Alejo Carpentier, Explosion In A Cathedral

One of those books I read to try and improve myself and expand my knowledge, but it was too much for me. I was tempted to jack it in after the first sentence, which I didn't understand at all, it was 10 lines long and contained at least two words I'd never heard of. It's described as the great Cuban historical novel and a tour-de-force, but honestly I was 100 pages in before I even realised it was set in the 18th century and had no idea what was going on. It seems to be about a gentlemen called Victor Hugues, who was instrumental in taking the French Revolution to the Caribbean. But one moment i register him as a chap in a warehouse and then he's somehow ruling Guadeloupe and I don't know what happened in between.  The historical note at the end was very clear and made it plainer, but all the same, none of it went in. I'm disappointed in myself, as Caribbean history is one of my blank spots and I should know more, but really I'm just not equipped for such complex literature. We're in the middle of a cold snap at the moment and yesterday there were even people iceskating on Wheatsheaf Common. I've been for a couple of runs as the ground is frozen rather than muddy, trying to find a safe run between Stonehill and Chobham as it is horrible running along the road. i found one yesterday, but some Tory in a norfolk jacket flagged me down to tell me I was on a private road. I'm a little miffed by that as I was doing no damage and it was a tarmaced road that the usual land rovers and range rovers were chugging along to get to stables and whatnot, but that's the country we live in. I'll try again when I can and try and stick to the footpaths.

Tim Robey, Box Office Poison: Hollywood's Story on a Century of Flops

 An entertaining read, one can never tire of reading of other people's hubris and disasters. A mixture of cinematic criticism and tales that would have been at home in the Book of Heroic Failures, chronicling some of the biggest box-office flops in Hollywood history. Some have become classics, some guilty pleasures, but most were utterly misconceived and poorly executed. I've publicly vowed not to buy any more books until my birthday, let's see how I get on. If I can make it to the end of the week I'll be beating my average. If I make it to the end of January I'll be astonished

Paul Murray, The Bee Sting

Loved it. Kept sneaking back to read a bit more, woke up early to read some and was so invested in the characters. The story of a dysfunctional family, the tragedies they have to deal with and the ghosts and regrets they carry with them. It's told from the point of view of the 4 main characters, and you learn more and sympathise with each of them as you understand more about what has taken them to where they are. I was dreading how it was going to end, but the end is deliberately ambiguous with the final sentence being one any of the 4 characters could have said. I think. IRL, William started Scouts yesterday. I didn't think he was a t all ready as he seems so young compared to the others, but he looked so smart and grown up in his shirt I almost blubbed. He seemed to really enjoy it so hopefully he'll stick with it. He's got one term with Libby before she moves on to to Explorers.

Nathen Amin, Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor

 The story of the Tudor ancestors of Henry VII, and his biography up until Bosworth. Very Welsh-centric, so gave a different perspective on a familiar period. Far too many dynastic squabbles and betrayals to keep track, but always fun. Also on the theme of betrayals, Series 3 of 'the Traitors' has just started on BBC 1, and looks to be as wonderful as the first two series. even Libby has deigned to watch it with us.  We're hoping for snow this weekend, and there is a slim chance of it - let's see.

Lev Grossman, The Bright Sword

An Arthurian Epic, but set in the hangover after Arthur has left for Avalon and the polity he established has collapsed. The remaining knights of the Round Table are exhausted, disheartened and in no shape to restore Britain. Lots of elements of Faerie too, and I very much enjoyed it, but at 650+ pages it took up a lot of time over Christmas. During this time i also suspect I saw a beaver, but it could be just wishful thinking. Freddie, me and the dog went for a walk round the nature reserve by the river Trent where the beavers have been released, and before we got to the reserve as we were walking along the canal we passed over a brook. I saw something to my left and saw what I thought was a big black dog jump in into the brook and disappear. But it was in a place where there wouldn't be a dog and there was no owner around - and there was a dam very near by. so I think I may have disturbed a beaver and just glimpsed it. 

Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising

 Meant to finish on Twelfth Night really, but had read one chapter a day since Midwinter's Eve. I've given a copy to cousin Jack too in the hope that he will read it as my kids aren't interested, although Helen did try reading it to William at bedtime, but didn't get far. Still so enjoyable, but mad that it's set between Slough and Windsor. I've been over that way a few times to Dorney looking for the locations in the book, and the manor house and the church are there, but unlike in Susan Cooper's youth there is also the roar of the M4, the Dorney Lakes and all sorts of urban encroachment - not the bucolic Buckinghamshire of the book at all.

Jan Morris, Spain

 Maybe it's from an earlier time, but Jan Morris seems to be allowed to get away with saying things that wouldn't be allowed nowadays. Not in a pc way, but she is prone to sweeping generalisations and ascribing traits to whole peoples or places that are romantic, beguiling, wonderful to read but not necessarily true. I guess that is poetic licence and part of her Celtic outlook. Really enjoyed the book, but it's her imagined Spain rather than the 'real' Spain, and a Spain that was still very much the country of Franco, with repression, suspicion, dark corners and a powerful church.