The Silence by Susan Allott - I'm taking part in the blog tour later this month so I'll share my review then. I received the book in my May - My Chronicle Book Box (link).
Snegurochka by Judith Heneghan - the story is set in Kiev in 1992, not long after the Ukraine gained independence from Russia and the Chernobyl disaster. Rachel and baby, Ivan join husband Lucas on his first foreign posting with the BBC. The flat he's chosen gives her the creeps as it's on the 13th floor and from the balcony you can see the whole city. She's nervy and terrified that Ivan will fall to his death from the balcony and vows to keep her baby safe from harm.
Rachel does what she would back home - straps Ivan into his pram and walks the city, much to the alarm of the locals. They don't understand why she'd bring her baby here, to a place where there is so much unrest. She finds it difficult to source fresh vegetables and fruit as blackmarketeers sell overpriced produce from contaminated areas.
Lucas's colleagues while friendly enough don't have much in common with her and she struggles with loneliness and sense of self. A shady businessman befriends her and gives her a gift, she begins a tentative friendship with Zoya who's her husband's fixer, Stepan a teenage boy who lives in the block seems fascinated by her and the caretaker, Elena Vasilyevna a prickly woman with secrets becomes a friend of sorts.
The story is beautifully drawn giving you a real sense of time and place. I was truly captivated by it.
Rachel does what she would back home - straps Ivan into his pram and walks the city, much to the alarm of the locals. They don't understand why she'd bring her baby here, to a place where there is so much unrest. She finds it difficult to source fresh vegetables and fruit as blackmarketeers sell overpriced produce from contaminated areas.
Lucas's colleagues while friendly enough don't have much in common with her and she struggles with loneliness and sense of self. A shady businessman befriends her and gives her a gift, she begins a tentative friendship with Zoya who's her husband's fixer, Stepan a teenage boy who lives in the block seems fascinated by her and the caretaker, Elena Vasilyevna a prickly woman with secrets becomes a friend of sorts.
The story is beautifully drawn giving you a real sense of time and place. I was truly captivated by it.
*The Secret of Creek Cottage by Tina M Edwards - I loved this book! I took part in the blog tour. See my review HERE.
*What Red Was by Rosie Price - isn't published until later in August, so I'll share my review in my August book round-up.
*Just like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas - I'm taking part in the blog tour next week so I'll share my review then. A cracking read.
*Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart - This Booker longlisted novel is not an easy read. It's gripping, gritty and I was totally thrown into the world of Shuggie Bain and his family. The story is set in 80s and 90s Glasgow, a world of poverty, unemployment, low paid jobs, alcoholism, abuse and addictions.
Shuggie's mother longs for one thing - her own front door. She find living with her parents and her three kids hard. She escapes it all by drinking, smoking and loving Big Shug Bain, her taxi driver husband although she knows he's never faithful and doesn't treat her well.
They move to a mining town on the outskirts of the city and while having her own front door life is hard. Big Shug leaves her, returning to goad her or for sexual favours and so, gentle Shuggie becomes his mother's carer making sure she's okay after a heavy session. Agnes always likes to look good - well dressed with her face made up and a tidy house.
Catherine, their sister married young and moved away. Leek, Shuggie's brother tries to keep it all on the straight and narrow, saving money from his mother's benefits to feed them and teaching Shuggie how to be a man. Shuggie doesn't like football or playing with the boys, he'd rather dream about being a hairdresser or playing with dolls. He's fussy about things, knows he's different but most importantly of all wants to keep his beloved mother safe from harm.
I found the book a difficult read which took me into an unknown world. I loved the characters of Shuggie and Agnes and can only highly recommend the book as a must read.
Shuggie's mother longs for one thing - her own front door. She find living with her parents and her three kids hard. She escapes it all by drinking, smoking and loving Big Shug Bain, her taxi driver husband although she knows he's never faithful and doesn't treat her well.
They move to a mining town on the outskirts of the city and while having her own front door life is hard. Big Shug leaves her, returning to goad her or for sexual favours and so, gentle Shuggie becomes his mother's carer making sure she's okay after a heavy session. Agnes always likes to look good - well dressed with her face made up and a tidy house.
Catherine, their sister married young and moved away. Leek, Shuggie's brother tries to keep it all on the straight and narrow, saving money from his mother's benefits to feed them and teaching Shuggie how to be a man. Shuggie doesn't like football or playing with the boys, he'd rather dream about being a hairdresser or playing with dolls. He's fussy about things, knows he's different but most importantly of all wants to keep his beloved mother safe from harm.
I found the book a difficult read which took me into an unknown world. I loved the characters of Shuggie and Agnes and can only highly recommend the book as a must read.
*Stolen Lives by Louise Hulland - this hard hitting and carefully researched book isn't out until September so I'll share my review nearer the time. It really opened my eyes to the world of Human Trafficking and is a must-read.
From earlier:
I read *The Strange Book of Jacob Boyce by Tom Gillespie earlier in the year but was sworn to secrecy until I took part in the blog tour. See my review for this amazing read HERE.
What have you been reading in July?
No comments:
Post a Comment