Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin

 70%

04.02.23

It's been so long since I've read a book that actually lived up to the hype that this was like a long, refreshing drink. The characters weren't particularly likable, the style was a little leaden, something unlikely happened two-thirds through in order to inject some energy into the story... but somehow it all worked. Smart, complex, full of pop culture and high culture references - what relief to read a really good contemporary novel!

Fools and Mortals - Bernard Cornwell

64%
04.09.18

It seems I've never read any Bernard Cornwell before and apparently this isn't typical of his portfolio, but I enjoyed the historical detail, confident prose and mischievous re-imagining of Shakespeare (and his less intelligent but more engaging fictional brother).

Vinegar Girl - Anne Tyler

57%
20.01.17

Anne Tyler is a novelist without equal but even she has her off-books. This retelling of 'The Taming of the Shrew' as an amiable romance among socially awkward characters may feature her signature sharp observation but lacked bite and conviction. I wonder if it even started out as a Shakespearean update but was adapted to be one on request.