This account of a family in lockdown and how they rethink their choices is quite engaging but not particularly exciting. All the same, it's a pleasant book with likable characters. I would class it as "women's fiction," or possibly even "older women's fiction." Not bad, but not memorable. All the same, relaxing and not demanding in any way - which can be nice. It won't keep you up at night at all events!
I found this book interesting in more ways than one. Set against the backdrop of post-WW1 London nightlife, what you decide it's about might end up being up to you. "Villains" in stories are all too often two-dimensional, but not in this one. There are several central characters, both "goodies" and "baddies," and some of them are very engaging while others are tragic or at least, relatable. The story includes mystery, romance, and plenty of surprises in a rich tapestry of interwoven plots. It takes a few chapters to get into, but after that, it rushes along at a spanking pace. I recommend it!
When I got home after spending the "loot," I was eager to dive into this book, and at the same time, a little afraid of what I would find there. It turns out that Stephen Hawking is a gentle good-humoured soul who used simple language in an attempt to describe incredibly complex things. In this book, written shortly before his death, he answers the really big questions like "Can one predict the future?" and, in the gentlest most humble way possible: "Is there a God?" Each chapter features a really short answer and a longer explanation of how he arrived at his conclusions. I will have to read it at least six times and possibly more - and I will enjoy it every time even if I never fully understand it.
I devoured this book. It's beautifully written but covers some very dark subject matter. A small group of highly intelligent young people study ancient Greek under an eccentric lecturer - but they have a secret that must be protected at all costs - even if that cost is murder. The story follows what happens to them in the lead-up to the killing and after it has taken place, then builds up to a dramatic ending.
This gentle book set in a harsh, Icelandic environment is written from the perspective of a midwife - the latest in a long family line of women who have followed this calling. She inherits an apartment from her great-aunt, a woman with a passion for both her calling as a midwife and her hobby as a writer. The protagonist initially leaves things just as she found them, but ultimately begins to sift through her great aunt's extensive writings on light, life, and nature. She finds drafts of several unpublished books, including Animal Life, an unstructured collection of musings and personal philosophies. There is a lot of down-to-earth wisdom in this book about a book. But there's also a type of poetry to it. Nothing much happens, but I found it engrossing all the same. There are touches of humour too- for example, the phone calls between the protagonist and her sister. In short, it's a very beautiful and unusual book that's well worth reading.