Helene Wecker, The Golem and the Djinni

I picked up The Golem and the Djinni for £1.99 after reading a sample at the start of this month.

The Plot: Chava is a golem, shaped from clay and brought to life by a rabbi, who dabbles in dark magic. When her master, dies whilst a ship bound New York, Chava is left purposeless and alone. Similarly forlorn is Ahmad, a being of fire, trapped for centuries in a copper flask. Once freed, he is still tethered to the physical world, by a band of iron and must, like Chava, try to survive in a strange, human world. 

Rating: ««¶¶¶ (2.5/5)
full review under the cut:-

kindle samples 2

Continuing my quest to discover new authors, I downloaded a couple more kindle samples (the first part can be read here), here's my findings:-

Lagoon, Nnedi Okorafor 

Synopsis: On a beach in Lagos, aliens first make contact with a marine-biologist, a rapper and a solider 

My Thoughts: After really enjoying the first sample if Nnedi Okorafor's work (Who Fears Death) I've ever read, I had high expectations. I wasn't immediately grabbed with this though, it does however have potential. I'm a fan of alien films/tv shows (star trek enterprise and voyager in particular) so this sounds like it would be my kind of thing. Basing it just of the short samples I've read though, I think I'd rather read Who Fears Death first.

Verdict: would like to read the full book.      

The Coldest Girl in Cold Town, Holly Black 

Synopsis: Vampirism is regarded as an infectious disease, those who contaminated are contained in Cold Towns, and ostracised from the rest or the society.

My Thoughts: I secretly liked this. I say secretly because it's not the sort of book I'd like to be caught reading in public, so it's ideal for kindle, it's kind of trashy. It's YA fiction so no doubt will be full of teen angst, and I suspect a love triangle. Holly Black as certainly jumped on the Twilight bandwagon. Which means this novel is pure easy-reading escapism. 

Verdict:  would like to read (in fact I've already ordered in from the library- but shhhhh, don't tell anyone)       

kindle samples; science fiction & dystopian novels

One of the best things about kindle is the 'try before you buy', where you can get samples of books, usually the first chapter, sent to your device for free.

Dystopian fiction (like The Handmaid's Tale, The Huger Games, The Road) is my favourite genre to read, and I've recently being getting more into science fiction. I'm always on the lookout for more authors, so taking advantage of Amazon's free samples I downloaded several to try.

Drifting House, Krys Lee:  
Synopsis: A collection of stories that looks at Korea in the turbulent years post World War II and crosses the ocean to record the struggle of immigration and assimilation.
My thoughts: From the sample, there is currently no indication of SF, so I presume that this collection includes a mixture of genres. I did enjoy the first chapter though, partly because I used to live in South Korea and have interest in the culture, but also because the immigrant experience has a lot of dramatic potential.   
Verdict: would buy the full novel 



The Lives of Tao, Wesley Chu
Synopsis: A civil war is raging between the peace-loving Prophus and the ruthless Genjix, and as both rival factions use humans and animals as hosts, the war is threatening the survival of Earth and humanity.
My thoughts: The sample starts with a high-octane chase, very James Bond. I get the impression the rest of the book will be more plot driven than character based, so will probably make a good beach read. I am slightly put off, because I can't help but compare it with Stephenie Meyer's The Host, which also includes parasitic aliens and which I though was a poor read.
Verdict: wouldn't buy (unless cheap) but would borrow from the library 

Riddley Walker, Russell Hoban
Synopsis: Set in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, 12 year-old Riddley is trying to survive in the ruins of civilisation. Written phonetically with a distorted syntax, for example "O Im so col Im afeart Im going to dy" it is difficult to read.
My thoughts: The premise of this is right up my street, a classic dystopian novel about survival and rebuilding society from the rubble of the past, I'm not sure if the phonetically language would get on my nerves. I did have to use at lot of concentration to understand what was being said, and I'm not sure if my dyslexia would be a hindrance or a help in deciphering the language.
Verdict: would try and borrow from library, as there is a strong possibility I would give up halfway  


A Bottle of Storm Clouds, Eliza Victoria 
Synopsis: A compilation of short stories, considering morality in alternate realities. Including a story that features a pawn shop in which healed bones can be traded for a month's laughter, or sight for a singing voice.
My thoughts: The sample included one full story, and half of another one, both of which I loved. The supernatural and the mundane are beautifully and surprisingly blended. The only downside is, I'm not really a fan of short stories, I would prefer it is they intertwined somehow.
Verdict: would buy the full book (plus it's only a tiny £1.23 for the kindle edition) 

Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor
Synopsis: In post-apocalyptic Africa the world is harsh and violent, the Nuru kill and rape the Okeke without remorse. Onyesonwu is conceived through rape, and therefore shunned and feared, even more so when she starts to exhibit signs of powerful magic. 
My thoughts: since reading Octavia Butler's Wild Seed I've been on the look out for some more afrofuturism, so was thrilled to discover this. The book is of to a strong start, and the sample left me wanting to read more. 
Verdict: would buy the full book

Halfkinds Volume 1: Contact, Andrew Vu
Synopsis: In the near future animals are now equals with humans, but some taboos remain, including interspecies relationships. When an isolated human prostitute dies, her children (the result of interspecies liaisons) are threatened with exposure and experimentation.
My thoughts: I was hoping for something like Margaret Atwood's The Year of Flood where gene splicing had given animals near-human intelligence, but Halfkinds isn't anything like that. Actually is weirded me out, and I couldn't even finish the sample. Plus it isn't very well written and it doesn't feel like the alternate reality has been comprehensively created.
Verdict: would most certainly not buy or read 

What do you think? Have you read any of these books, or would you like to? If you've got any suggestions of dystopian/ science fiction I should read please leave your suggestions in the comments below:-

Matt Bondurant- Lawless

If you're a fan of the film, the book won't disappoint.

The Plot: Set in prohibition era America, three brothers defy the law when corrupt officers try to get a cut of their illegal liquor trade. Based on a true story and written by the descendant of one of the Bondurant brothers.

Lawless is violent and brutal. I was expecting it to be as I'd seen the film, but the description of Forrest Bondurant getting his throat slit was graphic and disturbing. The narrative reflects the harshness of the era, poverty was common and men had to be ruthless and show 'true grit' to be able to provide for their families.

"Most Bondurant men, including Jack and his brothers, had that strange obsession of the terminally poor; the dreams of wadded sums of cash, of heavy lumps of change in your pocket, the small stacks that speak of dreams. They banked on the salvation of a few dollars" 

I felt like I got a real insight into the manufacturing of moonshine and bootlegging. Matt Bondurant manages to give an impression of how illegal alcohol would taste and smell. The code of silence and men's presumed right to act independently of the law was an integral part of bootlegging. There is a pervading logic to the book that, although they were breaking the law and were violent, the Bondurant's actions were in some way justified. The brothers did adhere to some kind of moral code, they distilled liquor to feed their families and reacted violently to protect themselves and loved ones. 

I liked the inclusion of Sherwood Anderson, a character who doesn't appear in the film. He is a writer doing research into the Bondurant Boys and other notorious bootleggers in Franklin County. The addition of Anderson helped contextualise the Boudurant's narrative, he witnessed the poverty that motivated the brothers. He also observes the glamour and fame that was, and still is, associated with successful moonshiners.

Myth and reputation are key themes in Lawless. Matt Bondurant developed the narrative from newspaper clippings, trial transcripts and family lore. It was very interesting how, in part, the reputation of the brothers was crafted by hearsay and rumour.

If you enjoyed Lawless I suggest you try Cormac McCarthy an American novelist who also writes about tough and desperate men facing difficult circumstances. 

Chris Pavone- The Expats

I bought The Expats on a whim, as it was only 20p on amazon kindle. It's not my usual thing and I didn't have high expectations because of the bargain price, but I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Expats is a good, solid debut from Chris Pavone.

The Plot:   CIA agent Kate Moore quits her job and moves to Luxembourg with her young family as her husband is offered a new, well paid banking job. Kate initially views the move as a new start, a chance to be more honest to her husband (he is unaware that she was a CIA agent) and to distance herself from the guilt she feels after an undercover operation went wrong. However, soon Kate's past begins to intrude on her present. She is suspicious, paranoid and convinced that government agencies are either spying on her or her husband. She is distrustful of her fellow expats, and uncertain if her new friend Julia is all she seems.    

This is perfect easy-reading, ideal for a beach book as it is tense and well plotted. To begin with, it is unclear whether Kate is deluded, or right to be suspicious of her husband, his business and her new friends. Pavone is very effective at contrasting the monotony of being a stay-at-home mum with the excitement of Kate’s investigations into her husband’s dodgy dealings. Kate is both a Jason Bourne-esque former agent and a bored wife and mother, and I liked that these character traits weren’t mutually exclusive. I enjoyed the combination of domestic drama and spy thriller.

The action moves between Paris, Luxembourg and Washington and switches between past and present, which adds to the suspense. Luxembourg is well described, and though I’ve never been, Pavone made me feel like I have. As a former expat, I can relate to the claustrophobia that Kate feels within the expat community. People are united by a shared nationality rather than shared interests, a phenomenon that Julia takes advantage of to good effect.    

The Expats is an unexpected gem, and I am considering reading other similar spy-thrillers as I enjoyed this so much. Has anyone got any recommendations?