Book review: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre

I read this book in preparation for going to see the film when it came out of the cinema and as soon as I started reading it, I was hooked.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was one of the most tense books I have ever read. As it neared towards the climax and the mole was revealed I was reading so fast because I couldn't wait to find out who it was! This book certainly has 'the pull' as well as memorable characters. I love the fact that George Smiley is overweight and wears glasses, not the typical spy of modern novels.
The reason why I only gave it three stars was because for some parts of the book, I had no idea what was going on. It's very complicated and you really need to concentrate. If I was tired, or my mind was focused on other things I would feel it wandering and I would have to reread the page or paragraph. I also guessed who the mole was before the reveal!
Overall, a book everyone should read, simply because it's legendary. But be prepared to concentrate!

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Book review: Angelology by Danielle Trussoni

Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Angelology by Danielle Trussoni

Although I've given this book two, it's more two point five, but I was so disappointed that I thought I round down rather than up.
I was recommended this book by my Aunt, who is usually a genius when it comes to giving me good books but with this one, it got worse as it went along. It recovered itself a little bit at the end, but when I was reading a book, within a flashback, I was ready to give up!
The first problem with this book, is that Trussoni cramms as many long, intelligent words she can in each sentence. It's as if she's showing off her vocabulary, but really it's completely unnecessary and it makes it harder to read.
When I started I thought it was going to go well. I liked the characters of Evangeline and Verlaine and I was intirigued by the mysterious letters. However it went back sixty odd years, in the mind of a senior nun Celestine. That's when it lost me. What could have been done as several conversations took up the middle of the story and what made it worse was that the interesting bits (like the expedition to get the lyre) were shorter than the boring 'talky' bits. Then I found I was reading a translation by one of the characters! That was unnecessary as well! It could have been shortened, or it could have just been the paragraphs that were essential to the plot. In fact, the whole flashback could have been a separate book, and I wish it was.
When we came back to modern times, it did get better. We were back on track, even if the way the characters spoke was a little iffy. Trussoni also introduced a load of characters that weren't needed and just complicated things as I tried to remember what everyone looked like.
I will admit, I was surprised by the end, but the journey, wasn't really worth it!

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Waiting for my lift home!

I'm standing outside Fairholme, waiting for Mum and Jim to pick me up and seeing as I haven't blogged in a while I thought I might as well.
Work is still going well, as expected. I really do love it, the residents, the staff. At the end of a shift when you do handover (inform the manager of anything of note) you realise how much of a team you are. Everyone comes together and shares shift stories. So all is well on the work front.
On Saturday night I had Oswestry best friend, Miss Sophie Louise Matthews over to stay. We had a great time on SingStar, playing cards and general sleepover stuff. Even if she did clobber me in the head in the middle of the night!
As well as all this I'm trying to organise my time off so I can go and see Bonfire Night this November and go and see The Tavares, The Four Tops, The Temptations and The Crystals next March with Dad. I've been calculating all my holiday hours to work everything out. I've got twelve hours left to last me until the 1st of April.
The only other major problem I've got is writer's block. I keep getting jammed, only being able to get so far in a book before I get stuck. I either lose my passion for it or I conclude it's rubbish and give up. Sometimes I wish I spent my year 'off' (jobhunting) more wisely. Maybe then I would have got something finished!
Much love, Sian xx

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