Month: June 2019

Book Review: Literary Trails: Haworth and the Brontes

Authors: David F Walford & Catherine Rayner
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Pages: 274

This book is perfect for anyone who loves to holiday abroad and keep on their feet. It’s rich in history and will provide the perfect guide to the town that homes the famous Bronte sisters.

It opens with a number of introductory chapters, including one that gives a little more detail about the Brontes and one that gives you a basic guide to walking safely. Something like this will be perfect for those new to rambling and walking tours in rural locations.

The bulk of the book is a treasure trove of walking tours, written in a way that even someone like me can follow without fault. I almost want an audio book of each chapter to complete the walk. Each walk is complete with a map of the location, photos and OS co-ordinates. This would be perfect for any family wanting to develop their map reading skills and children’s understanding of OS co-ordinates ensuring they have fun and develop skills that will be valuable for those who take Geography for GCSE.

Blog Tour: Beauty Sleep by Kathryn Evans

About:
Laura was dying. There was no cure for her illness. So her family decided to grasp a desperate last hope – Laura was frozen until she could be cured.
But what happens when you wake up one day and the world has moved on forty years? Your best friend is middle-aged, your parents presumed dead. Could you find a new place to belong? Could you build a new life – while solving the mystery of what happened to the old one?
Dark secrets lurk in the future of the girl from the past…

Characters

Lara and Shem are two very lonely characters that are very much disenfranchised from the world in which they live. While Shem simply tries to hide and live an easy life, Lara is thrown into a life she’s not sure she’s ready for.
Lara is someone everyone should relate to on one level or another. She’s the perfect companion for navigating this futuristic world. 

Story

It’s a glorious mystery thriller with a retro, Stranger Things, vibe. The bulk of the story is told from the perspective of Lara, but we get snippets of the life Shem to keep the narrative flowing.

The asymmetry of the duel narrative works really well to keep the reader off balance and on edge; the perfect feels for a thrilling read. It’s pace slows just enough in parts for you to catch your breath and contemplate what you’d do if you were Lara.

Just like with an episode of Black Mirror, you think you’ve got everything figured out and the rug is pulled from right under you. It doesn’t matter if you prepare for the fall you because it’s all part of the amazing ride.

Writing

The first person writing allows the reader to feel the claustrophobic challenges both Lara and Shem face. Being told from the perspective of our main characters removes the omniscient voice that would solve the mystery. It also allows the reader to relate to either, or both, Lara and Shem.

Final Thoughts

I could not get through this book fast enough. It’s the perfect read to take the edge off the wait for Stranger Things and Black Mirror to gift us with new episodes.