A Taste for Death - PD James - Four *

This is my second PD James and has proved a very different read and style to the first.

Having finished this book I found it quite an experience. The reader knows the killer for far longer than I am used to with who dunnits and the story line is complete and well rounded.

I have to say that despite my enjoyment of the read I wouldn't read another. Because? Well although the book was extremely well written and complete, I just found it too long in the getting there. It's a me thing and should not reflect in anyway on the book.

I did enjoy it, but not all experiences should be repeated.

Legend of a Suicide by David Vann - Four *

I read a lot of humourous books (Pratchett, Holt, Robert Rankin) although not exclusively humour. This book is the best, non humour book I have read in a long time! If you read no more of this review then at least try this book.

The synopsis of the book does not reflect the book I read. It is a story about a suicide. Or two? We keep shifting perspectives and see the story though a different view point although mostly narrated by the same 'person'. It is not comfortable inside the narrators head, but it is strangely compelling. Despite the discomfort I had to read this and enjoyed it immensely.

Having felt the twists in the middle, I may not read it again, however I may - to try to get a better understanding of how all the strands fit together.

Thank you David Vann - you really entertained me.

Chalcot Crescent by Fay Weldon - Three *

I started reading my first Fay Weldon and very quickly became very involved and intrigued by the plot and it's setting. It was unusual in the way it was set in a future 'now', but not so very far future 'now'.

At one point the main character, Frances - who is written as narrator - invites you to put the book down, give up and do something else and this I found I could not do.

However later the pace slows and phrases are repeated from earlier in the book. Whether this is suppose...more I started reading my first Fay Weldon and very quickly became very involved and intrigued by the plot and it's setting. It was unusual in the way it was set in a future 'now', but not so very far future 'now'.

At one point the main character, Frances - who is written as narrator - invites you to put the book down, give up and do something else and this I found I could not do.

However later the pace slows and phrases are repeated from earlier in the book. Whether this is supposed to reflect the age of the 80 year old Frances, or whether it is just a padding technique I don't know, but I believed Frances to be very lucid for an 80 year old and these things irritated me.

All in all an enjoyable book.