Shrewsbury Readers Group

Delirium By Lauren Oliver

Imagine living in a world where love is perceived as a disease? A society where love is perceived as a disease where people get ‘cured’ on their 18th birthday, to rid the person of the symptoms and pain of the disease of Amorosa Deliria (the term used for love). The story is set in Portland in America where the area is closed off from the rest of the world or what’s called ‘the wilds’ in the book. The story focuses on the character known as Lena whose mother died when they were a child but has been brought up by her Aunty and Uncle. With the date of her operation to be cured approaching Lena seems to be enthusiastic about the possibility of the cure. However, after meeting Alex, a boy originally from the wilds who is living a secret life from governments mass surveillance programme on all its citizens her life, morals and values all start to question the society she has been brought up in.

Initially I was unsure on how this book would be and whether I would enjoy this. However, I really enjoyed this book where I found there are heavy influences from 1984 by George Orwell and after recently watching the series of Brave New World it seems the book would has got heavy influences from this too. Despite this being seen as a Young Adult read I found that this is definitely suitable for people of all ages with very much a similar appeal to that of The Hunger Games.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who lives the dystopian genre.

I am unsure in my next read for now but hopefully will update you soon.

Blog written by Conor Mitchell

The First Fifteen lives of Harry August by Claire North

This was the book that was suggested for this month for the book club. Reading the synopsis I was very intrigued in terms of the uniqueness of the story presented.

Harry August is born in 1919 however, when he dies he lives the same life again where he is known as a Kalachakra. In his eleventh life he is told on his deathbed by another Kalachakra who sends him a message that ‘….the world is ending faster’. Following this, Harry has to investigate what is meant by this and the book describes sees what he does next.

Despite the concept being very unique and being excited to know how the story would transpire the first 100 pages I found it difficult to get into but afterwards the story got better as there seemed to be more of a focus with the plot.

However, I found the plot lacked originality despite the unique concept in my opinion lacked a truth to how the main character would feel about living through the same life, events, music and politics at so many times whilst being a ‘mnemonic’ meaning he remembers everything that’s happened.

What were your thoughts of the book? Did you feel the same or did you love it?

The next book I will review is Delirium by Lauren Oliver

A Game of Thrones- A Song of ice and fire by George R.R Martin

Over the lockdown in March, it gave me time to watch some episodes of the Game of Thrones series which intrigued me to think, what would the books be like? I had seen many reviews saying the books are brilliant and I definitely agree with this!

The Game of thrones is set in a fictional world where Summers and Winters can last forever. The story focuses on many characters such as the Starks where Eddard Stark is lord of Winterfell, Robert Baratheon who is King along with Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen who believe they are the rightful heirs to the throne that Robert sits on.

Exploring this story, it contains murder, scandal, love, death and betrayal where there are many stories happening for each character however, but there is clarity in the writing made by the author allowing understanding for the reader. I felt the characters were well developed where the writer describes the scenery vividly allowing the readers imagination for interpretation. A few times I did have to check who some characters were as it can sometimes be confusing however, I do feel this is a brilliant book for lovers of the fantasy genre. Despite the size of the book it being nearly 800 pages I did not find the book went on digressions but it enticed me to read on.

I will definitely try to read the rest of the series..in time but I would recommend it to anyone!

What were your thoughts of the book?

The next book I will be reading is The first fifteen lives of Harry August by Claire North

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

When this book was suggested for my local book club I was unsure on whether I would like it or not, but I made sure I didn’t look at the synopsis or any reviews where I decided to go ahead and give it a go, which I was so glad I did!

Taken place in the year Nineteen Thirty Seven in Kentucky in depression era America, Alice from England has decided to move to Kentucky away from her claustrophobic, strict family with her husband Bennett Van Cleve living in the village of Baileyville. However, a move away seems to be just as claustrophobic with the married couple living with Bennett’s father with his strict, overbearing manner.

When the first lady to the president Eleanor Roosevelt, creates a mobile library Alice signs on, looking to get away from her strict monotony of her everyday life along with four other women in the village to much disagreement of many inhabitants. They deliver books in remote areas to families where they quickly become known as the Packhorse librarians of Kentucky.

While the story is based on fact, where the Packhorse librarians deliver books giving families facts, information whilst helping improve families reading skills. The story deals with some of the problems and issues with the families where the Packhorse librarians give support to these families with issues and problems they are experiencing.

The reader is given an insight into the troublesome relationship between Alice and Bennett due to the strict Father In Law where the reader is told about the other Packhorse librarians such as Izzy, Beth, Sophia and Margery. Margery is the leader of the Packhorse librarians but is seen in a suspicious manner by many in Baileyville due to her fathers criminal ways. However, Alice and Margery become good friends where they support each other through each others problems they experience throughout the book.

I feel this book is an excellent read where it expands across many genres such as historical fiction, drama and comedy whilst also dealing with attitudes towards women, ethnicity and religion during this period in history.

I really enjoyed this book, despite my ambiguity initially I would recommend this for anyone.

The next book I will be reading is The Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

Blog written by Conor Mitchell

Leaving Berlin by Joseph Kanon

This book I had read previously, many years ago however, I had forgotten a lot of the story only remembering the outline of the story.

The story starts in Berlin in Nineteen Forty Eight nearly four years after the Second World War. West Berlin is barely surviving on airlifted supplies whilst in the East the political reconstruction of ‘A New Germany’ is being undermined by Cold War espionage. The protagonist, Alex Meier, a young Jewish writer who left Berlin back in Nineteen Thirty Four for America where he is in the process of a divorce from his wife with his child Peter still resides in America.

The politics of Alex’s youth have put him in the cross hairs of the McCarthy witch hunts where with the possibility of losing his family and being deported so he makes a deal with the CIA to go back to Berlin in order for him to get back to America. Going back to Berlin, working with the CIA in East Berlin he has to acquaint himself with people who work within higher authorities in the new institutions in this New Germany such as the K-5 and DEFA, whilst also spying on a woman he was previously in love with before the war. Not long into his tenure him and his fellow agent where his fellow agent is killed along with East German agents. Whilst trying to navigate all these scenarios, he has to consider the moral and ethical dilemmas on spying on a former friend and lover and where does the line get drawn with this?

The story is a brilliant spy thriller with twists and turns throughout where I felt the authors notes at the start of the book gave understanding of the scenario and acronyms used within the story. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes an espionage story.

The next book I will be reading is The Giver of the stars by Jojo Moyes

This blog was written by Conor Mitchell

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

After previously reading the first book in the series The Hunger Games which I have written about previously (and as very impressed by!!) I decided to carry on with the series, reading the second book Catching Fire.
The story begins nearly a year after Katniss and Peeta had won the Hunger Games, the writer describes the life Katniss is living and the privileges she has attained due to her and Peeta winning but the consequences of defying the Capitol have yet to come to fruition…
When going on a victory around the district’s rebellion starts to happen to both victors which they have fueled but can not stop. With the upcoming 75th Hunger Games looming a new challenge is given for Katniss and Peeta that will be even riskier than the previous hunger games putting their lives at stake.
I thought this was a brilliant book with a lot of twists and turns where it kept me hooked throughout with the story’s unpredictability. I would highly recommend this for anyone.
The next book I will be reviewing is Leaving Berlin by Joseph Kanon.
The blog is written by Conor Mitchell

The Palace of Dreams by Ismail Kadare

This months book, was my choice which was a book by the Albanian writer, Ismail Kadare, where this was the first time I had read a book by this author. Last year, me and my girlfriend went on holiday to Albania, where I previously had made a resolution that whatever country I visit to read a book from that country. The Palace of Dreams was published in 1981 during Albania’s brutalist communist regime under the authoritarian rule of Enver Hoxha. However, on publication the book was banned due to its explicit criticism of Albania’s communist rule.

The book is set in the Ottoman empire in the past but is purposely intended to represent the modern era of Albania’s communist state. The book takes a look into the insight of the empires bureaucracy where there is a secretive institution known as The Palace of Dreams. With instructions from the Sultan, The Palace of Dreams records, selects and interprets dreams of all citizens searching for ‘the master dream’ which provides clues to the empires destiny and that of its monarch. The book focuses on the character of Mark Alem who is of a power and influential family, known as the Quprili family. When Mark Alem receives an unsuspected invite to a job interview at The Palace of Dreams where he is promoted through the institution’s hierarchy in a short amount of time, he is bewildered to know why where he is told “You suit us”. The book gives an insight into an Orwellian world within the institution with its long, dark corridors and its strange working atmosphere where no one talks about their work other than at morning or lunch breaks. In addition to this, the work staff feel terrified about getting an interpretation of a dream wrong showing the empires philosophy that there is only one interpretation of any dream.

I found that this book had a very original idea where despite it being only one hundred and ninety pages, I felt the author was very descriptive of the main characters thoughts and feelings, giving the reader a feeling that Mark Alem is living through them. I did feel that the plot and the characters themselves could have been developed more. However, I do feel that possibly some information may have been lost in translation as this had been translated from Albanian to French to English. Despite the previous criticism I would still highly recommend this book for its originality.

The next book I will review is The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I had heard much about the films and books of the Hunger Games where recently, the prequel to the trilogy has been released, so being intrigued into reading one of the books and I certainly was not disappointed!

The Hunger Games is set in a world looking at the nation of Panem based in North America which consists of twelve districts. Originally there was thirteen districts but due to District 13 rebellion, the autocratic state of Panem destroyed the district where the remaining districts face their annual punishment, known as the hunger games. The Hunger Games is a competition, where every district has to send one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen to partake in the annual games, where all participants have to fight to the death. Panem makes it mandatory that all citizens must watch the live games on TV.

Katniss, a sixteen year old living in District twelve steps forward and takes place of her sister, where she regards the hunger games as a death sentence. As the competition begins she comes up against many challenges and choices she has to make for her survival.

Despite this book a Young Adult read, I found this is applicable to people of all ages where the story I found had Orwellian similarities from his book ‘1984’ where it was very thought provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, where I will pursue reading the other books in the near future and would highly recommend it to anyone.

The next book I will be reading is The Palace of Dreams by Ismail Kadare

No Nonsense By Joey Barton

When most people including myself hear the name of the footballer Joey Barton, many events that have been reported come to mind which have been violent and think of a straight talking Liverpudlian. No Nonsense gives an insight into his career which the media has not reported. Joey Barton was born in 1982 where he was brought up in a the very rough area of Huyton in Liverpool where from a young age he had an enthusiasm for playing football.

The book covers his experiences and views of his football clubs along with the managers he played under whilst giving his views on the problems within football. Barton is open and honest throughout on the incidents that he is known given background to the story of what happened , where he does not condone what happened and regrets it however, in this book he describes his issues throughout his player career from anger, drinking along with gambling. In addition to this, he mentions people and experiences that changed his life such as his time in jail along with his mentor Peter Kay along with his jail term, which began the evaluation of his life.

Giving his thoughts on his potential future on his career, the open and honest way in which Barton expounds many things. Situations, his career, his family life and his general thinking, this sincere candor, leaves him open and vulnerable, where I felt complete and total respect for him doing this. Along with reading the book, I did watch his performance at the Cambridge Union where I felt the same. His mistakes which are made apparent how much he had regretted these, he has made a conscious decision to change his life and be better as a person. Through using the Kaizen approach to improve incrementally daily , which he learnt this practice through Steve Black, a football coach , while being open minded to all knowledge where he participated in a first year degree in Philosophy.

I felt this book was excellent, giving an insight into the football industry and the career of a footballer from very humble beginnings of Joey Barton which he did very well considering. This has been the first autobiography of a sportsman, despite not having other books of this genre I thought it was brilliant and really enjoyed it, where I would highly recommend it!

My next book will be The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Normal People by Sally Rooney

When I was informed this book was going to be the read for my book club, I was unsure whether this would be for me, due to many peoples reviews of the TV series on BBC which seemed to gauge towards a female audience. However, rather than making judgements, I thought why not try it out and see, I did do this and was glad I did.

Normal people, focuses on the lives of Connell and Marianne. They both go the same school however, are seen differently, Connell is popular and is the star of the school football team. Marianne is lonely, private and seen as strange by many of her peers. Their paths cross when Connells mom works as a housekeeper at Marianne’s house where Connell picks her up everyday. Through this, Connell and Marianne have a connection which grows but yet they keep it private from everyone.

They both go to Trinity college after finishing their school, where their circumstances become very different. Marianne has become popular at the University where Connell becomes isolated, with his shy demeanor. Despite their different social circles with different social circles, they still get magnetically drawn to each other, where they communicate each others most private thoughts.

The books format I found easy to read with a third person insight of both Marianne and Connells thoughts, which I found for both characters were really interesting perspectives. The psychology between the characters I found interesting, with the transition of their personalities from a school to a University setting I felt was done excellently, giving an insight into how the transition can be difficult for people.

This book I would recommend to others; man or woman as this does bring to light many different issues.

The next book I will be reading is No Nonsense the autobiography of Joey Barton.

By Conor Mitchell