Helen Dunmore was a prolific writer of both children's and adult fiction. She sadly passed away recently after a battle with cancer. Birdcage Walk was her last work of fiction. She states at the end of the book that even though she knew she was ill during the writing of the book, she didn't realise how ill. I think that once I knew this, I myself became aware of the many mentions of mortality, and how you are remembered after you die, and this may have affected my enjoyment of it. It was very dark and sombre - I can't say morbid, because that would infer I took no enjoyment out of it. I found the first half of the book slightly laborious; I was willing for something to happen. It wasn't until about the second half that I began to race through it a bit quicker.
The story is set in Bristol, while in France the French Revolution is under way. Lizzie's husband, Diner, is a builder and he is working on a terrace of upmarket houses overlooking the Avon Gorge. However, is business is bleak, and is set to become bleaker as the Revolution in France spreads its terror across Europe. Meanwhile, Lizzie's mother and stepfather take a keen interest in the actions of the revolutionaries, being careful not to speak out loud where their loyalties lie. With Diner spiralling into bankruptcy, depression and jealousy, how can Lizzie escape the inevitability of the crisis that is looming?
Please make sure you also read Helen Dunmore's 'Exposure'. It is a brilliant story of blackmail, lies and deception.
I hadn't read any Salman Rushdie books before I came to this one. I know it sounds absurd, but since The Satanic Verses and the threats on his life, I've had a slight fear over his novels. Would they be too political for me, too intelligent?
Well, in The Golden House, he certainly is the latter two things, but it didn't stop me enjoying the book immensely. He throws literary, historical, cinematic and mythological references into nearly every sentence, many of which I hadn't heard! He is certainly a well-educated man, and the book a huge literary feast. The utmost care has been taken over every sentence - no noun or adjective has been misused. Sure, I might've glazed over on some paragraphs because the descriptions were just too much for my brain to cope with on one go, but overall it is a beauty of a book.
Nero Golden arrives in America with his three sons during the period of the inauguration of Obama. They all refuse to say where they have come from and the reason they left. But they bring with them power, money and danger. The story of their downfall is told by one of their neighbours, Rene Unterlinden, who is trying to find an idea for a film - and he finds it in the Goldens. This is an epic tale of Indian and American history and politics - the appearance of presidential wannabes the Joker and Bat Girl will have you grinning and wincing at the same time.
It may be over 400 pages long, but this book will drag you in and under, and you won't come up for air until the last page.
A couple of light hearted facts for you - did you know that in his early career Salman Rushdie was a copywriter for an advertising agency, and he was the one who came up with 'irresistibubble' for Aero, 'naughty but nice' for cream cakes, and 'that'll do nicely' for American Express?
I like a good ghost story, and this definitely had the beginnings of one, but there was too much unnecessary stuff in there to wade through for it to become a good book for me.
Eleanor and Richard have moved into an old Victorian house in London, perfect for doing up and making their own. The previous owners wanted a quick sale, and Richard and Eleanor's offer was immediately accepted. They take on a lodger, Zoe, for their basement flat to help with the mortgage. But then Eleanor soon becomes aware that something is not right in the house, especially upstairs in one of the bedrooms. All the walls have the name 'Emily' scrawled all over them, the room feels airless, and a terrible smell of rot is permeating through the house. Soon Eleanor becomes sick with headaches, which only disappear when she leaves the house, and one their two small children starts acting strangely. Eleanor tries to find ways to convince Richard that something is not right, but will he listen before it's too late?
Now, if that had been the whole story, I would've enjoyed it more, but instead I had to wade through Zoe's personal background, her work, her relationships, all of which had absolutely nothing to do with the story apart from adding a bad vibe to the house. Richard is incredibly annoying, not only because he steadfastly refuses to accept Eleanor's complaints about the house, but he has a weird fetish for going into Zoe's room when she's not there, which I never understood. And would anyone actually buy a house which gives them the creeps, and had a room with a child's name scrawled over the walls, and scratches on the door? There was too much in this book that annoyed me for me to enjoy it.
