‘A happy man has no past, while an unhappy man has nothing else.’ (Flanagan, p.3) Read this book a couple of years ago, and been haunted by it ever since! Richard Flanagan‘s novel, ‘The Narrow Road To The Deep North’ is a story of doomed love; a story which left me feeling as frustrated with the actions,Continue reading “Serious Book – The Narrow Road …”
Category Archives: Savvy Book Reviews
Savvy Book – The Vegetarian
Han Kang’s ‘The Vegetarian’, currently available at Waterstones, is an emotive tale detailing the oft-times oppressive nature of marriage. A young woman has her chances of finding herself cut short, when she is targeted for marriage by a man who seeks out (rather than desires) one such as her, i.e. submissive, obedient and – inContinue reading “Savvy Book – The Vegetarian”
Savvy Books – Not Yet Wall
Independent Scotland Would England really be better off without Scotland or, post Scottish independence, would a wall need to be built to stop the English from stepping over the border to Scotland? These are the questions that led to the the novel I am currently working on, with the aptly-named title ‘The Wall’. Little did IContinue reading “Savvy Books – Not Yet Wall”
Savvy Book – The Girl With All The Gifts
I picked up ‘The Girl With All The Gifts’, thinking it must a biography of my childhood, amazed that, somewhat belatedly, I had achieved recognition – even if only as a work of fiction! But, alas, the reality turned out to be pretty grim. Far from achieving recognition, in M. R. Carey‘s story, I, along withContinue reading “Savvy Book – The Girl With All The Gifts”
Savvy Book – The Girl in Red
Finished it! A tragically-wonderful walk through the woods with a girl going by the name of Red. Tragic, because in the aftermath of a devastating disease, a young woman travels on alone to her Grandmother’s house, as she bravely finds strategies to cope with thoughts of the various family members she was forced to leaveContinue reading “Savvy Book – The Girl in Red”
Savvy Books – Old and Wise
Not sure that I need to read the latest book by Katherine Rundell! Just came across it on a perusal of Waterstones latest non-fiction list, the title of ‘Why You Should Read Children’s Books , Even Though You Are So Old and Wise’. And no prizes for guessing why it caught my attention! Those of youContinue reading “Savvy Books – Old and Wise”
Savvy Book – Giving a F**k
Just tackled Mark Manson’s book: ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck’. The key to happiness is, it seems, to be savvy enough to accept one’s own mortality! Personally, being silly as well as savvy, I’m having none of Mark’s other side. If he wants to step on over there, and plungeContinue reading “Savvy Book – Giving a F**k”
Savvy Book – The Killables
Since reading Julianna Baggott’s novel, Pure, I seem to want to devour every dsytopian novel I can get hold of. Is this my mid-life crisis talking to me, reaching out into the future in the desperate hope that I might live long enough to witness it? Or, in reading fiction aimed at young adults, isContinue reading “Savvy Book – The Killables”
Savvy Book – Pure
Sure, Julianna Baggot’s ‘Pure’ may well be a post-apocalyptic novel centering around the adventures of four knife-wielding teenagers but, to me, as a very-much-in-the-present-middle-aged-and-stressed-out mother, there is much I can relate to. Imagine this scene: You have lost your grip over your teenage sprogs, who have abandoned ship. You were rather hoping that, once settled,Continue reading “Savvy Book – Pure”
Savvy Book – The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Are you so in tune with the emotions of the people around you that, far from being savvy, you suffer from extreme anxiety? It’s bad enough to come over in all-consuming waves of worry over how someone else might feel about what someone else said, or even worse about what you said – you know,Continue reading “Savvy Book – The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake”
The Silly-Savvy Salopian in Suffolk: read, believe and write ... 