Lucy
Not as enjoyable as previous books, the plot was a bit confused. Still enjoy the characters though.
Moments of brilliance and fluidity, surrounded by quite a bit of meandering. I felt let down tremendously by the ending. But overall, an epic, aweinspiring work of a lifetime.
I find it hard to review The Trouble with Happiness because it's so freaking depressing. Parents hate their kids, children resent the parents. Husbands cheat, women are pathetic. I suppose perhaps this is real life, but god, I don't want to read about it.
That being said, it is sharply written, evocative, quite beautiful and at points I even found myself empathising with the characters.
Don't read if you're at all depressed.
3.5 stars. Slow start and a confusing ending, but a brilliant middle. It's always tricky writing about time travel, but for the most part, Mastai got it right.
Told by a mysterious narrator, this is the story of Robyn Hyde (Iris Wilkinson's) experiences in the war in China in the late 1930s, behind the Japanese lines. Peppered with flashbacks to her earlier life, full of tragedy and heartache but also a gutsy determination to write and be known.
A cute short story set in the Threadneedle universe which I haven't read. Nice scene setting and magic system but would work better as a YA or middle grade title.
Short stories perfect for young readers, with interesting background about the origins of the story.
Wow, an awesome ever so British legal thriller. I'm so looking forward to the next one. For fans of Cormoran Strike.
Wow, just wow. This totally packed a punch I didn't see coming in the first 3/4. The ending ramped it from a 4 star to a 5 star read.
Birnam Wood are a group of guerilla activist gardeners in Christchurch who as well as planting legitimate crops in people's spare ground and harvesting and selling the produce, cultivate hidden spaces in abandoned lots. They're pretty small fry but founder Mira has her eyes set on bigger things, namely a large farm in Thorndike, bordering the Korowai National Park. The farm is owned by the newly knighted Sir Owen Darvish a pest controller with aspirations of grandeur and his wife Jill who inherited the property from her parents. However, since a landslide has created a dead end not far beyond the Darvish farm, essentially ruining the economy of Thorndike, the couple has moved to Wellington and Mira sees the land as claimable.
When she arrives at the farm though, billionaire American businessman Robert Lemoine is already there, having secretly offered to buy the property from the Darvishes to allow access to the rare metals in the neighbouring National Park, something he could never get through legitimate channels.
Lemoine, seeing in Mira a fellow opportunist decides to woo Birnam Wood with money and fame, and the game between the two is afoot.
There's so much going on in this book - relationships, between Owen and Jill, Mira and her colleague Shelley, and between idealistic and determined free lance writer Tony and the collective. Tony thinks Lemoine is hiding something, and if he can prove it, it'll be the biggest break of his career. I also enjoyed the subtle dark humour, especially when things get misinterpreted, misunderstood or lost in translation.
But the real gem in Birnam Wood is the last 1/4 of the book, where all the parts of the story come together for a totally unexpected and brilliantly crafted ending.
While I enjoyed the machinations of the murder case, the book felt overly drawn out and increasingly unbelievable. Happy with the ending though.
Dropped from 4 to 3 stars due to the ridiculous last chapter. An otherwise enjoyable read.
A very relatable and readable novel about a millennial couple who are now in their early 40s, navigating life with a teenager. Also a very ‘Kiwi' novel, especially one of Wellington. Populated by largely unsympathetic characters who seem to embody the stereotype of those of us over 40 who are trying to maintain their youth, Jacqui and Scott's son Axle is a bright star, one of the few who seem to be self aware in his forays into alcohol and girls.
A compilation of quirky and occasionally bizzare short stories told in graphic form.
If I could give this 10 stars I would.
Set 20 years after the first book, The Reindeer Hunters carries on the mystery of the sister bells from the first book, the Hekne family saga moves forward another generation and the Pastor matures in his faith. A truly magnificent and remarkable series so far.
A varied and intriguing collection of short stories riffing on and inspired by Calvino's Invisible Cities. From monsters to music gigs, love to darkness, pandemics and post apocalypse I enjoyed the range of these stories.