Thursday, September 14, 2017

Blood Ties by Samantha Hayes

Author: Samantha Hayes
Original title: Blood Ties
Pages: 543
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no 
Format: Paperback 
Genres: Thriller, Mystery
Goodreads

Blurb:     
    January 1992. A baby girl is left alone for a moment. Long enough for a mother to dash into a shop. Long enough for a child to be taken.
Thirteen years later, solicitor Robert Knight's stepdaughter wins a place at a prestigious London school for the gifted. The only puzzle is his wife Erin’s reaction.
Somewhere in his wife’s past lies a secret; a shocking secret that threatens to destroy everything...

My thoughts: 
      This was my third time starting reading this book. This time I made some effort and after some time the story grabbed me. The story is told by different narrators in 2 time lines: now and past. The narration of different women and different story lines intertwine in order to confuse the reader and distract his attention to a different guess. I quite enjoyed this game and did not guessed the end. Unfortunately the read was not an easy one as the topics were quite sensitive: child abuse, child abduction and domestic violence.
Rating: 
    3/5 

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Author: Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling
Original title: The Cuckoo's Calling
Pages: 522 
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Cormoran Strike #1
Format: Paperback 
Genres: Thriller, Mystery  
Goodreads

Blurb:     
    When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case.
    A war veteran, wounded both physically and psychologically, Strike's life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get - and the closer he gets to terrible danger . . .


My thoughts: 
      I was  a bit puzzled by the rave reviews. It's okay, but mostly dull and tedious. It's repetitive. A private eye with a strange name solves a murder mystery. As Strike begins investigating Lula's death we get the same scene over and over maybe 10 times, just with different characters.It's predictable (what can be worse for a detective story): I guessed the killer about half way through and was dragging through the book just to see WHY.
     The characters are quite well drawn, and the writing is competent, but I wouldn't seek out any further books with the same star, unfortunately I have already bought the rest two books in the series. Most probably I will read them, but for sure the series is for unhaul.

Rating: 
    2,5/5 

Thursday, September 7, 2017

About a Boy by Nick Hornby

Author: Nick Hornby
Original title: About a Boy
Pages:  320
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary, Comedy, Drama,
Goodreads


Name: About a Boy
Year: 2002
Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
Cast: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Country: UK, USA, France, Germany
Time: 101 min


Blurb:    
Too cool! At thirty-six, he’s as hip as a teenager. He’s single, child-free, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He’s also found a great way to score with women: attend single parents’ groups full of available (and grateful) mothers, all hoping to meet a Nice Guy.
Which is how Will meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old on the planet. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Joni Mitchell and Mozart, looks after his mum and has never owned a pair of trainers. But Marcus latches on to Will – and won’t let go. Can Will teach Marcus how to grow up cool? And can Marcus help Will just to grow up?

My thoughts:
     This is the first book by Nick Hornby that I have read. I have heard so much about the author from the very beginning of his carrier, he is also one of the most favorite author of my best friend. So eventually I have no choice but to read his books one day. About a Boy is a good start as the book has positive reviews and has a movie adaptation. Frankly speaking the book did not rock my world, it was a funny, cozy read, sometimes thought provoking, but most of the time just satisfying. The book is read quite quickly and leave a nice aftertaste. I like how Hornby puts serious topics in a funny form. The book might seem easy and almost fluffy at the same time it is quite problematic and reveals some contemporary issues. I just loved the child's perspective on a family: rational and mathematical:
Suddenly I realized - two people isn't enough. You need backup. If you're only two people, and someone drops off the edge, then you're on your own. Two isn't a large enough number. You need three at least.
     The movie has left the same impression as the book: nice, cozy and funny. I did not like the ending where the boy singing a song on the stage: it was really painful and did not invest much in Marcus's character change as the book's critical point connected with Kurt Cobain's suicide. But altogether it is a good and thorough adaptation.

Rating: 
    3,5/5 

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
Original title: North and South
Pages: 521
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no 
Format: e-book
Genres: Classics, Romance, Drama
Goodreads


Name: North and South
Year: 2004
Director: Brian Percival 
Cast:  Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Tim Pigott-Smith, Sinéad Cusack
Genres: Classics, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Country: UK
Time: (4 parts) 

    Blurb:     
     When her father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the north of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. This is intensified by her tempestuous relationship with the mill-owner and self-made man, John Thornton, as their fierce opposition over his treatment of his employees masks a deeper attraction.
My thoughts:
      I really liked the book: its slow pace and detailed scenery and characters description. The main character Margaret Hale is not my favorite and did not agree with her judgements on many points, but she is quite likable and worthy of our sympathies. Sometimes I was really irritated by her and had a wish to stop reading but in the end I continued and am very glad I discovered such a writer as Elizabeth Gaskell. I am looking forward to read more novels by her.
     I absolutely loved the movie and though I did not find the first acquaintance of Margaret Hale and John Thornton to my tasting, the rest of the movie was great! The portrait of John Thornton in a movie is a bit harsh in comparison to the book, I imagined his manners a bit different, but altogether Richard Armitage was an excellent choice for this role. I did not quite like Daniela Denby-Ashe performance, I did not picture Margaret so shy and putting her gaze all the time down. I found it hard to put together her appearances with her actions and state of mind. I would prefer her less shy and more dignified, as she seemed sort of ashamed all the time in a movie. Sinéad Cusack's role as Mrs Thornton was astonishing, she was truly inspiring.

Rating:
    4,5/5