Helm by Sarah Hall

Posted by Kate W in Fiction and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Helm by Sarah Hall was my book group’s last pick. Our host, the wonderful Katie at Ramona Books, sent out a reminder email which made me laugh –

Helm, or Hmmm? … I’ll be pouring generously for all who managed to wade through.

In summary, it’s a story spanning hundreds of years, told from many perspectives, including that of a most unusual narrator – the wind. More specifically, the wind is the Helm, a strong, cold, northeasterly Foehn wind that blows down the slopes of Cross Fell in Cumbria, England. Helm is the only officially named wind in the British Isles and it is notorious for bringing freezing temperatures, roaring noise, and wrecking damage across the valley. Continue reading →

Flesh by David Szalay

Posted by Kate W in Fiction and tagged with , , , , , ,

What did I miss in David Szalay’s Booker Prize winning novel, Flesh?

I was engaged – the story moved along at a good pace with enough happening to keep me interested. The writing was fine – consistent, accessible, and well-developed characters.

And yet… there was nothing about this book that blew me away. Is it unreasonable to expect something of the ‘breathtaking’ variety when we’re talking Booker Prize winners? Or, if not breathtaking, then something that is arresting, dividing readers into one-star or five-star reviews? (I like books that illicit strong opinions either way.) Continue reading →

Discontent by Beatriz Serrano

Posted by Kate W in Fiction and tagged with , , , , , ,

I read Discontent by Beatriz Serrano (translated by Mara Faye Lethem) almost two months ago (yes, catching up on reviews, so I’ll keep this brief). Anyway, the point is that when anyone asks, “Have you read anything good lately?”, this is the book I suggest. I’m not constantly thinking about it, yet it’s the book that immediately comes to mind. Because it’s funny, it’s relatable, it’s well written and it’s also sad (or perhaps poignant) in an unexpected way. Continue reading →

Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with , , , , , , ,

01. Lots more at the Comedy Festival this week – Tom Sainsbury, Daniel Foxx, Geraldine Hickey, and Chris Parker. You know when a comedian mentions something that you had completely forgotten and suddenly it’s hilarious? (that for SSR – Sustained Silent Reading – with Tom Sainsbury, and continuous cricket with Geraldine Hickey). All were fantastic but if you have a chance to see Daniel Foxx, grab it. Continue reading →

Strangers by Belle Burden

Posted by Kate W in Non-fiction and tagged with , , , , , ,

I’m not sure why but I’ve been very slow off the mark with memoirs this year. Ordinarily, I’d be at least ten deep by April – memoir is my favourite genre. Anyway, I picked up Strangers by Belle Burden (subtitle – ‘Memoir of a Marriage’) and I barely moved a muscle until I’d finished it.

Belle’s story is relatively straightforward – happily married to a man called James, three teenage children, an apartment in New York and a large house on Martha’s Vineyard. Belle had worked as a lawyer at a large firm where she met James. She left the practice after they married and had their first child, and in the meantime, James moved to working with a hedge fund (and was very successful). When COVID hit, the couple moved to Martha’s Vineyard and fell into the rhythm of slower days, cooking elaborate meals and long walks.

And then James announced he was leaving Belle. Continue reading →