Waterloo Sunrise: London From the Sixties to Thatcher (John Davis)

“Swinging London” was a term applied in the 1960’s to London as the city built a reputation for creative music and vivid fashion. This was in contrast to the “stiff upper lip” London that lived in austerity after World War II. London’s youthful swag and confidence belied a city that was undergoing a transformation, losing its industrial character, and becoming more white-collar. This transition, which slowly undermined that “swinging” city’s swagger, is detailed in John Davis’s Waterloo Sunrise: London From the Sixties to Thatcher.

Waterloo Sunrise: London From the Sixties to Thatcher traces roughly a twenty year stretch of fashion, vices, urban blight, and attempts at renewal, race relations, and local politics and how they influenced events on a national level, including the eventual rise of Margaret Thatcher to the Prime Minister’s office in 1979. Davis’s book has wonderful detail and bounces between serious and lighthearted. One section explores the changing tastes of London’s culinary scene; another chapter dives into the seedier side of London nightlife.

All in all, Waterloo Sunrise was a joy to read. Many of us in America know of 1960’s Britain through Austin Powers, the musical “British Invasion”, or James Bond. Thankfully, Davis gives us a deeper look at a city that shared a lot of the same struggles and issues as our cities did on this side of the pond.

MY RATING - 4.5

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Geraldine Brooks’s Year of Wonders has an interesting premise that’s based on a true story.  The plague is sweeping through a tiny English village in the mid-17 ^th Century, carried from London by a visiting tailor.  While some of this novel is suspenseful, heartbreaking and downright scary, I found that much of the writing was dry and therefore, I had a difficult time getting through it.

The account is effectively told through the eyes of Anna, a villager who is seeing her family and neighbors die one by one.  The villagers themselves, led by their rector, decide to forego their first impulse of fleeing and thereby infecting other towns.  Instead, they isolate themselves to try to contain the terrible disease; panic, superstition, and suspicion of witchcraft follow, which one would think would lead to a can’t-put-it-down read.  However, that didn’t happen — at least for me.

Unfortunately, Year of Wonders suffers from being approximately thirty pages too long.  In addition, many of the events at the end are implausible and maybe even downright ridiculous.  I was hoping for much more from this novel, but I didn’t get it.

MY RATING - 2

Summer Secrets (Jane Green)

I'm always up for the latest Jane Green novel, as I find her books comforting after a long day.  They're relatable, and more often than not, have likable characters that you root for.  I unfortunately didn't feel that way about Summer Secrets, and while I like Green's writing style as always, I found parts of the novel just too unrealistic.

Cat Coombs has a stressful job as a London based journalist, and she deals with that stress in a most unhealthy way -- plying herself with alcohol.  After way too many benders, she finds herself one morning waking up in a strange man's apartment.  Jason hadn't taken advantage of her; he simply wanted to make sure she was safe as he too is an alcoholic.  Jason begins to take Cat to AA meetings, but all that is interrupted when she goes to Nantucket (!) to meet her long-last father and siblings.  Her love of alcohol gets the best of her, and she soon winds up doing something there that she will regret for years to come.  The remainder of the novel picks up later in time, but Cat always has that incident in the back of her mind.  Time to make amends?

Much of this novel is very far fetched, and I found a lot of cliches that I don't usually find in a Jane Green novel.  It's not my favorite, but her novels are still perfect for packing in a beach bag for a long day near the water. It IS called Summer Secrets, after all.


MY RATING - 2

The Quick (Lauren Owen)

Wow, what a book!  It seems like I've been in a pattern of rating books a 3 or 4 lately and haven't given out a 5 since Kimberly McCreight's outstanding Reconstructing Amelia.  However, that's all about to change with Lauren Owen's spectacular debut novel The Quick, a haunting (literally) novel that will take your breath away and keep your heart in a constant state of racing.

As most reviewers of this book have already stated, you can't write too much without giving too much away.  The Quick is best left up to the reader to unfold its many, many layers.  The bare bones: Charlotte and James Norbury are an English brother and sister growing up on a large estate in the late 1800s.  When writer James grows up, he moves to London and finds himself getting involved with a young aristrocrat, soon being introduced to all that is London high society.  Then, without warning, he goes missing, and Charlotte is desperate to find him.  Her journey for the truth is bone-chilling and filled with unforgettable characters (some of whom you wish you COULD forget). 

And that's all I can say without spoiling it; your job now is to run to the bookstore and get yourself a copy (well, when it comes out in June 2014).  You won't be disappointed and will find yourself staying up late into the night to find out what happens. Fabulous debut!

MY RATING - 5

Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)

If someone asked me to describe Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere in one sentence, I would say "It's the perfect combination of fantasy, horror, and comedy all rolled into one."  It's filled with twists and turns that are almost impossible to see coming, and the reader is in for a wild roller coaster ride through every page.

Richard Mayhew is just your everyday ordinary businessman trying to make a living in London.  On the surface, he seems to have it all, with a beautiful fiance and a successful job.  As he is walking to a highbrow dinner one night, he comes across Door, a girl hurt on the sidewalk.  While tending to her wounds, he finds himself unwillingly ensconced in Door's world (London Below), a world filled with the highest level of danger and things that are not at all what they appear to be.  I was entranced with the fantastical adventures of Door and her friends as Richard tries to make sense of everything he is seeing.

Neverwhere is hard to put down, and it's almost satirical in a way (it remains to be seen if Gaiman meant it like that).  At times, you will gasp at the horror of it all, and other times, you'll laugh out loud.  I recommend it highly.

MY RATING - 4

Elizabeth the Queen (Sally Bedell Smith)

Events related to Queen Elizabeth II and/or London have been in the news quite a lot lately, from the much-watched royal wedding in 2011 to the Summer Olympics in 2012. 2012 also marks 60 years on the throne, which was only surpassed by Queen Victoria. Even though there has just lately been a renewed interest in the monarchy, she has done her job and put duty above everything else since her ascension to the throne in 1952. Imagine the weight of your country (and the robes...and the crown) being put on your shoulders at the age of 25.

Sally Bedell Smith's Elizabeth the Queen is a thoroughly researched, 537-page biography. It begins with the story of her parents, famously depicted in the the award-winning movie, The King's Speech. The Queen grew up during World War II, repairing army trucks, never one to refrain from getting her hands dirty. When her father died, her reign began, and continued through 12 (and counting) prime ministers (the first being Sir Winston Churchill) and the many, many dramas of her children and family.

Bedell Smith wrote Elizabeth the Queen for 2012, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year. At times, it can read slowly, and some things were not really necessary to include (I don't need to read graphic details of the Queen watching horse intercourse.). Smith is also extremely flattering to the Queen and presents her in an always positive light, even though there have been controversies along the way. However, it is fascinating to read about the ins and outs of the Queen's life, from her sumptous events to her comfort in routines. This is a very worthwhile read.

MY RATING - 4

Jemima J (Jane Green)

After reviewing the outstanding Promises to Keep, I immediately e-mailed Jane Green to let her know how much I enjoyed it. I have contacted quite a few authors in the past, including Allison Winn Scotch and Suzan Colon, who couldn't be nicer. However, they are not quite as prolific and famous as Green. Much to my surprise, she e-mailed me back within minutes to let me know that it was a beautiful review. I so appreciate when authors (especially famous ones) e-mail their readers. Since Promises was the first book I ever read by Jane Green, I decided to try out her other ones, starting with Jemima J.

This is the story of Jemima Jones, an overweight journalist living in London. Jemima is funny and charismatic, but as we know, in this world looks matter. She is desperately in love with her colleague, Ben, who, though kind to her, does not look at her twice. Since this novel was published in the last century, the internet is just becoming popular (remember dial-up?). Jemima becomes fascinated with it and meets California Brad, the most beautiful man she has ever seen, in a chat room. When Brad asks Jemima for a picture as well, she must think fast. After pulling something together (her face without double chins on a model's body), Brad invites her to California. Will she go? What will happen when she gets there?

Promises to Keep is truly in a class by itself as far as I am concerned. Jemima J was not my favorite. I find it odd that the back states "With a fast-paced plot that never quits and a surprise ending no reader will see coming...". I'm sorry, but this reader saw it coming from a mile away. Green also has an annoying habit of writing in the first person (as Jemima) in one section, then writing in the third person as a Greek chorus in the next. Enjoy this at the beach, but don't expect anything out of it.

MY RATING - 2

Her Fearful Symmetry (Audrey Niffenegger)

Audrey Niffenegger is not yet a household name, such as Grisham, Patterson, or Dan Brown. Yet she is making a huge name for herself in the movies, as her debut novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife", did well in theaters. I am not normally a fan of books being made into movies ("The DaVinci Code", anyone???), but "Her Fearful Symmetry" was made for one.

Haunting, tension-filled, psychological...read this on a cold winter's night with a steaming cup of tea in your hand. It begins with the death of Elspeth Noblin in London. Before she died, she stipulated in her will that her American nieces, Julia and Valentina Poole, be asked to live in her flat for a year. In exchange, they would each receive a hefty trust. All bets would be off in Elspeth's twin, Edie, and her husband, Jack, set foot in the apartment. Why? One of the central mysteries in the novel is what happened between Elspeth and Edie.

Along the way, we meet Elspeth's neighbors in London...Robert, her young conquest; Martin, who is suffering from crippling OCD; and Marjilke, Martin's estranged wife. Highgate Cemetary, which is located right next to the flat, is its own character, as the plot turns quickly into a ghost story. What will the Poole sisters find in the flat? Will Elspeth ever be able to rest in peace? Those are the questions that will be answered very satisfyingly.

I would give "Her Fearful Symmetry" a 5 if not for the ending. Some questions remained unanswered. However, the story is pure knuckle-tension. Read it and weep.

MY RATING - 4

Twenties Girl (Sophie Kinsella)

Sophie Kinsella, in my opinion, can do no wrong. As you can tell from the books I have been reviewing, "chick lit" is not normally my thing. It takes a lot for me to pick one of those up. However, Kinsella is not your normal author when it comes to that. Her books are poignant, heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny, and just the thing you want to curl up with at night after a long day. "Twenties Girl" is no exception.

The premise is outlandish, but believe me, it works. Kinsella's latest follows Lara Lington, a Londoner starting out with her own business and desperate to get her ex-boyfriend to love her again. When her great aunt Sadie, who dies at 105 years old, begins to visit her as a ghost, things go even more haywire for Lara. Sadie cannot rest in peace until she finds a necklace given to her in the 1920s. Lara does not want to help her find it, but reluctantly agrees to get Sadie off her back. Kinsella's backstory of the necklace and ultimately how Sadie pulls Lara's life back together again is at the heart of the novel.

The author never disappoints. Be sure to actually read Kinsella (and her alternate pen name, Madeleine Wickham), and not think that movies such as "Confessions of a Shopaholic" do her any justice. Her books are great fun and will put a smile on your face.

MY RATING - 5