We’re now approaching late summer and it now seems to be the perfect time to get in those last fast paced, thrilling reads. Ruth Ware’s debut thriller, is sure to fit the bill. I can’t even remember how I came across this book, but right from the start, the title, and cover art, really pulled me in. The plot, very reminiscent in an Agatha Christie kind of way, sounded fun, easy and interesting; centering around a hen party (a British term for a bachelorette party), comprising of old school friends who haven’t seen each other in years, Ware takes us on a journey to hell. The opening few pages start with a character waking up in a hospital, so we immediately know that something has gone terribly wrong. 

The novel takes a fairly standard format: we alternate between the present and the past in order to keep us guessing and to keep the flow of the plot. Like I said above, this has a very familiar feel of Agatha Christie to it – a cozy mystery but just turned up a few notches. The characters are well written for this type of novel; enough depth in order to get to know them, but not enough to really care if one of them gets the chop. In some novels this would be a detriment, but as this is a very plot driven read, it works rather well. 

I listened to this via audible and the narrator was excellent, really distinguishing each character. I’ve also just read that there is going to be a movie produced, which actually, in the right hands, could turn out rather well. 

Pick up this book, get a glass of wine, and enjoy the last few weeks of sun! 

~ Pegasus

In a Dark, Dark Wood

I liked this book. I could’ve loved it, but it was just too long-winded for me. I honestly didn’t need to know what everyone was wearing or what kinds of critters they saw out their window. I enjoyed the dialogue, the eccentric characters, and the main plot line. 
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow seems to require analysis. It’s not just a book to enjoy and forget. Magnin makes her points with repetition and quirkiness – hard to miss! 
Magnin deliberately shows the reader over and over how smelly and dirty and gross Agnes’ body is… not as a comment on her size, but as a comment on the exhausting caretaking job her sister Griselda has and the mental and physical imprisonment Agnes suffers. 
I also don’t think it’s an accident that the cat brings dead animals to the former funeral home, nor that the new cop in town is busy chasing after a homeless dog the whole time. I don’t want to ruin the story, but Magnin uses these vignettes to illustrate bigger points – like the nearness of death, the futility of the hunt unless you know what you’re hunting for, and that THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM. We need to look under the folds, people. Peek beyond the masks, decode the facades. 
My biggest takeaway from this book is the sin of man creating his own gods in the pursuit of the one God. In The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow, the people made Agnes their god. They made PRAYING their god. They made food their god. Some of them even made preaching against Agnes their god. It was all in the name of fellowship and religious advancement, but none of it put their eyes on God. It’s no wonder the sign and statue came to the fate they did. 
Ba’al, the golden calf, and the Tower of Babel, anyone?!  
-calliope

Buy THE PRAYERS OF AGNES SPARROW

Wow, another great read coming from Charles Belfoure! If you haven’t already, you should give this new (to the world of fiction at least) author a read! I loved his first novel, The Paris Architect (reviewed here), and I was so excited to learn he had published a another story! Now, these two books are not related in any way, plot wise, so you can easily read in any order.

In House of Thieves, we are sucked into 1886, New York City. Post Civil War, pre Statue of Liberty, Belfoure provides a look at the emerging players of the city. We have John Cross, who is distantly related to none other than the Astor family. Living a comfortable life as an architect, with the comfort of knowing that he can fall back on his familial ties to the “old money” of New York, John never thinks that his world can become the polar opposite to his current life.

I’m no historian, but the historical references in this novel are absolutely fascinating; Belfoure seems to have really done his research and that pays off tenfold. We are presented with a vivid glimpse of New York City in a time when the entire country was still recovering from the Civil War, and money and reputations were rife. I really learnt a lot, and now I really want to find more stories set within this time period.

Like I found when reading The Paris Architect, Belfoure really knows how to flesh out his characters. We have an interesting concoction gangsters, privileged debutantes, and everyday people. Even though their class structures were vastly separated, that doesn’t stop Belfoure from seamlessly intertwining them, and, as a result, producing a fascinating and thrilling read.

If you’ve read The Paris Architect, you’ll want to give this one a read! If you’ve not read either of them, you can get them here: The Paris Architect: A Novel and here: House of Thieves: A Novel

Until next time ~

Pegasus.

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts.”

When you hear William Shakespeare being mentioned, you may conjure up horrid memories of forced Romeo and Juliet readings in school, or the random Lawrence Olivier production that you caught on TV one time.   However, we need to should give Mr S. some props; I cannot think (and this is obviously purely opinion) of any writer that has left such a legacy that could match or surpass that of Shakespeare’s.  You, of course, may disagree, and I love differing opinions, so please let me know!

Today is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.   In his time he wrote 36 plays – spanning many different genres, around 154 sonnets, may poems, and performed for 2 different monarchs!

Shakespeare was the chameleon of writers; 16th and 17th century England wasn’t exactly known for its liberal stance on censorship.  Shakespeare had to perform a delicate balancing act of observing the status quo, both politically and legally, and actually writing what he wanted to write.  Much like many of us I imagine, Shakespeare rather preferred to keep his head!

Even though Shakespeare wrote many wonderful plays, my personal favorite has to be King Lear.   This, to me, is his most “human play”.   It focuses on family, what it means to be a family, and indeed the consequences of flouting the strict societal and legal rules of the time.    There is commentary on old age, primogeniture, parent-child relationships, misogyny, class, justice, nature and human cost.    This play runs the whole gauntlet and it is perhaps his most contemporary of plays.

To help celebrate this anniversary, we are giving away a copy of this beautiful book 

In order to be in a chance of winning, simply leave a comment describing your favorite play by Shakespeare.   Alternatively, you can also comment with your least favorite!   The person that gives the most passionate plead (either for or against a play) will win.  As I may be biased, I will ask one of my muses to pick.

Good luck, and happy reading!

Pegasus.

Since it is approaching the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we thought it’d be interesting to get an idea of your favorite plays!    Tomorrow will feature a commemorative post, where you will get a chance to win a beautifully illustrated book of Shakespeare plays by E.B Nesbit!     For now though, please let us know what is your favorite play, and if it isn’t listed, leave a comment!