Review: The Gingerbread House

The Gingerbread House by Carin Gerhardsen

My rating:        Crime

The Gingerbread House explores the question of how childhood misery can extend into adult life, through the story of a killer picking off preschool classmates in revenge for sadistic schoolyard bullying. At no point does the author flinch from the brutality of the story, even when (in flashbacks) its subjects are young children, which makes for uncomfortable reading in places.

The narrative was interspersed with passages from the killer's diary, and while I'm not generally a fan of that technique, it happens to be done very well in this book. The writing style even changes in the diary sections, to be more clumsy and disjointed.

I really enjoyed the character development of the police officers, as they struggled (not always successfully) to balance work an home lives, and I hope we'll see more of Conny, Petra, Jamal, and colleagues in future books.

Review: The Voice I Just Heard

The Voice I Just Heard by Susan Dormady Eisenberg

My rating:         Historical Romance

The Voice I Just Heard tells the story of Nora, a young woman who (as the story begins) has just lost her brother in the Vietnam war, and is working in the press office of a local theatre while dreaming of singing on Broadway. When singer Bart arrives to take on a role in the show, he and Nora fall into a relationship, but they're both uncertain of themselves and struggle to turn their enthusiastic affair into anything more enduring. Meanwhile, Bart suggests to Nora that her voice would be better used in opera than in musical theatre, forcing her to reconsider her dreams.

Both Bart and Nora were wonderful characters, and it was fascinating to watch their relationship develop despite the interference of well-meaning friends, relatives, and even Bart's ex-wife and kids (a bit of a shock for the much-younger, Catholic, Nora). Real relationships don't develop in a vacuum, and once their affair becomes public knowledge, neither does this one. I've spent a lot of time backstage in theatres, so I also really enjoyed the vibrant backdrop of the musical world, and I didn't want to put this book down until I finished it.

Review: Deception

Deception by Edward Lucas

My rating:         Non-fiction

Deception recounts a loose collection of Russian spy games from recent history, using a mixture of historical record, educated guesswork, and authorial speculation. It was easy reading, but repetitive in places, and I found the tone unnecessarily preachy.

In particular, the author's repeated insistence that everyone is underestimating Russia seemed both paranoid and irrelevant to the casual reader: even if every one of the author's allegations is true, it's hardly something the average man in the street needs to worry about day to day. Indeed, the concluding remarks make it clear that the author hopes to influence the British government with his work, which does make me wonder why he has published it for a general audience instead of via some policy think tank.

There was some interesting history in here, but I would have much preferred to read a less biased account.

Review: Shaman, Friend, Enemy

Shaman, Friend, Enemy (Olivia Lawson #2)
by M. Terry Green

My rating:         Urban Fantasy

Olivia Lawson Techno Shaman Series:
1. Shaman, Healer, Heretic • 2. Shaman, Friend, Enemy
3. Shaman, Sister, Sorceress

I read Shaman, Healer, Heretic (the first in the Olivia Lawson series) last month, and really loved it, so I was excited to get on to this one. It's a fast read: I started and almost finished it on a single four-hour train journey, and then I was very impatient to find out how it ended. I was absorbed from beginning to end as the plot raced along.

I really liked Livvy in the first book, and somehow she manages to remain a sympathetic character in this sequel, although she's clearly struggling with her new role in the public eye and starts keeping secrets from her friends. Shamanism has become more socially acceptable following some high-profile successes, but there are new challenges for Livvy to meet - particularly the mysterious shaman who keeps showing up and attacking her in the spirit world.

Review: Particle Horizon

Particle Horizon by Selso Xisto

My rating:         Science Fiction

Particle Horizon is an epic story of war and (im)morality, set in a far-flung future world where humanity has spread throughout the galaxy and artificial intelligence has progressed to be not only intelligent but (in the case of Una, one of the main characters of the narrative) creative and compassionate.

I loved the philosophy which weaved between action scenes, and the different reactions of human and AI characters to the unfolding war. The battle scenes are gritty and sometimes gruesome, but not gratuitously so: war isn't pretty or glamorous, and this book doesn't shy away from the more unpleasant parts. But there are also plenty of more gentle moments, as new friendships are formed out of unlikely circumstances.

If I have one slight criticism, it's that the book spans a fairly long period of time, but reads very quickly. In general I like a fast pace, but it was disconcerting in places - sometimes I felt like I'd turned a page just to find that a few weeks had passed unmarked.

All in all, a really great debut and I hope we'll see more from this author soon.

Review: The Ivanov Diamond

The Ivanov Diamond (Malykant Mysteries #2)
by Charlotte E. English

My rating:         Fantasy

The Malykant Mysteries Series:
1. The Rostikov Legacy • 2. The Ivanov Diamond 3. Myrrolen's Ghost Circus

The Rostikov Legacy introduced the character of Konrad Savast, the secretive Malykant - a man with a supernatural mandate to track down killers and take revenge on behalf of their victims. At the beginning of The Ivanov Diamond his spirit helpers summon him to what looks like a natural death - except that the victim's soul is inexplicably missing. As with the first book, the unfolding of the mystery plot is closely tied to the nature of Konrad's role and the world he inhabits, which makes for a satisfying read. If anything, the ending was almost too neat.

Despite his unusual job, Konrad is still human, and he struggles to balance his violent role with his personal feelings and interpersonal relationships. He's a fascinating character, and for me, this aspect is one of the most interesting parts of the series - particularly his interactions with the fantastic Irinanda, an expert herbalist and probably the closest thing Konrad has to a friend.

I can't wait for the next one.

Review: The Mango Orchard

The Mango Orchard by Robin Bayley

My rating:         Non-Fiction / Travelogue

I have to confess that part of my attraction to this book was that I really, really love mangoes, almost as much as I love travelling... so the idea of learning more about a land of mango orchards was a very appealing start. And I wasn't disappointed: the various stops of Bayley's trip are colourfully drawn and richly described.

This book, however, is much more than travelogue. The sense of purpose in Bayley's journey is clear from the start, even if it's only later that he can find the words to explain "why" he was so strongly drawn to make the trip. Unsurprisingly, for a family-oriented memoir, there's a lot of focus on the individuals the author meets, and the relationships he forms as he retraces his great-grandfather's footsteps. I found myself longing to be there, not only to see the lush scenery and chat with friendly locals, but to share in this compelling quest. And that, ultimately, is what makes this book so special: anyone can go to Mexico, but most of us wouldn't have such a grand adventure waiting for us.

This story made me laugh (never has one man so narrowly avoided drug charges so many times) and made me cry, but more than that, it made me dream.

Review: Faustian Host

The Faustian Host by Dave Becker

My rating:         Fantasy

The Faustian Host is a lively YA fantasy about a teenage boy whose luck takes a dramatic turn for the worse when his grandmother dies. Tony has had a lonely childhood, an orphan with only his elderly grandma for company, but that's nothing compared to the isolation he suffers at his new school - as strange happenings seem to follow him around, and his classmates decide he must be cursed.

Tony's initial approach is to face down any suggestion of the supernatural with a disdainful sneer and an increasingly desperate appeal to logic. As Kalos Academy (Tony's new school) is supposedly a centre of excellence for gifted youngsters, it surprised me that Tony was the only one to adopt this view. I really liked his rational approach, and enjoyed watching his certainty begin to waver as events get weirder over the course of the story. Unfortunately, one thing Tony really isn't is likeable - to his peers or the reader - and even his childhood misfortunes don't quite excuse his tendency to lash out at his friends. This makes him an interesting character, but not one you'd want to spend much time with.

Not everything about the characters feels believable, and in places there are minor inconsistencies (for instance, the Browns tell Tony that families move from all over so their children can attend Kalos, but it's later important that he's the only newcomer to the area). But events unfold at a relentless pace, making for a fast and breathless read which carried me along in spite of these niggles. There are lots of questions left unanswered by the end, but hopefully these will be addressed in future volumes - the story clearly isn't over yet.

Review: Death in a Wine Dark Sea

Death in a Wine Dark Sea by Lisa King

My rating:         Mystery / Thriller

Death in a Wine Dark Sea takes a plausibly grim view of the aftermath of an unexplained death at sea. Jean Applequist doesn't even like the man her best friend is marrying, but for the sake of their friendship she's prepared to tolerate him at the wedding. Then the groom disappears overboard, and as Jean starts to investigate the circumstances of his death she finds he's an even nastier piece of work than she'd imagined. And so is almost everyone else; there's no shortage of suspects, here, and red herrings abound.

I really loved Jean as a character. She only gets involved because she takes pity on Diane, her newly widowed friend - but although the investigation gets dangerous, that only makes her more interested in seeing it through. She teams up with Zeppo, a young man who worked for Martin, and their developing relationship is one of the highlights of the book.

Jean's friends are a mixed bag, from boyfriend Peter who's fighting a losing battle to persuade her that monogamy is worth a shot, to martial arts expert Roman who's definitely a good guy to have around in a crisis. Diane doesn't get enough screen time to really develop much of a personality, which is a shame as she's clearly a central figure.

I found there was a little too much description of things I didn't care about, which sometimes detracted from the flow of the narrative. This was particularly noticeable in the level of attention given to almost every outfit: even minor characters' clothes and hairstyles are discussed. Sometimes this was important (or gently humourous, in the case of trying to get dressed with a broken arm), but mostly it was just distracting.

In general, though, this was a well-written mystery with strong characters, and I'd love to read more by this author.