Sally Green. Penguin. (512p) ISBN 9780141375397 The Smoke Thieves is the first in a new series by Sally Green, the tone is quite low-fantasy throughout, more an adventure but with demons and demon smoke permeating the story. Demons aren’t really explained in this book, lots of allusion and ideas but nothing solid, as diaphanous as …
Penguin
Books v. cigarettes
George Orwell. Penguin. (144p) ISBN 9780141036618 Totally bought this because of the multiple essays on books, bookselling and book reviewing – some of my main pleasures in life. The title essay is still as apt now as it ever was, comparing the price of a book with another common leisure purchase which today we usually …
The Adversary
Emmanuel Carrer. Vintage. (208p) ISBN 9781784705800 The Adversary is an interpretation of the name Satan, and this is where the writer gets the title of the book from, as the acts and behaviour of Jean-Claude Romand could be interpreted as evil. This is a hard read, but compelling, in the way that watching a car …
Two Can Keep a Secret
Karen M. McManus. Penguin Random House. (336p) ISBN 9780141375656 I’m not a big reader of mysteries or thrillers, the ones I’ve read in the past have seemed to rely on body horror and shock to progress the story line. So it was with some trepidation I approached Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M …
Outside
Sarah Ann Juckes. Penguin Random House. (288p) ISBN 9780241330753 Ele lives Inside with The Others and is visited by Him, but dreams of The Outside which she only knows from a few books that are in The Tower with them. A tale of abuse, horror, fear, and redemption. Sarah Ann Juckes takes this tale into …