I read banned books

I've just discovered that it's banned book week. The whole point of a dedicated week, is to explore ideas of censorship, politics and immorality.

There's a list on banned-books.org that lists a selection of book that have been banned historical or are still censored today. This wiki page also lists banned books.

I thought it might be fun to go through the list and pick out the banned books that I've read:-

M.R.C Kasasian, The Mangle Street Murders

The Mangle Street Murders was kindly recommended to me by Tiziana. I'm really grateful for her suggestion, as it turned out to be a really good read, set in  one of my favourite eras, the late 19th Century. 

The Plot: Sidney Grice, priggish and pompous, is a 'personal' detective, well-known for solving grisly cases. His ward, March Middleton, recently bereaved and new to London, is determined to assist Grice in his investigation, despite his objections. A young woman has been found stabbed over forty times in her own sitting room, her husband, William Ashby, stands accused of her murder. Grace Dillinger is convinced of her son-in-law's innocence and pleads with Grice to discover the real killer.

Rating: 3.5

Ian McEwan, The Children Act

The Children Act  by Ian McEwan is no doubt going to be a middle-class, dinner party conversation starter in the next coming months. Especially as it is so topical, with the recent media circus about Ashya King- a young British boy suffering from leukaemia, who's parents were arrested when they disagreed with the hospital's treatment options.

So if you want to be able to bluff your way through that dinner chat- read on....

The Plot: As her own marriage is in turmoil, judge Fiona Maye presides over cases in the family court. Adam, is refusing treatment that could potentially save his life, his objects stem from his strong religious convictions, and his equally devout parents share his wishes. As he is just shy of his eighteenth birthday, ans therefore a minor, Fiona must make a decision about whether or not Adam's wishes can be overturned and treatment administered. Her judgement has unexpected, and significant consequences for them both.

Rating:  3.5/5

Robert Harris, Pompeii

Robert Harris is best known for Fatherland, a novel about an alternative reality in which Hitler won the war, but he has also written loads of other historical fiction.

I'm sure most people have heard of Pompeii, the Roman city which was devastated and then preserved when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. Harris' novel imagines the days leading up to the event with both fictitious and real historical figures.  Pompeii is the first in a trilogy.

The Plot: Marcus Attilius Primus arrives in the Bay of Naples to take charge of the aqueduct that supplies water to 9 towns in the area. A drought and a corrupt millionaire, Ampiliatus, makes Attilius' job all the harder. Will Attilius be able to read the warning signs in time and escape Pompeii before ash and lava engulf him and the town?

Rating: 2/5  
full review under the cut

fantasy kindle samples

As I mentioned in my review of Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice  I'm looking for a new fantasy saga to get into whilst I wait for the new Game of Thrones (I'm going to have to be patient- it took 10 years between A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons). 

I downloaded a whole bunch of kindle fantasy samples to try, here are my initial impressions:-

Michel Faber, The Fire Gospel

I'm making my way through the Canongate myth series, so I was really pleased to pick up The Fire Gospel from my local library.

I've blogged about Canongate before, basically they have commissioned well respected authors to retell myths, folk-tales and biblical stories, if you want read my reviews of the other Canongate books click on the titles below:-
Ragnorok  A.S Byatt
Baba Yaga Laid an Egg, Ugresic Dubravka
Weight, Jeanette Winterson 

The Plot: When visiting a museum in war-torn Iraq, Theo Gripenkerl stumbles upon an ancient manuscript written by a man named Malchus, who personally witnessed the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus. When the fifth gospel is published it inflames believers, sceptics and Amazon critics alike.

Rating: 2.5/5

stories

Patrick Ness, More Than This

After been rather impressed (although not completely won over) by Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy It's been on my agenda to read more of his novels, so I ordered More Than This into my local library.

It's a YA (young adult, so about ages 13+) and falls into science-fiction/dystopian genre. If you are considering buying it for a child,  be aware it does have some sex in it, it's not really graphic but it is clear what's going on.

Trigger warning: homophobia, death, suicide, rape(implied), child abuse

The Plot: After drowning, Seth wakes up alone in a barren English suburb, he assumes to be hell. As he dreams about the most horrendous events of his past, and forges for food in abandoned supermarkets, he begins to wonder if there is more to the afterlife than first appeared.

Rating: 2.8/5
(ha- I know this is an unusual number to rate a book, but it is closer to a 3 than a 2, but when I compare it to other books that I've given a 3 to it doesn't quite make the grade)

Full review under the cut:-
*spoiler warning*

Is it worth the struggle?

Feeling like Carrie Bradshaw, I got to thinking is it ever worth is struggling on with a book?

 Nowadays, I only read for pleasure, but I still find myself soldiering on with books I'm not enjoying. There are several reasons for this:-

1. Habit- some of the novels I studied throughout school and uni really didn't interest me, but I had to read them for my course, and I think I'm still under the impression that if I've started something I should finish it. 
2. Recommendations- If the book has won lots of awards or has been lent to me by a friend I feel like maybe they know better and it's worth persevering
3.  Trend- 50 Shades is complete trash- poorly written and problematic, but I read them because I didn't want to be out of the loop. I wanted to know if they were as good/bad as everyone said
4. Needs Must-  I read a lot, and sometimes if I'm away, or haven't managed to get down to the library it's slim pickings and I'll read whatever is available- even if it's not any good
5. Duty- similar to my first point, I feel like I should read some books because their 'classics' and meant to be enriching. However, I've come to the realisation that the classics are heavily dominated by old, dead, white men and their enduring regard is influenced by patriarchal, classist and racist ideas.  

Take my recent library haul- two of these books went straight back. Whit I didn't even open, I read the back again and really didn't fancy it. I attempted A Girl is a Half Formed Thing but the fragmented, experimental style really didn't do anything for me. 

I do wonder if I have perhaps been too hasty however. For example when I started The Knife of Never  Letting Go I couldn't bare it, but have the first 3 or 4 chapters I was hooked. Or at the age of 11 when I was first handed Harry Potter by my teacher I was resistant, as I wrongly assumed that it was about train-spotting. 

On the other hand for some unknown reason I read Martina Cole's Two Women  until the end even though I was completely disgusted by it.  

To make a more informed decision about what is and isn't worth reading I'm going to adopt the 100 page rule. Basically I'm going to continuing reading (even if it's a struggle) and if it hasn't improved, or I'm not enjoying it, I'm going to put the book down and try another. 

What do you think? Have you ever read something to the end and wasted your time? Or, are you glad you stuck with it? 

Robin Hobb, Assassin's Apprentice

As George R.R Martin is a notorious slow writer, I'm trying to find an alternative fantasy series to get into while I wait for the next A Song of Ice and Fire. Robin Hobb has been highly praised by George R.R. Martin, so I thought her Assassin series was worth a go.

The Plot:The Kingdom of the Six Duchies is heading towards civil war, and further problems arise when is comes to light that the King-in-waiting has fathered a bastard son, Fitz. He is raised in the castle keep, resented by the populace but cared for by the gruff stable master, Burrich. As Fitz approaches adulthood, by order of the King,  he begins his secret training to become an assassin including an eduction in the Skill, the ability to ability to infiltrate and influence people's minds. He also shows a taboo affinity with animals, known as Wit.  

Rating: 4/5