The Local Lit Scene

celebrating South African Literature beyond our past

Nov 3

The Gargoyle – Andrew Davidson

by imsonotablogger

51fwzv1xmzl_ss500_The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson is a beautiful book!

I discovered this book about a year ago, when I was wondering through Waterstone’s in the UK, but at the time, it just wasn’t what I was looking for. Even having read the first few pages ( I always read them to see if I am going to ‘get into’ the book) and knowing that it was something that I would like to read at some point, I didn’t buy it. In a way I am glad I didn’t, else I wouldn’t have recently rediscovered it! But on the other hand, I can’t believe I waited this long to read it!

The writing is beautiful, the story is interesting, the characters are larger than life. There are stories within stories and the opening chapter begins with how one of the main characters got burned, in a car accident. At times during the reading of this chapter, it was a bit hectic, because the way he describes the burning, is enough to make anyone cringe.

Ultimately, this story is a love story, a 700 year old love story between a man and a woman. But the telling of it, includes the present day through the past. It is fantastically done and extremely well written. I don’t want to tell you all the other details as it will detract from the telling of the story line, just be sure that if you are a romantic at heart (even if you don’t admit it to anyone!) and enjoy a well written novel, then this I cannot recommend enough.

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Nov 2

The Vesuvius Club – Mark Gatiss

by imsonotablogger

vesuvius2I found this book in the library and liked the cover and blurb on the back. I managed to read it in a couple of days as it was a strangely compelling book to read.

It has a sort of magnetic force to it, as it pulls you forward into the story and characters. It is a little bizarre and not for sensitive readers as the style of writing is very straightforward with a no nonsense theme running through it. It is a detective story with a difference,the main character Lucifer Box, is a painter but also His Majesty’s secret agent.So, when prominent scientists begin turning up dead, there is only one man that the country turns to. Lucifer Box.

‘Lucifer Box ruthlessly deduces and seduces his way from his elegant townhouse at Number 9 Downing Street (somebody has to live there), to the seediest stews in Naples, in search of the mighty secret society that may hold the fate of the world in its claw-like hands – The Vesuvius Club.’

I enjoyed this book with its mystery and secrets, it followed on well without too much ‘who, what where and why?’ As I said at the beginning, the style of writing definitely pulls the reader on a  high paced journey. it is a short read at 240 pages and if you are in the mood for a ‘whodunnit’ type of book, then this could very possibly be it.

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Oct 28

There are Ants in my Sugar – Annica Foxcroft

by timeout

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When my sister told me she had this book for me to read, I wasn’t really interested.  “Ants in my Sugar” – what sort of a title was that for a book – yet alone a good book.

She posted it up to me.  I collected it from the Post Office and listened to my 11 yr old daughter reading the back cover to me.  Despite her tripping over some of the large words used, after hearing the ‘blurb’ I knew I was going to enjoy this book.

So much so, that I bought the sequel ‘More Ants’ whilst at Exclusive that same day.

Without giving away too much, the story centres around Annica, a young mother in the sixties in South Africa.  She is married to a much older man who unexpectedly hits financial ruin.  His solution to this is to buy a ‘pondokkie’ in the country, curb their spending and recover from his disaster.

Her new home is set on a 2.5 acre plot of khakibos and the occasional blackjack.  She has to adjust to a typical ‘farming’ way of life – a borehole, windmill and no inside ablutions.   No electricity or running water.  The joys of an Aga (wood-fired)  stove.  All in the middle of winter.

The characters she encounters along her journey are what make the book as delightful as it is.  May, her ‘maid’ and closest friend.  The black sangoma who lives next door. And the Jewish pig farmer.

I think one of the reasons i so enjoyed this book is because her way of life resonated so with mine (I live on a farm).  I have an Aga, a windmill and a reservoir.  Luckily tho i do have running water, and an inside toilet.

I laughed from beginning to end.  It’s an easy read.  Light but meaningful.  And the sequel is just as, if not, more delightful.

This is a book you can keep on your nightstand and dip into from time to time.  You won’t be disappointed.

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Oct 22

The Little Stranger – Sarah Waters

by imsonotablogger

book_1_1The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters is her latest release. Which I have been itching to read ever since someone I know on FB mentioned it on her status. I am very pleased to say, that I have just today, finished reading it. It was definitely a ‘not easy to put down’ book and I found myself reading it whenever and wherever I could. While cooking supper, first thing in the morning before everyone was up, stealing 5 minutes outside with a cuppa coffee and no disturbances. The only time I didnt read it was late into the night (due to little whispers of fright clutching at my tummy, I am one of those people that cant read thrillers or watch horror movies for fear of nightmares…!)

But to get back to this book, it is unlike her last novels in that this is a ghost story. It is seen and told through the eyes and voice of Dr Faraday who has a firm disbelief for anything supernatural. It is post war Summer at the Hundreds Hall, the home to Ayres family – mother,son and daughter – and changes are afoot.  This is a brilliantly written book and takes you on weaves and turns, sinister and haunting and has you siding first with one character then the next. Wondering what and who and why. It pulls you into the feel of the times and one cannot but imagine being there.

The only part I wasn’t too happy with was the ending, but after having a think about the story, reminded myself, it is a ghost story after all. And a good ghost story is one that leaves you slightly chilled, slightly scared, and very thankful that you are only a bystander!

The Little Stranger is available at all good bookstores and if you are looking for a slightly haunting book, then this is the book for you.

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Oct 19

The Truth About Melody Browne – Lisa Jewell

by imsonotablogger

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The truth about Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell is by far one of her best books.  That is not to say that her other books are not her best, but this one is completely different from the usual ‘chick lit’ fare.

It has a smattering of romance (which is always good) but it offers the reader so much more than that. It offers intrigue and wonder. It offers unexpected variety and it certainly gives us heartbreak. I have to admit that this book saw many tears sliding down my cheeks and at one point I was barely holding back sobs (this could, of course, be merited to the fact that I was PMSing at the time of reading but I don’t believe that was the only reason!)

The story is about Melody Browne and her past. Since she was nine years old, after her house burned down, Melody has not had any memories preceding this age. Now, she is in her early thirties, living with her son in a small flat in London and estranged from her parents who she hasn’t seen since she left home at 15.

Then something extraordinary occurs, while attending a hypnotist show with her first date in years, she faints. And on her coming round, she suddenly begins to remember. Bits and pieces of a life she cant remember. And so the story begins.

It takes us on twists and turns as Melody’s memory slowly sheds light on the gaping chasm that it once was.  And as the story nears its end, all the loose ends are tied up and one can see, why, she didn’t remember her past.

This is a wonderfully written book, with the ability to keep you reading until late at night and can recommend this for a weekend of easy reading entertainment.

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Oct 2

Girl Friday – Jane Green

by timeout

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Jane Green’s latest novel, Girl Friday, is in my humble opinion, her best to date.

Known for her ‘chick lit’ with a twist, Jane Green first caught my attention with her novel about love in the midst of books, Bookends. Now for some reason ‘chick lit’ is the one genre of writing that seems to be poo pooed by the general public. Why i’m not sure, as it more often than not provides the perfect means of escape from our everyday lives. Jane Green along with Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella, Lisa Jewell and Cathy Kelly  have certainly made their names known in the literary world, chick-lit or not.

After reading Bookends, I was completely hooked.  Jane writes novels that reflect the lives of real women dealing with real life tribulations – motherhood, Mother-in-Laws, ex husbands and mid-life crisis.

Girl Friday features Kit, a recently divorced mum of two who is beginning to love her new life and new self as a single woman.  The daily struggles she faces, but also the remarkable friends and support network that she has. Not forgetting her dashing boss, Robert McClore who also happens to be a famous novelist with a secret or two himself.  This is a love story, but with a degree of mystery thrown in.  There is a major twist that had me going till almost the end.  If you skim read – you’ll miss this!

I think what drew me to this novel, was the divorced/single mum aspect.  Going it alone.  Having to get back into the job-market, support a family and never mind start dating again.  I have been there and so identified what Kit was having to deal with.

In a nutshell Girl Friday is a captivating tale about love, friendship, marriage and family.

Her other novels include Jemima J, Spellbound, The Beach House, Babyville, Swapping Lives, The Other Woman, Second Chance and Mr Maybe.

If you’re needing timeout and a novel to simply while away the time, pick up a Jane Green today.  Her writing is described by The Washington Post as ‘smart and complex’, by Entertainment Weekly as ‘unexpectedly honest’ and by USA Today as ‘happy, melancholic and beautifully written’.

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Sep 30

The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart

by imsonotablogger

book_cover_mysterious_benedict_society

This is a childrens book, one filled with adventure and intrigue. It leads the reader on a curious journey about 4 children who are orphans of sorts and how together they create a family of their own. It shows how bravery and tenacity of spirit can chase away the fears that live inside oneself. I dont want to tell you the whole plot line, suffice to say it should be read in order to find out about it.

Exerpt on the back of the book:

“ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?”

When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of myseterious, mind-bending tests. (And you , dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) but in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. With their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all?

So, if you are looking for a book for a child, do go ahead and try this one. (And they have a second book, if you fall in love with the characters in this one…)

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Sep 29

A Short History of Nearly Everything

by imsonotablogger

bill

A History of nearly everything is written by Bill Bryson and is the only one of his books that I have read. (So far) He has mainly written travelogues  and though I have read a couple of pages of various other books, I really enjoyed this one.

It gives you a ‘short history of nearly everything’ just like it says on the cover! The subjects range from astrology to geology and the discoveries of Einsteins theory of relativity to the explanation of atoms.

Exerpt from the the back of the book: “Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home  he cant contain his curiosity about the world about him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilisation – how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us. The ultimate eye-opening journey through time and space, revealing the world in a way most of us have never seen before”

But Bill Bryson does it in such a way that one can Understand it! It is simply written and at times, quite amusingly too. Manages to make history enjoyable and how many writers do you know who have that ability?

I really recommend this book if you fancy topping up your history knowledge and knowing all those bizarre questions they ask you in crossword puzzles, but also if you just fancy understanding some scientific theories which normally, just go over your head.

This book is humerous and entertaining as well as informative. Give it a go, what have you got to loose?

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Sep 28

The Mists of Avalon – Marion Zimmer Bradley

by imsonotablogger

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This review was submitted by Patricia Meredith, thanks Pat!

There are as many books that “re-write” the story of Camelot and take a “new spin” on Arthurian legend as there are fish in the sea. “The Mists of Avalon” however, is a different retelling of the legend; the focus of the tale is shifted, from the Christian male perspective, to that of the old religion led by women and centered in the Isle of Avalon.

The tale is told from the points of view of Morgaine, (Morgana Le Fey), Priestess of Avalon and Gwenhwyfar, (Gwynivere),princess and future queen of Camelot.

Morgana Le Fey is normally portrayed as the evil antagonist to Arthur and the round table. Here she is Morgaine, a Druid High Priestess, who is struggling to keep her dying religion alive against the growth of Christianity. She struggles with her dual roles as wise-woman and priestess, sister, mother, lover and wife in a growing Christian society.

Gwenhyfar is not the perfect yet tragic heroine we all know, but a person with insecurities and neurotic tendencies. Her religious fanaticism is accompanied by her doubts of God and her insecurities as a woman. At first reading, Gwenhyfar is quite a disagreeable character but one realizes that she is in truth just as complex as Morgaine and that she is actually a woman of the times.The reader also views other well-known female characters from a different vantage point, including Igraine, Morgaine’s and Arthur’s mother.

This novel has often been criticized as being feminist and anti-Christian (as if they go hand in hand!) when in truth the novel portrays a time of extreme upheaval when Christianity was settling into England and struggling for dominance over the goddess/female-centered Druidic religion. One must remember that Bradley is not portraying the Christianity of today, but as it existed during the age of the inquisition and when women were being burned at the stake for their herbal lore. As Morgaine realizes; “I came to see that my quarrel was never with the Christ, but with his foolish and narrow priests who mistook their narrowness for his.”

King Arthur is still the noble, ahead-of-his-time man we always loved but it is not Guinevere or her affair that destroys him, instead he is a man destroyed by the small-mindedness of humankind (both men and women).

I really loved this story but did feel at times that Ms. Bradley bit off a bit more than she could chew with the large scope of what she was attempting. However all in all it gave me a perspective on the Arthurian legend that will stay with me forever and I found it to be a mystical and magical read.

Pat, I have to agree with you, I have also read this book and found it to be a fascinating and absorbing read.

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Sep 25

Torn Apart – James Patterson

by timeout

torn apart

As most of you know James Patterson is one of the best-known detective writers of all time. Two of his novels, Kiss the Girls & Along Came A Spider have been made into feature films starring Morgan Freeman.

This is not a detective novel.

Torn Apart is his first work of non-fiction. Written together with Hal Friedman. And it is incredibly heart-wrenching. And insightful. And inspiring. And completely un-put-downable.

It is written through the eyes of Cory Friedman, who at 5 years old developed a rare combination of Tourette Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder and other neurological conditions. Suddenly the life he knew was torn apart and his family faced challenges on a daily basis that they were ill-equipped to deal with. But they were determined, and embarked on a 15 year struggle which took them beyond breaking point. Cory was seen by 13 doctors, who in total, prescribed sixty potent medicines. He was mistakenly sent to a psychiatric ward, and on the brink of despair, he and his family decide to try a form or intervention that had never been tried in cases such as Cory’s: he was sent to a wilderness survival camp in a bitter, unforgiving, snowy Utah winter.

An excerpt:

“I go through the motions of living, moving slowly from place to place, trying to respond to things happening around me, but I’m in a total daze.

It’s like watching from a thousand miles away … I’ll never forget the sad look on my father’s face as he watches me, and I guess he’ll never forget the look on mine.

I’m not in the life everyone else is living.

I’m not here”

Whether or not you face  these challenges  in your daily living is irrelevant. It is a superbly written book and I urge you to read it.

You won’t be sorry.

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