30 November 2011

#135. Feminism: A Very Short Introduction by Margaret Walters

Title:
Feminism: A Very Short Introduction
Author:
Margaret Walters
Genre:
Non-Fiction
Synopsis:
A summary of the evolution of feminism from its start in religious communities to its modern incarnation and the social issues that concern it.
Verdict:
A good introduction that gives points to follow up on. It is very brief due to its nature but not prohibitively so.
Pages:
141
Read:
October – November 2011

#134. Finding Nino by Marc Llewellyn

Title:
Finding Nino
Author:
Marc Llewellyn
Genre:
Travel/Non-Fiction
Synopsis:
An Britsh Ex-Pat Aussie writer, his wife and their infant son move to Italy for a year to get away from things. They are taken under the wing of a local farmer who takes it upon himself to teach him things he feels they need to know.
Verdict:
The food and life lessons in their experiences were good, his over-romanticisation was a bit obvious but his writing style allowed you to see that and assess a more balanced presentation of events. It wasn’t bad but it has definitely convinced me that I don’t want to move back to the family islands and settle down with a local.
Pages:
350
Read:
November 2011

#133. The Hidden Child by Camilla Läckberg

Title:
The Hidden Child
Author:
Camilla Läckberg
Genre:
Scandinavian Crime/Thriller
Synopsis:
Erika is researching her mother’s history and finds it tangled up in the events of the war and a very modern murder case that Patrik is investigating. As both investigations continue, overlap and diverge, the writer Erika Falck and her policeman fiancé Patrik both battle with the significances of the deaths and with personal challenges.
Verdict:
This series continues to be excellent, balanced, complex and doesn’t let characters be two-dimensional. They can’t translate these into English fast enough.
Pages:
506
Read:
November 2011

#132. The Gallows Bird by Camilla Läckberg

Title:
The Gallows Bird
Author:
Camilla Läckberg
Genre:
Scandinavian Crime/Thriller
Synopsis:
A woman is found apparently dead from a DUI. Another is found murdered whilst part of a reality show. As the investigations progress, the community and its members are shown in a different light.
Verdict:
The way the story lines are drawn together and the characters fleshed out is again great. Camilla Läckberg has an excellent way of building and integrating the backstories of both recurring and one-time characters to give a novel depth.
Pages:
376
Read:
November 2011