15 Mar 2024

Gemma and Sisters (by Noel Streatfeild)

Gemma and Sisters by Noel Streatfeild
(Amazon UK link)
Rereading my Noel Streatfeild books is always a joy, and my favourites of all are those in the ‘Gemma’ series. They feature the Robinson family and their cousin Gemma, who was a child film star but is now ‘resting’ while her mother works in the United States. I re-read the first book in the series, ‘Gemma’, at the end of January and have just finished the second book, ‘Gemma and Sisters’, which I last read in 2015.

The title refers to the talented group who have performed at a concert: the oldest Robinson, Ann, is an excellent singer, although she’s rather shy. The middle child, Lydia, is a very promising ballet dancer, who is far from shy, and not averse to a bit of deception. The youngest, a boy known as Robin, is a pianist and chorister who loves nothing more than to ‘swirl’ well-known tunes in a new arrangement.

Along with Gemma, who produces them as well as playing her banjo and singing, and Robin’s friend Nigs, who is a drummer, they delight their audiences with their diverse talents. This book sees the group becoming popular locally, attracting interest and more invitations. Alongside that are several subplots. 

Lydia’s ballet teacher doesn’t like her students performing in public, but when she makes concessions to her other students, Lydia is so angry that she does something stupid with potentially tragic consequences. Ann is quite academic and very conscientious, and isn’t too sure how much she wants to continue singing with Gemma and Sisters.  And Gemma herself is asked to take on a significant role in a historical play being produced at her school. 

It’s not a long book, and once I had got into it, it was hard to put down. The characters, if a tad caricatured at times, are still three-dimensional and believable. Noel Streatfeild wrote very well about highly talented children, particularly ballet dancers, but this story focuses more on the Robinsons’ life as a family. They are quite close, and I found several of the scenes very moving.  

This series was first published in 1968, so inevitably it feels a bit dated in places. The Robinsons’ delight at being given a car might surprise today’s children, who take cars for granted. There obviously a complete lack of any modern technology, but it doesn’t much matter.  The book gives a broad picture of life as it was in the 1960s, and while nuclear families are less common today, the people and their motivations and actions are recognisable as normal, likeable but flawed humans.

I enjoyed rereading this very much, having forgotten much of the detail; I wasn’t even worried by the odd chronology error, in that Christmas is celebrated - almost in passing - and then the action moves backward, to a month or two before Christmas. I didn’t even notice it as a child. 

The book might be too slow for some of today’s children, but for those who like a good, family-based story, I would recommend this highly. It was intended for children aged about eight to twelve (which is roughly the ages of the Robinson family in the first book) and would make a good read-aloud for children of almost any age, so long as they like books with only a few line drawings rather than full illustrations.

I’m glad that these books are regularly reprinted, and also widely available second-hand in a variety of editions.

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

10 Mar 2024

The Holiday (by Erica James)

The Holiday by Erica James
(Amazon UK link)
In re-reading my books by Erica James, I reached the one which I knew was my least favourite of all. When I first read ‘The Holiday’, in 2001, I thought it shallow and predictable. When I re-read it in 2017 I liked it better, but I had entirely forgotten the storyline. So I decided to read it again.

It’s quite a long book - over 500 pages - but I found it very readable. The opening chapters introduce quite a cast of characters, but Erica James is good at characterisation, and they were - mostly - easily distinguishable. Max and Laura are a likeable couple in their forties, who own a holiday home in Corfu. They are there for the summer, and have invited their younger friend Izzy who has just suffered a painful breakup with her boyfriend. 

In Corfu, next door, lives Theo, a wealthy Corfiot businessman who has had a series of casual relationships. He tries to flirt with Laura, but she’s in love with her husband and treats Theo as a friend. However, she wonders if he and Izzy might like a holiday fling, to help her get over her ex. 

Theo has invited his friend Mark, who is a writer, to stay. Mark has quite an unpleasant past, including being an alcoholic and hard drug user, although he is now clean and intends to remain that way. Mark’s story is gradually uncovered through the book, partly through flashbacks as he recalls sessions with his therapist, and partly through discussion with those around him. He’s a very private person, prone to moods. 

The final two significant characters are Max and Laura’s daughter Francesca, who is about eighteen or nineteen, and her friend Sally, who are coming to stay. Sally, we quickly learn, is something of a nymphomaniac who even tried to attract Max, before knowing who he was. 

There are others: locals who help with cleaning, or run shops or bars, and a couple of rather brash holiday-makers who behave quite badly; they felt like caricatures to me, but that’s fine with minor characters. It’s easier to recall them if they are exaggerated, and the author cleverly uses nicknames for them as it would have been easy to forget their real names.

Mark not only has a very unpleasant past, and some unhappy memories from childhood, he’s currently being stalked by an apparent madman who is writing anonymous notes, following the pattern of one of Mark’s books. And Mark’s books are dark, crime thrillers. He hopes that by coming to Corfu for a while he will be safe. 

All of which sounds like quite an interesting background to several subplots. But, other than the last (which only really rears its head towards the end), and one involving a dramatic sea rescue just averting a tragedy, much of the book is quite trite. It takes place over just a few weeks, and there seems to be a huge amount of sexual activity, much of it quite casual, with a lot of discussion about past partners. There’s a lot of drinking, too.

There’s some sight-seeing, and it’s fairly clear from the descriptions that the author is familiar with Corfu. I live on another Mediterranean island, and the Greek cultural references feel authentic. I wasn’t particularly interested in details of walks or ancient monuments and tended to skip those, but they seemed to be well written.

I was disappointed when I first read this book, since the earlier books by Erica James had revolved around small village communities; this book has a broader scope, and feels sleazier. She doesn’t go into too much detail of intimate encounters, but even the more general comments seem exaggerated. And while I liked Max and Laura very much, I found Theo self-centred and rather annoying, and Mark a deeply disturbing person, even though he is a kind person underneath. 

It’s telling that even though I last read this less than seven years ago, I had no memory of the people or the storyline, including two dramatic, potentially tragic scenes that happen later in the book.  I could not recall what happened or who was involved in the stalking of Mark and was not expecting the ending at all. 

I think this book might make good holiday reading, but it’s not one of Erica James’ best and would not make a good introduction to her writing. 

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

4 Mar 2024

They found him dead (by Georgette Heyer)

They found him dead by Georgette Heyer
(Amazon UK link)
I’ve decided to finish re-reading Georgette Heyer’s crime fiction novels in chronological order. I picked up ‘The Found him Dead’ a couple of days ago, and found it quite compulsive. I last read it in 2011 and had entirely forgotten the story. Heyer’s characterisation is always excellent, with just a hint of caricature to make people all the more memorable. These books were written as contemporary novels in the 1930s, somewhat in the style of Agatha Christie’s ‘cosy crime’ fiction. 

The book opens with a dinner party to celebrate Silas Kane’s 60th birthday party. Sixty is not old, or even elderly, but he has apparently had some problems with his heart. His mother Emily is 80, and she’s quite frail although very strong-willed and mentally acute. Silas has a nephew, Clement, whom he doesn’t much like; Clement is married to the over-dramatic self-centred Rosemary.  

Silas also has a great-nephew, Jim, whom he likes very much, and Jim has a half-brother, fourteen-year-old Timothy. Invited to the party are Silas’s business partner Joe Mansell, as well as Joe’s wife, and their daughter Betty with her husband. And the whole is observed, initially, by Emily’s companion Patricia Allison.  From Patricia’s inclusion in the dinner party it’s clear that she’s a close family friend rather than a servant.

I found the number of people a bit overwhelming at first and had to backtrack over the first chapter to write down their names, and who was related to whom. But it’s a testament to Heyer’s writing that by the end of the book I could recall (and distinguish) them all. Right at the start, there are clearly undercurrents and tensions, but nobody expects that, the following morning, someone will be found dead. 

Everything points to an accident, until, just a few days later, someone else is killed: this time it’s obvious what happened, as there’s a loud noise, and then the character is found slumped over, with a bullet hole in his head. The local police are stumped, after interviewing everybody concerned - including a few extra characters who are in or around the house at the time - so Scotland Yard is called in. 

Inspector Hannasyde and Sergeant Hemingway are an excellent pair of sleuths, introduced first in ‘Death in the Stocks’, which I re-read in July 2022, and then used again in ‘Behold, Here’s Poison’, which I re-read in October 2022. Hannasyde is highly intelligent and resourceful, with a sense of humour. Hemingway is more gregarious. He’s meticulous in his research, but doesn’t always reach conclusions as rapidly as his boss. 

Just to make things even more stressful, a third character is apparently at risk… more than one person warns him that he’s likely to be the next victim, and a couple of ‘accidents’ look as though they were attempts to take him out too. I had guessed, about a third of the way through the book, who was the most likely perpetrator of the second death; I’m not sure if it’s ever established whether or not the same person was responsible for the first. 

The first time I read Heyer’s crime novels, I very much liked the way her characters are so three-dimensional and believable, even with those with some exaggerated traits. However I felt that her novels weren’t as cleverly plotted as those in similar vein by Agatha Christie, who always keeps me guessing right to the end. But re-reading this book, it occurred to me that perhaps it’s deliberate that the reader is pretty sure ‘who did it’ early in the book. Heyer was brilliant at writing in an ironic style, revealing so much by conversations and events that take her characters’ minds in different directions. 

I knew, of course, that it would all be sorted out in the end, but I still found the last few chapters quite stressful. I was certain I knew the perpetrator by that stage - it became increasingly obvious as events unfolded, but the people concerned were entirely unaware. Most of them, anyway. There are one or two extra cast members who arrive a bit later in the book, whom I appreciated very much. 

Alongside the tension there’s some low-key humour, much of it involving the teenage Timothy who loves gangster movies, and is thrilled to be in a house where so much criminal activity is happening. There’s even a low-key romance. The whole makes for a very enjoyable read.  Definitely recommended if you like this style of book. 


Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

2 Mar 2024

The Citadel (by AJ Cronin)

The Citadel by AJ Cronin
(Amazon UK link)
I’m pretty sure I had heard of AJ Cronin, and his novel ‘The Citadel’, but it’s not one I had ever read. Nor would I have been likely to, until it was chosen for our local book group. We like to read books from a variety of cultures and historical periods, including some classics. I was able to order it inexpensively from a second-hand bookshop, and embarked on it with some trepidation, expecting that it might be rather dull.

I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised to find a very readable, interesting novel. While based on the author’s experience as a doctor in the UK in the 1920s, the characters and situations are fictional. But I found them entirely believable, quite shocking at times; this starts just a hundred years ago, well after the end of World War I. 

Andrew Manson is the hero of the book, and it’s told from his perspective. Newly qualified and full of idealism, he arrives at a small mining village in Wales where he is about to take up his first job. He is supposedly the assistant of an older doctor, but quickly discovers that Dr Page is a bed-bound invalid, unlikely to recover and unable to work. The house is run by his dour sister, who doles out meagre portions of food and appears to have no sense of humour.

Andrew gradually settles in, learning not just about the local illnesses and customs, but how to appease, pacify and earn the trust of people around him. They are suspicious of a stranger, particularly one with new ideas and suggestions. Andrew, in his turn, is shocked to realise that the doctors around him are still living in the past century as far as medical practice is concerned, so overworked that they have no chance to update their skills or read medical journals. 

It’s an interesting read, almost in the style of the various ‘vet’ and similar books that were popular several decades later. We follow Andrew on his rounds, see him gradually settling in, and root for him to make some friends and succeed in some cures. He falls in love, takes up other posts, observes medical malpractice, suffers bereavements, takes risks… it’s quite compelling reading at times. 

I didn’t like some of the events which happened, particularly towards the end; nor did I believe it was possible to recover so quickly from something shocking that I really didn’t see coming, shortly before the climax of the book. And while the characters were three-dimensional and realistic, I didn’t feel any empathy with any of them - there doesn’t seem to be much depth of characterisation. Andrew himself is rather naive and a bit annoying at times, particularly in his treatment of some of those closest to him. He is tempted by money and fame in a way that seems incompatible with his earlier idealism. 

Apparently this novel was very well received, and it’s likely that its contents helped in the establishment of the excellent National Health Service. So it has a very positive outcome. As a piece of social history it’s also revealing and useful, a stark reminder that whatever the current state and problems of the NHS in the UK, it’s still vastly superior to the old systems. 

Recommended. I understand that a TV series was made, based on this book (my edition shows a photo from it) and it's in print regularly as well as widely available second-hand. Make sure you buy the full edition rather than one that was edited for school use. 

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

29 Feb 2024

Church on the Other Side (by Brian McLaren)

Church on the Other Side by Brian McLaren
(Amazon UK link)
Browsing our shelves, looking for an interesting Christian book to read during February, I spotted Brian McLaren’s ‘Church on the Other Side’. I didn’t remember anything about it, although apparently I read it during December 2014, just over nine years ago. 

The book was first published in 1998, most recently revised in 2006. The general thesis is that the church, in its multi-format multi-denominational and often petty-minded insularism of the late 20th century, had to make radical changes if it was to survive into the 21st century.  This goes alongside the move beyond the modernistic attitudes and scientific ‘certainties’ of so-called baby boomers into the post-modern outlook of the millennials.

Post-modernism is defined (as far as is possible, anyway), explained (from the author’s perspective), and its pros and cons demonstrated clearly. It has arisen globally - or, at least, in the educated, comfortable west - partly due to a spiritual poverty, partly due to science becoming less certain. I doubt if most folk understand quantum mechanics, for instance. I’m not sure that even physicists really understand it. 

There are inherent dangers in postmodern thought, of course: inclusivism is good, but individuals are important too. There is much to learn about other belief systems, but if Jesus is real, and demonstrates the path to God, there must be some boundaries to relativism. Most worryingly, perhaps, if we claim that all types of worship are valid, what of the authoritarian styles that humiliate those who differ, or who believe children should be beaten? 

This book asks questions rather than giving clear answers, and each chapter has a page at the end with suggested discussion questions, sometimes to be asked of those in the community who are not believers, or who follow a different path. McLaren encourages listening rather than arguing, acknowledging other people’s viewpoints rather than criticising, and starting from a place where we agree. 

He also proposes that the church, if it is to survive, must move beyond petty doctrinal or practical differences which have split congregations in the past. He talks about major and minor issues: we need to be clear about the important ones, and open to differences of opinion about the less significant ones. He believes that the church needs not just a few changes,  but a radical re-think, allowing for a variety of styles, different ways of communicating, involving modern technology, and practical outreach in the community.

Much of what he says is common sense, and I can see at least hints of the kind of church he prophesies in one or two that I know of in the UK. However, we’re 24 years into the new century now, and in most cases, individual congregations continue doing what they have always done, sometimes with dwindling numbers, but with resistance to any kind of change - and perhaps no real reason to consider anything other than what they have always known. 

‘Church on the other side’ is really a book to be read by younger people, by church leaders and youth pastors and others who are feeling concerned at the lack of vision in their community, or by the problems of smaller and smaller congregations. It needs people who are open to discussion, not to criticise anything about the current situation, but to see possibilities for the future. 

I’m glad I re-read it, it was thought-provoking and very interesting. 

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews