The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood

The Heart Goes Last
Margaret Atwood
2016, Kindle ebook
978-1101912362
unnumbered

Dystopian (what else) novel by Margaret Atwood which takes place in a future of economic downturn. High unemployment, home loss, roving gangs and violence prompt the protagonists Stan and Charmaine to turn for help to a company that promises security. Built around a prison, the community supplies jobs and homes for all its inhabitants. But what's the catch?

Another great dystopian read from Atwood. This is an interesting take on the financial crisis and where it could lead to in a capitalistic society. The characters are 3 dimensional - and by that I mean quite detestable. As always, there's a smattering of feminist politics included for good measure.

The Shining by Stephen King

The Shining
Stephen King
1977, Kindle ebook
Unnumbered

Jack Torrance takes on the job of caretaker at The Overlook Hotel for the winter season with his wife and son Danny, who has telepathic powers. After the snow cuts them off from all access, Jack begins to behave oddly and violently.

More terrifying work from King. Jack was a surprisingly sympathetic characte. It was hard to put this book down. I would like to see the movie now.

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My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

My Family and Other Animals
Gerald Durrell
1956, 1977, Penguin, London
0140282599
301p.

Gerald and his family moved to a Greek Island from England when he was a young boy. He spends time exploring, discovering animals, insects and birds, and generally avoiding an education.

This is an enjoyable read, written in a modern style - I was surprised when I read the publication date. It sounds like a great place to be a child, and Gerald was a very inquisitive one!

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver
Lois Lowry
1993, 2008, HarperCollins, London
9780007263516
224p.

Dystopian novel about a young boy coming of age in a community where life choices are prescribed, and no one feels bad pain or strong emotions. He is selected to be the 'Receiver', a role that promises much pain but is necessary for the community to continue.

This was a great book for children, or a novella for adults. It took me a while to decide whether or not it was dystopian or not, which I guess is one of the things that makes a good dystopian novel! If I had not been reading this on camp where I had no artificial light source, I would have read it in one sitting as it's a compelling read.

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Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Hyperion
Dan Simmons
1989, Headline, London
0747234825
502p.

This novel tells the stories of seven pilgrims who are on a journey to a planet called Hyperion with a mission to prevent an interstellar war. Hyperion is reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales in its style.

Apart from geeking out that this is basically The Canterbury Tales set in space and in the future, I did really enjoy the individual tales and the intricate universe that Simmons has weaved. I particularly enjoyed The Priests Tale - a story of an indigenous and deeply religious tribe on a remote planet and the priest who went to study them, The Poets Tale - a story of a lost muse, and of course The Scholars Tale - a story of a young woman who is met with a rather unfortunate temporal mishap.

I ws impressed with how delicately the individual tales were drawn together to form one narrative. This is an engrossing book and, although it is much longer than I usually like, I did not want it to end. In fact, I really rather want to keep reading.

The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

The Casual Vacancy
JK Rowling
2012, Little Brown and Company, New York
9780316228589
503p.

Adult novel by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, The Casual Vacancy is set around a small town in the UK and its politics. When a councilman dies while in term, many local people are very intent on seeing that their favourite candidate gets into power. This book looks at not just local small town politics, but small town gossip and social issues to do with the working and middle classes.

This was an engrossing read. There was only one character I liked throughout the book, and the cast of  characters is quite considerable. I also learned a plethora of new English words! I recommend reading this with a dictionary close at hand, unless, of course, you're an English major.

It's certainly not a happy kind of book. Time have reviewed it as "... funny, very upsetting ..." and I think that is an apt description.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Oryx and Crake
Margaret Atwood
2003, 2013, Virago, London
9781844080281
433p.

Set in a post apocalypse world, we follow Snowman - a lone human - as he interacts with the Crackers, human-like, but not quite human, and journeys to the places of his past, the places of the pre apocalypse.

Margaret Atwood never fails to disappoint. I enjoyed the soft flow of this story, and the genetic science behind the premise.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Battle Royale
Koushun Takami
1999, 2003, 2009, Haikasoru, San Francisco
9781421527727
576p.

A group of junior high students from an alternate reality of Japan are taken to an island where they are fitted with exploding collars and told they must kill each other until there is one survivor remaining.

I saw the movie and wanted to read the book.  This is like Hunger Games only better.  Bloody and violent and a hell of a lot of fun.  It may have been improved by a more in depth look at the dystopian aspects of this alternate reality, but then again, that may have distracted from the premise of the book.  As a stand alone, straight-out blood bath novel, it works.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
1922, 2013, Kindle e-book
no isbn
192p.

After being wowed by the recent Luhrmann film based on this novel, I thought I'd get a copy.  And I was not disappointed!  Set in 1920s New York, a mysterious and rich young man named Gatsby throws massive parties nearly every night.  He befriends his neighbour, a bonds salesman, but not everything is as it seems.

I found the movie to be quite emotive, and the book was too.  I knew nothing of the story before I saw the movie - it has themes relevant to today (interracial marriage vs. gay marriage).  It is beautifully crafted, I love the words and turns of phrase.

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Freakonomics
Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
2005, 2006, Penguin, London
9780141019017
284p.

An economist and a journalist look at the economics of everyday life.  From asking questions about real estate agents incentives, to the effect of specific baby names on a child's future potential.

This was a very interesting, if sometimes uncomfortable (the parts on the abortion-crime link), read.  It is data analysis for the morbidly curious.  The only disappointment is that the book portion ends about two-thirds of the way in and the rest is bonus material.

Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh: Volume One by Greg Cox

Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh: Volume One
Greg Cox
2001, Pocket Books, New York
06710211273
400p.

 This novel looks at the begins of the Eugenics Wars including the background of Khan Noonien Singh.  It also has a plot about Captain Kirk visiting a planet of genetically engineered human settlers who desire to join the Federation.

A little slow to begin with, but once I got into it, it was amazing.  I really enjoyed that the author put historical facts in it (the sub plot - which is the main portion of the book - takes place between the 1970s and the 1980s), and the book is also full of science-fiction references.  Only problem is, it didn't end!  I need Volume Two!

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
2008, Scholastic, London
9781407132082
454p.

Set in the near future, The Hunger Games is a sort of reality TV show devised as a punishment for the rebellion of 13 districts in the nation of Panem. One boy and one girl from each district are put into an arena from which there will be only one survivor.

I had seen the movie recently, so decided to pick up the book. I found the movie had a good premise but was mediocre - the book however, was excellent. It is written in first person, present tense, which normally I don't like, but the author has pulled it off really well.

The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston

The Demon in the Freezer
Richard Preston
2002, Headline, London
075531218X
296p.

Non-fiction about the eradication of small-pox, the anthrax attacks in America just after the World Trade Centre attacks and the future possibility of a terror attack using an engineered version of the small pox virus.

This was a scary read, and sometimes a little gross. One of the earliest scenes is of an autopsy on one of the anthrax victims - let's just say it involves a ladle! It was written in accessible language (or I thought it was accessible, but then I work in a lab). It was very hard to put down.

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

Choke
Chuck Palahniuk
2002
ebook
665p.

Victor Mancini is a sexaholic, historical reenactor and ex-medical student who earns extra money to pay his mother's medical bills by 'pretending' to choke in restaurants so people will come to his rescue and feel like heroes.

This is a weird-ass book. The characters are all screwy and the sex scenes are mad! I did enjoy it very much, except I think it was trying to be a little too clever, a little too philosophical.

The Sooterkin by Tom Gilling

The Sooterkin
Tom Gilling
1999, Text Publishing, La Trobe
1876485027
212p.

Set in convict-era Tasmania, a woman gives birth to a strange creature which resembles a seal pup.

I found this to be better than what I was expecting. It's a great little story and I loved the characters. The writing style is just a little bit different but very easy to read. I really enjoyed it.

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The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

The World Without Us
Alan Weisman
2007, Virgin, London
978075351239
275p.

A look at what would happen to the earth if all human life disappeared at once.

I found this to be a very interesting book. The author predicts what would happen in the future by taking a look at what happened in the past, so you get some history as well as science. I like information and this book sure had a lot of it. I learned many new things. :)

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The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

The Sirens of Titan
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
1959, 1979, Dell Publishing, New York
0440179483
319p.

A man and his dog are caught up in a chrono-synclastic-infudibula halfway between Earth and Mars and are scattered throughout the Solar System, appearing and disappearing on different planets at regular intervals. To explain any more would complicate things and this novel is a journey for the reader so I wont bother!

I really really really enjoyed this. Vonnegut has a seriously wicked sense of humour. And there was so much going on within the story. I wish they wrote science fiction like this again.

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Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell

Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
Chris Riddell
2007, 2008, HarperCollins, New York
9780061448812
171p.

Ottoline is a little girl living with a Norwegian swamp creature in a house full of her parent's strange collections. When a series of robberies and dog disappearances disrupt her neighbourhood, Ottoline decides to investigate.

This is such a clever, cheeky little book. The illustrations are gorgeous and I liked how they were multi-layered. It's a good story too.

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The Spare Room by Helen Garner

The Spare Room
Helen Garner
2008, Swann House, Melbourne
9781847672674
195p.

Helen offers her spare room to her friend who is undergoing treatment for cancer. The battle is very difficult on both of them and the relationship is strained.

I don't think this is a true story, but the way it is written, it could very well be ... the author and narrator share a first name and the narrator is a writer living in Melbourne. It's a good little book in that it deals with a very sensitive topic without sugar-coating it or turning it into some sweet saccharin tale of a friendship forged through tough times. Very honest voice.

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The Essence of Happiness: A Guidebook for Living by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

The Essence of Happiness: A Guidebook for Living
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler
2001, Hodder, Sydney
0733613799
120p.

Psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler talks to the Dalai Lama to find out his thoughts on how we can lived a more happy and fulfilled life. This is an extract from the more complete work The Art of Happiness.

A little book with some good advice - some of it practical, some of it not so much. I will endeavour to be more compassionate towards others now. :)

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