TITLE: A GOLDEN AGE

AUTHOR: Tahmima Anam

DATE PUBLISHED: 2007

DATE READ: March 2008

NOTES: A Golden Age is a beautifully written book. The writing is simple and straightforward and creates a vivid picture of life in Bangladesh. It is the story of Rehana, a widow, and how she seeks to protect her children during the Bangladeshi War of Independence in 1971. Her student children want to become active in the war and Rehana reluctantly adds her support. But soon she is pulled more and more into supporting her adopted land of Bangladesh. The war is brutal and is graphically described and the narrative is gripping. The relationships between Rehana and her children, the Major and her neighbours are all very well drawn and perceptive.

Rehana is forced to make some hard choices – but having once lost her children in a custody battle she is determined to do anything within her capability to keep her son and daughter safe.

In the west the Pakistan-Bangladesh conflict is hardly remembered so this novel is a timely reminder of the recent history of the region. A brilliant debut – I do hope she has some more books in the pipeline!

TITLE: THE BULLET TRICK

AUTHOR: Louise Welsh

DATE PUBLISHED: 2006

DATE READ: February 2008 (audiobook)

NOTES: Crime story of conjuror (with a drink problem) William who gets offered work in Berlin at “exotic” club. Before going he is given a package to look after by an “associate” who claims someone is blackmailing him over the contents. This turns out to be an ex-Met Police Officer. Bill and his male partner are murdered and William decides to find out what is going on. He meets up with mysterious woman Sylvie in Berlin who becomes his stage assistant. But Montgomery follows him to Berlin to get back what he claims is his.

Quite a complex plot for such a short book. But some really smart dialogue and good characterisations. Funny, erotic and dark.

TITLE: THE VIRGIN IN THE GARDEN

AUTHOR: A.S. Byatt

DATE PUBLISHED: 1978

DATE READ: February 2008

NOTES: This is the huge first part of The Frederica Quartet. It is set in 1950s and cleverly evokes life in suburban northern England. The Potters are a fairly horrific family – bullying father, subservient mother, obnoxious Frederica and troubled Marcus. Only Stephanie, the older sister, comes over as sympathetic. Most other characters are also flawed and tending to be vain, predatory, selfish – or just plain mad.

It doesn’t sound like a recipe for a great reading experience but we are soon pulled into the narrative. Will Alexander’s pageant be a success or a dramatic disaster? Surely Stephanie the atheist won’t marry Daniel (the somewhat dull church minister)? And to whom will the precocious and dislikeable Frederica lose her virginity?

The Virgin in the Garden is a challenging read in parts with many references to classical mythology. She writes with a terrifying mix of comic and cringe-worthy episodes – such as the descent into madness of Lucas and the attempted seduction of Frederica by Ed the travelling salesman.

A tough read in parts but it is worth the effort and I look forward to reading the next three books.

AUTHOR: Kate Grenville

DATE READ: February 2008

NOTES: A poverty stricken waterman is condemned to hang in early 19th century London but with the help of his wife has his sentence changed to transportation. Some excellent descriptive writings of London scenes and of life in New South Wales. Through hard work and luck Will takes on 100 acres of land on the edge of a river. But there are others lurking and his land which is now legally his – aboriginals. They seem to come and go, taking crops he has grown and showing no ‘respect’ for the new owners. The author does well to view this clash from a 19th century viewpoint. It is too easy to see it from a liberal 21st century standpoint. Will’s family shows no concept of what the land means to “the blacks” – there is plenty more land that they can go to, so why should they hang around here?

However one of their sons, Dick, is instinctively attracted to the blacks and begins to learn about their ways until forbidden by Will. (I feel more could have been made of this but perhaps Grenville didn’t want to go off at too many tangents)

The optimism of the Thornhill’s is tinged with sadness. If Will’s family is to remain on “their” land then a solution to the “molestations and depredations” must be found. We know that a tragedy awaits the native people but when it comes it is shocking and horrific.

On the surface this is a good family saga. But it is actually much more than that and raised (in a subtle way) lots of issues about power, class and colonisation. How easily someone who has been a victim can become the bully! Just like the old Yeats’ poem about the beggar on horseback lashing the beggar on foot.

A fascinating story about the early times in New South Wales.

TITLE: THE MISSION SONG

AUTHOR: John Le Carré

DATE PUBLISHED: 2006

DATE READ: January 2008

NOTES: Bruno Salvador, with an Irish Missionary father and Congolese mother, works as a freelance interpreter. As well as English, French and Swahili he also speaks a range of less common African languages.

As a loyal British citizen he is proud to be called on by unnamed government departments to assist in sensitive negotiations. But when he is asked to leave at short notice to attend a conference of unnamed people for unknown purposes on an anonymous northern island things go awry for him. As an interpreter he is expected to hold everything in strict confidence but as the conference progresses he sees and hears things that can only be detrimental to peace and progress.

It is very well done how Le Carré portrays Salvo as initially very enthusiastic and naïvely
supportive of what is being planned and how he gradually has his innocence ripped away from him.

The Mission Song is well plotted (complex but believable) and whips along at a great pace. An exciting read but without any crazy chases or gun fights. Another great addition to Le Carré’s post-Cold War output.

Can businessmen, Civil Servants and politicians be so corrupt and self-serving? Yes, probably.

TITLE: THEN WE CAME TO THE END

AUTHOR: Joshua Ferris

DATE PUBLISHED: 2007

DATE READ: January 2008

NOTES: A story of office life set in an ad agency in Chicago. It is told in the first person plural – so the “we” becomes an amorphous mass, shifting and changing with no clear narrator. This is a very clever device. It could have been clumsy but it works amazingly well. The book is very funny on all the tiny (and less tiny) irritations of working with others – the pettiness, jealousy, lies, thwarted ambition etc. He is particularly good on the “rumour mill” of working life. Tales spread (so they must be true because everyone has heard them) but no-one can ever track down how a rumour started in the first place.

The writing is exuberant and the story multi-faceted – funny, painful, tragic and absurd.

This is a fine piece of work – a brilliant debut novel which is hard to categorise. Will be interesting to watch out for his future work.

TITLE: THE NARROWS

AUTHOR: Michael Connolly

DATE PUBLISHED:

DATE READ: January 2008 (audiobook)

NOTES: Harry Bosch PA, ex-LAPD cop is hired by the widow of and ex-colleague to find out why her husband died. His tablets had been tampered with, forcing his heart to stop.

Soon they are on the trail of a serial killer that was believed to be dead. Can Harry help to track him down before any more are killed? (Of course, he can!)

All pretty formulaic but done with great verve. The final chase scene is exciting and scary and there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. Harry Bosch is a great creation. He is certainly a man to have on your side in time of trouble – brave, resourceful and loyal. I wonder where I can get hold of his phone number……