Book reviews written by Kinga

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Displaying 1-10 of 19 reviews

The Underground Man

by Mick Jackson
- Rated 4 stars
“ I got this book from my library because it said it was nominated for Booker Prize and I just wanted some real literature and not the fluff that my library offer consist of mostly.
Then I found out it was about a weirdo who digs up tunnels.
When I started reading it I realised the said weirdo is also the narrator so I would have to struggle through 260 pages of his ramblings.
I thought "Oh no, what have I got myself into?" - being obsessive-compulsive as I am I just need to finish every book I start.

Luckily before I knew it I was drawn into Mick Jackson's most elegant prose. He created an intriguing fictional character loosely based on the real fifth Duke of Portland.
His Grace's curiosity of a child, obsession with tunnels, his own body and its organs, all his eccentric ways make it quite of a page-turner even if there is not much of a storyline. It was disturbing at times and laugh out loud funny at others. My favourite funny bit must be when the Duke discoveres a worldwide conspiracy involving whalebones and women.

All in all, definitely a character-driven novel, but what a character.”

Kinga wrote this review Wednesday, July 29 2009. ( reply | permalink )
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency

by Alexander McCall Smith
- Rated 4 stars
“What a beautiful little book. Light but not trite. I will definitely have to read the rest.”

Kinga wrote this review Monday, July 20 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Small Island

by Andrea Levy
- Rated 5 stars
“What can I say? Powerful and epic. Deserves all the praise it's got.”

Kinga wrote this review Monday, July 13 2009. ( reply | permalink )
True Colours

by Sue Haasler
- Rated 2 stars
“Well.. Don't ever judge a book by the cover as they say. The cover was pretty nice. Inside there was a painfully predictable plot, two-dimensional cliche characters and writing style that often made me cringe (however I admit there were a few almost funny sentences - not enough to save the book though). Meh”

Kinga wrote this review Wednesday, July 8 2009. ( reply | permalink )
The Paris Review Interviews, III

by The Paris Review
- Rated 5 stars
“Quite amazing. If you want to know what it is like to be a writer (a proper critically acclaimed one) go read it. Interviewers ask all the right questions.”

Kinga wrote this review Monday, July 6 2009. ( reply | permalink )
A Lesson Before Dying

by Ernest J. Gaines
- Rated 3 stars
“It wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. It left me wanting more. I wanted it to go deeper.

Nonetheless it is an important book and definitely worth reading.”

Kinga wrote this review Sunday, June 28 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Child's Play

by Carmen Posadas
- Rated 4 stars
“This is a tribute to crime fiction authors and a satire on the genre at the same time. I quite liked it, it was a good example of meta-literature and a rather disturbing page-turner. Carmen Posadas keeps playing with you throughout the book. Anytime you think you outsmarted her, she proves you wrong.”

Kinga wrote this review Sunday, June 7 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Bitter Sweets

by Roopa Farooki
- Rated 5 stars
“I absolutely loved it. They say we all lie about 6 times a day. Well, this is what happens when you and your whole family makes it 12 times a day.
The book has a lot more going for it self than just the allure of the exotic.”

Kinga wrote this review Sunday, May 31 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Foreign Bodies

by Hwee Hwee Tan
- Rated 5 stars
“One hell of a book! I can't believe it was written by a 23 year old. It makes me really jealous.”

Kinga wrote this review Sunday, May 24 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Glamour

by Louise Bagshawe
- Rated 3 stars
“It is chick lit, of course. And it is incredibly far fetched too. But it has a feminist edge to it, so it is not completely rubbish despite the sickening happily ever after ending.

It also has made up countries. I hate when authors make up countries, I mean, make up a small town, that's fine, but a whole country? How arrogant! Put it then somewhere in Middle East or Eastern Europe and no-one will know... How about try putting it between US and Canada and see how ridiculous that would look. ”

Kinga wrote this review Tuesday, May 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )