'Traitor' Book Review

Written by Gudrun Pausewang, translated by Rachel Ward. Almost needless to say, I have never read anything by this author before.

I really really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to almost everyone. Why? Because it shows how ordinary Germans felt during WWII. These are the people who lived in Germany, who will always be associated with atrocities, when they had little choice. It reminded me of some American slavery novels, in that it showed among the bad, there were people helping. Even turning traitor against their own family to do so.

Anna was very brave, even though she didn't really mean to be. The ending saddened me; I wanted to slap her for her stupidity, even though I know she was so happy she wasn't thinking. Felix was a great character. In some ways he reminded me of the children in Orwell's 1984 who reported on their parents, simply because they believed it was right. I hated him, but I felt sorry for him too. I could feel his uncertainty and willingness to please.

I give it:

Plot: *****

Characters: *****

Voice: *****

Originality: ***

Dialogue: ****

Which means...four stars.
Amazon listing here.

Magpie Tales #26...Daisies and Dandelions

She splashed water generously over the daisies. There might just be enough for the dandelions by the hedge. If nature could persevere among that long grass and in the shade, she wasn't going to try and stop them popping up.
Her neighbours spent all Saturday weeding and they got two hours of enjoyment on Sunday before they had to do all the weekend chores they had neglected the day before. They did the chores with aching backs too.
It didn't take an iron back to water daisies. It took a watering can and a little bit of persistence. What was the point in yanking them out by the stems? Sometimes the roots came too, dangling over the ground, dripping dirt.
She shuddered.
The watering can was almost empty. She peered over the wall at the pristine garden next door. With a sigh she reached down and plucked a ripe dandelion. It's feather-like seeds seemed impatient to disperse.
'Just a bit of nature,' she whispered as she blew on the dandelion. The seeds floated gently over the wall and settled among the tulips.
'Persevere.'

Magpie Tales

Sabre-Bearers

Cocooned in their own world
two fighters simultaneous in breath
slashed and ducked and twirled
like dual tigers circling death

Steel glinted like butterfly wings
Steel sang like birds will sing

Points of sabres, rapiers, swords
stretched to cut at skin and cloth
little protection that they afforded
with a small misstep would be lost

Steel glinted like butterfly wings
Steel sang like birds will sing

Blood flowed red in both of them
and blood flowed red without
and vultures circled both of them
because all their life was out

One Single Impression

I know this isn't really about a cocoon, but I was thinking of fencing because of Sabre Dance, and how people can be in a cocoon where they don't notice anything around them, like when they are fighting.

'A Girl Called Blue' Book Review

I like this because it was an Irish author and set in Ireland, and having taken out three HORRIBLE Irish author-written books at the same time, it was lovely to find a good one among the others. Once again, I (think I) have not yet read any other books by Marita Conlon-McKenna.

I like 'A Girl Called Blue' because it was very real. Especially recently with the church scandal and stories from my mum about going to school under the nuns, it could have been real life. I found it very sad that Blue had to be in an orphanage where most of the nuns where horrible or acted so out of fear. Only Sister Monica was nice, and I really liked her. I admired Blue's courage in stealing beads for her Halloween costume and her choice of costume, because she must have known it would get her in trouble. I also like how the author didn't make Blue out to be a child, she was able to do things and go places on her own.

The ending was disappointing, because I wanted Blue's story to be happier. I admit that it was very realistic though, I just wish it could have worked out better.

I give it:

Plot: ****

Characters: *****

Voice: ****

Originality:**

Dialogue: ***

Which means...three stars

Amazon listing here.

Theme Thursday: Brown

In a little café, the smell of coffee winds its arms around chairs and tables. It's busy but quiet. Loudest is the sound of the coffee bubbling and dripping into mugs, and the whir of the fridge where the milk is still cold from the delivery hours ago.

There is a certain technique to making a leaf or a heart on a latté, but if you practise you'll get it. If you don't like the smell, you will soon. If not, get out. But don't stick your nose in the coffee beans, they are sacred you know, like brown gold. That's right, don't laugh.
Do you own a café? Can you tell me that you have studied coffee drinkers for twenty years? Well then. Go serve these.
Personal service, right to the table, that's how you keep them coming back. Maybe it is only a few steps away. Is that a remark on the size of my café? This is prime real estate you know, expensive.
I don't like you making remarks about my café. It will still be here when you are long dead. Coffee is immortal, and this café serves it to everyone. Not a snooty café.
Can I help it? It almost is alive to me. Like a child. Now it's grown up and I can't tell it what to do any more. If you laugh one more time, you'll be out. Faster if the café doesn't like you. It does, though. Sure, I can tell these things. I told you, didn't I, it's like my baby.
Yes that is an offer. No, you're still getting the same pay I advertised. Just because it likes you, you think you're something special? Well all right, as long as you keep it happy.
For goodness sake, it's just a café. You didn't think I was serious?
And keep away from those beans!

 Theme Thursday, where interpretations run amok.

Kite

We called it Icarus, because it wheeled
and spun like after a drink
It was feeble, the weakest of the three
all on one string, and it died most often
even when I ran to throw it in the air again
as soon as my back was turned it flopped
like a dead fish onto the shore,
no hope of resurrection
we might predict Icarus to fail,
but that said nothing of Daedalus
who fell last of all
alone in the clouds like a bird.

Three Word Wednesday

Flying small kites yesterday...they were great. We flew them with thread in a field, and tied two on to the string of the third, so there three three in the air. We did name one Icarus, none Daedalus though. Here is the link to how to make the ones we made Kite Plans: Bumble Bee.  I had no pictures of them or any other kites, so I used a picture of the clouds from an aeroplane I took a few years ago.

'Divided City' Book Review

I read this a while ago, have been meaning to review. This reminded me a lot of Ireland. Indeed, Ireland was mentioned, and Scotland is not that far away. Once again, I had never read anything by Theresa Breslin (at least, not if my memory serves correct).

Divided City is a wonderfully timed book, in an age when differences in religion are still a major consideration, for all the attempts to reconcile. I was a little confused when the viewpoint switched at times, though that might be because I was reading it quickly, and therefore missed key points of difference between Graham and Joe. I have never been to Glasgow, but it was described in such detail as to make me want to.

I really enjoyed this. Even though there was much in it I could not relate to, such as the protagonists being male and loving football, I still felt a part of their world, a part of Glasgow.

The novel is one of hope. Those who help Kyoul are a welcome few unlike the ones who would leave a young man to die after knifing him, or throw chairs at someone who supports a different football side and religion. It left me with a sense of injustice for people who are innocent of any heinous crimes and who are punished for being different in race, religion, beliefs, or heart. Yet at the end of the novel there is hope, even just a small piece of hope, that say maybe we can stop such injustices someday.

I give it:

Plot: ****

Characters: *****

Voice: ***

Originality:****

Dialogue: ****

Which means...four stars
Amazon listing here.