I like a lot of Atwood’s book (esp The Blind Assassin), and I can see WHY I should appreciate this one, but it just didn’t work me me on lots of levels. Firstly, it’s simply too self-conscious – trying too hard to discuss various issues concerning madness, civillisation, identity blah, blah. Secondly, it’s too disjointed. I know that this is supposed to be representative of the protagonist’s failing sanity, but it just came out as a lot of old heavily-loaded gobbledegook. And thirdly, the characters were all unpalatable. I didn’t feel a shred of empathy for any of them. Again, this may have been deliberate, but I would have expected at least some shades of grey.

This one is going back to Oxfam this weekend.

Having read ‘A Moveable Feast’ by Hemingway, I can see massive similarities between the two, apart from the fact that Hemingway’s is much better written. It’s also sparser.

Saying that though, Dud Avocado is a good book in a lot of ways. The heroine is fierce and fiesty and up for anything. A little annoying in some ways. I wish I had read this in my teens – it would have been inspiring and mad, but now, in my thirties, it all seems a little naive and irritating. Obviously, my age is finally catching up with me…

This the fourth and final title in the series which started out with the first (and best) book, Mortal Engines.

I love Reeve’s stuff because he’s so imaginative – he takes loads of material from the sci-fi/noir/adventure genre – mixes it up and spits it out again in a completely new form.

Darkling Plain did not disappoint, although it could have ideally been cut by 7-10 chapters. He also veered into sentimentality occasionally – although not as much as in previous books.

However, the ending was spot on. Perfect, rounded – ahhhh! I got a big lump in my throat. Thanks Mr Reeve.

Loved Steve Carell in Anchorman so I thought that this might offer more of the same. Unfortunately it didn’t quite hit the mark. Too long and too many random moments. BUT there was still lots of potential. Hope he is a bit feistier in the editing room next time.

I can see the merits of this film. Fine acting from Depardieu and co., period settings and costume, a thoughtful exploration into the nature of truth & identity.

Somehow just fell short of full satisfaction though. Can’t quite pin it down.

The writing is great, but I could have done with at least one piece that had a glimmer of hope!

The final story, Brokeback Mountain, is spare and moving. I’m glad that I read the book before seeing the film.

Clever stuff. Maguire is a taut writer with good ideas who has spotted a niche in the literary world and filled it admirably. The book starts brilliantly – well-drawn characters and enough tantalizing half-stories to keep people reading, but somehow it doesn’t seem to maintain the magic right through until the end. I felt that the plotlines and characters started to fray around the edges and that the narrative became secondary to political/ethical issues that the author wanted to explore.

Could have been a great book and turned out to be merely good.

Possibly a case of quality over quantity?

We have the mixed organic fruit & veg box delivered once a week – it’s packed full of fresh local produce – enough to last a week.

The website is great too. You can let the company know which produce you love/loathe so that they can tailor-make your delivery and you can order extras such as meat, fish, pasta etc. They also explain where the food was farmed, how it should be stored and also how to cook it.

Marvellous stuff!

I can’t, in truth, say that this is a bad book. It’s well written and thoroughly researched, but oh how dull. Basically, more of an intellectual wank-off than a story written to keep readers engaged.

I think Brueghel students would find this interesting (I probably haven’t spelt this correctly and there is a LARGE section – maybe 2 or 3 pages discussing this – in the book – enough said) and maybe art historians, but normal people looking for a good read?

Forget it.