REVIEW: COLD COMFORT FARM- Stella Gibbons

Sorry it has been a while since I've written; the usual excuses apply!

Cold Comfort Farm was a present from my housemate Rosh, and also happens to be one of her favourite books. There's always a little bit of pressure when reading a book that somebody loves so much, but I'm happy to say that Stella Gibbons' novel more than lived up to the hype.

What makes this book so great? Character, character, character- although ironically, I was not a fan of the lead character in the first chapter. Then again, I think that's the whole point- you are meant to think the nineteen year old Flora Poste is careless and conceited, so that her transformation into Saviour of the Starkadders is even more dramatic.

The basic plot- Flora Poste, having recently lost both of her parents, has the startling realisation that she soon might have to get a job (shock, horror- this is what annoyed me about her!). Instead of finding employment, she decides to track down an obscure relative, and stay with them a while; out of three possibilities, the Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm seemed to be the most intriguing, with their insistence that they must pay back their dues after the wrong they commited against Flora's father. From here on in, the prim and proper Flora arrives at the farm, and decides to change the lives of the Starkadders from within, one family member at a time.

Stella Gibbons' characerisation is truly wonderful- you really get the sense of each character's past, present, and even future in the space of a paragraph. The descriptions of both people and the farm itself are detailed without being over-indulgent- just what you want for a crystal clear picture. What's even better, the author herself has 'starred' the passages that she thought she had written the best; hat a fantastic- if audacious- thing to do! I did not actually realise she has done this until I had finished the book- I'm just going to have to read it again!

So, in a nutshell? Funny, quirky, filled with wonderful characters...a true gem of a novel.

By the way, am back to reading real books again- nothing against the Kindle, I guess I just have missed the feel of turning those paper pages, and bending back the book's spine...

REVIEW: FISH CHANGE DIRECTION IN COLD WEATHER- Pierre Szalowski

Now I'm working full time at Waterstones, I really have a chance to get my teeth into all of the new fiction out there. When this book appeared in the staffroom, I couldn't resist picking it up, with its quirky title and colourful cover. On this occasion, I'm glad that I judged a book by its cover. I enjoyed this book just as much as that other eccentric book I read recently, The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared- and I actually think the two novels have a lot of similarities. Both present fantastical circumstances in a very realistic light, with genuinely funny moments found in both the unusual characters themselves, and events that turn out too good to be true.

In Montreal, a ten-year-old boy, the narrator of half the novel's chapters, finds his world turned upside down when his parents decide to divorce. Desperate for some resolution, he does what any boy would do in that situation, and asks the sky to help him. When a severe ice storm hits the city, the boy cannot believe his luck- or his power to actually change the weather! What ensues is a fantastic farce, where a stripper takes in a fish-obsessed Russian phD student, and a gay couple invite an angry neighbour into their home. You will not believe the conclusions that arise from these unlikely meetings- but, as I said before, that's what makes this book so wonderful. I love weird and wacky characters in novels, and Szalowski certainly offers us a fair share of them, while still making them easy to relate to.

A simple, surreal, yet very satisfying read- I was sorry that it finished so quickly. My next read is something very different- Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. After that, I'm looking to read a good sci-fi novel...it's not usually a genre that I delve into, but as always, I want to be proven wrong. 

My New Year's Travelutions...

...sometimes I like to think I'm Lewis Carroll and make up words!

Since I've cut down to just the one job, I've had a little time for some reflection about what I want from the next year. You all know where my brain goes when it gets a chance to wander...here, there and everywhere. 2013 has to be the year where I take advantage of living in one of the world's most aestheically, gastronimically and historically diverse continents. Here are the top five European destinations that I would love to visit this year, even if it ends up bankrupting me...

1. Slovakia

Skulking in the shadows of the Czech Republic, pictures I have seen of Slovakia's natural beauty always take me a little by surprise. What other gems are hiding in this dark horse of a country? 

2. Turkey

This far-eastern country has been on my list for a while, but working at Travel the Unknown has fuelled this even more. Goebleki Tepi just sounds incredible- I can't believe that this ancient temple dates back from 9,000B.C...two centuries before the first city was created! Even if I could just manage a city break to the dynamically cosmopolitan Istanbul, I will be one happy girl.

3. Sweden

Now that we've visited Finland, my appetite has been whetted for the rest of Scandinavia. Patrick has hinted of a summer road trip in this region, starting in Denmark and ending up in Sweden. I am unbelievably keen for this, especially after seeing how cheap flights are to this region. Who knows, maybe we'll even catch a hockey game?...

4. Ireland

I know, I know- living in England and never having been to Ireland is like never having said hello to your next door neighbour. I've been to a fair few "Irish" pubs across the world- I want a pint of Guinness in a real Irish pub, served by Irish barmen I only half understand.

5. Iceland

Feeling my flesh tingle as I sit in a burning hot pool in ice-cool surroundings...one experience that I\m hoping Iceland can offer me. That's even before the Northern Lights, or the chance to visit the world's most northernmost city.

On second thought, maybe I will make this list a 2 year plan. Right, I'm off to check flights on Skyscanner...