Being of Indian origin myself, I am familiar with the daily challenges of life in India. So when I first started reading this book, I found some of the anecdotes of Indian life quite funny.
However for me the book ran out of humour and steam halfway and it was a little disappointing ending. Balram's rise to wealth, power and success is not convincing enough and there is little sign of repentance on his part about how he acquired his wealth and at the perceived cost to his family. Or maybe that is just the idealist in me coming through.
I have no doubt that this is how life is in modern India with the rich having far more than the poor than ever before. So in this sense this book ... Read More:
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I studied this period (and this battle in particular) during my history degree in the early 90's and decided that I would delve back in time to remind myself what this was all about. Azincourt was my companion on a return flight to Bahrain recently and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Historically interesting, full of action and detail it really had me turning pages through both flights! When I landed at Gatwick I was disappointed to have to find another book to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a passing interest in medieval history, but it's easily accessible to absolutely anyone who enjoys as good action adventure.
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Due to the acclaims given to this novel, I expected something truly unique; especially due to the interesting narrative - death. However, I couldn't be more disappointed if I tried.
I have read my fair share of books and I am also currently studying Nazi Germany, so I have some insight into Germany around the time in the novel. Before I delved into this book, I thought it sounded incredibly interesting; the narrative was different, the setting and date was at a time of interest and the mystery seemed to be lurking from the synopsis on the back. However, instead of feeling like I was connecting with the characters and enjoying the story line, I felt like I was being taught a History lesson into Nazi Germany all over again.
"Scarpetta" is the return to form we have all been waiting for! I started the book yesterday, and I'm now halfway through, but I wanted to share my first impressions. I think this is Ms. Cornwell's best Scarpetta novel since "The Last Precinct". Her writing seems tight and focused again; from the outset, the characters and the reader plunge into the investigation, and there's none of those awful (in my opinion) 'inside the killer's mind in real-time' sequences that ruined books like "Predator" for me. Here, the reader discovers things with the characters. I'll post again when I've finished the book, but the first-half is very promising. Thank you, Ms. Cornwell!!
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This book makes a mockery of the whole Twilight series. The first book in the series was brilliant, the second okay, the third better than okay, but this is plain rubbish. The diologue is rubbish, the story is boring and dull and what I hate most *Warning spoiler* is how the character of Jacob imprints on Bella's daughter. It makes his love for Bella a waste of time and this was part of the reason the Twilight saga was so good. The story would have gone a bit better if he had imprinted on someone like Leah. I also found Bella annoying in this book, and sometimes found myself wanting to tell her to shut up.
Overall, a horrible read and I was so happy when I finished it. If you have only read the first three books, leave it at that as if you read this book, ... Read More:
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My son aged 10 is heavily into Dr Who and was dying to get this annual. He was impressed by this new one and found it both interesting and entertaining. Although a cheap gift he rated it above some of the PS2 games he was given!!! Would recommend this annual for any Dr Who fan.
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Had this book bought for me as a birthday present, and to be honest I wasn't looking forward to reading it, I was put off by the thought of reading about wars..
However I've just finished the book. I read it in one day as I was completely unable to put it down. Totally gripping and moving. A real insight to a place which we only hear about on the news.
I'm now going to buy the kite runner.
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What an excellent Tudor mystery - Sansom really brings Tudor life 'back to life'! If you enjoy grizzly murder mysteries with twists and turns then this is for you. It is well up to the standard of the previous 3 Shardlake novels and we can only hope the fourth one will not be too long in arriving! Read and enjoy - one to immerse onself in on a cold winter night!
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