Review: 'The Shadow Hour' by Kate Riordan

'All governesses have a tale of woe. What's yours?'

Governesses, you say? Mysterious houses and sullen employers? Where do I sign up?! That was basically my thought process when I saw The Shadow Hour. Ever since reading Jane Eyre and Agnes Grey, I have a Bronte-inspired love for novels about governesses. They are the perfect vehicles for authors to explore family relations, class difference and bring in some supernatural or mysterious tones. However, not every novel strikes that perfect balance. So while I happily delved into The Shadow Hour, I finished it slightly confused. Thanks to Penguin - Michael Joseph and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Pub. Date: 25/02/2016
Publisher: Penguin UK - Michael Joseph

Nineteen twenty-two. Grace has been sent to the stately and crumbling Fenix House to follow in her grandmother's footsteps as a governess. But when she meets the house's inhabitants, people who she had only previously heard of in stories, the cracks in her grandmother's tale begin to show. Secrets appear to live in the house's very walls and everybody is resolutely protecting their own.

Why has she been sent here? Why did her grandmother leave after just one summer? And as the past collides with the present, can Grace unravel these secrets and discover who her grandmother, and who she, really is?

The Shadow Hour is told through two different timelines. On the one hand there is Grace, a young woman living in 1922, who is sent to Fenix House as a governess by the gentle order of her grandmother, Harriet, who was once a governess there herself. Harriet's tale, set 50 years prior, forms the second timeline. Grace was raised on stories of Fenix house, making her new residence and employers strangely familiar and yet uncanny as well. As the novel moves between Grace and Harriet's timelines, more and more is revealed about Fenix House, its inhabitants and how Grace and Harriet belong there. Riordan manages to make Harriet and Grace feel quite different, despite being in almost exactly the same situation. Although Harriet's tale is, for a long time, the more interesting one, it is Grace's desire to finally found out what happened at Fenix House that the reader most identifies with. At times Riordan purposefully leaves the reader in the dark, while at other times filling the reader in while leaving Grace in the dark. It creates a nice balance that keeps the novel engaging.

The Shadow Hour only slightly touches upon the England outside of Fenix House. This actively makes the reader feel the isolation of the characters in Fenix House, but sometimes also threatens to make the novel feel a little bit like  a rehash. The First World War is only a vague shadow in the background, addressed here and there but not crucial to the plot. Rather, it is another example of how England has changed between the time of Grace's stay at Fenix House and her grandmother's stay. The same goes for mentions of the colonies, especially India. There, but also not. (Although I did immensely enjoy and appreciate the presence of the Suffragettes in the novel.) Something that receives a lot more attention is the idea of class. Both Grace and her grandmother Harriet walk a fine line as a governess. While their station is clearly above that of maids and cooks, they are also not the family's equals. Both struggle to find their place and both deal with this in different ways.

Sometimes a book manages to leave you both content and conflicted. The Shadow Hour is one of those books for me. It took me a while to really get into it, to enjoy the switching between the different timelines and get invested in either of the stories. Once it got me though, I was very intrigued and desperately wanted to know how the stories would meet, eventually. And then in the end, although almost all the t's were crossed and almost all the i's were dotted, I was left wondering. Had all the questions been answered? Was the plot wrapped up too quickly? And how did I feel about the characters now? Did I have any inclination of what would happen after the end? Sometimes it's nice to be left wondering, to have a novel leave you with questions you can mull over and which make you want to reread the novel almost immediately. But they have to be the right kind of questions, the ones that are slightly existential in nature. Sadly, these aren't the kind of questions that The Shadow Hour leaves open.

Riordan's writing is at times beautifully visual. She brings Fenix House and its inhabitants to life with stunning descriptions of the house, its gardens, the costumes and the atmosphere. Luscious in Harriet's time, the decay of the house in Grace's time feels much more real. Rioridan manages to infuse her governess tale with a lot of different elements, bringing in some mysterious and some supernatural tones. This consistently, and thankfully, shakes up the narrative. As history repeats itself in Grace's story, Riordan mostly manages to make the same events still feel interesting. With how the story is set up, however, it is almost inevitable that at times it feels a bit repetitive. Although these are all minor gripes, it means that the end of the novel felt a little bit unsatisfactory. While Riordan ties all the different stories together into a nice bow, it seems too easy of an ending. I'd have likes for her to have spent a little bit more time describing how the characters go on.

I give this novel...

3 Universes!

Once I got into The Shadow Hour I very much enjoyed it. Governesses will always hold a special place in my heart and I'll remember The Shadow Hour fondly. It touches upon some of the best staples of the genre, even if it doesn't always hit all the notes. I'd recommend this to fans Gothic literature and Women's Fiction.

Review: 'A Whole New World' by Liz Braswell

Who doesn't love Disney movies? I mean, sure, sometimes they're so sugary sweet you want to gag, but they are also intrinsically linked to many of our childhoods in a way that is only rivalled by the Harry Potter books. It is us 20-something year old millennials who are queuing up for Finding Dory and hosting Disney movie nights. And Disney is stepping up its game in bringing out better and better movies (yes, I'm talking about Moana, it's awesome!). So, being as tied to Disney as I am, of course I had to read A Whole New World, an adaptation of the classic Aladdin. And boy was I positively surprised! Thanks to Disney Book Group and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 01/09/2015
Publisher: Disney Book Group

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version of Aladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie? When Jafar steals the Genie's lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.  

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

Adaptations aren't easy, especially when the source material is as beloved as the 1992 Aladdin that gave us Robin Williams as the Genie. Him, more than anything, made this movie a favourite for many children, his sheer enthusiasm and spirit making the Genie an unforgettable character. How do you go about adapting a fairy tale so classic, or any Disney-adapted fairy tale really? Liz Braswell set out to adapt a number of fairytales but with a crucial twist. She calls this series Twisted Tales and has adapted Aladdin, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. This may genuinely be one of the cleverest ways to adapt age old tales; change an aspect and change the whole story. Explore what the characters would do in vastly different situations that are still set in a familiar world.

When A Whole New World started I was a little bit skeptical. It seemed to be following the film way too closely for my liking, even down to dialogue it seemed. Sure, we got some more insight into especially Aladdin's personality, but would that be enough to carry a whole novel? Would the change mentioned in the blurb be enough to actually make this book stand alone? Thankfully, from the moment Aladdin enters the cave, A Whole New World really takes off. Each of the characters now develops along a completely different path and the novel is a lot more complex because of it. Braswell manages to address a whole range of utterly important topics in a book meant for the years 12 and up. Braswell uses Aladdin's position as a street rat to show the face of poverty, the lack of options and choices, the stark divide between the rich and poor within a single city. How should a good sultana look after her people, what should a good government do? How does power corrupt, and is anyone incorruptible? I was consistently and positively surprised every time that Braswell managed to introduce one of these topics and let it resonate within her story. It is social commentary done right for a younger audience, not too obvious or didactic but clear enough that young minds can walk away inspired.

I need to dedicate a few words to how much I loved Jasmine in A Whole New World. While she is an interesting character in Aladdin, she is also a lone female figure in a male world and therefore can't be as active as she would wish. Braswell gives her a lot more agency in a way that never feels disingenuous. As an only daughter without a mother, Jasmine is headstrong and has made sure to educate herself as far as possible. Braswell allows for her to be smart and strong, outspoken and decisive without ever letting male characters "allow" this. As the blurb says, 'a princess becomes a revolutionary' and I loved every second of it. Also, unlike Aladdin, Jasmine isn't the only female character in A Whole New World. There are some people moments with other female characters in this book which made me want to cheer! I would quote some of them but that would be spoiling the fun.

Braswell's writing is perfect for the age she is aiming for, without limiting herself to a children's audience. In this way she definitely does follow in Walt Disney's footsteps, whose movies somehow only get better with age. She describes the fictional Agrabah beautifully, has some great twists and turns and builds up anticipation very well throughout the novel. Although Jafar occasionally feels a little bit like a cliche villain, even he gets a hint at a more extensive backstory. Braswell isn't afraid to go dark, to add real danger to her story and, for once, this danger doesn't feel fake. You're genuinely not entirely sure all her characters will survive until the end. There are real moments of deep emotion, as well as light moments of humour and fun, balancing each other out very well. Here I also must admit to getting a bit emotional while reading about the Genie. I still miss Robin Williams and I adored the way Braswell paid homage to his amazing incarnation of the Genie, as far as she could within her own take on the taleI can't wait to dig into the rest of her Twisted Tales series, if this is what I can expect from Braswell.

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

I really loved A Whole New World! It was a great take on a beloved classic which added a lot to Disney's tale. I adore how she changed the tale and how she trusted her readers to be able to grapple with some rather serious issues. More authors should trust their readers that way, no matter their age. I'd recommend this to fans of Disney's Aladdin, fairy tale adaptations and YA fiction.

Review: 'Alice in Brexitland' by Lucien Young

Brexit is one of the most defining political events in, at least, European history since the creation of the European Union. Whereas the latter ushered in a time of ever closer bonds and peace, the former has set off a period of unrest, disenchantment and anger. All throughout the Western world discontent is spreading and the popular vote seems to swing to the right side of the spectrum, although there seems to be a recent return to sanity. Swiftly followed by the election of Donald Tr*mp in America, Brexit is casting long shadows over Britain. So how do you deal with a situation like that? Well, if you're British, it includes a lot of humour and satire.

Pub. Date: 01/06/2017
Publisher: Ebury Press

Lying on a riverbank on a lazy summer’s afternoon – 23rd June 2016, to be precise – Alice spots a flustered-looking white rabbit called Dave calling for a referendum. Following him down a rabbit-hole, she emerges into a strange new land, where up is down, black is white, experts are fools and fools are experts... 

She meets such characters as the Corbynpillar, who sits on a toadstool smoking his hookah and being no help to anyone; Humpty Trumpty, perched on a wall he wants the Mexicans to pay for; the Cheshire Twat, who likes to disappear leaving only his grin, a pint, and the smell of scotch eggs remaining; and the terrifying Queen of Heartlessness, who’ll take off your head if you dare question her plan for Brexit. Will Alice ever be able to find anyone who speaks sense?

So how do you move on when you feel like the country you love is sinking further and further down the Brexit-hole? You find the similarities to one of England's most beloved Classics and write a hilarious book. Or at least, that's the way Young found. It is a typically British book, in many ways. The dark humour, the exasperation, the throwaway nods, the biting social commentary, Alice in Brexitland couldn't be more British. From dedicating it to David Cameron to Alice's immediate disgust to Tr*mp, Young never ones loses his sharpness and humour. This novella is also beautifully illustrated by Ollie Man, his drawings being hilarious, fitting and perfectly in sink with the illustrations we know and love from Alice in Wonderland.

Young tackles almost all the major characters in the Brexit drama and finds their perfect equivalent in Carroll's Wonderland. Jeremy Corbyn is the slightly aloof and puzzling Caterpillar, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove are Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Donald Tr*mp is Humpty Dumpty, etc. It makes so much sense in how overdrawn it is that it's a miracle no one thought about it before. It is cathartic to read such an over-the-top story about the mess that is Brexit, even when some of Young's points strike a little bit too close to home. What is the meaning of truth post the Brexit debate and the Tr*mp election? Did the Leave campaign have any plans for after the referendum or is their best bet really to hurl us all to the sun and go down in a blaze of glory? For as long as this novella lasts, Alice in Brexitland can make you slightly forget just how much is up in the air right now, replacing worries with laughs. But in a surprisingly heartfelt finale, Young's Alice does pull at the heartstrings with her pleas for sanity.

Young's writing is a great combination between a tribute to Lewis Carroll and a satire on contemporary political discourse. On the one hand there is the beautiful, nonsensical prose of Alice in Wonderland with its strange words and phrases, while on the other hand there is the disconcerting, frightening prose of Tr*mp, Farage and co. with their strange words and phrases.The fact that Carroll can make sense in his writing, reveal truth by seemingly obscuring it, while many politicians nowaday make no sense in their attempts to obscure the whole concept of truth, is incredibly saddening. Young combines Carroll's sense of humour and fun, with the reality of Brexit and creates a hilarious mishmash of seriously worrying statements by the Cheshire Twat (Farage), over-the-top yet accurate caricatures of the Tea Party, and a befuddled Alice who just wants a straight answer for once. There are many laugh out loud moments in Alice in Brexitland, not least of all whenever a poem or song rears its head. Released at the beginning of this month, I'm almost saddened by the fact Young couldn't factor in the recent General Election, bringing along the downfall of his Heartless Queen and the rise of the Corbynpillar. But perhaps this means there is now room for a sequel? Alice Through the Brexit-Glass?

I give this novella...

4 Universes!

Although rather short, Alice in Brexitland is a delight! Excellently thought through, Young writes the perfect satire for Brexit England, never letting up on his scrutiny of our politicians. However, this book will make you crave for an escape from the Brexithole. I'd recommend this to those interested in contemporary English politics and in an escape from those very same politics.

Review: 'These Mortals' by Margaret Irwin

I felt in the need for something different, something magical and something old. And Margaret Irwin delivered all of this with These Mortals. First published in 1925, These Mortals tells a magical story, all while commenting on humanity with a sharp insight. Also, this novel reminded me once again why parables are actually fascinating reads, when well done. I almost wish I had read this as a child, but adult me is also very pleased to have discovered it now. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 27/03/2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

A powerful Enchanter, Aldebaran, discoverer of the precious Elixir of Eternal Youth, is tired of playing with the lives of men and retires to his beautiful kingdom located on the path between the earth and the moon. There, he passes his time educating his beautiful daughter, Melusine, in the intricate profession of sorcery; his only worry is that she should never experience the misery of the mortal world.

Melusine, like most children, is deaf to her father’s cautionary words and longs to see life on the mysterious planet at the end of the moon path. One day she disobeys Alderbaran and uses her magic powers to descend to Earth, landing in the peculiar kingdom ruled by the Emperor Eminondas. Melusine’s uncommon beauty causes stir among the royals and courtiers, and she soon finds herself entangled in complicated triangles and love intrigues. Unaccustomed to the etiquette and politics of the court, Melusine uses her magic powers to aid her pilgrimage among humans, but what worked well in the kingdom of her father results in some unexpected complications in the earthly empire.

These Mortals, first published in 1925, tells an enchanting tale of Melusine’s strange incursion into the world of humans where she experiences, for the first time, feelings of love, jealousy and loneliness. These Mortals, written with charm and humour, is a truly enjoyable parable which explores, through fantasy and gentle mockery, some of the ever-puzzling paradoxes of human behaviour.

I always love discovering books from the past. It is something I discovered in my first year at University, that some of the most popular authors of previous decades, even centuries, are virtually unknown to readers now. They could have outsold Charles Dickens or Victor Hugo, but time has not been kind to them. Of course the reason many of these are forgotten is because they are the 18th century equivalent of 50 Shades of Grey, shocking and interesting at the moment but hardly a literary masterpiece that gets to the core of what it is to be human. At University I encountered a number of these "forgotten" best-sellers and it was fascinating to dip into them. Not all of them were as enjoyable as These Mortals, however. Now, Margaret Irwin isn't entirely forgotten, and she definitely hasn't cast aside because her writing wasn't any good. Rather, she is buried under decades of new releases and changing reader preferences. Adult fairy-tales, what These Mortals is categorised as, were not really "in" for very long time, they are definitely making a return and Irwin's beautiful novel should be at the very front of the queue.

Irwin's These Mortals is a parable, a didactic story which illustrates certain principles or lessons. Think of most Bible tales, such as 'The Return of the Prodigal Son', or famous tales like 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'. They are relatively straight to the point and at the end you've been taught a lesson. Although perhaps nothing could sound drearier, parables make for some of the most fascinating and long lasting stories. They can be absolutely beautiful and iconic and authors have created true masterpieces. Andersen's 'The Emperor's New Clothes' comes to mind here. Irwin's These Mortals is much more similar to Andersen's tale than to Bible tales. She writes a lyrically beautiful story about a half-fairy, half-mortal maiden who encounters the human world and all it brings with it for the first time. Melusine, naive in a way that is charming rather than annoying, encounters deceit, love, heartbreak, fashion and betrayal for the first time and Irwin takes each of these and uses them to comment on the nature of humans. Many of the characters around Melusine are quite despicable at times, and yet their behaviour is also so recognisable to us mere mortals that we can't help but understand them. There is an incredible skill behind writing about humans like this, and Irwin makes it seem easy. She also makes it seem beautiful. These Mortals is steeped in beautiful images, with fairies that are half snake, shells that get turned into ships, and maidens who dance on moonbeams. I'm still thinking about these moments.

I absolutely adored Margaret Irwin's writing. There is something beautifully enchanting about how she weaves her words together. The pace of the novel is very calm, taking its time with Melusine's experiences in the human world, stepping aside for the experiences of the other characters, and never rushing ahead to a big twist or turn. To be cliche, These Mortals runs like a smooth river, delightfully refreshing and invigorating. Irwin also delights in commenting upon her characters in a way that reminded me almost of Jane Austen. Many first time Austen readers mistake her for being sugary sweet and quaint, missing the almost biting observations she makes between the lines. Please read the opening line of Pride & Prejudice with a sarcasm-heavy voice and tell me again it is not meant to be sarcastic. Similarly, Irwin is constantly commenting on her characters, bringing to light the things they would probably prefer to leave in the shadows, thereby actually managing to discuss those 'ever-puzzling paradoxes of human behaviour' while also being a funny read. I will definitely be reading more of Margaret Irwin's work.

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

I adored Irwin's These Mortals. It is beautiful and other-worldly, digging into humanity with charm and humour. Irwin creates enchanting images and never questions both the cruelness and the magic of the human world. I'd recommend this to fans of fairy tales and fantasy, as well as those interested in exploring parables.

Review: 'Dare You To' by Katie McGarry

Sometimes a girl needs to disappear into a beautiful YA novel for a day or so, just to forget about everything else that is happening. And if that YA novel happens to be written by Katie McGarry, then a girl is bound to be in for a good time. I loved dipping back into her writing and falling in love with her characters again. Don't ask me why it took so many years for me to get onto reading this book, just be as grateful as I am that I finally did. Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 07/06/2013
Publisher: Harlequin

Beth’s the bad girl that no-one wanted, not even parents.Ryan’s the high school hero that everyone wants a piece of – even if no-one knows the real him. 

Their paths should never have crossed – now they’re each other’s only life line.
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk’s mum they’d send her mother to jail. So seventeen year old Beth protects her mum at all costs. Until the day she can’t. Suddenly sent to live with her uncle in a small town Beth’s now stuck with an aunt who doesn’t want her, and at a school that doesn’t get her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn’t go anywhere near a girl like Beth. . . .

Ryan Stone is gorgeous, a popular jock and the town golden boy—with secrets he can’t tell anyone. Even his friends. As Ryan and Beth dare to let each other in, they’re treading on dangerous ground – and the consequences could change their worlds forever.

Dare You To is the second novel in the Pushing the Limits series, which started with the eponymous novel. I adored Pushing the Limits and although Isaiah and Beth remained side-characters for me, I definitely was curious to read the second novel. Exactly why it took me almost five years is something of a mystery, although I did sidetrack into Walk the Edge a year ago. However, I am almost glad that I waited so long. In my late teens I went through a major love affair with YA fiction. After spending years claiming I was more of a "serious literature" fan, I fell in love hard with the genre thanks to a few specific and amazing reads. One of these was McGarry's Pushing the Limits, but there was also Beautiful Disaster and Unspoken. What I didn't expect from these books but got a truckload of was feelings, of giddiness, of heart ache, of joy, and of despair. I loved getting dragged along in these stories of people my age, of their adventures or lack thereof. Perhaps I also loved it so much because I had denied myself these types of books for so long. Now, a few years later, I have read a lot more books, a lot more YA as well, and my literary taste has developed a lot. I still read YA and now I often do so to go back to the simple yet complicated feelings of being a teenager. And nowhere do I find those feelings more than with Katie McGarry.

What I really enjoyed about Dare You To is how McGarry took certain stereotypes and worked with them. The goth chick is caring and vulnerable, the jock is conscientious and honest, the bad parents may occasionally appreciate their children. On the one hand Dare You To is filled with YA Romance cliches and a lot of the twists and turns can be seen from a mile away. Perhaps had I read this in 2013, the plot might have surprised me more, but the predictability of the plot is, with these kinds of novels, part of the charm. It's like sinking into a Hallmark movie, which perhaps won't surprise you with its story, but will with its emotions. Because Dare You To is full of emotions: anger, fear, love, lust, hate, and everything in between. You get strangely attached to McGarry's characters because she allows you directly into their heart. Although not everything is revealed at the beginning, you get a very strong sense of who these people are, what they might think in any given situation. And she excels at writing friendships and relationships, the kind that are so sweet and aspirational it is almost sickening, but just rough enough to leave you wanting more.

I still adore McGarry's writing. Her characters are often deeply conflicted, with serious trauma in their past and present. It's not easy to write such characters convincingly and gently, yet McGarry manages this fine balance. She allows her characters to be foolishly stubborn, incredibly rude and achingly vulnerable; her characters actually read like teenagers. In her novels, McGarry consistently tackles incredibly difficult themes and this is part of the reason why I enjoy her writing. Fiction is meant to give not only an outlet, it is also supposed to be a mirror. I have always thought YA the perfect genre for exploring the difficult questions of life because teenagers and young adults need to read about, think about and talk about them. McGarry treats topics like self-harming, drug abuse, emotional abuse, domestic violence etc. with the seriousness that they deserve, although she also makes them serve her plot. They are not casually thrown into the novel, but rather have a genuine impact on her characters. I enjoy reading novels such as Dare You To because I think they can be great conversation starters for younger readers. For that, I will always appreciate Katie McGarry.

I give this novel...

3 Universes!

I really enjoyed Dare You To and raced through it. Although I read McGarry differently now than I did before, I loved returning to her writing and the characters she creates. Actually, I might go and  revisit Pushing the Limits now... I'd recommend this to fans of YA Romance and New Adult fiction.

Review: 'Lady Macbeth: On the Couch' by Dr. Alma Bond

My passion for Shakespeare's plays, especially his history plays, is well-documented. Not only did I dedicate semesters upon semesters to him at university, I still like to reread them as well as reading adaptations for them, such as the recent, and brilliant, Miranda and Caliban. I especially love reads that attempt to dig more into the plays, explore a new angle to it or try and contextualise it to our modern world. After last August turned into a Freud-fuelled nightmare (my dissertation almost pushed me to the brink of what he would have considered normal), I wanted to leave psychoanalysis far behind me, but when I saw Lady Macbeth: On the Couch by Dr. Alma Bond I knew I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately I ended up rather underwhelmed.


Pub. Date: 15/01/2014
Publisher: Bancroft Press

An Ancient Mystery Solved 

Scholars, professors, and historians have wondered for centuries how and why Lady Macbeth, the beautiful, beloved wife of a nobleman, had to encourage―nay, push―her husband, Prince Macbeth, to commit the ghastly crime of killing the king. 

The great Sigmund Freud himself said that nobody knows why the Lady did so. Dr. Alma Bond spent many years searching for the reason. 

Read Lady Macbeth: On the Couch to learn the answer to this ancient mystery, and to get a fascinating, first-hand look at life more than a millennium ago.

Lady Macbeth is a fascinating character, in my mind perhaps one of the most fascinating and enduringly thrilling that Shakespeare has ever written. Her interior life remains largely a mystery to the audience, while many of her lines have become iconic. Her descent into madness, her sharp words and her secrecy make her the most intriguing character in the play, perhaps aside from the three weird sisters. There is still intense debate about her request to be 'unsexed', to what extent she wants to deny her own femininity or whether there is more to it. She has been blamed wholesale for the murders in the Scottish play, while also having been excused. The one thing that has to be said for her, no matter on which side of the debate you stand, is that she is vital to the play's power. Throughout the centuries, her femininity has been sharply contrasted against her actions, casting her as an anti-mother, a witch, or simple a bitch. As such, she has attracted a lot of writing and a lot of discussion, and she is frequently reimagined on stage as well as on the screen. So of course I was hoping that Bond would add something to this debate or would make me reconsider some of the things I had previously read.

Dr. Alma Bond was a psychoanalyst before becoming an author full-time and has written a lot of books looking at historical figures from a psychoanalytical angle. These other works also include another On the Couch book, this one focusing on Jackie O. Considering this background, I was hoping, perhaps foolishly, for a decisive, in depth look at the play, perhaps even at her legacy in popular culture. However, this is very much simply an adaptation of the play, casting Lady Macbeth as the main character. Although undoubtedly well researched when it comes to Scottish traditions etc., Lady Macbeth: On the Couch doesn't really add anything new, but almost detracts from her power in the play. The novel starts of very promising, focusing on her childhood and on the dangers facing a young princess. Lady Macbeth is a headstrong child, wondering why she doesn't have as much right to an education and to fighting as the men around her. However, as we get closer to the events of the play, the novel definitely loses steam. I found Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth a lot more fascinating, perhaps because there is more mystery to her, but also because she seems more steadfast as a character. It's a shame because I really wanted to enjoy this book.

There were parts of this novel that I did really enjoy. Bond creates some beautiful images throughout the novel, and it is always interesting to read an old, familiar tale through a different viewpoint. However, and this is what saddens me the most, this novel could have done with some serious editing. There are moments where Bond repeats herself word for word, almost a paragraph at a time. Also, Lady Macbeth's emotions change very rapidly, she can be furiously angry one moment and then all is forgiven and forgotten a moment later for no apparent reason. Plot lines are started but then left hanging, and there is a sense that the Lady Macbeth Bond creates at the beginning is vastly different from the one we get at the end. And, last but not least, Lady Macbeth: On the Couch doesn't really deliver on its promise to give us a new or even a satisfyingly different answer to the question of what motivated Lady Macbeth. Perhaps to those who are novices to the debate around Lady Macbeth, this novel will hold new ideas, but for anyone who has been interested in her before, there is not much new ground covered. In fact, I even felt myself slightly insulted on Lady Macbeth's part in how Bond, occasionally, made her seem so weak and inconsistent.

I give this novel...

2 Universes!

Lady Macbeth: On the Couch started off great. I really enjoyed digging into Lady Macbeth more and Bond seemed to promise a very interesting take on her. However, eventually the book becomes very repetitive and the chance in Lady Macbeth's mind and feelings happen so swiftly the reader never really gets truly invested in them.

Review: 'The Snow Queen: A Tale in Seven Stories' by Hans Christian Andersen, trans. by Jean Hersholt

Fairy tales were an immense part of my childhood. Growing up German, and especially growing up near the Black Forest, my first memories of being read to are also my first memories of the Grimms' fairy tales. However, despite my love for and appreciation of the hard work of the Grimms in collection all these fairy tales, I have always had a special connection to Hans Christian Andersen and his stunning creations. Unlike the Grimms, he wrote new fairy tales and they are all stunning marvels. The Little Mermaid? He wrote that. The Little Match Girl? Andersen's as well. The Princess and the Pea? I think you know where I'm heading with this! He had a knack for creating fascinating new stories which were often intensely sad but also beautiful. So when I saw that a new edition of The Snow Queen was available, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Thanks to Ten Speed Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 04/10/2016
Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Gorgeously packaged with intricate illustrations from Finnish illustrator, Sanna Annukka, this new edition of Hans Christian Andersen's well-loved fairy tale, The Snow Queen, is the perfect holiday gift for adults and children alike.

Hans Christian Andersen's magical tale of friendship and adventure is retold through the beautiful and intricate illustrations of Finnish illustrator Sanna Annukka. Cloth-bound in deep blue, with silver foil embellishments, The Snow Queen is elevated from a children's book to a unique work of art. It is an ideal gift for people of all ages.

The Snow Queen starts with the following:

"Now then! We will begin. When the story is done you shall know a great deal more than you do now."

Nothing, perhaps, conveys the mood of Andersen and of The Snow Queen better. It feels as if Andersen himself is telling you the tale, sitting you down in front of a warm fire like a kindly grandfather. There is humour in the writing, and there is also a sense that Andersen himself enjoys his creations. The plot of The Snow Queen is relatively straightforward for a fairytale: a boy finds himself taken in by a beautiful enchantress and now his childhood friend, a brave and sweet girl, must come save him. However, Andersen doesn't necessarily stick to this straightforward story.
As the subtitle suggests, The Snow Queen is split up into seven smaller stories, each working towards completing the plot, yet with their own new characters. and even with their own morals. There is a witch who isn't evil, really, but desperately wants a child. There is a little robber girl, who is both cruel and kind at the same time. There are singing flowers telling the strangest tales from all across the world. This split into seven tales allows Andersen to spread his story out a little bit, expand it beyond the relatively straightforward plot and let his talents as a writer shine.

In his fairy tales, Andersen always manages to intertwine Christianity and folk elements. On the one hand there is a strong Christian tone to The Snow Queen, the first tale is dedicated to a goblin who is also the devil. Yet Andersen never becomes pedantic or too moralistic, bringing in influences from his own, Scandinavian culture, to intermingle and give some colour to what otherwise could have been a rather boring tale. Yes, the eventual moral of the tale is linked to being good and kind and pious, but the characters get there through talking animals, witches and Snow Queens. Also, this tale is doubtlessly and obviously an inspiration source for C.S> Lewis in his creation of Narnia's very own Snow Queen. A small hurrah for intertextuality.

Andersen's writing is both lyrical and simple. He knows his audience is perhaps largely children, so he keeps his writing relatively calm. However, at times he takes a dive into language and composes some beautiful passages which are bound to inspire a love for language in children. Jean Hersholt does a brilliant job at translating this work. I enjoyed the slightly archaic tone of the translation, perhaps because it echoes back to the old age of the stories themselves, but this may not be a bonus for all readers. This edition of the tale is illustrated by Sanna Annukka, a Finnish illustrator, and her illustrations could not be more stunning or apt. Her illustrations truly give this tale something old and legendary, as if you were leaving through an old book rather than a new release. Also, the way Ten Speed Press is publishing this novel, as 'cloth-bound in deep blue, with silver foil embellishments', they clearly intend for this to be both readable and displayable. It is meant to be the kind of fairy tale book a small child is fascinated by and demands to have read. Even I myself would adore to have this on my bookshelf.

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

I had read The Snow Queen years ago, but loved rediscovering it through this edition. A stunning translation with brilliant illustrations, this will make a perfect present to any child interested in stories. It might also just distract them from Frozen for a while!