Forgotten books

I have been better at my theatre and ballet updates than the book updates this year so here is a catch-up on what I've been reading.

American Assassin by Vince Flynn
This was my first book read on the iPhone, however it was such a compelling story that I couldn't stop reading and soon got over that hitch. This book mixed my love of mysteries with an old love of war/spy books. This was more graphic and violent than previous books and included a healthy dose of revenge. Mitch Rapp was the central character and I'm not sure that I ever really liked him although he was on the 'good' side in this book about counter-terrorism efforts primarily in Beirut. Once I had finished the book I realised it was actually the latest in a series and I am glad I read this one first and am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. That all said the iPhone will not be replacing my Kindle and I only have free books on the iPhone and I suspect I will only finish them if they are really gripping.

Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James
A colleague recommended this book after reading it with her book club. I bought it and then suggested my dad might like to read it which meant I lost my Kindle into his hands over Christmas. Once it was returned I was distracted by other books but finally got round to reading this. I've not read PD James before but I am of course familiar with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice in particular. PD James picks up six years after The Darcys' marriage and the world of of Austen is plunged into uncertainty and mystery when Lydia pitches up on the door step hysterical and claiming the Wickham has been murdered. Cleverly written the character continuity is right on the money and I didn't work it out until the very end when all was made clear with a confession. Having read this book I might try another of PD James books to see whether this was a one off.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton
This book was much more than a 'simple' murder mystery as it entered into the world of genetic treatments and cystic fibrosis. I was quite convinced by the 'unethical' trial processes in place I can't quite see that level of falsification passing muster in the real-world but as it was only a story I'll let them off!  I got drawn in and felt sorry both Bee and her dead sister Tess at different points throughout the story. Was it murder or suicide? I was with Bee throughout and at every twist and turn I realised maybe a page ahead of her that she was following the wrong route but even then I didn't see the ending coming. Another great addition to my murder mystery collection that kept me up late at night trying to reach the end and find out what really happened.

Falling Star by Diana Dempsey
I enjoyed this book both for the story line but also for the relevance to my work. Diana Dempsey used to be a broadcast journalists and although set in America this book gave me an insight into the hierarchy of the broadcast news programmes where the news anchor is king. A good mixture of the insights into what makes a good news story and the logistics of putting it all together mixed in with some sexism and a nice dollop of intrigue. Reading this reminded me a little bit of Gemma Halliday's Spying in High Heels with an under-prepared  girl 'investigating' and inevitably ending up in trouble. A good quick read with a neat resolution, I think I might look into some of Diana Dempsey's other books and who knows I might learn some more about TV journalism from them.

To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn
After a bit of a break I thought it was time to come back to Carola Dunn and the reading of this book seemed perfectly timed as the TV scheduling was fixated on Titanic it being a hundred years since the sinking. I think the break was a good idea as I really enjoyed this one although I was a bit surprised at how many people got knocked off on a ship without Alec and Daisy figuring out who did it. Mixed in with the whodunnit element was a good sprinkling of class snobbery and of course in true Daisy style it all came out in the wash. I'm looking forward to the next instalment after I've read a few more books in between.

Valeria's Last Stand by Marc Fitten (Book Club)
This was the first book since I joined The London Girly Book Club two years ago where no one in the room seemed to have a good thing to say about it. At first I thought I would quite enjoy this book but by the end of chapter one I wasn't convinced. I carried on and by the half way point I was just ploughing on to reach the end before Book Club. I found the storyline to be mundane, the characters were all unlovable, perhaps the problem was that it was all too much like real-life in a Hungarian village and I just couldn't connect. I was reminded of a Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka, however Marina Lewycka does not shy away from parodying her characters adding humour to lift what could have been a story of everyday life. I won a copy of Marc Fitten's next book Elza's Kitchen as an uncorrected proof and I'm not sure I can bring myself to read it.

The Chalet School and Robin by Caroline German
I grew up on a diet of school literature from Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers to my mum's collection of Abbey Girls (EJ Oxenham) and The Chalet School (E Brent-Dyer). I always wanted to go to the Chalet School but although that never happened I still love to curl up with on of these books. The Chalet School series has a number of gaps and also some inconsistencies which has left the series open to a number of filler books written by fans of the series. Mum's latest purchase was this one and it was a particularly good filler. I was impressed that the style was so close to the original books and although I had forgotten that Robin's time as head girl was not included in the series this book fitted in and cleverly added details to some of the stories mentioned later in the series but never spelled out.

Alice in Covent Garden

Last year we were disappointed to miss the debut of Alice in Wonderland at the Royal Ballet. We caught it on the TV and loved it but it is never the same as seeing it for real on the stage. This year we got organised I became a friend and we secured tickets for Alice (amongst other things).

Yesterday after a delightful afternoon at the V&A seeing the golden spider cloak, the British design exhibition including Kit William's fabulous golden masquerade hare and finally the Cecil Beaton royal photography exhibition mum and I headed to Covent Garden.

We enjoyed a light dinner at Cafe des Amis behind the opera house and then we headed in for a magical evening. One thing that Disney have done is sanitise Alice, my childhood memories of the book with the slightly ominous ink drawings has been replaced by a cute blonde girl and a jolly smiling purple cat. Tim Burton's movie adaptation perhaps pushed it too far in the other direction but the combination of Christopher Wheeldon, Joby Talbot and the wonderful Royal Ballet has hit the spot.

The special effects that I couldn't imagine on stage filled your vision and the drew you into the mysterious world of Lewis Carroll's mind. Lauren Cuthbertson proved that she created the role and her performance emanated a childlike wonder at the weird and wonderful things around her. Her performance skills along with the special effects meant I really believed that she could not only dance but grow and shrink as well. My only disappointment was the giant ballerina legs and arms, for me they detracted and I'd be interested to see the show without them.

I particularly love the way that the guests at Alice's tea party are realised later as the residents of Wonderland. Edward Watson translated wonderfully from a kindly Lewis Carroll to a slightly panicked and at times bewildered white rabbit. He was seemingly everywhere at once and it felt like by the end he had run a marathon keeping Alice out of trouble.

Fernando Montano replacing Eric Underwood as the caterpillar was a particular highlight for me. His body isolations and undulations really did verge on the exotic insect side of life. Another particularly special animal is the Cheshire cat, a giant animal created by a number of dancers, this Cheshire cat is mysterious and mischievous. It reminded me a bit of War Horse where you forget that the actors are there after just a few minutes. In this case I still wonder how so many people can make this jigsaw of cat parts come together so cohesively that you can almost here him purr!

Jumping on to the Mad Hatters's tea party with giant teapots and tea cakes Steven McRae gave a manically mad performance and his skilled tapping meant he was a strong part of the percussion section. You couldn't help but feel sorry for James Wilkie in the role of the sleepy dormouse continually shoved into the teapot. I would have loved to see more of this lovely trio although the March Hare was rather forgotten.

The flower dance was beautiful with whirling colours and patterns. Then on to the garden for some interesting gardening techniques and croquet. Painting the roses red, or maybe not, the three gardeners, with James Hay delivering a beautifully funny performance when his tree just wouldn't stay red. Laura Morera delivered a crazed red queen with precision and a touch of comedy. The flamingoes were perfect both the dancers and the puppet variety, having worked with puppets I know how hard it is to give a really believable performance and to carry it off while dancing impeccably was a real feat on everyone's part. Meanwhile the hedgehogs were adorably cheeky and I wish I could take one home with me.

The court room scene was just the way I had imagined it as a child reading the books and I haven't forgotten Jack the Knave of Hearts. This is his trial after all and if the crime was a great performance then Frederico Bonelli was guilty. He gave an engaging performance and throughout it felt like he was just a touch older than Alice after more than she was willing give. But at the end I was pleased to see that he got the kiss he had worked so hard to earn. Bonelli is my one to watch list and I'll be looking for him on the cast lists.

So my overall impression, I'm already planning tickets for next year's performance and I shall be bringing P with me as part of his slow education in the wonderful world of ballet. I need to see Alice again as there was so mich going on I know I missed something good. Perhaps next time i might be able to work out which came first Wheeldon's choreography or Talbot's music. It was as though they shared a dream in the creation of this ballet as both parts worked seamlessly throughout and nothing grated.

I have just one question, any chance of Through the Looking Glass? I'd love to see the Jabberwocky and Tweedledum and Tweedledee realised on stage at the Royal Opera House. Now I'm off to plan how I'm going to fit in the current Royal Ballet triple bill...

Oh What a Night!

We finally made it to see Jersey Boys and I'm so glad we did. This was the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and what a story it was. I knew that the music was going to be great and that there'd be so many songs I didn't know they'd sung. What I didn't know was how the seasons changed over the years with Frankie Valli staying the only constant. I was also surprised that the band wasn't Frankie's in the first place and that they grew up out a pretty rough area robbing jewellers and hanging on street corners.

The set was very simple, stark black metal grills and a walk way, with occasional screen additions. The screens played multiple roles throughout and the use of pop art complemented some of the darker set elements. The cast were adept at bringing furniture and props on and off seamlessly between scenes and, with the right lighting and some of the larger pieces rising up through the floor, a simple set was effortlessly transformed from a jail to a smoky jazz cafe and then an arena stage!

I loved seeing the inspiration behind the songs, although I'm not sure 'December 1963' will be the same again...  I thought there'd be more of those famous red jackets and in comparison a lot of their suits seemed bland but I'm sure at the time they were the height of fashion. Talking of fashion dancing has changed and boy bands these days don't have the same snappy moves although the 'step click' is still going strong!

But what I really loved about Jersey Boys was the feeling that when they were acting their stage performances I felt like I was really at a concert and not at a musical about the band. The audience got into it and they used the blinders on stage to great effect. The television filming sections were well done too, somehow you felt like you had an insiders view on how it was shot with them all on stage facing away but a screen showing you what TV viewers would have seen and at times it seemed like they were showing real footage, they weren't.

I had a few gripes, Frankie's mike was glaringly obvious in the middle of his forehead when everyone else's was well concealed and the levels on the moving drum kit were out often obscuring the lyrics which was shame. However the show was nominated for an Olivier award and I really think it deserved one, it certainly deserved the standing ovation at the end. I bought a 'best of' album when I got home and I'm still singing the songs a week later! 

Shakespeare at the ballet

Mum and I were back at our favourite ballet venue, The Royal Opera House. We had gone primarily to see Carlos Acosta dance in Kenneth Macmillan's The Song of the Earth. But the evening started with Frederick Ashton's The Dream, a ballet of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. It was lovely to see this old favourite as a ballet and after a while I even managed to tune out the whispering child sat behind us.

The changeling Indian boy was adorable and I was impressed at how long he 'slept' at the back of the stage. It was a shame that Marcelo Gomes in the role of Oberon seemed a little unsure at times, however the dancer covering for Puck was incredible. Unfortunately it was a last minute change I can't remember who was dancing, he had all the spring you would expect from Puck, even from the Amphitheatre you could see the mischievous glint in his eyes.

It was Johnathan Howells in the role of Bottom who really stole the show. He was amusing and made a convincing enchanted donkey. I am eternally impressed by men dancing en pointe and Howells managed to skip and jump while wearing hooves on his hands and a great big donkey head. Even in human form Howells was exactly like I imagined Bottom to be, although perhaps the hair was a bit too wild for me...

We had an obligatory ice cream in the interval and then it was back for Song of the Earth. I have not seen a ballet with singers before and this was the place to start. The music by Mahler was enchanting and the singers standing on alternate sides of the stage blended in and became a seamless part of the piece. Carlos Acosta was as captivating as usual, but a pleasant surprise for the evening was Marianela Nunez who was unbelievable in songs two and six.

I would definitely take the opportunity to see this pair of ballets again but would request that children are kept quiet by their families and that the Royal Opera House bans paper and plastic bags from the auditorium.

The cold days...

The temperatures have dropped down and I've found more time for my books. So here's what I've read curled up under the duvet.

Vigilante by Kerry Wilkinson

This is the second Jessica Daniel book and having enjoyed the first one I quickly got the second. I was pleased to see Jessica get a boyfriend, but then as she got more and more caught up in the case I became increasingly frustrated at the assumptions she was making. This book was where I started to draw likenesses to Rebus my original favourite detective and by the end it felt like Jessica could be Rebus' daughter as they share so many character traits. I wasn't as bought in to this story as I was to that of Locked In but it was still a good read.

The Woman in Black by Kerry Wilkinson

At the end of Vigilante I wanted to see what happened next and really I wanted to see whether the last text Jessica received in Vigilante was the glimmer of hope I was waiting for. This story really puzzled me as I tried to work it all out but the likeness to Rebus came out even more strongly and I didn't think the book stood up to Rankin's writing. However I will still be buying the next book to see what Jessica gets up to next and the Jessica Daniel novels are an all round easy read.

The Island by Victoria Hislop

One of the girls at work read this and recommended it and after it sat on my Kindle for a while I opened it up. This book was definitely worth the wait, another book where the daughter unravels the secrets of her family. A leper colony off the coast of Crete took centre stage and all the misconceptions about the disease took centre stage as families had their lives destroyed by this terrible disease. I realised that I held misconceptions about leprosy and now I know that you don't catch leprosy form casual contact, that for some people it can stay stable for years. The biologist in me enjoyed the knocked back sub-lot about the first treatments and the risks people took to try new treatments with potential horrendous side effects. But what I really loved about this book was that none of the characters seemed to be too self-obsessed. They all made mistakes and no-one was too good to be true and at the end I stayed up until 1am to finish this book in just two days as I was so desperate to find out what happened.

The Skeleton in the Closet by MC Beaton

This was a strange book all of Fell's life he has stayed home and worked to support his parents. When both his parents die Fell is left a small fortune and then the questions start, where did it come from? Fell moves Maggie in and predictably Maggie falls in love with Fell while fell simply sees Maggie as a frump. Throughout the book the mystery becomes clearer but as Fell and Maggie are just a little naive the story seems to be poorly constructed with limited intrigue. I found all the mishaps, a burglary and a car bomb a step too far and  I wasn't invested in Fell or Maggie but I read through to the end and despite one last fright the story concluded as expected with a suitably happy ending.

Last up I'm ashamed to admit that for the first time since Far From the Madding Crowd was my GCSE book I have failed to finish a book...

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

I used to enjoy reading popular science and this book sounded like my kind of reading. Although there were some interesting points about the placebo effect which I'm always fascinated by this book was full of vitriol and after a quarter of the book I felt like I was simply reading a self-absorbed rant and decided that the content did not outweigh the lack of style. Safe to say I will not be finishing this book and I was sorry that a science book broke my usually good reading record.