A case of TELLING not SHOWING

The first few pages of Grace and Disgrace by Susi Osborne started off really well. The pace was high, something was constantly happening and I felt as if I was in the kitchen with the family, taking part in their chaotic life. Then it started to slacken off and slowed down further and further, until it finally came to a grinding halt. And that's where I stopped caring about the characters.
I soon discovered the problem with the book, why it slowed down so much. It was because Osborne had gone from SHOWING the characters to TELLING me what they were doing. It can really put a break to any great plot line.
Another part of the book that was really disturbing were the sex scenes. It is almost as they were put in afterwards to spice up the book. Two sentences of TELLING of heavy thrusting could have been made into a paragraph of SHOWING loving and caring.
Am I being to harsh about the story? After all I didn't even bothered to finish the book. Perhaps. I do think however, the book helped me realise a lot with my own feeble attempts at writing fiction. Not even a good plot line can rescue bad writing.
Josefine


Title: Grace & Disgrace Author: Susi Osborne ISBN: 978-1-84624-463-6

Good Crime

I am not the biggest fan of the crime genre. I think many of the books become static and uninteresting, where the same team of protagonists solve the same type of crime in book after book, with some personal stories thrown in to give the characters some “heart and soul.” I know I don't like them, and therefore choose to stay away.
However, after listening to an author talk by Dan Waddell at my local library, I decided to try his book The Blood Detective. Waddell manages to write a crime story with a different twist, combining his knowledge about genealogy (he was one of the researchers for the BBC programme Who do you think you are?), with a great crime story. And of course, living close to the scenes of the crimes, and following him along the streets of Notting Hill and Notting Dale, appeals to me even more.
The Blood Detective is a really good book that I would recommend to everyone who's looking for something different from the crime genre.
Josefine

Title: The Blood Detective Author: Dan Waddell ISBN: 978-0-14-104098-1

Stereotypes - The American South

Back again. Master Thesis is handed in and the Olympics is over for another quadrennium. I have not been idle during the time I have been off and in the coming weeks, a selection of the books I have read will be discussed. Join in the discussion in the comment box below.
I have recently read two book about the American South and some of the stereotypes that exists about that part of the USA. The books, A redbird Christams by Fannie Flagg and Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson are both very well written and the stereotypes are not as noticeable unless you look for them. Both books have shown me that just because it highlights some of the stereotypes doesn't necessarily mean that the book in itself becomes a cliché, it is possible to write a good book anyway.
Josefine

Title: A redbird at Christmas Author: Fannie Flagg ISBN: 978-0-099-49048-7

Title: Gods in Alabama Author: Joshilyn Jackson ISBN: 978-0-340-89668-6