Sphinx by T.S Learner
Read: March 2010
This book inspired an article in the Grauniad Travel section about the sites in Alexandria. We were feeling pretty pleased with ourselves as we've done most of those mentioned in the paper. There was a competition, which we entered, but didn't win (to get tickets from London to Cairo), but we thought we should go and buy the book to see what the hype was about - if the Grauniad like a book this much, surely it's good?
Sadly not. It was OK, but nothing special. It was likened to The Da Vinci Code but for Egypt and I can see where this has come from as the central character is running around the country trying to solve a mystery. It is rather like the Da Vinci Code in that an artifact is discovered, everyone wants it and one man is trying to solve it. Instead of clues in paintings and museums though, the clues are around Alexandria and ancient Egyptian texts.
For me the most interesting parts of the book are in the early section to do with scuba diving (the protagonists wife discovers said artifact on a dive), and the city of Aexandria in the 1970's...which is not so different from the Alexandria we know.
The story moves at a pace enough, but the ending is dissapointing; wrapping up the story in a mysticism that was unsolvable earlier on.
Never-the-less this books has unwittingly started our collection of Egypt/North Africa/Middle Eastern-based fiction. We're not being fussy about quality (although maybe we should be), but will now pick up books in charity stores that fall along our theme.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Thursday, 4 March 2010
The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve
The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve (1998)
Read: March 2010
We were left this book by MJ when she came to visit. I was thankful that although it was fiction it wasn't the trashy kind, but looked more thoughtful than that.
The story follows a photographer on assignment to document the site of a murder in the 1870's on a small island. As she composes her shots, her story is intertwined with that of the survivor. Their family situation different, but similar themes emerge.
The scenes on the island, both in present day and in the survivors' letters, describe a bleak place where you have to work to survive. Maybe that is why the murders were motivated and why this group of five are drawn to it.
I feel sorry for the protaganist who gradually feels that she is being sidelined by her husband for another women. She often describes a scene implying she is just an observer, not active in it, and this is all happening around her. But then I also feel frustrated that she has let it come to this and wonder why she doesn't work harder at staying together for their daughter's sake.
But actually I realise that she is herself lost. Lost in emotion, lost in memory.
I surprised myself by generally enjoying this book - maybe it has helped put some of my faith back into reading fiction. As long as I need to think a bit then fiction is an option.
Read: March 2010
We were left this book by MJ when she came to visit. I was thankful that although it was fiction it wasn't the trashy kind, but looked more thoughtful than that.
The story follows a photographer on assignment to document the site of a murder in the 1870's on a small island. As she composes her shots, her story is intertwined with that of the survivor. Their family situation different, but similar themes emerge.
The scenes on the island, both in present day and in the survivors' letters, describe a bleak place where you have to work to survive. Maybe that is why the murders were motivated and why this group of five are drawn to it.
I feel sorry for the protaganist who gradually feels that she is being sidelined by her husband for another women. She often describes a scene implying she is just an observer, not active in it, and this is all happening around her. But then I also feel frustrated that she has let it come to this and wonder why she doesn't work harder at staying together for their daughter's sake.
But actually I realise that she is herself lost. Lost in emotion, lost in memory.
I surprised myself by generally enjoying this book - maybe it has helped put some of my faith back into reading fiction. As long as I need to think a bit then fiction is an option.
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