50 books
Nearly there now, with a total of 49/50. Reviews of the following books are under the cut:
'Fragile Things' by Neil Gaiman
'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman
'One Day' by David Nicholls
'Fragile Things' by Neil Gaiman
This is a short story collection, full of the types of tales Gaiman is famous for - sppoky, supernatural, fantastical, horror - he covers all the bases. Most of these I actually read several months ago now, so it's difficult to recall them in detail. The reason for the long gap? The final story is sequel to 'American Gods' - hence I had to buy and read that first! I did find this a little annoying, as I prefer books to be stand-alones (unless obviously advertised and marketed as a series). That aside, this was a good read. 4/5
'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman
So, I basically read this to be able to finish 'Fragile Things'! It is a great book anyway (although a bit of a brick) and I am glad this gave me the impetus to buy it and read it, otherwise I may have been put off by the size. The story follows Shadow as he leaves prison and becomes entangled in the shady, murky existence of gods both old and new. This book has won many awards in several different genres - it sort of defies description! 5/5
'One Day' by David Nicholls
One of my friends read this as the film was released, and then essentially badgered me about it until I agreed to give it a go. I'm glad I did - part romance, part life chronicle, the story focuses of Emma and Dex, from the night they meet in 1988 (just after their graduation) to twenty years later. It's a really interesting look at their lives, with each chapter covering a single day (15th July) every year - this unusual structure allows Nicholls to cover the amount of time without getting slow or stale. Immensely readable (I finished half of it in one sitting on a train), this book definitely lives up to the hype. 5/5
Total: 49/50
'Fragile Things' by Neil Gaiman
'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman
'One Day' by David Nicholls
'Fragile Things' by Neil Gaiman
This is a short story collection, full of the types of tales Gaiman is famous for - sppoky, supernatural, fantastical, horror - he covers all the bases. Most of these I actually read several months ago now, so it's difficult to recall them in detail. The reason for the long gap? The final story is sequel to 'American Gods' - hence I had to buy and read that first! I did find this a little annoying, as I prefer books to be stand-alones (unless obviously advertised and marketed as a series). That aside, this was a good read. 4/5
'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman
So, I basically read this to be able to finish 'Fragile Things'! It is a great book anyway (although a bit of a brick) and I am glad this gave me the impetus to buy it and read it, otherwise I may have been put off by the size. The story follows Shadow as he leaves prison and becomes entangled in the shady, murky existence of gods both old and new. This book has won many awards in several different genres - it sort of defies description! 5/5
'One Day' by David Nicholls
One of my friends read this as the film was released, and then essentially badgered me about it until I agreed to give it a go. I'm glad I did - part romance, part life chronicle, the story focuses of Emma and Dex, from the night they meet in 1988 (just after their graduation) to twenty years later. It's a really interesting look at their lives, with each chapter covering a single day (15th July) every year - this unusual structure allows Nicholls to cover the amount of time without getting slow or stale. Immensely readable (I finished half of it in one sitting on a train), this book definitely lives up to the hype. 5/5
Total: 49/50