Filtered Visions

Initially, I found this book incredibly difficult to get into. I had been trying to read it on busy commutes and hadn't really dedicated a lot of 'concentrating' time let myself get absorbed by it. I find it difficult to click my brain into the 'classics'; the language and the feeling of these types of books I find somewhat difficult to submerge myself in at the outset. I generally need to dedicate some significant time to them in order switch over and fully appreciate what's going on, which I didn't manage to do with Persuasion. For this reason, I feel I have probably missed some of the important plot points!


Saying that though, once I crossed the mid point and started cruising towards the end I truly loved this book. It definitely appealed to my hopeless romantic side! It's very strange (I think it's probably just me), but even though I had read the back cover (which unfortunately gives away the ending), I still was kept guessing as to what was going to happen! Austen managed to write in a couple of twists and turns into the love story which had me thinking 'Noooo!, that can't happen! It's not supposed to go this way!!'. Amazing that she could do that, even when I knew how it would turn out!

I found Anne Elliot a great heroine; from the outset I was fully supportive of her plight. I could really feel the unhappiness in her soul of the lost love (having been there myself!). The way that she had shut herself down from the enjoyments of the world and lost her mojo (!), which slowly returned after the re-appearance of Mr (Captain) Wentworth into her life. I loved the re-awakening of the character. The way she realised that the world that she lived in wasn't the world that she wanted, and that she wanted to be around the people of Uppercross (albeit reluctant of the change initially), rather than her regular circle. Wanted to be with the people that actually cared more for life and friendships rather than social standing. The way that her 'sparkle' returned.

But, purely the best thing about this book is the letter! It is the pinnacle of romance for me, everything about that scene was magical as I read it, I could have cried! It made all of my romantic hairs stand on end! Oh to have a Captain Wentworth!

I picked this book up because of the movie 'The LakeHouse' (starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu 'swoon' Reeves), it was Sandra’s character's favourite book in the movie and so I wanted to see if there were any parallels. Has anyone else read the book and seen the film? Obviously the main theme is 'waiting', for that person who is 'the one'. I also think that the connection between the two people awakens something in the other, making their life more complete, opening their eyes to a different way of living. The movie also expands on the letter writing (quite significantly!). Both tales are told in very different ways, but I think that the same feeling captured in both.

All in all this is a magically romantic book, sure to appeal to all those with a big heart. I loved it!

I have just finished reading 'The Ladies of Grace Adieu' by Susanna Clarke, it's a collection of short stories mostly all set in the same world as her last book 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell'; set in the 19th Century, lots of magic and fairies, mostly written like a Jane Austin novel. I really enjoyed it! I found the title story a little lacking, I didn't really understand what was going on (may go back and read it again!), but the others were wonderful.


Susanna dables with different writing styles in this book, one story 'On Lickerish Hill' is written in the style of 'John Aubrey' (whom I've never read), but I really enjoyed the rambliness of it: "My mother was mayde and cook to Dr Quince, an ancient and learned gentleman (face, very uglie like the picture of a horse not well done; dry, scantie beard; moist, pale eyes)."

Another story 'The Duke of Wellington Misplaces his horse' is set in the village of Wall, a fictional village from the head of Neil Gaiman in his novel 'Stardust'. My favourite story by far was 'Mrs Mabb', which tells the story of a love lost to another; me and my soppy heart!

Although the story was set in the world of Jonathan Strange, I really don't think it would spoil her first novel if you were to read this first. It doesn't relate to what happened in that book; however, you may not get all of the references or understand the characters (Mr Strange is featured in one of the stories) if you haven't read Jonathan Strange first. To get the most out of the books, I would definately recommend reading them in the right order.

The short stories are a little longer than most short stories, but perfect to read one a day, to and from work on the tube. Would definately recommend if you want a break from a full length novel.

I've been reading this little by little over the last few weeks and have been really enjoying it. I love Spike Milligan anyway, his silly rhymes have always made me chuckle but this book reflects the other side of Spikes personality. The poems carry you through some of the darker periods in Spike's life and explore his depression. These are certainly not the light quirky poetry you would be used to from him, they are all very moving and demonstrate the sadness that he had struggled with throughout his life. God bless Spike Milligan, may he have finally found peace xx

This is one of my favourite books of all time, scratch that - this is my favourite book of all time! I love it!


Neil Gaiman tells us the story of young Tristan Thorn, a farm boy of the village of wall and his quest to find his hearts desire. It is a beautifully woven fairy story which features witchcraft, mystical creatures and romance abounds to pull you along until the last page is read. It's a pity it isn't longer as I could read it forever!

I picked this up firstly because it was recommended, and secondly (or predominantly) becaus Neil Gaiman is the author. I have scarcily devoted any time to reading Neil Gaiman's graphic novels (where as I love his novels) so I thought I would give this one a go!


I'm not familiar with the original Marvel comic series of the Eternals and I think that this actually helps when reading this book. The reader gets to discover the hidden histories of these ancient characters as the characters themselves realise their lives are not all they appear to be. It is a cleverly unfolding story and each issue provides equal measure of questions and answers to peak your interest.

This book contains the collected first seven issues and it does very much feel like a beginning and back story to greater things to come - I look forward to the action really starting!

This is a graphic novel in the true essence of the phrase - there are no words. It is set in a very early civilisation I guess where words were not used, so the pictures really have to captivate well the meaning and thoughts behind the action; this book somehow manages to capture this incredibly well.


The downside of this book for me is that you can read it in fifteen minutes while standing in the bookshop. It really isn't one to buy unless you are truely passionate about the art and the story; which unfortunately, I am not.

This is definitely a hard book to pick up (even if you can get hold of it from the bookshop), I had difficulties gaining the energy to read it as it's not a particularly appealing subject matter; in fact, after hearing the synopsis I really didn't want to read it at all. However I pushed through that feeling as I wanted to join in with a reading circle, and I have been pleasantly surprised!


The book is a contemporary tale of a plague of blindness that affects the population and the chaos that ensues. The story predominantly follows an eye doctor and his wife as they are affected and put into quarantine by a panicking Government trying to control the outbreak. The novel is not for the faint of heart, it is a difficult book to read as there are many quite horrific scenes, however, it is incredibly unusual and ultimately rewarding.

It is such an interesting and very different book to anything I have ever read. The whole way in which it is constructed, the writing style, the lack of real visual descriptives (on the most part) and the lack of grammar really do leave you feeling a bit sensory deprived yourself. Which is a really unusual thing to feel whilst reading, and I imagine it must have been very difficult to write (or else Saramago is a very clever man!). I did find myself looking up from the book, testing my vision from time to time, which is just bizarre! Even when I think about the book now, I don't have any real sense of visuals (I normally can picture scenes and characters after reading) but not with this one, it's all a bit fuzzy around the edges! The unusual writing style does make the book somehow even more compelling; a lack of grammar makes you concentrate more on who is speaking (which you would if you could not see). Also, the neglect of character names and lack of visual descriptions all add to the feeling disorientation and deprivation that the characters feel.

It is not a traditionally scary book; the writer's style seems to be quite matter of fact, purely just explaining what's going on, so the reader is spared of the tense build up leading to horrible events, however the subject matter is scary enough in itself!

I did feel very much close to the action, like I was peering in through windows or listening in to conversations. I guess that's the magic of Saramago’s writing, subtly bringing me in without me even noticing. All in all, it was a very enjoyable read (sometimes hard going because of the harshness of the realities of life), but well worth it as it is such an interesting and unusual book. It really was something like I've never read before; I think that's really what made it so good! Blindness is very grim indeed, but at the end, I found it quite uplifting somehow, that the people had to go on this journey in order to gain understanding and greater appreciate what they have. It was a true test of survival, strength and survival instinct. It showed how people can adapt and that everything that was once important (cars, homes, family, material possessions) were taken out of the equation and replaced with new values; it shows the real strength of the human spirit.

--------------please be warned of spoilers below--------------------------------------------

- more of a discussion than a review to follow -

The story really was about the doctors wife for me. The doctor and the other characters really were very much secondary to the story. I really feel like I have missed something though. Why was the doctors wife spared? Is there a greater reason behind the blindness? I feel like everyone else went blind as they were thinking of themselves (i.e. looking in the mirror thinking 'am I next'), but I'm sure that the doctors wife really only thought of others, or certainly put them first...am I trying to think too much? Is it because she still had hope? I notice at the end the doctor said 'we are already half dead' but she replied with 'we are still half alive too'. She seemed to have this continuous optimism throughout which sets her apart from everybody else in the story. I really loved her character, she had such strength; the cracks only started to appear towards the end when the responsibilities of her position really started to sink in once 'normality' (to a degree) was restored and her exhaustion was setting in. But even then she was still trying to do her best for the others. I love the way that she 'absorbed' all of the horrors around her and painted a nicer picture for her comrades (such as when the dogs were feeding off a dead body, and she told them something else was happening).

I think it was a survival tactic for the doctor’s wife to be so optimistic; it would have been incredibly difficult for her without the optimism living in those conditions and being the only seeing person. I think without hope she wouldn't have had the strength to carry on. I really like the idea that she may have been singled out because of it though. That she was rewarded in a way for being positive and not selfish. I like the thought that everyone else was (originally) already "blind, blind but seeing, blind people who can see but do not see "where as she is different. Everyone else had to go through that experience in a way to get to where she was already. She was already 'aware' of the world and the people and in tune, whereas others may have been more blinkered and happy to ignore.

I really felt the pressure lift from her once the first man regained his sight and she let herself cry. She was no longer isolated and alone, no longer the sole carrier of the burden. I really felt the release in those tears.

I think it's because the story is so horrific, yet matter of fact, that I kind of feel immune to the general horror of the situation a little. The relationship between the doctor and his wife however has felt like the cornerstone of the book to me, their strength together I thought would continue on, unwavered by the events or that they would even become stronger still together because of the situation. After all, they must have a strong relationship for her to go with him even though she is not blind. I felt so overcome when his wife saw him get into the other bed and kiss the girl, I honestly wanted to put the book down and not pick it up ever again!

I wish that there was a little more build up to the relationship between the dark glasses and the eye patch; I enjoyed the subtle intimacies that they shared but I didn't feel much when they got together, is this just me? Although I do love the 'the man I am still loves the woman you are'. I love the fact that they could fall in love, or at least want to live together without ever seeing each other, such a romantic idea!

I loved the rain scene on the balcony. It felt so important for the women to wash away what they had been through, particularly with each other and not alone. Only they could truly understand (and not the men); it felt important to wash, repair and comfort each other. The feeling of the downpour to me was captured beautifully by the author. I could smell the rain; feel the crispness of the air, the purification and the collective unburdening of these women. That is a scene that is hard to forget.

I like the way the 'baddies' seemed to get retribution, the car thief, the hoodlums, and the soldiers too in a way. It made me feel that there was some justice, even if sacrifices had to be made.

It was a true test of survival, strength and survival instinct. It showed how people can adapt and that everything that was once important (cars, homes, family, material possessions) were taken out of the equation and replaced with new values. Even the boy no longer cried for his mummy as life was so completely different. The blindness brought a completely new set of needs and values; staying with the group, finding food, finding shelter. After a time, it felt like people were getting used to the new situation, senses of humour were returning and people had begun to organise and debate the future. It showed an amazing strength in the human spirit!

Every aspect of this book really demonstrates the strengths and courage of the human spirit (i.e. the women sacrificing their bodies for a shipment of food), and also the unthinkable lows that people will go to in order to survive, when really up against it (the doctors wife committing murder). I'm completely shocked by the 'evil' blind people and their regime; it was utterly unexpected turn of events, but one which, sadly, isn't too hard to believe that could happen. Unfortunately I can imagine there are people in the world that would take opportunity of such an appalling situation and try to use it to their advantage. So many different (and extreme) aspects of human characteristics, both good and bad are seen! ...not only with the blind people, but also the Government and the army when under extreme pressure.

However, I still think I missed the over all message of the book (I'm sure there's one in there somewhere!). 'We are blind, blind but seeing, blind people who can see but do not see'; that to me is probably where it's hiding, but I'm not quite getting it. Is Saramago saying that people in general are blinkered to the things around them? People look and see things but choose not to react or act, choosing to ignore instead? Is it a comment on society today? …And the blind statues in the church, is this saying that even God is blind? ...or was the epidemic something that people had to experience without God’s aid for some reason?

Is the sequel, 'Seeing', set after they all regain their sight? I wonder how people have changed from the experience, I wonder if they now place more value on their life and things that they have and their relationships, I wonder if they are kinder to each other. I wonder how the government was put back together, how the people reacted (particularly those that were in quarantine) and I wonder how society as a whole would have changed

Shopgirl – Steve Martin

Hyperion, New York; 2000
ISBN: 1-4013-0827-9

Steve Martin, comedy actor, pulls a surprise out of the bag with his touching novella, Shopgirl. The name ‘Steve Martin’ conjures up images of slapstick moments, hilarious gurning and perfect comedy timing; not penetrating insights into the soul and delicate melancholy which this story delivers in abundance. Not knowing anything of Steve Martin the person and only judging him on his movies, it was an unexpected pleasure to read this book.

This contemporary tale follows Mirabelle, a lowly shop assistant working in the almost forgotten glove department of a major department store in Los Angeles. Mirabelle is not a traditional heroine, she has a very quiet life, no real friends, two cats (only one of which will socialise with her) and she struggles to keep depression at bay. She has an interest in art and draws dark etchings from time to time, and even manages to sell a few to local galleries. The highlight of her week is when there is an opening at a gallery and she can spend a few hours outside of her normal life, being the kind of person that she wants to be. Mirabelle’s life is uneventful, unexciting and unchanging, that is, until Mr Ray Porter makes her the object of his desire.

Martin submerges the reader deep into Mirabelle’s world; we hear the narration not only of our heroine’s life, but also from the perspective of other key players; which gives a well rounded understanding of each character’s motivations and failings.

I found the perception of beauty to be a long running theme throughout Shopgirl. Being set in Los Angeles, Martin often compares the mystery and allure of a natural beauty (Mirabelle) against the seduction of cosmetically enhanced women, with the latter often shown to have the weaker attraction of the two. Mirabelle encompasses the appeal of subtlety; she has a number of admirers for whom a well put together outfit or an unnoticed glimpse of supposed to be hidden flesh will peak their desire and maintain their interest. This unassuming attraction is in direct opposition to Lisa, a sexual predator and rival Shopgirl at the department store. Lisa has an enhanced appearance and preens her assets into the most desirable manifestation she can conjure, in order to snare the attraction of everyman in the room. She uses her beauty and sexual prowess as an instrumental tool in becoming the epitome of lust which, to her, increases her personal worth and substantiates her existence. In a world where perfection is revered, are we correct to idolise the enhanced?

Steve Martin provides an accurate commentary on personality traits, exploring insecurities and desires. The over-riding feeling that I got from this book was not to let depression be a barrier to your hopes and dreams. I found Shopgirl to be a surprising and insightful read, and one which I would pick up again if I need a little inspiration. It seems there is more to this zany comedian than meets the eye!

I really enjoyed being back in Neverland with Pan, Wendy and the others, but the book itself I was a little disappointed with L It had such potential too! The author really has a wonderful way of capturing the quirkiness and magicalness of Neverland (such as with her descriptions: "a compass in Neverland has as many points as a frightened hedgehog"), but I think she focussed too much on trying too hard to get it right maybe. Her use of unusual and imaginative descriptions really did add to the wonder of Neverland, and she seemed to capture the essence of the characters by remaining true to their nuances, individual mannerisms and phrases; but somehow the novel just didn't whip me up.


It felt quite rigid in structure to me, every chapter felt like it had a purpose to unfold something new and move the story on. This is all very well, but I would have preferred it if she had spent a couple of chapters without any drama or anything new so that I could get to know the characters thoughts and feelings and get more swept up into their experiences and personal journey. It would have been nice if she had explored them a little more so that I had more of an attachment in what was actually happening to them in the story.

I also found that I had predicted what was going to happen from very early on, this is something I really enjoy doing, but it is nice to be surprised sometimes. JK Rowling really manages to make the unexpected happen; whereas Peter Pan in Scarlet just unfolded as I imagined it would. Credit it to her, there was a surprise in there for me that I hadn't worked out, but by then it was too late

I still think it's very much worth reading, it's great to be back in the world, and as I mentioned, the quirkiness of some of her descriptions are wonderful. Her ideas on 'what happened next' after the end of the last book are very interesting. For me though, it is just an average childrens book. I think I may re-read the original to see what it's like! (want to buy it in hardcover so that it matches this one on my book shelf ).

Inheritance Book One


Dragons, swords, Elves, Dwarfs, magic, mountains, spirits and an epic struggle between good and evil – what will book 2 bring!

Wow! This is book is my answer to Harry Potter! Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy the Harry Potter novels, but they didn’t capture my imagination in the same way that they seem to have for other people; Eragon does.

Eragon is a young boy, whose story begins on his uncle’s farm, where his whole mundane future is mapped out for him; that is, until fate brings a dragon hatchling his way that turns his existence upside down. The presence of the dragon draws enemies to the quiet village, the consequences of which are the destruction of everything that Eragon holds dear. Eragon and his dragon stead, Saphira, begin an epic journey of revenge and discovery which lands them right in the middle of a historic struggle of power across the Empire.

Christopher Paolini has created a wonderful universe, where magic, ancient languages and mystical creatures reside. The realm of Alagaesia contains the lands through which the journey takes place, Paolini’s vivid descriptions of the areas through which Eragon passes help to completely immerse the reader in this magical universe. With every new landscape or town that was visited Paolini managed to always capture the essence of the place, allowing you to see the dangers and hardships that each new area brings; providing a fuller understanding of Eragon’s plight.

The characters are very real, with their own back stories and secrets just waiting to be discovered. I found each character to have their own interesting personality and its fun to try and work out where each of their motivations really lie (I’m still not sure with some!). The relationships between the characters are also very real and touching in places, giving the book that extra edge as you can identify with their feelings (even if it’s difficult to imagine life with a dragon!). I love the special bond between Eragon and Saphira, their protectiveness over each other and the way that they are growing together; I can’t wait to see how their relationship develops in the next book.

Others have noted troubles with some of the language and names used in the book; something which immediately put me off (having stopped reading the Hobbit for the very same reason), but I persevered. Paolini created an ancient language to add weight to the magical nature of this book; an even though you have no hope of understanding these words (unless you look them up in the glossary), it doesn’t hinder the story in any way. There are only a small number of characters with unusual names to remember, and I was happy to read without looking up the ancient words. They are used on the most part in order to cast spells, and do not in any way stop you from understanding what is happening. I just read them as magical words like abracadabra (I’m sure Paolini would be mortified!); saying that, now that I’ve finished the book I may look back over it and see what they really mean (you never know – I may have missed out on something after all!!).

There are places in which you can recognise the influences, but I see this book as only adding to the magical lands created in the likes of the Lord of the Rings (I’ve never read it, but from watching the films, there are places where the similarities are pronounced  ); it is a great book in its own right. The crossovers with other novels, such as Harry Potter, are also there, but I feel this is likely to happen as they are both coming of age stories crafted within a magical universe.

All in all, I would rate this book very highly; I would list it among my all time favourites. It is a totally absorbing, easy read, with enough danger, mystery and heart to pull you along to the last page without a struggle. In addition, I find Christopher Paolini and his family completely inspiring (have peek on his website www.alagaesia.com ). He began work on this novel as a teenager, and through a couple of years of hard work and dedication, with support from his family (who published the book in the first instance), he has created a top selling novel and blockbuster movie to boot. His story makes me want to be a better person, I’m sure we all have it in us!

I can’t wait to read Eldest!!

ps. I tried to watch them film - I made it twenty minutes before having turn it off - it was awful!!!

From the author of The Secret Life of Bees comes another vividly descriptive book, The Mermaid Chair.


The novel details a tempestuous time in the life of Jessie Sullivan, dependable wife and mother. At a time when she was feeling trapped in her settled and routine life with her husband; Jessie welcomed the opportunity to go home to Egret Island, after her mother has an ‘accident’. Upon returning to the island, after five and half years of being away, Jessie embarks on an emotional journey; as her soul re-awakens.

In a drastic departure from her quiet married life, Jessie begins a torrid affair with a Benedictine Monk, revelling in her new immense feelings of sexual desire, freedom and longing; and releasing her to find the real Jessie that had got buried during her marriage. The question of whether her marriage will survive the end of the book is one that kept me in agony, knowing how she felt about both the men in her life. I also really felt for both the male characters as the author gave enough depth to their characters to make me care what happened to them.

The sub-plot of her mother provides an equally emotional distraction to Jessie’s unfaithfulness. Her mother’s instability and the secrets surrounding her father’s death give an air of mystery to the novel which peaked my interest to try and discover the truth.

As with The Secret Life of Bees, this book is incredibly descriptive. It is set on an island for which Sue Monk Kidd has beautifully created the look, feel and smell of each scene; and for me, it perfectly captured the feeling of time spent by the sea. As an example…”…the aroma of the island penetrated, a powerful brew of silt, old crab pots, salted air, and black, gooey mudflats alive and crawling with pungent creatures”. Even now, I can close my eyes and picture the sights and sounds of Egret Island.

The Mermaid Chair has a nice easy pace and is very easy to read, with enough going on to pull you through and keep you interested. It explores themes of religion, faith, love, relationships and the strong bonds between female friends. I wouldn’t rank this book as one of my all time favourites, but it was an enjoyable read. I loved the self discovery aspect of the novel and how Jessie became a whole person again, taking control of her own life. I did find it a little too emotional at times for my taste (I don’t cope well with story lines of unfaithfulness), and also some of the scenes involving the mother were sometimes a little strong; but on the whole I would recommend this book.

Even though I love Take That and have been a fan since the beginning (..and still am!), I was disappointed by this. I didn't enjoy the writing style and felt that sometimes it's better to remain a little illusive, ignorance is bliss after all!

Bloomsbury, London; 2003

ISBN – 0 7475 6810 3

I have to say that I loved this book. I cannot say that it is a heart warming journey, every page filled with life affirming goodness that everyone should read, but I can say that I was truly touched by the words on the pages. Every time I turned the page I found something so inextricably true that I am, on this rare occasion, moved by the openness and honesty of a very brave author. It seems to me that Marika Cobbold has laid down some of her innermost thoughts and feelings that most of us would not be inclined to admit to even our closest friends, let alone put them in print for the world to read (it is hard enough admitting them to ourselves!). It is the unflinching reality of her words that make this book such an absorbing and refreshing read.

This contemporary novel tells the story of Grace Shield, a successful photographer who has given up on her career and now leads a quiet and uneventful life. That is until an unexpected package and a newspaper article written about her life, lead Grace down a pathway of remembrance of her own past, and the discovery of hidden histories.

The book is set during the here and now of Grace seeking answers about her untimely gift. Cobbold uses the journalist’s article as an original way of allowing flashbacks into Grace’s past, letting the reader ‘remember’ the events as Grace’s memories are triggered by the journalist’s words. This mechanism gives the book a very natural flow and creates a closeness with Grace and an insight into her internal responses to situations which may not have otherwise been achieved. We follow her through her difficult childhood, her first love affair, a marriage and plenty of heartache along the way (and there is a lot of heartache).

In order to find out more about her package, Grace seeks out an old acquaintance, Louisa Blackstaff, who reveals her own history to Grace. This discussions are written in Louisa’s own words as she tells her story to Grace. Again, this feels like incredibly natural way for the story to unfold and allows the reader a connection with Louisa and a much greater understanding of her character. She talks us through her unhappy marriage, stifled dreams and a forbidden love affair.

Shooting Butterflies is a great commentary on human relationships, from Grace’s bond with her Step Mother, Mrs Shield, to the attachment to her first love, Jefferson and the affection for her husband and in-laws. When Grace was having difficulties with her marriage, the excerpt ‘‘She pretended to be asleep and he pretended to believe her” really sums up to me what it is like to be living with someone when there is tension. It’s this kind of delicate observation of human nature that I admire in this book. Furthermore, when describing the thoughts of meeting an old friend that she hasn’t seen for a long time, she thinks “I don’t know if you are married, if you have children, I don’t know what you do for a living, how you decorate your home, yet I’ve hugged you when you cried. I know that shellfish makes you puke and once, when we were scared, we shared a bed”. This captures perfectly to me the bond between old friends and the unspoken knowledge that despite being out of touch, and no matter where you are in life you still share these things.

As I mentioned before, this is not a heart warming journey filled with tenderness; in places it is very dark and very bleak; “the worst thing is losing someone you love and I don’t have that worry any more; I’ve lost them already”. Cobbold’s words had me sobbing into my pillow for about ten solid minutes one night, so raw is the pain that is portrayed. But, for me, underlying everything in the book is romance and emotion. Not just romance between a man and a woman, but real romance of thought and of the soul; for example, when thinking of her miscarriages “She fervently hoped there was such a thing as reincarnation and that her incomplete babies had been able to return to base to be told, with a smile and a slap on the back, ‘Better luck next time’”. This to me is a romantic and hopeful way of looking at a terrible situation.

Overall this book to me is perfect (I mean it, I loved it!). As a main character, Grace is not a wishy washy romantic heroine, she is flawed and has a very black outlook, and this non-traditional characterisation really appeals to me (not being a fan of traditional romantic novels). The emotion is real and raw in places, but not over the top, enough that you can really ‘feel’ the heart of story. There is a dusting of witticisms to lighten the air, and there is enough of a mystery to make you want to find out what happens next. Having just picking this book at random from the shelves at my local charity shop, I am now a full supporter of judging a book by its cover! I will definitely be reading Marika Cobbold’s other books.
________________________________________

…and just as an aside, once I finished this book I was listening to Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes album, and two tracks really stuck out as capturing the two leading ladies, this makes me wonder if Marika Cobbold listens to Tori, or this is just some odd connection that my head made…

Grace: “From the shadows she finds away, clutching a faded photograph” Louisa: “She’s everybody else’s girl, maybe one day she’ll be her own”
________________________________________

If anyone else reads this book, below are a few questions that have presented themselves to me whilst reading… what do you think?

The ghost of the Madonna: the only reference to timings that I could find was that ‘it hasn’t been seen for a while’. Could the vision of the long haired Madonna be the reason that Arthur was captivated by Louisa’s ‘unusual’ beauty? He called her ‘his Madonna’ – OR - Was the ghost actually Louisa on one of her night time escapades from the institution? (personally I’m leaning towards the latter at the moment)

Jane Dale: I was thinking that she had an affair with Arthur, it was certainly alluded to with what Louisa saw in the evenings, but it was never confirmed (not that I could see anyway). This thought was somewhat dispelled with the ease at which she was removed from the family; any thoughts? And why was she turning the children against their mother? Did she want Louisa’s place in the house? Was Jane the reason why Louisa was sent away, by Jane telling Arthur stories of what she had seen and heard Louisa do? Why did she have so much influence over Arthur?

Louisa’s continual manipulation by her husband: (and indirectly by Jane and the mother in law). Did her husband never really love her as he was so caught up in his own greatness?

Was Grace right to ‘get her shot’?: (how heartbreaking was that chapter!) How do you think Jefferson would have felt not having her ‘with him’ as he died or was he content knowing he was inspiring her work, her other love? The book talks about capturing the moments, but the moment she captured wasn’t a moment she lived as she was behind the lens, what do you think of this?