Category: Book Reviews

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Review: The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel

Book review of The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel, the third novel in the Earth’s Children series set in prehistoric Europe.

Cover of The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel
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Synopsis

Ayla and Jondalar meet the Lion Camp of the Mamutoi. They are invited to stay for the winter, and Ayla is adopted as one of them. 

The Lion Camp includes Rydag, a half-clan boy that reminds Ayla of her son Durc, and Ranec, a carver with dark skin who falls immediately in love with Ayla.

When Jondalar acts sharp and mopey, Ayla believes that he doesn’t love her anymore and spends more time with Ranec. This makes Jondalar feel worse. Despite Ayla’s hopes that Jondalar will come back to her, she ends up promised to Ranec and prepares to officially join with him at the summer meeting.

Review

I wrote in my review of The Valley of Horses about how Jondalar is too perfect and how this brings him problems. These problems are much more evident in The Mammoth Hunters as he struggles with jealousy and more-or-less reverts to childhood.

I know that the misunderstanding between Ayla and Jondalar drives the main conflict and most of the plot, but it is so stupid. Why do they not communicate?!?!? I wanted to bang their heads together. The Mamutoi are supposedly open and blunt, but not one of them says anything to help resolve the obvious problems going on.

The ending felt sudden. Throughout the book, Jondalar and Ayla have all these massive problems that are constantly worsening and compounding. Then right at the end, both of them have something like an epiphany and decide none of their problems matter. The whole resolution is just too quick to feel realistic. 

The number of innovations that Ayla comes up with increases: she invents the sewing needle and adopts a baby wolf. While the circumstances surrounding each innovation remain realistic, she has already discovered how to make fire with stones, domesticated horses, and helped Jondalar develop the spear-thrower. This was one of the issues I had with The Valley of Horses, and it doesn’t get any better in The Mammoth Hunters.

I loved all the details, particularly around how the people live and hunt. However, The Mammoth Hunters doesn’t add much to the series. It is quite the detour from the overall plot and could easily have been much shorter.

Conclusion

Have you read The Mammoth Hunters? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: Highland Bride by Hannah Howell

Review of Highland Bride by Hannah Howell, an historical romance novel set in medieval Scotland.

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Synopsis

When Gillyanne Murray takes possession of her dower property, she doesn’t expect the three neighbouring lairds to turn up on her doorstep. Intent on maintaining peace, they insist that she must marry one of them. After keeping them at bay for three days, Gillyanne agrees to marry Connor MacEnroy.

The first hours of their marriage are rocky as Connor rushes her to his home (Deilcladach) and promptly seems to forget her. Gillyanne soon finds that Connor has some strange ideas about ‘gentle-born ladies’ that she must correct. She also struggles to break through the tight hold Connor has on his emotions.

Her efforts are complicated by Connor’s uncle and resentful ex-lover. Then Connor’s uncle is found dead, murdered with Connor’s dagger. Connor is imprisoned for the murder, so Gillyanne must prove his innocence and uncover the real killer. Back at Deilcladach, can Connor show Gillyanne how he feels before her father gives her a way out of their marriage?

Review

Highland Bride could have been two different books. The first part, where Gillyanne defends her property from the three lairds, was hilarious. The methods she used to repel her suitors were inspired and they deserved everything they got.

Once Gillyanne agrees to marry Connor and goes to Deilcladach with him, the whole story changes. It becomes more of a romance as they get to know each other and figure out their relationship.

I loved Gillyanne. She is spirited, creative, and amusing. Despite her apparently diminutive size, she has strength and an outgoing personality, making her seem larger. It was so much fun watching Gillyanne deal with Connor’s ex-lover and her friends (aka “The Three Whores of Deilcladach”).

My feelings about Connor are more complicated. He is handsome and fierce and everything a romance hero should be, while still being able to develop as a character. He appreciates Gillyanne’s intelligence and accepts her guidance in their relationship. However, he is just a bit too stubborn when it comes to showing strength and emotion. And his devastation over his uncle’s death is believable but gets annoying.

The constant psychoanalysing was repetitive and eventually boring. We don’t need to be told every ten pages how Connor must stay strong for the clan because of the violence of the feud that killed his parents. Furthermore, the dialogue got a bit repetitive.

Conclusion

Have you read Highland Bride? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse

Book review for The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse, an historical fiction novel set in the French Pyrenees.

book cover for The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse
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Synopsis

Ten years after the end of the Great War, Freddie Watson is still cannot get over his elder brother’s death. On his doctor’s recommendation, he’s driving around France, going where his nose leads him. Now, he’s in the French Pyrenees.

After crashing his car during a snowstorm, Freddie makes his way to a small, isolated village called Nulle. That evening, he attends la fete de Saint-Etienne at the town hall. There, he meets Fabrissa, a beautiful young woman who vanishes at dawn.

Looking for Fabrissa occupies Freddie’s every thought as he recovers from a fever and organises car repairs. Following his instincts, he uncovers a cave in the hill above Nulle and, with it, the village’s secret history.

Review

The Winter Ghosts was not what I was expecting. From the blurb on the back of the book, I thought Freddie would meet Fabrissa early on and spend most of the book solving the 700-year-old mystery. However, Freddie doesn’t meet Fabrissa until half-way through the book, and uncovers the mystery fairly quickly afterwards.

The descriptions of the countryside that Freddie travels through were so richly detailed, I felt like I was there. The French Pyrenees sounded so mysterious and intriguing. It contributed greatly to the overall atmosphere and made the landscape its own character.

The writing was poetic but clear and evocative. It really helped to build the atmosphere. The whole book had a cold and eerie feeling about it, with a quiet build-up of suspense and a touch of creepiness. I enjoyed the painfully honest, introspective tone it had.

I loved how brilliantly The Winter Ghosts depicts Freddie’s grief and suffering, and his mental struggles. It was so poignant. Something about the writing conveyed the essence of Freddie’s motivation and inability to move on. I could feel the weight of his grief and how broken he was.

The room was on the first floor, overlooking the street, with a pleasant enough outlook. A large window with freshly painted shutters, a single bed with heavy counterpane, a washstand and an armchair. Plain, clean, anonymous. The sheets were cold to the touch. We suited one another, the room and I.

Freddie was a deeply engaging, likeable character that I could sympathise with. His sadness was just so consuming, I really pitied him. However, I think this would have become a bit annoying if the book had been any longer. As it was, he was realistic and likeable, and I could really root for him and his success.

While the beginning of The Winter Ghosts was rather tedious, the ending was satisfying. Much of it had a dreamlike quality, and I found the story somewhat haunting. 

Conclusion

Have you read The Winter Ghosts? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway

Review of The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway, a time-travelling historical fiction novel set primarily in Regency England.

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Synopsis

In the early 1800s, Nick Davenant was the Marquess of Blackdown. Then he almost died at the battle of Salamanca but instead woke in 2003. For ten years, he has been cared for by The Guild, a mysterious organisation that provides new lives for time travellers.

When The Guild discovers that the future is turning back on itself, they break their own rules and send Nick back to 1815. He resumes his 19th century life easily enough, but struggles with following The Guild’s instructions.

Meanwhile, Julia (Nick’s neighbour and love interest) is struggling with her grandfather’s death. Soon, she is entangled in the manipulation of time and hiding her abilities is all she can do to keep herself safe. As Nick untangles the relationship between the Guild and their rivals (the Ofan), he and Julia grow closer.

Review

The River of No Return is a thought-provoking book with lots of twists and turns. There is some romance, but most of the story is about time travel and its consequences. It has adventure, passion, intrigue, and one crazy nobleman. The world was complex, clearly presented, and believable.

I loved the constant confusion over which side in the Ofan vs Guild conflict was good. Was The Guild good and the Ofan bad? Or was The Guild bad and the Ofan good? The Guild said they were keeping members ignorant for their own good, but is that really the right thing to do?

Nick was an intriguing character. He was intelligent, caring, and sexy (but not overwhelmingly so). I particularly enjoyed the internal struggles between his modern ideas and what is expected of him in the 19th century.

He could feel the ghostly marquess building up a head of steam, could even taste the aristocratic outrage in his mouth: rusted metal. It must have been that man’s outburst that Clare was expecting. He let his gaze rest on his elder sister … His anger dissipated as fast as it had built. ‘It should have been yours anyway,’ he said … ‘You are the eldest and, by God, I will sign it over to you in life as I did in death. Blackdown shall remain yours. It always should have been.’

I spent much of the book waiting for Nick and Julia to talk to each other about time-travel. They’re the two main characters, but don’t actually spend much time together or communicate about anything meaningful. This creates misconceptions between them and makes their romance feel underdeveloped.

The ending left me dissatisfied. Sure, Nick and Julia get their happily ever after, but so many other threads of the story remain unresolved. For instance, the mystery of Mr Mibbs isn’t solved, and Mr Mibbs himself has disappeared. Also, no one’s managed to mend the future or work out why it’s behaving so peculiarly. I hope Bee Ridgeway is working on a sequel.

Conclusion

Have you read The River of No Return? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: The Parchment Scroll by C.A. Szarek

Review of The Parchment Scroll, a time-travelling romance set primarily in 17th century Scotland, the final book in the Highland Secrets trilogy by C.A. Szarek.

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Synopsis

After her sister goes missing, Jules McGowan travels to Scotland to look for her. There, she meets a strange woman called Bree who claims she can take Jules to her sister. They go together to the Faery Stones where Bree (with Jules’ help) opens a portal to the 17th century.

The first person Jules meets in 1675 is Hugh MacDonald, Laird of Clan MacDonald. Seeing that Jules has a parchment scroll written by someone close to the laird of his rival clan, Hugh takes her to his home, intending to ransom her. Instead, his auntie makes him send her straight to the MacLeods, but not before both he and Jules become obsessed with each other.

Then Bree steals a MacLeod child. Hugh returns the boy to his family, taking the opportunity to kidnap Jules again. Back at Hugh’s home, he and Jules get to know each other better and become lovers. After a while, Jules decides it’s time to return to the 21st century. Will she leave Hugh, or will he convince her to stay?

Review

The Parchment Scroll is the 3rd and final book in the Highland Secrets trilogy. I found it engaging from the start and thought it tied everything from the series together well. It has lots of action, great characters, and an interesting storyline. I particularly loved the scenes between the two sisters, especially their conversations.

I enjoyed getting a bit more of Claire and Jules’ backstory. In The Tartan MP3 Player, we are told that Claire has no one in the future except her sister. There’s no parents or other family that she should return to her own time for, other than Jules. In The Parchment Scroll, we find out that they spent much of their childhood in foster care.

“How could being raised with technology be better than being with his father?”

Jules frowned. She didn’t have the balls to retort to that. They’d been raised without either parent, so she couldn’t blame her sister for wanting her kid to have both.

Foster care sucked.

The characters felt more real in this book than they did in The Tartan MP3 Player. I can’t put my finger on what exactly the author did differently, but they seem more like people and less like characters.

I liked that the author used the real historical rivalry between the MacLeod and MacDonald clans as a source of conflict. While they’re not actively at war, they clearly don’t like each other. This makes Jules falling in love with a MacDonald while her sister’s married to a MacLeod a bit awkward.

The romance between Hugh and Jules was problematic. They are both possessive of each other, to the point that Hugh keeps kidnapping Jules. At least Jules recognises this, occasionally calling herself ‘Stockholm-Syndrome-Girl.’ However, they are both strong people with strong personalities, and the banter between them is both funny and sweet.

Conclusion

Have you read The Parchment Scroll? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it from the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters

Review of The Curse of the Pharaohs, a late Victorian murder mystery set around an archaeological dig in Egypt, by Elizabeth Peters.

The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters cover
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Synopsis

Victorian wife and mother, Amelia Peabody, accompanies her husband (Emerson) to Luxor to complete the excavation of a tomb recently discovered by Sir Henry Baskerville. Sir Henry died shortly after the discovery; his death is being blamed on a curse that was placed over the tomb to protect it.

When multiple further incidents occur, Emerson and Peabody have trouble keeping their men at work. As different people are attacked and information comes to light, Amelia suspects various people among the group. Unfortunately, her attempts at uncovering the murderer aren’t initially successful and more people are injured.

Review

I love this lady’s narrative style. It’s so witty and humorous. Nearly every sentence is worth sharing, especially Amelia’s spars with her husband. Amelia has the driest sense of humour. Her deadpan narration was really funny and was my favourite thing about The Curse of the Pharaohs.

Amelia and Emerson are such a great couple. Their relationship is so endearing. They work well together, tease each other without hurting any feelings, and trust each other explicitly. I loved how their love is still evident while they yell at each other.

“But if it should prove that after all Armadale was already dead when the latest attack took place… No, that would really not surprise me; the alternative theory I had formulated –”

“Curse it, Amelia, have you the infernal gall to pretend…” Emerson cut the comment short. After a few moments of heavy breathing he bared his teeth at me. The expression was evidently meant to be a smile, for when he continued his voice was sickeningly sweet. “I will say no more; I don’t want Ali Hassan to think we are at odds with one another.”

“These Arabs do not understand Western means of expressing affection,” I agreed, somewhat absently.

Amelia is a fantastic woman, but I don’t think I would like her if I met her in real life. She’s bossy, opinionated, and always believes that she is right. However, she’s also caring and a much more loving wife and mother than she lets on. She may appear feisty and strong-willed, but she just needs more mental stimulation than provided by the Victorian woman’s role.

Other than Amelia and Emerson, the characters were weird. Amongst others, there is:

  • a German suck-up who cannot stop talking once he starts,
  • a stereotypical Irish journalist with a cheesy accent,
  • and an obese woman who is convinced she and Emerson were lovers in a past life.

Though vividly written, these characters are generally unlikeable. This makes it easier to believe any of them is a potential murderer. It would have been nice if there were a few ordinary people to water down the fruitcakes. But they did keep things entertaining.

The mystery was a bit weak. Despite Amelia constantly saying she knows who the murderer is, she often settles on the wrong person, and we (the readers) don’t get many clues. There are many red herrings and a grand reveal (like an Agatha Christie mystery), but the murderer’s motive wasn’t convincing.

I would have liked it if there was a bit more plot development. The plot seems to almost vanish under the characters and other comedies. I enjoyed the humour and the references to Egyptian lore and archaeology, but they completely overwhelmed the plot.

Conclusion

Have you read The Curse of the Pharaohs? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it from the following stores:

Waterstones
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Review: The White Mare by Jules Watson

Review of The White Mare, an epic historical fiction novel by Jules Watson set in 1st century Scotland.

Cover of The White Mare by Jules Watson
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Synopsis

After the king of the Epidii dies, Rhiann has to marry and produce an heir. If she refuses to marry, her people could lose their position and freedom.  However, a violent event in her past has left her terrified of marriage, and she only agrees to marry out of duty.

The man the council choose for her is Eremon, an exiled Irish prince. Eremon is in Alba to make allies and earn a name for himself. Roman advances into Alba provide him with the perfect opportunity to do this.

Over time, Eremon and Rhiann come to love each other. However, their respective pasts keep them from doing anything about it. They also visit other powerful clans and continue the fight against the Romans.

Review

The White Mare transported me to 1st century Scotland. I really felt like I could see what life was like back then. It mixes a little bit of magic in with the known history perfectly and fills gaps in the record brilliantly. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the various settings, like the roman fortifications and iron age strongholds.

A massive ditch had been delved, shouldered by sweeping banked walls three times the height of a mounted man. The bank was then crowned by a timber palisade and walkway, and lookout towers, reared from the breastwork every thirty paces. The oaken gate, the width of four chariots, was flanked by two sturdy gatetowers. Over it all, banners flew, embroidered with the eagle totem, and the posts they hung from were capped with gold so they shone bright in the sun.

Inside was the familiar jumble of squat roundhouses and ramshackle sheds, but everything seemed larger and noisier and more frenzied than at Dunadd. The air or prosperity was tangible. Wooden walkways kept feet free of the mud. House walls were bright with colour, and hung with banners and trophy skulls. The thatch roofs were new and golden.

Rhiann was almost annoyingly stubborn, particularly when it comes to trusting others. However, her difficult past and dedication to her people makes her stubbornness (and the fear it stems from) understandable. While much of the tension wouldn’t exist if Rhiann had just communicated with Eremon a bit better, I really couldn’t blame her for her secrecy.

The romance between Rhiann and Eremon was so beautiful. It was good to read a romance that was built over time, rather than seemingly appearing out of nowhere. I also liked how it didn’t overwhelm the main historical storyline.

I loved how the story had so many storylines woven together. Aside from the main story about Rhiann and Eremon, there’s Catilin’s history and her romance with Conaire. Then there’s the Romans building their wall and Samana’s alliance with Agricola.

Conclusion

Have you read The White Mare? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

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Review: The Last Hours by Minette Walters

Review of The Last Hours by Minette Walters, an historical fiction novel set in 14th century England during the Black Death.

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Synopsis

The Black Death has arrived in the English port of Melcombe and is spreading north through Devonshire. Contrary to the church’s recommendations, Lady Anne takes the people of Develish within the manor’s moat.

Initially, things are good. No one within the compound sickens. The one man from her absent husband’s retinue that everyone likes returns healthy. Then, with food stores running low, the workers grow bored with nothing to do and no news from outside.

Tensions erupt when a teenaged boy, Jacob, is found dead of a stab injury. Having made some discrete inquiries, Lady Anne’s young steward, Thaddeus, takes a group of Jacob’s contemporaries into the outside world. Seeing the destruction around them makes these young men think of their futures and forces them to grow-up quick.

Review

I found The Last Hours completely unputdownable. It enjoyably captured many aspects of the period around the Black Death. These included widespread ignorance, fear, and superstition. I particularly enjoyed looking at how the shift in power and new beginnings caused by the Death affected this community.

The characters are well thought out, realistic, and fascinating people. Some are strong (like Lady Anne and Thaddeus) and take charge of the situation, while others struggle with change. The religious and moral conflicts within the community seemed real, like I was watching real people interact with each other.

I liked Lady Anne. She’s fair, compassionate, clever, and understands her serfs. However, she is a bit too much like a modern woman. She has modern ideas around hygiene and treats the serfs like equals.

‘I’ve never been on a demesne where serfs were educated, milady. The practice is an unusual one. A villein’s role in life is to labour for his master, not steal time in order to learn letters.’ [Said by a clerk hired by Lady Anne’s husband]

Eleanor (Lady Anne’s daughter) was horrible, but I liked the conflict she added; without her, there would be very little story and the book would suck. I also liked how she gained layers and became more understandable as the story progresses.

I hope the next book resolves Eleanor’s storyline (and maybe brings some much-needed change to her character). I would also like a better reason for Thaddeus’s ramble through the countryside (other than obtaining information and supplies. They were away too long just for that).

Other than that (and a slightly ponderous middle), The Last Hours is a fantastic book. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

Conclusion

Have you read The Last Hours? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: A Plague on Both Your Houses by Susanna Gregory

Review of A Plague on Both Your Houses by Susanna Gregory, the first chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew set in 14th century Cambridge.

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Synopsis

After the body of Sir John Babington, Master of Michaelhouse, is found spinning on Cambridge’s millwheel, he is thought to have committed suicide. Then several more Michaelhouse residents die and Dr Matthew Bartholomew becomes suspicious. However, the Bishop is called in to review the deaths and gives orders to cover-up any scandal.

At the same time, rumours circulate that Oxford University is trying to close the competing university at Cambridge by creating problems between town and gown. Then, the plague arrives in Cambridge and all Bartholomew’s time is consumed with treating the dwindling populace.

During the ensuing mess, a woman goes missing and men make surprising confessions. This leads Bartholomew to search out information that puts his life in danger from the men responsible for the earlier deaths.

Review

A Plague on Both Your Houses is a fantastic black-death-era mystery. Sure, the Death may have distracted me (and the characters) from the mystery for a bit, but it became an important part of the story. The book was sprinkled with historical details and interesting information, particularly about the plague.

The story is extremely convoluted and intricate. There are twists and turns in the (very complicated and eventful) mystery with a plot within a plot and dangerous encounters. Even Bartholomew gets confused about what’s going on. Then there’s a disappearance that might be related to the original plots/murders but turns out to be unrelated. I found the “let’s summarise what we know” bits completely necessary.

Very few of the characters are fleshed out enough that I could care about them. Add to that the vast number of minor characters and a character list would have been helpful. There were some characters that appeared early on and then again towards the end, by which time I had forgotten who they were. However, I was gripped by trying to work out which characters were good, and which were bad.

I liked Bartholomew. He’s intelligent, a bit naïve, and genuinely shocked at other people’s deviousness. I loved reading about him trying to deal with the plague and how selfless he was. Bartholomew’s student, Gray, provided a nice contrast to emphasise these qualities.

Gray followed him from house to house carrying the heavy bag that contained Bartholomew’s instruments and medicines. Bartholomew could feel the student’s disapproval as he entered the single-roomed shacks that were home to families of a dozen. The only patient of which Gray did not disapprove was the wife of a merchant. She was one of the few cases with which Bartholomew had had success, and was lying in a bed draped with costly cloths, tired, but still living. The grateful merchant pressed some gold coins into Bartholomew’s hand. Bartholomew wondered whether they would be sufficient to bribe people to drive the carts that collected the dead.

Conclusion

Have you read A Plague on Both Your Houses? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: 11.22.63 by Stephen King

Book review of 11.22.63, a time-travel historical fiction novel by Stephen King, based around the JFK assassination.

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Synopsis

Divorced high-school English teacher Jake Epping is marking essays when he receives a strange phone-call from the owner of his favourite diner.

Years ago, Al discovered that his pantry contains a portal to 1958. Over the years, he has made hundreds of journeys into the past, worked out some basic rules of time-travel, and decides to stop the JFK assassination. Unfortunately, he became too unwell to complete his quest and had to return to 2011.

So Jake takes up the baton and makes his own journey to the past. While waiting for that fateful day, Jake takes up a teaching job in Jodie, Texas. In Jodie, he falls in love with beautiful, recently divorced librarian Sadie Dunhill. Their relationship is strained when he moves to Dallas to spy on Lee Harvey Oswald and cannot tell her what he’s doing.

Review

I am usually not a fan of Stephen King. Afterall, his novels are mostly of the thriller/horror type. However, 11.22.63 is more of an alternate reality historical fiction. There is a bit of violence, but nothing too terrifying.

I didn’t like how the author talked about various historical characters as if the reader already knew who they were. This seems perfectly reasonable for ‘big’ characters (like JFK). But who on earth is Frank Anicetti?

The characters were all so realistic and vivid that it made the fantastic things that happen to them believable. Each person was detailed and had their own flaws. I thought this was excellently done; it really helped with the whole suspension of disbelief thing.  

Jake and Sadie’s romance was so lovely. There’s so much honesty and tenderness in their relationship, but it wasn’t at all sappy.

I liked how the book explored time-travel and its consequences. The little details of the past restarting each time someone goes back and each trip lasting two minutes were clever. However, I thought the alternate future bit with reality destroying itself due to the timeline changes was a bit over-the-top.

I loved how both the positive and negative aspects of the settings were shown. The historical time may be exciting and dreamy, but its problems (such as segregation) are included. Even horrible places (like Derry) have little bits of beauty shown (such as those children practicing a lindy-hop dance).

Conclusion

Have you read 11.22.63? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).