Mike Gayle’s latest book, The Man I Think I Know, tells the story of James and Danny. Both stars at school, their lives have both gone wrong. They meet again at a respite centre, where Danny is working a care assistant and James is being cared for because of his Acquired Brain Injury. It’s a warm, funny […]
Books
The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale and My Fear of Broken Toys
The Toymakers is a long, sweeping story, following the life of young runaway Cathy from 1907 to 1953. Pregnant, she flees home, answering an advert in the paper asking for shop-hands at Papa Jack’s Emporium, a magical toy shop open only from first frost to first thaw. Rescued by Papa Jack’s two sons, Cathy is […]
A Monster Calls
It is the 27th of December, and as we spent the 26th flying from Yorkshire to Northern Ireland, then doing a second Christmas celebration with my husband’s family, it somehow feels like double Boxing Day. It is one of those cosy, comfortable mornings where no one is doing anything in particular so you can read […]
Time of the Month – August 2017
Oh, readers. I am so rubbish at blogging, and for that I can only apologise. I’d promise to do better in the future, but that is my New Month Resolution pretty much every month and yet it never happens. But let’s try again… In Reading Dark Places by Gillian Flynn My GOD Gillian Flynn’s other […]
Dragon’s Green by Scarlett Thomas
I’ve loved Scarlett Thomas for a long time. I first read The End Of Mr Y as a student – thrilled at its weirdness, its boldness. She wrote my favourite book on writing, Monkeys With Typewriters, which I read every year. So, as a heads up, I wasn’t going into this review entirely neutral. I […]
The Buffy Binge – Xander Nearly Shags An Insect
Welcome, one and all, and Happy Buffy Day to you. For it was on this day, exactly twenty years ago, that we all first saw the glory that was the feminist icon of the Slayer. Except me, obviously, because I live in the UK. I saw it three years later, when it finally aired on […]
The Buffy Binge – The Promise of the Premise
Welcome, one and all, and Happy Buffy Day to you. For it was on this day, exactly twenty years ago, that we all first saw the glory that was the feminist icon of the Slayer. Except me, obviously, because I live in the UK. I saw it three years later, when it finally aired on […]
The Buffy Binge – The Fight Begins
Welcome, one and all, and Happy Buffy Day to you. For it was on this day, exactly twenty years ago, that we all first saw the glory that was the feminist icon of the Slayer. Except me, obviously, because I live in the UK. I saw it three years later, when it finally aired on […]
Twelve Favourites From My Bookshelf
I don’t know how you organise your books – some people do it by colour, alphabetically, by category… I organise my books much more according to emotion and the rules of chaos. Most specifically, I have a shelf, which is high up in my bedroom, and reserved for favourites. The books people are not allowed […]
Doing Your Tax Return Isn’t That Bad
“Are you serious about this? Then get an accountant.” – Hilary Mantel’s top tip for writing. People really do wang on about doing their tax returns, especially in creative circles. The way people talk about it, you’d think you had to fill out the form in Russian, in triplicate, halfway up Everest. As a consequence […]