As the night is still young I think I can venture on to one more post. Especially as it will be a short one.
First of all, may I suggest that if you do not read and/or understand Dutch you skip this post as you will never read the book anyway. If you plan to get it and read it.. you stupid idiot!! But, fair enough, perhaps you are some kind of glutton for punishment and want to select this one as the first Dutch book you will ever read. But really...... Please don't, this is Dutch for Advanced learners! Go and read some Ot and Sien stories first, maybe some Pinkeltje for seconds and then move on to this one.
Taal is zeg maar echt mijn ding - Paulien Cornelissen
This is not really a story but more a collection about all kinds of turns of phrase and conversation fillers that occur in Dutch. There are some links to English in there but Cornelissen does give us a very nice analysis of why and where the word 'fucking' can be added into sentences. A must read for the frequent user of the word in English or Dutch.
I have to say it is a very funny book and it had me chuckling out loud at times. Especially as I could just imagine the types of people who would be saying certain things. It not only tells you about what they say but also how they would say it and in doing that gives you a bit more of an idea of the Dutch themselves as well. Sometimes you realise that an English person would just not say things the way a Dutch person does. It deals with everything from the use of parentheses (apparently a pub in Amsterdam was hiring "waitresses"... really not sure I would want that job) to childrens' names and the language of the TomTom (satnav). Cornelissen picks up on many small things and manages to make a big deal out of them in a very funny way. Many things she talks about made me go "Oh, god yes, I have heard someone say that".
I feel that having been away from Holland myself now for almost 10 years (I do go over there regularly but feel out of touch when I do at times) I do not always feel up to date and hip when it comes to language use so it was fun to read what the Dutch have been up to in the time I have not been there. From the fact that the book has had 18 reprints since 2009 once can certainly see that many Dutch people seem to like it too.
Thank you very much to my friend for getting it for me all those years ago!
Title: Taal is zeg maar echt mijn ding
Author: Paulien Cornelissen
212 pages
Uitgeverij Contact
ISBN #978-90-254-3049-8
Books to be read: 154
Tuesday 23 July 2013
Monte Carlo or bust
I know it is a weekday and I normally update this blog on a Sunday (or try to anyway) but I decided that today is D-Day, or should I say B-Day. I caught myself looking at my stack of books to be reviewed and found that I struggled to remember the plot of a few so I thought it would be about time to get on with it. so with a bit of Queen in the background we are off.... Wish me luck.
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
Beneath the Bleeding - Val McDermid
This was my first one by this author and I have to say I really enjoyed it.
Although the characters are all obviously very used to working with one another and are a very well established group they do not feel like strangers. It is not that McDermid introduces each one of them separately but you get enough background of each person's character to give you an idea of who they are and f how they may act and react. They seem like a varied group of people. Perhaps they are somewhat stereotypes but hey... they are written well enough and given enough depth so they are interesting and I want to know more about them. We have the dogged cop, the young upstart and selfish cop, the promise for the future cop, the IT wizz kid, the grafters and the leader (Carol Jordan - fallible and human). As I said, they work together well they feel like a unit. Then we also have Tony Hill who is the one who tries to get into the bad guys' heads. He seems like a nice enough guy; clever, insightful, perhaps too close to some of the team but not so it impedes on the job he has to do. He has his issues with his mum that are played out in this book but they are in the background and only really serve to shape who he is and not to bring him to the foreground more than the other characters or to get in the way of the stories that are played out in this book. I have to say that as Tony gets attacked by an axe wielding nutcase at the start of the book this is quite an accomplishment. Him being in hospital for all of the book does not really interfere with the story or the speed at which the stories pace along.
I say stories because with this one you do get two-for-the-price-of-one. First of all someone is taking out people the old fashioned way - with poison. Apparently for no obvious reason but in the end the team figure out it is all linked to how people deal with their own failure in life.
It all starts when a young promising footballer dies from a mysterious disease and turns out to have been poisoned. After some false starts, some digging and some creative thinking by Tony, the team end up on the trail of the killer. The killer is a sophisticated person who has chosen poisons as his method of killing. A nice way to kill as it gives you time to get away and it sets you apart from the other random violent killers. There is a little twist in the tale as it turns out that one of the men in the team is on the hit list and it is not until it is almost too late that you or the team realise what is going on. I like this development as it not only makes you care for the team but makes you want the story to move on quickly as well, it keeps you reading. In the end our killer does not get to finish his wish list but it feels like McDermid could easily have written the remainder of the kills as well. When there is an explosion at the football stadium that the first murder victim played there is a brief period when the main plot and subplot seem to be linked but this entanglement does not last long and you realise that you do have two plots for the price of one! Tony puts them on the right trail soon enough and we get on with the development of the sub plot.
I have to say that the sub plot is as good as the main story. It serves not only as a red herring to the main plot but the whole thing is set up to have a whole big red herring of its own. In these times of potential terrorism plots, suspicions and bias against certain groups in society it is a interesting storyline. It leads you up one garden path only to make you walk down another. It challenges your own opinions and prejudices. It is one where things are not always what they seem. The way it gets resolved is rather nice but I do not want to give too much away. Just to say that perhaps the motives for the person to do what they do in the sub plot are more gruesome than those provided by our killer in the main story. Revenge may be sweet but betrayal is usually not far behind.
The only bit that to me was a bit of a waste of effort was bringing in the "big guns" when there is a bombing in the football stadium. I understand that perhaps McDermid wanted a bit more action or to create more sympathy for our team but to set up a David and Goliath scenario is not really that relevant to the story. There is nothing in what happens with the big Counter Terrorism boys that could not have come out in another way but I guess it serves as a bit of a distraction and allows McDermid to make the point on how valid their methods are and how far their power reaches and if it should. Point noted.
So, any good? Yes, definitely. good characters, well written, well paced, interesting crime committed. This being my first McDermid I have to say that I am definitely going to add her to the list of authors I want to read more of.
Title - Beneath the Bleeding
Author - Val McDermid
484 pages
Harper
ISBN #978-0-00-724328-0
Books to be read: 155
#### SPOILER ALERT ####
Beneath the Bleeding - Val McDermid
This was my first one by this author and I have to say I really enjoyed it.
Although the characters are all obviously very used to working with one another and are a very well established group they do not feel like strangers. It is not that McDermid introduces each one of them separately but you get enough background of each person's character to give you an idea of who they are and f how they may act and react. They seem like a varied group of people. Perhaps they are somewhat stereotypes but hey... they are written well enough and given enough depth so they are interesting and I want to know more about them. We have the dogged cop, the young upstart and selfish cop, the promise for the future cop, the IT wizz kid, the grafters and the leader (Carol Jordan - fallible and human). As I said, they work together well they feel like a unit. Then we also have Tony Hill who is the one who tries to get into the bad guys' heads. He seems like a nice enough guy; clever, insightful, perhaps too close to some of the team but not so it impedes on the job he has to do. He has his issues with his mum that are played out in this book but they are in the background and only really serve to shape who he is and not to bring him to the foreground more than the other characters or to get in the way of the stories that are played out in this book. I have to say that as Tony gets attacked by an axe wielding nutcase at the start of the book this is quite an accomplishment. Him being in hospital for all of the book does not really interfere with the story or the speed at which the stories pace along.
I say stories because with this one you do get two-for-the-price-of-one. First of all someone is taking out people the old fashioned way - with poison. Apparently for no obvious reason but in the end the team figure out it is all linked to how people deal with their own failure in life.
It all starts when a young promising footballer dies from a mysterious disease and turns out to have been poisoned. After some false starts, some digging and some creative thinking by Tony, the team end up on the trail of the killer. The killer is a sophisticated person who has chosen poisons as his method of killing. A nice way to kill as it gives you time to get away and it sets you apart from the other random violent killers. There is a little twist in the tale as it turns out that one of the men in the team is on the hit list and it is not until it is almost too late that you or the team realise what is going on. I like this development as it not only makes you care for the team but makes you want the story to move on quickly as well, it keeps you reading. In the end our killer does not get to finish his wish list but it feels like McDermid could easily have written the remainder of the kills as well. When there is an explosion at the football stadium that the first murder victim played there is a brief period when the main plot and subplot seem to be linked but this entanglement does not last long and you realise that you do have two plots for the price of one! Tony puts them on the right trail soon enough and we get on with the development of the sub plot.
I have to say that the sub plot is as good as the main story. It serves not only as a red herring to the main plot but the whole thing is set up to have a whole big red herring of its own. In these times of potential terrorism plots, suspicions and bias against certain groups in society it is a interesting storyline. It leads you up one garden path only to make you walk down another. It challenges your own opinions and prejudices. It is one where things are not always what they seem. The way it gets resolved is rather nice but I do not want to give too much away. Just to say that perhaps the motives for the person to do what they do in the sub plot are more gruesome than those provided by our killer in the main story. Revenge may be sweet but betrayal is usually not far behind.
The only bit that to me was a bit of a waste of effort was bringing in the "big guns" when there is a bombing in the football stadium. I understand that perhaps McDermid wanted a bit more action or to create more sympathy for our team but to set up a David and Goliath scenario is not really that relevant to the story. There is nothing in what happens with the big Counter Terrorism boys that could not have come out in another way but I guess it serves as a bit of a distraction and allows McDermid to make the point on how valid their methods are and how far their power reaches and if it should. Point noted.
So, any good? Yes, definitely. good characters, well written, well paced, interesting crime committed. This being my first McDermid I have to say that I am definitely going to add her to the list of authors I want to read more of.
Title - Beneath the Bleeding
Author - Val McDermid
484 pages
Harper
ISBN #978-0-00-724328-0
Books to be read: 155
Tuesday 16 July 2013
Epic fail
so.... no updates eh... yeah I know. I have royally slapped myself on the wrist!
This time it wasn't the back but the weather that was too blame... it has been hot hot hot and I have been busy soaking up some of the sun, staying cool and trying not to let hay fever get the better of me. It seems to be particularly bad this year!
I am going to have to start these reviews soon as I realise I am beginning to forget the story lines for some of them. Hoping to get round to them soon though.
Also hoping for some rains as well so my hay fever will easy off... just an hour or so will do. Fingers crossed!
Still 156 to be read and no new books bought!
This time it wasn't the back but the weather that was too blame... it has been hot hot hot and I have been busy soaking up some of the sun, staying cool and trying not to let hay fever get the better of me. It seems to be particularly bad this year!
I am going to have to start these reviews soon as I realise I am beginning to forget the story lines for some of them. Hoping to get round to them soon though.
Also hoping for some rains as well so my hay fever will easy off... just an hour or so will do. Fingers crossed!
Still 156 to be read and no new books bought!
Wednesday 10 July 2013
Time flies
Apologies for not updating the blog for this long. Time seems to be speeding along and I am lagging behind big time!
I have to say that starting a new job has had some influence on me not updating as frequently as I would have liked to. With any new job there have been many news things to learn, many new people to meet, a whole new area of expertise to get used to..... It's draining.
I have been struggling through some books though and still have 5 left to review but I also have to confess I have bought some more. There are 4 more bought ones and then some more new arrivals in the shape of books from my secret stock at Mum's. 8 More books have arrived at mine, courtesy of the Godparents that came over for a visit.
At the end of the last post the number of books read was 144. Adding the ones I bought (4) I come to 148. Adding the ones that arrived from Mum's (8), brings the new total to: 156.... (I am leaving the ones I have read but not reviewed out of the equation as I will deduct them as I go along). Only recently I was feeling all good about myself for reading so much. Now.... oh dear, back to square one. Guess I have to keep reading to try and keep on top of things.
I hope to make a start on the reviews this weekend so stay tuned. For now, I am off to watch a documentary on Atlantis and then on to read whilst chilling in bed.
Books to be read: 156
I have to say that starting a new job has had some influence on me not updating as frequently as I would have liked to. With any new job there have been many news things to learn, many new people to meet, a whole new area of expertise to get used to..... It's draining.
I have been struggling through some books though and still have 5 left to review but I also have to confess I have bought some more. There are 4 more bought ones and then some more new arrivals in the shape of books from my secret stock at Mum's. 8 More books have arrived at mine, courtesy of the Godparents that came over for a visit.
At the end of the last post the number of books read was 144. Adding the ones I bought (4) I come to 148. Adding the ones that arrived from Mum's (8), brings the new total to: 156.... (I am leaving the ones I have read but not reviewed out of the equation as I will deduct them as I go along). Only recently I was feeling all good about myself for reading so much. Now.... oh dear, back to square one. Guess I have to keep reading to try and keep on top of things.
I hope to make a start on the reviews this weekend so stay tuned. For now, I am off to watch a documentary on Atlantis and then on to read whilst chilling in bed.
Books to be read: 156
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