Sunday, October 21, 2007

Suffer The Little Children

Barbara Davis
1999
ISBN 0-7860-0664-1

This is the story of Jesse Cummings, a man driven by rage and violence, who was responsible for the murder of his sister and the rape and murder of his 11-year-old niece.

This was not an easy book to read. Actual content aside - the details of beatings, rapes and mental abuse is horrific - it wasn't written very well. The narrative is jerky, bouncing from the central story to the backstories of people just getting involved, and things are omitted or referred to without being explained (After everyone was arrested there is no further mention of the children until the epilogue, so we don't know what actually happened to them after the police raided the house).

The people are painted as barely as possible - there are accounts of events, but nothing that really offers a sense of who these people were, apart from repeated reminders that they were a monster and two broken women.

Jesse Cummings was sentenced to death for the crimes he was convicted for, and the author takes great delight in pointing out that he is now in a cell, forced to obey the orders of others. While the death sentence is certainly a fitting punishment, there is no record of his attitude or demeanour once the verdict was read, which I would have found interesting, if only to confirm how much of a sociopath he is/was.

Date Finished: 20/10/07
Year Total: 35

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The Well of Lost Plots

Jasper Fforde
2003
ISBN 0-340-82596-0

The third in the Thursday Next series. I wish I hadn't left it so long between readings, as these books carry on as one continuous story. That said, it was easy to pick up the threads once more, and get into the swing of things.

Thursday, hiding from Goliath Corporation, has taken up residence in a book in the Well of Lost Plots while studying to become a Jurisfiction agent and figure out how to remember her husband while a mindworm plays havoc with her memories.

On top of that, there is a major upgrade to the world of books approaching, and agents are suddenly dying in horribly suspicious circumstances, the book Thursday is living in is in danger of being demolished, and her dodo is nesting on the sofa.

Confusing, hilarious and wildly entertaining, I cannot recommend these books enough - if you love a little silliness, and can accept some upside-down ideas, you'll love this serious.

Date finished: 17/10/07
Year Total: 34

The Secret of Crickley Hall

James Herbert
2006
ISBN 0-330-41168-4

I've loved James Herbert books since seeing Haunted, the movie based on his book, but tend to stumble over them by accident rather than set out to buy one. This one was no exception, and has been one of the best surprise finds this year.

Gabe and Eve Caleigh, both struggling to deal with the disappearance of their son Cam, leave the city and move into Crickley Hall, a forboding manor outside a tiny village. Even before they hear the tragic history of the house, they find out they aren't the only ones there, but refuse to leave.

This is one of those rare stories that stays interesting and stays as tense at the same time. This book actually made me nervous, which never happens. Herbert can create such a tense, terrifying scene that your skin will crawl.

The climax is good without being overly sappy, and although it's a horror, you still finish with a smile. I really enjoyed this - as much as Haunted, if not more.

Date Finished: 13/10/07
Year Total: 33

Sunday, October 7, 2007

The Crimson Petal & The White

Michael Faber
2002
ISBN 1 84195 324 5

This is a whopping book - 835 pages. It starts with the book addressing you and introducing you to the lowliest of 19th century London prostitues, and bouncing from her to someone else to someone else, before settling on the two people at the centre of the story - William Rackham, heir to the Rackham Perfume empire, and Sugar, famous prostitute.

Much of this book I found to be stilted, confined by the formal writing and etiquette of the period, and even setting this aside I found the characters hard to identify with, albeit interesting. Agnes is a walking tragedy, once you know the reason why, and Henry is a walking contradiction. His relationship with Mrs Fox irritates more than entertains, and the resolution there is ironic, if not satisfactory.

The story itself eclipses the various issues I had with the characters, and the climax builds up into a real page-turner, which made the ending all the more infuriating. In fact, the ending to this book sucked, considering how many pages there were to get through before it. That said, actually having finished it is an achievement in itself, and good enough for me.

Date Finished: 06/10/07
Year Total: 32