Self-Publishing Update

I'm now self-publishing some of my short stories on http://www.readwave.com. You can find them here; http://www.readwave.com/hayley.hardman.7/

Thanks for your support! 

The Remains of The Day Review: 'What Is A Great Butler?'

Hey readers,

I actually came on to do a different book review this afternoon, but then I noticed that this one was still sat in my draft pile and it hadn't been started. I thought that I should get it written before I moved on and actually it's not that bad a novel. It won the Booker Prize and has been turned into a movie. The reason why I wanted to read this book was actually to expand on my Japanese authors. I thought it was funny how the novel was set in 1956 England and has flashbacks to the 1930's, when I first saw it. However, it turns out that Kazuo Ishiguro grew up in England and he still lives here.

So, though the novel isn't set in Japan as I was expecting it to be and it doesn't have the poetic flow of Murakami, it's still interesting. The story is about the life of a butler and its told in first person narrative, by the butler, Stevens. He receives a letter from the former housekeeper and having been encouraged by his current employer to take a holiday, he decides to travel down to see her. On the way he faces many small incidents, but he also starts to recall his past and what his life was like working for Lord Darlington before World War Two.  

In-between the sections of the plot, Stevens reflects on life as a servant. He debates what the role of a 20th century butler is, their attitude and nature towards the job and what makes a great butler. He also reflections on his relationship with his father and the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. This adds to the plot in its own way and allows the reader to understand Stevens' nature, though its mostly done through telling.

The narrative is in present tense and does stay throughout the flashbacks and debates. Being in first person, it does feel like Stevens is telling the reader the story, but in parts it does seem like he is writing in a diary or else a letter. Thus showing the reflective side of the story. In some areas it does feel like the narrative wonders away from the actually plot, because Stevens is getting into a debate and trying to explain his point. However, these debates do fit into the story and are clearly a part of his character. The language used comes across as complexed in parts and also very detailed. This doesn't really distracted much from the story as Ishiguro has written the voice of Stevens really well.

The main characters are of course Stevens, Miss Kenton and Lord Darlington. There's a lot of background characters which make up the other servants in the house during both time settings, the visitors to the house and the people Stevens meets on his journey. There is also a lot of other characters who appear as name only, because Stevens is making reference to them in relation to one of his debates. I found all the characters to be well written and some do show development over time. Though plot isn't about the progress of characters because it's a reflective piece.  

There are a few different themes that appear through out, but the main ones are relationships/friendships and love, servitude, dignity, loyalty, memory and politics. The last is also a sub-plot in the novel as it becomes clear that Lord Darlington is involved heavily in the politics of going to war and he comes across as a powerful figure. Love comes across in many forms and it often appears in-between the lines. The main focus of this novel seems to be about servitude and dignity. This does make for a different story then many might be expecting.

Over all, I did enjoy reading this novel, but I did find myself become lost in the debates that Stevens brought up. However, it is very interesting to hear the servants side of the story and we can see just how hard life sometimes was for them. I think there is also a lot more to this novel under the surface, though it can be difficult to understand, because the narrative doesn't stick to the plot. It has got me interested in reading more of Ishiguro's work.

Images from:

http://oldragdoll.wordpress.com/

http://www.impawards.com/1993/remains_of_the_day.html

Baking Day

Hi readers,

Here's something different for today! I'm letting my cooking side out and spending the day- well most of it- in the kitchen. I guess I felt like doing something different and I've not done baking in awhile. I guess after my last kitchen disaster when my butterfly fairy cakes (cupcakes) didn't turn out right at all, I sort of stopped because I was so disappointed by it. However, I've never been one to let things stop me ad it seems that taking a break and then returning to it does work.

I would say that I'm an good cook. I know my way around a kitchen, I know a number of recipes by heart and I've had enough practise. Sometimes though like most people, I have good days and bad days cooking. Though today seems to be a good one as my jammy fairy cakes have turned out just like the photo above! Actually this photo came from the recipe I followed too, so it worked out.

The reason why I like baking is because it gives me time to think- often story ideas! - be creative, experiment and be a bit artistic. I have found in the past that my baking can sometimes reflect my mood. The best things I've made have often been baked on the spur of the moment, when I've been relaxed and not putting much thought into what I am doing. This means that I use new or else very simple recipes at that moment. I then get the best results out of my baking.

The times when my baking has turned out wrong, have been when I've decided not to follow the recipe-for whatever reason- when I've been in a hurry or when I've been trying to hard because none-family members are going to be eating it. Often this means that I spend too much time thinking about it and wanting it to turn out perfect. That mind set can led to things not turning out right. Getting the balance correct is hard for me to do, but I keep trying!

I guess my baking can be compared to my writing in a way. When I don't think about things and just write, I end up producing something good. My writing has always had something of a natural flow within its structure and this does become clear when I've just got on and typed without stopping. It's odd, but I write when I've stopped thinking about and putting in the effort. I guess this way everything can just come out in a natural way and so it does appear like that on the page.

Like my bad cooking though, there are times when I've tried to hard or been over thinking about my writing. I produce 'bad' writing and end up giving up because I'm not in the writing mode. This can also lead to me doubting and judging what I've written. The typing often feels forced and the even though the flow might still be there, it might be harder to see.

I also made some mini orange and lemon muffins, though the photo and recipe below are slightly different from the one I used as I couldn't find my one. However, it looks like they turned out good too and they smell so tasty! I can't wait to eat them now. I ended up making two different cakes because my brother doesn't like jam and I know he'd feel left out! Though to be honest, I feel like I could eat them all myself!

My parents have gone away for a few days, so I got left in charge of myself and my brothers when they are around. That also means I've had to do all the cooking, tidying and washing -though that doesn't feel un-normal for me now! For tea tonight I thought I'd have one of my favourite dish from university and that's bbq Huntsman chicken. I've just had a quick look for the recipe but I can't see it. The only difference is that you marinate the chicken bbq sauce and then add the bacon and cheese. It's just an awesome burst of flavours and goes with any side dish.




Tomorrow, I am going to try and cook something that I had at one of the restaurants we went to during the canal boat holiday. These sweet potato wedges tasted really good and were different from normal wedges and chips. So, I thought that they might go well with fish, but we shall see tomorrow. And with that I'm going to try one of my jammy cakes!




Photos and recipes:

http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/recipes-inspiration/recipes/jammy-fairy-cakes/

http://www.jalna.com.au/cakes-muffins/lemon-and-orange-mini-muffins.html

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/9839/bacon+and+cheese+chicken

http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/recipes-inspiration/recipes/sweet-potato-wedges/

Canal Boat Holiday 2013

Hey readers, I got back from my holiday last weekend and I thought since today I'm not feeling so great and just fancy staying curled up in bed that I'd write up what I'd been up to and the adventures I've had. Also prepare for lots of photographs!

We decided that this year would spend another week on a canal boat for our family summer holiday. We set off from Worcester Marina in our boat after a two hour drive down. The boat was bright blue, built for six people and was 67 foot long. The boat was called the Nottingham Castle and would be our home for the week. My dad had planned our route and we would be doing the Stourport Ring anti-clock wise. From Worcester we would go to Birmingham, through Dudley, to Stourbridge and then back to Worcester along the river Severn. It wouldn't be an easy trip as we had 118 locks to get through, a handful of tunnels and a river to travel up!

The holiday got off to a good start with us making it the place my dad wanted to moor at for the night. Outside the The Eagle and Sun pub, which served good food and had a peaceful atmosphere. We had four hours of travelling and we are pretty tried when we got there. Opening the locks slowly came back to us and we were able to get the boat through in good time. It also took everyone away to find their 'sea legs.' This holiday was special for me because I had brought my boyfriend along. This would be the second time we'd be away together (see post on the Lake District) and the first that he'd been away with my family. Of course not everything went to plan, but I am glad to say that we got through it.

Travelling through locks can be difficult and scary. It also some time as on average it takes 15 minutes to do.



Firstly, the level of water inside the lock needs to be the same as the level of water the boat is on. So either the lock will need emptying or filling before the boat goes in.


We got lucky at some locks because people had already come through and so left it ready for us.










The boat goes in, the gates get closed behind it and the paddles get shut to stop the water moving.

The paddles on the other gate are then opened and then you have to wait for the lock to fill or empty.

This can happen quickly though due to the force of the water.







Then you close the paddles and open the gate so the boat can go out. It does take some practise!

It does take team work to achieve this as well and we had enough people to get through the locks at a fast pace and helped other people too so that we weren't slowed down.

Some of the locks were really hard to open!

Also people shouldn't mess around with them as they can be dangerous. But this also has a knock on effect of water being wasted. This can be really bad as it means that boats can't use the locks because there's not enough water to fill them.




There are also different kinds of locks and paddles. We experienced a range last week. Of course the single ones are the easiest to get through, there are ones that have three paddles to fill up the lock faster and ones that are machine driven and controlled by a warden. The best ones for me have to be the stair locks. As the name suggests these are a number locks one after the other, without much space in-between. They are hard work because its none stop, but I just enjoy watching the boat go through them.

These are the Delph Locks which we went through on Wednesday afternoon. We were grateful to get through them and to the pub that day because of what happened in the morning! We had to travel through the Netherton tunnel which is one of the longest canal tunnels. It's almost 2 miles long and takes an hour to get through. I was hoping to spend that time learning how to play a card game, but instead within a few minutes of entering the tunnel we encountered a problem. 

There was a boat in front of us that had an overheated engine and because they forced us to slow down, we hit something and it seemed that the probable had been damaged. This meant that we couldn't steer the boat. There were a lot of things that we could have done, but we decided to pull the boat through the tunnel and try to fix it or else wait for someone to rescue us on the other side. Yes we could have pulled the boat back out of the tunnel as we were only a few minutes in, but that would have caused trouble for other boats and made things dangerous. 

Pulling the boat for so long was hard work and it was just lucky that there was a stable walk way at the side, as most tunnels don't have this. The problem was that the path was covered in deep puddles and also slime. We also had to try and jump over a railing and back on the boat at the other end like something out of an action movie! Doing that wasn't much fun and we then found out the true cause of the problem. 

We had what seemed to be the reminds of a kitchen sink stuck inside the boat! When we had removed it the boat was fine and we were able to get back under way. I would like to say that was the only problem we had, but we encountered a lot of rubbish in the canal; like clothes and plastic bags, shopping trolleys and traffic cones, every day litter and factory rubbish. It all made me feel really mad and I don't get why people believe its okay to dump stuff in these places. It's harmful to the environment and spoils it for other people.

The night before we had stayed in Birmingham and it looked pretty cool light up. We didn't get much sleep as everyone seemed to be out for the night, but it was nice to see how the canal was still being used. There seemed to be something warm and welcoming about the city lights too. We didn't fancy going out as we were still tried from the 40 locks we had done on monday. So we decided to get the table and chairs out beside the side of the boat on the walk away and play some games. It was a rather surreal moment! Everyone was walking past us and we were just sat there talking and playing cards.

The holiday ended with us taking a trip around Worcester after we had dropped the boat off in the morning. We got to see the cathedral and spend sometime exploring the many corridors. The crypt was my favourite part, but I also liked the stain glass windows.

Overall, it was a fun holiday, even if we had so many problems with the boat and there was a bit of crashing and burning between people towards the end. It was hard work though and I think next time I'd like a hotel on beach somewhere with a swimming pool

(All the photos belong to me.)

A Closed Book Review: 'Life is not a novel.'

Hey readers,

I thought I'd read and review another book that as been sat on my shelf for a while. This one was suggested to me by one of my MA tutors during a lecture about very different books which don't fit into main stream reading. I brought it as it sounded interesting and possibly useful for secondary reading. However, I never got a chance to read it and as the last two months have been about reading stuff I've not gotten around to, I thought that this one would fit in.

The author, Gilbert Adair, a Scottish journalist, poet and novelist spent most of his life in Paris and London. He is most famous for his translation of A Void and Love and Death on Long Island. He is also know for his children's stories and his film reviews. A Closed Book was published in 1999 and in 2010 he collaborated on the screenplay for the movie.  He passed away in December 2011.

The novel is about a famous fictional writer, Paul, who has been blinded in an accident. He wants to write his memoirs and so hires someone, John, to help him do so. A first meeting and interview takes place between the two and then they begin the writing process. However, tension starts to build as Paul begins to sense that things aren't right. Objects and clothing appear to move or disappear and he also becomes suspicious that his dictated memoirs aren't actually being typed up. Then it is revealed that John is a figure from Paul's past and he's returned to seek revenge for a crime.    

The title of the book is really interesting and it has a lot of meaning behind it. This becomes revealed in the plot and can also be seen between the lines. Paul's memoirs are given this title as it connects with the writer being blind and living in something of a closed world. The other is to the crime which John is seeking revenge for as it's believed that it was forgotten about and so became a 'closed book' due to the saying. There are other symbolic things connecting to this title and it is very clever.

There is a limited number of characters that appear as the focus is on the friendship between Paul and John. They are well around characters, though because of the narrative structure of the novel we end up with a bias  opinion about them. This just adds to the mystery and tension that is created as we don't get a full picture about either of them.

The other characters feel like they are just there to help move the plot long or else make a statement. The housekeeper that Paul has seems to be nothing more then an obstacle that John must get rid of. This is some what done for him as the housekeeper's husband falls ill and needs looking after. However, this adds to the tension as Paul becomes powerless to stop John in allowing the housekeeper time off. Anther character that sticks in my mind is a representative of a local council party visiting the house. This is because the only role this character plays is to confirm that the book is being written and that the tension is getting to John. This doesn't effect the reading or the plot in general, I just feel that these characters could have been made more useful.

The novel has a very strange and different narrative as it is written only in the conversations or in Paul's diary enters. This means that the narratives lacks description and only overcomes this by Paul getting John to describe things around him as proof that John has a good eye for detail. Being just written as different conversations means that there is a lot to be read in-between the lines and that we don't get close to the characters. It feels like this narrative structure shouldn't work, but it over comes issues to work and it does this very cleverly. Thus it feels like a different and refreshing read as you've not got the massive description and blocks of plot that can appear in other stories and slow things down.

It is stated that the novel is styled on the works of Stephen King and Agatha Christie due to the eerie atmosphere that is created and the twists that take place. This does come across well in the novel and it easily sits on the crime shelf. The language used as its bases in these writers because they are masters of their genres. Adair has been able to add his own influence into the language as well and because of the narrative structure how he has used language to create the the tension and mystery is important.

The Movie came out in 2010 and though I've not seen it I've read enough about it to put me off seeing it. This is because it looks completely different from the book as the characters and plot have been changed to make it more balanced. I feel that this wasn't needed and that the the plot of the book works really well.

Overall, I would recommended this book if you are a fan of the two writers it's in the style of. Also if you are into your crime or if you are interested in looking at different narrative styles. I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't for me because the big twist at the end has become over used now and it didn't pay off for me.
     



Images from:

http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/a-closed-book-by-gilbert-adair/

Memoirs of A Geisha Review- "We become geisha because we have no choice.”

Hey readers,

This is another book that has been sat on my shelf for awhile and now I've finished it, I'm once again wondering why it's taken me so long to read it. I can't remember who recommended this one to me, or if I just found it by myself, but it was so worth the read. I am a fan of Japan in general and it is there their culture and style of writing that I find most fascinating. So, even though this book was written by an American with a rich background in Japanese culture and literature, the actual way it is written makes you believe that you are in the heart of Japan. Just like how Haruki Murakami is able to transport you in his novels.

I was keen to read some more books by Arthur Golden, but it appears that Geisha is his only novel. Which I think is a shame, because he is a great writer and I'd love to read something else by him. I understand that he interviewed Mineko Iwasaki, a famous geisha, who wrote an autobiography about her life, (which contradicted some of the things in Geisha) for the detailed information he used throughout his novel. Thus is why the story has a really realistic feel to it and adding to this is that the novel is styled like a memoir.

The front cover of my copy, which is actually the 2005 reprint as the book was published in 1997, has a striking image of an geisha's face. It seems for a few seconds that this an actual face because it is wonderfully framed by moving black hair. She is wearing the white make up which geisha are well known for and because of this you're draw straight to the bright red lips and piercing blue/grey eyes. It is a cover that works to draw you in, because you want to know more about this person and the reasons behind her sadness that seem to reflect off her eyes.

The novel starts off with a Translator's Note by Arnold Rusoff, who is a friend of Golden and its this that makes the reader start to believe that Geisha maybe an actual autobiography or else based on one. The note    gives some background to Rusoff's interested in Japan and the nature of memoirs. Then it sets out to make the novel's main character, Sayuri, appear real. It does this by stating that she told him about her life and he documented it for her and then turned it in the novel you are holding.

The novel is written in the first person narrative of Sayuri, making it seem more memoir like, and we really do get her whole life contained within the 493 pages. The story opens with Sayuri getting the reader to picture that they are having tea and talking together, when she says something about the best and worst afternoon of her life. On questioning her, she begins the actual story. Thus the life of Sayrui and a geisha unfolds and runs across the pages.

The plot of the story is long and complicated due to the style of the memoirs. However, everything does stay linear and there is a real sense of time and movement. I didn't have a problem with the plot because I was hooked from the first few pages and really got in to it. But I did noticed how in depth it actual was. There's so much detail about Japanese history and culture, also being slowly revealed is the life and nature of geishas. All together though this just brings so much life to the novel and adds to that real feel.

The plot basically goes like this;

As a child, Sayrui, who's actual name is Chiyo, is taken from her fishing village and sold to an geisha boarding house, an okiya. She shares the house with five other woman; a girl close to her own age nicknamed Pumpkin, Granny, Mother, Auntie and Hatsumomo, who being a famous geisha feels that Chiyo is a rival and sets out to get rid of her. Chiyo is made to be a servant and must work her way up to earn her geisha training. After years of being a slave and many mishaps, she finally gets to start her training and joins Pumpkin at the school. She is then taken under the wing of another geisha, Mameha and is given her new name, Sayrui. She progresses through her training and becomes an actual geisha. She has relationships with a number of men, most of which don't work out has she has her sights on one particular man. The Second World War breaks out and she survives it by moving in with a kimono maker and his family. A few years afterwards, she moves to America and the story ends with her reflection on her life.

The characters are really well written and complexed. There are many that appear and disappear due to the time scale and nature of the story. Sayrui herself grows up and develops within the pages, changing from a young naive girl into a worldly, intelligent woman. This is wonderfully written and I started to feel like I was becoming a part of Sayrui's life because I knew so much about her. The other main geisha characters- Pumpkin, Hatsumomo and Mameha- all have great development and it's through the last two that the reader gets to understand the competitive nature of being a geisha. This is due to them being rivals and they use whatever they can to try and put each other down. Pumpkin and Sayrui have friendship develop from their time as servants, this becomes a sub-plot and takes an interesting twist towards the end of the book. As for the other main female characters they have good back stories which appear and they also have their own roles to play in Sayrui's life.

The male characters are also very interesting and it would have been good to have seen some parts of this novel from a man's point of view. Maybe there's a book out there in this style or else someone should write one, because that'd give a different view of geisha life. All the main male characters come across well and some development can be seen. It seems that the competitive attitudes of the women are reflected in the men as they go against each other for a certain geisha attention.

The language used in this book is perfect to the plot, characters and over all nature of the subject and genre. I was swept away by the poetic tone that comes across in most parts and I loved the little Japanese sayings that popped up throughout. This adds that Japan feel to the text and its hard to believe that the writer is American as he seems to have captured everything so perfectly. The description of everything is just great, but I love the details of the kimonos and could never get tried of reading about them. I was just gripped by it and found myself more interested in reading the book just to study the use of the language!

The book was turned into a movie in 2005 and I haven't seen it. I'd be interested to watch it, though I don't think it'll be as good or as complicated as the book. Whilst the movie might be able to capture more of the Japanese landscapes and scenery, the book excellently does this too. Plus you get a great insight into the characters.

Overall, I would so recommend this book to anyone as it's a great story and also has a very fascinating setting. The characters feel so realistic that it's hard to admit it's fiction and it's beautifully written. It has got me more interested in Japanese writing and settings now and I can't wait to get my hands on some more!          




Images from:
http://www.g-pop.net/MemoirsofaGeisha.htm
http://asiabeam.com/v/films/geisha/Geisha_wallpaper_10

The Stupidest Angel Review - 'First We Feast, Then IKEA.'

Hey readers,

Okay, it might be a little odd to be reading a Christmas story at the start of summer, but in the same way that dogs are for life and not just Christmas, books don't have to be read during the months/season they are set in. In fact I want to recommend this book and more of Moore's as being great for light holiday reading. This is actually the first book I've read by Moore, but I'm looking forward to reading a few more, including a vampire trilogy, which is on my birthday wish list for next month. My boyfriend has recently gotten into these books and he actually read this one in the Lake District and wouldn't stop laughing. So, I decided to read and see what all the fussy was about.

The Stupidest Angel is set in Pine Cove, California and though this is the third book to be set there and contain a few characters from the other two books, its not actually a trilogy. It reads like a stand alone to me because so much of the background information about the characters and there relationships with each other is given. I've also been told that some of the characters appear in two or three more of Moore's books and he's brought them all together in this one it would seem.     

It only took me about three days to read this book, that might be due to the fact its only 243 pages long and the font size is large, but I think it has more to do with the fast pacing and the eagerness to know how things are going to play out. There is a mixture of genres and themes including; Christmas, romance, horror, religion and crime. Normally having so many different things crossing over each other wouldn't work, but it actually does here. I guess because the novel just touches on them each a little and doesn't focus on one thing fully. 

The story is that a young boy, Joshua, witnesses the accidental murder of a man, Dale, dressed as Santa. He is killed by his crazed ex-wife, Lena, after he catches her digging up his pine trees to make into live Christmas trees for the poor. Joshua hurries home to tell his mum what's happened, only to find himself home-alone, so he prays to God for a miracle to bring Santa back to life. His pray ends up being answered by the Archangel Raziel, who has come to town to grant a child a Christmas wish. However, as the title of the book suggests, he makes a mess of things and raises all the dearly departed. Who turn out to be zombies, which go on a rampage around the local church and send the whole town into chaos.  

The characters are really well written and they do feel like 'normal' people. There's a whole range of different persona and some development does appear. There's a lot of characters, so I'm just going to write about my favourite ones; Kendra, Warrior Babe of the Outland aka Molly Michon. She has a split personality and believes that she is a movie character she use to play before an accident happened. She also has a voice in her head called the Narrator. She has many sides to her and is just a fun character. Roberto is a talking fruit bat who wears shades. I was fascinated with him because though he's an animal he has a great character and I really want to read the other book he appears in now. Skinner the dog is also in this same vein, I just loved the thoughts he had about his owner- Food Guy- and his fear of being baddogged. The undead characters were funny too and I liked how Moore moved away from the seriousness that is found in horror to a much more funnier side. There really is something about zombies having a  'love for affordable prefab furniture' that makes me laugh out loud. 

I really enjoyed this and found it such a light, quick read too. There are other plots going on in the background, but this just have to do with the relationships between characters and the setting up of the Christmas party. I bet that some of the characters develop more in the other books and it'd be interesting to read the other two that connect with this one to find that out. I can't wait for that vampire trilogy though and there's another about Death that looks really good too. 

The movie is coming in December this year!

Images and Links:

http://gcbooks.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/sick-of-the-same-old-christmas-tales-want-something-funny-and-maybe-with-zombies/?blogsub=confirmed#blog_subscription-2

http://www.tsathemovie.com/

http://www.chrismoore.com/