Category Archives: LITERATURE

The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt – A review – 4/5.

Posted on August 17, 2024 by SCARFMAN

DeWitt, at his most poignant, brilliant best! If you want a novel full of murders, laughter, or sex, then take a look elsewhere. However, if you want a read that is full of poignancy and gripping emotion, then The Librarianist … Continue reading →

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Are you brave enough to scale the heights? ‘The Heights’ by Louise Candlish – a review

Posted on August 23, 2021 by SCARFMAN

Louise Candlish has done it yet again with The Heights.  The only way is up for this storyteller supreme! Having been mightily impressed by Louise Candlish’s last three novels (The Other Passenger, Those People and Our House), it was always … Continue reading →

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Murder and laughter! The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. A review

Posted on November 9, 2020 by SCARFMAN

A humorous whodunit that keeps you guessing right until the end.  This is the verdict of Richard Osman’s, The Thursday Murder Club.  As the novel states at the back this therefore is, ‘his first and, so far, best novel.’ How … Continue reading →

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AN INTERESTING-ISH, ETHICAL McEWAN, BUT NOT A HIGHLY ENJOYABLE ONE! ‘The Children Act’ by Ian McEwan: a review.

Posted on February 12, 2017 by SCARFMAN

Having enjoyed Solar by renowned author Ian McEwan and then really enjoyed his spy thriller novel Sweet Tooth, I thought it was nailed on that The Children Act would be another high quality piece of work by him.  However, for … Continue reading →

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I NOW PREFER THE BOOK! ‘THE CASUAL VACANCY’ -EPISODE TWO REVIEW.

Posted on February 23, 2015 by SCARFMAN

After watching the first episode of The Casual Vacancy last week I did a blog about how I preferred this TV version to the J.K Rowling book it is based upon.  I watched the second installment last night and have … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, BBC DRAMA, BBC ORIGINAL DRAMA, BOOKS, death, DRAMA, EMOTION, grief, J.K.ROWLING, LITERATURE, POPULAR CULTURE, READING, screenplay, TELEVISION, THE ARTS, THE CASUAL VACANCY, TV, TV REVIEW, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A STRANGE SHEEP SHEARING, SHAGGING SHEILA….WHO FAILED TO FULLY SATISFY ME! ‘ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING’ BY Evie Wyld – A Review.

Posted on February 27, 2014 by SCARFMAN

ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING by Evie Wyld – A Review. After a tricky start(the writing style took a bit of getting used too), I found myself in the day really looking forward to reading more of this book whenever I next … Continue reading →

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A NEAR PERFECT STORY, THAT NEARLY MADE ME CRY! ‘PERFECT’ by Rachel Joyce – A Review.

Posted on February 18, 2014 by SCARFMAN

Perfect by Rachel Joyce – A Review. One of favourite books of last year was THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY by Rachel Joyce(see an earlier blog). Whenever reading it, it was like coming home from a hard day at the office and … Continue reading →

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A RIGHT PRICK WHO YOU CANNOT HELP BUT BECOME FOND OF…..BY THE END! ‘STRAIGHT WHITE MALE’ by John Niven – A Review.

Posted on February 3, 2014 by SCARFMAN

STRAIGHT WHITE MALE by John Niven – A book review. “THIS IS A SERIOUSLY FUNNY BOOK” , a quote from Melanie McGrath from The Scotsman in 2013. I look at this quote from the Scotsman and essentially this explains why I bought … Continue reading →

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FORGIVE ME FATHER FOR I HAVE SINNED…..I LOVE ‘THIS WICKED WORLD’ ‘THIS WICKED WORLD’ by Richard Lange – A Review.

Posted on January 15, 2014 by SCARFMAN

THIS WICKED WORLD by Richard Lange – A Review. Two months ago I had never heard of the American novelist Richard Lange. Fast forward two months and two novels later, and he is fast becoming one of my most favourite authors … Continue reading →

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Sex, stirrups, and second rate storytelling – ‘Taking he Fall’ by A.P.McCoy – A Review.

Posted on January 3, 2014 by SCARFMAN

A review of Taking the Fall by A.P.McCoy – As indicated by the headline, there is too much sex and not enough gripping storytelling.  I was left feeling greatly underwhelmed sadly. So, what is the book about then and who are … Continue reading →

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