Living with Strangers by Elizabeth Ellis

Madeleine and her young daughter, Chloe, live in France above the bar where she works. One day she receives a package of letters that she sent to her brother, Josef, many years ago when he disappeared. They have come from Josef’s partner along with a letter telling her that Josef has disappeared again.

Estranged from her family Madeleine heads back to England in her quest to find out why Josef disappeared the first time and whether it’s possible that this broken family can be mended.

The narrative of this story moves across both time and place. Set in England, France and Germany the narrative changes from 1963 when Josef first disappeared to 1978 when Madeleine receives the letters. Those movements can sometimes be confusing to a reader but Elizabeth Ellis deals with this seamlessly and at no point did I find myself confused by which place or time I was in.

Madeleine is an excellent character. Full of strength she faces single motherhood alone and makes a place for herself and her child in a world that became disrupted for her by Josef’s disappearance many years previously. Through Madeleine the novel is able to address themes such as relationships, prejudice and inter-generational conflict; all issues that are not specific to the time of the novel but still exist today.

It is an interesting premise that one event leads to another whole series of related events throughout a persons life and through this book we not only see the effect that Josef’s disappearance has on Madeleine’s life but also that of the other members of the family. As the narrative closely follows Madeleine the other characters are more minor but as the novel progresses the other characters become more fleshed out and the novel begins to feel much more whole. By elaborating on the story of the minor characters the novel is moved to another dimension and feels much more complete.

When I first finished the book I was disappointed that the end was not more dramatic. However, a couple of days later I am still thinking about it and I think this was probably a deliberate ploy on the authors part as it depicts the realism of life. By which I mean, that real life events do not always conclude dramatically but rather are a series of small events that somehow stumble into becoming a form of conclusion. There are no spoilers in this paragraph but an encouragement for you to read this book and let me know your thoughts.

For a debut novel this has been well executed and shows much promise that quality writing will be flowing from the pen of Ms Ellis.


ISBN:  978 1783064069

Publisher:  Matador

Price (based on today’s price on Amazon.co.uk): £3.49
I read a digital copy of this so this is the price for the kindle version

Total saving so far:  £298.71

What Was Promised by Tobias Hill

Bernadette and Clarence Malcolm have come to Bethnal Green, London, from Jamaica with their young son. Solly and Dora Lazarus are Jews who are trying to earn a living and make a good life for themselves. Mary and Michael Lockhart have come from Birmingham and their attitudes and actions will have a deep and lasting impact on all three families. All are outsiders, all are trying to become part of this strange bomb ravaged city and all are destined to be thrown together in a strained unison as the city rebuilds itself.

This novel is set amongst the markets of London’s East End and spans a 40 year period.  It portrays a city undergoing change along with those people who are trying to assimilate into this unfamiliar world.

Now, before I even begin to tell you why, I am going to say that I love, love, love this book and it contains all the elements a good novel should have.

First, I love the setting. I grew up in the very area the book is based and, therefore, I recognized many of the landmarks and features described in this novel. In fact, I went to primary school in Columbia Road and I well remember Jones’ Dairy where my mum would send me to buy milk and where cheese and butter was sold individually cut and wrapped in little brown greaseproof packets. This familiarity certainly resonated with me and the setting drew me in very quickly.

However, whilst my personal familiarity with the setting enhanced my reading of this novel I am certain that anyone who reads this will feel a connection with the place element of this book as the area is portrayed as strongly as the characters are. It is thoroughly atmospheric and as the book is broken down into three separate times; 1948, 1968 and 1988 we can observe the changing nature of the area as the book progresses.

Additionally, I love the characters in this book. They are all well rounded and I ended up feeling like I actually knew these people and genuinely cared about what would happen to them. The author has skilfully created three sets of characters who are all completely different but whose lives are inexorably linked by events as well as the building and street that they all share. It was interesting to observe how the attitudes of the children differed to that of their parents and provided much food for thought concerning the lives of immigrants and how this affects subsequent generations.

There was nothing to dislike about this book. It has a marvellous plot, fantastic characterization and is outstanding in it’s atmosphere and setting. It focuses on themes of immigration, acceptance and aspiration and I highly recommend this book. It is intelligently written and will appeal to anyone who likes their reading material to be thought provoking, knowledgeable and skilful in its execution.

I get a real thrill when I read an author for the first time and then discover that they have a back catalogue. Mr. Hill has written five previous novels and I can’t wait to get started.


ISBN:  978 1408840900

Publisher:  Bloomsbury Circus

Price (based on today’s price at Amazon.co.uk): £11.55

Total saving so far:  £295.22

Want to buy a copy of What Was Promised? Click HERE to purchase.

Lady Anna by Anthony Trollope

“Women have often been hardly used by men, but perhaps no harder usage, no fiercer cruelty was ever experienced by a woman than that which fell to the lot of Josephine Murray from the hands of Earl Lovel to whom she was married in the parish church…….”

This opening line of the novel introduces perfectly the main theme of this book; that women were almost totally reliant on men in 1874 and marriage was the expected institution with which a woman could be provided with security during the period when this book was written in the late 19th century. It also raises issues of class expectation.

As the opening line states, Josephine Murray marries the Earl of Lovel and becomes the Countess.  However, the Earl later claims that he was previously married and his wife still living when their marriage took place. He, therefore, denounces her as his wife and claims their daughter illegitimate.

With help from her modest tailor friends, the Thwaites, Josephine throws all her energies into proving her title and that of her daughter, Anna. However, Anna has become secretly betrothed to Daniel Thwaite, her childhood sweetheart and Radical. When this secret betrothal becomes known Josephine goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure the marriage does not take place.

When Trollope published this story in 1874 he claimed that it was “the best novel I ever wrote!” I have not read enough of his work to be able to make a judgement on that (something that I intend to rectify) but it certainly was not well received at the time and is said to have outraged readers.

I thought this was an immensely readable and enjoyable novel. It is true to say, that it is a little predictable but I found it a fascinating account of the insecurities faced by the vast majority of women of the time. How a reliance on men and marriage were, by and large, the only acceptable route for a young woman and she was totally dependent of forming an alliance through marriage in order to secure her future.

The characters are well portrayed within the formalities concurrent with the period. However, Anna is an admirable character who shows a courage that will resonate with modern women. Her ability to stand firm in her beliefs in the face of immense opposition demonstrates a resoluteness of character that we could admire in a modern day woman let alone one constricted by the confines of Victorian society.

Parts of this novel are concerned with a legal case and the language is, therefore, a little dry in parts. Overall though, I love the lyrical quality of the prose in this novel which more than compensates. For example the opening paragraph of Chapter 37 begins:

“All December went by, and the neighbours in the houses round spent each his merry Christmas; and the snow and frost of January passed over them, and February had come and nearly gone…..”

I think anyone who enjoys classical novels, history or women’s issues will enjoy this novel. As one of Trollope’s lesser known novels, Lady Anna, is not easily found and my copy came from a charity shop years ago. It is a beautiful old orange spined Penguin and I love it. However, the good news is that Amazon have free kindle copies of this available so it seems to me that this is a win/win situation if you have a kindle. There are also several used copies of this available.

Happy reading!

ISBN:  9780140438345

Publisher: Penguin (my copy)

Price: £1.25 (this is what I paid for my second hand copy)

Total saving:  £283.67

A Riffian's Tune by Joseph M. Labaki

Set amidst the rural Moroccan Rif Mountains lives Jusef, a shepherd boy, whose life is dictated by tradition and superstition. However, Jusef has big dreams and is determined to move away from the life he knows to the big city to receive an education and have a different way of life.

Overcoming extreme obstacles Jusef faces a life away from all that he has known and meets many challenges in his fight for a better future.

This is an autobiographical novel - a genre that always makes me feel slightly uncomfortable. With a straightforward autobiography we get an authors version of events as he or she sees them. Possibly these might be embellished to make better reading or to allow the author to portray themselves as they wish to be seen but nonetheless, it is the authors viewpoint. With novels we, as readers, know what we are getting and acknowledge that what we are reading is the result of the author’s imagination even though some of it may be a composite of events or characters that the author has experienced or known. However, with autobiographical novels I am always left wondering where the truth finishes and when the fictional component takes over.

That said, this was an interesting read and, for me, it’s strength lay in the descriptive passages. It is very atmospheric and the sights and sounds of both city and mountain areas were very well done. Its description of Morrocan culture and the way of life are excellent.

Jusef was well portrayed as a young man who is full of courage and determination and for that we can admire him. However, there were times when I found his actions implausible and ,therefore, felt that I could not quite get a grasp on him as a character.

To be honest I thought this was a good book but not a great one. I read it whilst on holiday and it was a nice easy holiday read as it moves along at a nice pace and is written in a simple style.  However, as I have said before, reading is a very subjective matter and this is only my opinion so would encourage you to give this a try for yourself. I would love to hear what you think of it if you do.

ISBN:  978 0992648404

Publisher: Clunett Press

Price (based on today’s price at Amazon.co.uk)  £5.93

Total saving so far:  £282.42

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

I have just returned from a really super holiday in beautiful Cornwall. I haven’t visited there for over 20 years and I cannot imagine why I did not go back sooner. Our dogs loved it too, not least because on the farm we were staying there were 14,000 chickens which was enough in itself to keep them interested. We were blessed with good weather on some of the days, got soaked to the skin on others and we caught up with friends while we were there so a good time was had by all. Of course, there was plenty of reading time so I have several reviews to write up for you all over the coming days.

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of A Discovery of Witches from the publisher. I usually steer clear of anything to do with vampires although I did read the Twilight series when it was first published and I followed this with some of the Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse Series. However, the market soon became saturated as a plethora of vampire books were released and I sort of lost interest in the genre.

So, it’s some years since I picked up a vampire novel and I am very glad that I did as I really enjoyed this first book in the All Souls trilogy and am keen to read the next two books in the series.

It is set amidst the spires of Oxford University where Diana Bishop, a witch, whose genealogical line dates back to the witch trials of Salem, is undertaking academic research. She has always been unwilling to use her powers for personal gain and is disinclined to acknowledge her lineage as a witch.

However, one day, whilst in the Bodleian Library she uses her magic to reach a book from the upper shelves which is witnessed by vampire, Matthew Clairmont. In a world which is inhabited by witches, daemons and vampires and which rules dictate that the three should never be seen together, Matthew seems intent on seeking out Diana everywhere she goes. Is he merely interested in her magic and if so why, or does his interest in Diana lie in his vampiric lust for blood?

Bearing in mind that Diana is a witch and Matthew a vampire the characters in this book were very believable and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way. There were also some wonderful minor characters; Diana’s American aunts and Matthew’s daemon friend, Hamish, were brilliantly executed characters. The characters were full of life (sorry…. bad turn of phrase when describing vampires) and completely engaging.

The plot also had enough twists and turns to make it engrossing and this fantastical world of magic seems very real and demonstrates the authors skill as a storyteller. For a debut novel this is extremely good and I have the next one lined up to read.

I think anyone who enjoys the romance genre mixed with fantasy will enjoy this book and will find themselves as gripped as I was. This is well worth reading.

ISBN:  9780755374045

Publisher:  Headline

Price (based on today’s price at Amazon.co.uk)  £8.36

Total saving so far:  £276.49

Knitting Masterclass by The Knitter Magazine - Edited by Juliet Bernard

I am sure that most of you have realised by now that as well as being passionate about books and reading I am equally enamoured with knitting. So you can imagine my joy when I won this book in a give away on the blog  Did You Make That?. If you are a knitter or sewer and you have not previously checked out Karen’s blog then you will love it. Karen is a complete inspiration and the things she makes are delightful.

I have been a fan of The Knitter magazine since it’s launch in 2009 and I have attempted many projects included in their monthly magazine. In fact, I am currently working on a detailed fair isle cardigan from Issue 39 and which is coming along very nicely. I have quite a collection of back issues that I have purchased over the years and which I turn to for inspiration.

This book is equally inspiring and contains 15 beautiful patterns with over 20 technical workshops which demonstrate everything from a range of techniques for casting on and off, steeking and knitting in the round.

I have practically followed the instructions for working Kitchener stitch on a recently knitted pair of socks. They were easy to follow as the directions are clearly photographed and explained in step by step sections.

Although I have been knitting for many years I decided to follow their workshop for two handed fair isle work as I have always used the single handed method for working with two yarns. Again, the photographs and instructions were very clear and easy to follow. However, after spending some time working this new method I did go back to my original method - not through any fault of the book but I am clearly too set in my ways to change this particular method now. It does look like an easier method than the one that I use so I would recommend trying the two handed method if you are tackling fair isle.

There is always more to be learned in knitting and this book is the perfect vehicle for enhancing skills.  I can see this book becoming my ‘go to’ manual in the future. There are also many techniques that I have not attempted as yet but this book is motivating me to give new techniques a try.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in knitting. Accomplished knitters will find lots of new techniques to try as well as patterns to ponder. The patterns are beautifully photographed and my only dilemma is which one to do next!

ISBN: 978 1908449023

Publisher: Collins & Brown

Price: (based on today’s price at Amazon.co.uk):  £13.40

Total saving so far:  £268.13

The Trader of Saigon by Lucy Cruikshanks

Set in Vietnam in the 1980’s the country is propelled by greed, poverty and fear. This is the story of three people whose lives are set to collide.

Alexander is a deserter from the US army and is now engaged in the dark and sordid business of trading women.

Hanh is the girl who thinks Alexander is the answer to her prayers and will help her out of poverty.

Phuc has gambled away all his money and now has to pay his debts which will have a significant impact on both him and his family.

This is a society torn apart by the ravages of war and the fates of these three people are destined to become intertwined in a ruthless manner.

I enjoyed this book enormously and by the time I was about three quarters of the way through I just had to sit and read the rest of it in one sitting. The author tells the story of each of the characters separately but as the book progresses the three come together to make this compelling reading.

However, it does not always make comfortable reading as the subject matter is dark and centres around the trading of women but the character of Hanh is full of hope and, as a reader, I found myself both fearful for her whilst sharing her hope in a better future. She is a heart rending character whose plight will move any reader and her story certainly had me hooked from the start.

The writing is very atmospheric and the sense of place is acute. The author skilfully transports her reader to the heat and oppression of this city and I had a good sense of the consequences of chaos and corruption facing these characters in this post war setting. The author enables her reader to visualise the city through evocative writing and excellent story telling skills.

I highly recommend this book. The subject matter is dark and deals with some uncomfortable issues but ultimately it is a novel of hope and redemption and is a fascinating story of three people striving to improve their lives. Lucy Cruickshank is a debut author whose writing is both powerful and succinct and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

I read this as a kindle version which costs just 98p on Amazon today. This is incredibly good value for such a good book and I recommend buying this today.

ISBN:  978 1782063445

Publisher: Heron Books

Price (based on today’s price at Amazon.co.uk):  98p

Total saving so far:  £254.73