by Nicholas Drayson
A definitive example of "tell-not-show". Yes, that seems to be the guiding principle of this book's style. Even the birds are told and enumerated by name, though what could hold a greater potential of "showing" than two hundred exotic birds? Each character of any importance to the story has a neat i...
I loved this book. The main protagonist, Mr. Malik is simply adorable. He is a man of unusual integrity living in a city filled with corruption. He is an older man in love with a woman who has no idea of the secrets that lie behind an unassuming façade. The story unfolds over the course of a f...
Utterly charming. I love the way the author speaks directly to the reader as if he is telling the story. I was also very impressed with the audiobook reader - great accents, and a wide range of distinctive voices for the various characters.
A review on the back of the book jacket states "a sort of P.G. Wodehouse meets Alexander McCall Smith." I do see their point, but I felt this was more than just a sort of comedy of manners or errors. The main character is a kind, good man, similar to JLB Maketoni in "No 1 Ladie's Detective Agency." ...
NO SPOILERS!!!In conclusion: The ending is cute, but with this final note I haven't given anything away. It is how you get from A to Z that is important. A perfect comfort read, if that is what you are looking for. Please see below for more detailed information. *************************************...
A sweet little novel, refreshing in its lack of slaughter and mayhem. The premise, that who may ask the lady on a date will be decided by bird sightings, is especially fun for birders, as is the triumphal moment of the contest. Each chapter is headed with a charming sketch of a bird.
I trudged through nearly half of this book, eagerly waiting for it to really and truly be about birds. Finally threw up my hands in exasperation around page 85. Time to move on.
This is a lovely book and one which I really enjoyed. It took me a couple of goes to really get into it (partly due to the difference in style between this and the book I'd just finished, I think) but once I got going, I finished it up very quickly. A very sweet, charming story, not quite in the s...
Actuarially, I am past middle age. In fact, more than 90% of the world's population is younger than I am. And that shows in the things I care about, read, and buy. Advertisers, take note: Old folks in America are *not lying down to die*! Pay attention to us!Like the author of this book did. Mr. Mali...
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