Book Review on Bram Stoker's Dracula Have you ever come across a more suspenseful opening than Johnathan Harker's journey to Transylvania?! Dracula begins with Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, recounting his journey to Transylvania on a work assignment. En route, frequent travellers, hoteliers and peasants warn him from going but he pays no heed. Jonathan is relieved to find that upon arrival Dracula is both well-educated and hospitable, but he soon learns that things are not as they seem and he discovers he has become a prisoner in the castle. Harker realises that the count has supernatural powers and evil ambitions. He is nearly attacked by three beautiful and seductive vampires - it is clearly time to escape! Meanwhile, in England, Harker’s fiancée, Mina, and her friend Lucy. correspond frequently. Lucy accepts Arthur Holmwood’s proposal after reluctantly turning down two other suitors. The two get together in Whitby where they see a Russian ship wrecked upon the shore. If only they new that Dracula had shape-shifted on the boat and jumped off as a large dog, having killed the entire crew. Things continue. Lucy sleepwalks and becomes pale and ill after being found in a cemetery ... she also has two strange marks on her throat that no one could explain. We now nip back to Harker who, has escaped, but has suffered brain fever and is being tended to by nuns. Mina, his fiancee goes to help him recover and Van Helsing (an eminent professor) figures out that vampire work is at play. Several garlic cloves and a few blood transfusions later, there is hope that Lucy may survive, but that hope is short lived. And on the book goes, with a rollicking good storyline, that J.K. Rowling would be proud of. We all know what ultimately happens to Dracula, but before then the book focuses extensively on the death of the 'undead' Lucy, who has herself become a vampire. This in fact, seems to get far more attention than the death of Dracula himself. Had Bram Stoker perhaps reached his wordcount for payment and so didn't linger over Dracula's death, or had he just run out of steam .... The story is plot driven with great use of symbolism and motif. I've never actually seen any movie adaption, but the number out there is testament to the quality and enduring appeal of Bram Stoker's Dracula. It deserves its place as a classic in the gothic horror genre. Book Club Questions on Bram Stoker's Dracula.Who is your favourite character and why? Discuss. Discuss what you thought the most frightening event or series of events in Dracula. What made it so frightening? We never hear from Dracula first hand in the book, i,e. he doesn't share a diary entry or letter. Why do you think Stoker denied him his own narrator's voice? What is the effect? Lucky Lucy receives three marriage proposals in one day. Why do think she chose to accept Arthur and not the other two? To what extent does Dracula conform to the tropes of vampires that you are aware of? The reader never learns exactly how Jonathan escaped. Discuss what you think happened? What stereotypical views of men and women are presented in the book? Does Stoker ever question the stereotypes? If so how and what is the effect on the reader? Dracula and Frankenstein's are often discussed together, yet they were published almost 80 years apart. Why do you think this is the case? What are the similarities and differences between the two books? Dracula was based on a real historical figure called Vlad the impaler. Share what you know about the history of him and Dracula's creation. Why did Dracula have to send Transylvanian soil to England. Dracula came to Whitby on a Russian ship and killed the crew en route! (Who'd want to be in that boat?) Have you visited Whitby? What do you think knowing the location of where supposed fictional events occured adds to your reading of the novel?  Apparently, Bram Stoker never went to Transylvania, but rather did his research in the British library. Book Club Questions on Bram Stoker's Dracula (if you haven't read the book!)Legends of vampires have existed for centuries? Why do you think this is the case? Who would you prefer to meet - a vampire, werewolf or regular ghost? Discuss who you think you could most easily befriend? (Note, this is a deliberately silly question.) Dracula is, by and large, a novel based on diary and letter accounts, shared bewteen the characters. What are the advantages and disadvantages of writing a novel in letter form? You may not have read Dracula, but you will know about vampires and have the gist of the story. If you were casting Dracula in a film, who would you choose to play Dracula? Dracula was written in 1897, so inevitably the style of writing and vocabulary is a little antiquated. Would you be more inclined to read a book that was considered a classic, or would you be put off by the time lapse between it being written and now? Personal Response to Bram Stoker's DraculaI listened to Dracula, rather than reading it from the page, which I think completely changed my experience of the text. Those in my bookclub who'd read it said that they found the opening passage and the build up to Lucy's death full of suspense and horror. Listening to the text, it just felt antiquated and not so believable. Why, for example, did Jonathan keep going to Count Dracula's castle, when every single local person warned him against it. The penny seemed to drop very slowly for him!
What I did find interesting was Dr. John Seward's role in the 'lunatic asylum'. I'd love to know more about the Victorian's attitude to mental illness and listening to this story has inspired me to investigate the topic and look at the timeline of the novel in relation to the development of humane treatments of mental health illnesses. The other area my interest was piqued and, I guess, amused by was how sexist the language and the attitudes expressed in the book are. Lucy, many of my bookclub friends' favourite character, becomes a voluptuous temptress having been bitten by Dracula, and poor Arthur doesn't know what to do with himself - quite different to the portrayal of her before she was attacked! Lots to think about and fascinating to see the development of character and the fascination of the Victorians with horror - did I enjoy it? Yes. Book Review on JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars What a dreamy environment for a librarian to work in! I would love to be the recipient and Giver of Stars! Set in the Appalachian Mountains, Alice Wright leaves behind the humdrum of small town life in England by marrying handsome Bennet Van Cleve and moving to Baileyville, Kentucky. Life is quick to disappoint, and Alice seems as trapped as she'd ever been. Bennett seems content to share their honeymoon cabin, with his ever-present vile father, and once at home becomes distant and aloof, unable or unchoosing of intimacy. The 'special book' kept hidden in the library had no effect in solving Bennett's problems! Upon arrival in Baileyville, Alice is treated with caution and suspicion by the locals; women her own age feel she has stolen Bennett from them as a potential suitor. There's no wonder then, that Alice jumps at the chance to join Margery O'Hare, a strong, independent woman, as a travelling librarian. This gives Bennett's father further fuel to disapprove of Alice as Margery, Alice learns, is of a disreputable family going back generations. In addition, Margery is unwilling to conform to societal expectations or to be the expected submissive female and wife. The judgemental Van Cleve's are inevitably going to disapprove. An unlikely friendship is formed between Alice and Margery. As the events of the story unfold they learn to support each other and women across Kentucky. Sisterhood prevails as the librarians grow in numbers, strength and commitment to their role, each another and their values. The novel begins with a single chapter outlining a key event that occurs three months from the beginning of the story proper. It is this event around which the whole story, The Giver of Stars, is based as we explore weath, class, hardship, abuse and feminism. Hefty themes are presented with the lightest of touches, Marriage, abuse and of course romance! The story is funny yet sad; full of warmth whilst exposing cruelty. Above all it is a great page-turner. Book Club Questions on JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars
Book Club Questions on JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars (If you haven't read the book!)
The Giver of Stars Hold your soul open for my welcoming. Let the quiet of your spirit bathe me With its clear and rippled coolness, That, loose-limbed and weary, I find rest, Outstretched upon your peace, as on a bed of ivory. Let the flickering flame of your soul play all about me, That into my limbs may come the keenness of fire, The life and joy of tongues of flame, And, going out from you, tightly strung and in tune, I may rouse the blear-eyed world, And pour into it the beauty which you have begotten. Amy Lowell - 1874-1925  I was thrilled to learn that JoJo Moyes has her own website. She looks a great person to chat with. Personal Response to JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars particularly enjoyed The Giver of Stars because, for many years, I was a librarian and continue to work as a library consultant. It is a book that I'd definitely like to add to my collection of first editions. I'm ever optimistic that my husband might go hunting on Amazon / Abebooks / whatever and decide to treat me to some more scrumptious books!
The idea of taking to the trails and making a difference to people's lives struck me as so romantic! Of course, being faced with an aggressive drunk a little less so! I had to smile though that it was the book Little Women that was presented as a murder weapon! Less of the little! You can't go far wrong with JoJo Moyes if you want some escapism and a well-written book. I've no doubt that if E. Roosevelt was here today, she would be proud of this fictionalized of her real-life introduction of Packhorse librarians.  Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs is a great read with more twists and turns than a remote country lane. I hadn't come across Lisa Jewell’s fiction until I read Then She Was Gone, for which I had a grudging admiration. Psychological thrillers are a genre about which I know little; they've never been my thing. That is, until now. The Family Upstairs is an engrossing page turner that gripped me from beginning to end. The Family Upstairs tells the story of the Lamb family. Mr. Lamb, a coarse and brutish figure, and his socialite German wife seem to have it all. Ensconced in their Chelsea residence, full of dark furniture and stuffed animals, they live a privileged life. Mr. Lamb is delighted to have made good from his humble beginnings. Though cold and reserved, their life is relatively sweet until the one-time pop success, Birdie arrives on the scene. This is closely followed by the arrival of David Thomsen along with his family - Phinn, Clemency and his wife. David is a manipulative and domineering bully and the dynamics of the house change. The reader watches David expand his authority and power, stealing the family’s wealth, under the guise of spiritualism and giving. In essence a cult has developed under the nose of Mr. Lamb, who after suffering a stroke is powerless to stop events unfolding. The story is told by various narrators. The person who gives us the most background is Henry Lamb, the teenage son, who the reader has great empathy with. However, as with all good thrillers things are not completely as they seem. We also follow the life of Lucy, mother of two children, and a homeless victim of domestic abuse, living in France. It takes the reader a while to realize that Henry’s sister is also called Lucy. Finally, we explore events from the viewpoint of Libby, an ordinary young woman who was adopted at birth, and finds that at twenty-five, she has inherited the Chelsea house. How that comes to be, is the backdrop of the story, which enables the writer to explore and develop the complex characters who have suffered at the hands of David Thomsen. But what is the story about… ? Well, we learn early on that three murders and the abandonment of a baby in a cot that took place in the house twenty-five years previously has been uncovered. Who they all were is what needs unearthing; who is the baby and who does she belong to? You’ll have to read The Family Upstairs to find out what happens. Book Club Questions on Lisa Jewell's The Family UpstairsClemency said that Henry had a pure twist of evil running through him. To what extent do you think this is true and and if it is the case, can't he be blamed? In the story, The Family Upstairs, David had a charismatic power whereby all the female characters, even Lucy, seemed enthralled by him. Discuss why you think David could wield such authority over the household? Henry was besotted with Phinn, to the extent that he scrawled 'I am Phinn' over the furniture. As an adult, when discovered, he told Libby that he was Phinn; He also, as an adult, had cosmetic surgery to appear more like Phinn. Discuss and analyze Henry's character. The sequel to The Family Upstairs called The Family Remains has recently been released. Predict what you think will happen in it. How believable did you find the events leading up to and following the deaths of the three adults? When reading a psychological thriller is it important to you for the storyline to be completely credible? Which of the plot twists in the novel surprised you the most? Which did you see coming? Which character in the novel do you have the most sympathy for and why? Libby’s real family is clearly extremely dysfunctional. Do you think it would be better if she had never learned of her background? Libby becomes emotionally involved with Miller even though he is not her type at all. Miller’s obsession with the case of the Lambs' had led to him losing two years of his life and his wife leaving him. Do you think the relationship will be a happy one? Discuss.  Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs is a great page turner! Book Club Questions on Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs (if you haven't read the book!)Libby goes from working as a kitchen designer to becoming the owner of a house in Chelsea, worth several million pounds. Despite this she continues to go to work. How would you react if you came into a great fortune? Libby's life is completely upturned as she learns who her real mother is and that she has two half siblings. As an adoptee she'd been reasonably happy, but she seems very keen to develop a positive relationship with her biological family. Discuss the importance of family, be it an adopted or biological one. As children, Lucy and Clemency had been inseparable. How important were childhood friendships in your own life? Discuss. Although Lucy and Clemency return to their friendship they avoid discussing the childhood trauma they went through. This is counter to many modern counselling practices that suggests it is better to discuss trauma openly. What is your viewpoint about counselling and talking openly about difficult scenarios and situations? Personal Response to Lisa Jewell's The Family UpstairsIt’s impossible to write too much about thrillers without giving far too many spoilers! The characters invite sympathy though and despite, I felt, some aspects of the storyline being unbelievable, Jewell creates great tension. As I reached the end of The Family Upstairs, I said to myself I'd love to know what happened next. It was then with delight that I turned the page to see that a sequel, The Family Remains, is in the making. I'm intrigued to know what happens next. Book Review of Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt is both sad, funny and wise. AdamKay's This is Going to Hurt describes his life as a junior doctor during the years leading up to his resignation. Written in a dry satirical tone, Adam doesn't hold back and shows the NHS in its raw state. The staff are overworked, underpaid and lacking in sleep. Humorous and heartbreaking in equal measures, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt shows that there is nothing glamorous about being a junior doctor. There are however, enough feel good moments to remind him and the reader of the value of being a doctor, until there aren't .... As a memoir, it has proven hugely popular, perhaps because it validates from within the institution, what the public have thought and feared for a long time. Book Club Questions on Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt
Book Club Questions on This is Going to Hurt (if you haven't read the book!) Adam Kay has made a bit of a career for himself in T.V since quitting his role as a doctor.
Personal Response to Adam Kay's This Is Going to HurtI have heard that the TV show of This is Going to Hurt, is pitched as a comedy set on a labour ward. This suprised me, as ultimately the book is looking at the good in humanity, but how, at times, we seem to do everything we can, institutionally and personally to wreck that goodness. Overall, depite its wit I found this book to be fundamentally sad. It reminded me a little of Christopher Button's The Secret Diary of a Student Nurse.
Book Review on Victoria Hislop's The Island Victoria Hislop's The Island is a great debut novel. Victoria Hislop's The Island is her debut book, set on a fictional Greek island both pre-war and during the Second World War. The story begins with Alexis Fielding who, at a cross-roads in her own young life, wants to find out about her mother, Sofia's secret past. Before heading off to Greece, Sofia gives Alexis a letter addressed to an old friend of hers, Fontina. It is Fontina, the best friend of Alexis's grandmother, Maria, who is able to provide many of the answers to the questions that Sofia had never been willing to answer. There follows the telling of Alexis's family history. Both Alexis's grandmother and great-grandmother had caught leprosy and had been banished to the island of Spinalonga, a colony where all leprosy sufferers were sent. The novel reveals what life was like both on the colony, and for the family members of those who have been sent. The link between the island and the mainland, is Girogis, Maria's husband, who took provisions to and from the island. Victoria Hislop presents Spinalonga as a place of far more hope than the reader might initially expect. The island is a place of love as well as death. Entertainment and industry flourish and people prosper, especially after the arrival of the lepers sent from Athens. Spinalonga is a place that people dread to go to, but once there, don't necessarily want to leave. The novel heads toward a conclusion as a cure for leprosy is found and the islanders are free to leave. There is though one more dramatic twist that prevents a 'happy ever after' ending. Read more about the novel here. Book club questions on Victoria Hislop's The Island
Book club questions on Victoria Hislop's The Island (if you haven't read the book!)
 What a wonderful place to promote The Island from! Personal Response to Victoria Hislop's The Island I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy The Island or not. Love affairs, ending in tragedy; boring, but rich husbands; unreliable lovers; wild daughter and loyal daughters - it all seemed a heady romantic mix and family saga, that I wasn't sure was my cup of tea.
The structure was brave and accessible so that was good. The opening of Alexis travelling, provided a good reason for telling the story of her mother. To my mind, the development of Sofia's teen years were a little rushed. And, while I didn't bother to calculate the dates it seemed odd that Fontina was still in such good health, running her cafe, when both Maria and Kyritsis had died. There were parts of the tale that I ddin't find completely convincing (spoiler alert), the shooting for example, was a bit too melodramatic for my stiff-upper lip British sensibilities. However, putting crimes of passion aside, I thought it was a good first novel. |
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