Thankfully during lockdown, I’ve not lost my appetite for reading. If anything it’s increased. As well as doing a few blog tours, I’ve been free to catch up on my TBR pile as well as some new purchases. So here are three reviews for books I’ve read over the last couple of months.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
The Blurb
Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in the west of Ireland, but the similarities end there. In school, Connell is popular and well-liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation – awkward but electrifying – something life-changing begins.
Normal People is a story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can’t.
My Review
Having loved the TV series, I wondered if there was much point in reading the book. Thankfully, the lovely Mairead Hearne over at Swirl and Thread told me I must read it. And how right she was. I watched the TV series on my phone with headphones in and just as well with some of the scenes! Doing that gave it a ‘fly on a wall’ feeling as though I was intruding. I was worried the book wouldn’t be the same but I was so wrong. Reading Normal People allowed me to relive the intricate and desperate love story between Connell and Marianne. I’m impressed as to how faithful the TV production was to the book. It really pays to have the author involved.
It probably also helped that I already knew about Sally Rooney’s style of writing for this book. The speech marks are missing and while that was strange initially, I soon adjusted to it. In fact it allowed the story to flow more easily without interruption. Whilst I wouldn’t write this way, I can see the freedom in it.
Surprisingly, it’s a short book. I was tempted to race through it – binge-read like I had binge-watched the TV series. But I took my time and revelled in the beauty of the writing. It’s so much more than just a love story. Connell and Marianne are damaged people and their vulnerability is laid bare for all to see. It’s incredibly observational and insightful. It was a joy to read as much as the TV series was to watch. As there are rumours of a second series, I wonder if there’ll be a second book. I think a second series would work but not sure about a sequel to the book. Authors end their stories where they want to. And as much as I’d love to read more, sometimes we’re just meant to have a snapshot of a character’s life. I think we’ll have to trust Sally Rooney’s judgement on this. Connell and Marianne belong to her after all. We just get to borrow them for a while.
Containment by Vanda Symon
The Blurb
Chaos reigns in the sleepy village of Aramoana on the New Zealand coast, when a series of shipping containers wash up on the beach and looting begins.
Detective Constable Sam Shephard experiences the desperation of the scavengers first-hand, and ends up in an ambulance, nursing her wounds and puzzling over an assault that left her assailant for dead.
What appears to be a clear-cut case of a cargo ship running aground soon takes a more sinister turn when a skull is found in the sand, and the body of a diver is pulled from the sea … a diver who didn’t die of drowning…
As first officer at the scene, Sam is handed the case, much to the displeasure of her superiors, and she must put together an increasingly confusing series of clues to get to the bottom of a mystery that may still have more victims…
My Review
This is the third book in the Sam Shepherd series. A container ship has run aground off the coast of New Zealand, spilling its cargo out over the beach. Sensing free goods, the locals go a bit frenzied and start to grab as much as they can. Sam’s in the area – house and dog-sitting – but a cop is never off duty. She’s still as feisty as ever and Sam takes a blow to the head as she attempts to arrest one of the scavengers. A chain of events is set in motion.
I absolutely love Sam Shepherd. Having said that, there are also times I want to tell her off! As well as dealing with a complex investigation, Sam’s commitment phobia is put to the test when her long-distance boyfriend tells her he’s moving to Dunedin and joining her police department. Sam is freaked out by this but thankfully her flatmate Maggie is there to sort her out. A family bombshell adds to Sam’s vulnerability and it’ll be interesting to see how everything works out in book four. (Please tell me there’s a book four, Vanda!).
Of course, the other star of the Sam Shepherd series is the setting. Not only do we get a sense of the landscape but more importantly we get a slice of New Zealand life. Toffee Pops are particularly important to Sam, and having now tasted some, I can see why (thanks Vanda).
So all in all, a great setting, an intriguing plot and a feisty female detective. What’s not to love?
Her Husband’s Secrets by Louise Mangos
The Blurb
Art college dropout Lucie arrives in a Swiss ski resort looking for work – but instead finds love in the form of the handsome and charismatic Mathieu.
Matt seems like perfect husband material – especially when Lucie discovers he’s from a wealthy family. But Matt’s dark side soon emerges. Manipulative, controlling and abusive, he is anything but perfect and will tear the life she has built for herself and their six-year-old son JP apart.
Then, one fateful night, things come to a head in the most shocking way . . .
Wrongly accused of her husband’s murder and left fighting for her freedom in a foreign prison, Lucie is starting to lose her grip on reality. Now, she must summon all her strength to uncover the truth about Matt’s death and be reunited with her son – before it’s too late.
The clock is ticking . . . but who can she trust?
My Review
I have a huge apology to make to Louise Mangos. She gave me a proof of Her Husband’s Secrets to read last September and I’ve only just had the chance to read it now. Sorry Louise!
Like her first novel, Strangers on a Bridge, the main character, Lucie, is a British woman living in Switzerland. I have to say I’ve learnt more about Switzerland and its justice system through Louise Mangos books than through any newspaper articles. We learn pretty quickly that Lucie is in prison having been convicted of her husband’s murder. But is it a wrongful conviction?
Through flashbacks we find out about Lucie and Matt and their turbulent relationship. I really enjoyed these sections and the tension gradually grew. The prison scenes were quite different and ironically, despite being imprisoned, Lucie is at her freest. No longer confined by her marriage and determined to prove her innocence, she really comes into her own and she appears older than 26. It is a slow burn but the wheels of justice do not move quickly, not even in efficient Switzerland, so it works well with the plot. It allows us to feel Lucie’s frustrations more.
As at least half the book is set in a prison we get less of the beautiful Swiss scenery. However, I suppose that’s the point. Convicts don’t get a room with a view.
There are some interesting twists in this story. The book was previously published as The Art of Deception. Without giving too much away there’s a play on words in that title which I think suits the storyline much better. A deceptive and fascinating read.
If you’d like to buy any of the books then click on the links below. Or alternatively, look up or visit your nearest independent bookshop.