my 5 most memorable reads of 2012

I had intended to do a ‘best books’ and contrasting ‘worst books’ post for those I had read this year, but it’s actually very hard to choose ‘best’ & ‘worst’ from around 90 books – especially as I read such a diverse range of books.

Instead, I have decided to classify them as ‘most memorable’ (in a good way!) and ‘most disappointing’.

This list doesn’t necessarily include my absolute favourite reads – but an easy, fun read can be extremely enjoyable but wont stay with me for any length of time.  I wanted to concentrate on those books that have had stuck in my mind – the ones that I immediately think of if someone asks for any recommendations.  The ones that were a bit unique.

So here they are – in no particular order (pic and titles link to my full reviews).

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern:  Read with the book club, this really divided us – mainly into boys vs girls.  although it was very light on plot and depth of characters, I have never read a book with such beautiful, striking imagery.  I could feel, smell and taste the circus, and it was a wonder to behold.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness:  I only read this originally to see if it was an acceptable YA book for The Girl to read.  It is the first in a trilogy, and I have recently read the second one, which is just as good.  The idea of ‘The Noise’ is unique, and I have since caught myself wondering what other people’s noise may contain when I have been with them.  It also made me bawl my eyes out!

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein:  This isn’t the first book to be narrated by an animal, but it felt one of the most sympathetic.  Dogs are often veiwed as being a bit daft, but Enzo was far from daft – he was intelligent, loyal, insightful and funny.  One of the best voices I’ve read this year.

The Waterproof Bible by Andrew Kaufman:  There were so many beautiful and surreal ideas in this book that all came together in a stunning climax with all the strands tying into a unique but perfect bow. I especially loved the idea of being able to store away your emotions, and have passed a few Big Yellows since and imagined what experiences could be locked away within.

The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin:  I was toying with Dead Scared as my final choice (see what I did there?) or The Girl With The Glass Feet but finally decided on this old-fashioned detective romp.  I do like a good detective thriller, and have read some pretty decent ones this year, but this 1940′s book, recommended by my nan and read by our book club was totally different to its contemporaries.  It was good wholesome fun, with some surprisingly modern-feeling elements.

So, they were my most memorable reads of this year (yes, and I kind of managed to sneak 7 in there – did anyone notice?).  Next I will be posting the 5 books that most disappointed me!

I would love to hear what YOUR most memorable books were this year, as I have a whole new year starting in a couple of days to fill with ideas of books to read!

the moving toyshop – edmund crispin

The Moving Toyshop

My nan had mentioned this book for me to suggest to the E17 Book Club.  We actually had about 5 picks to choose from for our Feb/March read, but I was lucky enough to have this one win when put to the vote!

The Moving Toyshop was first published in 1945, but is actually set in 1938 – mainly in Oxford.  Before reading I didn’t realise it was part of a series (apparently number three in the Gervase Fen set according to Goodreads).

Richard Cadogan, poet and would-be bon-vivant travels from London on search of  ‘an adventure’. That night he finds the body of an elderly woman in an Oxford toyshop, and is then hit on the head. When he comes to, he finds that the toyshop has disappeared and been replaced with a grocery store.

What comes after this is a delightful mix of detective and mystery and an absolutely glorious old English ‘caper’ of a story.

There is something delightfully whimsical and comforting about posh men in suits and hats rushing around towns like Oxford getting into scrapes, saying ‘jolly’ and ‘golly’ a lot and ending up in the most surreal situations.

And the language used is fantastic – so archaic, along with casual sexism which becomes rather endearing when it’s put into context (this IS 1938 after all!).  There were so many parts of this book that had me literally laughing out loud.  I will share a few, just to whet your appetite.

“…piled high like the gimcrack splendours of a proletarian heaven.” – even my kindle dodn’t know what ‘gimcrack ‘was!

“‘Look’, he said. ‘It will be better if we both talk about the same subject at the same time. This isn’t a Chekov play’.”

“There was no ring on her left gand, and the flatness of her breats had already suggested that she was unmarried.” – now this one confuses me, was she unmarried as she had flat breasts, or because she was not likely to have had children thus creating larger breasts?

I also loved the list of shops on the High Street as they were running – it shows a far different view than what we have now:  “A chemist’s and a draper’s. Farther to teh right, a butcher, a baker, a stationery shop; and to the left, a corn merchant, a hat shop, and another chemist…”

One of my favourite lines was a description of Gervase Fen himself: “He had on an enormous raincoat and carried an extraordinary hat.”  nothing else was said about the hat – I have no idea why it was so extraordinary!  This made me giggle

And another description, this time of a lawyer: “He looked a trifle seedy, and one suspected that his professional abilities were mediocre.”

Oh I could carry on at greta length quoting parts that I really loved – Fen suggesting to Crispin (the author!) names for his next novel; the Benny Hill style chase through Oxford, and the fact that the girl had to sit outside the baths (as it was male only0 while they carried on chasing each other in there; the fact that Fen had ‘once made love to a girl over there, but not very well’; the aniquated names they call each other and the description of The Colossal (one of the smallest and most disreputable cinemas ever contrived).

But instead, I am just going to suggest you read it. It wont take you very long and will definitely put a smile on even the sternest of faces!