'Carry On Regardless' by Caroline Frost

Few film series are so loved yet controversial as the Carry Ons.  Once a staple of weekend TV, I spent many an afternoon watching them as a child.  Some I loved, some... not so much.  But it wasn't until I read 'Carry On Regardless' by Caroline Front that I began to understand why.

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'The Good, the Bad and the Multiplex' by Mark Kermode

So, from lost letters, we move on to potentially lost causes in Mark Kermode's 'The Good, the Bad and the Multiplex'.

Esteemed film critic Mark Kermode is back with a reasoned polemic on the state of cinema and why the current system is failing us, the audience.  Kermode discusses the demise of the projectionist and the knock on effect for performance quality, how remaking popular foreign language films means a lot is lost in translation and independent cinemas' ongoing battle for survival.  This is a book that questions the familiar headlines, revealing that the British are rarely coming (no matter how many Oscars Dame Judi Dench and Colin Firth win) and that, despite the hype, 3D is far from the future.  High noon is approaching, and Sheriff Kermode clearly has no plans to get out of Dodge.

Smoke and Mirrors, Darling

The first book I finished in 2018 was 'The Panther in My Kitchen' by Brian Blessed, which is basically 'Absolute Pandemonium' with just animals, so you don't really need a post about that.  The next was 'Do You Mind if I Smoke?' by Fenella Fielding and Simon McKay, which somehow followed on perfectly thanks to its intimate, conversational feel.

'Do You Mind if I Smoke'
by Fenella FIelding and Simon McKay
(Peter Owen Publishers, 2017)

'Do You Mind if I Smoke?' is the memoir of 90-year-old actress Fenella Fielding, best known for her velvety voice and comic roles on stage, radio and screen (if you know her from nothing else, you'll know her from 'Carry On Screaming').  In this book, she tells tales from her childhood and career, painting a picture of life as a performer in the 1960s and tempting us with tidbits from behind the scenes of various productions.  Through her many stories, the reader is given a glimpse of the hard work and tough decision-making that has to happen before the curtain goes up and the cameras start to roll, as well as the thrill of success and a job well done.

Double Oh Zzzzzzz...

As a mini-project within a project, I'm still working my way through all of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and I have now finished 'Octopussy, the Living Daylights and Other Stories'.  It was another AudioGo audiobook, this time read by Loki himself, Tom Hiddleston.

'Octopussy and The Living Daylights'
by Ian Fleming
(Vintage, 2012)

This short collection includes four stories.  In 'Octopussy', a psychopathic Major finally gets his just rewards courtesy of the local wildlife, while 'The Property of a Lady' appealed to my love of shiny things as the plot revolves around the auction of a rare jewelled Fabergé sphere.  Bond takes on an unlikely Russian sniper in 'The Living Daylights'.  Finally, the collection concludes with '007 in New York', about... erm... James Bond in New York. This is read by the author's niece, Lucy Fleming,

Unfortunately, things didn't go well between me and this book from the start.  I fell asleep while listening to 'Octopussy' and had to replay it again from the beginning to catch up.  In retrospect, I'm not surprised, because it's not really a James Bond story (it just happens to have James Bond in it) nor is it a great short story.  It's plodding and predictable and I've come to expect more now I've encountered so much great work from Mr Fleming.

'The Property of a Lady' left me surprised and disappointed as the complex set up didn't deliver the plot twist I expected, while '007 in New York' felt a bit like a fan-focussed Easter Egg, a secret extra for the eyes of real obsessives only.

The best of the four was definitely 'The Living Daylights', a story which draws the reader into the working life of a jobbing double-0.  It opens up the the events leading up to the assassin's gunshot, the tedium of waiting, the meticulous planning, the risk of getting caught.  It had tension and provided insight into a character that we all think we know.

'Octopussy and the Living Daylights
and Other Stories'
by Ian Fleming.
(AudioGo, 2012)

I felt a bit sorry for Tom Hiddleston really.  He didn't have as much to work with as some of the other actors who have narrated CDs in the 007 Reloaded series, but that didn't stop him trying.  He clearly had a lot of fun voicing Major Dexter Smythe in 'Octopussy', although it did make me smile a couple of times.  I couldn't help being reminded of Kulvinder Ghir in the 'Goodness Gracious Me' Coopers/Kapoors and Robinsons/Rabindranaths sketches.  Both probably had the same inspiration.

Overall, I would recommend this as a curiosity, something to read so you can say 'I've read all the James Bond books'.  It's not got the energy of the other stories I've listened to so far, so in a way, here, Mr Fleming is a victim of his own success.  I'm hoping it's just a blip and that Bond will be back on form for 'Thunderball'.  After all, James Bond will return...

Related Posts

'Casino Royale'
'Live and Let Die'
'Dr No'
'For Your Eyes Only'

Missing the Marx

Can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I finished 'The Essential Groucho' edited by Stefan Kanfer.  Obviously wore myself out reading so many books in June!

'The Essential Groucho'
edited by Stefan Kanfer
(Penguin Modern Classics, 2000)

'The Essential Groucho' is a collection of work spanning the long and varied career of Groucho Marx.  Most people will know Groucho and his siblings from their classic films, several scenes from which are quoted at length in this book, which also includes extracts from stage shows, radio programmes, letters, original articles by and about Groucho and a list of one liners from 'You Bet Your Life'.

One of the great things about the dawn of the DVD age is that my generation has been able to watch and enjoy films like those of the Marx Brothers films despite living around 70 years after their original cinema releases.  It's testament to the cultural impact of their work that these films are available and that people are still interested enough in them for books like this to be in print.

The first few chapters of 'The Essential Groucho' draw from their early stage shows and movies and it quickly becomes clear that something vital is missing.  I think I've got a pretty good imagination, but with the best will in the world, no one can play the Marx Brothers like the Marx Brothers.  It's much like listening to 'Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel' on BBC Radio Four.  It sounds like Groucho, but something of the personality, ease and spontaneity is missing.  Just reading the scripts doesn't convey the madcap energy that was their trademark, which almost left me wondering why so many were included in this book.  Certainly where the movies were concerned, perhaps it would've been better to just provide a filmography suggesting people watch them if they haven't done so already.  Being quite familiar with them myself, I found these early chapters just made me want to watch them as the written word couldn't do them justice.

It wasn't all bad, however, and there were two chapters in particular that I found very interesting.  Both included Groucho's writing - a selection of his letters and some of his articles.  The latter in particular suggested a different side to the man, showing him to be unexpectedly analytical and thoughtful about life and his relationships.  The distinctive wordplay and clever juxtaposition of apparently disparate ideas was still there, but underneath there are some serious ideas that make you think.  I particularly liked the article about why Harpo wasn't allowed to speak and 'Bad Days are Good Memories'. 

Overall, if you're a student of this Marx, you may find this collection a useful resource, but if you're a fan, you're probably best sticking with the films that made the Brothers famous.  I might be interested in seeing a bigger collection of Groucho's articles, but I think his strength lay on stage and screen and I'd probably end that book the same way I did 'The Essential Groucho', with a sense of loss and a feeling that something was missing.

No Limit!

No no no no no no no no no no no no there's no limit!

'Dr No' by Ian Fleming, read by Hugh Quarshie
(AudioGo 2012)

OK, now I've got that out of my system, here is a post about 'Dr No' by Ian Fleming, an AudioGo 007 Reloaded version of the novel read by Hugh Quarshie.

Returning to active duty after a near fatal encounter with the Russians, James Bond is given an easy assignment; investigating the disappearance of two MI6 operatives based in Kingston, Jamaica.  But the case is not as it seems. Before too long M's 'bit of a holiday' looking into a suspected affair and elopement has evolved into something far more sinister.  As Bond joins the dots, he finds all the threads lead to Crab Key, home to rare birds, a guano plant and the secretive spider at the web's centre, Dr Julius No.

'Dr No' is much more meticulously paced than 'Live and Let Die', the last Bond story I listened to as an audiobook.  It's still not a long novel, but it includes much more tension, character development and back story and is the better for it.  Bond lives a hyper-real, ultra-violent life just within sight of reality, so it helps to actually bring the story back down to Earth by making readers care about the characters.  In 'Dr No', Quarrel and Honeychile Ryder are much more developed than Solitaire in 'Live and Let Die', so there is a greater sense of danger that makes you genuinely root for these people and want to find out what happens next.

'Dr No' by Ian Fleming
(Penguin Modern
Classics, 2004)

I thought Solitaire was a complete waste of space, but I absolutely fell in love with Honeychile Ryder.  Although in some ways a victim of circumstances, she's not been sat around waiting for Bond to arrive and sort everything out for her.  She has her own aims, talents and desires, some more sensible than others, but whether her decisions make good sense or not, at least she's trying and she's not afraid of using her skills and knowledge to make her way independently in the world.  You go girl!

While the heroes seem more real, the villain Dr No was as unreal as they come.  Perhaps it was a deliberate dichotomy or maybe a villain as completely off the wall as this one is so unbelievable to prevent readers having nightmares.  Having said that, while No was a typical megalomaniacal Bond villain who seemed completely detached from reality in his underground lair, he was scary.  Normally this sort of character becomes borderline camp in the films, but on the page and in his own domain claustrophobia sets in and you begin to doubt that even 007 can overcome this madman's manipulations.

Overall, 'Dr No' is a great adventure story, action-packed, tense and with real punch in places.  It has dated in the last 57 years, but, to be fair, all the Bond books I've encountered so far have, like so many of their contemporaries.  If you can see beyond this, however, I would recommend it.

Now, what next?

Related Posts

'Live and Let Die'
'Casino Royale'
'For Your Eyes Only'

Bond goes on a Treasure Hunt

The final book I finished last month was 'Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming.  It was another in the 007 Reloaded series from AudioGo and read by Rory Kinnear, who played M's assistant Bill Tanner in 'Quantum of Solace' and 'Skyfall'.  Fact!

'Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming
(AudioGo, 2012)

'Live and Let Die' begins with a pirate's gold.  Old, rare and valuable coins from a legendary Caribbean hoard are mysteriously surfacing in America and the authorities want to know how they're getting there.  Working with the FBI and the CIA's Felix Leiter, Bond is sent on a treasure hunt that plunges him headlong into a world of superstition, voodoo and organised crime.  His target is Mr Big, cult leader, smuggler and SMERSH operative, a powerful figure in the Black community who manipulates his magical reputation to get what he wants from his network of terrified informants.  When 007 is forced to go on the run with Mr Big's pet psychic Solitaire, there seems to be no chance of escape.  But Bond was born lucky and it takes more than stories to frighten him.  Something more like the thought of a night time swim in a sea of frenzied sharks and barracuda...

This book is the most 'boy's own' of all the Bond stories I've read/heard so far.  Ignoring the fact that the novel is very much of its time and uses words and descriptions that are unacceptable today, it starts off very gung ho and a bit Bond-by-numbers, almost like Fleming wasn't sure where he was going with it.  For example, a scene set in Mr Big's night club hide out featuring an erotic dancer who strips her meagre coverings for a baying mob may be a teenage boy's cheap thrill, but it seemed excessive even as an attempt to suggest Mr Big and his minions were nothing but unsophisticated tribal savages or to remind us that we're in the hyper-charged world of Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.  Solitaire, also, feels like a box ticked rather than a necessity for the story.  A typical damsel in distress, she comes across as vapid, useless and rather pointless overall.  But can Bond be Bond without a girl?

About half way through, however, Bond and Leiter get back to the business in hand, start doing some actual

'Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming
(Penguin, 2004)

spying and - lo! - the story starts to pick up.  From then onwards, the tension builds to a fantastic climax that kept me guessing even though I knew what would probably happen.  Now that's more like it!

As with the other 007 Reloaded CDs I've listened to so far, this one kept things simple and benefited from it.

Overall, I was slightly disappointed by this book, but enjoyed the return of Felix Leiter, the tense second half and working out which films various scenes and events had ended up it.  (It goes without saying that this book bears little resemblance to the enjoyable film, but bits of it do appear in other movies, most obviously in 'Licence to Kill'.)

I've already started on 'Dr No' and it's already a much more plodding work, leaden by comparison with this.  I'll be interested to see if it does the opposite to 'Live and Let Die' and gets a bit feisty in the second half instead.

Related Posts

'Casino Royale'
'For Your Eyes Only'

Rough and Ready

After really enjoying 'For Your Eyes Only' in AudioGo's 007 Rebooted series, I decided to go back to where it all began and listen to the first Bond book, 'Casino Royale' by Ian Fleming, read by Dan Stevens (him off Downton Abbey).

'Casino Royal' by Ian Fleming
read by Dan Stevens
(AudioGo 2012)

Top Soviet secret agent Le Chiffre has taken one risk too many with his paymaster's money.  On the verge of bankruptcy and pursued by Russia's elite spy killers SMERSH, he's decided to gamble himself out of harms way at the exclusive French resort of Royale-Les-Eaux.  But Le Chiffre isn't the only one seizing his chance; the British Secret Service knows he is vulnerable and, if he is beaten, one of the USSR's key pieces will be out of the game.  So they send James Bond, double-0, assassin and the best gambler they have, to take his money so that SMERSH can take his life.

'Casino Royale' was an interesting book because here is James Bond before he became the James Bond we're more familiar with.  There's something unformed about him, as if Fleming met him in a bar and then casually decided to follow him and see where he ended up.  At the start of the book, the character seems peculiarly aimless, only interested in getting the job done and the sexual buzz that comes afterwards.  If he has any driving force at  all, it's the appeasement of his senses; whether it's an excellent meal, the colour of a women's dress or the warmth of the sun on his skin, he lives fully in the moment while remaining controlled and analytical.  By the end, however, his self-contained, shadowy world has been turned upside down and he's on a quest to defeat one of the most feared and secret organisations in the world.

Every hero needs a villain and 'Casino Royale' provides one which will presumably keep Bond going for all the books to come.  I'd always assumed SMERSH was some sort of non-governmental, hard line splinter group, so it was intriguing to hear more about them.  It turns out that they are in fact (if that's the right phrase to use!) part of Soviet Russia's secret service.  They police the police and spy on the spies, keeping the most feared men and women in the USSR in check.

'Casino Royale' by Ian Fleming
(Penguin Modern Classics, 2004)

Dan Stevens did a great job of reading this story, although I couldn't help but smile at the voice of Le Chiffre at first.  It didn't last long, though, and his interpretation perfectly evoked the toad-like figure described.  I'll certainly look out for his name on future audiobooks.

Awful as it sounds, one thing that did pleasantly surprise me about 'Casino Royale' was how closely the plot of the 2006 film matched that of the book.  I'm so used to the Fleming stories having nothing to do with the films, I simply didn't expect it, so at least the book wasn't ruined for me.  Whether this is why it's one of the better Bond movies I couldn't possibly comment.  It is kind of strange that the movie Bond and the book Bond appear to have finally converged 50 years and 60 years after they were created!  Of all the Bonds, Daniel Craig certainly seems to best match the spy described by Mr Fleming.


Overall, I think the best word for this book is 'interesting'.  I really did get the feeling that Mr Fleming was throwing everything at the story, as if it had been bubbling around inside him for a long time.  Now I know where Bond began, I'm looking forward to seeing where he ends up going next.

Bond, but Not as we Know Him

Cue the theme music!  I've just finished an audiobook of 'For Your Eyes Only' by Ian Fleming, part of AudioGo's 007 Reloaded series and read by Samuel West.

'For Your Eyes Only' by Ian Fleming
Read by Samuel West (AudioGo, 2013)

'For Your Eyes Only' is a collection of five short stories featuring nigh legendary British Secret Service agent James Bond.  The book includes familiar and unfamiliar titles 'From a View to a Kill', 'Quantum of Solace', 'Risico', 'The Hildebrand Rarity' and, of course 'For Your Eyes Only'. Telling tales of mysterious murders and personal vendettas, double-crossers and drug barons, exotic locations and discrete offices, these stories take you into a world you thought you knew, then shows you there is so much to Bond, James Bond.

I love short stories and this collection is one of my favourites so far.  The stand out piece is definitely 'Quantum of Solace'.  Forget the awful film, if you read no other work by Ian Fleming, read this.  It's subtle, it's heartbreaking and has a twist in the tail that tied the whole thing up beautifully.  As a result, I'm really looking forward to reading more by Mr Fleming and have high hopes for his other books.

I'm a great fan of Bond films and was a bit worried that the character of the novels would be so hard and impenetrable that I would be put off completely.  I knew that the film plots bear little, if any, resemblance to the books that share their titles, so that difference didn't come as a surprise.  To be honest, in some instances it was a relief, but if you wanted reviews of Bond films, you'd be reading a different blog!

The stories and the films will always draw comparisons, but I'm glad to say that the things that define a Bond film are all present and correct; exotic locations, beautiful women, rich living, vile villains and, of course, our savoir faire secret agent.

Far from a character assassination that put me off Bond, this book has made me more interested in him.  The great strength of these stories (and, I hope, the books I have yet to read) is that they let you get inside the head of the character.  We hear his thought processes and get a glimpse of the cold and analytical outlook he has on the world.  It's fascinating.  Suddenly Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is more than just a bored, vain, playboy assassin.

'For Your Eyes Only'
by Ian Fleming
(Vintage, 2012)

I enjoyed listening to 'For Your Eyes Only' as an audiobook and the interview given by the reader, Samuel West, at the end was quite interesting, although it would perhaps be more useful to trainee actors than readers.  Some may dislike the lack of music and sound effects, but this appealed to me as really all I wanted was the book read to me.  That's what I got and it meant I could use my own imagination, just as though I was reading it for myself.

So, if you're a reader and a fan of escapist action-adventure stories like the James Bond series, I think you'll enjoy this book in either format.  Like many a Bond girl, 'For Your Eyes Only' has certainly left me wanting more and I can't wait to read/listen to more by Ian Fleming.

Now, what next?

The Man with the Golden Pun

I've just finished reading 'My Word is My Bond' by Sir Roger Moore.  Some how I don't feel so bad reading celebrity biographies if the writer is over 80!

'My Word is My Bond' is Sir Roger's story of his life, the people he's had the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of meeting and his work, on screen as the Saint and James Bond and off screen for UNICEF.  His life so far has been a busy one and he shares stories from his Second World War childhood, his early struggles as a jobbing actor, striking it lucky in TV and the movies and how his fame led to his charity work.

I loved the way this book was written.  It was almost exactly like sitting down by the fire with an elderly relative and just letting them talk away about their life.  I'm almost sad that I didn't listen to the audiobook instead of reading the print version!  It makes the narrative feel like it's For Your Eyes Only, cosy and almost intimate.

Sir Roger is undoubtedly a total charmer and I defy anyone to not get drawn in by him when they read this book, even though it's a little saucy in places.  Somehow he's not ended up with the Moonraker, he still has his feet on the ground and the common touch, which means he knows what the reader wants and gives it to them.  Let's face it, we all love a bit of celebrity gossip, but we don't want cruelty nor bitchiness, so Moore's Live and Let Die attitude does him credit.  He tells stories about the more unpleasant characters he's met, but doesn't name names.

'My Word is My Bond' by Roger Moore
(Michael O'Mara Books Ltd, 2008)

I read this book at a really good time because I've been given a complete set of Bond films and set myself the project of watching them in order from 'Dr No' to 'Skyfall'.  My next one will be 'Octopussy', so I've been able to read Moore's behind the scenes tales while watching the relevant movies.  It was great to see him mention 'The Man Who Haunted Himself', which is a great little film that I was introduced to a few years ago.  It always struck me as a bit strange that the big star of 'A View to a Kill' had been in such an unusual British production, but now I know that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he did, so I'll have to seek out some more of his work.  I've never watched 'The Saint', so hopefully I'm in for a treat there.

My only (minor) criticism is that the book ends with a rather clunky A-Z of places Sir Roger and his wife have visited as part of their UNICEF work.  Unfortunately, some of the stories become a bit samey and as such started to lose their impact over time.  Part of me feels that a separate book about this aspect of Moore's life would have allowed him to go into more depth and make it more interesting, but it might've been hard going for the reader.  I think it might have worked better if these stories had been woven into the rest of the book, but understand that the author wanted to leave the reader with a message about the charity and the important work it does.  As I said earlier, he's such a charmer, by the end you'll let him get away with a lot!

Overall, this is not so much The Spy who Loved Me, but The Spy who is Loved, a light, funny, interesting read, good for on the plane as you jet off to your very own exotic Bond film location.

Now to decide what next.  I'm in the mood for a bit of Gothic horror, but whether I'll still be by the time I get to the shelves you never know!

Previously from The Girl Who Loves Books...

Quite surprisingly, I'm taking longer than expected to finish 'How to be Woman' by Caitlin Moran, so I thought you might like to see a few of my pre-blog reviews, written before I realised I had quite so much to read!  Enjoy and I hope to have something new for you soon!

'My Wicked, Wicked Ways' by Errol Flynn

When I found out about this book, I knew I had to read it. I've loved the films of Errol Flynn ever since I was a child. His movies took me on exciting adventures in exotic lands beyond my innocent imagination and instilled in me a love of adventure stories which I have carried into adulthood. This book, the story of his life, is possibly the greatest adventure story of them all. Beginning with Flynn's youth in Tasmania, Australia, we follow him to gold mines and plantations in New Guinea, casinos and brothels of South East Asia, the highs and lows of the down-and-out life in Sydney and Queensland, his early acting career in England and finally to the glitz of Hollywood and the exoticism of Jamaica. In these pages we encounter angry native tribes, sharks and crocodiles, con tricks and diamond smuggling, high profile court cases and tempestuous relationships. But, surprisingly, we also find reflection and philosophy. According to the introduction by Jeffrey Meyers, this book was written to be scandalous, but the charm of the subject wins through. Although I approached the book determined to take it with a pinch of salt and not be seduced, 438 pages later I was more fascinated by Flynn than ever. However, I did feel that there was something missing. The story felt incomplete without photographs and an epilogue explaining what happened to Flynn and the key characters in his life. But that might just be me being greedy. Overall, this book spans fifty years of adventure, mischief and excitement and is well worth a read by any armchair explorer or devotee of Hollywood.

'Frenchman's Creek' by Daphne Du Maurier

Despite being a work of fiction, this book feels as though it tells a real-life tale of the author's personal feelings of isolation and longing. Set in the reign of Charles II, `Frenchman's Creek' tells the story of the restless and unhappy Lady Dona St Columb, who flees London after playing a practical joke on an unfortunate countess, egged on by the rake Rockingham. Feeling guilty about what she has done and unhappy at what her life has become, she seeks isolation at her husband's Cornish estate and finds joy in the simple pleasures of playing with her children and exploring the coast. On one such walk, she encounters a French pirate, Jean Aubrey, and her life takes an unexpected turn... Du Maurier wrote this book while in Langley End, Hertfordshire, away from the wild Cornish landscape which she loved, perhaps inspiring Dona's sense of longing in the story. Also, according to Sheila Hodges, Du Maurier's editor, Dona carries many of the authors own feelings about wanting to be a boy, the Cornish countryside and her passion for freedom (P. 30, the Daphne Du Maurier Companion, Ed. Helen Taylor). This was certainly the feeling I got while reading the book. Unfortunately, this view of the female experience has become a bit of a cliché in recent years and as a modern feminist, it made me a bit uncomfortable. I stuck with the book, however, and am glad that I did because the pace and adventure quickens as the story progresses, leading to a satisfying ending. Although I don't feel this is Du Maurier's best work and wouldn't recommend it to a first time reader (unless in their mid-teens!), it was enjoyable and should be accepted for what it is - a bit of romantic escapism.

'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James

This book was one of the most difficult, irritating and intriguing things I have ever read. This novella is usually described as a classic ghost story. It tells the story of a vulnerable young woman who takes the position of governess at an Essex country house called Bly. She is to look after two angelic, orphaned children, a boy, Miles, and a girl, Flora, with the help of the housekeeper, Mrs Grose. After a letter arrives announcing Miles' expulsion from school, the unfortunate governess begins to doubt that all is as it should be with the children and starts to see signs of a supernatural cause.

This story was written in 1898, but, unlike other novels of the period, its language and style have not aged well. At some points I found it almost incomprehensible and had to read and reread some pages three or four times to get any meaning from them whatsoever. I am not entirely sure whether the style reflected the time or whether the writer was trying to imply something with the overly complex and repetitive writing of the governess. What I do know is that you should never judge a book by its thickness and assume you will finish it quickly.

Underneath the leaden prose, the themes of the book were consistent and the story is interesting. It challenged the reader to decide whether the governess was genuinely threatened or whether she was mad and does make you think.

Mad or not, I found it hard to like the governess, though I recognised the stubbornness of someone in their late teens/early twenties who is determined to show that they can do things without help. I found myself wondering why she did not speak to the local priest if the threat was supernatural. And why, after the disturbing end to the book, was she still able to work as a governess? The latter certainly just did not make sense to me.

Overall, I would say this is a challenging read, partly because its language is so complex, partly because it behaves like a puzzle with multiple solutions. Either way, it will certainly haunt the reader long after the last page is finished.

'Interview with the Vampire' by Anne Rice

It's been over a week since I finished this book and I still don't feel like I have a handle on it. Normally a couple of days is all I need to digest a volume and start to make connections that I hadn't noticed straight away. This time, however, despite being trapped in 200-odd pages of firmly printed text, I'm finding this tale as enigmatic and hard to pin down as any vampire.

`Interview with the Vampire' begins with the brilliant conceit of a young man tape-recording an interview with Louis, a two-hundred year old vampire. Louis tells the story of his life and loves, starting in New Orleans with how he met and was transformed by the self-serving Lestat. Tormented by his inherent evil but driven by his hunger for human blood, Louis attacks a young girl, Claudia, in the back streets of the city. In a complex act of cruelty and desperation, Lestat also makes Claudia a vampire, establishing the characters as the strangest of families. The story explores the relationships that these three vampires have with each other and with themselves, visiting some very dark places and sometimes taking the reader to places they never sought to go.

I neither liked nor disliked this book, but I was certainly intrigued by it. Louis philosophical ponderings on what being a vampire means offered a genuinely different perspective on a myth that permeates modern culture. However, I can see why it has retained its cult status in the last 40 years. The more brutal, visceral and sexual aspects of the vampire's existence, along with the subtle hints at what could be construed as paedophilia, could be alienating for some audiences. For me, they just sat awkwardly with what I found newer and more interesting, the more thoughtful start to the book. It's probably important however that we don't forget that vampires are supposed to be human predators rather than the damaged pretty boys so often seen on screen today.

Overall, although I'm not sure I would recommend this novel to anyone, it captured my interest enough to make me want to read the sequel, `The Vampire Lestat'. Hopefully this will be less ambiguous than its predecessor.

'Dear George and Other Stories' by Helen Simpson

I `discovered' Helen Simpson a few weeks ago when one of her short stories appeared in the Guardian magazine. It so completely blew me away that I immediately started to track down her other books and stories.

`Dear George' is a collection of short stories which explore various themes including pregnancy, child rearing and family discord, mainly from the female perspective. There is a petulant teenager who is caught out by an act of kindness, a desperate and overdue pregnant woman, a mother who finds family life to be unlike she expected and a nasty surprise for a authoritarian father on Christmas day.

There is a strange magic to these stories. Simpson deftly waves her pen and creates relationships and situations which are both realistic and recognisable, but without the reams of prose required by many authors. It's refreshing and fascinating, but above all it's a joy to find someone who creates real female characters facing everyday situations and frustrations. None of your neurotic Bridget Joneses or wan Cinderellas here! I would thoroughly recommend this book to any woman reader and probably a few men too. We need more of this sort of insight on our book shelves.

Picture Perfect

I've just finished reading a second book for New Books Magazine (www.newbooksmag.com), a review magazine for books clubs.  ‘Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures’ by Emma Straub charts the life and career of a Hollywood actress from the 1930s.  I love old films, so was immediately drawn to this story and am glad to say that I wasn't disappointed by it.

'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures'
by Emma Straub (Picador, 2012)

Laura Lamont began life as Elsa Emerson, the youngest daughter of Mary and John, owners of the Cherry County Playhouse, Door County, Wisconsin.  The youngest of three sisters by ten years, she spends idyllic summers in the rural setting, in awe of the actors and fascinated by their relationships on and off stage.  Her formative years are marked by tragedy and triumph, until she marries and leaves her home for the bright lights of Los Angeles, California, the home of Hollywood and the movies.  Although desperate to spread her wings and have her own career as an actress, she's soon caught up with the responsibilities of motherhood and beginning to feel as though her time in the spotlight may never come.  Then, at an employee party at Gardner Brothers Studio, she's unexpectedly spotted by one of the owners, Irving Green.  Suddenly she has a new name, a new patron and a golden opportunity for the career she's always dreamt of.I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  

Although it's a first novel, it's consistently well written and engaging throughout.  I think it's strength lies in the fact that it doesn't go to extremes; it doesn't become the clichéd fame morality tale ending with a bitter, drug-addicted, surgically altered Laura desperately begging to return to the limelight.  It remains grounded with the lead character, her life, experiences and feelings and, consequently, it's easier to identify and sympathise with her.  You keep reading because you want things to turn out OK in the end, even though she's 'living the dream' in a way most of us never will.

There is also quite a lot going on in terms of themes.  The story explores identity (Laura changes her name and sometimes wrestles with who she is and who she was), truth (the reality Hollywood creates, the falsehoods in her own life), love and loss (her relationships with the men in her life and her children).  This means that there's a lot to think about and much for book groups to discuss, but the themes are secondary to the story, so don't worry that you'll have to analyse it to enjoy it.

Overall, I really enjoyed 'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures' (Although I've had trouble not adding 'Motion' to the title for some reason!) and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven stories and family sagas.  I'm looking forward to seeing more from Emma Straub in the future and plan to track down her collection of short stories, 'Other People We Married', just as soon as I've read a few more titles on the list.

As a footnote, it was interesting for me to compare this with 'The Somnambulist', the first book I read for New Books Magazine, and also a first time novel.  One difference stood out: the acknowledgements and thank yous were at the back of 'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures' and at the front of 'The Somnambulist'.  I commented when starting to read the latter that this made it feel like the author wasn't expecting people to get to the end and see them there and ultimately I found I struggled with the book.  Perhaps I've stumbled on something afterall!  I will certainly be looking out for this in the future to see if I can spot a pattern!

Now, what next...?