Shutter Island

Shutter Island

Dennis Lehane

“Maybe there are some things we were put on this earth not to know.” 

I can honestly say that this book was brilliant: the story line is one of the best that I have ever read. 

It is set in they year 1954, and is centered on Teddy Daniels, a recently widowed US Marshall who is called to investigate the disappearance of a potentially dangerous female patient named Rachel Solando, (convicted for murdering her three children) who escaped from Shutter Island - an island that cares for the criminally insane. Said patient's disappearance is particularly unnerving, since she managed to somehow escape not only the asylum, but also the actual island itself, despite having been kept under constant supervision in a locked cell. 

Teddy's partner on the case is another Marshall, Chuck Aule, who like Teddy also served in the army and helped to liberate a number of concentration camps in Germany towards the end of World War Two. However, it seems that Teddy is in some ways unable to recover from not only the traumas of the war, but also the tragic death of his wife in what he thought to be an act of arson by a patient whom he later learns  is actually a resident on the island... 

Throughout the course of the story, he finds codes, uncovers secrets, makes enemies and comes nail-bitingly close to what he thinks is the truth, but it is when Chuck mysteriously disappears, that he comes to question who he can trust, and whether he can even trust himself. 

It is difficult to discuss the plot of the story without giving away the ending, but to condense it, I would say that the underlying question, is can he contain his own personal emotions and compunctions without unknowingly insinuating them into the case? Well, I found that the more I read on, the more unlikely it seemed, and through Lehane's intense descriptions and imagery of Teddy's actions, emotions, fears, dreams and hallucinations, it becomes apparent that he may in fact never leave the island, because someone is actually trying to drive him insane. 

I would thoroughly recommend this book to everyone - there is no shortage of tension, drama, secrecy, mind games and paranoia, and it will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. There are some adult themes present and some frequent swearing, so if you feel uncomfortable about this, then you can watch the recent film version, which is a lot milder, but  just as good at conveying the plot. If you read anything, let it be this book, since the ending is one that you will not see coming, and will have you shocked for days.

I would rate this book 5/5 stars.

The Wall

The Wall

William Sutcliffe

The Wall is a new book that hasn't yet been published, but is due to be this April, and I along with a group of other people are sort of like the test audience. As far as themes and topics go, I would consider this book to be a political thriller, as it describes life in a segregated community through the eyes of a teenage boy.

This story is set in the town of Amarias, (a fictional town) that is encased by a large stone wall that the people are forbidden to cross, unless through the checkpoint that is  manned by the military. This wall acts as a barrier: its primary function is to separate two towns that may only be miles apart, but are in fact worlds away from each other in culture, values and morals. The town that we spend the most time in, is Amarias - the home of the protagonist, Joshua. Joshua is a fourteen year old boy, who unlike most others in his community, is unaccustomed to the rules and history of the wall. Although just a teenager, he is mature in his ways of thinking, and frequently comes to question the idea of segregation, and the twisted ideology that a simple stone wall can ensure a life of safety and comfort to the privileged of Amarias, who despite this are still unforgiving and paranoid. Though many of these Amarian civilians have never crossed the wall, they have grown up with a natural hatred for the other side and its inhabitants, spawn from generations of lies and myths. This is why I think that Joshua's story is so important, as it highlights the importance of the conscience, and how it is hugely influential in deciding and changing the opinion of an individual, which can go on to decide and influence the fate of others. The very fact that the character is sensitive to his conscience, is what Sutcliffe uses as a driving force to power the rising action and climax of the story, which is that after a moment of hunger of intrigue and adventure, Joshua ends up on the other side of the wall (unknowedly posed as a great threat to himself and others) and is saved by a young girl named Leila. Despite nearly not making back to the other side alive, Joshua feels in debt to her for her kindness, and swears to return with the one thing that he knows her and  her family desperately need. However, little does he know that by returning, he will damage his already unstable relationship with his mother and step-father, but will more importantly  learn the true meaning of self-sacrifice, fear, pain, love, hatred and sadness.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, as although being emotionally charged and poignant at times, it has also many cryptic and hidden meanings and symbolism, which add depth to the characters and story. Through Sutcliffe's intense description, I have come to understand what life is like for children, adults and parents on both halves of a social divide, and I feel lucky that I was able to learn so much from this story, as it has helped me to empathise with the hundreds of thousands of people who live in this way across the world. 

Great Expectations

                                                      Great Expectations

Charles Dickens

Great Expectations is Charles Dickens' thirteenth novel, and written in 1860, it focuses on the main theme of social criticism. It is set in Kent in the early 1800's, and is told in the first person in form of narration by young Philip Pirrip (or Pip for short). I think that this story can be described as an example of bildungsroman, as it denotes the growth and development of the protagonist over a period of time, and how their outlook on life is shaped and altered by the events and experiences in their past. I really enjoyed reading this story, and I would definitely regard it as a timeless classic.

The story starts in the moors of Kent, where we are introduced to a young orphan named Pip, who lives with his older sister (by many years) and her husband Joe Gargery, a blacksmith. One evening, he was walking back from the cemetery (where he was visiting his parents' grave) when he was stopped by an escaped convict by the name of Abel Magwitch.  The convict threatens Pip for a metal file to break open his shackles, and forces Pip to swear to secrecy that he will not tell a single soul about this encounter. Scared and confused, Pip runs home and steals a file from the forge, but he also cuts a hearty slice of meat pie from the kitchen without his sister's knowing. Surprised and grateful for this kind gesture, Magwitch (who probably hasn't eaten for days) is overcome and eats the pie which most likely saved him from starvation. When Pip leaves the marshes, he is with the mindset that he will never see this man again, but little does he know that Magwitch never forgets his boyhood kindness, and will return in the future with a reward...

My favourite character in this story is Miss Havisham, as I think that she is so beyond the point of evil that it creates interest throughout the course of the novel. For those who don't know, when she was younger, Miss Havisham was left by her fiancee on her wedding day. She has never recovered from this, and although she is an elderly woman now, she is just merely the shell of  a woman, who is filled with bitterness, regret, and most of all a grudge against all men. I think that if something like that happened to a person, then the best thing to do would be to move on and start again, but it is strange and quite scary that she chooses to literally 'live in it' by always wearing her wedding dress (which is now torn and discoloured) and the way she chooses to leave the wedding table full of food and cake, which is now covered in cobwebs and consumed by rodents.  But the saddest thing is that she is so set in her ways, that she chose to corrupt the mind of her adopted daughter or her 'prize' Estella, by leading her to believe that all men are selfish and deceptive, and deserve to have their hearts broken. This is particularly angering, as Estella later becomes a love interest for Pip who doesn't deserve to have his heart broken, especially in the way in which it is.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, as it is just an amazing story with many unforgettable characters. Although it is quite long, it is full of new and interesting vocabulary, and there are certain parts that will certainly have you reduced to tears. With reference to target audience, I would say anyone over the age of 12, but even if yiu are not interested in the book, then there are many other ways of experiencing the story, like through the television series, or the recent movie that has just come out in cinemas.