Wednesday, August 30, 2006

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis



(176 pages)



In The Magician's Nephew, the first of the seven Chronicles of Narnia, nothing is quite as it seems. Digory and Polly find themselves magically transported to a Wood between the Worlds, where several small ponds act as gateways to different worlds. They discover the dead world of Charn and together with Aslan the lion the pair fight against the evil Queen Jadis, restoring the land to its natural state and triumphing over the darkness that reigned before their arrival.
Rich in imagery and emotion, The Magician's Nephew has been relished by hoards of young readers since it was first published in the 1950s. This impressive new edition, published in celebration of the centenary of CS Lewis and featuring delicately crafted, hand-coloured, original illustrations by Pauline Baynes, will capture the hearts of a whole new generation, working its magic on young minds as they wallow in the sheer joy of the Chronicles of Narnia.

I enjoyed this so much more the second time around and cannot wait to get through the rest of my Narnia Box Set.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Very Strange Doll's House by Jennifer Dussling & Simon Cooper



(64 pages)



Lucy's doll's house is very pretty, with green shutters and pink curtains, just like her own house. The dolls who live inside are like nothing you've ever seen before. They look just like Lucy's mum and dad, and one of them seems to be waving.

A really easy read that would've been pretty scary had I been 20 years younger :)

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult



(500 pages)



The small town of Paradise, Pennsylvania, is a jewel in Lancaster County -- known for its picture-postcard landscapes and bucolic lifestyle. But that peace is shattered by the discovery of a dead infant in the barn of an Amish farmer. A police investigation quickly leads to two startling disclosures: the newborn's mother is an unmarried Amish woman, eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher. And the infant did not die of natural causes. Although Katie denies the medical proof that she gave birth to the child, circumstantial evidence leads to her arrest for the murder of her baby.
One hundred miles away, Philadelphia defense attorney Ellie Hathaway has achieved an enviable, high-profile career. But her latest court "victory" has set the sands shifting beneath her. Single at thirty-nine and unsatisfied with her relationship, Ellie doesn't look back when she turns down her chance to make partner and takes off for an open-ended stay at her great-aunt's home in Paradise.
Fate brings her to Katie Fisher. Suddenly, Ellie sees the chance to defend a client who truly needs her, not just one who can afford her. But taking on this case challenges Ellie in more ways than one. She finds herself not only in a clash of wills with a client who does not want to be defended but also in a clash of cultures with a people whose channels of justice are markedly different from her own.
Immersing herself in Katie Fisher's life -- and in a world founded on faith, humility, duty, and honesty -- Ellie begins to understand the pressures and sacrifices of those who to live "plain." As she peels away the layers of fact and fantasy, Ellie calls on an old friend for guidance. Now, just as this man from Ellie's past reenters her life, she must uncover the truth about a complex case, a tragic loss, the bonds of love -- and her own deepest fears and desires.
Moving seamlessly from psychological drama to courtroom suspense, Plain Truth is a triumph of contemporary storytelling. Jodi Picoult presents a fascinating portrait of Amish life rarely witnessed by those outside the faith -- and discovers a place where circumstances are not always what they seem, where love meets falsehood, and where relationships grow strong enough to span two worlds.

In true Jodi Picoult style this book had me gripped from the first page :) I simply couldnt put it down! Allthe characters were well rounded and significant, and every piece of information had a place in the story. There is the inevitable court case, which for Katie (being Amish) was very difficult. The whole subject matter was handled deftl with plenty of emotion and making you really care what happened to each of the characters. Jodi picoult told the story of the Amish without being patronising and very few sterotypes were used. All credit to her this was a greeat book :D

Never Fade Away: The Kurt Cobain Story by Dave Thomson



(170 pages)



Traces the life of Kurt Cobain, leader of the popular grunge group, Nirvana, and describes the events that led to his suicide at age twenty-seven

Well told and detailed, but lacks the personal insight of family and friends that would have made it really griping.