Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson

The Star of Kazan
Eva Ibbotson
2004, MacMillan, London
0330418025
388p.

Annika was abandoned as a baby in a little church in Austria and taken home by servants of a great house in Vienna. Shortly after an old lady leaves Annika a trunk full of fake jewels in her will, Annika's mother - a noble woman - returns to take her home.

This is an interesting children's book. I don't think I've ever read a children's book so full of the history of pre-WWI Europe. It was fascinating to real of the old noble families and the social structures. The story was predictable, but it is only meant for children.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Children's Writer by Gary Crew

The Children's Writer
Gary Crew
2009, HarperCollins, Sydney
9780732285869
233p.

Charlie, aspiring writer and uni student is living with his partner Lootie, when a favourite childhood author comes into their lives and changes things between them.

I totally bought into the voice of the narrator from the start which often doesn't happen when you know the author, but Charlie is written really, really well. I've so enjoyed being with these people over the last few days, even though the story is not exactly a positive one. Also, I should have seen the end coming, but did not. lol

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
Allison Hoover Bartlett
2009, Kindle Edition
1594488916
unnumbered

True story of a man who wanted to gain a rare book collection, but didn't have the money. So he took the next logical step - he stole them.

This book just makes me want to collect rare books! I could smell them! I found Gilkey's reasons for stealing to seem really quite immoral and yet make total sense - as a bibliophile.