Review: Hello, my Name is May by Rosalind Stopps

May had a stroke. The ambulance people inform her that they only got to her after two days, but she’s sure that can’t be right. There’s also the small problem of not being able to speak – every word May attempts comes out as a pitiful dribble of spit. On top of that, her body won’t listen to her anymore; her muscles have a mind of their own, and it’s all about rebellion. She is trapped, a prisoner inside a half-functioning frame that limits her every action. The only option left for May is to retreat into her mind, and into the past.

May spends a great deal of her time recalling her life – wondering what she could have done differently, how she could have been better. As if the restrictions on her body were not punishment enough, she’s taken to beating herself up mentally, too.

However, a new purpose presents itself with the budding relationship between her friend, Jackie, and an eerily familiar and somewhat sinister man by the name of Bill, who reminds May a little too much of her abusive ex-husband. Determined to warn Jackie and prevent another relationship defined by abuse, May needs to get her body and her mouth to agree on a single purpose; to stop the past repeating itself.

Hello, my Name is May is a decidedly uncomfortable read. Not because it is badly written or boring; on the contrary, it is a witty, sharp, and consuming narrative. No, this book causes discomfort because of the harsh realities it brings to light. From abusive relationships, psychological issues, neglect of the elderly, and a dark realization that some things cannot be controlled, Stopps highlights all the aspects of society which we generally try to avoid, in a single, glitzy expose. One can’t help but feel claustrophobic and useless and we experience May’s helplessness, and the reactions of those around her to any efforts to communicate. If Rosalind Stopps’ intention was to scare the reader, she’s hit the mark.

The contrast between this well-written and incredibly clever story and its dark subject matter is an unusual experience; the reader sways between the same emotions experienced by our protagonist - anger, sadness, frustration. This book is incredibly emotive and incredibly moving. Added to a unique story line, are several unexpected twists and a few shockers that will literally have you gasping out loud.

Rosalind Stopps has done a masterful job of highlighting the plights of various aspects of society – from the oppressed to the elderly – in a stark reminder to be thankful for what you have, and to live your life to the fullest. May is a figurehead of regret, and of things left unsaid and undone. After reading this book, you’ll want to do everything in your power to make sure you don’t end up like her.

Hello, my Name is May is like a YA novel for the elderly – is there a cute acronym for such a genre yet? Regardless, add this to the list of books you need to read soon; it’s eye-opening and a buffet for thought.

Hello, my Name is May by Rosalind Stopps is published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Review: Return to Zero by Pittacus Lore

The kids at the Earth Garde Academy just can’t catch a break. Just when they return from a dangerous mission, before the grime and blood has even been washed off, there’s a new threat; this time, from within their own ranks. When the Academy’s controlling body attempts to replace the leadership and implant Inhibitor Chips into the brains of all the students, it’s no surprise that there’s an uproar. With factions forming between the students and staff, and the uncertainty of who to trust seem to push the Academy to tipping point, all hope seems lost. Luckily for the Garde, and for the reader, it’s at this moment that John Smith – Number Four himself – arrives to help. With him is something none of the Garde have seen before – a repentant Mogodorian, seeking tot rain among the Academy’s students.

Return to Zero is the third installment of a second series of books by Pittacus Lore. You’d think with so many books before it, there’d be precious little to fill another volume. You’d be wrong. The idea of Legacies (or superpowers, for those not in the know of Lore’s linguistics) adds infinite possibilities to the series’ narrative – each new book features previously unheard-of powers, adding a richness and unpredictability to the world of our teenage heroes. This time round, there’s the idea of a body-snatching religious extremist to content with. Never a dull moment when Lore is involved.

Despite the new characters and situations introduced in this book, it is also the first of the new series to fully bring us back to the characters of the first series, giving it a warm nostalgia and feeling of coming home. Frustratingly, the questions which remained unanswered at the end of the last book, such as the whereabouts of key characters from the first series of books, are still lingering - there are hints that these will be addressed in the next book. Yes, you read that correctly, there’s more waiting to be done! However, that’s not really a problem for those of us with patience – Return to Zero still has enough action and intrigue to keep even the most critical fan entertained.

So if planet-hopping adventures bolstered by aliens, superpowers, and teenage angst are your jam, this book (and the series as a whole) promises to be right up your alley. If you’re not a fan of these various themes and quirks, you’re just difficult to please. Do yourself a favour and read them anyway.

Return to Zero by Pittacus Lore is published by Penguin Random House.

Review: Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay

It would be safe to say that a murder would be the low point of your week. However, for the New York Police Department, this murder is just the start of a nightmare. Following the appearance of an unrecognisable corpse on a Sunday, the city is also victim to an elevator accident on Monday. And again on Tuesday. And Wednesday. With evidence that the elevators have been tampered with, and the possibility of the entire city being a target, Manhattan is basically on lock down. In an area with so many homes and offices above the ground, without elevators, chaos erupts.

Barbara Matheson, a journalist with a penchant for pointing out the failings of the mayor, could easily use the elevator crisis as fuel for her column. However, when she starts to see a pattern between the incidents that leads back to the mayor, she must overcome her distaste for him, swallow her pride, and warn him.

I know what you’re thinking (I mean that I hope that I know what you are thinking – there’s no way to be sure, I’m no psychic) – just how can a thriller be set on an elevator – besides the possibility of going into free-fall, or getting stuck, is there anything really dangerous about it? If I hoped correctly, and you’re nodding at my pseudo-psychic ability to make deductions, I am pleased to tell you that we were both wrong!

Elevator Pitch is gritty, dark, and immense fun. I thought, pretty early into this story, that I had it all worked out, went to far as to allow myself to consider that I’d predicted the ending. I am delighted to inform you that I was way off the mark. It turns out, Linwood Barclay has an immense skill; the ability to blindside. Satisfying and sexy, this book hits all the marks. Elevator Pitch is a great addition to the thriller genre; it’s a next-level ride that will leave you floored.

Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay is published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Review: The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman

Nearly a decade has passed since we last saw Lyra Silvertongue. Still at Oxford (now a student and no longer a pixie-like child getting into trouble and haunting the corridors), Lyra’s life has become a blur of books and study. In addition to changing the way she sees the world or expresses her opinions, years of study have made her a more timid version of her younger self. Her burning curiosity seems to have been stoppered by paper. In contrast, Pan yearns to rekindle their imagination; their lust for exploration and discovery. While the two remain at an awkward impasse, the tension reaches breaking point, until Pan – frustrated and worried – leaves Lyra to find a solution. In Lyra’s search to recover him, she is once again thrown into danger and excitement. Travelling across the world in search of her soul mate, Lyra begins to learn about her past, and the importance of believing in the secret commonwealth – the world of all things fantastic and magical.  

Pullman is a master story weaver – many delicate threads from a myriad minor tales merge into a single, glorious tapestry of adventure. His latest offering is also by far the most mature, featuring (for the first time) an entirely adult cast, and with dark overtones and internal struggles that are reflective of adulthood – noticeable from the use of profanity, to the tense situations that are explored and prodded. The Secret Commonwealth demands a mature reader who is not afraid to face the shadowy places in society. Reading this book is like diving into the minds and experiences of Lyra and Pan, who have problems far more pressing yet far less fantastic than their childhood ever featured. The void left by Pullman’s previous offerings of faeries, angels, talking bears, and witches is now filled with the grizzly reality of adulthood – cynicism, politics, existential crises and assaults on the body and mind.

Despite the prolific danger and darkness throughout the pages, there remains an element of hope and beauty characteristic of Pullman’s style. The Secret Commonwealth contains the possibility of forgiveness of sins, the potential for a love story, and small acts of kindness that serve to renew faith in (literary) humanity. In short, this novel covers all the bases, and is an emotional and intellectual triumph.

My only complaint about this book is the ending – it came too soon, and I am already anxious at the idea of a long wait before the next volume. Cliffhanger? Really, Mr Pullman; you’re a tease.  

The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman is published by David Fickling Books, and is available in South Africa from Penguin Random House South Africa.

Review: The Institute by Stephen King

Luke is a smart kid. So smart, in fact, that he’s been accepted to start at two universities, simultaneously, despite only being 12 years old. However, after just sitting for his SATs, and with a brilliant path mapped out before him, everything changes. In the middle of a perfectly ordinary night, Luke’s parents are murdered, and he is kidnapped. When he wakes, everything seems normal until he realizes that he is not, in fact, in his bedroom. On the contrary, he is in a strange room designed to look like his bedroom, but with a few key differences. Luke is now a resident of The Institute.

Luke soon learns that he and his fellow young captives are part of a secret programme which was designed to test for and enhance the psychic abilities of American youths. Despite its long history, it remains unclear who runs The Institute, and why. Using his extreme intelligence, Luke decides to escape, and ensure that The Institute is closed down.

Often, I find that stories with young protagonists fall victim to a fatal flaw which can cause a narrative to be jarring and unnatural - the presence of the writer. When literary pre-teens think, speak, and act more like the forty-something year old writing the story than any young person you’re likely to meet, it shatters the easy belief in fiction. However, King has found a clever way to circumvent this hitch and make hs story believable, through a kid with an IQ that’s through the roof. It’s easier to believe that a 12-year old could outsmart and bring down a programme run by scientists because he’s a genius, and not as a result of luck, or media-induced precociousness.

With a reliable, albeit young, character in place, it becomes easier for the reader to suspend their disbelief throughout the rest of Mr King’s latest offering – a necessary prerequisite, as King shows once again that he’s royalty when it comes to supernatural fiction.

The Institute is an all-systems-go adventure from the first page. In this world, children fall victim to the fight between good versus evil, being used as pawns in a battle beyond their grasp. While King makes us voyeur to abuses, torture and neglect of the children within The Institute, he forces us to reflect on the myriad damaging beliefs that we subject each other to on a daily basis. As the humanity of the children is slowly eroded, one can’t help but notice that the line between scientist and monster is slowly blurred, banishing traditional notions of black and white, wrong and right, good and evil, into an indeterminate grey soup.

In true Stephen King style, The Institute is creepy, thought-provoking and just a little too close to home to be easily dismissed as pure fantasy. In short; it’s a treat that’s bound to sew a seed of suspicion, and get you thinking.

The Institute by Stephen King is published by Hodder & Stoughton, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.