~419 ~ Dancing at Lughnasa

Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I would not have chosen to read this book, probably under any circumstances.

I had to though, as is is a set book for my upcoming Open University A230 'Reading and Studying Literature', which will be my last module at Level 2 (having just finished A215 'Creative Writing ... not that you need to know this!).

The front cover is appealing, and is the reason I dragged it off the reading pile in the first place - the dress seems genteel and is set in juxtaposition to the black wellingtons.

The theme of A230 is home and away, and after reading this short text I can see why it was added to the list. Not only is the home/away theme running through it, but also religion/paganism, responsibility/irresponsibility, setting rules/breaking rules and the face you project/the way you are perceived.

All round a very interesting text, if slightly intellectual read. Interestingly, it is only around 3 star review on Good Reads (more on Amazon), but that might be that you would not find it riveting if you were not studying, or interested in, humanities and the human condition.



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I purchased my copy on Amazon HERE.  At the time of writing this review it is priced at £9.98, which is a hefty price for a paperback book as thin as wafer ham.


Hugs

xXx

#475 ~ Hard Times

Hard Times by Charles Dickens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bought as a set book for my Open University Module.

There is nothing to add about Dickens that hasn't been said already. It was a little hard-going in places, but that is more down to the style of its writing than the substance.



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#472 - A Receiver of Stolen Words

A Receiver of Stolen Words by Giselle Thompson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars















It's really rare to get 5 stars from me these days, but Giselle has managed. Obviously, there is a link as she has studied the Creative Module that I am currently doing, but it goes beyond just that.

She has a really fluid and lovely voice that is very recognisable, and is a mistress of the short story (a skill I envy). However within each of her pieces there are subtle variations in her style that make them a joy to read.

I'm a regular reader of her blog, and enjoyed the book that she collaborated on with 9 others, 'Circ'. Even though there were so many it was easy to distinguish talents from the other talented authors.

This is highly recommended if you are studying Creative Writing, or just enjoy differently told and well researched literature.

You can purchase a copy HERE, which is an absolute snip at £1.83; she is definitely selling herself short.

Happy reading.

xoxox

#470 ~ Our Triumph and Our Glory (Book 1)

Our Triumph and Our Glory by Megane Kilpatrick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Megane is an old head on young shoulders. This short piece is beautifully written and outstanding. Currently, it's on free download, so please pick up a copy and support her.

Hugs
Kay
xoxo

#10 ~ Scribblings of Freya

OU material all arrived, and I've started on both modules. I need to get ahead.

I have been pleasantly about the content of A105, and am looking forward to getting stuck in.  A215 has created a great outpouring of writing.  So far today I've written 672 words, which doesn't include the reflective passages that I've written for each one; I'd estimate over 1,000 word count if they are added in.

The chink in the damn, has caused a deluge of writing ... all of it is quite different.  I am not sure where it's all been, or what the dark corner of my mind my contain, but it's exciting.

Until I'm sure what will be used for TMA or EMA, I can't share, but as soon as things are eliminated or submitted and marked I will do.  Mostly the passages are rough as a badger's bottom, but then that is the point of free writing.  I need to draft them quite a bit.  The idea is to mine ideas, and I'm certainly doing that.

I am very happy.

Freya

xox

#8 ~ Scribblings of Freya

Watching Monty Don this morning on Gardener's World, cocooned in the quiet before family life begins, I had the inspiration for a Haiku from a phrase he used.

Autumn

The velvet season

Glorious colours spill forth

Winter looming near

(c) Freya Thorne

30/2/2015
United Kingdom
All Rights Reserved

I like it so much, I think it might work in a longer piece, so I will mull over the possibilities.

Still no books from Open University, although to be fair to them, they aren't due for delivery yet.  It's just last year they arrived in July.  The two modules I'm doing are not due to start until early October, but I just need to get ahead, purely because I'm doing two modules this coming year; a huge amount of work.

Happy reading.

Hugs

Freya

#6 ~ Scribblings of Freya

Having had a conversation with a new friend recently, I have come to realise that what can be revealed as a slightly flippant remark about something, can lead them to assume something quite different than perhaps is the actual bread and butter truth of a situation.

It got me to thinking, and a Haiku popped out:

A simple word said

Can oft' be misunderstood

Shielded truth lies under

(c) Freya Thorne

22/8/2015
United Kingdom
All Rights Reserved

Muhhhhh, it's not an exemplary example of the art form, but it tells it how it is.  

The conversation, did get me started on a bigger picture of that truth though, and a new poem has started to struggle into life.  So far I'm really quite pleased with the 2 verses, or stanzas, or whatever they are.  I will develop it further; it most definitely has legs for a TMA for OU A215.

#457 - The Soul Conductor

The Soul Conductor by Clair Susann Evans

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was really interested to read a debut novel from a fellow Open University Student, who had done the Creative Writing Module, and I wasn't disappointed at all with the quality of the writing.

It was, apart from one or two teeny tiny errors in the text that I cam across (detailed below) of a really high quality. The plot was original and kept my interest right to the very end. There was a conclusion, but it wasn't an outright happy ending ... in itself that is a refreshing change, as quite a lot of authors feel the need to wrap it up with a big bow, which can detract from the work as a whole.

There are still left questions unanswered, and hopefully there will be a follow up novel to move it on. Although I feel that Clair has it in her to really ramp up the writing and add more layers of twists and turns to create a truly stunning read.

High recommended.


I did stumble across the following errors on the Kindle file:

Loc 265:  As his body convulsed with of pain from ...

Loc 943:  ... pulled him along behind one of armoured horses ...

Loc 1331:  ... but the water for him bring up.

Loc 1737:  ... stayed in such good spirits and talk about it in such a carefree ...

Loc 1839:  ... trickled back his throat and ...

Loc 4772:  His heart leaped in expectation (I'm not sure about this one, I think it should be leapt).

Loc 5260:  ... Kilora agrees me very much.


As I said, they are minor, minor things, and definitely do not detract from a superb reading experience.  It is truly heartening to find an author that does not feel the need to use 'gotten', and for this alone I would have added a further star if the quality had not, in fact, been as exceptional as it turned out - it was a full on 5 star read.


Hugs, and happy reading


Kay

#456 - The Turn of the Screw

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

My rating: 

4 of 5 stars

Recently in my Uni group there was a discussion about whether some books have narration that specifically sets out to deceive the reader. This book was one on a list of 5 that it was felt did just that.

I had never read it before, but was aware of an Opera based on the book, which although I had not seen I had heard discussed.

Although I was aware that the narrator may try to deceive me, I was a little dubious that I would, indeed even notice that that was what was happening.

The book is skilfully written, and at the finish I did indeed have the strong feeling that the narrator did not only seek to deceive, but probably was fully aware of much, much more of the circumstances, and deliberately set out to side-track, divert and subvert my understanding of the whole, and there fore certainly stands up to its reputation.

Happy reading.

Kay

Book just started: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

It's part of a discussion that we've been having on Unreliable Narrators.

xoxox

Freya Thorne, Author

Hi all

I thought I'd share some of my scribblings here on the blog ..., Toodles Book Club has kindly let me move in as a roomie until I get a home of my own.

First though, let me introduce myself.

I'm Freya Thorne and am undertaking the A215 Creative Writing Module with this Open University this coming academic year in the hope that it will kick start the many novels hanging around in my head.  My favourite genre is historical romance, but it's going to be all about extending myself with this module, and so it could well be anything from crime to chicklit to poetry that will be coming to a keyboard during my year.

Some of my free writing I can share, and some has to wait until the module has finished. I'll also try to share extracts from the novel as I go along.

A writer's lot is not always a happy one with words sometimes insisting on being dragged slowly and painfully from the depths, and at other times springing fully formed with no apparent assistance from me ... hopefully it will be an entertaining journey.


Hugs

Fraya

xoxoxox