Book Review: The Girl You Left Behind, by Jojo Moyles

My Grandma lent me this book, and I have to say I hesitated before reading it. I made the assumption that it would be a bit fluffy, a bit vague, using the backdrop of WWI for an average love story. Well, I'm glad to announce that I was very wrong.

 

The Girl You Left Behind, 4/5

Set in 1916, the book opens in the middle of crisis; the Germans have arrived at Le Coq Rouge hotel (unlike le Coq Bleu, currently making Trafalgar Square very ugly) under the impression that the owners, sisters Sophie and Helene, are hiding a pig. The feeling of fear and suspense is immediately created, and the reader develops a fondness for Sophie because of her bravery.

 

The new Kommandant in town develops an obsession of a portrait of Sophie ("The Girl You Left Behind") painted by her husband, Edouard Lefevre, who is away fighting. Le Coq Rouge becomes the new eating quarters of the German soldiers, and Sophie and the Kommandant develop an uneasy truce. They discuss Lefevre's art and Matisse, and while the reader never warms to him, the Kommandant is exposed as more than the leader of the enemy.

 

The fateful moment of the text is when Sophie offers the portrait of herself as an exchange for the release of her husband from a German prison camp. Already heavily criticised and isolated by the villagers for 'allowing' German soldiers to dine at the hotel, Sophie is violently rejected as a result of this deal.  

 

While the villagers' sense of betrayal towards her may seem misplaced, the reader is constantly reminded of how little these people have left, and left to hope for. Moyles successfully creates the oppressive and suspenseful atmosphere of living in an occupied town, and the desperation of trying to hide what little the villagers have left after the Germans have taken the best items from each household. Therefore, their hatred of the Germans and anyone they view as conspiring with them is understandable, even if the reader empathises with Sophie's actions.

 

90 years later, in 2006, the reader is introduced to Liv; widowed, alone, and in deep financial trouble, I hesitate to suggest that Liv is a mirror of Sophie. There are profound differences between the two women; Sophie's hope versus Liv's despair, for example, but both women suffer terrible losses, and degrading humiliation for the majority of their narratives.

 

Liv is given "The Girl You Left Behind" as a honeymoon present by her deceased husband, whom she is very much still mourning for. Then, it is revealed that the painting was stolen during wartime, and a court case ensues to give it back to it's "rightful" owners...

 

The novel provides a new perspective on the effects of WWI, detailing the difficulties and emotional turmoil of recovering lost and stolen artwork. Liv's attachment to Sophie's portrait is saddened by both their histories, and the story successfully encapsulates the fractious relationship between truth, lies and betrayal.

 

xxx

Basingstoke Half Marathon: Training Post #3

We didn't run last week, which I massively regretted as soon as we left the house yesterday afternoon. We decided to run to my grandparents' house, 2.1 miles away, and back again (totalling 4.2 miles if you are as bad at maths as me).

 

The run there was a little difficult, as I still ached from the gym the day before. I managed 13 minutes before needing a 5 minute walk, and then it took just another 3 minutes of running to reach my grandparents' (21 minutes there). On reflection, this is incredibly annoying as I wish I'd pushed through it. Can't believe I couldn't even manage 2.1 miles!

 

We had a lovely refuelling snack of a banana and some cake. Thanks Grandma and Grandad!

 

Then we had to run back... Mentally, I was not in the right state, and running there I had wailed, "I don't wannaaaaaa, I'm tireeeeed". But the return run was horrid; every part of my body hurt, and I was running just to get home so I could collapse. Which I did, on all fours, on the driveway. I needed a 2 minute walk after 10 minutes, and then managed the final 8 minutes home (20 minutes back).

 

It felt like I was at the end of the half marathon, with nothing left, just running to reach the end. The final 8 minutes I kept telling myself that every step was a step closer to the end, and that I had managed 3 miles with no energy, and as we got nearer to home I pictured the finish line of the half and how I felt as I got closer and closer. I finally managed to get myself into the right mentality in those 8 minutes, which was a small victory after a terrible run.

 

I am disappointed, as it was the first time I've ever considered quitting. My whole body was agony afterwards, and I still hurt a lot today. I keep reminding myself that there were days during training for the last half marathon when I felt like I would never be able to run more than 3 miles.

 

A bit of a frustrated post, but I don't want to paint a picture that exercise is always amazing. Sometimes, when I read interviews with my favourite fitness models or watch fitness videos on YouTube, it seems that they never have a bad day or that every day of exercise is wondrous. But, to take something positive from this, Tuesday's bad run has reminded me to eat properly (and more), and to rest more (I had already trained Ernest in the morning for our Dressage competition next Saturday).

 

Our next run is Sunday, when we're going to train around part of the course.

 

xxx 

Why Women Should Buy Men's Fitness

A long title for a post, but also rather summative. I mentioned in my Festival of Dressage post that I am undertaking work experience at 3PM magazine subscriptions in October (now November).

 

To expand on this, I had to write a short piece on a UK-based magazine or paper; I decided to write "Why Women Should Buy Men's Fitness". This was inspired by the three free magazines I was given at The London Graduate Fair in June, which included Men's Fitness, Women's Fitness and Health and Fitness.

 

So, here's what I said:

Why women should buy Men’s Fitness.

Perhaps I should begin with the sweeping generalisation that women do not buy men’s fitness magazines. The clue is in the title; Men’s Fitness is targeted at men, however the tagline is somewhat gender-neutral, stating ‘Look great, feel great’. Furthermore, on the spine of the August 2013 edition, this is followed by ‘Eat cake to win races’; surely an enticing statement to both men and women.

Men’s Fitness engages with the other forms of media, emphasising how the articles are timely and relevant. In particular, the August edition is “The Hero Issue”, reflecting the interest in, and explosion of, superhero films in recent years, such as Iron Man, Kick-Ass, The Avengers, and, most recently, Man of Steel. This feature is multi-faceted and appealing to a variety of readers, because, for each hero discussed, there is a different method to obtain their physiques. Want to learn how to use your own body chemicals to get ‘bigger and leaner’? Or prefer to focus on your agility? This feature can tell you how. But this shouldn’t be limited to men; of course, the examples in question are male actors, but the principle works for both men and women. Biceps curls have the same effect on both genders, so why would ‘The Man of Steel workout’ only increase mass on men?

Furthermore, the message of Men’s Fitness is one which should be promoted to both men and women; while many magazines aimed at women are currently promoting smoothie diets for weight loss, Men’s Fitness includes a receptive article by Charles Poliquin, ‘Why fasting makes me furious’. Because, let’s face it, a smoothie diet is one step away from fasting. In a society with increasing issues surrounding over and under-eating, Poliquin’s article gives four strong reasons why intermittent fasting is, for lack of a better term, stupid. While many women’s magazines focus on fat loss, they don’t highlight the danger of the wrong kinds of loss, notably lean muscle. While Poliquin’s article might site research conducted on men, the message is applicable to both genders: intermittent fasting has more negative effects on the body than positive.

To support this message, again demonstrating the conscientious nature with which an edition of Men’s Fitness is put together, there is a feature dedicated to the diets of five top sportsmen. The men in question all participate in a diverse range of sports, including rugby, ultrarunning and cycling (also appropriate, given the Tour de France started on the 29^th June). This is reflected in their dietary requirements, which ranges from steak and ice cream to wholegrain rice and chicken. While women may feel reading about sportsmen’s diets isn’t relevant, the feature demonstrates how each sport requires a very different diet; contrasted with this is the assumption that a smoothie diet will work for all types of women. Not once do these smoothie diets consider that this type of ‘diet’ is disastrous for even a moderately active woman, whereas Men’s Fitness focuses on the individual’s needs.


So, what do you think? Agree? Disagree? Ridiculous?
Let me know.

xxx

Basingstoke Half Marathon: Training Post #2

This evening was only our second training run. I know I posted about excuses for not exercising a few months ago, but I have been exhausted this week. However, today we ran a longer route; a lovely, scenic 4.5 miles around Old Basing in Hampshire.

 

We ran the first stint, 1.4 miles, in 13 minutes, which equates to around 9 minutes per mile. I'm happy with this because it's not a bad speed; whenever I start running after a period off, I come back at 10 minutes per mile. I attribute this to my boyfriend naturally having a faster pace than me, and perhaps me being more in shape than I realise. Also, our first running stint during training run #1 was 10 minutes, so that's already a 3 minute increase.

 

The second stint was 15 minutes, during the end of which it began to rain. GLORIOUS, although Maxx didn't think so (he likes the heat... weirdo). The final stint, which had an uphill start, was 10 minutes. The incline was really hard, but I pushed through by looking slightly ahead of me at different markers, for example: a house, a pile of horse poo, a distinctive shrubbery. Then it got harder so I stared at my feet! This method is not the most highly recommended, but sometimes you just don't want to know how long you've got before you reach the top. It was cute because Maxx congratulated me on reaching the top, after a particularly strange and pained noise by me upon finishing the incline (I'm supposed to be the runner, waaaa why is he finding it so easy?).

 

We had two 5 minute walks, making 38 minutes of running. I am very satisfied with our run today, although my pacing was quite bad and Maxx is still conscious of breathing correctly. However, it definitely felt easier already to run for longer, and having a running partner who naturally runs faster than me helps to push me further.

 

Monsieur has new running shoes, which were worn for the first time today, so I will see if he wants to do a guest post next week!

 

xxx

Basingstoke Half Marathon: Training Post #1

Finally got my bottom into gear and entered the Basingstoke Half Marathon; Maxx is doing it with me, yaaaaay. Even though he hates running?

 

On Sunday we began our training in full force. Well, we went for a three-mile run:

 

10 minutes running

5 minutes walk

10 minutes running

5 minutes walk

and finally 5 minutes running to finish, with a short sprint. Which Maxx obviously won. Not that it's a competition...

 

 

As of Sunday 21st, we have 77 days (11 weeks) to prepare. Having run it last year, I know we have a lot of work to do, especially getting fit for running up Cliddesden hill! But, I am looking forward to getting out again and running for longer distances.

 

Last year I ran for Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare, which was excellent motivation, however this year I have a slightly different (and much more superficial!) approach: having run a half marathon and a few shorter races, people describe one of my activities as running. And, after the New Forest Festival of Running, my dad bought me two lovely t-shirts: I <3 Running, and Keep Calm and Go For A Run. But I feel like a fraud wearing them! However, now I'm training again, I can start wearing them with pride.  

 

I will upload our "before" photos once I'm home.

 

xxx

 

 

Book review: Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks

Happy Monday! I've just returned from a wedding in France. I can't believe it's come around so quickly; we received the invite last year and now it's all done!!

Although, I'm a bit (a lot) disappointed because I didn’t reach my 18% body fat goal. I know I’m the only one accountable, so I’m just going to work a lot harder. I don’t want to disregard my hard work so far, as I have reduced my b.f from 25% to 21%, but my next aim is 20% for my birthday in August.

Enough of that. To celebrate the lovely weather we’ve been having, here is a book review of one of the saddest and most moving novels I've ever read.

 

 

Birdsong

5/5

This book was tragic, moving and surprisingly educational, given I have read and studied a lot of World War One literature. 

The story begins in Amiens in 1910, and quite quickly an affair develops between Stephen Wraysford, the main character, and Isabelle Azaire. The love story between them is initially driven by lust, but as the novel progresses their relationship becomes more complex and encompasses Isabelle’s sister, Jeanne, who I believe is the true heroine of the story.

One of the elements I particularly liked is that neither Stephen nor Isabelle are particularly likeable; they are not typical heroes or heroines, but written with all the foibles and inconsistencies of the human character. I also admire how Faulks has inextricably woven their story and the consequences of their affair into the greater narrative.

Jack Firebrace is another main character, whose personal story is also saddening. He is the more typical hero because when he suffers personal tragedy, the reader feels a desperate sadness for him, whereas Wraysford is a much harder character to develop a fondness for. I found his narrative educational because I didn’t previously have much knowledge of the soldiers who worked underground. The danger is made apparent and Faulks is successful in creating the claustrophobia of the tunnels.

The only element I disliked was the story of Elizabeth Benson, Wraysford’s granddaughter. The novel clearly moves between the war and Benson’s story, set in the 70s, however I felt her interest in Wraysford’s experiences unconvincing and forced. It felt like a convenient way to connect their lives and thereby reveal to the reader the consequences of Wraysford’s and Isabelle’s affair.

As a character, I strongly dislike Benson because she is an adulteress who suffers no remorse for her actions. Compared with Wraysford, who does the same thing, she is selfish and driven only by her own desires. Wraysford’s affair seems to reveal a different world to Isabelle, one of affection and passion, and while I don’t believe she is truly set free, I think this is because she is a character who never truly knows what she wants.

However, one useful element of Benson’s story is that we meet one of Wraysford’s comrades as an old man. It is uncomfortable and sickening to learn that this brave young soldier is reduced to a helpless, incomprehensible invalid because of his experiences. It is a poignant and continual reflection of the devastation caused by the war.

The novel is, of course, bleak, and the violence is uncensored; the description of the injuries, deaths and dead bodies is sickeningly acute, yet I felt this was the second most convincing portrayal of the war I’ve ever read (second only to Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet On The Western Front; Remarque actually was a soldier on the German side during the war, and the book is based on his experiences).

Although I have criticised Benson’s story, I still rate this as 5/5 and think this is a must-read, especially for those with an interest in WWI. The desperation to stay alive is so real that when one of the most likeable characters dies, I won’t reveal who, it feels like a personal loss, and the reader finally begins to comprehend the brevity of 1914-1918.

 

xxx

Sparsholt Festival of Dressage

If this was a meeting, I would apologise for any absences, so I apologise for my absence. But I would like to announce my trio of good luck:

 

1. I got a first in my degree, and a first for my dissertation! Yaaaaay.
2. Ernest and I came first in our competition last Sunday (more details to follow).
3. I have work experience as a Publishing Assistant in October with 3PM Magazine Subscriptions.

You can't see it but on the serviette is the word "First" :)

Now let me tell you all about The Festival of Dressage at Sparsholt, Hampshire. Ernest and I haven't competed since November, so I was super excited to get out there again. The Festival took place from Friday 28th June to Sunday 30th June, with both affiliated and unaffiliated competitions, ranging from Prelim to Advanced Medium and beyond. There were also dressage to music classes.

Saturday

We competed in Prelim 19 and Novice 22. It was really nice weather, which was lovely, but it meant we couldn't warm up for too long.

 

Now, my first dressage test (P19) was AWFUL. I rode really badly: long reins, flap flap flap. I missed marks on accuracy because my reins were too long, so I didn't have a good contact; this is important because if your reins are too long in dressage, you can't really steer properly or contain all the energy as you push the horse forward. Which also helps to explain why me flap-flapping was useless; it's not giving Ernest any accurate signal as to what I want him to do. Go faster? Flap flap. Go slower? Flap flap.

 

However, we still managed to get 64.09%, and earn an 8/10 for our entry down the centre line of the school to start the test, and 8/10 for our final centre line and halt, which was square!

This means that all four feet were nicely in a square, without one slightly in front or behind.

All marks are out of 10 in dressage, except free walk on a long rein and the collective marks, which include paces, impulsion, submission and rider, which are worth double. So if you are joint with someone, they look at your collective marks to see who has the most marks.

 

When I upload the videos, look out for the world's worst canter transition, and the nice square halt at the end.

 

I'm glad I rode this awful test, because when I was warming up for Novice, I remembered all the things I did wrong previously and tried to correct them. So my reins were shorter and I became much more effective with my leg, asking Ernest for a lot more impulsion - this is not speed but energy - and thereby getting a nicer contact.

A nice contact means when the horse or pony is rounder, instead of the neck being all long like a dinosaur.

 

The warm up was miles better, and we even got some steps of medium trot, which is what we'd been working on in preparation for the competition. Funnily enough, Ernest doesn't have a problem with medium canter!

Medium trot is when the stride covers more ground, so is effectively bigger, but not faster. The stride is lengthened and the horse really has to have the back end engaged, to have the impulsion to move forward.

 

I was really chuffed with our Novice. I rode much better, and as a result he moved a lot better. I missed some accuracy because I didn't quite hear my caller, but she couldn't exactly bellow because there were lots of other tests happening at the same time. However, I was much happier with this test and came out feeling like I'd ridden to an acceptable level for a Novice test.

The levels are Prelim, Novice, Elementary, Medium, Advanced Medium, Advanced, and beyond that you really are hot stuff.

 

We got 62.41%, and came joint 10th. I didn't get any medium trot in the test, it was really pleasing to get a few strides in the warm up, so I can learn what a medium trot should feel like.

 

 Ernest chilling after his dressage.

 

Sunday

We did Novice 22 again on Sunday, but were inside this time. There was decorative shrubbery around the outside of the white markers, which Ernest kept spooking at, so I felt a little annoyed because normally he doesn't spook at anything.

 

However, taking what I'd learnt from yesterday, we had an effective warm up so I was ready to ride properly. I felt like I was fighting him around the test, and in the top corner you can see on the video I'm having to be quite firm with my hand to stop him messing around.

 

I came out of this test feeling frustrated, because I felt I'd had to fight him around the arena, but upon watching the test back (my mum videos my tests - invaluable), I was pleased to find that you really can't see it. My friend, and trainer, pointed out that rather than "fighting" him, I was actually having to ride him to a more effective level.

 

And, to my astonishment, we actually won the test with 66.90%!

 

To my surprise, we also won a lot of cool prizes, as well as a really big rosette:

• A photo shoot worth £100 from Centaur Photographic
• A £10 voucher from Wish Bands
• Equilite's Sore No-More "The Sauce", for equine hoof and skin conditions
• A full initial assessment and treatment by a chiropractor or hypnotherapist, worth £60, from Your Mind Your Body
• A Don Harry browband
• A £40 gift certificate from The Balanced Rider

Another bonus from Sunday was meeting Dickie Davies, former TV presenter on ITV's World of Sport. I was standing Ernest in the shade after our Novice, and he came over to talk to me about Ernest's colour. He was really friendly to both me and my friend, and very complimentary about Ernest, so that was a cool addition to the good luck of the weekend.

 



 

xxx