Reviews by Alison (24)

Alison 2021-07-28 The Safest Place you Know

Poetic and beautiful

The Safest Place you Know

A powerful story about two very different characters, written in beautiful and at times densely poetic prose. Hennie is 17 and leaves the family farm in the drought ravaged Free State and by chance ends up on a wine farm near Paarl, taken in by Antoinette who recently inherited from her father. Both have abusive fathers and are searching for connection and redemption. Other characters flesh out the complexities of life in South Africa. A great read and a writer to watch.

Alison 2021-07-21 Klara and the Sun

Brilliant but dystopian

Klara and the Sun

The story of Klara, an AF or artificial friend, and her relationship with teenage Josie who has been genetically “uplifted” to enhance her academic abilities. He writes like a dream, spare, seductive. Really it’s about the ethical implications of technological advance....lots to think about.

Alison 2021-03-29 The Bell in the Lake

Extraordinary storytelling

The Bell in the Lake

I have no particular interest in old Norwegian stave churches or even life in Norway in the 1800’s, so if a writer can have me riveted he must be good, hey? I realize this book may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I loved it and couldn’t wait to get back to it. The wondrous power of good storytelling..... p.s Sally please lend to Henry.....or at least read him the bits about architecture.

Alison 2021-03-22 When the music stops

Unusual and compelling

When the music stops

When the Music stops by Joe Heap is an unusual and compelling story about life, loss and music. It’s the story of Ella, a session musician, through the course of her life with alternating chapters of her as an 87 year old dementing woman stranded alone on a sinking boat with a baby. Haunting and lyrical, it is a truly comforting book and the image of life as a record is for me a helpful way of holding love and loss close and being in the wholeness of one’s life. Very readable and hard to put down.

Alison 2021-03-08 Apeirogon

Brilliantly conceived and written, don’t miss it.

Apeirogon

Thank you Richard for the link - an interesting article by a passionate and understandably emotional Palestinian and thought provoking points. And it’s terrifying to think what Spielberg might do with the book. However, I don’t think the book’s purpose is to state the Palestinian case or to slate Israel. For me it’s about the bigger picture of war and conflict world-wide and our common humanity. And if even a Palestinian and an Israeli get it, so can we all.....A must read if the human condition intrigues you.

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