The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

This novel tells us of an adventure undertaken by Christopher Boone. Christopher is 15 years old and he has with Asperger's Syndrome. He lives with his dad, and they have a very close relationship. This adventure begins when Christopher finds a neighbour's dog murdered on the lawn. Disappointed by the lack of concern that the local adults have after this crime, he sets about trying to find the culprit himself. The journey turns his whole world around.

This innocent and honest boy is forced to make some brave decisions, and when his investigations require him to travel away from home, he must face his fears to solve the mystery.

A curious book indeed, this story is written in a first person narrative and so we get to experience the inner workings of Christopher's mind. The way in which Haddon writes is both insightful and moving, and not at all patronising. Christopher's Asperger's Syndrome is handled sensitively, but without shying away from the difficulties faced by parents and carers, as well as the difficulties faced by those with the condition when integrating with others.

The plot itself is quite tame whilst never being boring, but it is the writing around it that makes this such a magical story, promoting understanding and patience.

Given that this is now a West End show I'm not sure how this has been translated to stage. Most of the book is spent in Christopher's thoughts, so I'm very intrigued to see how they managed that. I'd very much like to see this in theatre though.

One Day - David Nicholls

One Day tells the story of Emma and Dexter and all that goes on in their lives. Their story starts the morning after the night that they meet, proceeds through many years of friendship, details what they are doing on 15th July at intervals through their lives. The way that their lives intertwine is mesmerising, the ups and downs are all in there. They clearly belong in each-other's lives, but in what capacity? It makes you realise how much one person can influence another.

Nicholls writes in a way that flows from beginning to end, which is even more impressive considering that the narrative is written from the perspective of both the lead characters. An ability to tap in to the silly, insecure, totally barmy musings of women meant that I saw a lot of myself in Emma. I really did like her!

Luckily for me, this isn't a mushy romantic love story. That's not my thing at all. It is realistic! The characters are very endearing and I found myself longing for them to be happy!

From the very first page I was enthralled. I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. Totally un-put-down-able! Not a bad word to be said. Also, if you weren't aware, One Day has since been made into a film starring the lovely Anne Hathaway. Has to be worth a watch after what I thought was an amazing novel.

This is definitely me!

Credit: http://slowrobot.com/i/63345

The Shining - Stephen King

Down-on-his-luck author, Jack Torrence, takes on the job of hotel caretaker through the chilling winter months. The hotel becomes isolated from civilisation due to heavy snowfall, leaving the Torrence family totally at the mercy of the Overlook Hotel and the strange things which start happening.

Supernatural forces which inhabit the Overlook start to influence Jack, putting his wife and son at risk.With nowhere to turn, they are in a very dangerous place, with a very dangerous man.

Knowing full well that King is royalty among horror writers, I set about reading this book full of expectation. It is the first Stephen King book I've read and I wasn't let down! The Shining is packed full of suspense and tension and is  very hard one to put down!

Having seen the movie, I had a rough idea of what to expect...I was wrong.

The movie and the book seem to tell two such different stories it seems foolish to mention them both in the same article! The film is one of the best horror films I've seen and I would always recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre. The book however, tells another tale altogether, a much creepier and chilling one. The character development and descriptive writing in the novel put you in the hotel itself and allow you to feel the atmosphere.

While I did feel that the first third of the book was a little lengthy and over-explanatory, once the action started I was hooked. It's easy to see why King has such a reputation!

The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling

Life in Pagford is pleasant, friendly and charming. That is, until the death of Parish Councillor, Barry Fairbrother, causes a Casual Vacancy on the council and brings out the ugly side to village life.

Backstabbing, sabotage and deceit are just some of the measures the villagers are willing to employ in order to get their way, and who cares the consequences!

Being a naturally nosey person I enjoyed greatly the 'curtain twitching' feel I got from learning what was going on behind the closed doors of the picturesque village. 

Rowling doesn't shy away from those darker social issues that can be found in most communities. Tackling drugs, rape, racism and self-harm, to name a few, the book is certainly not for children and a brilliant step away form the Fantasy genre.

I did find it difficult to put this book down. A need to know how one strand tied into the other and a wanting to know how each story was resolved lead to me powering through this book with great joy.

Now I must find the TV version and give it a watch!

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North

A time-travel novel with a difference!

After every death Harry August is reborn, back in the 1920's on the floor of a railway station bathroom, with all the knowledge of his previous lives.

'As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. ‘I nearly missed you, Doctor August,’ she says. ‘I need to send a message.’

When Harry is told by a fellow 'kalachakra' (person who is constantly reborn) that the world is destined to end, he realises that he and others like him must act to stop it. The story of Harry's lives holds the fate of humankind.

Claire North (Or should I say Catherine Webb) bravely takes on existential questions, belief systems, science and history to produce a very sympathetic and very sensitive story.

I did, at times, struggle with the flow of this book as it can be quite heavy with technical information. I also feel that anyone who didn't have a little knowledge of post-WWII Germany may have trouble with context while reading parts of 'Harry August'.

Overall I found it to be an enjoyable read, and a really interesting concept. It got my brain working at times, which is good! I just couldn't quite gel with the story, though the idea intrigued me enough to keep reading

Moriarty - Anthony Horowitz

My first experience of Anthony Horowitz' writing was definitely an enjoyable one. Moriarty is penned as part of the Sherlock Holmes series, and fits so well with Conan Doyle's original style. The essence of Victorian England pours from the pages and it is very easy to put yourself in the scene.

Following the death of Sherlock Holmes and his arch-enemy, Moriarty, this novel follows the escapades of the American criminal mastermind, new in town, intent on filling the gap in the market. Private detective Frederick Chase and Scotland Yard Inspector Athelney Jones set about unearthing this mystery man.

With pages of horror and action, the story flows very easily, leaving you wanting to read 'just one more page'. While I didn't see the exact plot twist coming (of course there is one!), it was obvious toward the end of the novel that I'd missed something and I found myself anxiously awaiting the big reveal!

Overall, I am now a big fan of Horowitz's writing and will look forward to reading more of his work.