This is a stupendous novel, one I never wanted to end. Set in contemporary Bangkok – there are references to the new king – there is, nevertheless, a feeling that the book is set in a slightly timeless, slowed down city. The almost dreamlike remoteness and otherworldliness of The Kingdom …
There’s nothing quite like reading a book set in a city when you’re in that city. (Ouch, that’s clumsily phrased, but I trust you get the gist.) For context, I’m currently in Bangkok, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading the 2nd instalment in the Sonchai Jitpleecheep series, a detective series set …
The fifth instalment in the excellent Perveen Mistry series sees our feisty, intelligent, eminently likeable heroine introduced to the world of films. Today, Bollywood is a widely recognised genre (& word), but back in 1922, films were a relatively new phenomenon, arousing some suspicion. It was a world that spoke …
Possibly book-review-purists would claim that personal context shouldn’t shape your thoughts about a book – where you are, how you feel etc etc shouldn’t influence a review. I beg to differ. Where I am, how I’m feeling, do have an impact, so since I’m currently recovering from a strenuous mountaineering …
I first read this book in 2004 when I solo-trekked to Everest Base Camp. I remember loving the book at the time, swept up as I was in the immensity of making it alone to EBC, never mind the mountain itself. I read everything I could lay my hands on …
It’s been a long time since I raced through a book as quickly as “You are Here”, loving every single word, laughing out loud, sometimes feeling a tad weepy, all while dreading the end of such a super story. This is a gorgeous, funny, touching love story of two lonely …
This is such a clever, gripping spy novel, but it was only when I reluctantly closed the book & instantly checked to see what else Mr. McCloskey had written that I realised that “The Seventh Floor” is actually the 3rd in a series. So back tracking is now on the …
Although thrilled to discover that the talented Mick Herron has written another series besides the fabulous Slough House books, I was nonetheless a tad embarrassed to find out that “Down Cemetery Road” was actually published in 2003. Before the Slow Horses series. I mean, for crying out loud, where have …
Confession time. I’d completely forgotten that I’d read (& reviewed!!) this book 6 years ago, and it wasn’t until I was several chapters in, that I realised. Checked my review. Ah, hadn’t really enjoyed it. Wondered should I stop right there, or should I give it another go and see …
