Giant's Bread

This was the second novel by Mary Westmacott that I've read; you can check out the review for Unfinished Portrait here.

The Premise

Vernon Deyre is a sensitive and brilliant musician, even a genius. However, his sheltered childhood in the home he loves didn't prepare him to his life as an adult and to the difficult choices that he will have to make to create his great masterpiece. He will learn that there is a high price to be paid for his talent and that sacrifices have to be made in order to be successful.

My thoughts

The book focuses on Vernon but also on the lives of a small group of characters that help us see Vernon from different perspectives. I have to say, neither of them was particularly interesting; they came across as almost one dimensional and I couldn't shake the feeling that what we saw from them was all we were going go get. 

I'll admit, my expectations regarding this book were low; Unfinished Portrait had proven to be a disappointment and I thought that probably this one would have the same fate. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Even though I wasn't as invested in this book as I usually am, there were enough elements to spark my interest in the novel. The ending was, by far, my favorite part because it really took me by surprise – it was completely unexpected!

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, especially if you're used to Agatha Christie's style as a mystery/crime writer but if you're thinking about trying something from Mary Westmacott then I would suggest starting with this one.

3 out of 5 stars 

Reading Challenge Update #1

For this year I've decided to take part in two reading challenges - the A to Z challenge and another one where I would try to read as many of the books that are currently sitting on my bookshelves.

• A to Z challenge - So far I haven't read any of the books from my list but this month I'll probably start reading some of them.

• Books from my bookshelves challenge - This month I read two of the books that had been sitting on my bookshelves for a while; I read La Mécanique du Coeur (review here) and El Palacio de la Medianoche (review here). I was really happy with these two books and also with the fact that I met my quota for this month - 2 books from my list (you can check the list here). This challenge was created by Sheila from http://deliberatereader.com

Read in January

These are the books I read during the month of January

The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler

The Hedge Knight by George R R Martin

These five books are the final installments of a popular Portuguese series that focuses on a group of 4 teenagers that solve mysteries on their town. When I was younger I loved reading them but I had never finished the series so I decided to dedicate 2/3 days this month to finish it and I have to say, I had a lot of fun reading these books; I missed reading this type of stories :) 

I had to read to this play for a Spanish class but I really enjoyed it. It's a play set in the XIX century and it's a sentimental comedy that deals with the issue of arranged marriages and the fact, that back then, young people couldn't marry who they wanted. I think that the words that best describe this play are poignant and comedic.

Quote of the Week #10

“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” 

J K Rowling

El Palacio de la Medianoche (The Midnight Palace)

This is the second installment in the Trilogia de La Niebla created by Carlos Ruiz Zafón; I've already reviewed El Principe de la Niebla  and you can check out that review here.


The Premise
 
The story begins on a dark night in Calcuta, when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Even though it's not an easy task, he manages to save the twins but not without sacrificing his own life.

Years later, in 1932, on the eve of Ben and Sheere’s sixteenth birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives, but this time it seems impossible for them to escape. Fortunately they can count on their friends to help them stand up against the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces.

My Thoughts

Even though this book is part of a trilogy, there isn't any connection between the stories but there's definitely a common theme to the whole series; they are all mystery novels with enigmatic villains that look to no means in order to succeed.

I have to say, I think this book was better than El Principe de la Niebla because it had a lot more mystery and some parts were actually kind of scary. The way it was written was really captivating and it grabbed my attention; I swear, sometimes I couldn't put the book down because I was so eager to know what would happen next.

The way the mysteries were introduced to us was really good, because the author only shared with us little pieces at a time instead of just blurting all out at once. It actually gave the story a great pace; it was fast but not to the point that you couldn't understand what was going on.

As for the characters,  even though Ben, Sheere and their friends had interesting stories, it was the villain - Jawahal - that really stood out for me; we was incredibly enigmatic, there was a lot of mystery surrounding his past and the reasons that lead him chase after the twins and even after knowing more about his story, I couldn't help but feel even more drawn to this character. He was really smart, a man ahead of his time with great hopes for his country and a big desire go change its course for better.

Overall I've been really enjoying this series and I'm looking forward to read the final book - Las Luces de Septiembre (The Watcher in the Shadows).

I give 4 out of 5 stars to El Palacio de la Medianoche

Hedge Knight

I have to admit, I've never been the biggest fan of stories set in medieval times with fantasy elements, but George R R Martin has taught me to appreciate this genre. So far,I've been really loving what is has written and Hedge Knight is no exception.

The premise

Night falls over the life of one noble knight and brings the dawn of his squire's knighthood. Dubbing himself Ser Duncan the Tall , he sets forth to the tourney at Ashford Meadow in search of fame, glory and the honor of upholding his oath as a knight of the Seven Kingdoms. However, keeping an honest path doesn't seem to be the tendency anymore and his chivalry could compromise his future.

My thoughts

This graphic novel is an adaptation of a short story that takes place 100 years before the events of A Game of Thrones.

I liked it a lot because, in my opinion, it added to my impression that the series created by George R R Martin is a story that seems to have a lot of history and tradition on its foundation. I particularly enjoyed how it was connected to what we already know from the series and how we got to know more about some of the more distinguished families and the legends that surround them. I also thought that Duncan was really commendable and the fact that this was basically a story about honor and how we should always follow through with our commitments.
Great story with a great message.

4 out of 5 stars.

La Mécanique du Coeur

Today I'll be reviewing one of the books that I had on my bookshelves waiting for me to pick it up (fortunately it didn't have to wait that long).

La Mécanique du Coeur - also known as The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart - tells us the story of Jack, a boy who was born on the coldest day ever with a frozen heart. In order for him to survive, Madeleine - the midwife - grafts a cuckoo clock to his heart; according to her, he will have to lead of life free from strong emotions, including love. However, when Jack meets a little singer from Andalucía things change ...

Jack is an interesting character. Even though he's a teenager, he still seems like a small boy when it comes to his dreams and his expectations; he's a dreamer and his dreams seem to give him a sense of purpose, they direct his life and determine what he does and how he does it. Because of that, he ends being somewhat naive and childlike - here and there, not too often - but in a way that makes us empathize with him; he also has this amazing ability to love unconditionally and with such tenderness that warmed up my heart.

What was also really interesting about this book was the way the human heart - has an organ and has the source of love (and the problems that come with it) - was "portrayed"; it demanded our attention, almost as if it were another character in the story.

I think this was a great way to start my readings for 2013. This book was different from what I had read until now, because it's not your typical love story where everything is pretty and has an happy ending; it's kind of gothic and bittersweet. I enjoyed reading this book because it made me laugh, it made me think and the fact that the band Dyonisos - in which the author is the lead singer - created an entire album dedicated to this book was like the cherry on top of the cake. Listening to the CD was a great bonus because it's like the story is being sung to you and you feel a lot more engrossed by the book. Loved the whole experience.

4 out of 5 stars