Review: The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire

The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire by Robert Kirkman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm reading these on my iPod and it's been fun seeing how the story differs from the show.

In particular, I far prefer the character Michonne in the TV series. In the book she rather annoys me. Though I was happy to see the references to how happy people were to find the prison library. Oh, and the Carol 3-way marriage plotline is interesting.



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Review: The Hangman's Replacement: Sprout of Disruption

The Hangman's Replacement: Sprout of Disruption by Taona Dumisani Chiveneko

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



We'll start this off by saying that the author gave me a free copy of this book for a review. That my ratings are unaffected by this is shown by the fact that the only other free book I've been given to review I gave 2 stars to. The Hangman's Replacement deserves every last one of those stars, as far as I'm concerned. The plot is fun and funny and fascinating in the manner in which a group of seemingly unconnected people turn out to be stuck in the very same web of intrigue. The book started off strong, with some of the funniest, driest humour I've read in some time and as each layer of complication was added, I got more excited. I can't wait to read the next book.

Plants that seek out dead bodies, a hangman with a determination gene, angry spirits, a "perfect" gallows - it's a bizarre set of things that turn up in this novel, but they all come together well.



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Review: Turtle Moon

Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I read this on a night train in Europe, the summer I backpacked around and caught the travelling bug. I recall thinking it was okay, but nothing worth lugging about as a keeper, except that I started the habit of writing the date and location I've read books on the first page inside the book that summer and I wanted to have the one that referenced a night train between two separate countries.



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Review: Crow Lake

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It was a long time ago and all I really recall was that my store bought copy was missing pages and I had to read that section in Waterstone's.



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Review: The History of the Forgotten War: Korean War, 1950-1953 and Afterwards

The History of the Forgotten War: Korean War, 1950-1953 and Afterwards by Soon Wuk Kim

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



My students and I went on a field trip to the War Museum of Korea on Friday and a man in the museum handed me this. Though it's poorly translated, it was a decent basic intro to the war.



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Review: Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies, and Aid

Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies, and Aid by Samantha Nutt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Moving, if not really telling me anything I don't know. The Canadian connection was interesting. It made me want to go out and do something useful, or at the very least move to Africa.



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Review: India Dishonoured: Behind a nation's war on women

India Dishonoured: Behind a nation's war on women by Sunny Hundal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



While I'm not sure I learned very much that was completely new, this was a good summary of the situation in India and a reminder of things I'd read previously in newspapers, magazines and online.



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Review: Always Right

Always Right by Niall Ferguson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



So, the other day while I was bored at work I one-clicked away on a bunch of Kindle Singles and this was one of them. I didn't put much thought into any of these purchases, and so I was a bit startled when I realized that this was a book praising Thatcher - I guess I thought the title was a joke.

Anyway, it does the mind good to read something you don't agree with every once in a while, though I will admit to being glad that this is something I almost totally polished off on my short commute to and from work yesterday. It only gets 2 stars because it really didn't provide much background about her at all - what are wet and dry Tories, for example?

I must admit, my mind was chanting "Thatcher, Thatcher milk snatcher" asI read.



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Review: The Heart Goes Last

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This series makes me feel all Dickens-era old-fashioned, having to read installment by installment. I liked this section a lot - the prostibots are interesting and it's set up the next section nicely.



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