April 2003 Archives

A birthday present from Emma, this novel travelled out to Walton and back again before I started it this weekend just gone.

Shuttling between mid-17th century life of down on his luck portrait painter van Rijn (Rembrandt), and 21st century girl Amy Dale, this is shaping up to be a lovely combination of historical novel with a quasi-Changing Rooms slant, and a smidgeon of Joanna Trollope thrown in for good measure.

Reminds me of Michael Frayn's Headlong, and I suspect that it stems from the current trend in novels about Dutch art. However, as far as I can tell, neither Deborah Moggach's Tulip Fever, or Tracy Chevalier's Girl With a Pearl Earring, are set partly in modern day Hull!

Hmm... there's a hint of Philippa Gregory here too....

Verdict: Haddock review

Buy it: Amazon link

One of the Greenwich second hand stall purchases, which I unearthed recently.

It's shaping up to be another Anne Tyler gem - as one of the reviewers on amazon.co.uk says, "Her characters are attractive, but they all have flaws, which makes them real."

And it made me look up where Baltimore/Maryland is/are....

Verdict: Haddock Review

Buy it: Amazon link

Purchased in a Frinton charity shop on Easter Saturday expedition with Phil.
Started reading this collection of short stories on the train/tube/bus journey home, and should finish the collection by the end of today/tonight.

Done!

Verdict: Haddock Review

Buy it: Amazon link

Vols 1 and 2 of The Crusades Trilogy, by swede Jan Guillou, translated by Anna Paterson.

Borrowed from Battersea library in April 2003, and after a slow start, devoured over the chil Easter weekend in Walton (well, Good Friday and Easter Saturday at least).

Verdict: Haddock Review

Haven't yet come to terms with prospect of waiting until June 2004 to read the third and final book - The Kingdom at the End of the Road.

Buy it: Amazon link