Last Train From Liguria by Christine Dwyer Hickey

           

        Italy in Books – Reading Challenge – January

           

This is the title I have chosen for my first book to read for the Italy in Books Reading Challenge, where over the year, month by month I intend to read a book fiction or non-fiction set in Italy, with a total of twelve in all. They will probably not be the obvious choices that come to mind as because of my love for the country I have already read a considerable number of books set here over the years.

                  

The challenge is being  hosted  by Brighton Blogger of Book After Book details of the challenge can be found on her blog in the post.  Italy in Books - Reading Challenge 2011

The January post with a list of books that people are reading has already been posted. January Reviews and I will also be posting reviews from this challenge on News From Italy

I have never read anything by this author before so I have no comparisons to make with previous novels. All I knew was that Christine Dwyer-Hickey is an award winning Irish novelist. While I found this narrative interesting taking us back and forth between London, Dublin and Italy in the nineteen thirties and mid nineteen nineties it neither excited me nor bored me. In fact leaving me feeling rather indifferent about this well written novel. I am disappointed and feel a little guilty admitting this, but there is no point in pretending otherwise. A decent read that was absorbing but nothing particular really drew me in.

The main setting of the story is fascist era Italy where the female protagonist Bella Stuart takes a position as tutor to Alec the son of the aristocratic Lami family. His mother has little time for him and Alec’s life revolves around Bella and his music teacher Edward King. The reader has already learnt much about the latters past in the opening chapter of the novel, a dark secret he keeps to himself in Italy. When the story moves to the present times it is to meet Anna a young woman of Italian descent and gradually connections with the past are uncovered.

It is a vivid picture of Italy during the rise of fascism that the author gives us with a very atmospheric sense of place. A novel not just about the historical period it is set in but a love story of perception and regret.

Christine Dwyer-Hickey

 

I will be interested to see if any other participants in the  Italy in Books - Reading Challenge 2011 choose this title and if so what they make of it.  My copy is at the moment available to anyone in Europe taking part in the challenge as I am willing to mail it to them. In fact I would like to send this book  travelling via Bookcrossing  to any number of you that may like to read it.

Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

 

I have read five other novels written by Anita Shreve since 2003 when I first discovered I liked this authors descriptive style of writing. Although in this instance I could have done without quite as much detail of exactly what people were wearing.

This novel is divided into three sections covering the periods of 2002, 2003 and then finishing up with 2005. The protagonist is Sydney Sklar  divorced then widowed, although still only twenty nine years old. Whilst trying to come to terms with what she wants to do with the rest of her life, she takes a job as a tutor. The position is at a beach house in New Hampshire the summer home of Mark and Anna Edwards, where her job is to coach their daughter Julie for her final year at school. Sydney neither feels like a servant or a member of the family, as Anna and Edward both regard her in a completely different manner. I was never completely sure either how Julie regarded Sydney. The dynamic of the household is changed completely when the two older sons, Jeff and Ben arrive to spend their summer at the beach house. It is their arrival that defines all that happens from then on. At times the plot felt a little disjointed, maybe as it concentrates on the emotions of the characters rather than the particular episodes.  

At one time during the novel Sydney reminisces on the history of the house, which confirmed my thoughts that this is the very same beach house mentioned in the earlier novels, The Pilot's Wife, Fortune's Rocks and Sea Glass.  A clever touch to choose to have a house rather a person as a recurring theme. Sydney feels that in comparison to the past history of the house, that what has happened to her there is inconsequential, compared to plane crashes, murder, unwed mothers and a war.

It is not a fast paced novel but that is normal for Anita Shreve’s emotional style as is the the way that she leaves us at the end of the novel with not all our questions answered.

An enjoyable read and as some of you correctly guessed the favourite of the selection I read while travelling recently.

 

Anita Shreve

Anita Shreve is a Goodreads author I have reposted some of her profile information here, but if you want to learn more do visit Goodreads or her Official Website.

Anita Shreve Author Profile – Goodreads

Anita was born on January 01, 1946 in The United States and she grew up in Dedham, Massachusetts (just outside Boston), the eldest of three daughters. Early literary influences include having read Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton when she was a junior in high school (a short novel she still claims as one of her favourites) and everything Eugene O'Neill ever wrote while she was a senior (to which she attributes a somewhat dark streak in her own work). After graduating from Tufts University, she taught high school for a number of years in and around Boston. In the middle of her last year, she quit (something that, as a parent, she finds appalling now) to start writing. "I had this panicky sensation that it was now or never."
Joking that she could wallpaper her bathroom with re...more

Sail by James Patterson

Preferring something quick and easy to read while travelling recently I accepted my husband’s suggestion of reading this title which he had just finished. He is a fan of James Patterson novels and although feeling this one is far from his best, thought I would find it good enough to hold my interest.  It did, I devoured it in just a few days not for any reason other than it was an easy read though.
The book is divided into six parts plus a prologue and an epilogue. The Dunne family consisting of Christine and her three children embark on a family sailing holiday that is destined to evolve into a life or death nightmare. Although I was of course expecting this to be a thriller I did find the number of dramas and disasters that the protagonists survived, beggared belief!
High drama and twists and turns continued right through to the very end. I will not be rushing to read more by this author but it was ridiculous fun in a way. Just the sort of story that I suspect would make a better film than it did a novel. As although there is not much of a storyline it has murder, betrayal and villains.

James Patterson is one of the most prolific and bestselling American authors. His books have sold approximately 130 million copies worldwide and some of them have been made into films.
For a fuller synopsis of the plot and author details visit James Patterson’s Official Website 

Friendly Fire by Patrick Gale

 

Patrick Gale is an author I only discovered fairly recently and the first novel I read of his was Notes From An Exhibition which I found absolutely engrossing and reviewed  here in August 2009.

Since then I have had the intention of gradually reading my way through the back catalogue of his novels as I come across them. Unfortunately this looks like it is going to be slow going as this is only the third one I have managed to get hold of, sent to me recently by a fellow Bookcrosser. The other title which I have read is The Whole Day Through which I borrowed from my sister and never reviewed for some reason, although I do remember liking it.

Friendly Fire was published in 2005 and the protagonist is Sophie an orphan who has spent her life in a children's home. Her thirst for knowledge leads her to gain a place at an ancient boarding school. Sophie is well suited to survive the life style and work ethic environment. A well told tale of teenage angst as Sophie seen as somewhat of an oddity by the other pupils is befriended by other pupils also seen as social misfits, Lucas and Charlie. Over three years Sophie learns some tough lessons about mother love, class and families. I liked the way that Patrick Gale ended the novel for us with an epilogue, Sophie is now in her forties and we learn where life has taken her.

Patrick Gale has a knack of writing in a cool and compassionate manner about the ordinary events of life. This time perfectly covering the pain and joy of growing up.

 

Patrick Gale

You can learn more about the author and his writing by visiting Galewarning his official website and Wikipedia - Patrick Gale

Taken by Chris Jordan

 

A psychological thriller that my husband and a cousin have both recommended to me recently. The novel is a psychologically disturbing thriller about just how far a parent will go for their child.

The protagonist Kate Bickford is a young widow with one son Tomas whose world falls apart when he is abducted. The problem is that the kidnapper Captain Stephen Cutter, whom the reader knows all about, does not consider that he is one! Intriguingly he considers that kidnappers are vile monsters. He sees his taking of Tomas as entirely different, because to save his own son he has to do so.

Kate is determined to retrieve her son safely and goes to amazing lengths to do so in this heart wrenching story. The young mother appears to willingly do what ever she is told and pay any price. As you take this terrifying fast paced journey with her, the safety of Tomas is uppermost in ones mind. Especially if you are a parent you will soon find yourself questioning, I think just how far you would personally go to save your child.  Are you brave enough to act yourself, or would you be satisfied to leave it in the hands of the authorities?

Although this is not my favourite genre, it was a good read, so if this type of story appeals to you then it is definitely worth reading.  Please note though that this book has nothing at all to do with the film of the same name released in 2008, just the same theme of abduction.

Chris Jordan

This is the first novel written by Chris Jordan, who is actually the author Rodman Philbrick. A veteran author who decided to have a go at narrating a novel as a woman. I did not know this until after reading the novel and personally think he did it well.

You can learn more about the author and his writing by visiting his official website. 

Italy in Books – Reading Challenge – January

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Some weeks ago now I came across this challenge and decided that I would not participate. Having read so many good and bad books over the years set in Italy I decided I had, had enough!

This opinion changed recently when I realised that I already had two books lined up that I want to read and review, suitable for the challenge which I needed an excuse to buy. Now I have one. Also while scouring the bookshops in the UK recently I found a title to get me started if I decided to join in after all.

So here I am with thanks to Brighton Blogger of Book After Book for her inspiration for this challenge, which you can find out all about over on her blog in the post.  Italy in Books - Reading Challenge 2011

The January post with a list of books that people are reading has already been posted. January Reviews

I have only just started reading my choice for this month which is :-

Last Train From Liguria by Christine Dwyer Hickey

Product Description from Amazon.co.uk

From the bestselling Irish novelist, here comes a sweeping tale of consequences that spans from the 1930s to the 1990s. "Last Train from Liguria" takes us on a journey from claustrophobic Dublin and the tense formality of London, to the heat and bustle of the pre-war Italian Riviera. This is a must-read for fans of books by Rose Tremain and Helen Dunmore. In 1933, Bella Stuart leaves her quiet London life to move to Italy to tutor the child of a beautiful Jewish heiress and an elderly Italian aristocrat. Living at the family's summer home, Bella's reserve softens as she comes to love her young charge, and find friendship with Maestro Edward, his enigmatic music teacher. But as the decade draws to an end and fascism tightens its grip on Europe, the fact that Alec is Jewish places his life in grave danger. Bella and Edward take the boy on a terrifying train journey out of Italy - one they have no reason to believe any of them will survive...

Reviews Coming Soon

Happy New Year.  I am finally home again after a 26 day road trip to the UK visiting family and friends.  I did manage to get some reading done, so now all I have to do is write up the reviews so I can publish them here.

Reviews coming soon are :-

Taken by Chris Jordan

 

Friendly Fire by Patrick Gale

 

Sail by James Patterson

 

Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

 

Any guesses which of these I have enjoyed the most?