Book Post #7

Horns

By Joe Hill

Having read Heart-Shaped Box many years ago and loving it, I have been waiting to get round to more of his books. I honestly don’t know why it has taken me so long to get round to it. But I finally have. And my initial impression was that this book was going to be just as good as Heart-Shaped box.

We start the story with Ignatius Perrish waking up after a heavy night of drinking, he can’t remember everything he did but he knows it wasn’t good. He looks in the mirror and to his horror he sees he has gone horns. It quickly becomes apparent that these horns have given him a special power/presence which causes the people around him to divulge their deep and definitely darkness thoughts. Which considering everyone believes he has raped and killed his girlfriend Merrin, leads too many dark and twisted conversations.

Joe Hill writes in a way that portrays many levels of dark themes. He has a way of dealing with dark issues, not in a light-hearted way but in raw and wrenching sort of way. In my opinion his writing is far superior to that of his farther Stephen King, but if you like King’s style of writing you will probably enjoy Joe’s take on this genre. Upon completion of this book I was as satisfied as a reader could ever be. This book was one that had been on my ‘to read list’ for years. I always put it off as I really enjoyed Heart-Shaped Box and was really worried this one wouldn’t live up to how much I enjoyed his previous book. All I can think now is I wish I had got around to it sooner. After a few of the books I have read recently (from my preferred genre that is) I had noticed many editing errors and just felt like fantasy/horror genre was losing it’s credibility. Not in this book though. Like Joe Hill’s previous book the writing was beautifully used at times I felt emotionally drained with the characters due to the darker themes. I would say don’t read this book if you can’t deal with issues related to the darkest parts of human nature as this book would probably offend you to your very core. But I loved it. I love that I was taken on a journey I feel that other authors would be reluctant to take me on. And I can only help that he produces more books that continue to take me to unexpected places.

This book is being made into a film starring Daniel Radcliffe as Ignatius Perrish, it hasn’t received good reviews from critics so far who didn’t seem like the way the story deals with these darker themes and they couldn’t work out it there was meant to be satirical humour or not. I obviously haven’t seen the film yet but it may be that these critics haven’t read the story and do not understand to way the story deals with its themes. It could also be that the casting didn’t help, I will, as always hold off on judgment until I have seen it myself, as I don’t always agree with initial critics reviews. This is a book I would highly recommend, but believe me when I say it isn’t light reading.

Another term, another issue!

So as of Monday I will be back at University attempting to complete my third and final year.

Which I have to say is a very scary thought! This year is looking to be harder than any other year, and that’s not even taking into account the higher demand of work but simply financially. This year I am facing not having full access the funds which are rightly mine. I still stand by my thoughts that if you have lived on you own for more than three years, you have in fact lived on your own!

Whilst this seems like a simple truth student finance in all their infinite wisdom do not agree, you can only be an independent student if you are over 25, and earnt more than £7,500 per year…. Because I thought if I had lived on my own with my partner for over 5 years in fact, that I had indeed live, on my own. I personally think it is their way of not having to pay for the student caught in this gap between moving out and growing up. Most likely this is their way of meeting statistic of some kind, or they may just be fools, either way they are making it vitally impossible for me to return this year.

Return though, I shall. 

It just means whilst studying for possible the hard exams assignments I have ever had the good grace to come across I shall also be fighting my corner for every penny that is rightly mine. Hopefully it can be resolved quickly in which case I will breathe a sigh of relief and life shall be glorious in the knowledge I have enough money not only to pay my rent and pay for transport to my designated place of study, but I may also be able to do the other necessary things that money can buy such as eat, pay my electric bills and possible even learn to drive. This means then my partner will not have to pay every penny looking after me and be able to maintain his car and put money towards the holiday he had planned for us to celebrate my completion of my Degree.

In the meantime I am trying to find ways to make our money go further, coupons, offers, tips and other means. So if anyone has any golden tips for reducing costs feel free to impart you knowledge, lord knows I’m going to need it!

Book Post #6

Expo 58

By Jonathan Coe

So this book is based fictitiously around the 1958 World Trade Fair held in Brussels and focuses on Thomas Foley a man who works for the COI in London and who finds himself assisting in running the Britannia Pub in the British Pavilion. He then moves to expo for a 6 month run leaving his wife and baby daughter in London and the story revolves around the goings on at the expo and the people Thomas becomes friends with.

I won’t go into detail about other things that happen so as to not give away any key plot details so I will go straight to what I thought of this book. It is definitely not my normal type of read and I haven’t previously read any other books written by Coe. But I have to say I may now do so. I was surprised by how easy the book was to follow even though not a lot happens in respect to action or main plot twists, what does happen is beautifully written and Coe goes into great detail in describing the Expo and other areas the reader is transported to.

I was also intrigued to read about family life from this era and get a feel for how people lived it was definitely a time when men were expected to act like ‘men’.  I did enjoy the use of old fashioned language there was a lot of “top-notch” and “rather” or “I say old chap”.  The author displayed such vast knowledge of how people would have spoken to each other and what would have been acceptable behaviours. Along with his obvious historical knowledge of the expo and relationships with differing countries.

This book took me completely by surprise in how much I enjoyed it especially because it is not my normal read. It just goes to show how with good writing any topic can be interesting and pull you in. I will say to anyone going to read this keep at it as the story takes on a new lease of life just when you wonder if anything is actually going to happen. I think anyone who hasn’t read this style of book before would be very surprised by this book.