My social life has been so busy lately that I've been finding it difficult to set some time aside to read - let alone write any reviews. I am currently on my 7th book of the year (so much for reading a book a week - since we're already on the last week of July!) and I don't think I'm going to review this one but I've decided to give a little review of the few books I did read.
NEVERWHERE - Neil Gaiman
Honestly - this book was so good it got me out of my reading funk that I'd been having and got me excited about reading again. One of my work colleagues handed it to me one day after she was done reading it. We always talked on and off about what kind of books we liked and the kind of authors we liked to read - she is obsessed with Gaiman and I had never actually read any of his books so I was happy to start somewhere, and I wasn't disappointed.
We follow the story through the eyes of the hero - Richard Mayhew, whose life turns literally inside out when he stops to help an injured girl on the sidewalk. He is whisked away to the London Below, a parallel world steeped in shadow and mystery and embarks on a journey like no other.
I love the premise of this story, I love the idea of a parallel world existing just below the surface of our own, and the only ones able to see it are the ones who are willing - the ones who aren't caught up the in everyday hum drum, materialistic lives we now lead. Once I started I couldn't put this book down, my only wish is that there was more.
8/10
THE MAGUS - John Fowles
I stumbled upon this book while looking for something to read in the library. It was a big, thick book which is my absolute weakness and when I took it to the counter to check out the volunteer helping said it was one of his all time favourites.
Since reading, I would gladly read again.
Nicholas Urfe is a young man from Oxford who, after life throws a few curveballs his way, takes up a teaching post at the Lord Byron school in Phraxos, Greece. He soon meets a mysterious man by the name of Maurice Conchis and that's when things really start to get interesting.
If you've ever watched Inception and were left with a feeling of "Wtf is going on here??" that is how I felt reading this book - I was just as confused as to what was real and to what wasn't as Urfe was. Just when you think you're understanding what is going on another curve in the road is thrown you're way and you're back to wandering what is actually happening. It is a long book but it had me on the edge of my seat every step of the way.
9/10.
Images from Google Images
