Naomi Alderman’s The Power
Book Review of Naomi Alderman’s The Power The Power by Naomi Alderman is an intelligent and well written dystopian novel that presents a futuristic scenario where women rule the world by strength. Men are seen as the weaker sex and must pay the price of years of sexism and oppresion of women. The Power is presented as a […]
Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet
Book Review of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet tells a completely fictionalized version of Shakespeare’s life story after meeting his future wife Agne. The story unfolds up until the point Hamlet the play was performed in London.Agnes (Anne Hathaway) is portrayed as a semi-wild unconformist woman with a love of nature, a […]
Ali Smith’s How to be both
Book Review of Ali Smith’s How to be both Challenging conventions of literary style and full of philosphical questions, Ali Smith’s How to be both is excellent, but difficult. Ali Smith’s How to be both was fascinating and troubling. It is a story of two halves that can be read (and have actually been published in different […]
Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire
Book Review of Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire Following the structure and themes of Antigone, Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire is a wonderful book that is well deserving to have been the 2017 winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. It is topical yet timeless – an almost impossible combination to execute effectively, (I have explored the relevance of […]
Jeanine Cummins’ American Dirt
Book Review of American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins American Dirt begins by describing a shoot out at a barbeque where a woman’s entire family, other than her son, are murdered by a cartel. Sixteen people are killed. The opening is tense, frightening and focuses on the emotions of a young boy and his mum hiding […]
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Book Review of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Set around the time of the Napoleonic Wars, but making little reference to it, Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, as most people know, follows the romance of snooty, unapproachable Darcy and high spirited, generous Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy is proud and Elizabeth is (in my opinion rightly so) prejudiced. Of […]