I can't put my finger on what it was but something was missing in this novel. The start is so evocative and made me eager to dive in and read about these three generations of Venetian women transplanted, by marriage to London and on in to Cornwall. The detailing of Alexa's 18th birthday ball were so rich I read on eagerly.
Unfortunately, I found the story to be, ultimately, very disappointing. I think the main reason for this is the character of Alexa. She is a very unworldly girl and also incredibly self-centred. To me this was epitomised by her time away at boarding school. She made no friends and held herself apart from her classmates, from the text it would appear that they did not shun her but rather she shunned them. I understand that she was grieving the loss of her mother but this sets the benchmark for all her future interactions with people.
When you find the main character so unpalatable it is hard to invest in the outcome of their tale. Even worse her beau, Harvey Ferris, seems to be a fairly upright young man of the era but he has little in the way of backbone when it comes to Alexa. He appears to be completely blind to her faults and is, as a result, a rather one dimensional character who serves only as a foil for Alexa.
The plot itself is rather good. Calling it a sweeping family saga would be hyperbole though. It is a tale of an early twentieth century girl from her early years on the cusp of womanhood through to her death in the early 1980s. However, the tale itself is only concerned with the mid-1920s through to the early 1930s and only from the perspective of the one character. There is no real social commentary, no political unrest, just a saccharine tale of searching for her Nonna and becoming entangled with an absolute cad along the way. This could have been so much more.
Ultimately this was a very disappointing book with very weak characterisation. Nobody has depth or interest to their characters; behaving in completely predictable, stereotyped ways that serve only to lessen your interest in what happens to them. The plot could have been developed so much further and rather than a rather trite love story could have encapsulated the times so much better by using a little social history.
Not one for me and it certainly didn't serve to get me looking at the author's back catalogue.
Saturday, 7 April 2018
Friday, 6 April 2018
The Child by Fiona Barton
As a bit of a twist on the standard fare of a thriller our main protagonist is a journalist called Kate Waters, 40-something and one of a dying breed of pre-digital age reporters. When she stumbles across a small piece in one of the competition's newspapers saying that a newborn baby's skeleton has been found on a building site in Woolwich she decides to investigate. So, instead of having a "damaged detective" we have a relatively normal journalist driving the tension of the book. This may have worked better if I had found that I was really interested in who the baby was.
The story is told from 3 main perspectives:
Emma - Lived in the house the skeletonised remains were found in for a large part of the 1970s and 1980s. She is a bit of a mess psychologically, estranged from her mum, never knew who her father was, believes that the finding of the remains is linked to her and her past. Even though we spend quite a bit of time with this character I never felt that we got to know her at all.
Angela - Had her baby snatched from the hospital at a few days old in the early 1970s and, even though she went on to have another child (or at least I think she did the timeline is very fuzzy about the births of Louise & Patrick but I am pretty certain Patrick came after Alice) she has never really recovered from the snatching of Alice. Now the remains have been found she hopes that this could be Alice so she can finally make her peace with what happened.
Kate - Reporter extraordinaire who spends a lot of time bemoaning the move to digital news and celebrity culture. She often reminisces about "the good old days of Fleet Street" and seems to still use the same techniques she learnt when she first started. Lot of working on hunches and not being entirely truthful with people to find out what they know goes on. Not a particularly interesting character but at least we have moved on from the most loved trope of this genre.
The writing itself is actually surprisingly good. The interactions with characters is believable with the dialogue being actually quite lush in places. The problem lies with characters that never break free of the page, they are all just flat and pretty two-dimensional. Even worse, after less than about 20% of the book I had already figured out who the baby was so it then became a guessing game of what had happened to get the baby interred there - unfortunately, my first instincts were correct.
The reveal has this huge build up and when it comes you feel rather let down as it just drops fully formed in to Kate's lap and from that point it is all downhill. The consequences of the remains being found and identified are also somewhat glossed over with only a few pages summarising the events that happened after and a lot seems to have happened for so few pages.
It wasn't a bad book but I am not compelled to try Ms Barton's earlier book or look out for others. This was just not a rich enough telling of quite an interesting premise and I did feel a little bit let down.
The story is told from 3 main perspectives:
Emma - Lived in the house the skeletonised remains were found in for a large part of the 1970s and 1980s. She is a bit of a mess psychologically, estranged from her mum, never knew who her father was, believes that the finding of the remains is linked to her and her past. Even though we spend quite a bit of time with this character I never felt that we got to know her at all.
Angela - Had her baby snatched from the hospital at a few days old in the early 1970s and, even though she went on to have another child (or at least I think she did the timeline is very fuzzy about the births of Louise & Patrick but I am pretty certain Patrick came after Alice) she has never really recovered from the snatching of Alice. Now the remains have been found she hopes that this could be Alice so she can finally make her peace with what happened.
Kate - Reporter extraordinaire who spends a lot of time bemoaning the move to digital news and celebrity culture. She often reminisces about "the good old days of Fleet Street" and seems to still use the same techniques she learnt when she first started. Lot of working on hunches and not being entirely truthful with people to find out what they know goes on. Not a particularly interesting character but at least we have moved on from the most loved trope of this genre.
The writing itself is actually surprisingly good. The interactions with characters is believable with the dialogue being actually quite lush in places. The problem lies with characters that never break free of the page, they are all just flat and pretty two-dimensional. Even worse, after less than about 20% of the book I had already figured out who the baby was so it then became a guessing game of what had happened to get the baby interred there - unfortunately, my first instincts were correct.
The reveal has this huge build up and when it comes you feel rather let down as it just drops fully formed in to Kate's lap and from that point it is all downhill. The consequences of the remains being found and identified are also somewhat glossed over with only a few pages summarising the events that happened after and a lot seems to have happened for so few pages.
It wasn't a bad book but I am not compelled to try Ms Barton's earlier book or look out for others. This was just not a rich enough telling of quite an interesting premise and I did feel a little bit let down.
Sweet Temptation by Lucy Diamond
This is my second read through of the book and although I could remember bits and pieces nothing had really stuck with me about the plot or the characters. It is a rather bland story that meanders around without ultimately going anywhere and feels more like a very long introduction to the three main characters:
Jess - Browbeaten by her boyfriend she has no self esteem and only longs to finally set their wedding date. For someone so meek and brought down she sure does soon switch to business woman extraordinaire when she quits her Spa job and sets up a mobile beautician's business. My fingers itched to slap her face at the rubbish she put up with from her boyfriend and though it was a relief when she left him the actual mechanics of her regeneration to a "strong woman" were barely believable with no sign of psychological trauma which I am sure a real person would have been suffering from, after all Charlie has virtually given her Stockholm Syndrome style brainwashing.
Maddie - Busy mum who comes good in her job after her boss tries everything to humiliate her backfires. She is an exercise zealot and when her mother dies she turns to exercise to blot out her grief and almost destroys her marriage in the process. She is innately selfish but sees herself as selfless. At least the Author acknowledges this within the character and we feel like we are in on a bit of a joke at Maddie's expense for chunks of the book.
Lauren - By far my favourite character. She is eternally cynical and doesn't really care who knows it. This was the one person who felt like she had real emotions and whose life experiences had damaged her but she accepted this and is working through the hurt of her husband's betrayal and subsequent divorce.
This is an easy read that is told in chunks that make it perfect for the commute or to pick up and put down on holiday. I had little real connection with the characters and the plot is really more of a string of events that happen to these three women who become friends after a couple of FatBusters meetings. There is no gradual unfolding of events with it being more of this happened and then this happened which isn't necessarily a bad thing as you never get that "one more chapter" feeling.
Overall it is a middle of the road chic lit book that passes the time entertainingly enough but never really grips you.
Jess - Browbeaten by her boyfriend she has no self esteem and only longs to finally set their wedding date. For someone so meek and brought down she sure does soon switch to business woman extraordinaire when she quits her Spa job and sets up a mobile beautician's business. My fingers itched to slap her face at the rubbish she put up with from her boyfriend and though it was a relief when she left him the actual mechanics of her regeneration to a "strong woman" were barely believable with no sign of psychological trauma which I am sure a real person would have been suffering from, after all Charlie has virtually given her Stockholm Syndrome style brainwashing.
Maddie - Busy mum who comes good in her job after her boss tries everything to humiliate her backfires. She is an exercise zealot and when her mother dies she turns to exercise to blot out her grief and almost destroys her marriage in the process. She is innately selfish but sees herself as selfless. At least the Author acknowledges this within the character and we feel like we are in on a bit of a joke at Maddie's expense for chunks of the book.
Lauren - By far my favourite character. She is eternally cynical and doesn't really care who knows it. This was the one person who felt like she had real emotions and whose life experiences had damaged her but she accepted this and is working through the hurt of her husband's betrayal and subsequent divorce.
This is an easy read that is told in chunks that make it perfect for the commute or to pick up and put down on holiday. I had little real connection with the characters and the plot is really more of a string of events that happen to these three women who become friends after a couple of FatBusters meetings. There is no gradual unfolding of events with it being more of this happened and then this happened which isn't necessarily a bad thing as you never get that "one more chapter" feeling.
Overall it is a middle of the road chic lit book that passes the time entertainingly enough but never really grips you.
Jilo by J.D. Horn
The fourth, and final installment, of the Witching Savannah series is a departure from the first three. I should have figured that out from the title really as it is a bit of a giveaway but I didn't. To be perfectly honest this book could quite easily be read at any point in the series - although first or last makes the most chronological sense. There is little about the Taylors until the very end of the book but not enough there to spoil any of the other 3 books or give any real indication to their contents.
This book deals with the lineage of Mother Jilo and her family. It starts with the death of her Great Grandmother, Mother Tuesday, in 1920s Savannah and the details are rich and evocative of a different time. You know the old saying "The past is a different Country, they do things differently there" well this book brings that to life so vividly. Whilst there are a lot of references to the racial schism mandated by law at the time it is not pushed in your face but it is spoken of in a matter of fact way as being these people's lot in life and shows them growing and flourishing as human beings who love, laugh and lose just like anyone else. In fact it could be seen as being quite a powerful book because the Wills family do not feel in anyway subjugated by their colour they just do their utmost to get on with living. For the Wills women this means strengthening their connection with The Beekeeper and her ancient magic.
As a family saga you really do become immersed in the daily goings on of the Wills family and its tragedies and triumphs. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as it is somewhat of a departure from the previous 3. There is a strong supernatural element in the book but it comes in short, sharp bursts that makes them all the more powerful. The characters are richly wrought and entirely believable and you do get immersed in their world; even though we know that all Mother May's efforts to protect Jilo from her natural magic are ultimately fruitless it was wonderful to go on the journey of discovery with Jilo as she finds out that magic is real.
I am thoroughly disappointed to have finished this series of books and will definitely have to try some of Mr Horn's later books and I just hope they give me as much reading pleasure as this series has. The trouble with series is that they often taper off as the saga moves on but he has managed to keep up a high standard of writing and storytelling throughout which is very, very impressive. I think you just got yourself a new fan Mr Horn!
This book deals with the lineage of Mother Jilo and her family. It starts with the death of her Great Grandmother, Mother Tuesday, in 1920s Savannah and the details are rich and evocative of a different time. You know the old saying "The past is a different Country, they do things differently there" well this book brings that to life so vividly. Whilst there are a lot of references to the racial schism mandated by law at the time it is not pushed in your face but it is spoken of in a matter of fact way as being these people's lot in life and shows them growing and flourishing as human beings who love, laugh and lose just like anyone else. In fact it could be seen as being quite a powerful book because the Wills family do not feel in anyway subjugated by their colour they just do their utmost to get on with living. For the Wills women this means strengthening their connection with The Beekeeper and her ancient magic.
As a family saga you really do become immersed in the daily goings on of the Wills family and its tragedies and triumphs. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as it is somewhat of a departure from the previous 3. There is a strong supernatural element in the book but it comes in short, sharp bursts that makes them all the more powerful. The characters are richly wrought and entirely believable and you do get immersed in their world; even though we know that all Mother May's efforts to protect Jilo from her natural magic are ultimately fruitless it was wonderful to go on the journey of discovery with Jilo as she finds out that magic is real.
I am thoroughly disappointed to have finished this series of books and will definitely have to try some of Mr Horn's later books and I just hope they give me as much reading pleasure as this series has. The trouble with series is that they often taper off as the saga moves on but he has managed to keep up a high standard of writing and storytelling throughout which is very, very impressive. I think you just got yourself a new fan Mr Horn!
Sunday, 1 April 2018
Paper Dolls by Anya Allyn
This is a much less gothic horror than Dollhouse and, as such, makes for far less uncomfortable reading. In this book we get to learn of Jessamine's history and also how the girls are faring in the aftermath of their rescue. I can't really talk too much about the plot of this as it will give the complete plot away. All I will say is YES, what you think happened to Cassie did happen, the boys they meet on vacation are who you think they are and things really aren't going to get better any time soon.
The characters in this book are so rich and multi-dimensional it is impressive. None of the original cast behave in a manner away from what we have come to expect and the newly introduced characters are quickly drawn on to the page so the reader can easily become immersed. The action in this novel moves from Australia to Florida but there is an unexpected link between the two locations for Cassie to discover.
What I particularly enjoyed was the background for Jessamine. Moving through her life in the circus, how she got her scars and her eventual death - nothing is quite what we were led to believe in the first book. We also learn much more about the sinister Henry and, you know what, I'm beginning to think that maybe he really isn't as black as he has been painted.
This book ends on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to start book three but I am pacing myself with this series as I really don't want to spoil it all by binging.
The characters in this book are so rich and multi-dimensional it is impressive. None of the original cast behave in a manner away from what we have come to expect and the newly introduced characters are quickly drawn on to the page so the reader can easily become immersed. The action in this novel moves from Australia to Florida but there is an unexpected link between the two locations for Cassie to discover.
What I particularly enjoyed was the background for Jessamine. Moving through her life in the circus, how she got her scars and her eventual death - nothing is quite what we were led to believe in the first book. We also learn much more about the sinister Henry and, you know what, I'm beginning to think that maybe he really isn't as black as he has been painted.
This book ends on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to start book three but I am pacing myself with this series as I really don't want to spoil it all by binging.
If The Shoes Fit by Pauline Lawless
The basic premise of the book is pretty standard fare for the genre - disparate group of women brought together by circumstance or location, form a support network with each other and then go on to vastly improve their lots in life. My initial issue with the book is the nature of the business the women are employed by - direct selling of designer shoes at a bargain price, from the descriptions of the shoes and their truly designer counterparts I am pretty sure they contravene all copyright, intellectual property and trademark laws. This really did spoil the book for me as I was waiting for them all to be arrested for counterfeit goods.
That aside and you are left with the plot which is a little bit confused as we jump from person to person and it takes you a while to figure out which one is which - Tessa and Amber are particularly bad for this. This isn't helped by the main cast of 4 - Rosie, Tessa, Amber and Niamh - and then the subcast of 3 - Phoebe, Lesley and Val. Just as you settle in to which lady we are with we jump on to another one, this is fine when they are all together but it does become a bit wearing; especially as so many of the tales feel the same. I love that the women are initially super successful in the business as well, mainly because the author goes to great lengths to show that this is achieved through their industry and hardwork rather than anything else. I am sure sales would be good just before Christmas but it would have been interesting to see how they coped with the January/February slump notorious in retail.
It is testament to the author that I can remember all 7 of the main characters names, shows that she managed to write pretty memorable people. However, whilst some are multi-faceted (Tessa and Amber) others are two dimensional (Niamh and Rosie) and even worse the 3 sub-characters are completely one dimensional caricatures of women. The events in their personal lives are relatively believable with relationships beginning and ending, issues with the spouse and children.
An okay book that passed the time in an entertaining manner. Too many issues with the business side of things (Honestly recruiting 60+ reps to direct sell for one person within a couple of months - what balderdash) for me to really get invested in the people and their situations. If you like your Chic-Lit with complete fantasy then this will work for you; if not you may just find yourself muttering under your breath from time to time.
That aside and you are left with the plot which is a little bit confused as we jump from person to person and it takes you a while to figure out which one is which - Tessa and Amber are particularly bad for this. This isn't helped by the main cast of 4 - Rosie, Tessa, Amber and Niamh - and then the subcast of 3 - Phoebe, Lesley and Val. Just as you settle in to which lady we are with we jump on to another one, this is fine when they are all together but it does become a bit wearing; especially as so many of the tales feel the same. I love that the women are initially super successful in the business as well, mainly because the author goes to great lengths to show that this is achieved through their industry and hardwork rather than anything else. I am sure sales would be good just before Christmas but it would have been interesting to see how they coped with the January/February slump notorious in retail.
It is testament to the author that I can remember all 7 of the main characters names, shows that she managed to write pretty memorable people. However, whilst some are multi-faceted (Tessa and Amber) others are two dimensional (Niamh and Rosie) and even worse the 3 sub-characters are completely one dimensional caricatures of women. The events in their personal lives are relatively believable with relationships beginning and ending, issues with the spouse and children.
An okay book that passed the time in an entertaining manner. Too many issues with the business side of things (Honestly recruiting 60+ reps to direct sell for one person within a couple of months - what balderdash) for me to really get invested in the people and their situations. If you like your Chic-Lit with complete fantasy then this will work for you; if not you may just find yourself muttering under your breath from time to time.
Me-Time Tales by Rosalind Minett
I am a big fan of the short story and have read quite a few over the years, be they collections from various authors in one volume or in a single volume. There is something special about a perfectly formed short tale that makes the heart sing with satisfaction. Unfortunately, that is not the case with these 13 tales and 1 poem. The author has either forgotten that each story needs a beginning, middle and end or is so caught up with trying to provide allegory that the story suffers. There is, therefore an unresolved aspect to the majority of these tales; in fact I felt like they were either failed chapters for the start of a book or a precis for a book rather than a complete tale in its own right.
Underwhelmed - 2 Stars
Charming enough tale but told in abrupt sentences that distract you from the characters. Nice touches of whimsy but not quite enough to make it a good read. Loved the double cross at the end though and I have to say I do think Pete did the right thing by Marian.
Blind Date - 2 Stars
Told from the perspective of a 16 year old girl and there is a brave attempt made to emulate the speech and language of this contemporary age group. Sadly comes off as forced and the superficiality of the main character is rather unpleasant and not indicative of real people but rather a media friendly interpretation.
A Fitting Matter - 4 Star
By far the best story in the book and one of the longest. I loved the early portion dealing with the trials and tribulations of getting your first bra. Just the right amount of humour combined with the pathos of the family estrangement and the denouement tied everything up with a nice shiny bow.
Finding Out - 3 Star
This one is a ghost story with a little bit of witchcraft thrown in and is one of the longer tales. This length gives the characters - Sara and James - time to develop and for the background of the haunting to be explained. Their experiences with the apparition are vastly different but Sara's is told in compelling detail. This is where it then falls apart unfortunately as the ending is rushed and feels tacked on just to close the tale off.
Staying Put - 1 Star
I can see what the author is trying to achieve with this claustrophobic little tale but sadly she does not pull it off. Left me feeling confused and disappointed.
Eaten Up - 2 Star
Moments of fun in this tale of mother's words warping a childs view - If you don't eat up you won't have babies! Unfortunately mother was wrong and now we have 6 under the age of 5 to cope with. Good description of the agony and ecstacy of child rearing but again felt rushed.
Lament - 2 Star
Traditional poem in rhyming lines, not bad but not great either.
First Feast - 3 Star
This one in particular felt like the synopsis for a longer form story which then failed to materialise from the author's imagination. Wonderful description of the boarding school and the first glimpse of plentiful food after the end of World War II but that is by far the best bit of the story.
A Slight Invasion - 3 Star
What do you do when the babies don't come? She submits herself to interminable rounds of IVF, he decides to be unfaithful. Quirky story but unresolved in the end; I am sure the Book Clubs will love this one as there is much to discuss about motivation and where the tale may have gone but it does leave you feeling a little cheated.
The Real Prize - 2 Star
This one is all about how the love of a good woman bettered one man and his former friend and colleague's decline in the same time period. The narrator is unlikeable and although this perhaps feel like one of the closest to an intended short story it still has, that word again, a rushed feeling to the prose.
A Change Of Support - 2 Star
Great description of a controlling relationship and how one person can strip everything from you whilst making you believe it is for the best, Matt does everything that the Mental Health websites tells us to check to see if our partner is a narcissist. The author has clearly watched one too many Infomercials (that Insomnia can be a right pain can't it) as the mattress Matt buys for her has all the blurb from one and from the tale of trying to unpack it I am sure the author either caved in and purchased or knows someone who did. The early half of the story is the best bit and it rapidly becomes strangely surreal and unappealing.
A Material Trip - 2 Star
I cannot remember one single thing about this story so maybe I should downgrade it to 1 Star. However, I have marked it in my trusty notebook as a 2 so it will stay that way.
Well Woman - 3 Star
We all know how important it is to keep an eye on our health and one of the oft purported ways is to have a Well Woman check annually (or a Well Man if you are, you know, well male). This is a fun tale told with a tongue in checking knowing nod to all ladies about the horrors of that back opening gown and the intrusive poking and prodding. I now find myself wanting my own little prosthesis for a stress ball.
Anti-Dote - 3 Star
Odd little tale of aging and how it creeps up on us as our memory of being young and attractive as only youth can render us is how we eternally see ourselves. Quite heart wrenching actually when she realises that the beige blur in the mirror is not a fault in the glass but a problem with her age and gravity and time's deleterious effects on the human form.
There is a good range of tales here to cater for most tastes but it is the execution that, in my opinion, lets them down. Passed a rather boring Saturday afternoon well enough but I do feel my time could have been better spent with another author.
Underwhelmed - 2 Stars
Charming enough tale but told in abrupt sentences that distract you from the characters. Nice touches of whimsy but not quite enough to make it a good read. Loved the double cross at the end though and I have to say I do think Pete did the right thing by Marian.
Blind Date - 2 Stars
Told from the perspective of a 16 year old girl and there is a brave attempt made to emulate the speech and language of this contemporary age group. Sadly comes off as forced and the superficiality of the main character is rather unpleasant and not indicative of real people but rather a media friendly interpretation.
A Fitting Matter - 4 Star
By far the best story in the book and one of the longest. I loved the early portion dealing with the trials and tribulations of getting your first bra. Just the right amount of humour combined with the pathos of the family estrangement and the denouement tied everything up with a nice shiny bow.
Finding Out - 3 Star
This one is a ghost story with a little bit of witchcraft thrown in and is one of the longer tales. This length gives the characters - Sara and James - time to develop and for the background of the haunting to be explained. Their experiences with the apparition are vastly different but Sara's is told in compelling detail. This is where it then falls apart unfortunately as the ending is rushed and feels tacked on just to close the tale off.
Staying Put - 1 Star
I can see what the author is trying to achieve with this claustrophobic little tale but sadly she does not pull it off. Left me feeling confused and disappointed.
Eaten Up - 2 Star
Moments of fun in this tale of mother's words warping a childs view - If you don't eat up you won't have babies! Unfortunately mother was wrong and now we have 6 under the age of 5 to cope with. Good description of the agony and ecstacy of child rearing but again felt rushed.
Lament - 2 Star
Traditional poem in rhyming lines, not bad but not great either.
First Feast - 3 Star
This one in particular felt like the synopsis for a longer form story which then failed to materialise from the author's imagination. Wonderful description of the boarding school and the first glimpse of plentiful food after the end of World War II but that is by far the best bit of the story.
A Slight Invasion - 3 Star
What do you do when the babies don't come? She submits herself to interminable rounds of IVF, he decides to be unfaithful. Quirky story but unresolved in the end; I am sure the Book Clubs will love this one as there is much to discuss about motivation and where the tale may have gone but it does leave you feeling a little cheated.
The Real Prize - 2 Star
This one is all about how the love of a good woman bettered one man and his former friend and colleague's decline in the same time period. The narrator is unlikeable and although this perhaps feel like one of the closest to an intended short story it still has, that word again, a rushed feeling to the prose.
A Change Of Support - 2 Star
Great description of a controlling relationship and how one person can strip everything from you whilst making you believe it is for the best, Matt does everything that the Mental Health websites tells us to check to see if our partner is a narcissist. The author has clearly watched one too many Infomercials (that Insomnia can be a right pain can't it) as the mattress Matt buys for her has all the blurb from one and from the tale of trying to unpack it I am sure the author either caved in and purchased or knows someone who did. The early half of the story is the best bit and it rapidly becomes strangely surreal and unappealing.
A Material Trip - 2 Star
I cannot remember one single thing about this story so maybe I should downgrade it to 1 Star. However, I have marked it in my trusty notebook as a 2 so it will stay that way.
Well Woman - 3 Star
We all know how important it is to keep an eye on our health and one of the oft purported ways is to have a Well Woman check annually (or a Well Man if you are, you know, well male). This is a fun tale told with a tongue in checking knowing nod to all ladies about the horrors of that back opening gown and the intrusive poking and prodding. I now find myself wanting my own little prosthesis for a stress ball.
Anti-Dote - 3 Star
Odd little tale of aging and how it creeps up on us as our memory of being young and attractive as only youth can render us is how we eternally see ourselves. Quite heart wrenching actually when she realises that the beige blur in the mirror is not a fault in the glass but a problem with her age and gravity and time's deleterious effects on the human form.
There is a good range of tales here to cater for most tastes but it is the execution that, in my opinion, lets them down. Passed a rather boring Saturday afternoon well enough but I do feel my time could have been better spent with another author.
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Lego Tony Stark's Sakaarian Iron Man 76194
I know nothing about the "What If" TV show but what I do know is that I absolutely LOVE Mechs and Lego always manage to put somet...
