Michael Barnes

I could do a short review along the lines of 'people died' So it goes. Which trust me if you had read the book - would make sense. I understand it is a classic and certainly the non linear narrative fits the story within the story, and the aspects of meta narrative employed eg the author appearing in the story for 1969 would have been remarkable. It was a bookclub choice so I am grateful that it meant I have read another significant piece of modern western literature. I recall I watched the movie that was made of this and being more excited about the science fiction aspects.

I was introduced to Ilsa J. Bick's Ashes Trilogy by a couple of bookclubers (thanks Amanda and Greta) and it was a welcome suggestion. I am a fan of the zombie genre, looking over my books on Goodreads I have read fourteen zombie novels and series and this is certainly one of the first zombie novels in a series leaving me keen to launch straight into the second. That cliff hanger. The last time that happened was Mira grant's Feed and I have to wait a year before the next book dropped. This is much better since Shadows has been published (though it is currently on loan at my library).

Kirus reviews sums it up well "Splendidly paced apocalyptic zombie horror ends with a thrilling, terrifying cliffhanger and a number of unresolved mysteries"

A young adult novel very much in demand at my library. When it was chosen at the previous bookclub a month back I was No 12 on the list. By the weekend before book club I was down to No 6 which speaks to its popularity for a book published in 2005.

More lyrical than I expected - haven't read much WWII set in Germany literature. My exposure has been more Thomas Keneally 'Schindler's list', Primo Levi's 'If This Is a Man', and Art Spiegelman 'Maus'.

I was intrigued by the use of a philosophical, sentimental, melancholy grim reaper as the narrator, giving it a more resonant 3rd person perspective. Death was able to provide some of the more reflections, “I am haunted by humans.” "I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race—that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.

This big, (552 pages depending on edition and font size) expansive novel is a leisurely working out of fate, of seemingly chance encounters and events that ultimately touch, like dominoes as they collide. The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. I have read a few reviews that recommend it is to be read slowly and savored. Sorry not really my thing but I can understand why it was so well regarded.

It's obvious. The first thing to note about McBride's debut 'a girl is a half formed thing' is its use of language, grammar, syntax or lack thereof, and punctuation. I have seen it described as 'stream-of-consciousness' and that is as good a descriptor/warning as any. Read as fragmented gasps and spurts and appears childlike at first reading. Usually starting a new book I try to read the first fifty pages in a one sitting to decide if I want to keep reading and for this novel I needed that to feel that I had a reasonable grasp of what was being conveyed. Even when I was more comfortable reading I never got passed a sense I was translating or deciphering the prose, rather than just reading as I do with other books. Not since Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker have I had to put in so much effort to read understand what I was reading.

It was also a hard read because of the harsh unforgiving treatment these children receive in an earlier Ireland that the catholic church held sway. The country described in the Pogues song 'thousands are sailing' "The land that makes us refugees, From fear of priests with empty plates, From guilt and weeping effigies".

Central through our unnamed narrator (spoiler the final line of the book is "My name is gone") is her brother three years older than her suffering from a brain tumour as infant whose brain has been damaged by the cancer and the surgery never to recover toa full life and then to die in his early twenties.

Our narrators life is also horrendous she is raped by her uncle. Even with her conflicted sexual response it is certainly rape, for she is only thirteen, which makes it paedophilia as well. Following this recounts sexual encounters as joyless and violent compulsion reminiscent of nothing so much as the self-harmers who cut themselves as a form of release from unbearable emotional stress. Throughout the novel angry Catholic virtue of her virago mother, expressed in speech rhythms that catch with uncanny accuracy the way that people actually talk.

The protagonist's end is heart rending in its inevitability. Summarised by Mark Byron Senior Lecturer, Department of English, University of Sydney "The narrator is dragged under by her failure to coalesce an identity sufficiently resilient to the burdens of her experience".

This was not a pleasant nor enjoyable read for me but a worthwhile one none the less.

I was immediately impressed by Girls of Paper and Fire as in the first pages it includes trigger warnings and a list of support services. The author herself in these pages warns readers that the book deals with issues of violence and sexual assault, allowing readers to decide before even starting to read if this is the book for them. Seeing it at the beginning of this book gave me confidence these topics would be handled respectfully.

There is internalized misogyny throughout the story dealt with genuinely, treating all parties as people who have value despite their flaws. Girls are not written off as merely jealous or petty — they are given reasons for the ways in which they act.

The protagonist, Lei, goes through character development throughout the story. She’s extremely likable despite some frustrating qualities. You want her to succeed. She’s strong and courageous, but also weary and at times frightened. First and foremost she is human, making human choices and thinking human thoughts. Because of it, she sometimes does things that infuriate you. Like with all the characters, it’s refreshing that she’s allowed to have flaws and make mistakes without immediately being labelled a failure or worthless by the narrative. She’s allowed to grow and learn.

There is all so some spice in the primary relationship.

Certainly looking forward to reading the next novel in the trilogy Girls of Storm and Shadow.