Christodora by Tim Murphy

Christodora  by Tim Murphy

Publisher: Pan Mcmillan (23 February 2017)

Source: Publisher (NetGalley), The NUDGE and New Books Reviewers

Pages: 496

Rating:

Synopsis:
In this vivid and compelling novel, Tim Murphy follows a diverse set of characters whose fates intertwine in an iconic building in Manhattan's East Village, the Christodora. The Christodora is home to Milly and Jared, a privileged young couple with artistic ambitions. Their neighbour, Hector, a Puerto Rican gay man who was once a celebrated AIDS activist but is now a lonely addict, becomes connected to Milly's and Jared's lives in ways none of them can anticipate. Meanwhile, the couple's adopted son, Mateo, grows to appreciate the opportunities for both self-realization and oblivion that New York offers. As the junkies and protestors of the 1980s give way to the hipsters of the 2000s and they, in turn, to the wealthy residents of the crowded, glass-towered city of the 2020s, enormous changes rock the personal lives of Milly and Jared and the constellation of people around them. Moving kaleidoscopically from the Tompkins Square Riots and attempts by activists to galvanize a response to the AIDS epidemic, to the New York City of the future, Christodora recounts the heartbreak wrought by AIDS, illustrates the allure and destructive power of hard drugs, and brings to life the ever-changing city itself.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of Christodora was provided by Pan McMillan via Netgalley and a hardcopy via Newbooks Reviewers in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

My Thoughts:

During the late 1920's the 'Christodora', a building situated in Manhattan's East Village was where new immigrants and the poorer members of the community would often find themselves housed. In the 1980's the building was redeveloped and made into luxury apartments where only the affluent could then afford to reside. With the beginnings of gentrification of the area the occupants of these luxurious apartments understandably caused resentment from the less affluent and homeless now unable to afford such accommodation where they'd once had little choice but to reside. Inevitably as tensions grew the infamous riots of New York ensued.

Tim Murphy's masterpiece uses the 'Christodora' as its focal point in the novel and is where its pivotal characters, sculptor Jared Traum and his artist wife Milly, and others live. We also follow a group of interconnected friends, artists, and gay activists over a span of four decades, ranging from the 1980's to 2020.

Being British, I couldn't say that I related much to the drug or gay scene of New York. I did however have gay friends, and some friends who took drugs, but I didn't personally know anyone with HIV. 

What I do remember is the paranoia drummed up by the news media and our 'then' Government about the 'AIDS' plague, that a promiscuous gay community had brought upon themselves, and that it was now a threat to all of us if we were bisexual or had more than one sexual partner.

It had also become a requirement for more than one male applying for a joint mortgage and for gay men applying for health insurance, to take an HIV test before consideration. A positive result meant refusal of application, and a blemish on medical files, forever! Eventually we were better informed about this horrific, unprejudiced virus which would claim people from all walks of life, gender and sexual orientation.

'Christodora' educated me in many ways about the HIV plight of the 1980's and of the role 'gay activists' and scientists in America played in the fight for medical research, better health care, and legal rights for both gay men and lesbian women.  It is because of these dedicated brave individuals that AIDS no longer needs to lead to a premature death or that its sufferers be subjected to discrimination, prejudice and fear.

Tim Murphy writes with real depth and clarity about his characters that it's hard to believe they aren't living and breathing people. One character's narrative had such a powerful impact on me that I felt breathless and giddy reading as she ploughed from one scene to another with a volatile energy gathering in pace and momentum, and with her increasing irrational, embarrassing and inappropriate behaviour. I felt 'manic', my head was in turmoil.  Ava and the symptoms of her bi-polar disorder are so incredibly well written, I felt as if I was in the same headspace...as uncomfortable as this was it was brilliantly done!

Overlong at times, and confusing with time shifts leaping back and forth as characters gave their points of view, it was definitely worth the perseverance as I was rewarded with the 'payoff' as gradually everything made sense and the segments slowly slotted into place.

Hugely encyclopaedic in scope 'Christodora' is also a raw emotive 'coming of age' tale of sorts. I found every character compelling from the aforementioned Ava, struggling with her manic episodes, to one of the most intriguing but equally frustrating, and at times intensely unlikeable characters in the book, Hugo Villanueva.

'Christodora' is intelligently, and compassionately written with complex, flawed individuals, and evokes a real sense of an era full of fun, passion, pace and energy, with a vibe of the creative arts, and excitement of the music industry; then it turns on itself like a rabid dog and relentlessly drives us down into an abyss with descriptions of the devastating catastrophic effects of drug abuse (chiefly meth addiction), and the fear, pain and despair of losing, or leaving behind, friends and loved ones because of an unknown disease.

Utterly compelling and educational in respect of the relationships and interrelationships of the characters before, during, and after the emergence of a devastating disease that cut dead the excitement and euphoria of the gay, drug and disco days of the 80's...Highly recommended.

The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted The War by Sumia Sukkar

The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War by Sumia Sukkar

Genre: Fiction (Faction), Contemporary, War Fiction, Refugees

Format: Hardback

Publisher: Eyewear Publishing (H/B Nov, 2013) (P/B Oct, 2014)

Source:  NewBooks Magazine

Rating:

Synopsis:

Adam is a 14-year-old boy with Asperger Syndrome who attempts to understand the Syrian conflict and its effect on his life by painting his feelings. Yasmine, his beautiful older sister, devotes herself to him, but has to cope with her own traumas when she is taken by soldiers. Their three brothers also struggle – on whether or not to take sides and the consequences of their eventual choices.

The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War is the powerful and deeply moving debut novel from 21-year- old Sumia Sukkar. It chronicles the intimate sufferings of a family in the midst of civil war with uncommon compassion, wit and imaginative force. Told mainly from a challenged young man’s perspective, it achieves the timeless dignity of a true report from an unpredictable and frightening place. It will take its place among the list of necessary books to read about how we preserve love and beauty during brutal times.

The story is sure to become a beloved classic, as it follows in the footsteps of other novels touching on the lives of young people during war. “Writing my timely novel was a way for me to express my grief towards the tragedies of what’s happening in my country,” says Sumia. “Readers will find it interesting to experience the traumatising events of war through the eyes of an innocent young autistic boy who has lived his whole life completely dependant on his family and then having to be separated from them. It contains a blend of political events, emotional drive and Arabian tradition."

My Thoughts:

I originally read The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War by Sumia Sukkar back in 2012, and it had quite an impact on me.  I don't know why I didn't write up my thoughts beforehand. Maybe I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to do it the justice it deserves. I will however now attempt to do just that and tell you what an amazing read The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War is.  With the Syrian conflict still at the forefront of news broadcasts, further compounded by the unfolding tragedy of the exodus of refugees from a country destroyed by war The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War is an excellent narrative.  It is a compelling but harrowing book telling an all too painfully realistic story seen through the eyes of a child.

Adam the books narrator is 14 years old, has Asperger Syndrome, and is totally dependent on his family.  He lives with his loving sister, Yasmine and his brothers Khalid, Tariq and Isa in Aleppo. Although he doesn't fully comprehend what is happening to his country he does have a sense of the bubbling tensions and fear, caused by the advancing Syrian conflict from the actions and altering behaviours, of those close to him.

Yasmine has always been totally devoted to Adam but after a particularly traumatic experience her character alters to such a degree that she no longer has the patience for him.  Adam cannot understand why this is or why sometimes she is grey or green and no longer ruby.

The only way he can cope, and make some sense of his changing environment is to paint what he sees and how he feels. He relates and feels through colour and paints the war as he watches the utter chaos and destruction of his home.

“I have the urge to paint and I can already see the painting in my head. Two young boys lying in the water with their bodies spread open, free, but their faces disfigured, burnt. It would be a black-and-white painting with the faces a spectrum of colours. It’s going to be horrible and beautiful all at the same time.”

The Boy From Aleppo is beautifully written with prose that flows naturally and effortlessly. It's hard to believe that this is Sumia Sukkar's debut novel but it is undeniably written with compassionate imaginative insight.  These fictional characters are 'real'; Adam and his family are the refugees we currently see on our TV and tablet screens. It is painfully raw and powerfully emotive reading about the violence, trauma and devastation the war has on them.

Sumia Sukkar does not pull any punches and has spectacularly captured the plight of the Syrian refugees. This is not a feel good read. As depressing and gut wrenching as it is to see the horror and devastation of war through the eyes of a child, it is an invaluable fictional reportage of current events. Even if we are ourselves powerless to help, the least we can do is try to understand and not belittle the plight of a war ravaged people and to remember that they are just like us. This book does that in a non political narrative of an innocent child.

I wholeheartedly recommend, even implore, that you read this book. A great debut offering from a talented writer, The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War is simply outstanding.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of The Boy From Aleppo Who Painted the War was provided by NewBooks Magazine in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

About Sumia Sukkar:

Sumia Sukkar is of Syrian and Algerian origin, but grew up in London. She has a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Kingston University. This is her debut novel. Follow Sumia on Twitter: @SumiaSukkar.

I'm A Winner - Lesley Jorgenson's debut novel Cat & Fiddle

Thank you to Newbooks Magazine and SCRIBE Publications Australia for my winning prize of Lesley Jorgenson's debut novel Cat & Fiddle.


I just love the stunning cover and look forward to reading it. I'll leave a review once I've read it and enter Cat & Fiddle as a future Giveaway prize.

Product Description:
Cat & Fiddle centres on two families whose lives become entwined at the country estate of Bourne Abbey. While Dr Choudhury is busy advising Henry Bourne on the restoration of the abbey to its former glory, his wife’s main concern is marrying off their three children, whose chances of good matches are dwindling by the day. Thankfully, the royal family always seems to have a solution to her problems: how to find a wife for a reluctant son; how to manage a difficult father-in-law; and, of course, how not to deal with an inter-faith relationship.

Then there’s the Bourne family. Henry’s wife, Thea, is feeling lost, now that she’s got the lifestyle she’s always longed for. His elder brother, Richard, a successful London barrister, finds himself increasingly drawn to the family home — the inheritance that he’s given up. Meanwhile, Henry just wants to keep the peace, but that’s proving to be tricky …

And, finally, there’s Bourne Abbey itself: the repository of an ancient mystery that links the histories and cultures of the Bournes and the Choudhurys in a way that no one could have anticipated.

About the Author:
Lesley Jrgensen trained as a registered nurse while also completing simultaneous arts and law degrees, and has worked as a medical-negligence lawyer in Australia and England. While in England, she married into a Muslim Anglo & Bangladeshi family. She now lives in Adelaide with her two children. Cat & Fiddle is her first novel.

LONGBOURN by JO BAKER

Amazon Link:

Waterstones Link:

Title: Longbourn

Author: Jo Baker

Publisher: Doubleday / Transworld Publishing / Black Swan

Publish Date: 16 January 2014

Source: (digital) Newbooks Magazine

Genre: Historical Fiction

ISBN: 9780857522023 (p/b)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
"If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah thought, she would be more careful not to trudge through muddy fields.

It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah's hands are chapped and bleeding. Domestic life below stairs, ruled tenderly and forcefully by Mrs Hill the housekeeper, is about to be disturbed by the arrival of a new footman smelling of the sea, and bearing secrets.

For in Georgian England, there is a world the young ladies in the drawing room will never know, a world of poverty, love, and brutal war."

My Thoughts:
...“If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats", Sarah often thought, "she’d most likely be a sight more careful with them."...

This was a section from the opening chapter and I was immediately ensnared. I have not yet read Pride & Prejudice, and did wonder if I would be able to follow the meshing of story lines, but with writing this good I decided to give Longbourn the benefit of the doubt.  I'm so glad I did. I do not believe it detracted from my enjoyment nor understanding of the characters or plot. I am very keen to read Jane Austin's classic and it has certainly been plucked from the 'books to read' pile and is now at the top destined for an earlier read.

Longbourn is an alternative retelling from 'downstairs', the servants points of view on the affairs of the privaliged lifestyle of the Bennets, and gives extensive insight into the servants gruelling exhaustible daily chores of cleaning and the never ending work involved in the running of the household.

The story is told in three volumes taking place over the same time period of the original story. The first two are mainly based at Longbourn concentrating on the feisty Sarah, the 17 year old orphan housemaid. The final volume focuses a little more on the history of James Smith the Footman, the newest addition to the servants quarters, and whose history is somewhat clouded in mystery. Other characters include, Polly another orphan housemaid, and Mrs Hill, the Head Housekeeper and Cook who is married to Mr Hill.

I absolutely loved Baker's style of writing. She has written an excellent historical tale with such depth of character development it evoked strong visual images in my head as I read. I found the characters to be believable and credible and was totally drawn into the world, if sometimes bleak and grim, that Baker so wonderfully portrayed.

Such a beautifully written book, I would have no reservations in recommending it to anyone interested in romantic classics and/or lovers of period dramas such as the current tv serialisation 'Downtown Abbey', or the classic 'Upstairs, Downstairs' tv series from the 70's. There is something for everyone, romance, intrigue, mystery, scandalous behaviour, dastardly deeds, doubt, distrust and expectations for a better future.

Book reading groups would have an enormous amount of enjoyment discussing the privaliged characters from the classic and this retelling about the poverty stricken, hardworking servants.

Disclosure: I received an e-review copy of Longbourn for an honest, unbiased review. It was a pleasure and I thank Newbooks Magazine for this opportunity.

The Trader of Saigon by Lucy Cruickshanks

AMAZON UK LINK:

'The Trader of Saigon' by Lucy Cruickshanks is set in the 1980's Vietnam.  It is primarily about 3 main characters, Phuc a once affluent  businessman (pre war) who is now desperately trying to do the best for his family in the miserable circumstances they now find themselves.

Hahn a 15 year old girl trying to survive as best she can in abject poverty looking after her sick mother and working as a latrine girl.

Alexander, a coward and deserter from the US Army; a man of very little substance struggling with his demons but making a very comfortable living from the trafficking trade.  He is an extremely unlikeable character with many failings, some out of his control, but most of his own making.  I felt ambivalent about Alexander but eventually formed the opinion that he could only do his best under the circumstances.

The main characters paths cross in dramatic and unexpected circumstances and 'The Trader of Saigon' is an enjoyable, if somewhat unsavoury, read which I found hard to put down. The pace is gentle at the start but rages to an ultimate climax which kept me reading right into the early hours. It is ultimately a tale of survival, retribution and forgiveness.

Lucy Cruickshanks has written this tale in a beautiful, simplistic style, painting vivid scenes of a foreign land and culture.  I was drawn so easily and quickly into this world.  I could almost smell and feel the atmosphere, the sights and sounds of the streets of Hanoi and Saigon. The impending malevolence palpable from every alley or street corner. The apprehension and fear that anything could happen to you with no help of rescue or assistance. 

This is an outstanding debut novel which I enjoyed very much and it will certainly appeal to a wide audience.  'Reading groups' would definitely have some interesting and lively conversations. 

I am looking forward to what Lucy Cruickshanks does next.

Thank you to the Team at Newbooks for the opportunity to review this title.

Giveaway : Paw Tracks in the Moonlight by Denis O'Connor

Amazon UK Kindle Link:

Paw Tracks in the Moonlight by Denis O'Connor

Illustrated by Richard Morris

226 pages

To start off my first Giveaway, I will be offering my review copy of

Paw Tracks in the Moonlight.

This Giveaway is open to UK Residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review:

Rating: 5 out of 5

I really loved this delightful tale about Dennis and Toby Jug.

Who would think that a book with very little else happening apart from the relationship between a slightly eccentric character and his cat would be so interesting.  A very gentle paced story that I really looked forward to picking up, and losing myself, to find out what was happening.

It very much reminded me whilst reading of Noodle.  We, as a family, were living in Saudi Arabia for a 4 year posting with my husbands job.  Sneak was a semi ferile female cat living on our compound who had litter after litter and was looking awful, scabby, skinny and very ill. Sneak would parade her kittens along the streets for the residents to see as she knew we would bring out food and water and milk for her and the kittens.  She appeared friendly until you got too close to the kittens and then she'd  attack .  We all knew the rules and stuck by them if we wanted to see them. The PAWS representative on the compound couldn't catch her in time between pregnancies to have her spayed for her own health and benefit so it was decided to catch her when she'd had her latest litter.

 

She was caught but 2 of the kittens had been moved and could not be found.  We had one of the 3 found.  At the time he was only 4 weeks old and we had to prepare ourselves for the possibility that he wouldn't make it.  I had to sleep with him snuggled into my neck and hair and wake up to feed him evaporated milk from a pen lid.  I can tell you I was exhausted and after 2 days didn't think I could continue for much longer without a good nights sleep and getting up at 5.30am to get the kids to school.  Luckily for all of us he finally got the idea and drank from a saucer.

Noodle went on to become quite a character on the compound. Loved by some and served ASBO's by others as he believed he had rights to all villas and any pet food lying around. He loved to attack adults legs as they walked and loved children so much he would seek them out. He would follow the children to school and walk with us wherever we walked. He would even happily sit on the front seat of the car for a drive.I would get phone calls to say that he was shopping in the supermarket or in the library and then the bus would drop him off back home.

When we finally had to return to the UK we were afraid he wouldn't last long with the traffic as he didn't know about  how the outside world ran. He was used to walking wherever and resting if he felt in the middle of the road.  If a car came by it would drive around him.

It's been 2 months and so far he's still ok. I just hope it stays that way.

But I digress ... Back to my review.   I actually laughed and cried during the course of reading and so glad that Newbooks sent me this one to review.