Saturday, 24 September 2016
Thursday, 4 August 2016
Saturday, 30 July 2016
Monday, 4 July 2016
Review of MALADAPTED by Richard Kurti
MALADAPTED may be set in a distant future but it contains
much relevance to the world of today. So much so, that I was a little freaked
out to read the opening – a terrorist bombing of a Metro, as the same events
unfolded in Brussels on my TV screen. One of the book’s protagonists, Cillian,
walks out of the explosion unharmed, only to realise that his whole life has
been a lie, because he is not, in fact, human, but a genetically engineered
cyborg. As he searches for the truth he comes in contact with the second
protagonist of the book – Tess, the terrorist who planted the bomb. The two
characters, who should hate each other, are drawn together as Tess is betrayed
by the fanatical religion she has been a devout follower of all her life.
Together, they try to make sense of a world in which robots
do the menial jobs while people get to enjoy all the benefits of ultra-modern
science and technology. Some people, that is. Because a mere scratch at the
shiny surface of Foundation City reveals an ugly underbelly – ‘Foundations were
always built on somebody’s bones.’
And indeed the book asks many important questions about
science, technology, and genetics. Just because we can do something, does it
mean we should?
The writing itself is super-sharp and as finely engineered
as the robots that traverse the book’s pages. Chapters are short and always end
on cliff-hangers which make for compulsive reading. The pace is incredibly fast
and cinematic, which is no surprise given that the author is a BAFTA-nominated
screenwriter.
A fantastic read which will appeal to even the
most reluctant readers. (12+)
Thursday, 23 June 2016
Kind Words from a Literary Hero
Some kind words from a literary hero of mine, Marita Conlon-McKenna.
Sunday, 19 June 2016
Review of CARAMEL HEARTS
The real strength of this book is in the characters. Each is especially well developed, flawed and believable. Liv herself is kind-hearted but fiery in temperament, stubborn, and appropriately immature. The other characters that populate the book are equally flawed which made me empathise with them - even the bully, Mad Dog. I particularly liked the fragile and fuel-soaked relationship she has with Liv. There is one particular gruelling bully scene, but the other encounters between the two are equally as frightening, and painfully real.
Because Murray's characters are so well-rounded and complex, the relationships between them feel very real to the reader. In fact, everything about this book feels REAL, which is why I loved it. The events and characters are so realistic, one wonders if there's quite a bit of autobiographical detail in here?
I thought the way the novel was structured around a recipe book was inspired and original. Indeed, I loved the title of Liv's recipe book so much I thought it would make a great title for the actual novel - Recipes to Make Happiness Bloom. But I like Caramel Hearts too!
This book is immensely readable, written in a language to reflect Li'v's life - simple, but underscored with emotion and complexity. A most enjoyable read!
Monday, 6 June 2016
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