The Starlings - Vivienne Kelly I must say, looking at the cover of the book and the blurb on the back, I was expecting much more of a ‘chick-lit’ book than I got. I also got this vibe from the little bullet points on the first page suggesting this might be an ideal Mother’s Day gift (I read an uncorrected proof). After reading it, I wouldn’t say that either of these statements actually hold true, and I think they might be selling the story short.

The emotional life of the main character, eight year old Nicky, is enacted in his little plays, that probably owe more to Shakespeare than to the Arthurian legends, although it is the Arthurian legend that features in the book's conclusion. They provide a nice little narrative throughout the play and relieve Nicky from the burden of having to emote too often. As a result I think that Nicky’s voice is quite realistic, with his misperceptions, misunderstandings and his ability to overhear conversations, when he doesn’t really mean to, very evocative of childhood (at least as I remember it).

I’m afraid most of the adult female characters - Nicky’s mum Jenny; Grandpa’s girlfriend Rose and even Nicky’s Grandma Didie - do not fare so well in the book. I found they came across as a tad self-absorbed; dismissive of the consequences on others of their actions and at times ‘snappish’. While I understood the arc of these characters throughout this story, and understood how they came to do the things they did, I did not warm to them. I understand that Jenny probably had dealt with quite a number of years of Frank’s (her husband and Nicky’s father) neglect, and this had eroded much of the emotional bond between them, nonetheless, I found some of her actions towards others in the final stages of the book insensitive at best. Given that Rose was Didie’s nurse, it is clear that her boundary transgression in commencing a relationship with Grandpa had consequences which also impacted on others around her. And poor Didie didn’t really fare well in many of the characters’ memories of her. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that these characters shouldn’t have been there. They were great, they added colour and texture to the book and I think Kelly did a great job in her handling of them. It’s just, given the above, I’m not sure about the ‘great Mother’s Day gift’ sales strategy.

It is the father Frank, who I came to feel the most affection for, after Nicky of course, and whose character grows beyond the expectations I had of him at the start. He is a typical footy tragic who finds it hard to talk to his family about anything else, and has abrogated much of the responsibility for the maintenance of the family bonds to his wife. But as Nicky’s family falls apart, it is probably footy that provides a bridge for them with their new family dynamic. The dramas on the footy field also provide an echo of the dramas in the family home, being Frank’s adult version of Nicky’s plays. It’s almost like the story has been told in three languages - the English language, that of fairy stories and footy lingo. It isn’t ham-fisted, it is just up to the reader to latch onto whatever they like. I enjoyed reading how gently and tentatively Frank stepped up to the plate and managed Nicky and Pippa’s (Nicky’s older sister) emotional needs. This was as much of a surprise for me, as was the unravelling of the female characters.

The most enjoyable aspect of the book was Nicky’s voice. There was no manufactured whimsy, and while he had his fantasy life, it didn’t take over his perceptions. Nicky always maintained an awareness of his world around him, and it was this world around him that encroached on his fantasy life, not the other way around, which was a relief. His fantasy life was a tool for Nicky to try to come to terms with what has happening in the ‘real world’, not a means of denial. As a result Nicky did not come across as precocious, he came across as a little boy valiantly trying to understand the world around him and trying to hold on as events over took him.

I think this is a great book for anyone who wants to read a story about a family seen through the eyes of an eight year old boy, that isn’t too girly and that features footy, Shakespeare and Arthurian Knights. It’s a very enjoyable read, not too light, but not too heavy either.

First of all it has to be said that “The Starlings and other stories” is really a most beautiful book – in every way. The starting point for each short story is a picture – and that picture then inspired the author who follows it to write a tale – and boy were there some GREAT tales to be had here alongside the hauntingly evocative images.

I loved every story – from those that made me shiver to those that made me tearful, every single one was purely brilliant in it’s own way. The photograph at the start of each tale just gave them so much more depth – setting a visual image in your head as a reader, then leading you into some dark and twisty tales that will engage and enthrall you.

There is an immense amount of talent on display here (not only from Mr Wilson either) each author adding their own indomitable style to things and giving us a varied and utterly compelling set of stories that will stay with you a long time. This is one of those times where I won’t tell you much else – I won’t review each individual one because the point here, very much so, is to have an immersive experience with the imagery and the storytelling.

I will perhaps tell you my favourite – that was Mountains out of Molehills by Valerie Laws – but that’s it. The rest you’ll have to discover for yourself – including the tale of the title “The Starlings” from Editor of the book Ann Cleeves.

Other authors you will find here: Cath Staincliffe, Mary Sharratt,Chris Simms, Jim Kelly, Margaret Murphy, Toby Forward, Martin Edwards, Helena Edwards,Kate Ellis and Christine Poulson.

All in all fantastic. A book lover’s dream – if you are a collector you need this for your shelf.

Highly Recommended.

 

Just two of the images that inspired the tales: Copyright David Wilson Photography. Website here: http://www.davidwilsonphotography.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

Over 100 years ago, Eugene Schieffelin set out to introduce every bird mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays to America. Today, one of those birds is causing irreparable crop damage.

 

Crazy story.

TL;DR: A fun, fast-paced, funny tween book with an imaginative setting and world. Great mix of romance, adventure, and true-to-life tween experiences. I'm looking forward to the next book. The longer review:On the Bright Side is set half in this word and half in an imaginatively-constructed 'heaven' where newly dead serve as guardian angels for the living. Gabby, flustered by an almost-kiss with her crush (Michael) and a crushing text from her frenemy (Angela), gets hit by a car. She goes to heaven (Cirrus) where she becomes a guardian-angel in training. She, as bad luck would have it, is assigned to guard Angela, who also has a crush on Michael. There is also a supernatural/adventure plot thread that I don't want to give away but that gives this book broader appeal than just to tween girls.I really loved the character of Gabby. I could relate to her struggles to do the right thing. I remember making bad decisions as a tween and then feeling that every bad decision spiraled into another one until I wasn't sure how to extricate myself from the mess I had made. Unfortunately the grownups around me weren't quite as understanding as Lawrence and Nephele. And I could have really used a friend like Jessica. Pros:- The depiction of Heaven(Cirrus) is fantastic. I love the technology-rich world Shelli created. One of the hallmarks (for me) of a well constructed world is that I find myself thinking about parts of the world as if that world was real. The other day I found myself thinking about what it would be like to have a SKYfone...- Great tween voices and characters. Jessica and especially Gabby feel real -- they are multidimensional characters with unique quirks, desires, and interactions.- OTBS featured fencing. How can you not love a book where the protagonist fences?!Cons:There were a few cons that kept this book from being a 5.- The punny devices and places got a little too much at times. (iPhone/SKYfone, internet/INNERnet, iTunes/SKYtunes, IM/SKYm, Levitator, etc). Sometimes too many of those references on one page drew too much attention to the world distracting me from enjoying the story.- Michael was a little too one-dimensional. He needed more flaws to feel real. - Angela, while believable, was a little too cliche. ** I received an advanced review copy of On the Bright Side. I am grateful for the opportunity to read the ARC, but receiving it did not influence my review. **

A hilarious new YA that explores the antics and trouble that come with a fourteen year-old ghost trying to be good. This story will have you both breaking out into hysterics and gripping the pages in anticipation.Gabby is a typical fourteen year old, well except for the being dead part, and she does have a mischievous streak that gets her into a bit of trouble. I highly enjoyed reading this fun and thought provoking new story. Gabby is an endearing character that I’m sure many readers will love and she had real depth making it easy to relate to her and lose myself ,if only for a bit, in this loveable new story. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and thought provoking YA read.