Men, women & children

The Book

Chad Kultgen's novel focuses on the way the internet, social media and texting has altered relationships - familial, friends and partners. None of it in a good way. Fathers and mothers start extra-marital affairs with ease via dating and sex websites; friends are developed online but with no context or meaning; partners express their love and urges to each other via text but find it difficult to talk to each other when face to face. Because of this whole new world of communication, people have lost the art of telling people how they really feel except online where no-one can see them or interact in an emotional way. This is cleverly conveyed by all the real life conversations carried out with the word "said" - there is no adjective that conveys emotion and lets you or the other characters know how they are feeling. Its easier to text about sex than talk face to face about it - there is no embarrassment and talking dirty can be less restrained or awkward.

Child 44

The Book

44 children have been brutally murdered - found naked with their stomachs removed and mouths stuffed with ground bark.

The true enemy in Tom Rob Smith's novel set in Stalinist Russia, however, is the state system and its ideological viewpoint. Having read George Orwell's 1984, the nightmarish scenario "Imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever" was one I was familiar with but wasn't aware how much was history.
The reason a killer has been allowed to get away with so many murders is because the state does not recognise crimes like murder - that is a capitalist weakness. As everyone is happy and content in Russia, there should be no need for crime. Each murder is treated as an isolated incident with no co-ordination and a convenient person who is not the ideal Stalinist citizen is rounded up, tortured until they confess and then executed.

 Leo Demidov is an MGB State Security Officer who has carried out these practices for years in return for advancement and security, but when a scheming, jealous partner incriminates Leo's wife as a spy, he is demoted and sent to a remote outpost for not agreeing (and thereby going against the State).
With nothing to lose, disillusioned Leo starts to investigate the true serial killer, but its difficult to get evidence when fear of the State is greater than fear of a murderer.
The final confrontation between Leo and the killer is rather a subdued affair following the thrill of the chase and a massive plot reveal, but everything is tied up nicely.
If you intend to read the book, don't read any further as I am going to reveal the twist...

Seventh Son

The Book

.. or books, as the Seventh Son is the title covering the first two separately published books in the Spook series by Joseph Delaney - Spook's Apprentice and Spook's Curse. Delaney's books are set in a fictional County in medieval England, but taking inspiration from real places in Lancashire, where he lives. There is a definite Northern feel, with characters walking over fells and saying Aye a lot, which immediately sets alarm bells ringing with me about the adaptation, looking at the cover of the book (the film poster) which has Jeff Bridges as the Spook and Julianne Moore as a pale red head (I am guessing a witch).


Tom Ward starts learning to be the Spook's Apprentice and leaves his family to be taught in the ways of imprisoning boggarts, witches and ghosts.


The first book focuses on this initial training and Tom's gradual introduction to Alice, a young girl with pointy shoes, who persuades him to help Mother Malkin, an old crone of a witch to escape her imprisonment by the Spook. Realising his error, he tries to kill the newly risen witch and she becomes wick - a shapeless form that can take over the body of another. The finale is set for a great showdown where the reader is looking for clues as to who out of Tom's friends and family might be the witch in disguise.

Insurgent

The Book

Having foiled the attempt by Jeanine Matthews and the Erudite to mind control the Dauntless to do their bidding, Tris, Tobias and a group of rebels are pursued as they move from faction to faction. The visits to Amity, Candor and the factionless give us a bigger picture and help flesh out the differences within the different groups. It also brings together characters from each faction, where familial and friendly loyalty sometimes overcomes the faction traits.
Jeanine continues to pose a threat, expanding her control to include Candor and experimenting on Tris in order to overcome the Divergent strain that is resistant to the mind control serum. 
The last 100 pages are non-stop action, whereby the factionless and Dauntless team up to storm the Erudite's fortress, which is protected by controlled Candor.
The second book in the trilogy is much more satisfying to read and provides at least some explanation for the strange divisions in the society, with a grand reveal at the end:

The Giver

Oh no, not another young adult dystopia novel! Lois Lowry's classic and popular story was written in 1993, however - way before trend. It could be seen as the young adult novel that started the ball rolling, in fact, and has so many elements that stay with you after reading.
It has all the usual requirements of the genre: strict rules and regulations, assigned roles within the community, selection ceremonies and callous leaders. It is not until Jonas on his twelfth birthday is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory that it starts to become clear just how bad things have got in this alternative society.
There are illustrations in my version by Paul Cox and they feel totally wrong for the tone of the novel. It even becomes a bit dubious, when the young Receiver has to lie shirtless on the bed and the Giver, a smiling old man, puts his hands on his back.

The Giver is a benign figure, however, who is the holder of all the current and past population's memories. He passes them on to Jonas through touch and Jonas experiences the memories for the first time - family Xmas', sledging in the snow but also war, pain and suffering. He holds these to protect the rest of the people but it is a heavy burden and The Giver's previous chosen incumbent (his daughter) committed suicide.