Man Belong Mrs Queen by Matthew Baylis

(Book received from, and review written for, TripFiction.com)

My rating:  4/5

Set on Tanna, an island in the South Pacific, this fascinating book is an exploration of what it is like to visit, and stay with, people whose culture, customs and way of life are so very different to one's own experiences.

When Matthew Baylis (the author) was 11 years old he was fascinated by Prince Philip who visited his home town of Manchester at that time.  Adolescence interrupted this "Duke worship" until a BBC film shown at his University re-ignited it which resulted in him visiting Tanna to learn more about the inhabitants  who worship Prince Philip.

Baylis' lack of knowledge of customs, the local language (he learnt the wrong one before he set out) and local views on polite behaviour lead to some  hilarious mistakes being made.   For example on a cold wet day Baylis remarks that he has brought the English weather with him, resulting in the Chief being mightily impressed with Baylis' powers of magic, and then there is the Chief's friendship with Ken Dodd - really??  These stories are intertwined with fascinating insights into the history of the islands and the incursions onto it by Europeans, and some delightful anecdotes about Prince Philip himself. 

Baylis risks much to learn about these people but presents his story in a witty and light hearted way, only giving hints about how hair raising it was at times.  He always remains respectful whilst describing the people of the island and their belief systems, and even hardly has a bad word to say about the endless conversations about yams, and the unfortunate effect that the eating of so many has on his digestive system. 

Trying to ascertain the beginnings of the Prince Philip worship proves difficult, perhaps not helped by the frequent drinking of the local root based narcotic, and the culture that everything stops (seemingly quite often) for a party.   Baylis appears to have had little interaction with the women of the island, so there is little mention of their customs and ways. 

 There is a useful glossary of words at the back of the book, and a list of further reading on many of the subjects included - such as Cargo Cults and the John Frum cult.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, an armchair insight into an island I shall almost definitely never visit, and a way of life very different to my own.  Most of the book is written in a light, easy to read fashion, however there were a few moments where I lost interest, but these were quickly got through, and perhaps are inevitable when someone is trying to find out the secrets of a people who may not be so keen to give the information away.    After enjoying  Baylis' tales of his stay on the island, I was particularly pleased to find he had ended the book with his own thoughts on why  Philippism had come about, and the positive outcomes of such a cult.  And then there is a final laugh in the last paragraph of the book. 

 A great book to give (or receive) as a gift.

The Ice Twins by SK Tremayne

 Gripping  Page Turner                    My rating:  5/5

Tragedy takes one of the twins, and the remaining family move to Scotland to start afresh.  But uncertainty follow them.

A great story, that keeps you guessing to the end, with lots of opportunity to wonder  "what would I do in that situation".   There are only a few main characters, who are well portrayed and easy to follow; the mother of the twins is grippingly portrayed.  The story starts in London, but quickly moves to Scotland, where the story takes place over the space of a month. 

Starting afresh living on an island in Scotland is depicted well -  both the upsides and the considerable downsides.  For a tourist looking for a getaway holiday this is the place to be. 

 I enjoyed the book from beginning to end - and didn't find it scary (fine to read at bedtime).  It has a clear ending, and throughout kept me wanting to read "just a bit more". 

The Wandering Pine by Per Olov Enquist

(Book received from, and review written for, TripFiction.com)

My rating:  3/5

This is a drama of Per Olov Enquist's life - at least that is what I have taken it to be.   

Written  using the third person (he) instead of the first person, the narrative commences in 1935, when the author is born, humorously depicting life in a small village in Sweden, so insular  that anyone moving in from a place more than 10km away was considered an immigrant.  Skiing to school is the norm and the protagonist's interests range from football to God and Flash Gordon .  He becomes aware that half of the village are God fearing, and the other half  (the non-believers) can be identified by their playing football on a Sunday.   This part of the author's life is told from a child's viewpoint, with all the confusions and misunderstandings of adults actions that a child's perspective is full of. 

University follows swiftly and amusingly, including success in sport, and in the 1960's the author explores  politics, ideology and  culture and gets married - the latter covered in a couple of sentences. 

Fears and doubts of writing ability are felt when the author reaches his 30's, at which time he is working on  "The Investigator" about the extradition of Baltic soldiers from Sweden to the USSR, and the reader is given an insight into the extensive research, including considerable personal risk, that went into the writing of this book.  Also the far-reaching, and chilling, outcome from the publication.   

In 1970 PO (as he refers to himself in the book),  and his family, move to West Berlin and experiences the unrest taking place there, as he turns his writing to sport and politics.  The horrors of the Munich Olympic Games follow, before the drama moves to the world of plays and theatre.    Change continues to happen  - sometimes for the good, often for the bad, including a visit to an Icelandic  hell.  The book takes the reader up to the recent past (the book was copyrighted in 2008)

How much of the book is biography and how much is fiction I am in no position to judge - and perhaps that is part of the point of the book.    One thing is that is certain however, is that Per Olov Enquist has had a full and varied life, with much acclaimed success in writing. 

For the traveller, there are few touristic details of the many places visited in this book, including Berlin, Paris and Los Angeles, although much political background is offered.  

   

I found the first third of this book quietly humorous and charming, and enjoyed  learning about life in a remote Swedish  village.  The book weaves its way through time and countries, with characters that are easy to follow.  The second third I found a little dry, although it contained many interesting observances on major world events over the last 60 years.  The final third was deeply moving.  My enjoyment of this book was certainly hampered by this being the first time I have come across this author and playwright, and perhaps I prefer  a book with a little more insight into personal feelings and emotional insights that this book offers. 

Certainly a fascinating account of the life of a prize winning novelist and playwright.

House of Ashes by Monique Roffey

(Book received from, and review written for, TripFiction.com)

Novel set in the Caribbean                      My rating:     5/5

Loosely based on the attempted coup d'etat  in Trinidad in 1990, the action in this fast moving story takes place on a fictitious island in the Caribbean.   However, as the author says, the action has much in common with attempted coups in other parts of the world, and (in my opinion) gives an insight into much of the unrest that is taking place all over the world today. 

The story starts as seen through the eyes of Ashes, a quiet studious family man.  Ashes thinks that his religious "Leader" has many of the answers that he is seeking in life, so says "yes" when asked to participate in the coup, not quite understanding what he is agreeing to, but following his charismatic leader.   Then one afternoon Ashes turns up to prayers,  and by the time he leaves his life has changed for  ever. 

As events unfold, not quite as the revolutionaries imagine, the action shifts  to the House of Power - and the narrative moves between Ashes and Mrs Garland, Minister for the Environment, one of the hostages. 

The fears, emotions and doubts experienced by hostages and captors are portrayed expressively, and the action rises and falls according to what is going on inside the House, and what can be observed of the outside through the windows - at one stage Kate Adie is seen, so you know things are bad!   

At the end of the book the story is rounded off well.

I found this a fascinating and gripping book.   The perspective of Mrs Garland (hostage) was very thought provoking, and some of the conversations she has with the revolutionaries made me compare these fictional events to current world affairs.   Her discussions about the realities of government, compared to the version fed to the young gunmen, and her thoughts as to what the future of these young impressionable men should be once the current events have run their course, are very thought provoking.  

Some of the characters appeared so seldom in the book, that I needed, on a few occasions,  to flick back to check who they were, but that may say more about my memory for names than anything else!  The author uses words peculiar to Trinidad in her writing, and it is a pity that these are not translated at the back of the book.  However a quick internet search brings up definitions.   

For me this is a book that I will be thinking about for some time to come, and has certainly given me a new perspective on world events.

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali

 (Review written for TripFiction.com)

A fascinating, and harrowing, insight into the life of girls, and women, in Yemen.

My rating:   5/5

A fascinating, and harrowing, insight into the life of girls, and women, in Yemen. Nujood packs this short book full of detail – including a brief description of the politics and background of the country, which puts her story into context.

This brave girl risked so much to escape from the clutches of her forced marriage, and defy the customs of Yemen. Her story is inspiring.

If you do not know Nujood’s story, I recommend you read her book before looking her up on the internet, so that you can follow the events as they unfold without pre-knowledge.

Casting Off by Emma Bamford

(Book received from, and reviewed for, TripFiction.com)

Sailing away to Adventure and Happiness        My rating:   5/5

An uplifting autobiography where, following a chance conversation with a newly pregnant friend, Emma Bamford turns her perceived failure to achieve her goals in life – husband, detached house and children by the age of 31, into an opportunity. Leaving behind her daily “hour long tube commute” and job in Fleet Street as a News Editor, she runs away to sea.

Emma’s first experience of the sailing life is to join a yacht in Borneo owned by a “small, bald and ugly” man she has never met before and his aloof cat. Later she sails on a catamaran with 5 others and finally leaves the freedom of carefree sailing to become a bossed around crew member of a “superyacht” in Italy looking after very rich guests.

This fun, and often humorous, autobiography gives the reader an insight into Emma’s new world. What it is like to live in cramped conditions with strangers, the beauty of sailing alone at night, the wonders of exploring uninhabited islands, the occasional bouts of loneliness and the massive culture shock of a visit back to the UK. Emma writes in a light hearted manner, skimming over the downsides of this lifestyle, and drawing the reader into the, often, magical world she has joined.

Borneo, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and The Andaman Islands are just a few of the places she visits; on the way she sails terrified through pirate ridden seas, and wondrously over stunning coral reefs. As Emma explores islands, villages, rainforests, and encounters pigmy elephants (not as small as one might think), she colourfully describes her impressions and the sights of all she encounters. She visits many places where only a yacht can reach and as she goes she gives an insight into different worlds and cultures. In between the sailing and exploring she receives two marriage proposals and spends time re-painting 400m of anchor chain.

This is not a book to learn about the politics or economics of the places Emma visits, nor does she give details of where to visit, what to avoid etc. This is a book that flows from place to place, with little reference to dates and to the passing of time. The reader is given Emma’s impressions of places, and her experiences. The sailing terminology is kept to a minimum, mostly using everyday language, so readers with no experience of sailing will be quite comfortable.

I loved this refreshing adventure story, with Emma’s easy going writing style making light of the ups and downs of her new lifestyle. I would have found diagrams of the sailing routes helpful, but the absence of these did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. This is a book where you can enter the world of someone else’s life, dream what it would be like to do something like that, and then be very happy you have not (or perhaps be inspired to do so). The book closes as Emma sets off for another adventure – what happens to her? It’s a cliff-hanger of an ending. I do hope that there is a follow on book. A great summer read!

The Martian, by Andy Weir

Exciting Escapism          My rating:  4/5

Set in the near future Mark Watney, stranded on Mars, has to find ways to stay alive until possible  rescue.  He writes a, often humorous,  blog, in case he does not live to tell the tale,  detailing his survival methods, and (much more excitingly) how he survives the catastrophes that beset him. 

Meanwhile in Houston, meetings are held and jobs rushed in an attempt to get Mark back. 

There is quite a lot of science in this book - most of which I skipped through quickly with no idea as to how plausible it was.  There is plenty of excitement and suspense to  make it worth non-scientists (like me) to continue reading, and the tension just keeps building and building.

For the tourist, the insight into the space centre at Houston is minimal, but gives a flavour. 

Mars seems a pretty lifeless place. 

Science fiction is not a genre I usually read, but I really enjoyed this book - an exciting page turner of a book and total escapism from normal life (mine at least).   There is a film of the book being released late in 2015; I shall definitely see that, and am glad I have read the book first.

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

(Book received from, and review written for, TripFiction.com)

Fear and Hope under Stalin           My rating:  5/5

This is an exciting, fascinating and thought provoking read.

Set in 1953 (the year of Stalin’s death) the book has two themes: firstly the investigation of a crime, and secondly what life was like under Stalin for ordinary people through to the secret police. It is set in Moscow, villages and small towns throughout Stalin’s Russia.

For me the horror and hardship of living under this terrifying regime was the main focus of the first half of the book (I kept stopping to think about what I was reading, and talking to others about it), and then in the second half the crime solving took over as I raced to the end.

From the point of view of a tourist (or anyone else!) I think this is an essential read. When visiting Russia if you meet (or see) anyone over the age of 60 you will look at them with eyes of wonder, as you realise that they lived through this time. It also gives a different perspective on their lives today compared to those of us brought up in the UK (or a country with similar politics).

The writing style is easy to read, the characters are easy to follow (the names are not too difficult). At the end of the book are some “Stalinist Statistics” which are interesting/shocking.

I think this is one of the best books I have read for a long time; not only for the reading of it, but also for the conversations I have had with others about it.

And the great news is that there are two follow on books!

News from Berlin by Otto de Kat

(Book received from, and review written for, TripFiction.com)

Separate, yet interwoven, lives in London, Berne and Berlin    My rating:  2/5

What to do when you have news that could save hundreds of thousands of people, but if told could also result in the death of your daughter?

Although a short book (200 pages) there is plenty of depth to this book. The plot skips between Berne, London and Berlin and shows how a few words spoken in 1941 can change personal lives, and might (literally) change the future of the whole world. The father, leading a shadowy life in Switzerland, aware that he always being watched. The wife, living in London, with memories of a past love being rekindled. The daughter, living in Berlin, hoping for a future. Everyday lives, taken over by the power of war – and the implications of what they now know.

This is a book for those who like to think, and consider the material they are reading. If this is you, you will probably love this book, and return to it again. Others may find the lack of depth of information and character portrayal frustrating.

The differences in lives being lived at the same time in the 3 cities are illustrated well, though without detail to help a visitor to any of these cities. However the opening scenes in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland will bring a smile of recognition to anyone who has visited traditional Alpine villages in the winter.

Love it, or be bored by it. Which will you be?

The English Girl - Margaret Leroy

(Review written for TripFiction.com)

History and Romance in Vienna 1937 – 38     My rating:  4/5

This book is narrated from the viewpoint of an innocent and naive 17 year old English girl (Stella) who moves to Vienna to study music in 1937. The first half of the book is gently paced as Stella explores the sights of Vienna, discovers the beauty of the city, and finds love.

If the first half of the book is a little slow moving stick with it; as the pace of change in pre-war Vienna speeds up, so does the story, and by the last third of the book I found it impossible to put down.

I have never quite understood how Austria came to be annexed to Germany in WWII; this explains it clearly and simply, and how a city can change from a place of vibrancy to a place of fear in a very short time.

For the visitor to Vienna this is a great book. Many of the places Stella visits are still there – parks, the funfair, art galleries, Schoenbrunn Palace etc. etc. I wish I had listed all the places and coffee houses she visited to look up to see if they exist/existed.

I loved this book. The naivety of Stella could be a little infuriating, but she, of course, did not have the benefit of hindsight that we have. Definitely a book to think back on, and a great way to learn more about the history of this period.