natashak1's Reviews (265)

My sister said I had to read this and she was so right for that. Really loved it (although I admit the last book I read being awful probably skewed my judgement a little), and it is brilliantly written. 
It does have that frustrating thing where so many people dislike the book because they dislike the main character when that is actually The Whole Point, but each to their own I guess. I thought it worked brilliantly.

I'll admit I was very disappointed by this one. The concept is interesting, and some of the details hint and the potential for a more padded out story and world, but in all it was rather shallow and seemed to spoon feed the reader every point that was trying to be made. Repetitive and without nuance. And there were one or two bits of continuity that were a little wonky, although I can forgive that a little - more an editor's mistake than an author's. 

I'm very glad I enjoyed this one - Aaronovitch has managed to change up the formula just enough to keep me interested but without making this an entirely different book. Surprisingly pleased!

I mean, there's nothing I can say that someone else hasn't said better. But The Book Thief is undoubtably one of the greatest books ever written, a classic of course, and often better than that title suggests. 

Just really wonderful in a sort of heart-wrenching, soul-destroying way. I very much loved it, and cannot wait to read more Douglas Stuart - the way he writes was just as much a draw as what he was writing, and once I got about a quarter of the way in I was completely hooked. Some of the recurring motifs, and the movement of the narrative from Agnes to Catherine to Leek to Shuggie is so well done you barely notice the changes. 
Also I do have a bit of fondness given I live in Glasgow, but I am obsessed with books that completely wrap you up in the setting and this does that brilliantly. 

Well, I can now officially say I've read a James Bond. It was much, much more dated than I thought it would be, and every time I spotted a trope that's been used in derivative/inspired novels I couldn't help but think that those tropes have been used much better by more recent authors. I appreciate it's impact, but that's pretty much it.

Took a bit of getting into, but not without the usual Rivers of London charm. Certainly not the strongest, but enjoyable all the same.

Not at all what I was expecting, but not bad? I really like the ideas and themes but the prose style not so much.