Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

After the cheery book like The Hogfather of course I would want some lite reading appropriate to the season. None of which has any bearing on why I read Never Let Me Go. This is not a book that deals with pleasant subject matter, it raises uncomfortable questions and details uncomfortable outcomes for the characters. So why not read and finish it in the middle of January?

This book is a strange animal, its had to define as a genre. A drama? Definitely. Sci Fi? Some but not as a main point. Dystopian? Depends on your world view. If anything I would call it alternate history ( however closer to alternate reality as the time period is within 20 years or less.) Needless to say I liked the book. As a broad stroke it is a story about growing up, and what happens to your close friends as you mature. I do not want to ruin the twist, as it is surprising; in both what it is and how the characters react to it. The book is really a study of how people change and how people react to your own change. It seems like a pretty quick read to me. Although the subject matter sounds boring, reading about the minutia of a life from adolescence to adulthood, I found myself at times reading voraciously to reach the next part.

This book was made into a film a few years ago, and I found it to be a good adaptation save for some minor changes to setting. I would recommend to read the book first then see the film. The movie is great, and is faithful to the book. I unfortunately did the reverse so I was denied a reveal of the twist at the pacing that the book tells it. They each compliment the other quite well however.

In the end I would highly recommend this book, however it is not a uplifting tale; it is very much a tale of life, which is sometimes unfair. I would say to read it slowly if possible to let it simmer, and then see the film to finish the portrait in your mind of this world.

Never Let Me Go

First Review : The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

To start a confession, I started reading this book in mid December, and due to a frustrating work schedule finished it in January. So technically this is a book I finished this year, but not one that was started. That little aside out of the way on with the review.

 The Hogfather for those that are unaware is part of a fantasy series called Discworld created by Terry Pratchett. It is a comical take on the fantasy genre and I recommended it to anyone that enjoys comedy or fantasy. The Hogfather is not this first in the series and you may get more enjoyment if you familiarize yourself with the other books. Do not let that dissuade you from reading this however, the book is thoroughly enjoyable to the lay man and the Discworld fan alike. The Hogfather is the Discworld holiday novel, it takes place during winter, and centers around a holiday called Hogswatch. Within a few pages it becomes apparent that Hogswatch is Christmas for all intents and purposes. The traditions are all well represented; gifts, stockings, a large man in a red suit with a sleigh pulled by wild boars.....wait what? Yes there are some twists involved and they are all amazing, especially when the jolly man losses a bit of weight. The story takes a journey from the current iteration of Hogswatch to the very beginnings and it will be hard to not draw conclusions about our own celebrations by the time you reach the end of the book. The book is frankly fantastic. I plan to reread it around the holiday time next year, its not too terribly long, it tells a great tale about traditions and asks why we celebrate them. The book , like all Discworld novels it presents everything with a comedic element, it has some serious and philosophic moments throughout that keep it from being a complete comedy. It is like what separates Jingle All The Way from A Muppet Christmas Carol, both are largely comedic but one at least engages emotions other than humor.

 All and all the book is great for all ages and I encourage it to be read around the holiday season. It hits all the points, the holiday shopping rush, gifts, childhood beliefs, the whole season from the end of November to January is represented with a nod to the comedy of it all and throwing in some fantasy and magic. As I said I plan on reading it once a year, and while I don't make that demand of you the reader, I recommend at least one reading if you like the season, fantasy, or comedy. The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett is as much a Christmas classic as A Christmas Story or A Christmas Carol and should be read by all ages.

The Hogfather on Amazon

Welcome

I am starting this blog to post some of my views on books I have read thus far this year. At current count I am at fourteen since January first so I should be stocked with reviews for some time. My interests range from historical non fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and a personal favorite post apocalyptic. So I will be working through the list starting soon!