The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole 1999-2001 - Sue Townsend 2008 * * * *

Adrian Mole can never disappoint and I have read all but 1 of his books now ( that being 'The Prostate Years'.) His wit, character and intelligence will make anyone chuckle as he tries to come to terms with his parents' sex life, his unreciprocated love for Pandora, his status as a single man living with 2 boys in a council house, his series of unfortunate and hilariously unsuccessful relationships and his overwhelming love for his many unfinished novels that he enjoys writing so much.

Enter Adrian's World, where everything ,no matter how ludicrous, can always make you laugh out loud.

Started 7th July

Finished 8th July

Disgraced - Saira Ahmed 2009 * * *

It is grotesque to think that in this day and age there are still arranged marriages taking place in the world. Even worse is the hell and unbearable suffering the girls go through who are abused by their new husbands. There is no wway out for them. Women are not permitted to leave an arranged marriage and if any do dare defy their families there is a good chance they will end up dead somewhere.
The word 'family' means something totally different in their civilisation. Not love and kindness but pride and superiority ( for the men at any rate.) They would rather murder or beat a daughter than have her bring shame on the family. How different we as societies seem to be and how frightening to think that someone you see as a loving parent could be willing to bring so much pain to you just for the sake of honouring their family.
This woman takes us through her early upbringing to her violent adolescence and late teens where she is forced to marry a stranger and forbidden to see her true love by her family. Her life is a constant stream of terror and uncertainty, most of the time she is working all hours of the day to pay her parents money for debts they owe. Her parents seem totally thoughtless and barely acknowledge her thanks when she helps them out which I find absolutely disgusting. I hope she can carve a better life for herself now with her young daughter.

Started 7th July
Finished 8th July

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson 1962 * * *

I can't really work out what to think of this novel. Although short it packs in a lot of information and really gets under your skin. It is written in a weirdly lyrical and surreal way which makes it hard to work out if the writing is simply disjointed or whether there is a special meaning to the prose.
The basic story - 2 sisters and their terminally sick Uncle Julian are boarded up in a large and impressive house on the outskirts of a village. They have been ever since the older sister Constance was accused and the aquitted over the murder of her remaining family. Her younger sister Mary Katherine "Merricat" spends her days playing outside with her cat Jonas and making the awful trips into the village for groceries, only to be accosted with virtually every person that she comes into contact with. It seems the village still want nothing to do with the family, and therefore when the sister's 'cousin' Charles turns up unexpected and starts imposing himself on the sister's life ( and their money) that something very nasty is gonig to happen.
Speaking as a virgin of Shirley Jackson's work I don't know if I fully understand or appreciate her style, and so this book is a bit of a hit and miss for me. Added to which, nothing is properly explained at the end, and instead we are left with an abrupt finish which leaves the reader very unsatisfied.
One to read, but not one to keep.

Started 4th July
Finished 7th July

The Thin Man - Dashiell Hammett 1934 * *

I read this novel immediatly after finishing The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler and I must say I was so desperately disappointed. The writing was dire, the plot really didn't go anywhere except round and round and it actually took me a long time to think that I should persevere as opposed to giving up . I have the film but haven't seen it yet but I can hardly doubt that Powell and Loy will translate this into as dreadful a movie as a piece of writing. In comparison to Chander, Hammett really doesn't have a clue. If I hadn't already decided to take out The Maltese Falcon (also by Hammett) from the library I would have given up on him as a writer already.

Started 1st July
Finished 3rd July

One, Two Buckle My Shoe - Agatha Christie 1940 * * * *

Is there ever going to be a dud Christie book? Highly unlikely after reading yet another brilliantly constructed and captivating piece of work from the Mistress of Crime. This novel is centred around the dentist and how maybe some people's fears can be justifed... Poirot himself is hardly fond of sitting in the chair with a large drill in his mouth and so when he finds out that the very dentist who was working on him a few hours before has 'died' in his surgery, Poirot must use every inch of his 'little grey cells' to find the truth.
Brilliant as ever.

Started 3rd July
Finished 4th July

Tiger's Child - Torey Hayden 1995 * * * *

I haven't read the prequel to this story which describes Sheila's life in more detail but I am pretty sure this book gave me as much information as was necessary.
The second Hayden book for me, this tells of Torey's encounter with a mentally and physically abused and abusive little girl who is abandoned at a young age and finds her way into Torey's special needs class. The amount of time that Torey and Sheila spend together is very brief in comparison to her other case I read ( Ghost Girl) but there is still plenty of time to get to know her and find out how gifted she really is. Torey Hayden has a wonderfully gentle way of writing which is in no way arrogant or money grabbing - she really just wants to help these children who have no one else and that is very heartwarming to see. A captivating and gripping book. I will be reading more of her work.

Started 28th June
Finished 30th June