15th August 2026

I've been meaning to read this classic novel for years, and finally bought a copy last summer, only now getting to actually read it. I was nervous, because it's a big book of many densely packed words, and felt likely to be dated. But I surprised myself by getting into it quite quickly.

The narration definitely feels older - similar in some respects to other books I've read from the 60s, but also unfamiliarly formal in some respects. Time passes in a non-linear fashion, where we're often told what's going to happen and then step back to watch it. Similarly with a lot of events happening in parallel, we get to rewind every now and then for a chapter elsewhere leading up to the same event.

The plot is interesting, although very meandering, and I'm still not entirely sure whether there's a main plot or if it is just a generational family story with social commentary mixed in.

The characters are I think what makes it such a classic. There's a rich cast, although almost entirely men (at best there's one scene where two women have a conversation that's only tangentially about a man), and learning about them and their personal journeys, motivation, ways of thinking, and the shades of grey that make them up was the most compelling part of the experience for me.

The book is from the 60s, and does contain the sort of racism and sexism, and a lot of violence, that I have learnt to expect from novels of that era. The author does well for the most part to present it as the characters being racist and sexist rather than the narration, but in a few places it does feel like the presentation is a bit too bought into reprehensible beliefs.

But I definitely enjoyed reading it more than I expected to, and will probably return to read more by Puzo in the future.

read more

15th August 2026

The third novel on the series serves as a sequel to both of the first two, bringing a character from the second book into the setting of the first, as she relocates her entire life looking for something that's missing in her life.

This is a D&D-style fantasy setting, but loses some of the cosiness of the previous two novels to take us out on the road adventuring more, with more combat, danger, and peril.

It's a fun little adventure but I do think it's lost some of the charm by becoming more adventurous and less about building something. While the character and her journey are definitely interesting to read, they intentionally inspire a different set of emotion in the reader, and I think I was expecting more of the same instead.

There's lots of humour though still, and mystery connected to it, as we try to work out what exactly this quest is all about.

read more

25th July 2026

It's the usual chaos at Linbury Court as Jennings and his somewhat unwilling accomplice Darbishire set of on an adventure inspired by a fishing rod.

If you've read any Jennings novels before then this is more of the same - things that seem entirely reasonable to schoolboys become perplexing to their teachers, and the reverse.

There was one moment which, reading again now I'm older, made me properly cringe - which isn't a reaction I think I've had to these books before.

read more

25th July 2026

Another great Fethering mystery, in which we rejoin Carole and Jude to attend a "private view" of unsuitable art at the local gallery.

The characters remain comically opposed in their approach to things, and are just a pleasant break between books that take themselves more seriously.

There is a lot going on though, and following all the different threads to conclusion takes a little mental effort - but it's the journey that's important.

Just what I was looking for.

read more

25th July 2026

I ordered this book many months ago and so by the time it arrived I'd entirely forgotten what it was that attracted me to it in the first place. My immediate reaction was surprise that it's not science fiction. I've no idea what had given me that impression... perhaps the cover from a distance looks like a spacecraft travelling through the void? But up close it's clearly a school child with interesting lighting.

Anyway, it's not that.

This is a 1980s boarding school story, and the tale of a new student who has arrived for the sixth form, a teacher who has been there for many years, and a frustrated doctor. There's also a feature of faxes, which helps with immersion into the 1980s.

What I also didn't expect is the humour. Although it's also a serious story with a lot of bad things happening, it's presented with humour, both in the characters and the narration. This stood out immediately with a really great section in chapter two which perfectly set my expectations for what was to come.

I enjoyed spending time with these characters, and gradually learning more about them and their backgrounds. Everything's presented very naturally, and the narrative flows perfectly. Just the right amount of revealed at each stage to tease the reader without having to spell every single thing out, and there's plenty to digest once it's all over.

Very happy to have found this.

read more

18th July 2026

A delightful collection of early Pratchett short stories, aimed at kids but perfectly accessible and entertaining for older readers too.

It's almost Pratchett Light. There's less complexity and less subtlety than in his later works, but you can still see the beginnings of what would later emerge.

There's a lot of humour, but also a lot of morals - not heavily, but there just to guide the story and guide the reader.

Many of the stories share a common setting, in a parody of the real world, and that's quite fun to visit multiple times and see how he's used the slight fantasy version to poke fun at society.

A good set of fun tales.

read more

11th July 2026

The second novella in the Threadneedle universe, this one appears to be a standalone not directly related to the other books.

We meet Miranda, a misunderstood teenager who struggles with relationships, obsesses over rules and perception, and is frustrated by how she's treated. She finds a mystery box in the attic, which starts to upset the delicate balance of her existence in magical ways.

I found it quite an emotional novella to read, with a lot going on, and with a lot of sympathy for the character, despite her also having shortcomings that I can imagine frustrating those around her. There's a lot going on in her head and for a short book it can be quite overwhelming to experience.

A really interesting story, and I enjoyed spending time with it.

read more