The boy from the sea by Garrett Carr

I was swept up into this novel from the start, fully living and breathing the life of the Bonnar family and hoping against hope that things would turn out okay.  I loved the town's narration, the undefined 'we' who are observing events, and through the years and the seasons I enjoyed the short paragraphs with a run down of what had happened to who in town...people outside of the heart of the story and yet, somehow, it felt like I knew them.  There was just a moment part way through when I felt in began to run a little slow - I'd imagined I was nearing the end, but then realised my Kindle was showing there was still forty percent left to read!  But then the story picked up pace again, and I was completely wrapped up once more in the life on and around the sea.

I felt I knew the characters intimately.  I think Ambrose remains my favourite, but I enjoyed the feuding brothers too, and I hoped against hope that Declan would be okay.  There is sadness in the story, but ultimately it felt uplifting, and there is a gentle humour running all the way through, which read best when I held an Irish accent running in my head.  I really enjoyed it. 

Title: The boy from the sea

Author: Garrett Carr

ISBN: 9781035044535

Death of the author by Nnedi Okorafor

For a lot of the time I was reading this book I felt like it was definitely a five star review, but then the last 30% or so really dragged for me and it slipped to a four.

There was a lot I really loved - Zelu is interesting and awful and engaging and fierce, and she made me feel all sorts of feels.  I loved the first half of the book, the mad family dynamics, and watching her navigate her fame and fortune.

Learning more about Nigerian families was fascinating.

I loved the robots, and the snippets you get of Zelu's book (well...!) as you read Zelu's own story.

I liked her relationship with her partner, and the way he supports her.

What I felt worked less well were the interviews sprinkled throughout the book with family members & friends - it made me feel like something awful had happened to Zelu, and so I felt had to be ready at any moment for her to die.  And afterwards, although they gave another insight into Zelu's character, I wasn't sure that they had needed to be there.

In the end, I think maybe there was just too much - a tighter edit would have given everything more impact.  As it was, reading the ending, I was thinking 'wait....WHAT?' feeling cross with myself that I hadn't spotted it coming!

I have found it interesting seeing other reviews complaining it is too much literary fiction, not enough sci fi, or too much robots and not enough literary fiction!  I just enjoyed it for what it was - I read widely anyway, and enjoy both genres.  I think it is sci-fi, but accessible to other readers in a way that some sci-fi really isn't.  It is family drama, but also more than that too.  It feels like a book that will stay with me, and I'm really glad I read it.

Title: Death of the author

Author: Nnedi Okorafor

ISBN: 9781399622950