The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1900)
ISBN: 0142427500 | Pages: 208 | My Rating: ☆☆☆
I have made a full review on my youtube , but this book really was unexpected. Although L. Frank Baum stated and the New York Times agreed that this was a wonderful fairytale detached from horrors and nightmares of violence, I just cannot see how this statement can be justified. Whilst it is a well known and loved classic, considered one of the greats, I have trouble with it's deeper moral meanings. I did not expect so much murder and blood shed upon the yellow brick road, and that is why it was so surprising.
Sage Volume One by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (2012)
ISBN: 1607066017 | Pages: 160 | My Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
There is so much hype over this graphic novel and it is most certainly deserved. This turned out to be an absolutely fantastic read, that I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed ! Imagine Romeo and Juliet but it space. This can only be described as a Sci-fi adventure, where much conflict is created from the consequences of an intergalactic romance. If that does not hook you in I don't know what will.
I do however have to give a warning that this series is extremely sexually explicit, so perhaps you may want to avoid it if you are not a mature reader, or feel like you cannot handle the topic matter. But it is fantastic and I highly recommend.
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014)
ISBN: 1476746583 | Pages: 530 | My Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Historical fiction is truly one of my favourite genres, and when they are beautifully written I cannot control my gushing. This story is just so beautiful and fantastically told.
Based on both French and German perspectives of the World War II we follow the lives of 2 young spirits living during this difficult time. Marie-Laure who has lost her sight faces many challenges to survive during this most tumultuous of times, that provides us as a reader with an interesting tactile experience of reading the novel. We see this world in beautiful descriptive details of colour, sound and touch, that is unlike anything I have ever read before. Werner, an orphaned technological genius who manages to progresses from a children's home, through the ranks of Hitler Youth, provides a look into the concept of the blurred lines between good and evil, which I find most interesting in historical fictions.
The way each story becomes interwoven in this novel is so cleverly achieved. Most importantly although there is multiple perspectives, each individual voice is clear and captivating. Each chapter leaves you in suspense and you want to know what has happened to the characters that we have become so completely invested in.
This novel is beautiful and painfully real, and I cannot highly recommend it enough!
So I have decided to give this old blogging thing another try (third time lucky eh?).