Books: A 5 Minute Summer Review

Back from Bulgaria, I actually may have developed eye-strain from squinting at my books in the insanely bright sunshine!

In an attempt to save time (but mainly because I'm feeling a bit lazy) I'm going to combine three book review here. It's a whistle-stop tour and I hope that I can do them justice! Here goes.

1. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea - Michael Morpurgo

I read this book with a view to read it with my Year 4s as part of our WW2 topic. I won't be doing that because it veers quickly away from the war as a topic. This aside, the book is interesting and engrossing (as I have come to expect from Morpurgo!). The story is split into two narratives, each with its own pace and style. The second half of the book mostlt taking the form of a series of emails sent back and forth from the narrator to her mum as she embarks on a round the world sailing journey. All of the characters are well developed and I found myself very satisfied with the ending. It seemed like the right way to end the story. My favourite part of the book was, however, in the first narrative section in which I felt much more attached to the characters and concerned about what would happen to them.

Though written for younger readers, the book does not shy away from sadness and injustice as was exeprienced by people who really lived the experiences written about. It is very realistic (no elephants to be found here!), witty and at times tragic. Morpurgo still has it. And I would like to know where he got it.

*** 3/5 stars

2. No and Me - Delphine De Vigan

This is a very sweet little book. Both profound and simple, it stayed with me long after reading. Through the narrative voice of the 12 year old Lou, who, distanced from her depressed mother and exhausted father, finds solitude in her 160pt IQ and the Gare Centrale in Paris. Here she meets No, a homeless 16 year old girl and they strike up an unlikely and, at times, unstable friendship. The two girls begin to share their stories with each other until Lou finally musters the courage to ask her parents if No can move in with them. Unbelievably, they agree. The story follows the two friends through the highs and lows of their relationship, and sheds light on a hugely relevant social problem that exists not only in Paris but in every large city in the western world. Lou has a unique view of the world and I spent a large portion of the story wishing I'd kept a pencil handy for underlining her little nuggets of wisdom.

On final thought, though, and I'm not going to lie. I hated the last page. I loved the ending of the story, but I hated the last page. It could easily be torn out...

**** 4/5 stars

3. The Princess Bride - William Goldman

The film adaptation of this book is one of my firm favourites, so I came to the novel expecting to enjoy it. Interestingly, Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which explains why much of the dialogue in the book reads exactly as in the film. I could imagine the actors saying their lines. Hilarious. However, to say this is 'just as good as the film' would be to sell it short. In its own right, this story (an abridged and translated version of the original by S. Morgenstern) is brilliantly satirical, full of adventure, romance and delightfully colourful characters.

As the 25th anniversary edition, this copy also afforded me an insight into the film making process, and Goldman also goes to great lengths to explain why this story was so important to him as a young boy suffering with pneumonia. There are little italic inserts throughout the text where Goldman steps in to justify why he has cut certain sections of the story (usually because he felt Morgenstern was babbling about trees or the monarchy!). From the hulking giant Fezzik, to the vengeful Spaniard, Inigo, and dashing Westley (aka Farm Boy aka Man in Black aka Dread Pirate Roberts) to the terrifying Prince Humperdink, there is not a single character that could be cut or watered down. This book offers something for everyone - off-the-wall humour, action, adventure, romance, swashbuckling, a miracle man, giants, princesses and evil six-fingered men. It should be a firm favourite on every bookshelf.

***** 5/5 stars

Done. Films coming soon. Click on the words in red to find out more about the books/films mentioned.

I Know What You Did Last Summer...

No, no, no I will not be reviewing that awful film or any of its self-indulgent sequels!

Last summer, I read a good few books and watched quite a healthy dose of movies and episodes of The Waltons...oh dear...

So, having just got back from Colwyn Bay 3 venture camp - amazing fun, see my blog - halfway through two books I thought I'd pick up three new ones in Waterstones just in case the pool side becomes a regular feature of my trip to Bulgaria!

The List of Summer Reads:
The Boy in Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne (I know, I'm soooo behind!)
No and Me - Delphine de Vigan
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
The God I Don't Understand - Christopher J H Wright
All Alone on the Wide Wide Sea - Michael Morpurgo

Bring it!
Hope you're having a grand summer so far. I'm off at 2am for Gatwick airport - joy!

See you in 8 days!
Bx