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I give it 5*
My review:
The journey through which Our Endless Numbered Days leads us exposes us to all that we cherish – the cushioning of family, the freedom of childhood, the beauty of nature and landscape – and all that we fear – isolation, lack, hostility, struggle and betrayal of trust.
It is an honest account through the eyes of eight-year old Peggy over the years where her father has chosen to withdraw from society and take her with him to a place which, ostensibly, is paradisiacal. However, underlying the whole experience is a sinister current which gains momentum to the point where it is uncontainable. Ever present is the same paradox – how beauty can conceal so much ugliness. After Peggy’s rendition of events, the question also arises as to whether honesty and truth are one and the same thing.
The relationship between Peggy and her father is an uncomfortable one. She is drawn emotionally and physically into the world he has manufactured, a naive child with little idea that the views of adults can be askew. And what is so frustrating is that, as a child, she is powerless to extricate herself from the pitiful existence her life becomes.
It is a story of extremity – geographically, behaviourally and physically, and when the chasm between Peggy and her father becomes so expansive that they exist at either end of a spectrum, she must call into play another extreme dimension as a form of self-protection.
This is a very powerful and well-written story which defies genre. The sense of place which Clare Fuller has created is extraordinarily clear. The relationships, actions and events affect, stir, upset and shock right until the very last page.
I follow Claire's blog and intended to buy the paperback when it came out last month. However I'm now going to wait until I visit the UK again because postal charges to ROI are beyond ridiculous.
In the meantime, it's good to know that a 'real' reader has enjoyed it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A13PCF08ZVVLFC/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp?ie=UTF8
http://readreviewed.blogspot.co.uk/
I give it 5*
Apple Tree Yard. Wow. What a ride! I’ve been wanting to read this for a while and am now sad that I gobbled it up so greedily that it’s all gone. I tried to make it last, really I did, but I couldn’t stop myself racing through at breakneck speed.
It is a story that pulls you in and drags you through, breathless, as an affair spontaneously begins between the enigmatic X and middle-aged Y. It gathers momentum as the backdrop changes from one of a humdrum existence to one where a vicious attack on the narrator has impact and repercussions.
The research is spot on, and the writing successfully maintains the edge of anonymity which is prevalent throughout the story, keeping the reader effectively distanced – an echo of the remoteness and sense of detachment that Y (who we later learn is named Yvonne) experiences with X (Mark). She knows very little about the man she meets for a series of thrilling and daring encounters.
There is a stark contrast between the characters. As the narrator, Yvonne‘s thought processes are open to the reader and allow us to identify with her and understand her motivations and reactions. She might have done wrong, but we know why. To the end, Mark remains closed, secretive and egocentric; aloof.
Embroiled throughout the whole story is a gripping court case; just watch the pages fly past during the courtroom scenes!
I normally limit my reading time to the hour before I go to sleep, but from morning to night, this book got lugged around with me – from room to room, upstairs and downstairs, shoved in my bag… it even came out on a car journey to the supermarket – just in case I had a free five minutes. I was also compelled to take extra coffee/reading breaks during the day just to get another fix.
I give it 4*
I was reminded of The Woman in Black – the remote island cottage reached by a causeway, ghostly presences, and the collusion of bad weather to impact events, itself a force so powerful that it almost becomes a cast member. The setting is perhaps this book’s greatest strength.
This is a complex tale of identity, guilt and relationships which leads to an eerie, though not totally unexpected, climax. The writing becomes more polished in the latter half, but, for me, although confusion was a prevalent theme, there were occasional moments that lacked clarity, hence the dropping of one star. Nevertheless, a good read.
I give it 4*
If, like me, you’ve heard Simon Armitage speak, you may well share my experience: the internal voice that I heard as I read was unmistakably his. It is lilting, mellow and unhurried, and, in direct contrast to the physical exertion of Armitage’s challenging journey, the reader is pleasantly rocked through from beginning to end. Walking Away is a book which cannot be rushed.
As a fan of Simon Armitage’s poetry, it was interesting to examine his approach to prose. You can tell he’s a poet. There are some beautiful descriptions. I was thrilled, too, at the inclusion of his poem ‘From Where I Stand’. I had heard him recite it, but hadn’t caught the title. Despite researching ‘Sea poems’, I hadn’t found it so it was a real treat to find it on p.116/117.
I was also intrigued to know what was ‘in the sock’. At his talk, Simon had been about to tell the gathered audience what had turned up in his sock, a type of collecting tin to help with his board and lodging along the way, when I’d had to leave. The answer is right at the close of the book, quite unexpected, and something that requires a bit more than a quick response!
Books about travels are not really my thing, but Simon Armitage is… so I enjoyed my virtual tour of the South West Coast Path, and, unlike Simon Armitage, I didn’t even wear out my boots.
I (generously) give this book 5*
The first thing that struck me when I began to read The Girl in the Red Coat was that Kate Hamer writes beautifully. There are no clichés or forced metaphors; the language is fresh and original and has a natural cadence to it.
I had absolutely no idea where this story was going to take me, and this is the nearest I’ve ever been to turning to the end to find out. Somehow, I managed to restrain myself, but the compulsion to know meant that I read at breakneck speed.
It is an unusual story and when I got to the point where I realised what was happening, I was a little worried about which side of the issue the author’s stance would be; it fell on the right side for me to enjoy the remainder of the book. However, slightly disappointing was that Carmel’s gift was genuine; my own viewpoint means that I found that to be implausible.
I (generously) give this book 2*
Well, they do say never judge a book by its cover – and this time, I did. There was a lot of hype about this book (confirmation that marketing DOES work) and I bought it on that basis.
I hate to say it, but this is one of the worst books I have ever read. The premise is ridiculous, and completely implausible, the characterisation is poor and the narrative weak. I kept going, convinced that something amazing must be about to come. It didn’t… and that’s time I’ll never get back. What an utter disappointment.
I give this book 5*
Whenever I see Linwood Barclay’s name on a book cover, I buy the book without even looking at the blurb. His track record is reassuringly good; I’ve read every one of his thrillers. He has such an easy writing style and manages to juggle several plotlines simultaneously without confusing the reader, switching points of view and character focus between chapters, whilst pulling along the main thread to its conclusion.
So, he’s done it again – earned his five stars by getting me completely involved in the book from start to finish. No need to give plot details, but there has been a murder at the outset with more to follow, and there is also the issue of a baby at play. This time, David Harwood’s family members are fundamental to the plot.
Only one slight reservation: there is one sub-plot which is deliberately not brought to a conclusion. On the bright side, I suppose this means there is another book in the wings…
I give this book 5(mega)*
I read this in three breathless sittings. Claustrophobic and chilling, it heightens the anticipation and leaves you up there for the whole ride. Brilliant writing.
I give this book 3*
As a fan of psychological thrillers, I have read some truly gripping stories; this one didn’t quite have the same polish, and I didn’t get lost in it (no pun intended). Rather than get fully absorbed, I was aware I was reading a book because, I think, I perpetually questioned motives and behaviour which, to me, were unrealistic. I guessed the ‘twist’ right from the beginning, which I felt was a little contrived.
That said, it was an OK read but I was in no rush to finish. I will try this author again based on the reviews of other books of hers. I am sure there are very few authors who can boast that every one of their books is a winner!