Adventures With Words - Latest Comments

Re: Review: The Chaos Walking trilogy, by Patrick Ness

cellenbogen — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 18:35:22 -0000

Convinced. Thanks.

Re: Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

penfrnd — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 06:16:47 -0000

"I wanted to root for someone but I just didn’t know where to go." Exactly my thoughts! But in the end, I was rooting for Nick, completely, wholeheartedly. He seemed to be the wronged guy to me. And I loved the book!

Re: Review: The Sacrifice by Charlie Higson

Adventures With Words — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:19:17 -0000

Kate highly recommends continuing; completely agree with regard to Higson too. It's so hard to write for young people with real insight and fully realised characters, avoiding sentimentalism and being patronising - Higson does it without fail, every time.

Re: Review: The Sacrifice by Charlie Higson

gaskella — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 18:33:50 -0000

I've still to read 'The Fear' so have only skimmed your review above. Higson is an inspiration though - I met and interviewed him a schools event.(see here). He was the first face to face interview I've done, and he was lovely. I really should get up to date with this series as I adored the first two.

Re: Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Adventures With Words — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 12:13:26 -0000

It's a real rollercoaster, isn't it? I really wasn't sure where I was being taken, it made me quite uneasy at times - it's certainly a masterpiece of manipulation and writing skill!

Re: Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Emily Johnson — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 23:24:39 -0000

I'm so relieved that someone else reacted to the book the way I did! I was hooked after the first few chapters and soon began to suspect that Amy had fabricated the diary and faked her abduction/murder. However, after a while, the book began to seem like the ultimate mystery novel tour de force, rather than a real character-driven novel. Psychopaths only have so much relevance for me, and the same is true for those who are attracted to them. (Actually, I am more interested in understanding real psychopaths than fictional ones--I'm not sure I believed Amy as a character.)

I couldn't put the book down but was glad when it was over. It left me wishing I'd spent the time reading something more satisfying.

Re: Review: Black Roses by Jane Thynne

Adventures With Words — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 18:22:49 -0000

I saw that after I posted the review - very pleased as I'd really like to spend more time with Clara, and maybe Leo too! Fingers crossed it won't be too long until the next instalment. - Kate

Re: Review: Black Roses by Jane Thynne

gaskella — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 08:05:52 -0000

I really enjoyed this book too - and it's the first part of a trilogy - Yay!

Re: Podcast: The Books That Made Us

Margit — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 06:48:21 -0000

I wish I could say something more exciting- but it was Hesse' s Steppenwolf when I was 16. Completely bowled me over.

Re: Review: Tall Tales From Pitch End by Nigel McDowell

brian hughes — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:43:20 -0000

What an excellent review. I have also read the book and I agree with Kate that this is terrific book. The final section is riveting. Great book!!

Re: Podcast: Reading Into Non-Fiction

David Nolan (David73277) — Sat, 11 May 2013 19:13:21 -0000

I caught up with this episode today. If you enjoy Richard Mabey's writing, I think you will love Robert Macfarlane's books. He is an English Literature don by profession, so not surprisingly there are many literary references in his books about the outdoors, although not quite enough of them to enable him to justify the trips involved as being part of his day job. It must be the short terms at Cambridge that give him time to go off on all these trips. His penchant for spending the night in a sleeping bag, even on the top of mountains in the depths of winter, always leaves me feeling like a soft town-dweller.

Re: BanksRead Review: Surface Detail, by Iain M Banks

Christopher Neilan — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:52:42 -0000

One of the great things about Iain Banks, apart from wit, intelligence, story-telling ability etc, is that he always does something different and unexpected. Every book you think- however did he come up with that!!! And yet he does it again and again. In this case it is as you say Kate the creation of a (very convincing) hell, and a reworking of ancient questions around that, such as can you maintain a moral and good society , or even any sort of society, by a contained (very very tiny!!) act of evil. I first came across it in an Ursula LeGuin short story, The ones who walk away from Omelas, but I believe it goes right back to Plato. Iain isn't as subtle as Ursula, but he writes with a savage relish! I miss him already and trust he finds the heaven he doesn't believe in.
Christopher

Re: BanksRead Review: Surface Detail, by Iain M Banks

gaskella — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:59:40 -0000

Kate, thank you for the link and taking part in the BanksRead Forum. Lovely review above - this is one of his SF novels I haven't read yet, but it sounds like I'll enjoy it a lot. I confess I haven't actually read one of his SF novels since 2008 when I re-read 'Player of games' for book group - I have some Banksian SF catching up to do!

Re: Review: Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway

Adventures With Words — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 14:25:55 -0000

I'm rather envious! This is going on my 'to read' list immediately!
- Rob

Re: Which Fiction To Uncover?

robchilver — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:18:11 -0000

That also sounds great! So pleased that all these great books (and authors) are getting wider audiences.

Re: Which Fiction To Uncover?

Alex in Leeds — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:17:31 -0000

For me it's definitely When Nights Were Cold by Susanna Jones. I loved The Earthquake Bird and the idea of Victorian ladies going off to explore the Antarctic really appeals. :)

Re: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists

Kate — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:44:36 -0000

Thanks Max - I haven't had a chance to read the original; I take it you'd recommend?

Re: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists

Mⱥx Ᵽ. Bⱥkerdrⱥgon — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:23:01 -0000

I'll wait for this one on DVD I think. I love the books very much (in fact Scientists! has a deep sentimental attachment for me), and from what I've heard the story's been completely changed. I know it's not exactly Tolkein or Shakespeare, but it's a book I love and I'd rather keep it as just that for the moment :)

Re: New Arrivals: Half Blood Blues and Carte Blanche

Designer Jewelry — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:07:08 -0000

Exciting novel, but embarrassing and unfulfilling in my opinion at its end. In part the story of two black American jazz performers as well as their German co-workers whose music and performing is suppressed by the Nazis in 1939 Berlin. Forced to flee to Paris, the two are accompanied by a Canadian woman working for Louis Armstrong and an African-German prodigy, Hiero Falk.
Magnificently written, gripping, with the fascinating, at times chilling, backdrop of the pre-war years, as well as a believable plot twist, Half-Blood Blues,like the best novels, seems too real to be envisioned. Strongly recommended.

Re: Simon and Schuster Blogger Event

Simon & Schuster UK — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:02:13 -0000

Glad you enjoyed the event! It was lovely to have you and Kate there!

Re: Review: Exit Wounds by Ruto Modan

havam — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:58:43 -0000

she is wonderful. i used to illustrate once so am the first to appriciate a true one when i see one. and ruto is certainly one. so tru to herself, modest with a sense of humour...love her work. looking forward to may be working with her soon. please contact me at the given e mail. thank you.

Re: Interesting Finds – August 24, 2009

marcnash — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:03:57 -0000

I love DeLillo for his word explosions and Cosmopolis is a wonderful lancet right into the heart of contemporary business culture.

Re: Interesting Finds - April 18, 2009

marcnash — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:58:46 -0000

Have you ever read Steve Tesich's "Karoo". As funny if not more so than "Catcher In The Rye". Sadly the author died soon after it came out.

Re: Book Review: Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

katiemorwenna — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:35:30 -0000

I absolutely loved this book. The entire story is completely unrealistic, and yet her characters really draw you in and make you believe it. I hope it doesn't take her another 6 years to write her third book (although if it's as good as this one, I think she can be forgiven...)

Re: Interview with Kate Pullinger

michelleyork — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:43:20 -0000

Excellent Intereview!