Tag: English

Book Review, Uncategorized

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett, 2010, paperback, ISBN: 0399155341, £7.99.

I was a little hesitant at reading this book as I thought the subject matter may have been a difficult read. However The Help discusses how black maids are trusted within a household with some form of lightness. The Help is about a woman called Miss Skeeter, who wishes to give black maids a voice. All of the main characters are strong women that have potential to be strong within society. Stockett’s novel is well written and also touches upon community as well as a controversial subject, from an angle that makes it easy to discuss. I laughed and cried with this book and felt like no matter what part I put the book down on, I would always be excited to read it again. For this reason I believe it to be a timeless piece and in my eyes, a classic.
Stockett’s writing style is extremely fluent and oozes her characters personalities. The writing also highlights the character’s voices: without making it difficult to read, this  adds a sense of authenticity. The character’s stride past the author in this book and put their mark on what the reader sees. The descriptions of Jackson, Mississippi add to the originality of this book as the location sometimes can feel like a character in itself. At times I felt as if I could almost feel the warm Mississippi air on my face.

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So quick summary– If anyone is looking for a quality read with strong main characters and is interested in American history or post-colonialism, then this type of book would be a great read. Lighter than post-colonialism, it is a fun read that seems guaranteed to be enjoyed. The book follows Minny and Aibileen on their journey of living as the Help within a white household. Miss Skeeter longs for her old maid Constantine and sees the help differently than her other friends do. The Help follows Minny, Aibileen and Skeeter on their relationship with each other and their freedom. A journey not to be missed.

articles, Uncategorized, Writing

The Myth of Quality Literature

Myth of Quality

Ever went into a bookshop and wanted to read quality fiction? Others may describe it as high literature, but similar to what you call it, it differs from person to person. Sometimes even the pressure of writing quality fiction can be enough to make them put the pen down and walk away. So why is it that we want to read quality fiction? Is it to strengthen our knowledge and understanding of a particular field, to challenge ourselves or to simply help us write quality fiction ourselves?

I must admit I like to read quality fiction. However what I think is ground-breaking stuff, you may think is rubbish. My tutor at university once gave me a method to discoing ‘high literature.’ He believed that to have a quality piece of work it must have direct, indirect and free indirect discourse/speech (i.e. “stop it,” she said, she said stop it, she shook her head, stop it.) He argued if this was balanced throughout the novel it would be a quality piece. However, he also believed if the book was slightly bigger than A5 paperback or was printed only in hardback, then it was quality fiction.

My interpretation on the other hand, is that any novel that challenges societal values or ideologies should be considered as quality fiction. My reason being that the book would have a purpose and the plot would seem more original. However as I have previously mentioned, this is my interpretation.

The Beauty...

Like the saying, ‘Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder,’ it works with literature. What you might hate, others may love. With this in mind, the concept of quality literature is a myth. Not everyone will agree with what depicts a novel as quality fiction and that’s fine. I therefore urge you to keep writing your novel and/or keep reading what you enjoy. After all, if you enjoy a piece of writing, why not call it a quality piece of fiction?

articles, Uncategorized, Writing

Are Novellas on the rise?

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It was only last year that I noticed how novellas were rising to the fore-front of bookshops and media platforms. Last Year Penguin Random House released 80 Black Penguin Classics; poetry, novellas and short non-fiction from world class authors such as Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe and Charlotte Perkins-Gilman to name a few. If you searched for these small pieces on Instagram, you would find them left, right and centre. Book bloggers cannot help but share their love of these Penguin Classics; you would be surprised at how many already have the full collection. Not only on Instagram either, these novellas are also popping up on Pinterest too. After such success, Penguin Random House recently released a further 80 titles to sit next to their original collection. Although Penguin Random House seem to have started the rise of novellas in bookshops, there seems to be a lot more digital content regarding the subject than ever before. Goodreads has a book club called ‘The Novella Club,’ which has over 650 members. Although Wattpad supplies its audience with over 4,000 novellas, Wattpad also supplies novelettes too.

But why is it, that we have fallen in love with this art form? Well, straight away I can think of three reasons.

They are short – Obviously this comes with the term novella but think about what that opens up to you. Since they are short, they give you great satisfaction in a short space of time.If you want a good read that is deeper than a magazine but not as time consuming as a novel, then this type of prose is ideal for you. A novella can give you high quality literature, as a novel would do, however because it is shorter it can sometimes be more intense.

Great for commuters – Again because a novella is short it can be read on your commute to work or during your lunch break. This makes it ideal if you wish to read something gripping but only have an hour spare.

Product Values – One of the best advantages I feel, is the actual size and weight of a novella. It could be digital, so it takes up no space at all, or it could be a small A5 paperback, that fits neatly into your bag. When you think about people you see reading in public spaces, how big are their books? A lot of the time, I wonder where on earth do they store it. With the novella however, it is roughly half the size and even sometimes feels less bulky than your purse.

With so many advantages that the novella holds, it is surprising how underrated they used to be. Like I said, used to. With this form of prose cropping up more and more, now really is the best time to write a novella.

This post was originally published on Medium. Feel free to see what else I’ve been writing on Medium by clicking here.

articles, Uncategorized, Writing

Feminist Dystopias within Science Fiction

‘Only by considering dystopia as a warning can we as readers hope to escape such a dark future.’

This post will explore the depiction of feminist dystopias within the science fiction genre. Margaret Atwoods’ Oryx & Crake (2003), The Handmaid’s Tale (1986) and Marge Piercy’s Woman on the Edge of Time (1979) question whether a feminist dystopia will provoke change in contemporary society.

A utopia is an ideal place that could be described as a haven. It is created from people’s perspectives of what could warrant an ideal place. This includes ideal laws and politics, which result in a perfect society. A dystopia however, perceives the opposite of a utopia and could therefore include a place of oppression and inequality. In relation to a feminist dystopia, M. Keith Booker states in Woman on the Edge of a Genre: Feminist Dystopias of Marge Piercy that,

‘feminist visions of the future tended in general to show a dark turn in the 1980s, probably due to political reverses that damped the feminist optimism of the 1970s.’

Booker’s assumptions of why feminist writers had taken to writing dystopias instead of utopias proves to be a theme within critiques of the science fiction genre. Raffaella Baccolini in The Persistence of Hope in Dystopian Science Fiction states that the term utopia, has lost its value as ‘it has been conflated with materialist satisfaction and thus commodifed’ within society. Thus it is because critiques were noticing a turn from a feminist utopia towards dystopian fiction that the term feminist dystopia was created.

A feminist dystopia critiques contemporary society by extrapolating patriarchal ideologies in the future. Thus feminist writers display patriarchal societies as a dystopia by the oppression of women and the internalisation of patriarchal ideologies. Although this post focuses on this issue in relation to science fiction, there are many other genres that these texts suit. All of the texts display the qualities that can be found in speculative fiction. Oryx & Crake is post-apocalyptic, The society in The Handmaid’s Tale is a result of the assasination of the president and Woman on the Edge of Time debates how neurosurgery could lead to a dystopia. As the dystopian worlds have been extrapolated from contemporary society, the texts could also relate to fantasy and dystopian fiction. Anne Cranny-Francis in Feminist Fiction critiques the fantasy genre as a way of changing contemporary society. She states that,

‘the contradictions concealed by realist conventions are highlighted in fantasy literature, […] fantasy thereby shows the fragmentation of the real, revealing the real as a negotiation of conflicting discourses.’

This supports a feminist dystopia as a feminist dystopia critiques the flaws within the real so that the reader can negotiate other ideologies for society. Although Cranny-Francis is critiquing fantasy literature, her concept is still relevant to a feminist dystopia. Baccolini supports this by claiming that genres are ‘culturally constructed’ and ‘it is the science fiction genre that will able feminist criticism to deconstruct the genres that fit contemporary society’. Therefore with Atwood and Piercy critiquing contemporary society through science fiction, the readers are able to glimmer into a possible reality. Thus the readers reluctance to live in such a world will help change contemporary society.

This post was originally posted on my Medium account. To see what else I’ve posted click here.

articles, Uncategorized, Writing

Writer’s Block: Fact or Fiction

IMG_0850.JPGAll writers at one point on their literary journey will discover writer’s block. It might take moments to pass, it might take days but one thing everyone can agree on, is that it can be difficult to shift. It can feel like moving a boulder with your bare hands and the worst part? You can physically waste your days trying to move it. After being in this situation myself, I couldn’t help but question what writer’s block is and is it really there.

I reflected on when I would get writer’s block and how I felt about it. Yes, it was annoying but I just thought if I don’t know what to write about then what’s the point. Then there’s that advice:

‘you must write everyday to become a good writer.’

At times I felt like pulling my hair out when I read this in author’s interviews and writing books. How can you write everyday when you don’t know what to write about? I mean, hey, it’s not as if I didn’t want to write, I just could never find the right topic or the right beginning. When I looked again at my reaction to writing, I realised that saying, “I can’t, I have no inspiration,” or “If I write now it will just be rubbish,” was just a form of procrastinating my writing.

After much realisation, I wondered why I procrastinated so much when writing was something I loved. One word: doubt. I never believed that my writing would be good enough and didn’t dare put pen to paper. Until now.

Writing can give you a voice in ways that can be difficult to imagine. It can move people, change societal values and challenge your views of the world. All, may I add, from daring to start writing and expressing yourself. So my answer as to whether writer’s block is fact or fiction is simple. Writer’s block can feel like a real issue, stopping you from writing. However in reality, writer’s block is fiction. It only occurs when you doubt your own writing style or technique. Think about it, when does it occur with you? Next time you start to get a case of writer’s block, remind yourself of your talents and write through that block. How you ask?

Believe in the writer you know you are, that’s how.

Originally posted on medium.com , feel free to check out my account here

articles, Uncategorized

Bookmarks

After recently signing up to Penguin Random House’s online community, Bookmarks, I cannot help but urge all lovers of literature to take a peek!

Originally launched in 2013, http://www.my-bookmarks.co.uk has recently had a relaunch last summer, inviting their much-loved followers on Twitter and Facebook. I must admit I had never heard of the website before I had seen it on Facebook, however I really wish I had!

Bookmarks is an online community that help Penguin Random House with their research on books. Members are asked about advertising, poster adjustments and books in general. The best part however is that the members are able to get their hands on the latest news in the literary world, entered into prize draws and have a chance of getting free books! The online community is also another reason to sign up. Readers express their interests and are given book recommendations by others. So far all of the recommendations I have been given are brilliant. Everyone is friendly and happy to listen to your thoughts. Penguin Random House have definitely got that community feel to a T. If you truly love books as much as you think you do then this site is definitely a must. I’ve provided the website below just in case. Happy reading!

www.my-bookmarks.co.uk 

Book Review, Uncategorized

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith, 2010, paperback, £6.99

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This novel had me on the fence from time to time, however that may have been because I was unsure what I was getting myself into. The novel is about a woman called Mma Ramotswe, who is asked to find out who is being a traitor to their football team. Whilst Mma Ramotswe is investigating, he assistant Mma Makutsi is also having troubles with a man-stealing Violet Sepotho. Although this novel was good for escapism as it is set in Botswana, Africa, I cannot help but think that this novel was dated. I understand that  it is just a story, but to highlight that women don’t like football and cook their husbands meals for them after work, I believe is a step too far. I persisted with the book because I was unsure if it was just a cultural difference. The novel itself was strongly led by the narrator, although sometimes I felt that the narrator needed to take a step back. It sometimes felt that the book strayed away from the subject matter and then refocused itself.

I enjoyed the plot, as it was fun and light, something in which I was looking for in a book at the time. However I feel that the language was too wordy and could potentially have been halved. This would have given the novel a bit more action and potentially made it a lot more gripping. Although I enjoyed the first book in this series, I will not be reading the collection anymore as I believe the other novels will follow a similar style. At least I am now more aware of which writing styles I like and dislike. If you want to find escapism in the blazing sun and like a descriptive, narrative style, then this series just may be for you.

Book Review, Uncategorized

The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, 2007, Hardback edition £9.99

Awarded as book of the year 2014, this haunting tale has captured its readers from beginning to end. The Miniaturist is about a young girl, Nella, who marries a man in order to leave her small town. She decides to take up residence with her husband in Amsterdam. With him keeping his distance he feels like a mystery to her. However it is not long before she learns about the miniaturist. Having fun with the miniaturist’s creations, it can sometimes get out of hand. With Nella having to grow up quickly, will she be able to gain control once again or succumb to the miniaturist? Expect the unexpected as nothing is what it seems. Be prepared to get lost into a novel that is written beautifully. The description tantalises the senses and gives your eyes vivid scenes to match. It really is difficult not to appreciate such a well-written piece.IMG_0737

It is quite a difficult piece to compare to other books as it is so unique. The only novel that is slightly similar is Jane Eyre. The reason being that Nella begins similar to a ‘plain Jane’ however, throughout the novel she blossoms into a woman. She lives in a house with grandure and finds the owner of the house a mystery at first, similar with Jane Eyre. The Miniaturist is also completely different to Jane Eyre, as the style of writing is completely different with added drama. I would recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in an unpredictable mystery, with brilliant description. So much so, that it even made me like marzipan. I’m not lying when I said that the description in the novel was powerful!

Book Review

The Passion By Jeanette Winterson

Jeanette Winterson is commonly known for her novel Oranges are not the only Fruits, however I plead with the people to not just read this book. I will admit, this book was on my reading list at university; I had not even heard of it until then. Alongside Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus, Winterson’s The Passion is also one of the novels that I greatly appreciate my university, of introducing me to.

The Passion is about a man named Henri who decides to leave his quiet village in France, to help win the war. During the war he encounters Villanelle, a venetian who wishes to return to her hometown. Although this novel is short, it does not lack emotion. This novel is intense, gripping and as its title suggests, it’s full of passion. The Passion is divided into four parts, similar to volumes, however it has no chapters. The first part ‘The Emperor’ reflects Henri’s thoughts about being in the war and his experiences that follow. The second part , ‘The Queen of Spades,’ reveals Villanelle’s background through her job at a casino in Venice.  Both of these parts in the novel lead the characters to ‘The Zero Winter.’  When their paths cross in the third part, they learn how to quickly adapt to change and what the true meaning of perseverance means. I can guarantee that you will not want to put the book down; the closer you are to the end, the more intense this novel becomes.This novel falls under several genres such as romance and adventure.

Jeanette Winterson has written The Passion so eloquently that each description should be saIMG_2235voured as they are all rich in detail. Forbidden love has been written in such a way that no one is to blame. For example, this is no Romeo & Juliet , as it was their families to blame for their suicide. With a love triangle cast, it is difficult to break as it is questionable as to whether the characters believe that they are in one. When the reader has acknowledged this, I have no qualms saying that you will feel like yelling at the book, hoping that the characters can hear you. With all of this mention of love and romance, I must insist that this novel is not all about love. Winterson’s website describes The Passion as a novel about, ‘survival and broken-heartedness, and cruelty and madness.’ The Passion questions risks as it finds the truth to what you value. Thus there is a dominant theme of gambling. Although this may seem subtle at first, it gradually appears throughout the separate parts. The Passion uses the theme of gambling to bring people closer together, by the understanding of what people want to risk, in order to get what they want. Is it possible to risk your sanity to love and to still remain in tact? So if anyone has a heart, I dare you to risk yours and read this novel. You may even find your passion within it.

Book Review

Gone Girl

This book review is from my other blog, however due to the book’s recent release, I thought it best to post it on here too.

This book has been on my book wish list for some time now and I have eventually got round to reading it. At first I thought that someone had spoilt the book for me by explaining the narrative structure. How wrong I was. If anything it made me a lot more open to the actual plot itself which in return had me hooked. For anyone that is unsure what it is about, Nick’s wife, Amy, goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary. Accusations are made against Nick and the police begin to suspect him of Amy’s disappearance, however Nick swears it isn’t true. Gillian Flynn seems to have created this plot in so much depth that it will have you questioning Amy’s disappearance until the very end. To me this book is all about the discovery of the incident as well as the characters. When you begin to suspect something, take a step back and think again because this thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. I truly hope that someone thinks about reading this novel as I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed. If anyone has read this then please feel free to tell me what you thought of the book, although please consider anyone who may wish to read it. So no spoilers please!
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