Mermaid

Title Mermaid
Author Carolyn Turgeon
Published by Headline Review in 2011
Edition Kindle edition (also available in paperback)

(from the publishers website) One prince, two women: only one can win him. The other will die. While in hiding at a remote convent, a king's daughter sees a magical being dragging a shipwrecked man to the shore. The creature is a mermaid princess - the youngest daughter of the Sea Queen - but she shares more with her human counterpart than her royal blood.

By saving a young man's life, both women have sacrificed their hearts. In one moment, the lives of the princesses, mortal and mermaid, are transformed forever.

My Review 

I've know about this book for a year and it's been on my to read list since. A couple of days ago I finally sat down to read it and became addicted. It was really hard to tear myself away from this book, grabbing every chance I could to read it, 5 minutes here 5 hours there. It was one of those books that, although I was excited about it, I was also a bit dubious. 'The Little Mermaid' is and has been since I was 4 one of my favorite childrens stories. In fact it is one of my favorite stories in general. I loved both the original by Hans Christian Anderson and Disneys more sugary version.

The most striking aspect of 'Mermaid' for me is the description of the mermaids and the merworld. Although I've always loved mermaids I guess I've never really thought about the logistics of their environment and how they would be adapted to survive underwater. Turgeon gives such a vivid description of the mermaids and their world. In her vision, the mermaids skin is hard and cold to the touch, they have gills for breathing, lay eggs and eat live fish. They are beautiful creatures with horrifying aspects. The description of the human world is also so real and detailed, Turgeon is so confident in her portrayals of both worlds that it makes it so easy to believe it all and get lost in her creation.

The three main characters of this story are Lenia the mermaid, prince Christopher and princess Margreathe. I found all three characters very likeable. The human princess hasn't been explored before. Here in 'Mermaid' the character comes to life and is actually an integral part of the story. Both the princess Margreathe and prince Christopher are flawed characters who grow through their experience with the mermaid. Both of the characters Royal status allows Turgeon to integrate politics, war and poverty into the story. 

Lenia is still the same mermaid we know from 'The Little Mermaid', she's still fascinated by the human world, still falls in love with the human prince and the idea of eternal life through a soul. In 'Mermaid' we also get to see other sides of the character and her personality is explored more, she's strong, knows her own mind and has great determination. She also has a very childlike innocence in some parts. Turgeon cleverly uses this innocence as a way to clearly show the reader that this is an adult story, it's about worlds that are beautiful but that are also often cruel. When Lenia comes to the human world it's as if she is physically assaulted through new smells, sensations and emotions. Towards the end of the book there is a lovely surprise, an addition to the original story. Without giving too much away there is an event that really develops the character in a way the reader will have never seen before. Yes Lenia is a tragic character but she is by no means a weak character. She is very likeable and relateable.

The story is told in two parts, from the point of view of both the mermaid and the princess. The chapters alternate between the too, this helps move the story along as it can jump on a few days or weeks and you get a more rounded view. There were a couple of parts where I felt the story wasn't progressing quick enough but I think this was more to do with the fact that I couldn't read it fast enough, wanting to find out what happened next, rather than a fault on the authors part.

The ending was beautiful, one of the best parts of the story. In some ways for some characters it could be considered a happy ending but sticking to the original it's generally a sad ending ... with a surprise. 'Mermaid' is a lovely read, I think it would appeal to a new audience and for already established 'Little Mermaid' fans, it's well written and well thought out

The little mermaid is still one of my favourite stories, the Disney version is for the 4 year old me, Hans Christian Anderson is for the 10 year old me and 'Mermaid' is for the adult me. I'll be investing in a paperback copy and it will be a treasured addition to my bookcase.

Crooked House

Title Crooked House
Author Agatha Christie
Published by Harper Collins
Edition eBook (also available in paperback)

(From the publishers website)
A wealthy Greek businessman is found dead at his London home…

The Leonides were one big happy family living in a sprawling, ramshackle mansion. That was until the head of the household, Aristide, was murdered with a fatal barbiturate injection.

Suspicion naturally falls on the old man’s young widow, fifty years his junior. But the murderer has reckoned without the tenacity of Charles Hayward, fiance of the late millionare’s granddaughter…

My Review

Having finished two historical novels in a row, I decided a change was in order and an Agatha Christie was just the thing. But which one? Referring to Agatha Christies own personal top ten I decided on Crooked House.

I have a real soft spot for 'cosy' murder mystery's and 'who dunnits'. I am particularly fond of Agatha Christie and her work. I like the sharp, chicness of Poirot and the quaint, quintessentially British village life of Miss Marple. But for me some of the best examples of Christies' work are the stand alone novels.In my opinion, however, this is not one of her best. I was slightly disappointed.

Crooked House is a slow paced story. It's about a family living in close quarters while having to deal with the fact that one of them is a killer. Dealing with human behavior, family relations and the question of right or wrong reminded me of J.B Priestleys' 'An Inspector Calls'. All the ingredients were there for a great read however I found most of it somewhat lacking and at times I did become bored. In hindsight this was probably due to the fact that I was expecting a lot from this book. I wasn't able to just sit back, read and enjoy it for what it was.

One part I enjoyed was how Christie poked fun at murder mystery books. The character Josephine is an avid reader of murder stories and uses the skills she has learnt through reading to do her own sleuthing. About half way through the story Josephine observes to the hero Charles "isn't it about time for the second murder". This knowing nod to her readers was a lovely touch.

Without a doubt the best thing about this book was the ending, that alone made it worth the read. As with a lot of Christies stories, Crooked House had a few red herrings and subtle misdirection. These familiar techniques appearing in Crooked House wasn't surprising but nothing could prepare me for the shock ending and discovery of the real murderer.

If Crooked House is your first Agatha Christie book I would say it isn't the best example of her work. You may prefer to try the stand alone 'And then there were none' or Poirot 'Murder on the Orient Express'. It is, however, still an enjoyable read and for the ending alone well worth the money.

The Kingmaker's Daughter

Title The Kingmakers Daughter
Author Philippa Gregory
Published by Simon & Schuster in 2012
Page Count 433 (including Author's Note and Bibliography)

(From the publishers website) 'I have lost my father in battle, my sister to Elizabeth Woodville's spy, my brother-in-law to Elizabeth Woodville's executioner, my nephew to her poisoner, and now my son to her curse...'
The gripping and ultimately tragic story of Anne Neville and her sister Isabel, the daughters of the Earl of Warwick, the most powerful magnate in England through the Cousins' Wars. In the absence of a son and heir, he ruthlessly uses the two girls as pawns but they, in their own right, are thoughtful and powerful actors.
Against the backdrop of the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne turns from a delightful child growing up in intimacy and friendship with the family of Richard Duke of York to become ever more fearful and desperate as her father's enemies turn against her, the net closes in and there is, in the end, simply nowhere she can turn, no one she can trust with her life.

* I briefly use Philippa Gregory 'The Women of the Cousins' War' for reference.

My Review 

I was really excited about the release of this book, it was in my possession the day of release. So far I've absolutely loved The Cousins' war series. This installment focuses on the lives of Anne and Isabel Neville the tragic daughters of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick also known as the 'Kingmaker'. The story is told from Anne's point of view, starting in her childhood and following through to her death.

I found The Kingmakers Daughter especially interesting after having previously read The White Queen which focuses on Elizabeth Woodville. As this story is told by Anne, Elizabeth now becomes an enemy and we see her in a whole new light (not all of it positive). That's the great thing about Gregory's Cousin's War series, you read one version of events and in the next one everything is turned on its head and  you realize that no one was safe or indeed innocent in this time of plotting, political intrigue and conspiracies.

I personally found Anne to be a very likeable character and ultimately tragic heroine. Throughout her life she is used as a pawn by her father, her mother in law and her husbands. She is also imprisoned by her sister and abandoned by her mother. Through this, and through out the story, she grows into a strong woman in her own right. She becomes hardened to the intrigues of a selfish and unsafe court, yet she still has a tender side, which we see through her love for her only son and for her, one time rescuer, husband Richard.

I have found with a few of Gregory's books, so far, that I get to a certain point and have to stop reading for a few days for what ever reason. In this book it was because of a particular scene at sea where Anne's sister Isabel goes into labour. For me it was hard to read, however it may not be the same for everyone. After a few days I picked the book up again and couldn't put it back down.

Gregory, in my eyes, always excels in her evocation of court life, political intrigue, and the inside story of women who helped to shape the course of history. However, her historical accuracy is often called into question. Gregory openly admits, in her non fiction book 'The Women of the Cousins' War', that she "researches real characters in the real past and then speculates about their emotions, motives and unconscious desires". After all "history isn't purely fact, nor fiction purely imaginary". This book is certainly an enjoyable and interesting read. 

The Other Boleyn Girl

Title The Other Boleyn Girl
Author Philippa Gregory
Published by Harper Collins
Edition eBook (also available in paperback)

(from the publishers website) Politics and passion are inextricably bound together in this compelling novel of the Tudor court.

The Boleyn family is keen to rise through the ranks of society, and what better way to attract the attention of the most powerful in the land than through the charms of one of the daughters, Mary Boleyn, at court? But Mary becomes the king’s mistress at a time of change. He desperately needs an heir.

When Mary’s sister Anne catches the king’s eye, she won’t agree to be his mistress - only his wife. What happens next is common knowledge – but here it is told in a way we’ve never heard it before, with all of Philippa Gregory’s characteristic perceptiveness, backed by meticulous historical research and superb storytelling skills.

* reader beware, this review is written in the assumption that you are already aware of the story of Anne Boleyn. If you are not there are some spoilers included*

My Review

I have to admit that I have put off reading this book for quite a while. I'm a huge fan of history, the Tudor era and Anne Boleyn in particular and I'm often dubious when it comes to reading books that deal with an area of history that is a personal favourite. I think that for me, whether I can get on board with the authors portrayal or not can really affect if I enjoy the book. However after having read a couple of the Cousins War books by the same author I decided to finally give The Other Boleyn Girl a chance. I'm glad I did because it's certainly an interesting and often entertaining read.

The story is told through the eyes of Mary Boleyn, Annes younger sister. Through her the reader gets to experience life at the flirtatious, often claustrophobic court of King Henry 8th. I found Mary, often a difficult heroine to like. Even though I was aware that I was reading about a time where things were different, it was hard to not become frustrated with Mary's inability to stand up for herself in her younger years. However as the character grew I did feel more admiration towards her especially in the tender scenes involving her children.

My biggest problem with this book was that it seemed very one sided, the author is clearly a supporter of Catherine of Aragon rather than Anne Boleyn. There are numerous occasions in the book where the author portrays the two different women by using very emotive language. Catherine is often described as regal, poised and able to hold herself with great dignity in the face of humiliation however Anne is described as selfish and almost wild at times, flying at people with her claws out. The way this is done often feels too forced, personally I like to make my own mind up about the characters. 

The story of the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn is quite well known, especially as there are currently numerous books and tv shows revolving around the Tudor era. But what Gregory does here is tells the reader a well known story but still manages to keep you gripped at times as she gives you, what you might call, a backstage pass. She shows you what might have really happened behind closed doors, behind the facts. At times it really made me think about what I thought I knew about these characters.  Her take on whether Anne was a pawn, like her sister, used by her familys greed, or if she was herself the driving force. What really happened between her and her brother George, was it just a loving sibling relationship or was a line crossed?

One of my favorite parts of the book, was as the story draws to a close and we approach the execution of Anne. Gregory's Mary Boleyn is certain that Anne won't be executed, but will in fact retire to a nunnery. This is written so well that you can feel the tension in the book as the execution scene arrives. For a moment I could almost believe Mary, though of course we know that Anne will die.

I certainly enjoyed this book, and although there were parts I didn't 100% agree with I think that is because I already had my own opinions on these people but I did go on to read the follow up, The Boleyn Inheritance (review to come). Gregory is very easy to read and makes history exciting and accessible to her readers.
 

Cars 2: My Busy Book and Winnie the Pooh: My Busy Book

Title Cars 2 Cool Cars: My Busy Book

Published by Phidal Publishing Inc. in 2011

Format Boardbook/ Playmat/ Toy

Join Lightning, Mater and their newest friends from Disney/Pixar Cars 2. Read the rhyming tales, then create your very own adventures with 12 Disney/Pixar figurines and a giant playmat.

Title Winnie the Pooh Best of Friends: My Busy Book

Published by Phidal Publishing Inc. in 2011

Format Boardbook/ Playmat/ Toy

The Disney Winnie the Pooh Busy Book is an amusing storybook and inventive toy in one activity kit. Full-page illustrations and a rhyming tale bring the Hundred-Acre Woods friends to life, as your child's imagination expands with 12 toy figurines and a giant playmat. 

My review

I originally bought the Winnie the Pooh Busy Book as a reward for my Lil Monster after a week of good behavour. I found it on offer in my local supermarket for £1.92. Having never heard of My Busy Books before I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly suprised. The Winnie the Pooh book was such a hit with my Lil Monster that I also got the Cars 2 edition. This one was £5 but still a great deal.

The books contains short, enjoyable rhymes on each page about the different characters. The pictures are bright and eye catching and the rhymes are fun to read together, or useful for the parents who don't know who each character is. 

The play mats are thin but durable plastic. The Winnie the Pooh playmat is of 100 Acerwood and the Cars 2 playmat consists of 4 different places, London, Japan, Italy and Radiator Springs (the town from the first Cars movie). They are easy to fold up and have their own slot in the book. 

Each Busy Book has 12 figures. In the Cars 2 book all the figures are cars from the movie and in the Winnie the Pooh book there are the main characters Pooh, Piglet, Tigger etc and Christopher Robin, a butterfly and a bird. In this book some of the figures are very small for example the pot of hunny and Roo, these would be easy for younger children to swallow. 

Since they've been bought they have been played with every single day. They're perfect for encouraging imagination and play. They're also perfect for taking out with you if you're visiting someones house or for a car journey, the figures and playmat just pack away in the book making it easy to take with you.

The great thing about My Busy Books is that there is one for everyone. You could get Thomas the Tank Engine, Toy Story or Cars for the boys and Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies or My Little Pony for the girls. Plus many more.

All in all My Busy Books are perfect gifts for your Lil Monserz, a great mix of reading and playing all packed up in a small box. With such a wide range in choice it'd be hard to not find one you want. 

Knights and Dragons

Title Knights and Dragons

Stories retold by Joff Brown.

Illustrated by Robert Dunn, Roger Langton and Sara Silcock.

Published by Igloo Books in 2010

Format Hardback

Enter a mysterious world of magical kingdoms and enchanted creatures. Join in the thrill of the adventure with this exciting treasury of stories about brave knights and fire-breathing dragons.

My review

I bought this book as my Lil Monster is going through a dinosaur and dragon phase. The length of the stories means they're great for bedtimes or for those 5/10 minutes you want to fill. The good thing about the book is that in the stories the knights aren't always the heros and the dragons aren't always the bad guys so whether your Lil Monster is a knight or a dragon fan there are stories to suit all.

It's a collection of 20 stories about knights, dragons and mythical creatures. Each story is 8 pages long, with a mixture of text and illustrations.  The cover is lovely, mostly pastel colours with gold effect writing for the title. The picture of a firery dragon, a brave knight on his steed surrounded by a dark forest is a fun cover for the Lil Monsterz and makes it clear what to expect in the stories. The pages also have a gold effect edging which is one of my favourite things about the book.

Personally I was disappointed with this book and the main reason is the poor grammer and punctuation. There are too many mistakes, incorrect punctuation and words either missing or in the wrong order. The stories are copied, not original so I'm not sure if this is the reason for the mistakes. Unfortunately it can effect the flow of the story as you sometimes have to stop and try to figure out what it's meant to say.

It's market price on the back is £14.99, I persoanlly think that that is a lot for what it is. I managed to purchase it for £3 and I would say, if you have a Lil Monster that loves dragons and you can do the same, it is worth a try.

All in all Knights and Dragons is a book that unfortunately doesn't live up to what it could be, due to poor grammer and punctuation. However this point aside it is and can still be an enjoyable book once you get used to it. My Lil Monster still enjoyed having it read at bedtime.

Ladybird Singalong Rhymes: The Wheels on the Bus

 
Title The Wheels on the Bus

Illustrated by Fhiona Galloway.

Published by Ladybird in 2012

Format Board book

This sturdy singalong rhyme book from Ladybird is perfect for sharing with young children. There's a different verse from the clasic rhyme 'The Wheels on the Bus' to sing along to on each page plus fun peek-through holes that give a clue as to the next bus passengers.

My review 

This was another personal choice of my Lil Monster. He absolutely loves animals especially anything that resembles a teddy bear, so he was easily attracted by the cute animals on the front cover especially the panda and the bear driver.

This is a great book for your Lil Monster to read alone. Being a board book it eliminates the risk of ripping the pages. My Lil Monster loves getting the book himself and sitting down to look at the pictures. Even though this is a board book it is fairly slim line so it doesn't take up much room on your bookshelf.

However this is also a great book to read together. The rhyme/song is a well know one, with a nice rhythm to it and actions you can do together (the actions are not in the book but I made some simple actions up based on the words).

The illustrations are lovely. With gorgeous bright and bold colours. The animals have nice little touches, for example there is a Monkey with an umbrella and a Kangeroo with a backpack. There's also a cute little Ladybird on each page which your Lil Monster can enjoy finding. My Lil Monster still loves to find her on each page even after doing it again and again.

All in all The Wheels on the Bus is a sweet and fun book. Whether it's reading together, reading alone, singing the song or making a story out of the pictures, there are multiple ways to enjoy this book.