3 Book Reviews

Oooooh lucky you, not one but THREE book reviews.  

I've been reading at the speed of light recently, but I attribute that to the really interesting and diverse books I was given/lent.  

 

Me Before You, by Jojo Moyles

3/5

I was interested to read this, because it is vastly different in terms of subject matter from The Girl You Left Behind. Louisa Clark is a small-minded, simple character, whose life is upturned when she loses her job at a local cafe. She gets a job on a 6-month contract as a carer for cold, unlikeable, paraplegic Will Traynor. Inevitably, a strong bond forms, but there is a great twist, which calls into question a very controversial topic: euthanasia.

The characters themselves are divided, which I thought was a strength of the story; it certainly makes you question what you would do. While Louisa remains a simple character, her optimism and eventual desperation was affective, and I willed her plan (to convince Will to live) to work.

I felt that Camilla Traynor, Will’s mother, was written to be unlikeable, but I empathised with her brusqueness in such a bleak situation. Equally, I found the attitude and behaviour of Louisa’s sister Katrina incredibly irritating: she is celebrated as “the clever one”, but if she is so smart, why did she get pregnant and have to drop out of university, thus becoming a complete financial burden on her family?

I liked this book more for the ideas it provoked than its written quality or the characters. Worth a read if you have an interest in controversial topics. 

 

The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

600/5

I loved this book; it’s definitely one of my top 10, if not top 5. Set after the Civil War in Barcelona, it is a dark, violent merging of the past, present and future.

In The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Daniel Sempere takes The Shadow of the Wind, by Julian Carax. He is soon followed by a haunting, deformed man, who wants possession of Carax’s novel. Daniel’s personal life is complicated by his obsession with the blind Clara Barcelo, but it is through his pursuit of knowledge about Carax that his troubles truly begin. A haunting, sometimes verging on the gothic, tale ensues, cleverly entwining all of the characters, including the repulsive and bloodthirsty Inspector Fumero.

Daniel’s life is both mirrored and eerily foreshadowed by Carax’s, but is the love affair between Carax and his sweetheart Penelope Aldaya which provides the biggest twist. I felt genuine sadness and horror, both through the revelation itself and the way in which Zafon builds the suspense before crashing the fictional world down around the reader.

This book is truly an enigma; a combination of romance, detective, horror and history, the aftermath of the Civil War, with all its unease and uncertainty, is the perfect setting for a story like this.

 

The Casual Vacancy, by J. K. Rowling

5/5

This is the best reflection on contemporary British society I’ve ever read; it’s depressing, gritty, enlightening and sad. Rowling manages to write about everyday life while retaining all its complexities, as well as the mundane activities associated with the small world that is Pagford, the setting of the story.

Barry Fairbrother's untimely death leaves a casual vacancy on Pagford parish council. From the abusive husbands to desperate wives, confused children to hopeful social workers, Pagford is a good example of most British towns; good area vs bad area, with a good deal of ignorance in-between. The adult characters’ lives all intertwine through their involvement in the parish council, but it is the children's activities which are the most compelling.

Andrew Price's disgust at his father's abusiveness is darkly comedic through his highly colourful language, whereas Sukhvinder Jawanda's self harm is a tragic revelation of parental pressure and bullying. Stuart "Fats" Wall, Sukhvinder's bully, is a typical example of arrogant, seemingly wise teenage concerned with being authentic. Each of them decide to hack the parish website, and some unpleasant home-truths are revealed under the guise "The Ghost of Barry Fairbrother".

However, it is Krystal Weedon’s narrative which is the most compelling, and ultimately reveals how the class divide is still very clear in British society.

xxx

Travel Post: Rome, Italy

Buongiorno! Thanks Google translate. 

 

Maxx and I came back from Rome on Tuesday evening, and it's still just as fascinating as when I went in 2010. It's such an ideal holiday (unless you hate history, in which case STOP THAT) because you can walk for hours around the city looking at monuments, or relax by the Trevi Fountain, or visit a gallery, or shop, etc. 

Our days were a mix of relaxing and being extremely active; we'd have a slow morning, reading in our hotel room, then visit a few monuments for about 4 hours in the day, rest, then eat out and wander around the city at night. 

We were there for a week, from 3^rd – 10^th, so we managed to see most of the big monuments in the city. However, I think this is also a really good place to visit for a shorter break, such as a long weekend.  

So, if you've never been before and need some ideas, here are my top 5 places to visit!

 

The Vatican

This compiles both St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum. Whether you’re a devoted Christian or complete atheist, suspicious of the “Church for the Poor” or an admirer of the new Pope, the Vatican is a really astounding place to visit.

Before you even enter the Basilica, you can’t help but admire the outside of the Vatican. Statues decorate the wall encircling St. Peter’s square, and of course there is the famous balcony overlooking it. There were hundreds of seats set out for Mass, as the Vatican truly is an active place of worship for Catholics. As we were leaving, the square was heaving with different religious orders and people queuing to get in for evening Mass.

 

 

St. Peter’s Basilica is truly impressive, both in size and decoration. The statues, monuments of previous Popes and altars are richly ornate, unlike anything I’ve seen before, even when visiting the Royal Palaces in England.  

 

The Museum itself has miles of galleries, filled with statues, paintings, and excavations from all over the world. It’s impossible to see everything in there, and apparently, if you spent one minute in front of each thing inside, you would take 7 years to go round the entire museum. We opted for walking around freely, although there are plenty of tours on offer.

A must-see is, of course, the Sistine Chapel, but I also enjoyed the Egyptian Museum (museums within a museum – 7 years).  

Price-wise, it is €16 for a full ticket, €8 for a reduced. Personally, I think this is completely reasonable for the sheer amount of exhibitions you will see, and this price is just for the Museum (the Basilica is free).  

 

Be warned, though: there are strict rules about dress code in both the Basilica and Museum. Shoulders and knees must be covered, so I would recommend a large scarf or pashmina if you can’t face buying an ugly, overpriced one outside.

 

You should also try and get a hot chocolate at the Café Vaticano, opposite the Museum. Best hot chocolate ever! It was like a hot milkshake, yum city. 

Fontana di Trevi

This is arguably one of the most popular places in Rome. The narrow street down is full of cafes and restaurants, which is a picturesque view in itself, but then you reach one of the most beautiful monuments I’ve ever seen.

 

 

Maxx and I visited here almost every day and evening, to just sit, chat, and people-watch. The tradition is to throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain, which ensures a return visit. The coins are then collected and given to charity. 

The only annoyance is that men constantly approach you to take your photo, which I strongly recommend you say no to as the photos are RUBBISH. We saw a couple of them, and they black out the fountain behind, thus rendering the photo completely pointless.


Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Basilica itself is beautiful once you actually go round to the front, instead of staring at the back and wondering why there are no people there but it's the archaeological site you should really go and visit.

It is the remains of a house from the first century A.D; there are large sections of wall remaining with frescoes depicting scenes from each month of the year, as well as mosaic flooring and roof tiles. I felt quite sad looking at these things, because it was once someone’s beautiful house, but equally, it’s amazing how much they’ve managed to uncover from such a long time ago.

I can’t remember how much the tickets were, but they weren’t very much at all. If you get claustrophobic, this might not be ideal for you as you do go underground.


The Palatino (and Colosseum)

The Palatino, or Palatine Hill, was the home of Emperor Augustus. Lonely Planet has a good description of the history of the ruins, which you can find here:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome/sights/archaeological-site/palatine-hill

As well as a really interesting walk around the ruins, which date back to the 8^th century, there are beautiful views of the city. As with S. Maria Maggiore, it’s really strange to think you’re walking around what was someone’s beautiful house. Some of the wall ruins are still so high, it’s hard to imagine what the Palatino would have looked like when it was originally built.

 

Be careful when you walk down the hill, the stones are obviously very uneven so I tripped and hurt my ankle...

 

 The Colosseum is most people’s favourite, and it is indeed magnificent. It’s not my favourite simply because of the mindless slaughtering of animals for entertainment which occurred within its walls.

We went when there was an exhibition about the Emperor Constantine, who ruled from 285 to 337 A.D. Unfortunately, the exhibition has now finished, but it had lots of interesting information about his reign and the gradual and complicated conversion to Christianity.

It’s also worth having a look at the Arch of Constantine, which is between the Colosseum and the Palatino. You won’t get the most picturesque photos at the moment, as it’s undergoing some caretaking, but you get the general idea of how big and glorious it is anyway.

Pincio Gardens/Villa Borghese

The area I'm talking about includes the Pincio Gardens, Villa Borghese, up to the Museum of Modern Art. It's a large area of gardens, with various monuments within them.

 

It was relaxing to get out of the bustle of the city for a while. On a Saturday, there were lots of people both young and old relaxing, running, or just wandering around. We originally walked there to visit the Galleria Borghese, a Renaissance art gallery full of sculptures and paintings and statues, but you have to book in advance because it's so popular. From what we saw peeking round the door, I would fully recommend visiting here.

 

As we couldn't get into the Galleria Borghese, we visited the Gallery of Modern Art. I'm much more of a portrait/landscape kind of girl, but I think I need to open my mind occasionally (it hurt me). The building itself was beautiful and there were a couple of fabulous portraits of women, as well as the obligatory weird pickle-in-a-jar exhibits.

 

 

There are hundreds of places to visit in Rome, and I know I haven't mentioned the Pantheon, the Piazza Navona, the Piazza di Popolo, the Spanish Steps or the Victor Emmanuel monument (also known as "The Wedding Cake". I loved all of them, and it was really hard to choose my top 5. But, if you have a week, like us, you should be able to visit everything!

 

 

Ciao

xxx

PS - working on getting the photos to an acceptable size!

Basingstoke Half Marathon: Training Post #5

After an intentional two-week break, during which I continued to debate whether to run the half marathon, we threw ourselves back into the "game" (the least fun game ever, aside from netball), on Sunday 25th.

We chose a 6-mile loop around the course, which included Cliddesden hill and the 1-mile-long hill from miles 6 to 7. We ran:

 

17 minutes 45 seconds

5 minute walk

15 minutes 30 seconds

5 minute walk

8 minutes 30 seconds (this was the long hill up)

5 minute walk

and finally 11 minutes to finish, which involved running back down Cliddesden hill.

 

I'm pleased with how I did - I say "I" because I know Maxx finds this easier than me, but is gentlemanly enough not to leave me behind - because I've been fighting that horrible voice in the head which puts you off the task ahead before you've even begun. Sometimes exercise becomes another thing to do, another item on the list to get over with, and so having a break makes you actually miss it and therefore want to do it for pleasure.

xxx

Top 5: Annoying Things People Do At Dressage Competitions

Happy almost August Bank Holiday.

I haven't written because, to be honest, there hasn't been much to report. My birthday was the 14th August, and that was wonderful and thank you everyone for all my lovely cards and gifts and attention.

 

Also, on the fitness front, I've fallen off the wagon slightly (by "fallen off" and "slightly" I mean I've thrown myself gaily into a pile of M&S more chocolate than biscuit biscuits. Yum CITY but also fat city D:). Riding, as always, has been consistent; last week we went to another competition at Sparsholt. I love competing there, but this time there were some classic annoyances, which has prompted this post.

 

Competing in any sport is both stressful, rewarding, and educational. But, here are some of the most annoying things I've seen people do at Dressage competitions, in no particular order because THEY ARE ALL SO ANNOYING.

1. Using a mobile phone in the warm-up arena.

"URM HI CAN I SPEAK TO FLYING-SPARKLES' STABLE MATE PLEASE?" or texty texty text text. You're right, in an arena full of animals ranging from 400 to maybe 750 kilos, it's a good idea to not look where you're going. 1000 points from Gryffindor, stupid.

2. Riding around in pairs.

No, please do completely block my path because you and Emily Snootycow (St. Trinians 1) want to have a chat about whatever mundane activities you've been up to. I forget that the warm-up is also suitable for people wanting to go on a hack but seemed to have ended up in the wrong place.

3. Taking boots etc off in the arena.

Mrs. IboughtanexpensivehorsewhichIcan'tride has warmed up and now ShadowFax 2.0 needs his boots taken off. Instead of going outside of the arena while those excessively lengthy and probably completely unnecessary bandages are removed, she just blocks the exit of the arena by standing horizontally out on to the track, while a long-suffering caddy comes and unwinds them. Exit: blocked. Track: blocked. Unlucky person running around a horse's legs while about 10 others try to navigate around the whole escapade: genuis.

 

4. Having the trainer inside the arena.

Competing is stressful at all levels, and sometimes nerves do get the better of us, so it's understandable that Mrs. IboughtanexpensivehorsewhichIcan'tride gets her trainer to warm-up before she gets on in the last 15 minutes. However, when she does get on, it's both dangerous and stupid to have the trainer walk alongside you while you ride. You're right, you have a much more expensive horse than I, so you do have the right to expect me to move out of your way while you're trainer tries to encourage you to ride properly and not be scared of that extremely powerful animal you're riding. EURGH.

(I have my own thoughts on getting someone to do the hard work for you then you taking the credit; if a 10-year-old girl can get on her pony at her first competition and tackle her nerves, then dammit a rich 50-year-old with nothing better to do with her time but "do lunch" and ride an expensive horse can bloody well do it too).

 

5. Riding too close to a horse/pony with a red ribbon.

Oh, the classic. If people get too close in the arena, Ernest doesn't like it. Neither do I, actually, so this really applies to us both. A red ribbon = a kicker, and beyond putting a bright ribbon in the tail, there isn't much more that can be done to state this, warning others off a potential accident should they come too close. But, invariably, they try and squeeze past, occasionally resulting in the back hooves leaving the ground. Now, I was once told to smack Ernest for doing that, which resulted in the stupid woman getting the full extent of my derision for her idiocy. Also, the stick is used AS A LEG AID NOT A PUNISHMENT YOU COMPLETE ARSE.

 

 

There are many more irritations which occur at these competitions, but I feel these really do earn the top 5 spots. The moral of the story?

Warm-up arenas are for horses and riders, not peoples. Oh, and if you're STUPID, don't own a horse.

xxx

Basingstoke Half Marathon: Training Post #4

Sunday 11th:
I was DREADING this run. I was still considering quitting the half marathon after Tuesday, but thought I'd try one last run to see if continuing training was going to be worthwhile or just another thing to get out of the way.

 

We chose a 5 mile route around part of the course, starting halfway between miles 3 and 4. It incorporated miles 4, 8, 9, 10 and back round mile 3 to our starting point. Here's the map:

 

Half Marathon map

 

I started really slowly, focusing on how beautiful the scenery was and listening to my earrings jangling about as I ran. Anything to distract me from the fact that, in half a mile, we would be running up what I considered to be the worst hill of the half marathon. I'd told myself it didn't matter if I didn't get all the way up, just aim for halfway, and with each training run I'd aim for a little further. I hadn't even managed to run all the way up during the actual half marathon last year, so I probably wouldn't be able to today!

 

Well, bloody hell, for the first time ever I ran all the way up! I obviously can't do this during the half but I ran part of it backwards when it got really tough, which helped. I still feel quite elated about that and I didn't even stop for a walk at the top.

 

We ran the first stint for 22.1 minutes, which was another achievement as so far we've not run more than 15 minutes in one go (I'm sure Maxx could but he's gentlemanly enough to stick with me). Then a 5 minute walk, then another 17.48 minutes to Cliddesden pond before another 5 minute walk. The final 3.15 minutes was in the middle of Cliddesden hill, which was quite a tough finish but I'm glad we did it.

 

So, back in the game. Next run is just 3 miles, then probably the same 5 mile route on Thursday.

 

xxx 

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