Month: May 2017

Book Reviews

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – a reread

Leigh Roswen

book shorts blue (2)This is part of Shorts Series of book reviews (skimping on all aspects except Use for Writers)

By Douglas Adams                          Pan Books 1992                     Adult Fiction

Score: 9.5/10                                                                 Genre:  Science Fiction comedy

Arthur Dent lies in front of a bulldozer. He’s not happy. His house is about to be demolished to make way for a bypass. But his day is set to get a whole lot worse. Vogon ships gather around the earth to supervise the demolition of the ‘insignificant blue-green planet’ to make way for an hyperspatial express route. Arthur’s Dent’s friend Ford Prefect (from the Beetlguese star system) saves Arthur from obliteration by hitching a ride on a Vogon cruiser.

I could go on, but you really don’t read Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the plot you read it for the wacky characters, such as the boorish, disgusting Vogons or Zaphod Beeblebrox, the reckless, egotistical,  multi-armed and three-headed ex-president of the galaxy. You read it for the clever concepts such as the babblefish, which, once inserted in your ear, interpret foreign languages; or the super computer designed to find the answer to ‘Life the Universe and Everything’, and of course the wonderful ‘Guide’ with, DON’T PANIC, emblazoned on its cover and entries that are entertaining and often totally useless.

I frequently chuckled to myself as I lay in bed reading Hitchhiker’s Guide.  My husband, who has also read it more than once, finally put down his own book and said, ‘Just read it to me.’ And so I did. In our 28 years of marriage this is the first time he’s ever asked me to read out loud to him. That is the power of Hitchhiker’s Guide you’ll want to share it, to quote it and revel in its escapist wackiness with other fans.

There are very few books that have worked their way into the everyday vernacular and psyche to the extent of Hitchhiker’s Guide. As if to illustrate this, I turned on the radio the morning after reading aloud and the announcer said ‘I’ll be talking about, life the Universe and everything.’ In our family it is one of the only books/movies we can all agree upon as being fabulous. We once even named an anemone in our marine tank, Zaphod (It was also reckless – kept climbing into the filter).

I only reread the first book of the series this time but have the other three – The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life the Universe and Everything and So Long and Thanks for all the Fish. I will save these, like a bottle of happy pills, for when I’m in real need of escapism.

Use to Writers

Humour is (I believe) the hardest thing to write and hardest thing to analyse. Even those who write comedy for a living don’t always know where the laughs are going to come.

I guess I can only say we should give ourselves permission to be wacky, play with words, be observant, notice character quirks (Douglas Adams based many of his characters on real life people), see life’s ironic situations and odd societal trends. Keep a diary (or your phone) close to note situations that tickle your funny bone or make you scratch your head. There aren’t many genres (if any) that don’t benefit from an injection of humour.

The chances of another Douglas Adams arising in the universe is infinitesimally small (unless you happen to have an improbability drive) but maybe your own brand of wackiness will strike a chord with readers. I can’t end this review without sharing one of the many passages that made me giggle. Here, Ford is talking to Arthur:

… you’d better be prepared for the jump into hyperspace. It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.’

‘What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?’

‘You ask a glass of water.’

Arthur thought about this.

‘Ford,’ he said.

‘Yeah?’

‘What’s this fish doing in my ear?’

Book Reviews

Big Little Lies

Leigh Roswen

By Liane Moriarty                           Pan Macmillan Australia 2015                  Adult Fiction

Score: 10/10                                                    Genre: Australian suburban drama/suspense

book shorts blue (2) This is part of Shorts Series of book reviews (skimping on all aspects except Use for Writers)

There is death and mayhem at the primary school trivia night. Big Little Lies deals with the circumstances leading up to this tragic event. There is school-yard bullying, over-involved parents, dark secrets hidden behind closed doors, fraught relationships and firm friendships.

My first 10/10 book for the blog!

This book deals in part with dark subjects of domestic and sexual violence. But, like real life, these don’t exist in isolation. The farcical ‘mummy wars’ and the cringe-worthy helicopter parents are both humorous and all too familiar. The mystery is suspenseful and teased out in chapters in varying POV’S. But above all the dialogue and characterisations sparkle with authenticity and wit.

Use for writers: Liane Moriarty depresses me. Sometimes when I read a good novel I can convince myself of one of two things:

– I couldn’t write it because I don’t have the life experience or the time/resources to research the subject material.

– I think I can emulate aspects of the novel.

But:

-Moriarty doesn’t write about the unfamiliar – this is suburban coastal Australian. It could’ve been set at my local primary school, in my suburb. So, the first excuse is null.

–  And for the second: Moriarty so deftly handles structure and characterisation that it would be easy to try and do what she does, and fail.

The structure of both, Big Little Lies, and her novel, Truly Madly Guilty, follow the pattern of: A terrible event has taken place. What are the things that lead to this event (flashbacks and forwards). The who, how, and exactly what of the event. The fallout from the event.

Moriarty reveals each part of the mystery and each character’s secrets just at the right time. The changes in points of view enhance the pacing and add to the suspense. The dialogue and inner thoughts of the main characters are so witty that I wanted to reread sections just for fun. I particularly loved the use of the humorous snippets (flash forwards) of the police interviews for the minor characters. If you are thinking of writing a Multiple POV novel it would perhaps pay to do a table/map of POV changes and time shifts throughout Big Little Lies to get a sense of its structure.

Multiple POVs and fragmented timelines have the potential to make for a confusing read but not here because:

-We are kept orientated with statements about the length of time till the trivia night eg FIVE MONTHS BEFORE TRIVIA NIGHT.

– The voices and the houses/circumstances of the main characters are so different that you never lose track of where you are and whose head you’re in.

Madeline, the sassy older mum with fierce loyalty to her friends is a wonderful character. In this excerpt she is with her new friend, Jane and older friend, Celeste – on her birthday, feeling sorry for herself due to an injured ankle. The last passage shows how Moriarty cleverly segues into the future police interviews.

‘Let’s have some now!’ Madeline lifted the bottle by the neck suddenly inspired.

‘No, no,’ said Celeste. ‘Are you crazy? It’s too early for drinking. We have to pick the kids up in two hours. And it’s not chilled.’

‘Champagne breakfast’ said Madeline. ‘It’s all in the way you package it. We’ll have champagne and orange juice. Half a glass each! Over two hours. Jane? Are you in?’

‘I guess I could have a sip,’ said Jane. ‘I’m a cheap drunk.’

‘I bet you are, because you weigh about ten kilos,’ said Madeline ‘We’ll get on well. I love cheap drunks. More for me.’

‘Madeline,’ said Celeste. ‘Keep it for another time.’

‘But it’s the Festival of Madeline,’ said Madeline sadly. ‘And I’m injured.’

Celeste rolled her eyes. ‘Pass me a glass.’

***

Thea: Jane was tipsy when she picked up Ziggy from orientation… Young single mother drinking first up in the morning. Chewing gum too. Not a good first impression. That’s all I’m saying.

Footnote:  After this I read Liane Moriarty’s Truly Madly Guilty – also brilliantly structured. I give it 9/10. I favour Big Little Lies because the overwhelming feeling when reading Truly Madly Guilty was one of dread (it involved the possible drowning of a young child). This dread keeps you turning pages but perhaps not as entertaining as the mystery and humour which infuses Big Little Lies.

I am currently reading the, The Hypnotist’s Love Story, also by Liane Moriarty.

 

 

Book Reviews

The Dry

Leigh Roswen

By Jane Harper                  Pan Macmillan Australia 2016                                     Adult Fiction

Score: 9/10                                                                                    Genre: Australian Crime Thriller

book shorts blue (2)   This is part of Shorts Series of book reviews (skimping on all aspects except Use for Writers)

Aaron Falk, a federal police investigator, returns to his drought-stricken home town, Kiewarra to attend the funeral of an old friend, Luke Hadler. Luke is the apparent perpetrator of murder-suicide in which his wife and baby were killed.

Falk reluctantly stays to assist the local police sergeant in an attempt to find answers for Luke’s bereaved parents. The town holds bitter memories for Aaron including the suspicious death of childhood friend – Ellie. Falk’s investigation reopens old wounds and sets him against old enemies. What is the secret Falk keeps and is there a connection between the recent deaths of the Hadler family and the death of Ellie, 20 years ago?

This is the most gripping book of any genre I’ve read in many years. I am generally a slow reader but I read this in less than 3 days (a long train journey helped too).

Use for writers:

If you want the ingredients of riveting, crime page-turner – study this book. Some of the reasons why ‘The Dry’ is so gripping:

-The investigator is not a dispassionate outsider with no stake in the community or the crime. Aaron Falk has murky history and the suspense arises not just from the whodunnit aspect of the Hadler murders but the slow reveals of event’s in Aaron’s past.

-Jane Harper engenders empathy for Aaron Falk. She gives a him a tough motherless childhood, awkward teenage years and a haunted but thoughtful adult persona. As much as the reader wants to know who is responsible for the Hadler murders they also want to see Falk redeemed.

-There are, of course, the classic crime novel strengths of multiple suspects and motives. Who do you trust? However, unlike many crime novels I’ve read none of the secrets or motives seem strange or too convulted. The final solution is satisfying and plausible.

-The setting of a drought-stricken town where tempers and livelihoods are fragile adds to the tension and the constant underlying threat of violence.

Extra note about the writing: ‘The Dry’ stays in third person, past tense but when relating witness accounts rather than stay in Falk’s POV it switches to the POV of the interviewee (who has perfect recollection of minute details). It is a strange technique that threw me at first. It didn’t allow for lying and the reader appeared to be getting more information than Falk. I came to the conclusion it was cheating a little but allowed for more evocative, descriptions of past events and, therefore, was more entertaining than a question-answer interview. I have shown a short example below. Falk is talking to Luke’s father, Gerry. The switch to Gerry’s POV is in italics, as it is in the book. No spoilers here.

‘Is it connected with what happened to Ellie?’ (Gerry)

‘I honestly don’t know, Gerry. ‘(Falk)

‘But maybe?’

‘Maybe.’

A silence. ‘Christ. Listen, there’s something I should have told you from the start.’ (Gerry )

Gerry Hadler was hot but not unhappy about it. He tapped a light rhythm on the steering wheel whistling to himself. The evening sun warmed…

Gerry glanced at the bottle of sparkling wine lying on the passenger seat. He’d popped into town to pick up supplies and spontaneously nipped into the bottle shop.

***

What do you think about this technique?