Books..............

I haven't talked about a book for a while and thought it about time I told you about the last book read in our book club. The death of Bunny Munro by Nick Cave. Well didn't this one cause a bit of a stir within the ladies. Some really liked it(me) and others thought it was a total waste of time and I can understand why. The novel is about a middle aged man who is a womanising, alcoholic which comes to a head after the sucide of his wife. He is a shady door to door beauty products salesman(who tries to get into their pants as well as sell cosmetics) and ends up going on a distructive road trip with his 9year old son. He finds he is losing his grip on reality which is quickly spiralling out of control.  It is dirty, crude, gritty, full of sex and mentions Kylie Minogue & Avril Lavinge several times.  The novel is abit like riding a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs, loads of twists and turns, and a cracking pace that threatens to derail it all.

Nick wrote this novel in 6 weeks on a tour bus. I originally bought it for my husband to read and put it up as a suggestion for the bookclub as everyone know Nick Cave because of his music but I don't think they really knew what goes on in his mind. I liked it & I would recommend it to anyone but only if you have a strong constitution, some of the ladies couldn't finish it. They said it made them physically sick. so with that in mind read at your own peril!!

Books...........

 This weeks book that I am going to go on about is '1974' by David Peace. It is a gritty novel set in Yorkshire the year is 1974. A young naive journalist comes back home from an unsuccessful stint in Fleet street and is quickly sent into a whirlpool of  child murders, corruption, violence, conspiracy, blackmail, sexual obsession. 

Even though it is a fictional book it is based on real events of that time in Yorkshire and it's surrounding areas. The Yorshire ripper is one of them. It is tightly paced with fast witty dialogue, it doesn't  take to long to read. 

I loved it but if you don't like raw books with too much swearing, violence and gritty sex I wouldn't pick it up to read.

On from this novel David Peace has written three others 1977, 1980, 1983. The series is apparently intertwined and goes by the name of Red riding quartet. I have not read any of them but intend to find 1977 to see what other violence , crime and panic he can conjure up.

For further indepth reviews read here and here.

Books..........

I am in a book club here in Noumea and have been for a couple of years now but never seem to have written about the books we have read or will read so I  thought Thursday could be the day I talk about books. I am going to start with the one I have just finished reading and will be discussed next week at our monthly meet-up. The Hunger Games. Here is a blurb written by the author Suzanne Collins-

In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. As the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Written by Suzanne Collins   

  

Young adult science fiction, fast paced & not hard to read all equals a good book. I liked the characters, they weren't soppy as in the Twilight series(which I read). They have a bit of guts and determination about them, a bit of spunk. Everybody was likable even the badies! The theme of reality tv is so relevent to us at the moment with so much of it in our faces. I know it is in a grander scale in the book but who knows what our future holds for us!

Anyway we are a diverse bunch in age and nationality in our group so it will be interesting to see what everybody thinks but me I give it a thumbs up. I would suggest it to any young adult, boy or girl as I think they would enjoy it.

Let me know if you have read the book and if you liked it or not. I see the movie is coming in 2012 some of you may hang off until then!!