savage_book_review's Reviews (328)

I can't remember where I heard about this series of books; I think it must have been on one of the History Hit podcasts I listen to (as I haven't started the podcast series hosted by the author yet!). 

I had expected something a bit similar to 'Horrible Histories' but pitched at more of a young teen audience. However, upon reading I'd say it's more of a step up comprehension-wise; it's more of an overview of the history of WW2 for that age group, told via the stories of various people who were involved. The big players are all accounted for - Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin and Hitler, but it also examines events through the eyes of 'normal' folk; the first man on the beaches at D-Day, a nurse captured by the Japanese in Singapore, and a girl who was caught in the Hiroshima blast, to name but a few. Some names you'll know, others you won't, but each story is wound together to examine the war from all sides. No gags or toilet humour to be found, just a simple, factual narrative that introduces the human aspect of warfare without being too graphic.

The writing hits that perfect sweet spot between a novel and a narrative history non-fiction book; the author has somehow managed to tell the story of 1939-45 using characters that are all real people and their own words, but doesn't deviate from the truth of the matter for entertainment purposes. For example, one of the anecdotes is about the team that land at Pegasus Bridge on D-Day. You follow one of the soldiers as they glide over the Channel, have a rough landing and move to take and defend the bridge. The author conveys the nerves and fear of the soldiers as well as any fiction writer can get into the mind of their characters, but equally doesn't succumb to temptation to turn the narrative into a 'Boys Own' adventure or fictionalise the action in any way.

I am also very impressed by the fact that it examines the war from a global perspective - the Asian war gets significant page space, which is very unusual. So often are events outside of Europe relegated to brief mentions, or soundbites about Pearl Harbor and the A bombs, so it was really interesting to read and gain a basic understanding of how the Japanese involvement ties into the larger conflict. Generally that's why I love these sort of middle grade books - if you ate just coming to a subject, they give you a grounding without bombarding you.

My only concern is that, for the most part, this does come across very strongly as a 'history is written by the winners', black and white, good v evil pitching of events. In a few places the author does take the time to recognise people that made moves to resist or help the oppressed within Germany, but in the main some of the nuances appear to have been left at the door. I'd be absolutely fine with sharing this book with a child to give them a clear and concise introduction to the period - indeed, it's one of the best books I've read on the subjectat this level. But I'd perhaps be more hesitant to supply this as a history book that might teach them to engage in critical thinking with little or no previous knowledge of the period. 

I am definitely interested in reading the others in this series... my local library just needs to hurry up and deliver them!

Matthew Lewis examines one of the most fascinating and famous historical mysteries of all time; just what happened to Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, otherwise known as the Princes in the Tower. Most people believe that they were quietly murdered by their uncle, Richard III, but this book considers the possibility that one, or perhaps even both, survived to challenge the first Tudor monarch for the crown. 

In essence, the story is broken down into three main stages; the imprisonment of the Princes, the Lambert Simnel Affair and the Perkin Warbeck threat, with the author examining the evidence, or gaps in the evidence, that may allow for the boys' escape/survival after 1483. Indeed, it considers whether Lambert Simnel may have actually been Edward V, and/or whether Perkin Warbeck really was Richard, as he claimed to be. 

The thought of their survival is compelling, and I was very interested to read the author's thoughts and arguments. Having listened to him present the History Hit podcast 'Gone Medieval', I was expecting a clear, concise, easy to digest narrative. Unfortunately, I did find it something of a slog to get through. I didn't find the writing consistent - it starts of setting out the wider effects on the Court that could be used as evidence to show the Princes survived in quite an objective fashion, but by the time you get to Perkin Warbeck the author consistently refers to Perkin as 'Richard' almost as a matter of fact. There's then a chapter which reads like something out of 'The Da Vinci Code', with a couple of Hans Holbein paintings being extolled as holding multiple layers of clues as to the survival of the Princes. The author's arguments are summed up at the close of the book, but I couldn't place a lot of the points as I just felt like my head was spinning. 

I will give him props for maintaining a 'professional distance' from extolling Richard III's virtues - as the author is a fully paid up member of the Richard III society, I had expected a staunchly robust defence of the maligned monarch. But it's actually quite measured. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm completely sold on the theory (it's always one that has seemed a more sensible conspiracy theory at least!), but this perhaps isn't the best work to convince those who are more skeptical.

I found this quite an interesting read, not just because it takes a darker turn, but because it gives a totally fresh perspective on the 'original' (Disney) storyline. 

Firstly, it allows Aurora Rose her own agency; she might have to be reminded on a couple of occasions, but she recognises that the story is her quest and her responsibility, and doesn't shy away from it. She struggles, absolutely, but it seeves to awaken her to her real character. 

Nor, when she is reunited with Prince Phillip, does she just fall into his arms when he insists that they were in love. I actually found that one of the most enjoyable twists; she is constantly questioning the label of 'silly little princess' that's meant to be beautiful, submissive and marry the handsome Prince, even when she's made to feel like that's all her life is. One of my favourite moments is when Prince Phillip is explaining how he fell in love with her when he saw her in the woods, and she questions the fact that he was going to run away from everything to be with her purely based on her looks and her 'happiness'. 

From my reading, it also examines the effect of depression on a young mind. By giving it a 'character', it gives Aurora Rose the chance to literally face her demons and overcome, but that's only half the story. Her reconciliation of the fact that she feels the same in both worlds she inhabits (albeit for different reasons), is a really clever illustration of the fact that you can have these feelings whether you're a princess or a pauper; whether you come from a broken home or a happy one, whether you're loved or not, and it's all equally valid. It feels really important that the author gives an alternative explanation for the touch of the spindle in the original tale, and in turn manages to twist the Disney film into something even darker than it already is. It's a perspective I'd never considered before because, well, it's Disney; it's meant to be pretty Princesses, handsome Princes and happily ever afters. 

I will say I think it was longer than it needed to be; there felt like quite a period where the author was just coming up with obstacles to fill out the pages, which did detract from the experience. I would also have like Prince Phillip to pop off the page a bit more than he did for me; I felt that the author laid the groundwork for some good character building, but never really followed through. 

My biggest issue though is the premise itself. I got there eventually, and the overall idea is understandable (and works well in the context of twisting the original), but I found the intricacies quite difficult to follow. It is explained, but I just found that it took me out of the story every time I had to stop and think about how or why something was happening. Don't read this one while you're half asleep!

While I'm probably the most familiar with this Disney tale (it's one of the few I remember owning on VHS  and watching several times), it's not my favourite. So it did its job and I'll keep reading the series, but I'm not overly invested in buying/keeping them all moving forward.

I've seen the film version of this starring Maggie Smith a few times over the years and always thought it was beautifully done, but it only recently dawned on me that, somehow, I've never actually read the source material of this children's classic! And I'm so glad I've taken the time to rectify that.

To get the book/film comparison out the way, while I do love the extra layers the film brings (I recall there being some quite dark moments, Colin's underlying jealousy of Dickon and so on) which make it a more rounded and immersive experience, I actually also love the simplicity of the book! It feels like a stripped back version of the film, with everything being driven by the premise of the Secret Garden. And it doesn't need anything else!

The story is primarily one of growth; the straightforward pleasure of children discovering their own little world and the Magic it can create is wonderful, as is the character development, both of the children and some of the adults! I love the fact that the author has taken the time to illustrate the dark place children and adults can find themselves in, and that it's possible to change your mindset and allow positivity and light back in. Equally, despite the fact this was originally published over 100 years ago, the arguments that fresh air, exercise and taking time in nature as an aid for depression, anxiety and various other health issues (physical and mental) still hold true today. 

I'm also a huge fan of the descriptions of the garden itself. Whether or not I'm imagining it in line with the words on the page, the descriptions pull you straight into that little Eden, and it's so easy to see Mary, Colin and Dickon tending to the plants, doing their exercises etc. It really is a beautiful idea for a setting.

Likewise, while I don't usually enjoy books that "spell out" the accent of the person speaking, in this case I actually got into it. For the most part it's nor that difficult to understand, and it adds something more to the character development when first Mary, and subsequently Colin, start adopting the Yorkshire accent! It also helps that the author has included a couple of notes and asides to explain unfamiliar words and phrases, but even they don't interrupt the narrative flow.

The book is a product of its time; while it is far from the worst-aged book I've read, there are moments mentioning race, particularly early on, which don't stand up to scrutiny today. For the most part they are inkeeping with the context of the period, place and time in which the story is set, but there are a couple of occasions where a character's ignorance about other racial backgrounds which feel a bit unnecessary. But that's looking with 21st Century eyes, and I can appreciate that this was "normal" at the time of publication. 

Something light and lovely to enjoy of an evening.

Philippa Gregory's 'Cousins' War' series of novels is a tour de force at shining a light on the women that were the powers behind thrones during the Wars of the Roses. But, of course, her books are historical fiction and so there is an aspect of imagination and speculation that renders their historical accuracy questionable. So, to help separate the fact from the fluff, she partnered with two other eminent historians to produce mini biographies of the three main protagonists; Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford; Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England; and Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII.

The three writers are very careful not to needlessly repeat each other where events intersect, but equally repeat enough of the necessary information so that you can easily fit these women's lives together and follow the path of the war from each side. As a result, each biography is an incredibly interesting read on its own, but when put together it gives you a credible and easily digestible overview of the whole peiod.

Of course, they are not to the same depth that you would expect from a full scholarly work; indeed, I'd be very interested to read a full biography of Jacquetta if Gregory wrote it and I was actually shocked to learn that one doesn't already exist! This does mean that feel like they only skim the surface and feel a bit 'half hearted' for my taste.

In some ways, the fictional novels do give more depth to their characters and bring them to life a bit more. There are two sides to this for me. On the downside, where women are so often expunged from the historical record and then 'rediscovered' in fiction, it seems that it's these fictionalised versions that are carried forward into the future and very quickly the fiction is mistaken for fact. However, these fictionalised histories do then seem to encourage historians to explore and publish non-fiction biographies. And either way, their stories are being added into the wider narrative, which can only be a good thing! 

This book does seem like an attempt by Gregory to draw a line clear distinction between the fiction of her novels and TV dramas and the real history, and is clearly written for that audience; there are no footnotes or other scholarly interjections, just a list of sources at the end of each essay. But I have to wonder how wide-reaching this book became compared to the novels and TV series, and therefore how successful it was at igniting an interest in the real women. Yes, it absolutely worked on me, but I'm in love with this period of history anyway.

I think Gregory has a real skill and flair for historical fiction writing (she's introduced me to some of my favourite historical characters and periods!), but I feel like she should perhaps be signposting her readers to fuller non-fiction biographies of her characters at the end of each book, which would probably serve her readers better.

We return to the world of the billionaire Hawthorne brothers and Avery, the heiress who inherited their fortune. And as usual, its not long before mysteries abound and the family are drawn into solving puzzles to protect themselves and those they hold dear...

The focus of this book is on the middle two Hawthorne boys, Jameson and Grayson, and delves a little deeper into their relationship with each other, their absent fathers and their taskmaster of a grandfather, as well as into their own psyches. The story is cleverly balanced to give you snatched glimpses of what makes them tick and why they think the way they do, whilst also giving them their own separate paths to follow and stories that standalone, but intertwine. 

There are some lovely moments of reflection in the dual storylines; the discovery and acceptance of family, the risk/reward, the holding back of Secrets and so on all make for a wonderful read. Both of the boys' characters are beautifully developed over the course of the book, with Grayson in particular finally starting to come out of his shell a little. 

The bond between the four siblings is really well illustrated; I love that they are all so different and yet they recognise that they are the only ones who could possibly understand living in the world they do, so they pull together as a unit. 

I also love the continuation of Jameson and Avery's relationship. They all come across as slightly older in this book to me (though I don't think they actually are), and so the touches of heat and chemistry between them really lifts them off the page. There are some great little touches in Jameson's reaction to Avery in certain situations which just make him smoulder... and me wish that there was a 'new adult' version avaialble! 

The only thing that prevents me from giving this five stars is the drawing back in of Eve. Firstly, it took me a sec to remember who she was (definitely reread the first trilogy before you pick this one up if you haven't read it in a while!), and it seems to me that she's only been included in this book as a lead in to the next one. She just doesn't seem to do anything in here. Likewise, there are a couple of other plot points/characters that are blatantly only here to set up aspects of the next book or two. While I get that this might be necessary, for someone who is so good at writing intrigue and mystery these points could have been introduced in a much more subtle way. 

Another brilliant book, and I cannot wait fir the next one!!!

This book purports to reexamine the life of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth Queen and provide more insight into her rise and fall within the context of the wider world. However, the first thing that needs to be said is that the contents is nearly all 'context'. For the vast majority of the narrative, the information being imparted is not about Catherine at all - it's more about the Court, the history to that point, the movers and shakers and basically anything but the woman in question. Her name doesn't even appear in the first few pages at least!

Now, don't get me wrong, I find this period endlessly fascinating and it is incredibly interesting to me to see how this one person fits within the wider arc. However, when you're expecting to have the title 'character' front and centre, it's extremely disappointing to find that, actually, only a very small percentage of the book is actually focused on her. More often than not, it feels like the author is pulled off on tangent after tangent, with the occasional realisation that 'oh, and this is where Catherine was while this was going on' or 'this affected Catherine in this way'. 

Even when we reach the point of her arrest and that of her purported lovers, and the book does start to focus on her story specifically, I found there to be very little depth or examination of the charges, the events or the outcome. It came across to me more as a simple narrative timeline. It sounds an odd thing to say, but in the main it came across as perhaps a little too objective for my taste. I prefer a historian who gives their opinion and at least tries to identify means, motive and opportunity, even if I disagree with their assessment. It just brings the history to life. Sadly, this book didn't do anything like that for me.

That's not to say it's totally opinionless. The author does pin his colours to the mast and argue that Catherine and Culpepper were not having a fully-fledged affair, but merely intended to as and when the opportunity arose. This does seem to be being proposed more and more in recent years, and he does set out some good evidence as to why he believes this is the case, which does make me reassess what I've seen and read before. No, it's not as good a story, but it does make her ending that bit more tragic.

I think if the book had been pitched as an examination of the Howard family during this period, it may have come closer to the mark in describing the contents. But as is, the book just isn't as advertised.

My husband bought me this book from a charity shop, which was very sweet of him but not necessarily his wisest purchase. But, since my latest book club topic is 'autobiography', I figured of I don't read it now I have an excuse, I never will!

I went into this book convinced I'd either be falling about laughing, or it would end up being thrown across the room on multiple occasions, as I am severely conflicted about Miriam Margolyes. On the one hand, I find her forthright, funny and fearless; I have nothing but admiration for her DGAF attitude and her absolute conviction in her own point of view. Indeed, her views on certain subjects do go against what you would expect, but she stands loud and proud and says them anyway! However, at the same time I've heard her say things that just make me think she's just not a very nice person. She seems to have developed the affliction of anybody nowadays that has a zeal for politics; there is no room for nuanced debate - you're either with her or against her. And I don't care how much you loathe someone, wishing them dead on live TV just because they don't share your political views is abhorrent.

In the end, I actually found the majority of the book no more or less interesting than any other celebrity autobiography I've read. Details of childhood and schooling, the university years, and a succession of productions, cast members, auditions and blind luck. Only in this case you got a bit more honesty about the people she didn't like working with, as well as the people she did. If you're reading this book hoping for deeper insights into the making of some of her more well known roles (the nurse in Romeo + Juliet, Lady Whiteadder in Blackadder, or Professor Sprout in Harry Potter, for example), you will be left wanting. Clearly she has a passion for stage acting, and I am slightly jealous that she got to play Yente in 'Fiddler on the Roof' without having to sing a note! I had to make do with singspeak in my school production...

It is a well known fact that the author has no real filter when it comes to swearing, innuendo and general smuttiness escaping her mouth. And while in interviews this is what makes her so hilarious, it doesn't quite come across in the same way through the written word. Be warned; there is a LOT of dirty talk in here. She might be a lesbian and repeatedly states that she has never slept with a man, but let's just say she isn't backwards in coming forwards about her intimate knowledge of male genitalia. I'm not that prudish, but I think these repeated stories actually do her a great disservice and undermine her actual talent (although she would claim that IS one of her talents); it just feels like she used it a lot as her standard bargaining method.

Practically speaking, the writing style is straightforward and relatively easy to follow; she doesn't stick to a strict chronological timeline so you do need to watch out for jumps back and forth. But it's definitely written in her 'voice' - you will hear her reading the lines to you in your head almost immediately. It is a bit light on details in places IMO - if she rook out some of the smut she might have had the words to tell her readers and extra proper story or two! However, even with my preconceptions, I found the book generally an easy read.

Overall, I'm not sure I like her any better after reading this, but I do think I understand her just a little better. Which I guess is the whole point.

With time running out, the seven demigods must race to complete their quest before Mother Earth rises again. Can they convince Greeks and Romans to work together, or will their enmity continue?

This was a fitting ending to the series. It ties everything off nicely and gives each character an appropriate stepping off point, but at the same time leaves the world open for more to come. Indeed, it quite nicely tees up the next series without committing to anything!

It makes me very happy that these seven demigods have worked themselves into a proper cohesive unit, and their allies outside of the seven all just fall in to the group when they're around. They can all make fun of one another without it being mean, there's no bitchiness or backstabbing, and even if there is jealousy or a dark spot, the characters recognise that it's a flaw in them, not the person they are jealous of. I like the fact that it illustrates that people can have different ways of thinking and approaches to things, and even disagree, but that doesn't mean their friendship isn't as strong or worthwhile as it should be.

I have to say that Leo really stood out for me in this book as a character - it feels like this book is truly his chance to shine. I love the fact that he stands out from the others in the group of seven; IMO he's probably the only one who acts his age! But especially in this story that makes him incredibly endearing, and his decisions even more affecting. 

However, Nico will always be my favourite after reading this series. His character has such depth and I completely love his development. I love the direction the author has taken him in, and I can't wait to read the book that came out earlier this year about him! 

If I have a criticism, it's probably that there are a few too many sub-plots going on. It almost feels like the script to a video game rather than a book. You have the main quest on the Argo II, and then the returning of Athena to Half-Blood Hill. But then there are side quests, bonus levels and of course various bosses to defeat before you get to the Big Bad. It makes for a wonderfully rich and full world, but at the same time trying to keep everything straight can get quite difficult - I feel like I need a save game every so often! 

I'm also slightly disappointed with Octavian. No spoilers, but I was hoping for so much more! 

Overall, I'm very glad I pressed on with this series as it definitely appeals to me more than the original Percy Jackson novels. But now I think it's time to read something other than Greek myth retellings for a little bit. Plus I need to get my hands on the rest of the next series before I dive into part 1of series 3!

The quest for the Prophecy of Seven continues. But Percy and Annabeth are trapped in Tartarus, the Argo II has run into trouble and the clock is ticking until Gaia fully awakens. 

This book seems to me to be more introspective than the others, with each character facing circumstances which cause them to consider their strengths, weaknesses and where they fit in the world. That's not to say the book isn't action packed and just as full of Gods and monsters as the others, but it does feel like a bit of a change of pace, and certainly wasn't what I was expecting from the penultimate story in the series.

They all have touching moments, but my particular notables are Leo's time on Ogygia, Frank's transformation into the leader he can be, and most of all Nico's admission. However, for such beautiful transitions, they are far too brief. I am hoping that Nico especially gets his moment in the spotlight during the final book, because he deserves so much more than what he's had so far! I know he has his own book now, but even so...

The aging up of the characters continues to delight and frustrate me in equal measure. Percy talking about kids and a long life with Annabeth... it's so sweet and well written, and I know that war always causes people to grow up faster and speed along decisions, but I have to keep reminding myself he's just sixteen! It does make me see a little more perhaps why they chose to case an older boy in the Percy Jackson films (sacrilegious though they might be) - if they'd got this far, the older actor would have come across as more of the 'right' age for this sort of discussion to make sense to viewers.

I like the point the author uses that, even amongst the darkest of creatures, there will always be one 'good' one. Again, this is something I hope comes back within the final story, as I have visions of all of the 'odd-ones-out' changing sides and fighting alongside Camps Half-Blood and Jupiter. And I do hope we get to see more of Bob and Small Bob! That was a lovely lite story arc.

I didn't actually care that much about the action that was going on in this book - it definitely works, but it felt like quite a lot of effort for quite a small pay off. There was no real jeopardy - I was never entirely worried that something outrageous was going to happen, so while I'm not saying it was a predictable story, at no point did I exclaim 'plot twist!!!'. I almost feel like it needed one of the heroes to die, or some other shocking event that makes you worry that the ending might not be all sunshine and roses. It all just felt very much like a set up for the finale, rather than a strong standalone tale as the others in the series have.

I really did enjoy it, just not in the way I was expecting or hoping for.