The Road

The Road
by Cormac McCarthy

First published in Great Britain in 2006.


The Road first came into my life as the film adaptation.  I went to see it whilst at university and bought the book soon after.
My copy was published by Picador and to me the cover is very well-matched to the story.  It is in shades of white and grey with black splatters, and has a slightly rough texture.

The story begins with a male, known only as 'he', waking in a wood with a child sleeping next to him.  We follow the man and boy along their journey through a burned and ravaged America, as they head for the coast.  They only have a cart of food, the clothes they have on and a pistol.  The story is written from the man's point of view, and includes his memories of his wife.

It is clear that some apocalyptic event has taken place, but we are never fully told the details.  Instead, the focus is on the 'here and now' and the daily struggles and dangers the man and boy face.  These range from finding food, to hiding from men stalking the road.

A bit about the way the book is written now - I won't always write about this but this particular book was different to any others I had read in this respect.

There are no speech marks in the book; instead it reads much like a continuous train of thought.  Also there are no chapters.  This makes the story, although not actually long, seem everlasting and without breaks, much like the characters' slow journey.  Even though it made it harder than the plot already did to stop reading, I thought it was set out brilliantly.

There are only two main characters, and by not giving the man or boy names, the author creates people that could be anybody in any reader's life.  The man is focused and strong-willed yet caring towards the boy.  As a young child, the boy is obviously terrified a lot of the time, and shows the emotional side of the human personality.

I would say this is one to read if you are in a thoughtful, and probably quite a bleak, mood.  It sticks with you long after the last page and I can honestly say I went through pretty much every emotion whilst reading.  It's not often the same book that made me smile that also made me scared, cry, and really think about the human strength.

You will definitely be thinking what you would do in the same situation, and no doubt ask others what they would do.

The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale

by Margaret Atwood

First published in Great Britain in 1986.

I first read The Handmaid's Tale as part of my college course, so I felt like I knew it inside and out after having written essays galore about the various aspects.  Usually studying a book puts me right off it, but I bought my own copy of this one and have re-read it more times than I can count.

Set in a totalitarian and somewhat dystopian American future, The Handmaid's Tale tells the story of Offred.  In a world where hardly any women can have children those who can are seen as sacred, and assigned to a well-off, important family, to breed with the husband.  The book is written from Offred's point-of-view and tells of her day-to-day life as a Handmaid.  Her story is punctuated by flashbacks and memories of 'the time before' and her time in the 'Red Centre' - a sortof training school for would-be Handmaids.

I think this book is great mainly because as I read it, I didn't find the ideas totally unbelievable.  There is enough that is recognisable to life now to make the story seem like it could actually happen, or parts of it.  The religious aspects are very cleverly done, to not be overbearing but at the same time feel inescapable.

Offred  is so called because Fred is the name of the Commander whose house she is assigned to.  I found her to be a very realistic character, and she reacted exactly how I imagined I would in her situation.  She is mentally strong and clings onto a hope that things will change for her, but is cautious.

The Commander is a more complex character than he first appears; he seems concerned for Offred's welfare.

His wife does not want to get to know Offred at all, and we don't really know how she feels about the situation, but I did feel sorry for her having to have Offred live in her house and sleep with her husband.

Other characters known only as Moira, Nick and Ofglen left me with unanswered questions rather than answers.  This was how I felt throughout the book, but I didn't think it was a bad thing; it just meant I could really think about the story and wonder what I thought would happen.  

I won't give any details but the ending is one of my favourite's in a book.

If you want a book which will stay with you and make you think about our society, get your hands on this one.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief 

by Markus Zusak

First published in Great Britain in 2007.

I have to start by being honest – I bought 'The Book Thief' after seeing the trailer for the upcoming film.  I didn’t do any research into the story; I just went and bought it at the first opportunity.  For me, a story about how books and reading can affect people was one I knew I wanted to read.

The story takes us through the years of Nazi Germany, and is narrated by Death.  Focusing on a young girl named Liesel, it follows her experiences and those of the people on her street as war takes hold.  Liesel steals books, and it is the impact each theft, and each book, has on her that weaves through the day-to-day life.

I was a bit sceptical of this book at first; I didn’t see how Death could narrate in a way I would connect with, but I was happily proved wrong.  As I read, Death became more of a caring creature over-seeing everybody than as a scary ‘Grim Reaper’ type.  Certain ideas about the Holocaust, for example, are so subtly written they seem to almost slip by but then just in time your brain realises what was meant.  It was this style that I particularly liked; nothing was ‘in your face’ horror, but the different sides of the war were all there.

Character-wise, I felt that Liesel was well-written and her personality developed in a believable way.  Even though she was aged between nine and fourteen, she didn’t seem this young – but I feel like her experiences made her grow up faster.  Although when she is playing hopscotch and skipping you remember she is a young girl.

Her parents were a brilliant pairing.  Her Papa is one we all wish we had; a silvery eyed accordion player who lets her get away with everything.  Her mother is the much-needed rule – maker and enforcer, but of the two I felt she was developed more.

Liesel's friend Rudy is a seemingly pretty straightforward character.  He gets up to the expected mischief of a pre-teen and then teen boy.  However to me, it was more his impact on Liesel that was the reason for him being there.  Likewise the mayor's wife.  As a standalone woman she doesn't do or say a lot, but she does play a key role.

The rest of the characters all lent enough to the story; I cared about each one enough but not so much that it distracted me from Liesel, and Death.

The story is a wonderful one about friendship, the power of words, fear and hope.  Although it doesn't really seem to be aimed at a particular audience, I think older and younger adults would enjoy the story and be able to relate to the characters.  A page-turner from start to finish.

An Introduction

Hi friend and reader.

This blog was a pretty spur-of-the-moment decision on a rainy Sunday afternoon.  Over the past couple of years I've read a lot more, and a lot more variety, and I've definitely rediscovered my love of reading.  It was always there, but I feel like it got pushed to the side a bit as I went through university and started trying to figure my life out.  Now I'm 25 and am able to enjoy relaxing with a good book again.

I try not to buy new books all the time, but see them as a treat - usually on pay day.  This means I get to really enjoy the anticipation and also have the time to really read (and re-read if necessary) before buying the next one.  It also means I can listen to recommendations, so if you have any please let me know!

Genre-wise I'll read pretty much anything.  I grew up with Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson; my teens were spent in the company of The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins.  I flirted with chick lit for a few years before being introduced to fantasy and darker, post-apocalyptic writing.  For several years a certain boy wizard was a key part of my reading.  I have bought books purely based on their cover illustration (I know, 'you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover' and all that, but in these cases it went well).

So now you know me, I hope this blog introduces some great books to you.  My aim is to post once a week, which gives me time to read in between.  I'd go for twice weekly but it'd never happen.

Lauren