/2020. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is available now from all good book stores.

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Book Review: The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

Having just finished reading The Betrayals, I feel as though in a daze. It was such a wonderful, well-crafted and brilliant tale of "alternate" historical fiction which I couldn't put down. 

The setting is that of a boarding school, presumably in an alternate reality of 1930's England, where for the first time a female has been appointed Magister Ludi where previously only men have been allowed to study the Grand Jeu - a spiritual game combining philosophy, mathematics, music and literature. There are flashbacks to a decade previous, where the schools' two brightest students, initially rivals, slowly begin to form an allegiance. Yet there is tragedy, in more forms than one, which change the course of their lives forever, and the ghostly voice of a little girl who haunts the halls. 

There's so much to enjoy in this finely-tuned novel: politics, religious persecution, the role of women in society, the meaning of friendship and love, and above all, betrayals. I found it fascinating, immersive and utterly wonderful. 

For anyone seeking further insight into the practice and nature of The Grand Jeu, read Collin's afterward in which she explains how she was inspired by Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game. This was for me an unfamiliar title, though now having this insight I am able to appreciate The Betrayals even more.

Rating: 5/5

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Witness X by S.E. Moorhead - Book Review

A brief synopsis from the Goodreads page:

Fourteen years ago, the police caged a notorious serial killer who abducted and butchered two victims every February. He was safe behind bars. Wasn't he?
But then another body is discovered, and soon enough, the race is on to catch the real killer.

Neuropsychologist Kyra Sullivan fights to use a new technology that accesses the minds of the witnesses, working with the police to uncover the truth. Will Kyra discover the person behind the murders, and if so, at what cost? And how far will she go to ensure justice is served?

Much of the marketing describes Witness X as “Silence of the Lambs meets Blade Runner”, and while I agree should this excellent novel be translated to film, that is indeed how I would expect it to present. However, in it’s written form, I found that description rather misleading. Perhaps that is because this literary style is unlike anything else I’ve previously read..?

The setting is in the near future, where the brilliant mind of Kyra Sullivan has developed a machine which can access a person’s memories through a type of VR interaction. Having previously consulted with the police, she would prefer her invention to be used to tackle crime (especially in light of her sister’s murder, which caused her to leave the force), but her patron has other plans.

When the man who was convicted of her sister’s murder (and that of several other young women) escapes from prison, the pattern of serial killings begins again. Kyra begins to feel the effects of using her machine spill out from her subconscious mind, but the pressing need to locate and stop the killer forces her to make dangerous decisions.

I really enjoyed this book - it is fast-paced and the principle characters have human flaws which helped me as a reader to connect with their motivations and psyche. If this is a first novel for S.E. Moorhead, then it is a brilliant one, although I would be very happy should Moorhead choose to continue Kyra’s story in sequels or possibly a whole series. I for one feel she has many more adventures to attend!

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on August 10th, 2020.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Witness X by S.E. Moorhead is available to buy from all good bookstores, and is often on special offer in Amazon’s Kindle store. I purchased when it was on offer for just 99p and found it to be way more valuable! 

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Difficult Women By Helen Lewis - Book Review

From the blurb:

Feminism’s success is down to complicated, contradictory, imperfect women, who fought each other as well as fighting for equal rights. Helen Lewis argues that too many of these pioneers have been whitewashed or forgotten in our modern search for feel-good, inspirational heroines. It’s time to reclaim the history of feminism as a history of difficult women.

Difficult Women is an insightful and thoroughly entertaining book charting the history of feminism through the stories of (so-called) difficult women. It does not shy from character flaws: rather than paint these women as unblemished heroines it properly explains their behaviour and motivations, even when their actions may not today be seen as morally right or politically correct.

I appreciated Lewis’ personal insights and bias: as a British feminist, she focused primarily on British history and events, and was unafraid to detail aspects of her own personal life which shaped the narratives within.

Recommended for all women, particularly those with an interest in the history of feminism.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 17/05/2020. Rating: 4.5/ 5 stars. 

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The Other People By C. J. Tudor - Book Review

Here’s a brief description from the publisher:

She sleeps, a pale girl in a white room . . . 

Three years ago, Gabe saw his daughter taken. In the back of a rusty old car, covered in bumper stickers. He was driving behind the car. He watched her disappear. But no one believes him. Most people believe that his daughter, and wife, are dead. For a while, people believed that Gabe was responsible. 

Three years later and Gabe cannot give up hope. Even though he has given up everything else. His home, his job, his old life. He spends his days and nights travelling up and down the motorway, sleeping in his camper van in service stations, searching for the car that took her. Searching for his daughter. 

 

This book had me on the edge of my seat! Had I been able to read in a single session, I most certainly would have done. To make things more interesting, the novel is set on a stretch of motorway I am deeply familiar with. The opening pages created an immense tension and intrigue. I could imagine myself seeing my own child in the rear window of a passing car, my own despair and confusion. 

There were several scenes containing a mild supernatural element, though this did fit nicely with the overall storyline. Strongly recommended! 

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 17/05/2020. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. 

The Other People by C. J. Tudor is available now in all good bookstores.

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The Lost Future Of Pepperharrow By Natasha Pulley - Review

From the blurb, as I really don’t want to give much away about this magical story:

Natasha Pulley returns grateful readers to the singular universe of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street in this bewitching sequel set in a gloriously gothic Japan. Bizarre hauntings and electrical storms blight a Tokyo mired in mystery and mayhem, as The Lost Future of Pepperharrow dazzles and beguiles with fast-paced plotting and quirky characterisation.

I was thrilled to be offered this as an ARC from the publishers. It has been a long time since I read The Watchmaker of Filigree Street (the prequel to this novel), but the story soon came rushing back to me. The deepening of the relationship between the central characters was very much appreciated, particularly with the addition of Six, the young girl adopted by our favourite couple, who is most likely autistic and having to deal with her differences in a world which truly does not understand her.

I would recommend reading The Watchmaker of Filigree Street if possible before reading Pepperharrow if possible, simply because you will have a deeper understanding of the background and character motivations to enhance your enjoyment of the narrative.

There is magic in this book, and a sense of urgency to find out what happens next making it impossible to put down. I sincerely hope Ms. Pulley writes more novels based in her intricate worlds (The Bedlam Stacks is another, which does tie in loosely to both this and The Watchmaker). Can we have more of this please???

Reviewed byAmanda Kennedy on 18/01/2020. Review rating: 5/ 5 stars

The Lost Future of Pepperharrow will be published on 03/03/2020, be sure to look out for it in all good bookstores!

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The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Starless Sea is a book I have been looking forward to since finishing those final few pages of The Night Circus, Morgenstern’s magical debut novel. 

I was lucky to be able to purchase a special edition from Waterstones with sprayed edges (which I’ve not yet photographed to my satisfaction) which isn’t the edition pictured here, though I think I may prefer the above presentation to the English hardcover edition…

The Starless Sea is a book featuring a different type of magic to The Night Circus. To me, it seems a love letter to bibliophiles and storytellers, with more references than I could possibly catalogue (and probably a few I missed!). 

Here’s a brief synopsis from the Goodreads page:

Far beneath the surface of the earth, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. The entryways that lead to this sanctuary are often hidden, sometimes on forest floors, sometimes in private homes, sometimes in plain sight. But those who seek will find. Their doors have been waiting for them.

I really enjoyed reading The Starless Sea, though I should admit that it did not quite hit the mark as accurately in terms of feeling and conclusion that The Night Circus did. It is a very clever book, with wonderful prose and characters and prose which I’m sure I will return to read for comfort in the dark winter months. 

Sincerely though, I hope Erin Morgenstern writes a third (fourth? fifth?) novel. I will purchase and devour anything she writes!

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 08/12/2019. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern is available to buy from all good booksellers.

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Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - Book Review

Although I’ve seen the Studio Ghibli animated movie more times than I can count, I regret not having previously read the novel on which it is based.

Here’s the synopsis from Goodreads:

In the land of Ingary, where seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, Sophie Hatter attracts the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help - the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.

But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls…

I really rather enjoyed this short novel, and there are many differences between this and the animated feature film. Most importantly, we discover where the Wizard Howl originated from, and much more detail as to why The Witch of the Waste hopes to defeat him. In my opinion, the book is more magical, and though undoubtedly I imagined the characters in their Ghibli forms, I found my reading added much more depth to what is already in my heart a fantastic story.

Howl’s Moving Castle is actually part of a trilogy set in the same “world”, which I hope to eventually read through. However, I plan to wait until I can read them in actual book form (since I read through this as a paperback on loan from the library) rather than downloading to my kindle.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on October 15, 2019. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is available from all good booksellers (and probably your local library!).

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The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock - Book Review

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on March 24th, 2018

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock is Hermes Gowar's debut novel, an exquisite, slow-burning story of historical romance set in the late 18th century. Don't be deceived by the title: this is not steeped in magical realism as you may imagine (this theme comes into play very late in the novel, and is executed with deliberate care). Instead, The Mermaid follows the changing lives of characters linked by circumstance and encounters, with the main focus falling upon a defiant courtesan and a widowed merchant, with the legendary titled creature forming the crux of the bond which forms between them.

This novel has been highly publicised here in the UK, and has been marketed in the same manner as The Miniaturist and The Essex Serpent. With good reason, I might add. Readers who enjoyed those novels would be well advised to pick this up! I was lucky to secure myself a copy of Waterstones' special hardback edition - signed by the author herself! - which featured blue edged covers and a slightly different sleeve design. It truly is a thing of beauty.

Like The Essex Serpent, this was a slow-burner for me, at least until the final few chapters, when the creeping dread and impending crisis which had built in preceding chapters urged me to reach the conclusion. It is a novel to be enjoyed slowly, allowing time to become immersed in the language and setting; to be transported to bygone times where we may catch a glimmer of life less discussed in history books or portrayed on the big screen. Should Ms. Hermes-Gowar's debut become a well-funded BBC serial adaptation (as it surely should!), it would certainly be aired after the watershed, since there are many elements which are absolutely unsuitable for the eyes of children!

Despite historical fiction falling foul of my usual choice of genre, I did enjoy The Mermaid. It took me a while to read, since I felt unable to dip in and out of chapters as time permitted: instead I felt compelled to settle and savour in longer (albeit, more sporadic) sessions. I particularly adore the exquisite presentation of this book, and should publishers read my humble reviews, please please release more books that look and feel as wonderful as this one!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton - Book Review

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 7th March, 2018

This could well be the best book I'll read all year. It is truly a novel which I wish I could go back and revisit all over again with no knowledge of having read it before. And yet, I will read it all over again anyway, having devoured this elegant tome at breakneck speed because I simply could not put it down!

Described as Gosford Park meets Inception via Agatha Christie with a dash of Quantum Leap, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a genre-bending masterpiece.

At a party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle is welcomed home from her lengthy stay in Paris. But before the night is over, she will be murdered. Again. And again. And again... As she has been murdered every night, hundreds of times over. Aiden Bishop is also doomed to repeat this day, over and over, each time inhabiting the body of a different host as he puzzles to solve the brutal crime. He has only eight days to unravel the mystery, before his memories are purged and the cycle begins again.

To write much more about this wondrous novel would be to dilute the pleasure of sleuthing through your read. Sleuth you will, my friend, as red herrings and plot twists abound! The Seven Deaths is a masterpiece, and interestingly, Stuart Turton's first forage into the field of literary fiction. Buy this now and thank me later!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Obviously!

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The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale - Book Review

The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale
Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on February 28th, 2018

The Toymakers is a rare and magical piece of literature, one which I feel blessed for having discovered and read. Though I had been approved to review the title on Netgalley, I decided I ought to purchase the beautiful hardcover edition as no doubt this will be a novel read several times, particularly in the run up to Christmas, during which time much of the story is set.

The Emporium opens with the first frost of winter. It is the same every year. Across the city, when children wake to see ferns of white stretched across their windows, or walk to school to hear ice crackling underfoot, the whispers begin: the Emporium is open!

The novel begins with Kathy's story: she is a 16 year old girl, who - having fallen pregnant - is faced with the decision to give up her child or run away to start a new life in London. She discovers a newspaper ad asking "Are you lost? Are you afraid...?" It promises the opportunity to board and work in London's most talked about toy store, propriety of Papa John: a former Russian who has brought his talents to entertain and seduce a plethora of eager children and their families.

The toy store quickly becomes Kathy's safe haven, a place of wonder and security among friends who become more like family.

From the mysterious Wendy house, whose external appearance belies the true internal size, to the "castle in the sky", around which fluffy white clouds gather, and the toyboxes which contain worlds, the magic of this book is wrapped in realism, spinning a tale of historical events which precedes the first World War and continues for many years following. Throughout, toy soldiers provide both metaphor and expression of war-ravaged soldiers in battle. It is both haunting and heart-breaking, well-suited to older and adult readers who retain the awe of a child's discovery and wonder.

I heartily recommend The Toymakers, particularly the exquisite hardback edition (a beautifully designed cover which would make a wonderful gift), and encourage everyone to read it who would enjoy a magical, literary escape.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

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