The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld

I find nothing better than a good murder mystery, especially an historical one, so I was very eager to immerse myself in the Interpretation of Murder. It is set in 1909 when Sigmund Freud went on his one and only trip to America to deliver a series of lectures on psychoanalysis; after which he described the Americans as “savages”. He always spoke in later years of this visit as if some trauma had befallen him in the United States. No-one knows for sure what happened to Freud to make him react this way. Jed Rubenfeld takes this historical fact and creates a scenario where Freud’s visit coincides with a mysterious murder. The second victim manages to survive and Dr Younger, a Freud devotee, is asked by Sigmund Freud to help the second victim regain her memory after the attack by using Freud’s techniques. Jed has moved some historical details around as he explains in the author’s note but I loved his attention to detail, especially the description of the privileged upper class New York socialites and the strained relationship between Freud and his then disciple Carl Jung. I found it compelling and a real ‘who dunnit’ which kept me guessing all the way through and  found it a fascinating portrayal of the New York of 1909 and an excellent debut novel by Rubenfeld.

Eleven by Mark Watson

I first saw Mark Watson doing a standup comedy gig on Michael McIntyre’s ‘Comedy Road Show’. I thought he was delightfully quirky. On first watching him, it looked like he had come out on stage with no material and was adlibbing the whole time. I only learned later, after watching a few of his different gigs on YouTube that this was merely his style. I was an instant fan; and as an avid book reader I was delighted to hear that he was also an author. I immediately got my hands on a copy of Eleven.

It is basically about a seemingly insignificant incident that sets off a domino effect of events in eleven individuals’ lives. It is a thought that has occurred to me many times before, how all our lives are linked in some way, and how someone’s decisions can in some way have an effect on your day without you realizing. It is a simple idea which is excellently executed with a surprising yet fitting ending.

The story follows Ireland Xavier, and it is his action, or lack thereof, that starts the series of events in eleven separate lives, which are all in no other way connected to each other. We are also intrigued by the circumstances that brought Xavier to London, who is originally from Australia, which Mark Watson unfolds throughout the story.

I must admit that I thought it might get confusing (or boring) going through eleven different stories, but Watson quite convincingly handles multiple plots with entertaining ease. Being a comedian, I expected a laugh out loud comedy. Although there are funny moments throughout the novel, with insightful commentary on human nature, it is quite a melancholy book. I highly recommend this book. Watson has an easy and captivating writing style. 

He is also absolutely hilarious, so if you haven’t seen any of his stand up, do yourself a favour and look him up!  

NaNoWriMo

November is National Novel Writing Month (and all the wannabe authors of the world went – WOOHOO!)

It is a non-profit literary program that challenges aspiring novelists to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.  The idea is that you bash out the complete rough draft of your novel in November, and with a complete novel finally out of you, you can sit back, relax and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.

With the deadline of 50,000 words in 30 days – gulp – you have no choice but to shush those self doubting and procrastinating voices within and finally just throw all caution to the wind and write that novel that has been sitting within you for decades.

As you may have guessed, I am jumping on the literary band wagon and am attempting a novel in a month (I have started in October and have written 1305 words; is that cheating?)

I, along with many other fledgling authors out there I’m sure, hold no delusional hopes that my novel will ever be published. Even so, would it not be fantastically wonderful if, sitting on the tube one day, someone opposite you takes out a novel to read that happens to be one you’ve written?

I hope you join me for NaNoWriMo. (You can even be like me and get a head start on things by starting this month) If you do want to give it a go, I’ve listed some links to helpful websites for new writers.

National Novel Writing Month – The Challenge!

Starving novelist – Fantastic blog for all aspiring authors. She has great tips and helpful ideas.

Procrastinating writers – Offers guidance for writers who struggle to get started. Latest blog posts offer some advice for NaNoWriMo.

Writers online – Great resource for all things writing related.

Struggling authors – Technical and moral support for new and unpublished writers.

Writing excuses – podcasts to help you banish those pesky excuses and start writing!

Room by Emma Donoghue

Room was a tough subject to tackle. Emma Donaghue, however, manages to do this excellently. We start the story on Jacks 5^th birthday. He was born in an 11 foot by 11 foot room, which is the only world he has ever known. He lives with his Ma and his ‘friends’ Rug, TV, Wardrobe and Plant; as his mother has given characters to each of the objects in the room. Room is the only reality that Jack has ever experienced, and the things he sees on TV like other boys and girls and the outside world are not actually real to him. Jack is unaware of the true horror of his situation. Ma protects him from their captor Old Nick, who to Jack is just the man that brings them food and Sunday treats. Jack has never seen Old Nick as he is always instructed to hide inside the wardrobe when Old Nick visits. This world is shown to us through the eyes of this 5 year old boy, and Emma decides to tell this story in his voice. The reader is fully aware of what is going on even though Jack does not grasp the tragic reality of his world. This makes it a lot easier for the reader to digest such a difficult subject.
When, through various circumstances, Jack eventually does see ‘Outside’; it is a real mind trip to discover the world for the first time through the eyes of this 5 year old boy. Donaghue takes us on a journey of discovery with Jack. I did battle at times to read the 5 year olds language, and it was not an enjoyable book to get totally lost in. But it is skillfully written and the story is told in a refreshing way.

Starter for Ten by David Nicholls

This is the story of Brian Jackson. He is about to start university and has the naïve idea that he can be a totally different person. With dreams of intellectual debates, poetry readings and drinking “fine vintage port out of tiny glasses while listening to Miles Davis,” Brian leaves behind his childhood friends, Spencer and Tone and sets off for his new university experience.

On his first night he meets Alice Harbinson who is, of course, out of his league; and falls totally in love. To impress her Brian joins a quiz team; which he only gets onto because one of the other contestants falls ill.

Of course things don’t go according to plan; which leads to totally embarrassing and cringe worthy scenarios; and I would actually have to put the book down for a moment to recover, all the while relating to the angst Brian is feeling (that, I’m sure, we have all experienced by simply being a teenager ). This book is laugh out loud hilarious! Brian constantly puts his foot in it and gets himself into social situations that feel like you are watching a car crash about to happen.

It is a totally enjoyable book and I will definitely be reading more from David Nicholls.

The hand that first held mine by Maggie O’Farrell

 The pace of the book is deliberately slow. Maggie O’Farrell takes her time when setting the scenes and describing her characters. She uses vivid imagery and unravels the story gradually, revealing the journey of her characters bit by bit. Her descriptions of people, places and emotions are tangible and you end up being totally immersed in this book.

It tells the story of two women; separated by 50 years, whose lives are somehow linked. Lexie Sinclair is a strong willed and determined young woman who, against her family’s wishes, has moved to London from her rural home in Devon; where she believes her life will finally begin. Her story takes place in the 1950’s in Soho, where she starts this new life with Innes, a handsome and charismatic magazine editor and the love of her life.

In present day London, Ted and Elina are coming to terms with the changes in their lives after the birth of their first child. Elina can hardly remember who she once was, and her relationship with Ted seems strained as she struggles to regain what they once had. Ted is plagued with memories of his childhood that don’t seem to match up with his parents’ account of events, and his past is shrouded in mystery, with only broken glimpses of the truth.

It is a skillfully written account of these four characters lives. I felt that I was joining them in their journey of discovery as the story is slowly pieced together, finally revealing the entire picture. An excellent book that will keep you captive till the last page.

The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark

This was very simply a lovely book to read. It takes place in 1945 just after the Second World War. We enter into the lives of the girls of the May of Tech club, which is essentially a girl’s hostel. The girls live within limited means, often exchanging rations and sharing one Schiaparelli dress for an evening out. Nicholas Farrington, a writer who is introduced to the club by Jane Wright, a publisher, falls in love with the May of Tech club and is intrigued by it and its members and we get to view the girls through his eyes.  Muriel Spark uses amusing snippets from life within the club to reveal to us the everyday happenings within, like spreading margarine over their bodies so the girls can slip out the lavatory window to sunbathe on the roof, and the older members of the club bricking up the skylight to the roof as it was rumoured a burglar (or lover) had entered through it. It is youthful and lighthearted in places, yet Spark aptly includes slices of poetry throughout the book that culminate in a dramatic ending. All the events that take place in the club seem like unrelated stories at first but they are all skillfully brought together in the end. It is cleverly written, switching from the present to the past and my only disappoint was that it was such a short book.

We Had It So Good by Linda Grant

Stephen Newman is an American born to immigrant parents. He sets sail on the SS United States as a ships steward and takes up a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford. He meets Andrea, the awkward red-head, whom he marries for convenience and the book tells the story of their lives, as well as the lives of their friends Ivan and Grace. It is a story about the baby boomer generation who wanted to change the world; who had high hopes and higher ideals. Linda Grant views everything through the eyes, and differing opinions, of the various characters. They, especially Stephen, Andrea and Ivan seem to have it all, but throughout the book Stephen is never fully satisfied; always longing for more and the life he envisioned for himself back in America. He constantly refers back to his “maroon and white SS United States cabin-boy” uniform he doesn’t fit into anymore, which symbolizes his once unknown future and the potential he possessed as a young man. Stephen and Andrea, who have humble beginnings and reject materialistic pursuits when newly married, end up owning a £3 million pound house in Islington. Ivan as a young man wanted to demolish capitalism; but enjoys a successful career in advertising and the wealth this brings him in his middle-age. Only Grace stays true to the 1960’s ideals they all shared in their youth. It was a book that drew me in immediately and I wanted to follow the lives of these characters through the decades to see how situations and circumstance would change them. I found that it had a quietly tragic tone as life doesn’t turn out how they had once hoped. It is an insightful and engaging book which I didn’t want to put down. Linda Grant does tend to change tenses often which can be a little confusing, but once you get used to it, it is thoroughly enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it.

Norwegian Wood written by Haruki Murakami

A story about a young man, Toru Watanabe, who is transported back to his student days in Tokyo when he hears his first loves favourite song; Norwegian Wood. It is set in the 1960’s, at a time of student uprisings and free love. When an impetuous young woman called Midori marches into his life, he is forced to choose between the future and the past.

This book has received great reviews. Murakami is ranked“among the world’s greatest living novelists”(Guardian). I was therefore very eager to read this novel. However, much like the time I saw the musical ‘Cats’, I didn’t see what all the fuss was about. I felt like Louis Walsh at the end and I “just didn’t get it.”

When we watch “reality” TV shows we know that most of it is scripted to make it a little more dramatic. If a camera were to genuinely follow a person around, it would be considerably more boring as, let’s face it, everyday life is not that exciting. When reading ‘Norwegian Wood’ I felt as if I was reading someone’s account of his very ordinary and mundane life. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never did. I even started to guess what I thought was going to happen, and enjoyed my story a bit more. I have never stopped reading a book half way through and trudged on, still expecting the ending to be profound and thought provoking. The conclusion felt rushed and left me disappointed. The main characters were very believable and engaging, but other characters were introduced who didn’t add anything to the story and it felt more of a chore than a pleasure to read.