Publisher: Penguin Classics Pages: 246 Format: Epub Rating: Shirley Jackson gets over the usual cliché of ghosts’ stories by focusing on the psychological state of her main character – Eleanor. The point of view creates an entertaining and shivering novel.
When Dr Montague contacts Eleanor, she decides the offered job is what she needs. Two people join the Doctor and her – Theodora and Luke, the young heir of Hill House. As the party gathers, Dr Montague explains their task; he wants to study and understand the mysterious paranormal activities the house has been involved in. Strange and unusual things suddenly start happening, making the group wonder what is behind them – and Eleanor starts feeling that something is changing in her, physically and mentally. The story keeps a good and engaging pace, and the reader is seldom bored, but the novel was not exactly what I had expected. I personally think the huge psychological analysis of Eleanor shadows the intensity of the plot. However, the story is good and well-written with proper terrifying situations – I probably have to give another go to it to see if my disappointment is only due to my mood or misinterpretation of the story.
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Publisher: Penguin Pages: 288 Format: Paperback Rating: The Twentieth century undoubtedly was one of the most changing, terrifying, and revolutionary period the humanity has gone through. Huge political changes happened along with the unstoppable economic, scientific, and social developments.
In this chaotic mixture of events – which brought betterment and wealth – we can’t avoid remembering the terrible and dehumanising persecutions people of ethnic groups considered, for endless and senseless reasons, inferior have suffered. Bart van Es has always known his grandparents had done something very brave and special, but anytime he tried to talk about it, they evasively would shut the conversation down. During the Netherland’s Nazis occupation, van Es’s grandparents had hidden and saved a Jewish girl from certain death. The demise of an uncle of the author and the consequent realisation a generation of his family was fading away motivated the writer to get in touch with this girl – Lien – and recall those horrible years. Holland 1940. Beginning of the Second World War, the German forces invade Netherland. Immediately they implement a series of illiberal and discriminating laws against several minorities, especially people of Jewish ethnicity. Lien de Jong is only a seven-year-old girl when her parents decide to give her away, with the hope this move could keep her alive. Lien starts an endless journey from a foster family to another foster family, from city to city to escape the Nazis raids. Among the families she lived with, van Es keep Lien until the end of the conflict; the girl survived, but peace and love aren’t still on her path as Lien soon discovers that her parents didn’t – they died in a concentration camp. Terrible and charming, the story deepens the tragedy of Lien’s journey; the inhuman treatment she had; the violence she suffered; the betrayals; the flees people who helped her had to arrange to keep her imprisonment away. Lien’s sentiments slowly fade as her ability to feel something for somebody. Bart van Es thoroughly describes the change of her mental state; Lien knows she had to carry on running, escaping, and hiding if she wants to stay alive. An amazing record of a historical period which cannot be forgotten to avoid it might happen again. Publisher: Cornerstone Digital Pages: 384 Format: Epub Rating: Ernest Cline’s “Armada” is a wonderful immersion in the revolutionary Eighties and Nineties. As the author capably did with “Ready Player One, so references to these two decades fill the story, plunging the readers into the origins of the pop-culture.
Zack Lightman is a teenager, passionate about video games. Strongly influenced by his father – who apparently passed away when he was only a newborn – Zack uses his spare time to play “Armada,” a game simulating the aliens’ invasion of Earth. When a starship, bearing the symbol of the EDA (Earth Defence Alliance), lands on the playground of his school and takes him away, Zack realises that the virtual world of the video game was not as virtual as it was supposed to be, but real. The Earth Defense Alliance exists, and the world is under aliens’ invasion. The authorities have used video games for decades to train the population in case of extraterrestrial threat and recruit the best gamers. Zack is assigned to the Moon Base Alpha, where, along with other companions, they will have to stop and defend the Earth from the aliens’ squads. Although “Armada” hasn’t got the charming appeal of “Ready player one,” the story is intriguing. The beginning of the conflict has numerous inconsistencies, and the theory Zack’s father had figured contains a lot of evidence to suppose the truth is not what the government has always told. Zack wants to get into the fight and defend his planet, but he also wants to find out if his father theories were correct. He is stubborn and he will not give up easily. The right amount of twists and unexpected surprises keep the story interesting and alive from the first page to the last. Publisher: Piushkin Vertigo Pages: 320 Format: Epub Rating: The first encounter I had with the Japanese literature has been a few years ago, following the discovery of a manga – “Case Closed” by Gosho Aoyama. Being passionate about mystery, that new publication intrigued me – the main plot was quite simple: Shinichi Kudo, an adolescent detective, gets transformed into a child after ingesting an experimental poison and adopts a new identity, Conan Edogawa.
As it was easily predictable, the author was inspired by Conan Doyle – whom I had known the works of already – and Edogawa Ranpo – an unknown-to-me Japanese crime writer. That triggered my curiosity, and I read his most famous work “The Beast in the Shadow.” A decade after the satisfying reading of Ranpo, “The Tokyo Zodiac Murders” by Soji Shimada appeared out of the blue, straight between my hands. Japan 1936. Heikichi Umezawa is an artist obsessed about astrology and occultism. His hugest desire is to build Azoth - the perfect woman - following a strict combination of zodiac-related physical characteristics. The plan consists in murdering two of his daughters, two stepdaughters, and two nieces who possess the required characteristics, cutting out the astrologically relevant parts of their bodies, and combining them together to create Azoth. Heikichi accomplishes his foolish plan, and the case remained unsolved. After forty years, the illustrator Kazumi Ishioka casually mentions this story to his friend Kiyoshi Mitarai, who, intrigued, decides to travel to Tokyo with his friend to find out more. In the Japanese metropolis, Kiyoshi and Kazumi make a bet with a detective to solve the mystery in one week. Shimada has an impressive narrative ability; initially, he cleverly lays down the necessary information and clues to identify the culprit, then, page after page, he stimulates the readers’ intellect, asking to solve the case before reading the end. This challenge creates a solid and exciting connection with the reader. The mystery slowly unravels in the last part of the book, in which Kiyoshi explains how he figured out the assassin. In this astonishing novel, the readers become detectives and can try to solve the case by following the hidden clues in the narration – an unusual and original approach which entertains and involves. Publisher: Razorbill Pages: 288 Format: Epub Rating: Adolescence is a pretty tough moment in every person’s life. During these stormy, moody, and life-training years, we quickly grow up and develop the personality that will characterise us as an individual person. It’s demanding and chaotic to go through it, bearing the changes our body and mind have is not simple, interacting with people becomes a sort of challenge. Quite often the anxiety of being accepted and appreciated by the people surrounding us turns into a terrible nightmare. We waste a huge amount of time worrying about what they think about us or what they might say about us; every unpleasant joke, annoying rumours, and unrequested judgment can have nasty and mean consequences.
“Thirteen reasons why” by Jay Asher highlights this important period of our life, focusing on the negative outcome that made-up bad reputations, bullying, and mean gossiping can lead an adolescent to. The finding of a shoebox in front of the main door of his house baffles Clay. He wasn’t expecting any parcel, and he has no clue as to who could have sent it. The box contains seven cassette tapes, and every side is numbered from one to 13. Bewildered and curious, Clay starts listening to the tapes, and, as he hits the start button, the known voice of Hannah Baker – a girl who had committed suicide two weeks earlier – begins to sound. Every side of the cassette focuses on a person, and any person has a reason to have brought Hannah to kill herself. The girl explains thoroughly, step by step, what these people did to her and why they caused her death. Asher goes straight to the point and deals with such a sensitive matter in a simple and efficient style – the main narrative voice is Clay’s. Hannah’s pain and happening are heartbreaking and, at the same time, they bring the reader to think about the catastrophic effect of fake rumours and bullying can have on human beings. The book stupefies the readers for its clearness and straightforwardness; people are complicated and recognising promptly when somebody might be in need of help could save their lives. Publisher: Tor Pages: 128 Format: Epub Rating: Molly Southbourne apparently is a normal girl, and, like any girl, she attends the school, befriends with classmates and has a few boyfriends. There’s one thing only she must avoid doing: bleeding.
Every time Molly bleeds, monstrous and aggressive mollys – perfect copies of Molly – come out to pursue and attack either her or her parents. She doesn’t know where the clones come from and why she’s been suffering this terrible disease which pesters her entire life. The real reason and origin of this illness are more shocking and terrifying than what Molly can ever imagine. In this novella, Tade Thompson shows his incredible ability to tell stories and immerse the readers in his characters’ worlds – Molly’s intricate mental state is efficiently described as any killing is like Molly killed herself. The end of the book contains an unexpected twist which leaves you gawping and jaw-dropped by the consternation. Publisher: Vintage Pages: 400 Format: Epub Rating: Abir Mukherjee’s novel is an astonishing journey in the magical Calcutta during the British colonialism. The author thoroughly described what India was at the end of the WWI, adding the right amount of intriguing mystery.
1919. Captain Samuel Wyndham arrives at Calcutta after having fought in France with the British Army. The experience of the war, the life in the filthy trenches, and the death of his wife while he was away seriously destabilised his mental health. The enrolment in the Imperial Police of the city is a fresh opportunity to start over again and try to leave the past behind. Captain Wyndham’s first case, however, seems to be one of toughest: Alexander MacAuley, an important British businessman, is inexplicably found dead in an alley in the brothels area of Calcutta. The man was powerful and had numerous connections with politicians and important people. Wyndham investigates with the help of his subordinate, Sergeant Banerjee – rapidly nicknamed Surrender-not as the correct pronunciation of his name is difficult. Soon the policemen plunge in the dark side of Calcutta where rebels, selfish politicians, and greedy businessmen stealthily cooperate to maximise their thirst of power, wealth and licentious satisfactions. The author utilises the historical facts of India in an involving way – the references to important Indian revolutionaries and politicians spark the curiosity of the readers – mixing them cleverly with fictional characters. Captain Wyndham’s troubles and remorse torture him. The only method to send them away is the use of opium - a habit that may cost Wyndham his career. Sergeant Banerjee is a very interesting character; Surrender-not is an Indian policeman, and the cultural differences between him and Wyndham often bring him to bite his tongue and try not to express his real opinion on the British culture and their colonial control. “A rising man” doesn’t disappoint the readers and drags them in a mysterious – and extremely divided – city of Calcutta. Publisher: William Morrow Pages: 674 Format: Epub Rating: Religions influence our lives and culture; they are strong ideologies with their own structures, and preachers entitled to spread their teaching. Even if you’re not a believer, their impact affects your existence, social and moral views.
What God and Goddesses have in common in every cult is the clear superiority on our world – especially in the monotheistic cults. They lived their own life in their own World, seldom interacting with humans. What if they have been living among us for centuries, and we have never realised it? And what if the Old Deities would get back their ancient power to determine their believers’ lives? Neil Gaiman imagines and cleverly pens what can happen if God and Goddesses have stealthily been living among people and what they may do to regain their old power. After three years in prison, Shadow Moon gets released on good behaviour. Once he arrives at home, he discovers Laura, his wife, died in a car accident along with his friend Robbie, whom the woman had an affair with. He’s devastated by the loss, and, when a man named Wednesday contacts him and offers a job as his lackey, he reluctantly accepts it. Wednesday has a precise plan which brings Shadow to deal with ancient and new deities in a surreal conflict to prevail on one another. The final divine battle is quickly coming, and Shadow, unexpectedly, plays an important role. Gaiman efficiently discloses secrets and pasts of the characters, totally grabbing the attention of the readers. Shadow has the right amount of troubles to make him a perfect and involving main character – the absurdity of some situations he gets into and the shocking reappearance of Laura (as a walking dead) would snap every reasonable person’s mind, but he stoically resists and faces the reality with a cold rationality that keeps him sane. The novel unravels its mysteries, and the story goes on smoothly and pleasantly. Although I strongly recommend this book, the finale left a bad taste in my mouth. The story focuses on the coming conflict between deities, and when the moment comes and the war is about to start… well, it’s up to you to discover how the story ends by reading this amazing and entertaining novel. Publisher: Penguin Books Pages: 228 Format: Paperback Rating: The financial crisis of 2008 was the most terrific and shocking economic event since the collapse of 1929. After eleven years, the entire economic system is still paying the consequences, and the end hasn’t yet arrived. The governments quickly adopted unpopular policies of reduction of the public expenditures, worsening, in certain situations, the critical conditions of their economies.
Robert Skidelsky explains step-by-step the life and studies of John Maynard Keynes, the most famous and influencing economist of the Twentieth century, to point out how his theories, nowadays, are relevant and fundamental to deal with the negative economic trend. Born in 1883, Keynes’s theory became popular after the collapse of 1929. He challenged the main economic theory – based on the studies of the Classical school of which principal exponents were Ricardo, Adam Smith, and the academic rival von Hayek – and brought the attention on the demand, instead of focusing on the supply as his previous colleagues had done. The innovative theory led the British economist to claim that the State had an important role in preventing and balancing the economic shocks caused by the changes in the demand of a country. The author – who wrote the best biography of John Maynard Keynes – thoroughly goes through the life of the Master, then clearly analyses and contextualises his theories and their application. Keynes’s approach hasn’t always been successful, but it went through huge critics and severe questions. The book presents a detailed reflexion about the importance of the British economist and sets strong evidence about the Keynesianism; its influence hasn’t finished and left behind, but governments and economists have to reconsider it if they want to end this terrible and dramatic economic moment. Publisher: Orion Pages: 241 Format: Epub Rating: Ian Rankin’s “Knots and Crosses” marks a satisfying return to reading crime fiction after I dedicated a few weeks to sci-fi and fantasy genres. The author introduces Detective Sergeant John Rebus for the first time and portrays the beautiful city of Edinburgh as enigmatic, mysterious and dark as no other writer has ever done.
A cruel murderer wanders in Edinburgh, abducting and killing young girls. The difficult investigation completely absorbs the police force when Detective Sergeant John Rebus is called to join the murder team. DS Rebus is a former Army soldier who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. After this experience, he underwent the SAS selection, but, although he passed it, he had to resign due to a serious nervous breakdown, and he became a policeman. Rebus never talks about the time he spent with the SAS as something very painful happened and still chases the detective. As though the problems were not enough, a creep has also been targeting him with anonymous letters containing cryptic messages. Soon Rebus figures out those messages are strictly related to the murders of the young girls. The novel is a powerful mix of suspense, turns of events, and unthinkable revelations. As the story goes on, the readers slowly get involved in the dark atmosphere of Edinburgh and in Rebus’s shocking personal past. The main character is incredibly troubled; the memory of the inhuman treatment he went through during the SAS training tortures him. Rebus often thinks about Samantha, his daughter who is living with his ex-wife and rapidly entering the adolescence. The detective has a brother, Michael, who is a hypnotist but, without Rebus knowing, he also is a drug pusher for the Scottish criminality. Despite the family and work problems, Rebus is a good, very good copper who does his best to solve this intricate investigation and catch the culprit. A powerful and delightful book which perfectly combines the traumatic mental state of DS Rebus with a breath-taking and appealing crime story. |
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