January.February.March.April.May.June.
July.August.September.October.November.December
If February’s book did anything to me, it made me long for London. Yes – even with the death, intrigue, polarity of wealth and construction work so incessant it became a character itself – my heart yearns!
“This was the hour when he found London most lovable; the working day over, her pub windows were warm and jewel-like, her streets thrummed with life, and the indefatigable permanence of her aged buildings, softened by the street lights, became strangely reassuring. We have seen plenty like you, they seemed to murmur soothingly… Seven and a half million hearts were beating in close proximity in this heaving old city… solace in vastness and anonymity.”
I know many people wouldn’t live in London if you paid them but there’s something so Romantic and irresistible about it for me, I never feel quite so ‘at home’ as when I am there. The Cuckoo’s Calling was J K Rowling’s first venture into the foray of crime fiction, which, now part of a series, follows the career of Cormoran Strike (not abandoning her penchant for obscure names – Xenophilius Lovegood, anyone?) in vivid London.
It looks deeply into the themes of broken families, suicide and death, truth and justice and celebrity life. At times it was a very emotional read and I found myself with a tight chest, burning throat and less-than-pleasant sense of unease to go to bed on.
Though undoubtably ‘enjoyable’, I felt it was trying very hard (and not really succeeding) to be a modern Sherlock Holmes novel – Strike an anti-hero detective, an amiable and surprisingly competent assistant, a blundering police force, the compelling London setting – but fell down in actual integrity and ingenuity of plot. It had a certain amount of predictability as well as a few painfully contrived moments (one about a pea and a ring spring to mind!) that really dampened the overall experience for me. Perhaps I should have tried a bit harder to switch off my inner Holmesian fan-girl in order to appreciate this novel on its own merits, but I couldn’t!
It was saved by Rowling’s wonderful wordsmith-ery, which decorated the still-compelling narrative with a fine collection of phrases that kept me on my toes:
“The sweet and unmistakeable smell of human brains…”
for example. The character development too was interesting enough that I would certainly give the second in the series a chance to improve my overall opinion.
“I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees; all times I have enjoy’d
Greatly, have suffer’d greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone; on shore and when
Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vext the dim sea: I am become a name…”
***
March’s Book:
Nick Hornby’s Stuff I’ve Been Reading. The blurb indicates that this book (which I received as a Christmas present too many years ago) is “the diary of a life lived with books – books about the old East german secret police and the North Korean police state, books about Celine Dion and Charles Dickens, books about climate change and monogamous sex and the banking crisis…”.
Hornby is described as “the kind of reader we all aspire to be” so, while this is not usually something I would take upon myself to read, I am excited to try something new and challenge my natural mainstream choices… My only concern is that it will seriously lengthen my ‘must-read’ list.
I hope you’ll read along, and if you’re interested in joining in with the community, our host is Laura at Circle of Pines.
Until next month you bookish bunch,
Jaide x
A Life With Littles 
Interestingly your chosen quote about London also took my attention whilst reading. I happened to re-read just that to enjoy it a bit more. It was a familiar feeling captured so well. I can’t but help wonder if your feeling of home isn’t due to London being your home from in-utero and first years.
This was my first JK. I found it so easy to read, her words and descriptions are rich and full but without self-gratification. They served their purpose well. I didn’t realise it until you mention the Holmes parallel but I agree with you on that. I too felt the plot and guilty a little too predictable. I also felt myself feeling a bit tired of the celebrity and paparazzi line as it feels over-done in real life.
Overall I enjoyed the book after a busy day but upon reflection feel there is a Mis-match between her very good use of the language and predictable story line. Perhaps if not this way then one would be at risk of being in contest with the other?
LikeLike