Sunday Blog Spot

Every Sunday afternoon, I browse blogs.

I catch up on those I follow, and go in search of new ones. It's a quiet time for me, to just sit and relax, and read about what's happening in the lives of other people - some similar, some not. It's a great way to unwind before a busy week of work kicks off again.

This week I'm admiring the cozy and pretty blogs belonging to:

Grass Stained Me

 

Country Living by the Sea

 

Posie Gets Cozy

What blogs are you reading? Perhaps you have a recommendation for me?

Sunday Blog Spot

Every Sunday afternoon, I browse blogs.

I catch up on those I follow, and go in search of new ones. It's a quiet time for me, to just sit and relax, and read about what's happening in the lives of other people - some similar, some not. It's a great way to unwind before a busy week of work kicks off again.

 

I don't mean to be bossy, but you simply must visit the following blogs if you've not done so before. They are all kinds of beautiful, amazing, and wow!

 

 

Manger

 

Madelief

 

Seaweed Kisses

 

 

What blogs are you reading? Perhaps you have a recommendation for me?

Book Review: Time Keepers by Nicki J Markus

Time Keepers by Nicki J. Markus

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Set in London in the year 2025, Time Keepers is a futuristic novel set in a world where the existence of supernatural beings is accepted - and feared. The Government, on the other hand, wants to gain control over these creatures, and so starts rounding them up and keeping them in labs, where experiments and brain-washing is the accepted norm.

Nick is a werewolf who believes he has successfully slipped beneath the radar of detection, whilst Ellie is a Time Keeper (time-traveller) on the run from the government. The abilities of a Time Keeper are regarded as the most valuable prize of them all. However, it is when fate colludes to bring Nick and Ellie together that the real adventure, intrigue and danger begins to unfold. Ellie just wants to the do the right thing, whilst Nick has to come to the realisation that there is a lot more at stake than just saving his own skin.

Time Keepers is the "filled out" version of a series of four short stories published in 2011. Whilst characters, locations, and events have been developed in more detail, the premise remains much the same. A lot happens in this story, and it happens very rapidly, which makes this a quick and easy novel to read; although the ending is somewhat predictable, it is otherwise enjoyable.

3.5 stars.

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

 

 

What I like most about the novels belonging to Philippa Gregory's Cousins' War series is that with each novel there is a new perspective, and with each new perspective the relationship dynamics between the characters shift, making each story as a whole feel brand new, even though they are all intricately entwined.

The White Princess tells the story of Elizabeth of York, eldest daughter of Edward IV and his wife, Elizabeth Woodville. Favourite of King Richard III, Elizabeth is betrothed and then wed to Henry Tudor after Richard's defeat at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. But she is not a favourite in this new royal court, which is dark, paranoid and brooding - a stark contrast to the bright and happy court of her father and uncle. However, Elizabeth's marriage to Henry Tudor (that is, Henry VII) is a political manoeuvre to bind the houses of York and Lancaster together forever, and through this create a new royal House: The Tudors.

Elizabeth of York is presented as an intelligent and devoted young woman who is forced to marry a man she does not like, and who killed her true love, Richard III. However, raised as a royal princess she is acutely aware of the part she must play, and so sacrifices her own happiness for the wellbeing of her country. But her marriage to Henry does not bring about the peace they had hoped for, and rebellions made against the new King in the name of the House of York has devastating consequences for Elizabeth and her kin. Torn between her loyalty to her Tudor and York families, Elizabeth's decisions are not easy ones, especially when rumours are rife that her youngest brother, Richard IV, is alive and preparing to win back their father's crown.

I really liked Elizabeth of York as a character, in particular how Gregory made her faithful, compassionate and forgiving - a contrast to her prior heroines, who were rather conniving and vengeful. Elizabeth, who is not scared of anything or anyone, is the perfect opposite to her wickedly delusional mother-in-law, Margaret Beaufort, and a great teacher to her husband, Henry VII, who knows nothing of what it means to be a King of England.

The story that Gregory tells in The White Princess is a believable one, and one that flows far more effortlessly between events than her prior novel, The Kingmaker's Daughter. There weren't really any opportunities for the women of the Cousins' War to have happy endings, but Elizabeth's optimism and resolve manage to provide a silver lining to even her deepest tragedies. It makes it possible for the reader to overlook the historical inaccuracies, ignore the absence of historical detail, and focus on the characters and the story to which they belong.

 

 

 

View all my reviews

Sunned in...

 

Today we have a one day reprieve from the sweltering temperatures the south-east of the country has had to endure these past few weeks.

 

At 32 degrees Celsius, and with a southerly breeze, it is a nice change from the 45 degrees we reached yesterday. But the wind today is also pushing the smoke from the Bangor bushfire in our direction, so we are blanketed in a grey, smoggy haze.

 

Tomorrow begins yet another heatwave, with temperatures expect to soar back into the 40s for at least another week.

 

I spend a lot of my time in the early mornings and evenings in the garden, watering the plants as the soil is extremely dry at the moment. I am in need of more Lucerne hay for mulch: The sun is fast disintegrating what is left.

 

We have started putting the sprinkler on in the evenings for a few minutes on the back lawn, and all the birds (including up to ten magpies at any one time!) come swooping in to cool off, take a drink and search for bugs under the spray. We watch them from the kitchen window, in the comfort of an air conditioned house, where indoor activities are all the go.

 

We don't get "snowed in" here; we get "sunned in" instead.

 

How's the weather at your place?

Book Review: The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory

The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory

 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

 

I was rather excited when I learned that Philippa Gregory's novel The Kingmaker's Daughter was to be from the perspective of Anne Neville - that is, daughter of the Earl of Warwick ("the Kingmaker"), widow of Prince Edward of Lancaster, and then later wife of King Richard III. These three events alone provide the premise for a fascinating and truly gripping novel of what it was like for Anne Neville to live right at the heart of the Wars of the Roses.

The story begins when Anne is still a young girl, and Edward IV (of York) has claimed the throne and declared his marriage to the beautiful widow, Elizabeth Woodville. However, when Edward IV proves not to be the puppet king Anne's father, the Earl of Warwick, had planned for him to be, it isn't long before she and her sister, Isabel, become pawns in their father's quest for a replacement. First it is Edward's younger brother, George, the Duke of Clarence, to whom Anne's sister Isabel is married. Then when that doesn't quite go to plan, Warwick seeks out Margaret of Anjou, wife of the deranged Henry VI, and their son, Prince Edward, to whom Anne is quickly wed. But that doesn't quite go to plan, either, and for a long time after Anne is kept hidden by her brother-in-law, the Duke of Clarence. That is until she is swept off her feet by the chivalrous Richard, Duke of Gloucester, youngest brother to Edward IV, and the two marry. Yet it is from this point on that the story seems to lose a lot of its adventure, excitement and glamour.

The truth of the matter, however, is that (historically speaking) there isn't a great deal of information available on Anne Neville's life after her marriage to Richard, and this no doubt would have proved quite a challenge for Gregory to embellish into a novel. I give her points for trying, though, as she takes the reader on a journey that sees a young and bubbly Anne grow into a hardened, bitter and paranoid woman, forever holding onto her father's ambition that she would one day become Queen of England. Yet the story isn't quite fluid; it's all inside Anne's head, which at times is a confusing and depressing place to be, and jumps between seasons and events at alarming speed. The story is brought to a sudden halt with Anne's death in the spring of 1485, when she was just 29 years old. She outlived her son, but not her husband. This makes the story feel unfinished as Anne's later life revolved around her husband, and Richard III would die at the Battle of Bosworth just five months after his wife, bringing to an end the reign of the York kings.

Considering the era in which it is set, I found myself constantly wanting more detail of the Royal Court and of life in 15th Century England, which is something that Gregory does not go to great lengths to paint. However, Gregory does make Anne and Richard likeable and relatable characters with whom the reader can empathise. But The Kingmaker's Daughter is not a particularly cheery story, nor does it have a happy ending, which can lead its reader to feeling rather empty by the end of it all. It is also a novel that would probably be more enjoyable for those readers not overly familiar with the history, who have the luxury of being able to enjoy the story for what it is: Just a story.

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Aethelstan by Sarah Foot

Aethelstan: The First King of England by Sarah Foot

 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

 

 

 

Sarah Foot's Aethelstan is one of the few biographies written about the life of the West Saxon king, Aethelstan. The book covers every aspect of his life: Lineage, upbringing, travels, royal expenses, his Court, his private life and religious devotion (Aethelstan never married), and his success as a king who would rule all of England.

However, the mistake I made in reading this book, was that I chose to read it immediately following Neil Oliver's brilliant A History of Ancient Britain. I found myself constantly comparing how different the two were in the way they'd been written. Foot's biography, whilst containing a hefty amount of information, just isn't presented in a particularly interesting way. It feels hefty, daunting and, at times, completely overwhelming. It isn't free-flowing and it feels very academic.

I would not recommend this to anyone but the most ardent history-nerd who harbours a special interest in this particular era.

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: A History of Ancient Britain by Neil Oliver

A History of Ancient Britain by Neil Oliver

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is something completely enchanting about Neil Oliver. Whether it is watching him weave his magic on the television, or reading his books, his passion for his subject is paramount. His enthusiasm is contagious. His knowledge utterly enviable.

 

He is a fascinating story-teller of tales that are true.

As the written version of the BBC's documentary series of the same name, A History of Ancient Britain is certainly no exception. Although it is quite lengthy and absolutely packed full of information, it doesn't feel "bogged down" in detail. A History of Ancient Britain is perfectly fluid, and easy to read and understand. It takes its reader back to the earliest pre-history, when humankind first stepped foot on the British Isles and made it their home, and then traces the evidence of their presence, customs and beliefs right through to the end of Roman occupation.

It is a mind-boggling and truly awe-inspiring journey.

Recommended.

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Dracula, My Love by Syrie James

Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker by Syrie James

 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

 

 

Dracula, My Love by Syrie James is a retelling of Bram Stoker's classic story, Dracula. Proclaimed as the true version of events from the point of view of Mina Harker, Dracula, My Love has Dracula portrayed as lost and lonely soul on the search for eternal love, the vampire hunters as blood-thirsty fools, and Mina as an independent, intelligent and adventurous woman who has the misfortune to fall in love with two men at the same time (Jonathan, her husband, and Dracula).

The story follows the original timeline quite neatly, except the portrayal of the characters is different with the change of perspective. However, no matter the point of view and no matter the difference in the characters, the ending will ultimately always be the same: That no matter how strong the feelings are between Dracula and Mina, their love is doomed to fail. Fate never meant for Dracula and Mina to be together.

It is that reason alone that makes a retelling of Dracula such a challenge for any author brave enough to take it on. Change the ending and you have an entirely different story altogether. Whilst I liked James' version of Mina a lot more than I have others, I still found her to be a distant and indecisive character. The constant to-ing and fro-ing between her desire for Dracula and love of Jonathan is enough to make the reader dizzy, and at times it became annoyingly repetitive.

Having said that, though, as a whole Dracula, My Love is a decent retelling of a classic story that stays true to the original, but as a result it may well make you feel as though you have heard it all before.

 

 

 

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

 

 

 

Two words best describe Kate Morton's novel The Forgotten Garden: Family intrigue.

And intriguing it most certainly is!

In 1913 a small child is found abandoned with nothing more than a small suitcase of belongings on an Australian wharf. Taken in and adopted by a local family, the girl grows up as Nell, who believes she is the eldest of four children. When she discovers that her actual origins are unknown, she embarks on a journey to discover where she came from, who her parents were and how she came to be all alone on a ship bound for Australia when she was barely four years old.

Upon Nell's death her grand-daughter, Cassandra, takes it upon herself to continue her grandmother's search for the truth. The journey takes her all the way to Cornwall in England, and to a little cottage on the grounds of an old estate. There she uncovers a hidden garden that once belonged to an Edwardian authoress named Eliza Makepeace and her childhood friend, Rose. But how are the two women connected to Nell, and what role did they play in her fate? The truth will alter the course of Cassandra's life forever.

The Forgotten Garden is a delicious novel filled to the brim with secrets. As a reader it is hard not to feel sorry for Nell, and even more difficult to ignore Cassandra's enthusiasm for discovering the truth. Even though I was able to figure out the "big secret" fairly early on (and could not fall for the author's deliberate red herring), I still immensely enjoyed the story, and whose characters I became invested in as I followed them on their respective journeys of discovery.

 

 

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Quiet by Susan Cain

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm generally not the type to read "self-help" books, and I suspect that to some extent Susan Cain's Quiet is probably quite often mistaken as such, when in actual fact it is nothing of the sort.

Personality, generally speaking, falls into two categories. Either a person is an extrovert, or they are an introvert. There are more extroverts in the world than there are introverts and, as such, it may be of little surprise to learn that the extrovert personality tends to dominate - just about everything. Outgoing, sociable and comfortable around large groups of people, the extrovert has been promoted as the "ideal" personality type in schools, universities, and the workplace. So, what does this mean for the introvert?

In Quiet Susan Cain takes an in-depth look at the impact that this extroverted ideal has had on the introvert. Quiet, thoughtful and sometimes a little shy, the introvert is often mistaken as a loner, a bit mysteries, or just plain weird. However, there are significant psychological and physiological factors at play that make it impossible for an introvert to "become" an extrovert in the same way that an extrovert could never hope to be an introvert. Quiet is all about understanding the differences between the two personality types, whilst at the same time teaching others to appreciate the benefits that both personalities have to offer the world.

I am an introvert. In fact, according to the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, I belong to the 1% of people who are an INFJ personality type. In may mean nothing to you (particularly if you are an extrovert), but it means the world to me. Knowing why I think the way I think and do the things I do is of major importance to an introvert trying to survive in an extroverted world. Quiet was written to be read by people just like me.

Despite its claims, however, Quiet will not necessarily provide an introvert with the "tools" needed to thrive in a world where extroverts dominate. I found that although it provided me with a greater understanding of my introversion, at the same time it made me all the more aware of it, which is of absolutely no benefit whatsoever when in a public setting.

Having said that, however, where Quiet does succeed is in its championing of the introvert in a society where they are too often under-appreciated and ignored. For that reason, it's a book that should be read not only by the introverts of the world, but also by the extroverts. In that sense, Quiet has a lot to teach us all.

 

 

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




Guilty Pleasures is the first book in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton.

In this first instalment the reader is introduced to Anita Blake, a necromancer with the power to raise the dead and a vampire hunter known as the Executioner. Anita lives in a world where vampires have been granted many of the same legal rights bestowed upon humans, so when "innocent" vampires become the focus of a crazed serial killer, Anita is roped into the investigation to find the culprit. The task is made all the more unsatisfying (and difficult) for Anita when she is forced to deal with an extremely powerful and dangerous vampire who has no qualms about ending Anita's life if she makes one wrong move...

The Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series has become a bit of a cult classic since the first novel was released way back in 1993. As an avid reader of vampire fiction, it was only a matter of time before Guilty Pleasures made its way onto my bookshelf, and as a first book in a series I had expected it to completely suck me into Anita's world - but, alas! it did not. I found the storyline promising, although it was let down by underdeveloped, hollow central characters. Furthermore, the plot moved at a snail's pace, so that by story's end it didn't feel as though all that much actually happened. But more than anything, it was really difficult for me to either like or relate to Anita, the story's protagonist. Narrow-minded, unforgiving and over-confident, she is, for lack of a better word, abrasive.

This is a novel where magic and the undead are brought together in the guise of a murder mystery, so I can understand how it may appeal to some other readers. However, unlike similar series by other authors (for example, the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, which has many similar characteristics), it isn't action-packed, there's little romance and it certainly isn't sexy - not all that much for a reader to sink their teeth into, really.

After all the hype, Guilty Pleasures was actually a bit of a let-down, and it certainly hasn't left me eager to begin book two anytime soon.

 

 

 

 

 

View all my reviews

 

 

 

Book Review: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris is the thirteenth - and final - novel in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series. The naïve, small-town Sookie Stackhouse introduced in book one (Dead Until Dark) is a very different person to the cynical, hardened Sookie found in Dead Ever After. Over the course of thirteen books (and a selection of short stories), Sookie has grown and adapted to the world around her as she's had to face many life-threatening and life-changing events involving Vampires, Weres and other Supes.

In Dead Ever After Sookie must once again enlist the help of her supernatural friends in order to defeat a supernatural foe, whilst attempting to prove herself innocent of the murder of a fellow Bon Temps resident.

As the last book in the series, I expected a lot. I expected action, romance, mystery and an explosive ending - the kind of finale that Sookie deserved; one that was truly satisfying and would make up for the relatively unexciting events of the more recent novels in the series. However, that didn't happen. The ending did not surprise me: The turn that Sookie's love-life takes has been somewhat expected since book one. However, what did surprise me was the return of old lovers, friends and foes, whilst the more central and significant characters of the previous twelve books were frustratingly absent. The plot itself wasn't terrible, it just wasn't delivered in a particularly dramatic, satisfying manner, and in the end it felt as though not a lot actually happened in the story at all.

The Sookie Stackhouse series ceased being really good by book 7. Books 8 - 12 felt very much as if Sookie's story was being deliberately drawn out and milked for all it was worth, which probably put a lot of additional pressure on the final novel to be something truly amazing. In the end, however, Dead Ever After lacked the excitement and intrigue of the earlier novels in the series and overall, was rather disappointing.

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Silent Night by Deanna Raybourn

Silent Night by Deanna Raybourn

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

 

 

Silent Night is a short and sweet Christmas novella belonging to the Lady Julia Grey mystery series by Deanna Raybourn.

In this instalment, Lady Julia and her investigator husband, Nicholas Brisbane, travel with their assortment of animals to the Grey family estate to celebrate the festive season with Julia's family. Julia is keen to show Brisbane how wonderful the Grey Christmas celebrations are, however upon their arrival Julia is shocked to find the Christmas décor lacking, the staff ill, her father sulking in his study, and valuable jewellery missing! Julia, true to form, is eager to get to the bottom of the problems plaguing the family estate so that she can treat her husband to a truly merry Christmas.

A wonderful holiday read, Silent Night is a great little teaser for dedicated Lady Grey fans, and the perfect introduction for the Lady Grey novice. The only downside to the story is that it was nowhere near long enough and left this reader craving more, more, MORE!

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Nelig Stones by Sharon Skinner

The Nelig Stones by Sharon Skinner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Nelig Stones by Sharon Skinner is a fantasy novel for children set in the magical land of Anoria.

Stefani is a bit of a science geek who doesn't get along well with her mother, whilst Robbie likes to skateboard but is constantly picked on by bullies. They are accidentally transported from their hometown to Anoria after the two collide outside Hole-in-the-Rock in Arizona. Once in Anoria, they discover they must undertake a physically challenging and dangerous journey to locate the Nelig Stones, magical trinkets that when brought together will give them the power to return home. Along the way they engage the help of fairies, mages and glimmerings in their quest, and come face-to-face with strangling vines, quicksand, raging river rapids, fire worms and dragons. However, despite the trials they are forced to endure, Stefani and Robbie build a strong friendship based on mutual respect for the other's strengths and weaknesses. They also discover new confidence as their journey forces them to take on new responsibilities.

I thoroughly enjoyed this great little novel, even if it was specifically written for children. It's impossible not to be drawn into the magical world of Anoria and become invested in Stefani and Robbie as they attempt to achieve such a mammoth task. The Nelig Stones is not bogged down in too much detail so would be perfectly suitable for anyone aged 7 and up.

Many thanks to the publisher, Brick Cave Books, for inviting me to read and review this novel, and for providing me with a wonderful paperback copy in order to do so.

 

 

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: A Vision of Angels by Timothy Jay Smith

A Vision of Angels by Timothy Jay Smith

 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

 

 

A Vision of Angels by Timothy Jay Smith is a tragic and suspenseful tale that revolves around a planned terrorist attack for Easter Sunday in Jerusalem. The lives of an American journalist, Israeli war hero, Palestinian farmer and Christian grocer are weaved together and changed forever as a result of this single event that is set to take place amidst the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

It is a story that moves at a fast pace and switches between perspectives of the characters just as quickly. The destruction, desolation and desperation caused by the conflict is at times brutally confronting, but gives the story an underlying human perspective that is too often missed in modern media reporting.

Smith does well to give all sides involved in the conflict a voice, and I found it a particularly interesting read in the sense that it gave new perspective to an old war. However, whilst the nature of the conflict itself kept me interested enough to continue reading, I found it impossible to either like or relate to any of the characters in the story. Whilst they are all dynamic, complicated characters for whom I felt empathy or a general disdain for, I couldn't connect with them in such a way that made me feel invested in their stories. For this reason, it was merely the conflict itself and not the stories of the individual characters taking place within it that gained and held my attention.

Overall, A Vision of Angels is an interesting yet confronting depiction of the ways in which conflict can tear a nation apart and yet bring it together at the same time.

 

Recommended to readers of contemporary fiction and those with a particular interest in current world politics.

Thank you to the author for inviting me to read and review this novel.

 

 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Not Wisely but Too Well by Pauline Montagna

Not Wisely but Too Well by Pauline Montagna

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not Wisely but Too Well by Australian author Pauline Montagna is the first in a series of novels based on the life of William Shakespeare. As a fan of Shakespeare, and as someone who has had the privilege to study his work in the past, I was most intrigued to read this fictional account of the bard's early life.

The story is relayed to the reader through letters written by Shakespeare to his lover. Whilst this format may be unconventional, Montagna has meticulously put the letters together so that they flow effortlessly from one to another and read less like correspondence and more like a traditional novel. In addition, the missives are in a style that compliments Shakespeare's own without making it a challenge to read or understand. There are just enough thou dost's to give the work an authentic sense of history and the element of realism that the author was aiming for.

However, I was not convinced by the premise that the letters were discovered by an academic and sent to the author for safe keeping at the beginning of the novel. The sense of intrigue in their discovery and the threat of danger in possessing them lacked the sense of realism that is prevalent throughout the rest of the novel. I feel it is a device that would have been best left out.

 

Having said that, I do feel that this shouldn't distract from the fact that Not Wisely but Too Well is an interesting interpretation of William Shakespeare's life, one that hasn't before been told quite so precisely as Montagna tells it, and one that would appeal to many fans of historical fiction.

 

Thank you to the author for inviting me to read and review this novel.

 

 

 

View all my reviews

The Week in Pictures...

 

 

 

** At the start of the week we ventured out to a friend's property in search of firewood, and to get us out of the house for a few hours. It was sunny but the breeze was a little on the cool side. The land was barren - not a blade of grass. Normally at this time of year we would expect to see a gentle carpet of new green across the landscape, but this year the rains have been few and far between. However, we've our fingers crossed that with a negative Indian Ocean Dipole developing we'll be seeing an increase in the rainfall over the coming months.

 

** We did, however, get two full days of rain this week. In the end we received about 25mm in total, enough to sprout weeds rights through the garden and to rejuvenate the lawn. In the past two weeks the average daily temperature has also dropped by about 10 degrees Celsius, and the nights are slipping down to around 5 degrees with dew. But the fire is alight and inside the cottage it is toasty warm. It is my favourite time of year, perfect for snuggling under blankets with a hot cup of tea and a good book.

 

** The mail art project continues, which I dabble with in the evenings. I've developed an annoying habit of leaving things only half finished, which is why I tend not to have pictures to share every week. I'm focusing on catching up with my letter-writing at the moment, as in the past few weeks I have fallen terribly behind. The mountain of mail on my desk would be daunting even to the most seasoned correspondent, but I'll get there. Eventually.

 

Book Review: The Great War by Les Carlyon

The Great War by Les Carlyon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"We are lousy, stinking, ragged, unshaven, sleepless. Even when we're back a bit we can't sleep for our own guns. I have one puttee, a dead man's helmet, another dead man's gas protector, a dead man's bayonet. My tunic is rotten with other men's blood and partly splattered with a comrade's brains...Courage does not count here. It is all nerve. Once that goes one becomes a gibbering maniac." - Lieutenant John 'Alec' Raws, 4 August 1916, quoted in The Great War

On the 28 February 1916, 28-year-old farm labourer, Edwin Gale, from Yacka, South Australia, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. A week later his older brother, Samuel, followed suit. The brothers were sent to the Western Front, the former as part of the Infantry, the other as a Gunner. They lived through some of the harshest conditions imaginable, surviving gas attacks and endless defeats. Neither saw the end of the war: Edwin died on the 21 October 1917 from wounds he received during the (disastrous) Passchendaele Campaign; his brother, Samuel, was killed in action on the second day of the German 'Kaiserschlacht' Offensive, five months and one day after his younger brother (22 March 1918). Their widowed mother lost both her sons. The brothers are buried in Belgium, in separate cemeteries not so far apart, but still thousands of miles from home.

If Edwin and Samuel weren't two kinks in my Family Tree, I probably would never have read Les Carlyon's The Great War, but as it was (and still is), I needed to know more about the battlefields of the First World War so that I could greater understand the lives of these two brothers during such a pivotal moment in history. As it turns out, The Great War was the ideal place to start.

At around 800 pages in length, The Great War is an epic collation of the people, places and events that made the Western Front during the peak of World War I. Its central focus is the young, adventurous Australians who volunteered to fight (for reasons known only to them) on the other side of the world, and the British military commanders and politicians who held their fate. It covers in great, horrific detail all the major battles: Fromelle, Pozieres, Passchendaele, Villers-Bretonneux, and then some lesser known ones as well. Not one hellish moment is skipped.

Yet this is not a book bogged down in technical detail; it is not simply "tactics" or a regurgitation of time and place. What makes The Great War such a phenomenal read is the effort that Carlyon has put into creating a personalised recollection, to make it feel as if it is the Fallen who are telling this tale. It contains excerpts from journal entries and letters, photographs and maps. It tells the stories of these men not only as they were during the war, but also what life was like before it and - if they were lucky enough to survive - what happened after.

Yet at the same time, The Great War does not glorify war or make heroes out of ordinary men, instead recognising that they were, in fact, just men. The Great War may be an epic and phenomenal book, but it is also emotionally wrecking. It made me cry - a lot. It lays bare the horrors of war - the destruction, the desperation and the waste. The reader is thrust into the nightmarish existence of the rancid mud-flats that became the Western Front, and reminds one of the vicious brutality that humans are capable of. It peels back the layers of legend and myth and reveals to the reader the true, human aspect of the war, and explains how a nation lost an entire generation of men - a loss that remains an absolute tragedy, even after the passing of nearly 100 years.

View all my reviews

 

 

** The 25 April in Australia and New Zealand is ANZAC Day, a day of sombre reflection commemorating the moment when our two nations officially became part of the First World War with the dawn landing of Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli, Turkey, on the 25 April 1915.

Kiss Me (I'm Irish)

[Me - a few years younger than what I am now - at Fore Abbey in Ireland]

 

 

Tomorrow is St Patrick's Day. I don't participate in the celebrations but I do find it a good day to reflect on where my family originates and how I came to be a South Australian. Like many Australians I have Irish ancestry; it is something that has always been assumed but in the process of researching my family history I have been able to confirm it with at least one set of great x4 grandparents (Isaac and Catharine) originating from Londonderry in Northern Ireland. They came out to South Australia as free settlers in the mid-1800s, eventually establishing their own farm at Bundaleer. As I continue to research my family tree I've no doubt I'll find further connections to the Emerald Isle (to not would just be odd).

 

Earlier in the week I received an email from Aine Greaney (author of Dance Lessons) advising that in "celebration" of St Patrick's Day (and all things Irish) she is providing access to three of her short stories on the theme Infidelity, Irish style via her website.

 

I wanted to share this information with you earlier but work committments kept me from the blog until now and I missed story #1 (Wednesdays). However, story #2 (La Belle Femme) is currently available for reading, and the third (What the Body Remembers) will be up in time for St Patrick's Day. So, if you are interested in some contemporary Irish fiction then I suggest to head over to Aine's website. Her work is lovely. And it's free.

 

Now, tell me: What is your connection to Ireland?