Yet again, I am proof that modern marketing works. After just the right amount of targeted adverts, I looked up 'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley to find out what the fuss was all about.
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
01 November 2025
16 March 2019
Back to the Future
'The Time Machine' by HG Wells (Gollancz reprint, 2001)
So, as Old Father Time used his scythe to harvest 2018, I, rather appropriately, found myself reading the Science Fiction classic 'The Time Machine' by HG Wells.
In a middle class, Edwardian drawing room, a brilliant scientist and engineer demonstrates his latest invention; a Time Machine. His audience of intellectual friends include a Psychologist, a Provincial Mayor and a Doctor, who, despite what they see, remain unconvinced of his achievement. Determined to prove his theories, the Time Traveller sets out on an adventure in time, intending to bring back future proof of humanity's advances from centuries to come. But when he lands in 802,701, he's shocked by what he finds. The docile Eloi and the crumbling structures they inhabit disappoint his ideals of curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. But disappointment turns to horror when he encounters a second branch of the Homo Sapien family tree - the sinister, darkness-dwelling Morlocks - and he begins to realise where the ills of his present could ultimately lead. Is it too late for civilisation or has the Time Traveller arrived just in time to give these descendants a better future?
So, as Old Father Time used his scythe to harvest 2018, I, rather appropriately, found myself reading the Science Fiction classic 'The Time Machine' by HG Wells.
In a middle class, Edwardian drawing room, a brilliant scientist and engineer demonstrates his latest invention; a Time Machine. His audience of intellectual friends include a Psychologist, a Provincial Mayor and a Doctor, who, despite what they see, remain unconvinced of his achievement. Determined to prove his theories, the Time Traveller sets out on an adventure in time, intending to bring back future proof of humanity's advances from centuries to come. But when he lands in 802,701, he's shocked by what he finds. The docile Eloi and the crumbling structures they inhabit disappoint his ideals of curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. But disappointment turns to horror when he encounters a second branch of the Homo Sapien family tree - the sinister, darkness-dwelling Morlocks - and he begins to realise where the ills of his present could ultimately lead. Is it too late for civilisation or has the Time Traveller arrived just in time to give these descendants a better future?
25 February 2015
The Time-Traveller's Strife
A few years ago, I read the brilliant 'Little Boy Lost' by Marghanita Laski. Ever since, I've wanted to read more by her and this month I finally got around to 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue'.
In 1950s London, new mother Melanie is recovering from TB, supported by her husband Guy, the calm, firm Dr Gregory and the efficient childminder Sister Smith. Following months confined to bed, the doctor decides Melanie can have a change of scene and rest in a room nearer her infant son. After some consideration, a suitable place is chosen for her, a Victorian chaise-longue she bought just before she was diagnosed. Thrilled by even this small freedom, Melanie is tucked up on the antique couch and soon falls asleep. But when she wakes, everything is different. Is it all just a vivid dream or has she really slipped through time to become a stranger?
It's clearly not a good month for me. I saved reading PD James' introduction to 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' until I'd read the novella itself. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have realised it was a horror story. I suppose that I'm so used to the time-traveller narrative that I never expected anything other than a happy ending. I'm not saying that there is a happy ending, just that I always thought there would be, which affected my reading of this book.
The story plays on the themes of identity and appreciating what you have in the modern world, rather than longing for a rose-tinted view of the past. The heroine becomes increasingly frustrated at being trapped in body of someone long dead, which other readers have found frightening. I suppose it's a measure of how unimpressed I was with Melanie and how used I am to exploring lives real and imagined through books that I just didn't find this unnerving at all. Perhaps as some people can happily watch the most gory of horror films with no concerns, I can read about irritating women being taught a lesson without getting scared.
Which is probably the basic issue I had. 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' was an interesting and well written book, but ultimately I didn't give two hoots about Melanie. She was clearly pampered and properly looked after and, though TB is a terrible disease, she was recovering from it. Even when the metaphorical rug is whipped out from under her and she gets a taste of a very different time with morals and medical care that seem almost barbaric by today's standards, I'd pegged the book as a morality tale, little more than a fairy story for grown ups.
This hasn't put me off wanting to read more by Ms Laski and I understand that Persephone Books publish more of her work, but I was a bit disappointed by 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue'. I hope that a second reading will allow me to pick up some hints that I missed the first time round, but I'm afraid that the best I can say about it is that it's alright. Still, I suppose I can't adore everything.
Fingers crossed that I'm a bit more excited by my next read! If you have any suggestions, don't forget that you can tweet them to me via @Girl_LovesBooks.
Now, what next...!
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| 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' by Marghanita Laski (Persephone Books, 1999) |
It's clearly not a good month for me. I saved reading PD James' introduction to 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' until I'd read the novella itself. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have realised it was a horror story. I suppose that I'm so used to the time-traveller narrative that I never expected anything other than a happy ending. I'm not saying that there is a happy ending, just that I always thought there would be, which affected my reading of this book.
The story plays on the themes of identity and appreciating what you have in the modern world, rather than longing for a rose-tinted view of the past. The heroine becomes increasingly frustrated at being trapped in body of someone long dead, which other readers have found frightening. I suppose it's a measure of how unimpressed I was with Melanie and how used I am to exploring lives real and imagined through books that I just didn't find this unnerving at all. Perhaps as some people can happily watch the most gory of horror films with no concerns, I can read about irritating women being taught a lesson without getting scared.
Which is probably the basic issue I had. 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' was an interesting and well written book, but ultimately I didn't give two hoots about Melanie. She was clearly pampered and properly looked after and, though TB is a terrible disease, she was recovering from it. Even when the metaphorical rug is whipped out from under her and she gets a taste of a very different time with morals and medical care that seem almost barbaric by today's standards, I'd pegged the book as a morality tale, little more than a fairy story for grown ups.
This hasn't put me off wanting to read more by Ms Laski and I understand that Persephone Books publish more of her work, but I was a bit disappointed by 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue'. I hope that a second reading will allow me to pick up some hints that I missed the first time round, but I'm afraid that the best I can say about it is that it's alright. Still, I suppose I can't adore everything.
Fingers crossed that I'm a bit more excited by my next read! If you have any suggestions, don't forget that you can tweet them to me via @Girl_LovesBooks.
Now, what next...!
22 June 2014
Wondering About
On the train back from the British Museum, I randomly started reading 'The Psychic Tourist' by journalist William Little. Yesterday, I finished it.
The journey begins when Little buys an astrological birth chart for his sister and her daughter as a gift. Unfortunately, they both predict a water-related death, something which terrifies his sibling and affects badly, making her avoid travelling on or over water at any cost and give up water-based hobbies. Upset that his gift has caused so much distress, Little decides to start and investigation into the world of psychics and prediction to find a way to undo the damage he's done.
Having enjoyed 'Will Storr vs the Supernatural', I hoped that this too would be an interesting and thought provoking read. It's also described as funny in a number of reviews, so I thought it would be entertaining too. Unfortunately, although it does start off in a similar way as Storr's book, it meanders quite a lot and doesn't always seem to stick to it's destination of the truth about predicting the future, often straying into a more general look at psychics instead. It's almost as if the author wanted to write a different book but couldn't control his own destiny.
By the end, the more lighthearted tone is all but out of sight. While it's interesting that Little takes his investigation to a new level, interviewing a combination of Physicists, Nobel-prize winners and experts in Quantum Theory, it means he has to resort to including long quotes from books and people. I can understand why. Many of these ideas are hard to understand for non-academics and it's safer to quote directly rather than try to explain it in lay language and lose meaning. Unfortunately, this style also gives the book an essay feel, and essays are not usually fun or amusing. Although if anyone knows of a funny, understandable and accurate essay on Quantum Physics, I'd love to hear about it!
Overall, 'The Psychic Tourist' was a bit of a disappointment. With a rewrite that tightens up the structure and maps out the science so it's easier to understand, it would be a better book. It's a shame as there are a lot of great and interesting ideas in here, many of which need to be shared with people like Little's sister to free them from excessive worry. Maybe in the future Little will have the opportunity to revisit this book and give it a polish. Who knows..!
Now, back to Groucho Marx!
The journey begins when Little buys an astrological birth chart for his sister and her daughter as a gift. Unfortunately, they both predict a water-related death, something which terrifies his sibling and affects badly, making her avoid travelling on or over water at any cost and give up water-based hobbies. Upset that his gift has caused so much distress, Little decides to start and investigation into the world of psychics and prediction to find a way to undo the damage he's done.
Having enjoyed 'Will Storr vs the Supernatural', I hoped that this too would be an interesting and thought provoking read. It's also described as funny in a number of reviews, so I thought it would be entertaining too. Unfortunately, although it does start off in a similar way as Storr's book, it meanders quite a lot and doesn't always seem to stick to it's destination of the truth about predicting the future, often straying into a more general look at psychics instead. It's almost as if the author wanted to write a different book but couldn't control his own destiny.
By the end, the more lighthearted tone is all but out of sight. While it's interesting that Little takes his investigation to a new level, interviewing a combination of Physicists, Nobel-prize winners and experts in Quantum Theory, it means he has to resort to including long quotes from books and people. I can understand why. Many of these ideas are hard to understand for non-academics and it's safer to quote directly rather than try to explain it in lay language and lose meaning. Unfortunately, this style also gives the book an essay feel, and essays are not usually fun or amusing. Although if anyone knows of a funny, understandable and accurate essay on Quantum Physics, I'd love to hear about it!
Overall, 'The Psychic Tourist' was a bit of a disappointment. With a rewrite that tightens up the structure and maps out the science so it's easier to understand, it would be a better book. It's a shame as there are a lot of great and interesting ideas in here, many of which need to be shared with people like Little's sister to free them from excessive worry. Maybe in the future Little will have the opportunity to revisit this book and give it a polish. Who knows..!
Now, back to Groucho Marx!
18 April 2013
Back to the Future
Although I like a variety of books and stories, there is one genre that I tend to shy away from; 'chick lit'. I know I shouldn't be prejudiced to a whole type of literature because of its name, but I find it hard not to be when there's no 'bloke books' category. As if anyone in the 21st century should choose what to read based on whether they're a boy or a girl!
Anyway, despite this, there are a few chick lit novels on the list and I've just finished reading one of them - 'Remember Me?' by Sophie Kinsella.
'Remember Me?' tells the story of Lexi, an ordinary girl who who wakes up from a coma to find she's
forgotten the last three years of her life. The last thing she remembers is being a disappointed 25 year old with a low grade job, absentee boyfriend and few prospects, although she does have a fantastic group of friends. Now in 2007, she discovers she's a company director with a rich and attractive husband and more designer clothes and accessories than she could've imagined three years earlier. Somehow, things have changed for the better, but as Lexi begins living her new life, it starts looking less than perfect...
This was a cheery, well written book which trundled along quite happily. The characters were easy to visualise and it had the lovely feel of watching the film equivalent of chick lit, a rom com. It did make me laugh a few times and Lexi is a likeable character who is easy to root for - after all, who hasn't sometimes felt out of touch and as though everyone else knows something they don't?
'Remember Me?' is a breezy, holiday read that would cheer up all but the most hard hearted of readers.
One word of warning: This book contains strong language and scenes of a sexual nature. Not the best present for your prudish maiden aunt, that's all I'm saying!
Now, what next..?
Anyway, despite this, there are a few chick lit novels on the list and I've just finished reading one of them - 'Remember Me?' by Sophie Kinsella.
'Remember Me?' tells the story of Lexi, an ordinary girl who who wakes up from a coma to find she's
 |
| 'Remember Me?' by Sophie Kinsella (Bantam Press, 2008) |
This was a cheery, well written book which trundled along quite happily. The characters were easy to visualise and it had the lovely feel of watching the film equivalent of chick lit, a rom com. It did make me laugh a few times and Lexi is a likeable character who is easy to root for - after all, who hasn't sometimes felt out of touch and as though everyone else knows something they don't?
'Remember Me?' is a breezy, holiday read that would cheer up all but the most hard hearted of readers.
One word of warning: This book contains strong language and scenes of a sexual nature. Not the best present for your prudish maiden aunt, that's all I'm saying!
Now, what next..?
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