June -August Reads

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

covering nearly 40 years of tumultuous Afghan history, this focus' on the interconnected lives of two women. I found it fascinating simply for understanding some of the conflict that Afghanistan is known for, but most satisfying as a story too. I felt deeply for Mariam and Laila, and it gave some insight into understanding such a different culture. An excellent read. 9/10

A Room With A View by EM Forster

I started ths book with absolutely no idea what it was about, simply that I had heard of it several times and thus it was probably worth looking at. It was delightful. I often find 'classics' to be somewhat dry and hard to read, but this was entertaining from the first. Romantic and gently mocking of the social order of the day, it was very enjoyable. 7/10

Live and Laughing by Michael McIntyre

This is his autobiography, and although there were several laugh-out-loud moments, it wasn't quite as funny as I thought it would be. i did find it interesting though, especially to see his rise to the top wasn't as straight forward as might have been expected. Easy and fun.

7/10

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Yet another classic that wasn't quite what I thought (perhaps I should shelve the pre-conceptions!). The main problem with this book is that it revolves around the idea that we don't know that Jekyll and Hyde are one and the same. Despite that, it is still a really interesting insight into the presence of good and bad in each of us, and how we respond to it. Definitely worth its classic status. 9/10

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese

The story of twin brothers Marion and Shiva, born of the illicit union between an Indian nun and a British surgeon in Ethiopia. Effectively orphaned at birth by their mothers childbirth death and their father's disappearance, they grow up closely linked at a clinic until love for the same woman tears them apart. Marion flees Ethiopia for a hospital in New York, until the past catches up with him, leaving him in the hand of the brother who betrayed him and the father who abandoned him. I really enjoyed it. 8/10

City of Thieves by David Benioff

A writer visits his gandparents to talk of their experiences during the siege of Leningrad in WW2. Grandfather Lev tells of being too young for the army and working as a volunteer firefighter for his building when a German paratrooper falls dead at his feet one night. Arested for the looting the body, Lev is thrown in jail with deserter Kolya. Instead of the standard bullet in the back of the head, they are thrown a lifeline when the influential colonel sends them out on an impossible task: find a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding cake. Thesearch takes them around the lawlessness of Leningrad and the devastated surrounding countryside and creates an unlikely bomd between the two. As usual, I love the historical aspect of the story, but I couldn't put it down. 8/10

Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee

An autobiographical account of a childhood in rural England in the 1920s, I enjoyed this gentle tale. Not wildly exciting, it nevertheless grabbed my attention for capturing a lost way of life. It described the village and its inhabitants so vividly that I could see it all so easily. 6/10

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

Introducing private detective Jackson Brodie, this beautifully twisting story of three cases features such great, vivid characters that it was a joy to read. Having seen a TV adaptation already and knowing the outcomes still didn't ruin the book. 8/10

Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters

This is the story of homeless junkie and convict Stuart. Alex met him when they campaigned together over the wrong conviction of two drug counsellors. As Alex works back through Stuart's life to how he got to this point, we get to see how events and decisions have impacted on his life. I can't review this book without warning of the shocking language throughout, but it had a powerful impact on me, and a renewed desire to try and remember that we are all children of God in the end, and we can't see what brought a person to the place they are in. One of the best books I've read in a long time. 10/10