Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I wish I had a twin, though mainly cause I want to confuse people.
 
Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once the imposing home of the March family--fascinating, manipulative Isabelle, Charlie her brutal and dangerous brother, and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But Angelfield House conceals a chilling secret whose impact still resonates...

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past--and the mystery of the March family starts to unravel. What has Angelfield been hiding? What is its connection with the enigmatic author Vida Winter? And what is it in Margaret's own troubled past that causes her to fall so powerfully under Angelfilds spell?

This was a everyone was raving about a few years ago (and the BBC recently made adaption of it that wasn't that great). It wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought it was meant to be a scary book but it not really. There is a haunting of sorts and creepy twins.

There is a few sort of themes going on in the books. It deals with child abandonment of the emotional and physical kind. There is whole thing with twins with two sets in the book. There are different sort of sibling relationships none of them healthy which is really the certain of the novel. The main characters are all sort of tragic and comparisons to each other going on. Some of their actions are rather questionable so you not sure if you like them or not.

It written with a slow pace and it not really a book you're rush through. For some reason I get sort of lost when reading Setterfield. I read her new book (and reviewed it) and found myself doing the same thing with it. What I mean by lost is that I'll miss chunks of writing and have to reread the page. That could be my Dyslexic nature showing but I haven't done it with another writer in along time.

There's a lot of book love going on. Margaret grew up and works in old book shop and Vida Winter is a writer with a library. So you enjoy books that feature books then this could be for you.

Overall, I gave it 5 out of stars for scars. Whilst it wasn't what I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. There a small creep factor. It well written books and there are some lovely (perhaps not the right word) scenes going on.

Janurary Ramblings

Heló peops, so there nothing perpendicular I want to talk about in this week. I've read 16 books so far this month (this year would be accurate too). I've brought so many books that I don't want to think about it. It's not my fault it WhSmith who sell damaged books at full price but had buy one get one half price on their graphic novels yesterday. Brought Kick-Ass and Batman so fun times a head.

Stuff that I didn't say in last week post because of having a post that actually had a point. I'm finally getting a new bed which should come Monday. My room is still not quite ready for it to be built.  I found mould on some of my books the horror, attempting to sort it out. I've been buying things I shouldn't (Here's a hint it starts with a 'B' and ends with a 'K'. I finally moved that bookcase last week, now to move the chest and then the TV. I'll have to move the camp bed out of my room.

I have to finish my room this weekend. Last night I kept knocking this bag of clothing next my bed over. I'm also sitting a top of a pile of books next to be review. The next three weeks of reviews are planned, only one week written or read but that will change soon. It nice to have a plan that falls in with my British Book Challenge.

I really need to stop buying so many books, I have like over hundred books waiting to be read and yes I've read 16 books this year but 11 of them were library or Netgalley a.k.a books that I don't actually own. Yes, some were me catching up to series I've already started and therefore saving me from actually buying them. I  just buying too many. I need to stop for a while. Maybe not stop buying books altogether more sticking to ones that I've wanted for a while.

I kinda only want to buy books by British authors or books that are being relased this year. Maybe I buy one or two books a month (I guess more if its a boxset I decided to buy but then only the boxset). Not like a number I'm allowed to spend, yes I need to save but the number of books I own unread is a issue I would like to reduce.

I plan to not get as many books from the library once I'm done with the Vampire Academy series, there's a few I want to take out as to finish a series or to try a series out that I've heard a lot about. The library does save me some money and its a good source for British books.

I'm starting this Hospiaty course on Monday which will hopefully lead to job so I have more money to save for this holiday. I hope it goes well.

My sleeping pattren as been rather weird lately. I've been trying to turn it so I'm awake during the daylight hours not much success. For instance, last night I fell asleep a 10pm and woke at 1.11am. I got back to sleep at 4 something and woke at noon from probling. It'll probably woke itself out.

I hoping to join this coleb channel but I need to film audition. I've done the main filming but need to extra bits tomorrow (realistic it will happened then) and then edit it. There's a lot of people interested.

I finished reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield in the early hours of this morning (a review will eventually appear here) so I watched the BBC Adaption. I'm not sure if I like it or not. I think a good adaption should capture the spirit of the book and I don't know if it did. There are certain changing that I really don't like. 
I guess all for this week so I'll see you in the next.

Book Review: Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield

Christmas does not feature in this book at all despite it going on for a lifetime.

ONE MOMENT IN TIME CAN HAUNT YOU FOREVER.
Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a small but cruel act, and is soon forgotten. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to have put the whole incident behind him. It was as if he never killed the thing at all. But rooks don’t forget . . .
Years later, when a stranger mysteriously enters William’s life, his fortunes begin to turn—and the terrible and unforeseen consequences of his past indiscretion take root. In a desperate bid to save the only precious thing he has left, he enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner. Together, they found a decidedly macabre business.
And Bellman & Black is born. 

 This is not the sort of book you read to cheer you up but rather to enjoy misery.  There a lot of death in this book, I would its sort of it main theme. I also I know this get sold as a ghost story but its not really ghosts, more supernatural forces going on involving rooks. I don't maybe it is the ghost of the Rook William killed. I'm just that I wouldn't necessary say it ghost story. Yes, there a recurring strange man in black but he might not be a ghost per say.

The book is separated into three parts. William Bellman's life leading to deal, Bellman's life after it and part III is a tiny thing. I think it works for the book but I don't like how the chapters numbering resets at Part II. Through, that just mean like to know the number of chapters I've actually read of a book. Through out the book there is tadbits about Rooks somewhat corresponding to what going on in the story.

William Bellman is an interesting character, not perpendicularly lovable but do you feel for him. I really liked how well thought the background of characters are and their relationships with each other very rich. Even relationships from before William is born have been thought out.The characterisation was very good, they all felt rather real to me.

Overall, this was very good, creepy book. It will make you teary at times. It just generally interesting book. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars for a parliament of rooks.

P.S. Happy Christmas Losers, I didn't plan to put this up on Christmas. It just happen. At least next year I won't have to worry about the fact that last Wednesday of the year is on Christmas. No, it'll be New Years Eve.