This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diary of a Junior Doctor – Adam Kay

I had been waiting to read This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diary of a Junior Doctor  for a long time. Pretty much every blogger and Instagrammer has been singing its praises since it came out. I’ve always been fascinated by the experiences of NHS doctors and nurses, and have watched One Born Every Minute and 24 Hours in A&E for as long as I can remember. I intended to continue my habit on reading real paper books with this title, but no shop I went into had it- I’m unsure whether this was because I was frantically checking every supermarket around me, or if everyone in South East London was as desperate to get their hands on the diary as I was. Anyway, I gave in and bought the Kindle book, deciding that reading on a kindle would be worth it.

I was so right. Except I wish I could’ve added post-it notes and bookmarks on my favourite pages- the Kindle highlights and bookmarks just aren’t the same. Kay’s voice was just brilliant. I wonder if his frank, matter-of-fact expression was a necessity for dealing with the traumas of junior doctor life, rather than a purposeful writing style. Of course, you hear anecdotes about the problem patients that NHS staff members encounter, but some of Adam’s stories were something else.

His story (not this book, but his experiences) had me cringing, for both Adam and his patients, and laughing out loud in equal measures. In fact, I think London commuters weren’t used to having someone quite so happy on their journey into work on a Monday morning. I couldn’t wait to share my favourite parts of the story with my friends, urging them to buy a copy for themselves. It was really that good.

Of course, the humour doesn’t overshadow the invasive nature of this experience as a junior doctor, working ungodly hours for pathetic pay and having life plans completely turned upside down. Invasive to the point that a Saturday night out with friends doesn’t necessarily mean a night off work; that the end of a twelve-hour shift doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going home. In fact, the final diary entry encapsulated the intensity of junior doctor life and, if you weren’t thinking it before and during you were reading the book, brought the intensity of junior doctor life to the forefront, and hammers home the message that we must be grateful for all that NHS staff do.

The diary format of This is Going to Hurt made it incredibly easy to read, and I even found myself reading it as I was walking along. I knew there wasn’t necessarily going to be a resolution or a narrative arc, but I just couldn’t get enough of the way Kay told his story.

I’ve told just about everyone who would listen (and even those who didn’t care) about This is Going to Hurt and how they absolutely must read it – and I’m urging you to do the same. Even if you aren’t into books or reading, this is just a perfect picture of how hard NHS staff work to keep us ticking over. It makes you realise that, while A&E waiting times might be increasing and you might have to wait longer for your doctors appointment, this is almost never the your doctor’s fault. They’re moving from patient to patient and trauma to trauma without a moment’s hesitation. You should read this book because it will make you feel grateful, humbled and respectful.

After Me Comes The Flood- Sarah Perry

This was another library find and, I am ashamed to admit, I was drawn to this book by the beautiful colour of its cover. The review-snippet on the front cover from Sarah Waters then persuaded me that I should read the novel, without even having read the blurb.

I must say I couldn’t agree more with Waters on the ‘dream-like’ qualities of this narratives. The whole time I felt as if I was walking my way through some dimly lit, misty world- in the same sort of way I imagine Pip walking into Miss Havisham’s room in Great Expectations.

Though I spent much of the time re-reading the page before, as I was not entirely sure of what was happening, I think Perry did a fantastic job of transitioning from the real and concrete to the surreal and dream-like. The characters that John encounters are all intriguing and endearing, but chilling and ghostly at the same time. The simple and uncomplicated style of Perry’s writing does not sit comfortably with the sense of foreboding that intensifies throughout the narrative, but this is what heightens the fear of danger throughout.

The entire time I was reading I couldn’t decide if I was reading through enjoyment, or through desire to know what happens, but I continued turning the pages nevertheless. I felt in awe. Questions of reality, power, time and space are very much present, but are brought about in a subtle way- which makes them even more harrowing.

I can’t say exactly what it is that I liked about this book, because I have to say I felt a little apprehensive and confused for the entirety of the novel. However, in spite of this mixture of feelings, I would definitely recommend After Me Comes The Flood , mainly because it is unlike anything I have read before.

Flash- Tim Tigner

From the very first page of Flash  I was hooked. The situation the Troy and Emmy, the main characters, are in is just so unlike anything I have read before. They wake up in an abandoned car covered in blood next to a dead policeman, with no idea as to why. The mystery and bizarreness (is that even a word?!) had me wanting to read more. I wanted to find out why they had no idea who they why and why they were in that care.

However, this wasn’t the only type of discovery in the novel. Yes, Troy and Emmy were on a quest to discover who they were and what had happened to them, at the same time that the police were trying to discover who they were as their unfortunate situation frames them as criminals, and forces them to continue committing crimes in order to try to learn the truth about their memory loss. This idea that anything or anyone could be discovered at any moment meant that tension was high as the novel’s pace did not slow down.

What I liked about the characters is that they weren’t immediately superheroes, ready to accept their fate. Like ‘realistic’ people, they took time to adjust to their new lives, and to their relationship with one another. They don’t immediately get on- understandably given the circumstances in which they meet one another- but it is  this that adds to the suspense of the story: how will and why should their attitudes change?

Flash is very much a ‘just a few more pages’ type of book, which meant that I devoured it in a matter of hours, and I’m glad I had the ability to do so, as I would have otherwise feared that the narrative would have carried on without me and left me behind. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone in search of suspense and mystery without clichés

Saving Saffron Sweeting- Pauline Wiles

I bought Saving Saffron Sweeting without really knowing a lot about it. I hadn’t even read the blurb, but was intrigued by the title: was Saffron Sweeting a person, or a place?

I was struck by the friendliness in the narrator’s tone. Grace Palmer , the main character, is automatically incredibly open and sharing with the reader, which meant I could instantly start to feel empathy for her, when in the very first sentence of the novel she reveals that her husband has cheated on her. Though sometimes over-used in fiction, there’s no doubting that an unfaithful husband is a great way to get female readers involved with and engage with the story: it is something we are all fiercely protective over one another about.  Whilst the story could have easily turned into a mystery as Grace tried to discover her husband’s new lover, as she became sneaky and paranoid, it didn’t. I liked that it was solved quickly and that Grace decided to act strong and independently, starting a new life for herself.

The thing that I liked most about this new life that she was trying to create, was that it took place in the area that I grew up in. As soon as I read the word ‘Norfolk’, my interest in the story increased dramatically. Even though I’m not homesick, the fact that I’m away from home this academic year means that any mention of a town close by brings a warming feeling of comfort and nostalgia.

Something about the fact that Grace – a genuinely lovely person, who always seems to do the right thing- was living a lone in a cottage in the countryside reminded me of Cameron Diaz in The Holiday . As one of my favourite films, this gave me just another reason to like Saving Saffron Sweeting even more. Though, I must say Grace’s new life is a lot more realistic than Amanda’s in the film, as she actually has to use her existing skills to make a living. She isn’t lucky enough to meet Jude Law to sweep her off her feet. Having said that, Grace’s potential new love interest does hold some promise, and the start of their affair is somewhat exciting, but even this reveals yet another thing about Grace’s genuine character.

Though I don’t usually like it when British authors use American settings or vice versa (I find that a lot of the time they don’t know enough for it to feel natural), Wiles kept the relationship between the two very comfortable and fluid. This could be because, having moved to California herself, she was perhaps more aware of the differences, so could write about them more naturally. However, it could also be that very little of the novel actually takes place in America, and rather features a few American characters: giving a hint of the culture. It’s great to see how Grace helps bridge the gap between the two throughout the novel as she helps to make Saffron Sweeting thrive once again.

I must say that I found Grace’s friends in the book a little irritating at points. I’m not exactly sure why, but I feel that perhaps that didn’t quite appreciate her enough (can you tell I really, really liked her?).  However, this would really be one of the only criticisms I had of the novel.

I appreciated Wiles’ attention to detail, as the circularity of the novel is revealed towards the very end- remember where Grace is stood when she finds out James has cheated! I would probably have liked to have seen more of a development in Grace’s character, rather than the actual ending of the novel, but that’s not to say that it wasn’t heartwarming, and it didn’t feel rushed or out of place.

I would definitely recommend Saving Saffron Sweeting!

Mad Love- Nick Spalding

Having thoroughly Nick Spalding’s Bricking It during the summer, I didn’t hesitate to pick this up when I saw it on the shelf. I had admired Spalding’s use of comedy before, and Mad Love certainly didn’t disappoint.

The friendliness of Adam, one of the main characters, was the first thing that struck me. It felt as if I were perhaps reading the diary of an old friend. Having sad that, I didn’t love the initial presentation of the ‘bachelor pad’, but can appreciate its purpose as a contrast to the life he is soon to lead.

I found the concept of the story very interesting: if modern dating apps are as good as they claim to be at matchmaking, why shouldn’t people marry before they’ve got to know each other? Even though I didn’t know what criteria had been used to match the couple at first, I liked that Spalding had shown responses to specific questions as headings to each titles: it showed the gap between how people like to think of themselves, and how their actions actually reflect their inner personalities. I also liked the fact that Spalding had chosen characters with different backgrounds- it was obvious that an unlikely couple would be matched, but the cultural differences between Adam and Jessica added further to the book’s comedy- my favourite part is when Jessica struggles to pronounce one of the Brits’ favourite insults in an argument, completely weakening her position.  I also noticed that the author made a reference to the comedic event later on in the narrative- a subtle, but clever move.

As always, I liked the fact that the story was told by multiple narrators, including others besides Adam and Jessica themselves. Not only did this reflect the inner-thoughts that a newly married couple would have about one another that they would never dare to say aloud, it added more depth to the narrative and reflected the reality that outsiders would have their own opinions on another couple’s marriage. I didn’t particularly like the tone of the journalist during his narration, but it didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the book as a whole.

 

Whilst I thought that the majority of the narrative was well-developed and allowed for each character to become three-dimensional and ‘real’, I couldn’t help feeling that the ending was a little rushed. I had no unanswered questions, but it did feel undeveloped and overly reliant on the irony and comedy in the outcome of the situation. This was a shame, as I had genuinely thought very highly of  it up until that final chapter

In spite of the slightly disappointing ending, I would definitely recommend Mad Love to anyone, as I don’t think it really appealed to either gender more than the other. I actually laughed out loud to myself at points, and that doesn’t happen often with books. A genuinely funny story, looking at marriage from a fresh, new perspective that reflects the way that so many people do meet nowadays.

Who’s That Girl? – Mhairi McFarlane

When browsing Amazon, it was impossible to ignore the reviews for Who’s That Girl? as critic after critic praised its comedy and wit, with some comparing it to One Day which, as I have mentioned before, I loved. Never the girl to turn down a ‘laugh-out-loud’ rom-com, I decided that this had to be my next book of choice. I was intrigued to get reading, seeing as the front cover mentions “She kissed the groom. She’s not the bride,”, and I couldn’t wait to see how this would unfold.

 

I loved that the book started in media res, rather than being introduced to the main character, Edie, the reader gradually gets to know her over the course of the first few chapters. McFarlane’s chatty and friendly style of writing was immediately obvious, which meant  that, even from the very beginning, I didn’t want to stop reading. The tone was very light-hearted, which made for very easy reading. On top of this, Edie made for a great protagonist, she was unfortunate to the point that it was funny and I could feel empathise with her, but McFarlane didn’t overdo it for the sympathy vote. The author manages to portray the dynamic of the relationship with her family, and others around her perfectly, with aspects that I think everyone can identify with, so that Edie feels like a real-life, multi-dimensional character with real-life relationships.

The main event of the novel comes about fairly early on, which is good as it allows for the rest of the story to unfold after it. I would say that the few chapters after this main event were my favourite- I was stuck in the dilemma of feeling very sorry for Edie, yet laughing at the reactions of others about what happened. I found the character of Lucie particularly humorous. Not because she was witty or intelligent, but because she was very much the stereotypical and clichéd mean girl- always going too far.

I appreciated the array of different male characters  in the narrative, as it allowed for a varied representation of the different men in any woman’s life and how, sometimes, they can create as much drama as other girls!

The narrative wasn’t such that I didn’t know what was going to happen next, it was more a matter of when, and that is another thing that kept me reading- although there were some surprises along the ay, which revealed deeper insights to certain characters’ personalities. I wanted to know when Jack was going to get his comeuppance, when Edie would stand up for herself, and when the proclamation of love would come out.  However, while for the majority of the progression of the narrative was fairly predictable,  the ending didn’t quite happen as I had imagined. This wasn’t necessarily a negative thing, as it did reach a compromised happy conclusion, but I couldn’t help feel a little disappointed that it wasn’t the ‘fairy tale’ it was looking to be.

 

With all considered, I would definitely recommend Who’s That Girl? to anyone looking for a humours and and heart-warming story, especially if the clichéd fairytale endings have gotten old for you now. Though I perhaps didn’t laugh-out-loud,  and I couldn’t have really compared it to One Day, the novel was definitely filled with humour and the author’s talent for writing was obvious for the entirety. Something I would say is that McFarlane’s passion and dedication to this book seemed to shine through, and I think that is what made it so enjoyable.

 

 

 

The Toy Breaker- Roy Chester

After recently watching (by watching, I mean devouring in a couple of days) Broadchurch and absolutely loving it (late to the bandwagon, I know), I’ve been desperately searching for books and other television shows that follow the same sort of theme that would satisfy by need of a gripping drama until the next series is released. At a first glance, Roy Chester’s The Toy Breaker  would seem to do the trick. On the Kindle Store, the title was followed with “A gripping crime thriller with a stunning ending”, so I couldn’t wait to get reading.

The start was promising, and so was the idea of the narrative: a serial killer has a specific type of victim and has a signature calling card to mark that it was them. I also thought that the idea that the police following the investigation called in the help of a psychologist, as it would  help to add another level to the discovery of the killer, rather than simple black and white evidence. I also liked the fact that the narrative was set in England, I find that it makes dramas and thrillers (whether that be on TV or in books) more haunting, because it’s closer to home.

The further I read, the more I wanted to read. I became genuinely interested in who it was that might be committing the crimes, and enjoyed watching the investigation of the case progress, as the police managed to deduct what type of person it might be, to who it couldn’t be, to who it was. In fact, for the majority of the novel, I would say that I was hooked, and would agree with the description that the novel as “gripping”.

However, it is the end of the description that I struggle to agree with. As the plot unraveled, I was intrigued as to why there was still evidence counting against the guilty suspect. However, I can’t say I was entirely convinced by the final explanation for this counter-evidence, and found the end of the novel a bit odd, if I’m honest. Of course, anyone wanting to kidnap children is hardly mentally stable, but I didn’t expect this specific issues to come about, and neither did I believe it did the rest of the story, which was actually very good, justice.

Having said this, I wouldn’t discourage people from reading The Toy Breaker, but I would advise you to take the description with a pinch of salt. Yes, it was “gripping”, but I felt let down by the “stunning ending” that was promised.

 

 

After You- Jojo Moyes

Even though I hadn’t read the prequel to After You, I had thoroughly enjoyed it in its film version, which meant that when my mum offered this book to me when she had finished, I snapped it up. And as I had expected, the book kept me interested the entire way through.

I think it did help that, having seen the prequel on screen, I already had a good idea of the how Louisa Clark (the main character) and her family worked as characters, and the dynamic between them. This means that I didn’t have to spend any time getting to know the characters or their situations, allowing me to just ‘get on’ with enjoying the narrative.

I liked how Moyes continued straight onto the narrative of this separate story, spending very little time referencing back to what happened in the characters’ pasts. Admittedly, this would make it difficult for anyone who wasn’t familiar with the prequel to fully understand, but I do think that most people reading this would choose to do so because of the prequel.

Louisa Clark is the perfect protagonist: the girl who wants to move on, and is trying, but is evidently terrified. Hopeless at most things, yet confident in who she is as a person, and her intelligence shines through in her wit and humour. It was also great to see how she had developed as a person from when Will was alive, and how Lily’s character meant that, in a strange and complicated way, she got to continue her relationship with Will, to the point that they had not able to reach before his death. She, in a way, got to become the mother of his child- and it was interesting to see how she reacted to such situation.

In fact, it seemed that, instead of Lily acting as a painful reminder of Will that dragged Louisa back to the state of intense grieving just after his death, she actually helped her to move on from him. All the time that I could see Louisa changing and transforming, I felt almost proud of her- as if I knew her.

I think the fact that no one, unless those heartbreakingly unlucky enough to have experienced it, can begin to imagine how it must feel to lose the person you love through their own doing, means that readers sympathise even more with Louisa as a character. This was certainly the case for me. I don’t even want to imagine the reality of such a terrible situation, meaning I wanted, more than anything, for her to come out of it a stronger person- her full personality still intact.

The great thing about After You is that it’s just the right cocktail of sadness, hope and humour that makes you want to read it more. I was always ready to turn the next page, and move onto the next chapter- disappointed when I didn’t have enough time to do so. As if 400 pages of the narrative weren’t enough, I found myself wishing the story continued- not because I didn’t feel it had reached a good enough conclusion, but because I didn’t want to leave Louisa Clark as a character.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone- whether you have read the prequel, or just seen the film. Familiarise yourself with the prequel and get stuck in. It is truly worth it.

 

 

 

 

Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years- Sue Townsend

Back to normal this week with a book review!

Due to the sheer amount of belongings that I had to bring to France, I was unable to bring any physical books, so (because I don’t love reading on my Kindle), I was delighted to discover that the family I am living with have an impressive array of books to choose from- both in English and in French. I was even more delighted to see that  Adrian Mole: The Prostratre Years  was on the shelf. I had only read the original (The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4) when I was much younger, but I really did love the book, and had heard good things about the many sequels, so naturally this was my first choice.

The thing that first struck me was that Townsend’s style of writing and way of presenting Adrian’s character had not changed at all from the first book. Although much older, the awkward teenager Adrian that I remembered was still entirely apparent, just in the form of a married father. I think this added to the humour of the book, as it was clear to see that, even with years of life experience, Adrian failed to fit comfortable into society. Not only was this funny, but it meant that I still felt the same endearment towards Adrian as I had the first time I met his character. I shan’t ruin the narrative (though I do recognise that it is an old book, so you may have already read it), but I love that even when the central points of Adrian’s life begin to fall apart he does not even seem to flinch. It is as if he knows that his reaction isn’t even worthwhile, and almost as if he expects no less.

I also loved the character of his daughter Gracie. I felt that her mischievous behaviour added further to the humour, thus further to the sympathy I felt for Adrian. It is as if nothing, not even his child, can really go to plan. Likewise Mrs Mole, she is the same overbearing, somewhat cringeworthy working class mother that I remember from the first book of the series. Once again, this simply adds to the general picture of hopelessness that appears to be Adrian Mole’s life. Some might say that characters are over the top, and ‘too much’, and I have to admit that in other narrative situations I might agree. However, there is something about Townsend’s Adrian Mole series that makes allowances for this.

As with the original book, I love the diary style narrative. Not only does it suit Adrian’s character very well, as if he has no one else but his diary (thus the reader) to confide in. I also find that it makes it very easy to read, and allows the reader to realise the progression of time in the narrative much more easily and much more naturally than if  a narrator were to explicitly draw attention to it.

I really like that the book is very clearly set in 2007, and brings much attention to this through the conversation about contemporary events (for example Gordon Brown becoming Prime Minister and the failing of Northern Rock). Instead of dating the book, as one might expect, it, once again, adds to the humour. Even though I was young in 2011, I can remember hearing people talk about such events, and seeing them on the news, which means that I can actually read the book with a knowledge and opinion only gained through hindsight.

Overall, I couldn’t recommend this book enough! It was packed with the humour and embarrassment and awkwardness that I know and love from the original, and it simply consolidates Townsend’s ability as an author, and proves how well she know this fantastic character. I would perhaps suggest that you read the original book first, in order that you gain a sense of who Adrian Mole is as a character, so that you can ‘get’ the book a little more. I am definitely now intrigued to read all of the books in between that I have missed out on!

 

 

Down and Out in Paris and London- George Orwell

Having been a fan of Orwell’s writing style in 1984, I didn’t hesitate to read Down and Out in Paris and London when one of my sixth form teachers recommended it to me. Perhaps it is just because I am nosy, but I really like to read about other people’s lives, especially the lives of renowned writers, so Orwell’s memoir was always going to be a winner! What’s more, given my interest in France and french culture, and the fact that I have spent the last two years living in London, the idea that the memoir tells the story of what happened both in Paris and in London appeals to me greatly!

 

Firstly, I must say how raw Orwell’s writing is, and how brilliant I found this. He spares the reader of nothing, meaning that we get to experience poverty in the cities in the same way that Orwell did himself (well, as much as is possible without actually experiencing it first hand). As a result of this, I had vivid images of the scenes in my head for the entirety of the memoir, thanks to the author’s genius use of figurative language.

 

I love that in publishing the book, Orwell was flouting all expectations of literature at the time. He exposed the squalor and hardships faced by the poor working classes, which was so consciously kept hidden from the middle and upper classes- the main audience for contemporary literature, given their almost exclusive access to education.I also love that, Orwell shows that being exposed to, and forced to live in, such conditions does not result in desensitisation: no matter how long one is forced to live like an animal, it never ceases to be disgusting, repulsive and upsetting.

Of course, there is very little that I can say in terms of plot, given that the book recounts real-life events. However, I can say that it was seeing the progression throughout the book, as well as Orwell’s changing opinion of the poor (he summarises his changed opinions at the very end of the text) is actually very eye-opening, as a modern reader, and would have been rather scandalous in the thirties, I imagine.

The lodging houses, or ‘spikes’, as Orwell explains they were referred to by those who frequented them, and soup kitchens were my favourite aspects to read about in this memoir. This is perhaps because they were the most shocking  aspects, but also because it allowed Orwell to ‘zoom in’ on individuals in both cities, meaning the reader can experience a different range of people in such poverty.

 

I would, without a doubt, recommend Down and Out in Paris and London to anyone with an interest in people or places. For the book’s entirety, I truly felt like I was a fly on the wall in the situations that Orwell found himself in. What I like most is that, even though the text is a non-fiction memoir, it could easily be mistaken for a fictional novel- it is just that interesting and carefully written!