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francesmthompson's Reviews (976)
Whenever people diss romance books be it for the language, the character development, the HEAs or the plot, I will hit them over the head with this book. Divine. Pun intended.
Re-read Dec 2022 - even better the second time round.
Exquisitely written, dark and dreamy in equal measure. Cannot wait to get stuck into the rest of the series.
Exquisitely written, dark and dreamy in equal measure. Cannot wait to get stuck into the rest of the series.
Wonderfully outdated (it was published in 1972) there are some lovely slices of advice to writers of all natures, styles and ambitions.
While her chapter "Tools of the Trade" is almost completely irrelevant today apart from the very sage and only slightly stern advice: "If your grammar, spelling or vocabulary is weak, do something about it". But the numerous examples she gives of writers writing for the sheer love of it and the countless cases of professional and successful authors/writers knocking out thousands of words each week are still effective at moving a writer into action, not least because these guys did it by hand and we now have much more advanced technology than "the I.B.M. computerized typewriter".
I skipped some chapters but found a lot of value in the Fiction chapter, albeit short-lived as this is a very short and succinct but well-written book. If you're like me you'll also enjoy the her clearly despondent references to how "permissive" literature has become... The author passed away earlier this year so she will have seen this trend continue right into Fifty Shades of Grey.
I picked this up in a charity shop and read it quickly one Sunday afternoon, and for that it's the perfect book.
While her chapter "Tools of the Trade" is almost completely irrelevant today apart from the very sage and only slightly stern advice: "If your grammar, spelling or vocabulary is weak, do something about it". But the numerous examples she gives of writers writing for the sheer love of it and the countless cases of professional and successful authors/writers knocking out thousands of words each week are still effective at moving a writer into action, not least because these guys did it by hand and we now have much more advanced technology than "the I.B.M. computerized typewriter".
I skipped some chapters but found a lot of value in the Fiction chapter, albeit short-lived as this is a very short and succinct but well-written book. If you're like me you'll also enjoy the her clearly despondent references to how "permissive" literature has become... The author passed away earlier this year so she will have seen this trend continue right into Fifty Shades of Grey.
I picked this up in a charity shop and read it quickly one Sunday afternoon, and for that it's the perfect book.
Please note my review should be a 3.5 stars but sadly Goodreads doesn't allow for that all-important half star that this book deserves. I hope that changes one day soon!
The author sent me this book in exchange for an honest review and so I was very pleasantly surprised to find it a gentle, but authentic and tension-building murder mystery set in a very unique residential home for elderly folk with interesting backgrounds (indeed this is a pre-requisite for a resident's acceptance). What a great idea! And it proved to be the perfect setting for not only this murder mystery but for many more adventures I anticipate to follow in the subsequent books.
The story started strongly and I sat back and relaxed as the author introduced me to a handful of eccentric characters and the neatly thought out mystery did all it was supposed to do, i.e. had me chewing my lip or furrowing my brow on occasion as I tried to figure out whodunnit. Written with a great confidence - demonstrable through gentlly flowing prose describing Grasshopper Lawns and its beguiling collection of characters - as soon I "met" the charistmatic "Aunt Edge" I hoped she would take the lead in the story so I was very glad she did. The ending was as quirky as I hoped, but I will add that there were a few occasions in this book when I felt a more thorough copy edit or proofread could have really benefited the story to make it the polished and convincing novella that it is for the most part. I understand now from the author that an updated version addressing this has been released since.
The author sent me this book in exchange for an honest review and so I was very pleasantly surprised to find it a gentle, but authentic and tension-building murder mystery set in a very unique residential home for elderly folk with interesting backgrounds (indeed this is a pre-requisite for a resident's acceptance). What a great idea! And it proved to be the perfect setting for not only this murder mystery but for many more adventures I anticipate to follow in the subsequent books.
The story started strongly and I sat back and relaxed as the author introduced me to a handful of eccentric characters and the neatly thought out mystery did all it was supposed to do, i.e. had me chewing my lip or furrowing my brow on occasion as I tried to figure out whodunnit. Written with a great confidence - demonstrable through gentlly flowing prose describing Grasshopper Lawns and its beguiling collection of characters - as soon I "met" the charistmatic "Aunt Edge" I hoped she would take the lead in the story so I was very glad she did. The ending was as quirky as I hoped, but I will add that there were a few occasions in this book when I felt a more thorough copy edit or proofread could have really benefited the story to make it the polished and convincing novella that it is for the most part. I understand now from the author that an updated version addressing this has been released since.
And I thought females were supposed to be more introspective and analytical than men.... Still brilliant and funny and familiar and educational even if the philosophical discussions did make my head hurt.