John Lampard
A bank employee come to terms with a violent bank robbery, while on special leave from her job, by revisiting her past. There's some engaging chapters, but overall the book was a little too meandering.
Seltmann's vivid prose brings her characters and settings to life, but the story itself is a little too slight. If you're looking for something cheerful to read, this is for you.
Five stories of lost love, or missed opportunities, make for compelling reading, but sometimes leave a bitter aftertaste. Intended as a wake-up call perhaps?
I liked this. An intimate, fly on the wall, exposition of the decline of the House of Trelawney. About the only thing I didn't go for was the on-again, off-again romance of one of the characters. It had became grating - to say the least - by the tenth (or whatever) “breakup”. BUT if they adapt this for the small screen, or even the big screen, I guess it'll make for edge of seat viewing.
[2.5 stars] I believe the author is an accomplished journalist and academic writer, but this is her first work of fiction. While highly readable, it took me 4-5 evenings to complete, I was left wondering what the point of the story was. Rachel, the protagonist, suffers two significant setbacks, one quite random, the other through her own lack of caution, but seems to bounce back relatively quickly, and resume her enviously prefect life. A bit more grit, and genuine hardship, might have made this a more substantial read. Had to laugh though, we went to Catalina at Rose Bay for lunch, the day before I read about Rachel's visit there! I'd still be keen to read further works of fiction by this author.
[3.5 stars] enjoyable family drama. I get the feeling the author struggled a little to write the ending. Personally I'd have preferred something more ambiguous, but that's just me.
A fantastic debut, filled with lyrical prose, for instance: “we strode through Melbourne, red against the greyness, salt in our veins.”
A faithful adaptation of this book would be a shot in the arm for the Australian film industry. Can I write the screenplay?
[2.5 stars] A promising premise soon becomes lost in a tangle of unresolved subplots (what, for instance, was the story with the shoplifting colleague?). Proceedings end as well as they could at the penultimate chapter, then there's what feels like a second ending with the final chapter. That's my way [WARNING, small spoiler] of saying I didn't think much of Rufus, not that many of her romantic prospects seemed very like-able.
actually DNF... well written and mostly readable, but I'm afraid your grand mar was too much in the end.
[3.5 stars] an unnerving insight into the implosion of a marriage. A little too long though if you ask me.
[3.5 stars] an OK read. I wish I had been around when it was published, it probably would have had more impact.
