BOOK REVIEW: ALL THAT REMAINS

Title: All that remains: a life in death 

Author: Sue Black

Publication: 2018

Genre: non-fiction, autobiography, memoir 

Pages: 339

My Rating: ★★★★

What if death is just the beginning of a different phase of existence? 

As morbid as it sounds, I've always been fascinated by death. I think it's a topic that deserves more positive discussions within our western culture. When I discovered this book on forensic anthropology it piqued my curiosity, so I knew I had to give it a read.

Dame Sue Black is one of the world's leading anatomists and forensic anthropologists. Her area of expertise is identifying people from their mortal remains and her extensive career has covered some significant discoveries in modern history. 

Rather than focus on specific cases, the narrative in this book explores death in all its guises and through a range of situations that Black has experienced in personal and professional circumstances. 

The author takes us through her life —starting with a Saturday job in the butches and then soon onto university where she spent a lot of her time in a lab dissecting a cadaver. She recalls criminal cases she's worked on, her upsetting involvement in identifying children's bodies in Kosovo and the Tsunami-ravaged Thailand, the different ways of disposing of the dead (my favourite chapter), the latest development of embalming techniques and considers her own thoughts on death.


Black is a formidable writer. She gives us just enough levity to ease the difficult subject matter and her attitude towards death is fascinating to read. She is open and honest with personal experiences of grief and trauma, and she discusses some of the more harrowing aspects of her career with frankness. The emotional strength and resilience Black has are admirable and she seems to genuinely embody an incredible healthy approach to the mental health issues associated with any profession which deals with traumatic incidents.

I thought this book would be quite a hard one to read due to the sensitive and grave topic of death that many of us struggle to talk, let alone read about, but to my surprise, Black eases us in with her quirky sense of humour and wit. In many books that I've read, gallows humour is either ignored, alluded to, or employed simply to shock the reader. Black, however, manages to bring us into the fold without being insensitive or inappropriate. She incorporates humour whilst maintaining the reality of humanity and sensitivity and I found myself smiling and laughing along with her, seeing the lighter side along with the dark. 

From the get-go, Black establishes a clear voice. Her Scottish matron, no-nonsense persona comes through so clearly, and it's such a contrast with the subject matter that I couldn't help but find it amusing. The book's alive with her own down-to-earth personality and it's one of the things I love about this book.

Some parts are of high comedy—her great Uncle dropping dead in his bowl of tomato soup, for example (what a way to go) and others are extremely poignant—her work in Kosovo and Thailand. For me, these are the most gripping chapters of the book. 

I must admit, I struggled at times due to some of the disturbing and emotional content which could be a little graphic. In particular, the chapters about the author having to identify the copious bodies of children during the war crimes and genocide. It's heartbreaking and intense, but extremely interesting. The dedication Black showed to such distressing work is admirable and I think it should be an inspiration to us all. It is certainly a job that Black has stepped up to and in her telling, she provides a commendable service to those dead and alive with such dignity and respect.

Despite the challenging content, I enjoyed reading about the author's warm approach to death. Something that will always stick with me is her saccharine personification of death. Seeing death as an omnipotent female is just that little more comforting, and for me, it eliminates the fear of dying and death a little bit more.


The only reason why this book lacks five stars is because of a slight factual overload. Black tends to heap a load of scientific facts and statistics together in some sections of this book and I felt like these particular sections lacked momentum. At times, it felt like I was reading a paragraph from a report and the clump of information went straight over my head. Ultimately, I lost interest and found myself skipping over these parts. Unlike myself, you might love reading declarative sentences about scientifical statistics and figures but for me, I found it a little dry. That's the only negative thing I have to say about this book!

Overall, All that remains is an honest, thought-provoking and fascinating insight into the world of forensic anthropology. Sue Black has a beautiful way of looking at death and is not only incredibly accomplished with her work, but has done so with grace and tact. This book lets you enter into the world of anthropology in a way that is accessible and comprehensible. The science is lucidly explained and Black's personal reflections are as touching as they are stimulating. As expected from a book like this, it can be a little disturbing and emotional to read but Black never fails to give us that compassion, understanding and warmth. 

This book and the author's wisdom have stayed with me long after I finished reading it. I'm filled with admiration and honour for Dame Sue, anatomy professors and their students and not forgetting those who have donated their bodies to science. 

I cannot recommend this book enough and perhaps like me, you'll close the last page becoming a little wiser, more knowledgeable and less fearful about death herself when she comes to take us away. (Plus, you get to find out the careful way to cut off someone's limbs and the 17th-century approach to making human blood jam, so I suppose that's always a bonus, right?)

A SIGN OF THE TIMES- "THE HYPNOTIST" BOOK REVIEW

Title: The Hypnotist

Author: Laurence Anholt

Publication: 2016

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Rating: ★★★★

Favourite Quote: "[...] she simply said that a sense of curiosity was a commendable thing and if more young men took the trouble to understand the natural beauty of the female form, there might be a little more respect and lot less stupidity amongst them."

"In the dead of night, Pip is plucked from an orphanage and hired as a farm hand. But Pip is black. The farmer and his wife are white. And this is 1960’s America, where race defines you.          

Jack Morrow has left his native Ireland dreaming of a new life in the American Deep South. He has certain skills that he mostly keeps hidden. Skills in hypnotism and mind control...

Pip and Jack’s lives become inextricably linked as the heat of racial tension builds to a terrifying storm.”

Set in the 1960s, the story follows three characters: Pip, an African-American orphan; Hannah a Native-American maid and Jack, an Irish immigrant and hypnotist. Between them, there are three different forms of narration: a third-person account of Pip and his experiences; the first-person reflection from Jack who addresses the readers directly; and a series of original poems/songs from Hannah. The book pieces together their experiences on a farm in deep southern America and the shift between their voices add a wonderful texture and a variety to the reading experience. 

When Pip is bought and paid for at an orphanage, he's worried about his future.  But the worn, skinny old man called Mr Zachary who 'adopts' him is kind and explains to Pip he chose him because he can read to his bed-ridden wife, Lillybelle, seeing as the Zachary's are illiterate. On the farm, Pip meets another teenager- the mute and mysterious  Hannah, who Pip thinks is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. They meet Jack, their neighbour, who tutors them and he strikes up a fatherly relationship with the children due to his empathy and respect for them and soon enough they earn each other's trust and they all become friends.

Life on Dead River Farm, however, isn't all sweet. The Zachary's have a son called Erwin- an angry racist, Vietnam veteran who's also the leader of the local Ku Klux Klan. Pip, Jack and Hannah face the prejudice, danger and violence of the racist, ignorant people they encounter. Jack delivers a kind of therapy and escapism for the children through his hypnotism. Together, the three of them open up to one another, exploring their pasts and working towards finding a way to make a future in an environment that doesn't offer them much.

"That's th' way it should be," said Lillybelle. 'Folks livin' together in harmony like spoons in a drawer."

Something I love about this book is that Pip is inspired by Dickens' Pip from Great Expectations- Pip's favourite book in the novel which he always carries around with him. Elements from the original text flow through the book: from his parentless childhood; meeting the modern Miss Havisham, lying obese in her bed surrounded by decaying food and the tempestuous Hannah who lives in the house and with whom Pip promptly falls in love with. Though modern versions of classics can be really awesome to read about, I'm glad Anholt doesn't mirror Great Expectations too rigorously. There's room in the novel for a new, deeper and darker story to emerge.

"My mind was in turmoil and fear [..] this fear was something far darker and sinister. It was the realisation that the world I thought I knew did not exist at all- the word 'justice' had been torn from the dictionary."

The Hypnotist lays out the political and social context of the time, plotting insignificant moments of the civil rights struggle and other events, crucial to the 1960s.  One of the reasons why I love this book and have chosen to acknowledge it in my blog is because it reflects a contentious contemporary environment, which is very worrying seeing as this book takes place 60 years ago.  It's horrible to see the parallels between then and now. No we don't have segregation anymore and yes, the race relations are better than they were but they're far from perfect. There's still a number of issues with racism, ignorance and interrogation. Whilst reading some of the racist rants in the book, it sounded all too familiar to the stuff being said today, particularly in post-Brexit Britain. The Hypnotist shows the awful consequences of when these dangerous views go unchallenged. 

"Colour prejudice would indeed be comical if it were not subjugating, dividing and murdering to this very day."

 The book has a strong moral objective which demonstrates that hate in all forms should be rejected. The past shines a light on the present and hopefully, the exploration of the past in literature can help us not to repeat our indiscretions again. Anholt is adamant that we be aware that discrimination and its injustices can occur anywhere at any time and his novel articulates this sentiment, particularly the dark side of human nature. The inclusion of an afterword from Anholt also makes this read a particularly timely warning from history.

Overall, The Hypnotist is a compelling, vivid and powerful look at a turbulent period of American history that will have you weeping in frustration at the injustice in the world. It will shock you and educate you but will leave you believing that even in the most brutal and vulnerable environments, no matter how alone you may feel, there's still room for the discovery of kindness and friendship. Pip, Hannah and Jack are such a powerful unlikely trio who somehow defied the odds in their own way. 
I can't recommend this book enough! 

BOOK REVIEW: The Couple Next Door

Title: The Couple Next Door
Author: Shari Lapena
Publication: 2016
Genre: Mystery, Suspense 
My Rating: ★

"You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall. Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying. Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You'll have the baby monitor and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour. Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She's gone. You've never had to call the police before. But now they're in your home, and who knows what they'll find there. What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?"

I had such high hopes for this book seeing as it was listed by WHSmith as "book of the year" but I was so disappointed after reading it. I'm so shocked that this book has so many positive reviews. I wanted to throw it across the room and go back to WHSmith, get my money back and beg for them to remove it from the shelf. So, apologies, but this review is going to be me ranting about everything I disliked about The Couple Next Door. 

When new parents Anne and Marco Conti's babysitter cancels on the night they're supposed to be going to a dinner party, they decide to go anyway and leave baby Cora in her crib. They rotate shifts to check on her every half hour but they come back and find the front door ajar and her crib empty. This storyline echoes the 2007 Madeleine McCann case (the three-year-old British girl taken from her bed whilst her parents were out having dinner with friends, and she's yet to be found.) So I guess you can say the premise of the story isn't that original, but it's still intriguing nevertheless. 

I can see how this is a promising starting point for a domestic thriller, but, my immediate objection was that I felt shamelessly manipulated by the end of the first chapter. This poor couple has their baby stolen- how could you not sympathise with that, I hear you ask. Well, because leaving your baby ALONE and getting DRUNK at a party is not exactly a responsible thing to do.

There are only a few characters in this story. The parents, the next door neighbours, Anne's parents the detective. Anne, we learn, is an unstable woman with a background of blackouts and mental health issues. She spends much of the book in tears. Marco has a business which is failing- a fact he keeps from his wife. Anne's father, Richard, is a multi-millionaire and dislikes Marco, claiming his daughter is too good for him, though he himself is a pompous arsehole. Despite this, he financially supports the business for the sake of his daughter. Cynthia, the stunning next-door neighbour is sexually voracious and extremely unpleasant. Her subservient husband is a shadow and very quickly fades out of the book entirely. Rasbach, the detective, is perceptive but his investigation is dull. In fact, the whole thing reads like a police procedural manual.

 The first thing that put me off this story was the writing. It's so very simple and fragmented. There were many occurrences of "he said calmly" and "she was nervous." Stop telling me how the characters feel. SHOW me. Every time Marco was pacing the room or bouncing his knee, the author feels the need to tell us that he is restless. Well obviously. I can see that for myself. At university we were always reminded that the most important rule of story-telling is 'show not tell', and Lapena fails to do this. Furthermore, the omniscient narrator was unintentionally distant. I felt like I didn't know any of the characters that well other than what was happening in their present thoughts. This leads me on to the second problem: the characterisation. 

There wasn't one person whom I liked, connected with or sympathised with. That's pretty shocking seeing as this is a book is about a couple whose baby has been abducted. Anne is clearly set up to be a sympathetic protagonist, but her character seemed very two dimensional to me. She spends much of the book in tears and wallowing in self-accusation which becomes very annoying. 

When I read mystery novels, I can never work out what happens, I'm the "I did not see that coming" person, even when many others did. However, with The Couple Next Door, after about 100 pages I knew who the culprit was, why they did it and how they did it. I kept doubting myself- perhaps the twist might come at the end, but no. The story played out exactly how I thought it would.  Also, the mystery, which may I add, is very anti-climatic, is solved just over halfway through the book. It doesn't completely resolve what the hell is going on but it's enough of a reveal to kill the suspense. The ending is left open but I wasn't longing for more, it was more of an "okay, yep, whatever" type of reaction to the end. The last three pages were completely out of context, over the top and you could see it happening from about a mile away. 

The book is also filled with plot holes. For example, without ruining too much, a man dies but we don't actually find out why, or why this mattered. Stuff like this was most likely added for a shock factor rather than to make actual sense. It seemed like many events were included just to push the story forward without any relevance or impact, pretty much like Anne's postpartum depression. I disliked the way Lapena focussed on mental illness as a way to explain a negative situation. The representation was more problematic than not and it was unnecessary because it held no significant value.

The last issue I have with The Couple Next Door is the front cover. Yes, it's a pretty trivial issue but it still bothers me. One thing I can't stand is front covers which have no relevance to that actual story. There are so many different covers I could think of rather than a misty window (e.g. townhouse fronts, open garage, baby monitor, empty crib etc.) It gives a much better hint as to the plot of the book and it'll draw the buyer into wanting to read it. The cover seems rather lazy and pointless to me- like the book.

 I finished this book quickly because I was anxious to see if there'd be anything that would excite me but, alas, there wasn't. It ultimately falls flat as a result of a messy conclusion, and the use of a lot of unnecessary details. Of course, I wouldn't recommend this tediously boring novel but if you have read it I'm interested to know what you thought of it. Perhaps there's something good I'm missing?  Let me know!

BOOK REVIEW: FLOORED

Title: Floored
Author: Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, Eleanor Wood
Publication: 2018
Genre: YA
My Rating: ★★★★
 Favourite Quote: "The world seems bigger to me now than it ever did before. I might feel older and sadder than I used to, but for the first time i'm starting to feel a lot like myself." 

"When they got in the lift, they were strangers: Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shouldn't be here at all, but who wants to be here the most.

And one more person, who will bring them together again on the same day every year."


Floored is a story about six teenagers who are from different backgrounds- socially, economically and sexually and they all meet for the first time in a lift. After a shocking incident occurs in that lift, their lives become linked. Every year the six of them meet and on one day each year, we get to watch their lives unfold.  

 This book is a collaborative novel written by seven UK young adult authors with a really interesting premise. I must admit, at first I was a little dubious as to how seven different authors could create a story together that didn't feel like it was glued together randomly, however they actually pulled it off well and the skill and craft that went into this story is actually pretty impressive.


"So here we have them: the swot, the fraud, the dutiful daughter, the child star, the fangirl and the asshole.  The six of them assembled in an awkward circle, trying not to stand too close to one another in the small lift, and failing."

There isn't a proper plot in this book. It's not a story; rather it's a journey and it's a journey about friendship. We get to delve into the life of 6 different POVs as they grow from teenagers to young adults. Through the novel feelings are hurt, mistakes are made, hearts are broken, ambitions change and relationships change, develop and fall apart. All of these dynamics are explored, and I think for me, this is what makes this book great. Despite their different personalities and lifestyles, their bond grows stronger as each year passes, even though they are all heading down different paths.


"I'm laughing because...well, who knew it was so easy? To stand up for myself; to not be silenced; to tell my own story how I want to tell it."

Another thing I love about this book is the diversity of the characters and the character development that comes with it. Each has some sort of issue that is affecting and breaking them and they have to find a way to get through it. They're all strong in their own individual way and the individual voices really shine through (which can be difficult if you're reading six point-of-views).
Let me briefly introduce you to our six main characters:
 1) Kaitlyn- a fierce, funny and formidable girl but underneath her tough exterior, she's having to deal with a life-changing disability. I admire Kaitlyn for her constant ability to stay positive in such upsetting situations.
2) Velvet- a pretty, bright and insecure girl who worries about what everyone thinks of her, all whilst having to deal with being from a poor background with an often neglectful mother.
3) Hugo- your stereotypical posh, rich boy. He's snobby, arrogant, ignorant and horrible to anyone who he thinks is lower than him- that being the five strangers he meets in the lift. I must admit, Hugo is my favourite character, despite his cruel behaviour because he develops the most and he makes me laugh-out-loud and believe it or not, he becomes very loveable. I found myself rooting for Hugo the most.
4) Sasha- a kind, caring, quiet girl who's the glue that holds everyone together, despite feeling like the misfit.  She wants to broaden her horizon but is scared to leave lonely dad behind.
5) Dawson- the "no longer classed as handsome or dreamy" ex- child-star who's acting career has flopped and who is confused about his sexuality.
6) Joe- A  kind, smart sweetheart of a boy who wants to work in the film industry and worries about his mum who's memory is quickly deteriorating. 

"Maybe disappointment does lie in the gulf between what you would do for someone and what they will do for you, but she knows then, in that moment [..] that she needs to stop focusing on what she's willing to do for other people and start focusing on what she's willing to do for herself.”

I enjoyed watching each character grow up and the way they changed when you least expected some of them too. I admire the authors for making each character so diverse and the issues they go through and the way they think are very relatable to both teenagers and young adults. What's also wonderful about this book is that it felt very current- I particularly loved the fact that they all kept in touch first through email, then facebook messenger and then over a Whatsapp group, showing how social connections evolve through the years.

"That's the thing about this lot-we may not have much in common beyond what happened in that lift, but there's something comforting about our limited shared history that lets me take a break from my everyday life for a bit."


The reason why this book is short of five stars is because of the yearly jumps. The events in the story only take place on one day over six years which means that one, despite liking all the characters it was difficult to have a real connection with them because we don't get an in-depth view into their lives and two, the jumps mean there's very little time to get used to the status quo before it shifts again and you're brought into a new situation. Other than that, I was still rooting for each of them to live the best lives possible.


"We've all changed loads, you know. Everything's changed loads. Maybe I do have a hero complex. Maybe that's my job, in our crew: the hero. And Velvet's our conscience. Sash is our heart. Joe is our rock. You're our bruiser. And Hugo is...Hugo is Hugo."

I absolutely loved the ending, and I must admit, I had a little cry. It was emotional knowing how their lives were at the beginning of the book and their relationships back then compared to how they are at the end. I had one of those proud mother "look how far they've come" moments and I found myself re-reading the chapter when they first met. They became part of each other lives but by the end they become each other's lives and that's really heart-warming. 


From unrequited love to making stupid mistakes these unlikely friendships grow and evolve in a moving way. Floored is a great story with memorable characters, an honest outlook on life and the ups and downs of relationships and friendships. It shows you how friendships aren't always perfect and how true friends will always have your back through the good and bad times. It really goes to show how much of a difference a year can make. I experienced a whirlwind of emotions from reading this collaborative novel and I really urge you to read it too! 

IN PARIS WITH YOU: BOOK REVIEW

Title: In Paris with You
Author: Clementine Beauvais 
Publication: 2016
Genre: YA, Romance
My Rating: ★★★
 Favourite Quote: "They felt like two peas in a pod, Adam and Eve in an Eden where God had gone away for the evening and apple pie was on the menu."

Because their story didn't end at the right time, in the right place,
because they let their feelings go to waste,
it was written, I think, that Eugene and Tatiana
would find each other
ten years later,
one morning in winter,
under terra firma
on the Meteor, Line 14 (magenta) of the
Paris
metro.

Eugene and Tatiana could have fallen in love. If things had gone differently. But time has found them far apart, leading separate lives.

Until they meet once more in Paris...

There are three reasons as to why I picked up this book. One, I fell in love with the front cover, two, when I was 15 I read a poem in school called "In Paris with you" (which is the poem the title is based on) and it was one of my favourite poems at the time. Thirdly, this story which was originally published in French captures the ups and downs of first love. Stories like this always draw me in so, of course, I had to buy it. 

Olga and Tatiana are sisters and one summer day during their teenage years, Olga's boyfriend brings his best friend, Eugene, to meet the girls. Fourteen-year-old Tatiana, a young hopeless romantic, falls head-over-heels in love with Eugene. After much day-dreaming and contemplation, she decides to send a long email (social media wasn't really a thing yet) and profess her love to Eugene. Even though he's attracted to her, he rejects her. 

Ten tears later, they unintentionally meet again on the Metro and the old flame sparks again. This time, though, it's Eugine who's infatuated by Tatiana and he hopes that they will fall in love the way they should have done all those years ago. Tatiana, however, is set to go to San Francisco for a couple of years to continue her studies. The ball's basically in Tatiana's court and through the book, we wonder whether Tatiana will pursue her dreams and everything that she's worked for or whether she will choose to stay in France and give her love for Eugene another chance.

Upon opening this book, I was surprised to find that it isn't a typical story written in prose, but rather, a poetic story told in a mixture of free verse and rhyme! It's something i'm not used to, so I was hesitant and sceptical of the concept but turns out I didn't mind it much at all. I soon got into the flow of the beautiful combination.

I'm sure you recognise this feeling.

Love is so astonishing,

the way it gives sudden shape to our formless expectations, 

intense colours to our inner landscape,

upgrades our life to high definition

and convinces us that everyone else

is still trapped in the cave

from which we have escaped.

Beauvais is such a talented writer- the phrases are so beautiful and poignant. Also, because she writes so sophisticatedly, it's hard to label the phrases as romantic cliche's. Every scene is so intricately detailed and Beauvais captures the human thought so perfectly through her poetic, romantic kind of charm.

One thing in particular that I really like is the uniqueness of the narrator who gives us an insight into the past and present lives of both protagonists. The narrator sometimes watches Eugene and Tatiana's story unfold as a bystander like us readers, and at other times they address them personally in conversation, seeming like a friend of both of them.


Despite the book's wonderful writing and unique form, there are a few things that really frustrated me, which is why i've given it three stars. 
I'm not particularly fond of the main characters. It came to the point where I didn't really care what would happen to them. Let me start with Eugene, the cynic. He's the "what's the point in loving anything or doing anything, we're all gonna die in the end anyway" kind of person. He constantly drags the mood down with his existential boredom and outlook on life. He's a complete and utter prat until the last few chapters of the book when he finally grows up (bearing in mind he's already about 27) and stopped acting so self-centred. Though his change of behaviour came too late in the book, so it's hard for him to redeem himself.

What I like about Tatiana is her admiration of literature, her creative imagination and her growth from a naive teenage girl into an intellectual woman. Nothing about her personality is likeable. She makes big deals out of nothing and likes to let you know, more than once, that she's an intellectual woman, which becomes very irritating.  She's one of those "I'm an intelligent person who needs to pursue their dreams so, alas, I can't be in a relationship" type of person. Also, she thinks it's appropriate to leave Eugene on read for two weeks because she seemingly likes to be overly dramatic. Not cool. 

Secondly, the revelation as to why Tatiana and Eugene did not work out ten years prior falls flat. It was anti-climatic and something the book should've explored more. Thirdly, the ambiguous ending is a  disappointment, though i've seen other people on Goodreads call it "a reflection of reality" (which I disagree with because I think everyone's reality is different.)

I hate those we-are-both-in-love-with-each-other-but-won't-admit-because-we're-too-proud kind of stories, yes 'Pride and Prejudice' included. I just don't understand how someone can hold those passionate feeling and emotions in for so long.

I definitely think Eugene and Tatiana's past story is much more interesting than the present Eugene and Tatiana story. It brings back lots of memories of when you're young and you've got your first crush on someone and you daydream about hanging out with them, so it was nice to connect with Tatiana on that level.

I wouldn't say In Paris With You is a good love story, but it's definitely a story full of passion. Love, tragedy and second chances are what this story is all about. It's a story which debates the existence of lasting love. I'd still recommend this book due to Beauvais' breathing-taking way with words and her unique way of telling a story. Let me know what you think! I'd love to know how you feel about Eugene and Tatiana and whether you enjoyed the ending!

(The book will be released in the USA in 2019, so if you're in the US, keep your eyes peeled!)

BOOK REVIEW: SCYTHE

Title: Scythe 
Author: Neal Schusterman 
Publication: 2016
Genre: YA, Dystopian 
My Rating: ★★★★☆.5
 Favourite Quote: “Without the threat of suffering, we can’t experience true joy. The best we get is pleasantness.” 

"Thou shall kill" What if murder was legal?



Imagine a time when all the world's problems have been solved. No War, no crime, no politics, no famine, no disease and no death. In Scythe everyone is ruled by the all-knowing omnipotent "Thunderhead" (some sort of virtual Cloud) in which the world's population has resulted in a perfect existence- one that never ends. If no one dies then, how do you keep the growth of population under control? The answer is Scythes- an elite group of professional killers. Scythes are trained and ordained to glean the lives of individuals. Each Scythe, however, is given freedom to glean anyone they like and they're allowed to choose how they want to kill them.

 "The ending of human life used to be in the hands of nature. But we stole it. Now we have a monopoly on death. We are its sole distributor."

Honourable Scythe Faraday takes it upon himself to train Citra and Rowan to be junior Scythes, a job neither of them had ever dreamed of wanting. The story follows their viewpoint switching between them often, as they begin their Scythe apprenticeships. New Scythes haven't earned the right to glean people yet but it's their job to learn all about the art and craft of killing. The act of taking on two apprentices is seen as a major controversy particularly because of their affinity towards protecting each other. What starts out as a competition between Rowan and Citra soon becomes a competition to the death when they are told at the end of the year the chosen Scythe will have to glean the other.

During their training Citra and Rowan get separated (for reasons I will not reveal) and as their year of an apprentice progresses, they individually learn that some scythes have embraced a more corrupt form of "Scythedom" 

Let's talk characters

Citra's intelligent, sarcastic, driven and loves her family.The amount of sass on this stubborn girl is real. She's most likely to lose her temper though it's always to defend what she believes is right. I don't want to say I dislike Citra, because I don't. I just don't love her. At times I really enjoyed her observations and actions but her character arc wasn't that interesting, partly because of the situation she was in and partly because I don't think her "internal struggle" was much of a struggle.


Rowan is by far my favourite character in this book and so I definitely favoured reading his point-of-view. Rowan has a laid back, go with the flow kind of attitude at first which is a sharp contrast to Citra's. 
He deals with the most hardship in this book. Both before and during his apprenticeship he has to face numerous physical and mental challenges which were difficult to read at times, due to the moral confliction. His moral struggles are so real and raw, and despite becoming a total badass,  his ability to stay good at his core after all of the crap that happens to him is astonishing. 

 I love Citra and Rowan's relationship; that being a banterous friendship and the complications that later effect it (i.e. we can't actually be friends because one of us is going to have to kill each other soon.) While romantic interest between both of them is hinted at, it's not the main part of the story itself. Usually, this would be a turn off for me, because i'm a huge fan of romance, but it didn't really both me. I don't think it would've been right to include a story-line of romance seeing as Citra and Rowan's focus is on perfecting the art of death! Despite Citra and Rowan's different personalities though, they have a similar outlook on life that initially attracted Scythe Faraday to initiate both of them as apprentices. 

“My greatest wish for humanity is not for peace or comfort or joy. It is that we all still die a little inside every time we witness the death of another. For only the pain of empathy will keep us human."

Scythe Faraday is another wonderful character. He believes that a good Scythe is one that's not cruel and one that doesn't want to burden or vent anger by killing others, which is one of the reasons why he chooses Citra and Rowan. I absolutely love the relationship he has will both Citra and Rowan and the sheer amount of empathy he still bares over death, despite years of being a Scythe.


**

Shusterman's writing style is simple and easy to read, yet still powerful and evocative. The focus is definitely more on politics than on setting/world-building, so it makes sense that the writing isn't all flowery. The background information is great too. Shusterman truly answeres that "what if" question in every sense. It's scary to picture a world where our death is controlled and the fact that you could be visited by a cloaked Scythe at any time in your life, knowing it's your time to die. It's disturbing but you force yourself to realise, as Citra and Rowan do, that it's simply the way of life (and death) in this new world. 

“You have three hundred sixty-five days of immunity." And then, looking him in the eye, said, "And I'll be seeing you on day three hundred sixty-six.” 

Why not 5 stars?

I only have minor issues with this book because I really enjoyed it.
1. An area that Shusterman really focuses on is the journal entries of Scythes at the beginning of each chapter. At first, these excerpts are all written by Honourable Scythe Curie- a member of the 'old guard' who is highly jaded concerning the way that younger Scythes treat their power- yet as the novel progresses there are occasional excerpts from the diaries of other characters who hold opposing worldviews. I personally, found myself rushing through these entries, eager to actually start reading the chapters. I suppose I didn't find them very engaging. Saying all this, the journals are a unique story-telling concept which adds depth to the Scythedom world without cramming a load of background information in random places.
2. I thought Citra's character could've been developed a little bit more. It's as simple as that.  

“I think all young women are cursed with a streak of unrelenting foolishness, and all young men are cursed with a streak of absolute stupidity.” 

Scythe has been branded by critics as "a true successor to The Hunger Games" and while yes, it does live up to that tagline, it retains an intriguing freshness and uniqueness despite the common theme wihtin young adult fiction (an apprentice learning their trade.)

This novel definitely emits the message of making good decisions, choosing between right and wrong, following the rules or taking advantage of the privileges that have been given to you. It's nature vs nurture. It's about how two different people make decisions based on the way they've been raised, or in this case based on the way they've been trained.

Scythe is exhilarating and a fascinating exploration of the moral implications of what is expected of Citra and Rowan as their training unfolds. It's full of interesting and unexpected twists to keep you engaged throughout. Every character is perfectly written with complex true-to-life backgrounds and they all weave together in the story in ways that you don't expect! Scythe will leave you thinking about the politics of our own world and pondering your existence and your future.

I recently picked up the second book in the series called Thunderhead.   Scythe ended with so many unanswered questions and a big cliffhanger so i'm looking forward to reading this next book! Also, based on Scythe alone, I'm definitely going to take a look at other novels Shusterman has written!

Read Scythe and let me know what you think! 

*collage photos not my own.

BOOK REVIEW: THE CRUEL PRINCE

 

Title: The Cruel Prince (The Folk of Air #1)

Author: Holly Black

Publication: 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy 

My Rating: ★★★☆☆.5

Favourite Quote: “That’s what comes of hungering for something: you forget to check if it’s rotten before you gobble it down.”

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Let me just start my review by saying i'm not a massive fan of the fantasy fiction (though saying that The Chronicles of Narnia is one of my favourite book series so perhaps I'm lying to myself). Anyway, i'd seen a lot of recommended posts of The Cruel Prince on Instagram and Youtube. It seemed intriguing so I thought I'd buy it and give it a read, and it's safe to say, i'm impressed by it. 

If I cannot be better than them, I will be so much worse.”

The Cruel Prince is a rich, dark and wicked story. It's about power. The power to overcome fear. The power to find your place. The power to stand up to people who are more powerful than you.

Some books take so long pulling you in, don't they? Not this one. The book opens with a shocking and tragic event: the murder of non-faerie twins' parents at the hand of their mother's faerie ex-husband, Madoc. He takes the young twins and his daughter (the twins faerie half-sister) to live with him in the world of Faerie, raising them as though they were his own daughters. The rest of the book takes place in the Faerie world, 10 years after the opening scene. 

“No matter how careful I am, eventually I’ll make another misstep. I am weak. I am fragile. I am mortal. I hate that most of all.”

What I love the most about the author, Black,  is that this faerie tale isn't all roses, sunshine and daisies. It's dark, and the faeries are cruel and cunning immortals. At first glance, the High Court of Faerie is a beautiful place with balls where the guests dance until morning. However, delving beneath the surface you see that darkness hides this beauty. For example, mortals are drugged on faerie fruit and made into mindless servants. 

The story is told from the point-of-view of 17-year-old Jude Duarte and 10 years since the murder of her parents, she has adjusted to the fae world and believes it's where she truly belongs. Though she never lets go of her hate towards Madoc she lets him train her to fight and she attempts to learn as much as she can to join the royal fae court as a knight. Jude, however, doesn't get the chance to prove her skills and pledge herself and so she finds another path to the acceptance of the faerie world she so desperately craves. This path reveals to her the cruelty of the High Court and the bitter hatred of the High Prince, Cardan. Jude soon finds that not only her own life is at risk, but the lives of her family as well. 

Characters worth mentioning

Jude 

“I have lied and I have betrayed and I have triumphed. If only there was someone to congratulate me.” 

I love a book or film with a strong female lead, and this is one of them. 
Jude's an interesting character: she's humanly flawed which sometimes makes her unlikeable. She's impulsive, greedy, ambitious and even brutal at times. But she's also very strong-willed and loving. The girl knows what she wants and will do her best to get it. Jude has the heart and talents of a warrior but the more you get to know her, you understand that she's always afraid because she's an outcast in a place where mortals are frowned upon and she never knows what could happen to her. 

What I didn't like about Jude is her attitude to death and violence. There's a fair amount of bloodshed in this book and I found it unbelievable that it didn't seem to have much of an impact on her at all. I think Black has written Jude's character so well because it's hard to write a character who's ruthlessly cold and calculating whilst also being so humanly and compassionate. 

Tayrn 

"Unlike me, Taryn is adaptable. She will fall in love, just as she said. She will metamorphose into wife or consort and raise faerie children who will adore and outlive her."

I don't know what it was about Taryn, Jude's twin sister, but she just annoyed me. She plays her cards much differently to Jude. Taryn tries to fit into fairy society by attempting to find a faerie husband to secure her place.  Whilst Jude is fiery and kind of in your face, Taryn is quiet, passive and more submissive. We never discover enough of Taryn for us to really feel anything for her, so she's merely a background character in Jude's story. Taryn is loyal to her sister but there are secrets she keeps that soon get in the way of their loyalty.

One thing that really irritated me is that the twins, along with their older sister, Vivienne, weren't scarred from seeing their parents brutally murdered right in front of them! I mean, they were young children when it happened so surely something so savage as that will leave an impression on them and probably leave lasting psychological effects. Black simply dismisses this and the memory of it is only drawn upon by Jude's a couple of times whenever she's in the presence of Madoc.


Prince Cardan

His eyes are bright as coals, his hatred a living thing, shimmering in the air between us like the air above black rocks on a blazing summer day.”

Is it possible to loathe a character and love them at the same time? Yes it is because I present to you the only and only Prince Cardan. It takes real skill to take the villain of a story and make him not only sympathetic but precious too. I wanna stick him in a box, tie a ribbon around it and then stick it on the top shelf to keep him safe. He's the youngest prince- known to be useless and a bully amongst the fae people. Cardan is cruel, lazy, arrogant and most of the time, drunk. He treats Jude and Taryn quiet poorly, bullying them (Jude mostly) to the extreme. Why though? Because the silly boy secretly likes Jude of course. He loathes the fact that he desires a mortal and so he tries everything possible to make her hate him so there's no chance of reciprocation. If anyone tries to harm Jude though, Cardan immediately stops them which confuses Jude even more. Believe me, if you hate Cardan at the start, which you will, you'll love him by the end. 

**

Aside from that first chapter, the story is quite slow to begin with, though as the plot thickens I was always kept guessing about what happens next and anxiously did so. In some ways, the slow start seemed worth it because the characters were well established by the time the power plays were being made and I enjoyed it the darker it got. There's constant tension surrounding every choice Jude makes and I was surprised to find myself rooting for her most of the way through.

The Title

In the beginning, it's easy to assume that the title refers to Cardan but as the story progresses and the fae court politics are introduced, you soon start to question who the eponymous cruel prince is. With everyone's motives unknown to Jude, you have to guess and make assumptions as to who it is. 

“Nice things don’t happen in storybooks. Or when they do happen, something bad happens next. Because otherwise the story would be boring, and no one would read it.”


So, why not 5 stars? 

Chiefly because the first part of the story is underwhelming, I was wondering when something super significant would happen, however, when it does, my god does it escalate quickly! 
I read that many people thought that far too many pages were spent with Jude and Cardan constantly antagonising each other, but I enjoyed that. Not the bullying, but the witnessing of the character dynamic between them and watching how their relationship evolved. 

Furthermore, I think Cardan should've featured more in the story than what was seen of him. You start to like him so of course, you want to see more of him. At certain points of the story I thought, "well where is Cardan in all this?/Cardan should be here for this part." I'm assuming that Black has a lot more Cardan related content in book two!

It was only until I finished the book that I realised there was going to be a second book. I suppose The Cruel Prince is more of a foundation for the next book(s) to come. That's not to say that this book isn't intense, because it is. In all, The Cruel Prince is engaging with some jaw-dropping scenes and an intriguing, cliff-hanger ending. With murders, secrets, lies and betrayal in a faerie land, I can see The Folk of Air series being very successful. I mean, there's a lot of hype over this book already. I can't wait to find out how Black will develop the story and the characters, especially Jude playing the fae-politics with Prince Cardan. There are much bigger things to come, I'm sure!

*collage photos not my own.