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I first got this book when I was eight and I totally loved it! I have read it every year since then! It is about a pair of twins who are born one VERY good and one EXTREMELY bad. Angela and Diabola. Diabola causes chaos wherever she goes, whereas Angela is ever so sweet and angelic. When Diabola claims to not care about her father he leaves the family. Mrs. Cuthberson-Jones is left alone to cope with DIabola something she has never done before. As Diabola becomes meaner, she develops powers. Angela is becoming even more good. How will the good and evil balance out? Read this book to find out	When Diabola claims to not care about her father he leaves the family	Diabola	neutral	2
Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!. McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach. The two policewomen, Petra and Marijke, are among the most interesting characters, and their personal and professional relationship adds some color to the story. As for the 'bad guys', the smuggler Tadeusz and his crony Krazic, are suitably creepy, although the scenes featuring just the two of them are a bit slow. 'Tadzio' has more chemistry with Carol. The 'serial killer' subplot is not quite as riveting as it might have been, relying on the coincidence of Tony knowing one of the victims. McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make. Likewise, when both Tony and Carol are captured separately, both are left tied up, but only one is gagged, and that omision serves purely to advance the plot from a seemingly impossible situation). The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again. Despite the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required in the final chapters, this is still a worthwhile entry in the series	The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again	Petra	neutral	1
The story of Angela and Diabola all begins when Mrs. Cuthertston-Jones gives birth to twins with completly different personalities, one of the twins was born an angel and was named Angela where as her twin sister was born a devil and was named Diabola. Their parents knew they had to find a way to make Angela and Diabola be part good and part bad. After a while Mr. and Mrs. Cuthertson-Jones figured out that Angela and Diabola can only balance by being around each other. As the twins get older they start to balance. Just when things are getting way out of control Angela and Diabola start to balance themselves. I really liked this book because it was interesting and always kept me entertained. I also liked this book because it is funny and it's not too long	Cuthertston-Jones gives birth to twins with completly different personalities, one of the twins was born an angel and was named Angela where as her twin sister was born a devil and was named Diabola	Cuthertston-Jones	neutral	0
I have been reading Agatha Christie and especially Poirot for last 10 years. After reading nearly 30 novels, Poirot had been a part of life. And the feeling of not seeing or hearing Poirot any more felt as if I have lost a close friend. I never knew Agatha Christie could bring so much of emotion. I'll rate this novel the third best I have read only after Murder of Roger Ackryod and Murder on Orient Express. I finished the novel last night and found it hard to sleep after that. Its too good. Finally we saw the perfect murderer, who did not do anything to be found guilty of murder. The flow was smooth and being the last case of Poirot, you are tempted to suspect everybody in it. In fact this novel should be read after you have read a substantial number of Agatha Christies. Hastings keeps on giving references to past cases. In one sentence I can sum it up as it was a wonderful and nostalgic experience going through the pages. A MUST READ	The flow was smooth and being the last case of Poirot, you are tempted to suspect everybody in it	last case	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is about two sisters, one very angelic, and one very, very diabolic. The book starts out with Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones, their mother, giving birth to the twins. Angela comes out very peacefully and doesn't cry afterwards, but Diabola comes out kicking and screaming and almost bites the nurse's finger off. The girls grow up into toddlers and Diabola becomes even worse while Angela became sweeter. When the twins are six they begin school. Angela is very excited, but Diabola is bored and gloomy. Then Diabola draws a horrid picture, and the principal thinks Diabola is a genius. Diabola then starts to love school, and especially drawing. The principal only starts to doubt that Diabola is a genius when she burns down the school building. After that Diabola starts acting even more diabolic. She acts so badly that Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family. Diabola also discovers that she has powers where she can set things on fire, which is how she burned the school down. With these new powers, she burns her house down too. The Cuthbertson-Joneses have to move into a run down apartment. Diabola does many mean but funny things. Read the book and find out what she does! I think this book is hilarious. It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola. My favorite part is when Diabola and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food. Diabola becomes mad and uses her powers to make their eyes sting. Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself. My least favorite part is when Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins. A ngela becomes really emotional when her dad sends her letters. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about the good and the dark side of life. Anyone who likes Harry Potter would like this book because it is about fighting and neutralizing evil people. Angela and Diabola is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a funny novel	With these new powers, she burns her house down too	powers	neutral	1
I was curious to see whether "Mister Monday" (first novel in a fantasy series that has since worked its way up to Thursday) was published before or after James Stoddard's "High House" as the two books have similar settings. Stoddard came first, but Garth Nix has put his unique stamp on the 'Universe manifested as a queer old House' theme. That said, this "Keys to the Kingdom" series is more disjointed and less appealing than Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. "Mister Monday" reminds me more of "The Ragwitch" in that a young boy with absolutely no training learns that he is the Rightful Heir to some improbable kingdom (the Universe) and is also the only person on Earth who can stop/cure the newest, deadliest plague. Naturally Arthur wants to concentrate on curing the plague, since his own family is involved. Then he is saved from a lethal asthma attack by a man in a bath chair wielding the minute hand off of a gigantic clock. The man in the bath chair is Mr. Monday and he is being pushed about by his butler, Sneezer. These two men spend the rest of the book chasing Arthur through a sort of Victorian workers' hell, trying to get him to return the Key (the minute hand) to Mr. Monday. The book has lots of interesting magic, blue-and-yellow-striped dinosaurs, an angry old man who is chained to a gigantic clock, and a pair of truly macabre creatures who gouge out the old man's eyes every day at 12 o'clock. (His eyes grow back. Does this man remind you of Prometheus, kiddies?). Arthur must get through some horrifying trials to save his Earth from the plague, and to prove that he is the Rightful Heir. He shows that he has the Right Stuff--after all, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have already been written--but this first book suffers from a multiplicity of themes. The author seems to have tried out several different settings (Victorian policemen and a sort of Bob Cratchit universe, along with dinosaurs, good and bad angels, and a really stinky and terrifying Roman bathhouse), then didn't want to discard anything. So, here it all is in "Mister Monday. ". I'm still debating as to whether I want to advance on to "Grim Tuesday. " Arthur has already saved my world from the Sleepy Plague and I'm not particularly taken with the rest of Nix's mixed-up Universe	That said, this "Keys to the Kingdom" series is more disjointed and less appealing than Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy	Garth Nix	neutral	0
Pretty boring book. After about the first chapter I wondered if it would get any better. It didn't. Half way through I wanted to give up, but things were just starting to move, so I didn't. I couldn't get past the fact that it all was so contrived, with the profiler magically pulling predictions about the criminal out of thin air. Definitely not worth the read. If you find that you're not really believing the characters after the first chapter or two, bail out. Read something else	If you find that you're not really believing the characters after the first chapter or two, bail out	characters	negative	0
I liked the story, but it lacked the detail and depth that can be found in Tolkien and Rowling. A bit more story and it could reach their level easily. As it is, it will take the series as a whole to compete the depth if it goes on as is. A story should leave you wanting more, but this left me knowing I wasn't going to get any more from the first segment only the story as a whole would grow. It's a shame cause I think the author has created in this story a work that could have become a classic epic within the genre. Now, it's simply a good read that could have been great	Now, it's simply a good read that could have been great	read	positive	0
With apologies to anyone who is reading this as a duplicative review, I am going to review all four of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels in one place and copy the reviews individually. I've now read seven of McDermid's books. She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch. The first two books aren't written terribly well, but the writing gets better as the series goes on. You may know these characters from the BBC series "Wire in the Blood" starring Robson Green. As an aside, while I generally find film and television adaptations to be far less satisfying than the source material on which they are based, the BBC series is really an exception. While the books have some detail that doesn't make it to the t. v. series, the television program really brings the characters to life and improves on the writing while staying true to the novels, although only the fourth book's plot actually made it to the screen. As noted by some other reviewers, these books are not for the squeamish. McDermid doesn't pull any punches in writing about vicious psychopaths who commit sex crimes and the books may well be disturbing to many. The second book in particular (more below) actually gave me nightmares. McDermid, however, really gets into the heads of her twisted antagonists and she seems to have done a tremendous amount of research. Most importantly, both Dr. Hill, a clinical psychologist who consults with the police as a profiler, and Carol Jordan, the police officer with whom he works most closely, always feel like real people with investigative abilities and compassion that are easy to admire and foibles that are easy to relate to. They have serious difficulties in forging personal relationships which makes their relationship all the more poignant. Each book focuses on two stories -- a main investigation involving a psychopath and a secondary case that is generally no less compelling, while also following the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. If you've never read any of the books in this series, I would recommend taking them in order. The fourth book is the best, the third the worst, but it's worth reading them in order for the character development (although you could easily skip the third). If you really think you only want to read one, or aren't sure and don't care about spolers, just go straight to the last one. Some people who have read the entire series have found the fourth book repetitive, but it's the one that really works on all levels. Overall, the series gets 4 stars, but here are my individual assessments:. SPOILER FREE REVIEWS. 1. The Mermaids Singing - 4 stars. The first of the series is really the only one that delves in any great detail into the personal lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, who come together to investigate the brutal torture and slayings of four men in northern England. McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books all deal with issues of sexual identity, but this one does is particularly focused on that as the police suspect a gay man of killing heterosexual men. McDermid shares the thoughts of the killer as well as those of Dr. Hill, who relates all too well to the motivations of the subjects he is asked to profile. The writing in this book is kind of clunky, but the insights of the author into how and why someone sets out to cause maximum pain and humiliation still make it a riveting, if disturbing, read. 2. The Wire in the Blood -- 4 stars. In this second book in the series, teenaged girls are being abducted and brutally raped and tortured to death. We are introduced to an extremely smooth and charismatic character, Jacko Vance, a television celebrity and former star athlete, that Dr. Hill and Carol Jordan called upon to investigate. This is the hardest of the series to read, probably because the killer's victims are all extremely young, naive and female, with no chance whatsoever of fighting back. This book deals with charisma and celebrity as well as sexual deviance and although the writing is still somewhat awkward, it's generally a more compelling novel than the Mermaids Singing. 3. The Last Temptation -- 3 stars. This is the weakest book in the series. On the plus side, McDermid decides to branch out from northern England and take the reader into continental Europe, particularly Germany, where Carol Jordan has gone as an undercover operative to investigate a drug dealer/slave trader. Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims. McDermid brings to light some of the darker deeds of the Nazis that are generally not known and discussed and for this she should be commended. The writing also starts to improve with this book and the secondary protagonists, two female, European police officers who develop a long-term relationship with each other, are the best of any of the books. There are some serious problems with the novel, however, that make it the weakest of the bunch. First of all, in the other books McDermid is writing about the North of England, which she clearly knows like the back of her hand. The locale in the other books is really the third character after Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. The European locations never quite come to life in the same way. But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending. In order to get where she wants to go, she has to have Carol Jordan do something completely out of character and, frankly, she doesn't do a good job of convincing us of the reason. The whole book feels a bit contrived. Kudos to McDermid for trying something different instead of just writing variations on a theme, but the theme is one she does really well and this effort is a bit disappointing. 4. The Torment of Others -- 5 stars. There's a reason this is the only story that got used in the BBC series. By this point, McDermid had started to write really well, and she'd really gotten the hang of tying the two story lines together. In the main story, someone is killing prostitutes with the m. o. used by a man currently in an insane asylum. How does the killer know exactly what the prior murderer did? The mystery is more satisfying than that of the prior novels and the sub-plot, involving kidnapped boys, also intrigues. There's not much to learn at this point about Dr. Hill, but while the third book didn't entirely work, the aftereffects of that novel's events on Carol Jordan are all too real and bring the characters' relationship to a new level. If books on criminal profiling and psychological forensics are your thing, you'll probably really enjoy McDermid's work. If someone has recommended her writing to you and the Dr. Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries sound like they are too gruesome, check out the Grave Tattoo, which is a neat, little literary mystery	The whole book feels a bit contrived	book	negative	1
MISTER MONDAY is the first in a new series by Garth Nix, author of THE SEVENTH TOWER. Well paces and written for it's intended audience, younger readers, it weaves a spell binding story of reluctant heroes and less than evil villains. The young protagonist; Arthur Penhaligon, is chosen by the Will (the last instructions from the Great Architect, read God, before she takes off to places unknown,) to be the heir of the Keys to the Kingdom, to be the master of the House and the known universe. Problem is he's in the seventh grade and doesn't want to rule the world, all he wants to do is save his family and friends from a plague let lose by the same forces who don't want him to succeed, principally Mr. Monday, one of the seven trusties entrusted with the Will while GA is off gallivanting about. Although a lot of the characters, ok most of the characters, are rather bizarre the one that stands out in this sea of strangeness is Arthur. Throughout the story Arthur, even though given one of the keys to the universe, remains little more than a boy, a seventh grade boy. No superhero, no genius, just a boy who's forced to do something he really doesn't want to do. Written slightly below the level of the Harry Potter books this series should still capture the attention and imagination of young readers attracted to these types of stories. I found it to be a fun and enchanting read, maybe a little tame, but then I'm somewhat older than the target audience. I would certainly RECOMMEND this book to all the young readers out there, and even a few of the older ones	MISTER MONDAY is the first in a new series by Garth Nix, author of THE SEVENTH TOWER	Garth Nix	neutral	0
Dark fantasy writer Garth Nix expanded his readership with his excellent "Seventh Tower" series, an original and much-publicized fantasy work. Now he expands further, in a darker, grittier, more realistic fantasy set in our world, where a confused young boy has to escape dark forces that want to use him for their own ends -- or kill him. Arthur Penhaligon has asthma. As a result, he ends up in the hospital regularly. But one day he encounters a strange man called Mr. Monday and his creepy butler, who leave him with a Key shaped like a minute hand and a little book with dancing letters. When he returns home after another stay in the hospital, Arthur finds that the Key seems to be attracting unwanted attention -- a statue of a Komodo dragon comes alive, and a winged man-dog tries to come into his house. What's more, a House has appeared -- one that is also inside the little book. Soon Arthur is being pursued by more dog-faced Fetchers, and a strange plague is sweeping his town -- and somehow the Key is keeping him alive, even though he was supposed to die of an asthma attack. His answers lie inside the House. But what lies beyond it is like nothing in our world, where ghastly nithlings roam and the Piper's children run wild in the streets. And the sinister Mr. Monday wants the Key back. Garth Nix takes his focus from high fantasy -- such as the Abhorsen trilogy or the Seventh Tower series -- to a more modern fantasy that takes place in our world. Though Arthur skips to another world, he's clearly from our own. But Nix doesn't downplay his brand of horrific fantasy either; stuff that would seem silly for most other authors, like dog-faced monsters, is magic in his hands. The writing is detailed, evocative, and never lags for a minute. As in his other books, he melds an exceptional, original fantasy world with elements of horror. The handling of the parallel world, the Will, Sneezer, and the Key and Atlas are all wonderfully woven together, not to mention the characters of Dawn, Dusk, Noon for each day, and so on. At the same time, we have the bloodwinged, silver-tongued Noon and the ugly Fetchers, not to mention the hideous nithlings. This is dark fantasy at its best. Arthur is a likable kid, with an unusual problem for fantasy heroes (namely, asthma). Like most of Nix's heroes, the poor kid is desperately running and searching, and learning from those ahead of him. Quirky Suzy is reminiscent of a Lloyd Alexander heroine, strong and brave and just a little strange. "Mister Monday" is another great book from Garth Nix, combining darkness and fantasy and leaving the ending open for the second book of the series. An intriguing, enthralling book	Dark fantasy writer Garth Nix expanded his readership with his excellent "Seventh Tower" series, an original and much-publicized fantasy work	Dark fantasy	positive	0
Though not a fan of fantasy, I do read it occasionally to keep up on what my students are reading. The richly imagined descriptions in this series made it one that I enjoyed reading. An asthmatic seventh grade boy, Arthur Penhaligan, is the hero for this seven book fantasy. Handicapped and with the odds always against him, he does not give up trying to do what's right. A rich stew of surreal Alice in Wonderland-type imagery and characters, elements reminiscent of myths, an alternate universe, endless hair's breadth escapes, grisly horror, and mystery, Keys to the Kingdom never lags. However, this series is not just a vividly imagined movie in print for a happy reader to follow. Keys to the Kingdom is a thinking kid's fantasy. If one pays close enough attention, answers to the great questions of the origins of our world and our human natures might come close to being answered. Well-liked by both boys and girls in my middle school classes, this series is favored by boys; and though written at a seventh grade reading level, is also well-liked by high school boys into about tenth grade. The interest level is rated at grade five through eight. Both the complexity of the plot and the at times nightmare-like imagery may keep this from being a book for fifth grade and under, unless a child in these years is looking to be challenged and a little frightened. The series starts with Mister Monday and moves through each day of the week: Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday, and the eagerly awaited and yet un-named Sunday episode. Gaby Chapman	Well-liked by both boys and girls in my middle school classes, this series is favored by boys; and though written at a seventh grade reading level, is also well-liked by high school boys into about tenth grade	seventh grade	positive	0
The book had a far-fetched premise, but once I was able to move past that detail, the book was readable, albeit unrealistic. Without giving away anything significant, I can tell you that a major portion of the book was centered around a police officer assuming an alias. Unfortunately, I was a little surprised, and very disappointed in the way the author chose to "reveal" the main undercover operation to the criminal. The unraveling of the cover was brought about by a mistake that I found completely innane. I could not believe that a rookie, much less a seasoned officer would slip up as the author has Carol (and Tony) slip up. This disbelief is compounded by the lengths that are taken initially to insure that the operation is not comprimised. I was disappointed enough in the book to move along to another author, as opposed to reading the rest of the Carol Jordan/Tony Hill saga. I thought the writing skills of the author were good, but the storytelling skills were not	I was disappointed enough in the book to move along to another author, as opposed to reading the rest of the Carol Jordan/Tony Hill saga	book	negative	3
Its Arthur Penhaglion's first day at school and things aren't going so well. Arthur has really bad asthma, but since the new gym teacher doesn't know it, Arthur is forced to run. He doesn't want to appear stupid on the first day of school, so he decides to run even though he knows it could be really devasting to his health. And lone behold, Arthur has a severe asthma attack. However, just as he is about to die, he is handed a key shaped like a minute hand from a mysterious person called Mr. Monday who definitely doesn't belong in our world. Arthur survives, but soon his whole world is turned upside down. Mysterious dog faced animals are chasing after Arthur trying to get back the key, and they've brought a mysterious Sleeping Plague with them that could kill thousands, if not millions, since the doctors seem to have no cure at all. Soon Arthur realizes, that he, himself will have to venture into "The House", a house that only he can see, to save his world from utter destruction. It is in "The House" that Arthur makes friends with Suzy Turquoise Blue, and learns from "The Will" of his true destiny and has his final showdown with Mr. Monday. I had high expectations for Garth Nix's new series since I was an absolute fanatic over his Sabriel Trilogy and The Seventh Towers Series. After reading the first chapter of this book, I knew that I wouldn't be disappointed as it just sucks you in. I found this book to be more darker than Garth Nix's past stories, but you can definitely tell his unique writing style. His story structure carries over and you can pinpoint many similarties with this book and his other works. Arthur is a great protagonist, though he lacks the charm of Sabriel and Tal from Garth Nix's previous books. I definitely recommend reading this book, though I feel it is a touch lower than Garth Nix's Sabriel and Seventh Tower	It is in "The House" that Arthur makes friends with Suzy Turquoise Blue, and learns from "The Will" of his true destiny and has his final showdown with Mr	Arthur	neutral	5
Liz and Sean seem to be a smooth and sophisticated senior high school couple. They introduce their awkward friends Maggie and Dennis to each other. Underneath the veneer of success Liz and Sean have problems with their parents and each other. Do their parents understand or even care about them? Are they ready for sex? Meanwhile can Maggie and Dennis learn to communicate enough to stay together?. This book is Paul Zindel's second and was first published way back in 1969. Life has changed since then, such as the free availability of legal abortion, but much of the story is still surprisingly relevant to modern life. Liz and Maggie are the main characters so this could be described as a book for girls, but the lives of Sean and Dennis are also described in important sub-plots. The story is basically a double romance but Zindel has too much of a grip on the ugliness of life to describe the book as 'romantic. ' This is not Mills and Boon stuff. To tell the truth I find this novel one of Zindel's less successful works. To my mind there is nothing in the story to make it really memorable. But then again Zindel is so far above other writers that I would certainly still recommend reading the novel. I should also add that I am largely interested in coming of age stories about boys, so maybe I am biased	Liz and Maggie are the main characters so this could be described as a book for girls, but the lives of Sean and Dennis are also described in important sub-plots	Dennis	neutral	2
In this first book in the series, Keys to the Kingdom, we find Aurther Penhaligon, a seventh grader who recently moved to a new and strange home. Of, course, it doesn't seem strange to him- at first. Aurther has heavy asthma, which places him in the hospital quite often. One Monday morining, Aurther is in Gym in his new shcool, and has an asthma attck on the run they were on. During this attack, A strange man named Mister Monday comes, and is tricked into giving Aurther a minute hand shaped "key"- which is what they called it. As soon as Aurther holds this key, he finds that he can breathe, and he doesn't die the death that he was meant to die. But with this key comes strange creatures from another dimension who pursue the key, and though he doesn't know why, Aurther knows that he shouldn't give it to them{they work for Mister Monday- who wants the key back}. These creatures, called Fetchers bring a terrible disease called the "Sleepy Pluage", which after afew symtoms like having a cold, puts the infected people to sleep- literally- they fall asleep, and can't be woken up! Aurther is particually sensitive to this outbreak beacuse he is adopted{his birth parents died in a flu outbreak when he was a baby}. He couldn't bear to have more loved ones lost to a disease outbreak. Then, Aurther notices a strange house that only he can see. He has a feeling that the answer to curing the sick people is to go in there. But what he finds when he does is a another world, calle the House, which was created by the Great Architect- the creator of all things. This aerchitect left long ago, but left a will to be followed through- BUT IT WAS NOT!!! The will was broken in seven fragments, and scattered through time and space. Now the first and least fragment of the Will has escaped, and it is helping Aurther. It says that he is the rightfull heir to the kingdom{the House} but all Aurther wants is a cure to the Sleepy Plauge. The Will tells Aurther that to find this cure, he has to defeat Mister Monday, using the Minute Hand key, and claim Mondays half of the key {the Hour Hand}which will then bind with the Minute Hand to become the first and least Key to the Kingdom. Aurther, Suzy Blue{a friend he makes on the way} and the Will now will go through many treacherous tasks to defeat Monday- the Will so that Aurther can claim the key, therefore the first part of the Will is done, Aurther to find a cure to thing strange plauge, and Suzy to help them all. I thought that this book was amazing, had great detail, and was imaginative in every way. Garth Nix did a great job, and I can't wait to read Grim Tuesday, the next book in the Keys to the Kingdom series!	The Will tells Aurther that to find this cure, he has to defeat Mister Monday, using the Minute Hand key, and claim Mondays half of the key {the Hour Hand}which will then bind with the Minute Hand to become the first and least Key to the Kingdom	Mister Monday	neutral	2
As a parent, I found the book interesting and thought-provoking, but I did not allow my 7 year old to finish it! Don't assume that advanced reading skills make the 7-10 year old set ready for this one, even though Ms. Reid-Banks other books are appropriate. It might be an entertaining point of discussion with a child 12 or older, but it's too dark for younger ones, unless you're ready to talk about true evil, adult motivations, supernatural forces, and fratricide!	Reid-Banks other books are appropriate	Reid-Banks	neutral	0
I recommend that anyone looking to have some mischievous fun at chess should take up the the Budapest as an occasional surprise weapon. I found this book at a used book store for $5 a few years back and my investment has been paid back a 100-fold. The Budapest is great for quick kills versus weaker or similar strength players. A gross example: White N. N. (1600) - Me (2000), 1998; 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. d5 Bc5 4. Bg5?? Ne4! and white resigned after a few more moves and I was soon relaxing at Hardees while my competition was grinding out four-hour games. Of course 5. Bxd8 loses instantly to. Bxf2#. Boryk's book is much more easily absorbed than Tseitlin & Glaskov's, Budapest for the Tournament Player, with its head-spinning variations and transpositions. Instead, Boryk offers numerous games with ideas and strategies for Black. Nevermind that this opening is not popular with the GM set where they have everything memorized out to 20-25 moves. This is a great opening for chess improvisors and tacticians out here in sub-master land that like to mix it up. If you can get this book at a bargain price -- pick it up!	The Budapest is great for quick kills versus weaker or similar strength players	The Budapest	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is not only a good book for girls, but also for boys with a good sense of imagination. The book ranges between nine-year-olds through eleven-year-olds. The main characters are two twin girls, Angela and Diabola. Though they are twins, they are nothing alike. Angela is described as a wonderful child spreading joy and happiness wherever she goes. While Diabola, well, let's just say that she is the exact opposite of her sister in every way possible. Their parents had always been able to handle the girls, both the good and the bad, until one day when Diabola does something that neither her parents nor her sister would ever imagine. Angela and Diabola is a great fiction book with wonderful dialogue and text. One thing that I really like about it is that the beginning jumps right into the story. The book really held my interest throughout the whole story. Anyone who has a good imagination and likes a great fiction book will enjoy this book	Anyone who has a good imagination and likes a great fiction book will enjoy this book	book	positive	3
Former LAPD cop turned author Jack Whalen and his wife advertising executive Amy left Southern California to live in the Seattle suburbs. One seemingly uneventful day high school sports friend Gary Fisher calls from Chicago to ask Jack to do him a favor. The lawyer says he tracked Jack from his book and would like Jack to investigate the brutal murders of thirty-seven year old Gina Anderson and her son Joshua in their Seattle home; the house was trashed and the husband a lecturer at the nearby community college vanished. Jack agrees to take the case, but when he calls his wife who is in Seattle on business, the hotel desk clerk says she has not checked in and she fails to answer her cell phone. Concerned he travels to Seattle to find Amy has vanished. In Portland, a nine years old girl also disappears, but is found a few miles away. She shares visions with Jack, who digs deeper into a cesspool in search of his wife. Soon all three scenarios will connect at the heart of Jack's soul. THE INTRUDERS affirm Michael Marshall's winning of the Philip K. Dick. Award (see THE STRAW MEN) as this action-packed thriller filled with twists will keep readers on the edge throughout. Jack is a wonderful beleaguered hero who starts off by quickly realizing he don't know jack even about himself and as he investigates realizes each new clue proves he knows even less than he thought. The audience needs to set aside plenty of time as 392 pages is a one sitting suspense read. Harriet Klausner	In Portland, a nine years old girl also disappears, but is found a few miles away	girl	neutral	0
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them. The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape. Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run - even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur. And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain. Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm. What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks. Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!. The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story	Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school	Arthur Penhaligon	neutral	0
The sophistication and talent that a writer needs to maintain two plot lines and ferry seven characters through a full-length novel, may be a challenge to author Val McDermid, but she does it with style, believability and panache in THE LAST TEMPTATION. A serial killer is targeting psychologists in Germany and Holland. When an old friend is murdered, former British profiler Tony Hill reluctantly gets back into the game. His job is to outsmart the killer and prevent any more brutal "mutilation" deaths. At the same time, Carol Jordan, a very ambitious DCI and the love of Hill's life, is offered any position she wants if she does her superiors a "favor" --- seduce Tadeusz Radecki into a sting that will expose his drug, arms and people smuggling businesses. This seems to be an offer she can't refuse. But, by the time she finds out that she's been set up, it's too late to back out. She feels betrayed and used when she discovers that she is the "twin" image of Katerina Basler, Tadisck's lover who was killed in a mysterious hit and run accident. Hill's murder investigation eventually brings him to Berlin. And, although he must travel to several European cities, he takes a small apartment in the same building as Jordan. Both of them work with local cops, Jordan with Petra Becker in Germany, and Hill with Brigadier Marijke van Hasselt from Holland. THE LAST TEMPTATION is an aggregate of pristine prose, complicated plot twists, roller coaster pacing, intelligent characters, and very interesting subject matter. McDermid writes with finesse and her extraordinary storytelling prowess sets her new book apart from the ordinary. Wow! This book is a sure fire winner. --- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum	Both of them work with local cops, Jordan with Petra Becker in Germany, and Hill with Brigadier Marijke van Hasselt from Holland	Petra Becker	neutral	0
Mister Monday by Garth Nix is one of the best books I have ever read. It's a story of a middle school aged kid named Arthur. He's pretty normal except for his dad use to be in a rock band and his mom is one of the most famous doctors in the world. One day while in gym class he has an asthma attack and passes out while people are running to get help a man in a wheel chair and another odd looking man appear. The man in the wheel chair gives Arthur a key, and they disappear again, while holding the key Arthur can breathe perfectly fine. After spending a couple days in the hospital he finds a notebook in his jacket pocket when he held the key and opened the book he sees a drawing of a house that nobody else can see. When he goes the house and touches the key to the wall a black door appears he walks in it and goes to another world. The whole book is about him saving this world because an evil man named mister Monday has unleashed pieces of a will this should be trapped up forever. In the end Arthur defeats Mister Monday and saves the lower house, but there are more days of the week to be stopped. I thought this was a great book it had non-stop action. On of the greatest scenes of action is when Arthur and Mister Monday are fighting, the descriptiveness was so vivid I thought I was watching them the whole time. Another scene is when Arthur is being chased by creatures called Nithlings, he is saved by a friend and it explains really well how Arthur quickly climbed a rope and threw tiles at the creatures. Another cool part of the story is how he described the landscapes that were in the book. He would quickly and efficiently describe every place they went, not like some stories where the spend pages describing one little thing. Like when Arthur first got to the House, as everyone called the world he went to, the author quickly described where he appeared but I could vividly see it in my head. Or when Arthur first went in to Mister Monday's dayroom to fight him, thought there wasn't much to it, I knew exactly what it looked like so as the said where they were I understood it like it was my own home. Finally how everyone changed over the story, the characters in this story changed a lot in through the story. First of all Arthur who changed from assort of goofy asthmatic kid who couldn't run or fight in to a great hero. Suzy, one of Arthur's allies through out the story, changed from working at a crappy job to helping save the world. Mister Monday changed from a ruler of many to be a pathetic man grobbling for his life in front of Arthur. So all in all this was a great book I would recommend it to anyone. Even though it's a little long it can be read quickly because of how interesting it is. So my recommendation is to anyone who likes to amazed. S. Bricker	After spending a couple days in the hospital he finds a notebook in his jacket pocket when he held the key and opened the book he sees a drawing of a house that nobody else can see	key	neutral	1
Some early young adult novels (it's a fairly new form of literature, you know) age gracefully and seamlessly. I'm thinking of course of Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" and (to a lesser extent), S. E. Hinton?s, "The Outsiders". Unfortunately, I have a nasty suspicion that these books are the exception rather than the rule. For every "Forever" there's a "My Darling, My Hamburger" that contains a great story bogged down by changes in the world. While Paul Zindel's classic tale of four teenagers and their relationship problems is at times both moving and perfectly toned, mostly the problems presented in it are as dated as they come. Even a plot synopsis makes this apparent. Friends Maggie and Liz aren't exactly close, but they hang out frequently together. Liz is the more beautiful and popular of the two with Maggie often following behind. When Liz and her boyfriend Sean decide to hook up Maggie with his friend Dennis, the blind date is as incredibly awkward as they come. Throughout the book the narrative switches between Maggie and her tentative relationship with Dennis and Liz's problems with Sean. Sean, like any normal teenager, is as horny as they come and is continually pressuring Liz to have sex. She'd like to, but she worries that it might end up in pregnancy. Unsurprisingly, that is exactly what happens and soon the big question in the book is whether or not Sean will do the honorable thing and marry Liz (!!) or if Liz will seek out an illegal abortion on her own. It's this last plotline that struck me as dated. The book was originally written in 1969, a full three years before Roe V. Wade and in many ways this abortion issue (while it still looms large) isn't the same. Sure, many girls will sweat over what to do with an unplanned pregnancy, but crossing the border to a state where abortion is legal is probably a more up-to-date literary solution than getting a back alley job. Then there's the debate about whether a girl should marry the guy who gets her pregnant, regardless of how old they are or what their future plans are. Maybe there are pockets of the country where this really is the only honorable solution to such a problem, but it's really not how the majority of teens would handle it today. The book is additionally riddled with small cultural time capsules as well. Talk about how Orientals kill themselves for honor, going to the movie theater to watch a documentary on pygmies, and the complete and total lack of any mention of STDs all combine to make this book an interesting window into the past. To some degree it does still speak to teens today. I was especially amused by the Sex Ed. teacher's advice on how to stop a guy from going all the way, (suggest going out for a hamburger). The characters were interesting as well. Liz, unfortunately, isn't a character you're going to identify with intrinsically. Yes, it's sad that she doesn't get along with her parents. But she's such a self-absorbed person, constantly ridiculing her best friend and at the same time dragging Maggie into horrid and dangerous situations, that by the end you feel zippo pity for her. In fact, you're supposed to end this story hating and pitying Sean who got her pregnant in the first place. Curse those lustful young men that refuse to marry their knocked up girlfriends! Curse them! This book probably read very well in the 1970s and I could even see it having some interesting points in the 1980s. But by the 1990s with the advent of AIDS better known and the options available to teens widening, books like this one began to read more as cautionary tales than as contemporary novels. I've no doubt that "My Darling, My Hamburger" was riveting and shocking when it first came out. Unfortunately, that's certainly no longer the case. I recommend it as a glimpse into the America that once was. If you'd like to know more about the history of the Young Adult novel, this is a good book to pick up. Just don't expect it to have too many insights to offer today. I'm afraid it's no longer that meaningful	The characters were interesting as well	characters	positive	0
McDermid carefully reminds us of the atrocities committed during the Nazi era in Germany in this, the latest release for the Hill-Jordan series in the U. S. As opposed to many writers in the serial-killer/police procedural genre, Val McDermid consistently paints vivid, if disturbing, psychological portraits of the diseased mind responsible for the crimes committed in her novels. Her psychological material is carefully researched and propels the plot along at a brisk pace. Her writing continues to soar above most of her peers, and the relationship between the two protagonists keeps the reader coming back for book after book. Well done!	Her psychological material is carefully researched and propels the plot along at a brisk pace	plot	positive	0
In the beginning there was The Architect who created everything from nothing. Eons passed, and then there was The Will. The Architect's Will was broken into seven pieces by the treacherous Trustees to prevent it from ever being executed. The first fragment was fused inside a solid crystal and then placed inside an unbreakable glass box which was locked inside an indestructible cage. The cage was anchored on the surface of a dead sun at the end of time, and was guarded by twelve sentinels, who were supervised by inspectors. These security measures may have been nothing to sneeze at, but sneeze the inspector did, and somehow the fragment escaped. Arthur Penhaligon was an asthmatic child who wasn't enjoying his first Monday at his new school. This was due to a sadistic teacher who forced him to run a cross-country course, resulting in a near death experience, during which he encountered the unlikely duo of Sneezer and Mister Monday. Suddenly he was the holder of a strange key, shaped like the minute hand of a clock, and Mister Monday was impatiently waiting for Arthur's expiry date to come up. After these exciting and intriguing introductions, Garth Nix launches into the meaty part of the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom series, where one of the most unlikely of heroes struggles reluctantly to fulfill his destiny, while trying to save his own world from a deadly plague. This story contains a great deal of violence, but fortunately while it is perfectly clear that pain is being inflicted with gleeful enjoyment and wanton abandon by Monday's associates, the descriptions are not graphic enough to be overly upsetting to the faint of heart. Young adult readers may be slightly confused by all the twists and machinations, but will still be thrilled by the adventures of Arthur and his friend Suzy Turquoise Blue as they negotiate the secrets of the House, guided by the Will, and armed with nothing but the Key, a great deal of common sense, and a very strong will to survive. Amanda Richards, June 23, 2006	Young adult readers may be slightly confused by all the twists and machinations, but will still be thrilled by the adventures of Arthur and his friend Suzy Turquoise Blue as they negotiate the secrets of the House, guided by the Will, and armed with nothing but the Key, a great deal of common sense, and a very strong will to survive	Key	neutral	0
Garth Nix really glued my eyes to this book for hours! I couldn't stop reading all day! His book Mister Monday tells the story of young Arthur Penhaligon's adventure into the House. While at school Arthur obtains a "Key" shaped like a minute hand on a clock. In the never-ending height of the House, he is the rightful heir to the lower part. The only problem is that the other hand of the clock is owned by the old ruler, who doesn't want to give it away. Meanwhile the first section of the "Will" the creator of everything left behind, has escaped from it's highly secured prison on a dead star. Although The only reason Arthur is in this adventure is so he can save the world from the plague the "Key" brought with it. Garth Nix can build one idea off of the other, which would help him explain his thoughts. For example, when Arthur is in an elevator with the "Will" and Suzy Turquoise Blue, (They are going to the 379th floor, so they have the time) Garth Nix explained everything about the plague Arthur wants to cure. So basically the author took the opportunity to explain all the confusing parts in the book up to that point. I personally love fantasy books, and Garth nix can draw people like me into his writing. He has things relating to time, space, extremely tall houses that can slow time the moment you touch it. Stuff like that!. I loved this book, so I probably am going to read the next books in this series:. #2 - Grim Tuesday. #3 - Drowned Wednesday. #4 - Sir Thursday. Coming Soon. #5 - Lady Friday. #6 - Superior Saturday. #7 - Lord Sunday. Will Arthur save the world from the plague? How did the "Will" escape? Read Mister Monday and all those questions will be answered!	Garth Nix really glued my eyes to this book for hours! I couldn't stop reading all day! His book Mister Monday tells the story of young Arthur Penhaligon's adventure into the House	Mister Monday	neutral	0
Its Arthur Penhaglion's first day at school and things aren't going so well. Arthur has really bad asthma, but since the new gym teacher doesn't know it, Arthur is forced to run. He doesn't want to appear stupid on the first day of school, so he decides to run even though he knows it could be really devasting to his health. And lone behold, Arthur has a severe asthma attack. However, just as he is about to die, he is handed a key shaped like a minute hand from a mysterious person called Mr. Monday who definitely doesn't belong in our world. Arthur survives, but soon his whole world is turned upside down. Mysterious dog faced animals are chasing after Arthur trying to get back the key, and they've brought a mysterious Sleeping Plague with them that could kill thousands, if not millions, since the doctors seem to have no cure at all. Soon Arthur realizes, that he, himself will have to venture into "The House", a house that only he can see, to save his world from utter destruction. It is in "The House" that Arthur makes friends with Suzy Turquoise Blue, and learns from "The Will" of his true destiny and has his final showdown with Mr. Monday. I had high expectations for Garth Nix's new series since I was an absolute fanatic over his Sabriel Trilogy and The Seventh Towers Series. After reading the first chapter of this book, I knew that I wouldn't be disappointed as it just sucks you in. I found this book to be more darker than Garth Nix's past stories, but you can definitely tell his unique writing style. His story structure carries over and you can pinpoint many similarties with this book and his other works. Arthur is a great protagonist, though he lacks the charm of Sabriel and Tal from Garth Nix's previous books. I definitely recommend reading this book, though I feel it is a touch lower than Garth Nix's Sabriel and Seventh Tower	Arthur is a great protagonist, though he lacks the charm of Sabriel and Tal from Garth Nix's previous books	Arthur	positive	6
this is one of the best books i have ever read! garth nix is amazing at making Arthur, Suzy, Monday, the Will, Dawn, Noon, and Dusk all come to life. it is the best horror/action/adventure book i haver ever read. Arthur is saved by a key, that chages his fate entirely. he has Asmatha and the minute hand looking key saves him. but the key made a strange house appear. and at school, some dog faced men come in to kill him along with Noon for the key, so Arthur couldn't be master of the Lower House if he could get the hour hand key from Monday inside the strange house. this book is EXTREAMLY good, but very confusing at times. Garth Nix rules!	this is one of the best books i have ever read! garth nix is amazing at making Arthur, Suzy, Monday, the Will, Dawn, Noon, and Dusk all come to life	garth nix	positive	0
Ernest Gellner stigmatizes Freudianism as a secular religion, where the Unconscious (a new version of the Original Sin) is treated as a Revelation, with a sharp distinction between the sacred (those under analysis) and the profane, between the good (the true believers) and the bad, and where reason must be suspended. Freud's concepts are untestable (the experience - transfer - between analysand and analyst is unique) and nebulous (reality can always be made conform to the system). His basic technique is free association which should lead to the uncovering of repressed mental contents and correspondent therapeutic consequences for the patient. The only testable component of the theory are its therapeutic claims, but the effectiveness of the therapy is extremely dubious and unproven. For the author, Freudianism is a self-perpetuating, falsification-evading, closed system, which controls its own database. In one word, it is a pseudo-science. Its enormous vested interests (also financial) are cultivated and protected by a guild: UNATO (United Nations Analysis and Therapy Organization). This brilliantly written, corrosive text contains excellent short evaluations of Nietzsche, Marx, Berkeley, Plato and Stoicism. A must read for all guild-members and outsiders	For the author, Freudianism is a self-perpetuating, falsification-evading, closed system, which controls its own database	Freudianism	negative	1
I find myself disagreeing whole-heartedly with the negative reviews of Anne Kingston's The Meaning of Wife. I devoured and enjoyed every bit of this book. This was one of the best books on the subjects of women, work, and family that I have read to date. Contrary to one reviewer's beliefs, I have recently read Misconceptions and The Mommy Myth, but still found an amazing amount of original research (not to mention RECENT) in Kingston's text. Not only is The Meaning of Wife jam packed with original research, it also jellies over with meaning! I can't tell you how many times I have pulled this book BACK OFF THE SHELF since placing it there a few weeks ago upon finishing it. In the classroom, I have referenced information from this book more times than I can remember. It's a good thing I annotate!. One thing is for sure, this is not another boring history book. Usually once I put a book down for over a week, I never pick it up again. I put this book down for a few months (due to a hectic end of the semester) and picked it right back up again just this past month. I finished it in record time because it was THAT interesting. But hey, that's just me. Read the book and decide for yourself	I devoured and enjoyed every bit of this book	book	positive	0
With apologies to anyone who is reading this as a duplicative review, I am going to review all four of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels in one place and copy the reviews individually. I've now read seven of McDermid's books. She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch. The first two books aren't written terribly well, but the writing gets better as the series goes on. You may know these characters from the BBC series "Wire in the Blood" starring Robson Green. As an aside, while I generally find film and television adaptations to be far less satisfying than the source material on which they are based, the BBC series is really an exception. While the books have some detail that doesn't make it to the t. v. series, the television program really brings the characters to life and improves on the writing while staying true to the novels, although only the fourth book's plot actually made it to the screen. As noted by some other reviewers, these books are not for the squeamish. McDermid doesn't pull any punches in writing about vicious psychopaths who commit sex crimes and the books may well be disturbing to many. The second book in particular (more below) actually gave me nightmares. McDermid, however, really gets into the heads of her twisted antagonists and she seems to have done a tremendous amount of research. Most importantly, both Dr. Hill, a clinical psychologist who consults with the police as a profiler, and Carol Jordan, the police officer with whom he works most closely, always feel like real people with investigative abilities and compassion that are easy to admire and foibles that are easy to relate to. They have serious difficulties in forging personal relationships which makes their relationship all the more poignant. Each book focuses on two stories -- a main investigation involving a psychopath and a secondary case that is generally no less compelling, while also following the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. If you've never read any of the books in this series, I would recommend taking them in order. The fourth book is the best, the third the worst, but it's worth reading them in order for the character development (although you could easily skip the third). If you really think you only want to read one, or aren't sure and don't care about spolers, just go straight to the last one. Some people who have read the entire series have found the fourth book repetitive, but it's the one that really works on all levels. Overall, the series gets 4 stars, but here are my individual assessments:. SPOILER FREE REVIEWS. 1. The Mermaids Singing - 4 stars. The first of the series is really the only one that delves in any great detail into the personal lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, who come together to investigate the brutal torture and slayings of four men in northern England. McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books all deal with issues of sexual identity, but this one does is particularly focused on that as the police suspect a gay man of killing heterosexual men. McDermid shares the thoughts of the killer as well as those of Dr. Hill, who relates all too well to the motivations of the subjects he is asked to profile. The writing in this book is kind of clunky, but the insights of the author into how and why someone sets out to cause maximum pain and humiliation still make it a riveting, if disturbing, read. 2. The Wire in the Blood -- 4 stars. In this second book in the series, teenaged girls are being abducted and brutally raped and tortured to death. We are introduced to an extremely smooth and charismatic character, Jacko Vance, a television celebrity and former star athlete, that Dr. Hill and Carol Jordan called upon to investigate. This is the hardest of the series to read, probably because the killer's victims are all extremely young, naive and female, with no chance whatsoever of fighting back. This book deals with charisma and celebrity as well as sexual deviance and although the writing is still somewhat awkward, it's generally a more compelling novel than the Mermaids Singing. 3. The Last Temptation -- 3 stars. This is the weakest book in the series. On the plus side, McDermid decides to branch out from northern England and take the reader into continental Europe, particularly Germany, where Carol Jordan has gone as an undercover operative to investigate a drug dealer/slave trader. Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims. McDermid brings to light some of the darker deeds of the Nazis that are generally not known and discussed and for this she should be commended. The writing also starts to improve with this book and the secondary protagonists, two female, European police officers who develop a long-term relationship with each other, are the best of any of the books. There are some serious problems with the novel, however, that make it the weakest of the bunch. First of all, in the other books McDermid is writing about the North of England, which she clearly knows like the back of her hand. The locale in the other books is really the third character after Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. The European locations never quite come to life in the same way. But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending. In order to get where she wants to go, she has to have Carol Jordan do something completely out of character and, frankly, she doesn't do a good job of convincing us of the reason. The whole book feels a bit contrived. Kudos to McDermid for trying something different instead of just writing variations on a theme, but the theme is one she does really well and this effort is a bit disappointing. 4. The Torment of Others -- 5 stars. There's a reason this is the only story that got used in the BBC series. By this point, McDermid had started to write really well, and she'd really gotten the hang of tying the two story lines together. In the main story, someone is killing prostitutes with the m. o. used by a man currently in an insane asylum. How does the killer know exactly what the prior murderer did? The mystery is more satisfying than that of the prior novels and the sub-plot, involving kidnapped boys, also intrigues. There's not much to learn at this point about Dr. Hill, but while the third book didn't entirely work, the aftereffects of that novel's events on Carol Jordan are all too real and bring the characters' relationship to a new level. If books on criminal profiling and psychological forensics are your thing, you'll probably really enjoy McDermid's work. If someone has recommended her writing to you and the Dr. Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries sound like they are too gruesome, check out the Grave Tattoo, which is a neat, little literary mystery	But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending	McDermid	neutral	4
The sophistication and talent that a writer needs to maintain two plot lines and ferry seven characters through a full-length novel, may be a challenge to author Val McDermid, but she does it with style, believability and panache in THE LAST TEMPTATION. A serial killer is targeting psychologists in Germany and Holland. When an old friend is murdered, former British profiler Tony Hill reluctantly gets back into the game. His job is to outsmart the killer and prevent any more brutal "mutilation" deaths. At the same time, Carol Jordan, a very ambitious DCI and the love of Hill's life, is offered any position she wants if she does her superiors a "favor" --- seduce Tadeusz Radecki into a sting that will expose his drug, arms and people smuggling businesses. This seems to be an offer she can't refuse. But, by the time she finds out that she's been set up, it's too late to back out. She feels betrayed and used when she discovers that she is the "twin" image of Katerina Basler, Tadisck's lover who was killed in a mysterious hit and run accident. Hill's murder investigation eventually brings him to Berlin. And, although he must travel to several European cities, he takes a small apartment in the same building as Jordan. Both of them work with local cops, Jordan with Petra Becker in Germany, and Hill with Brigadier Marijke van Hasselt from Holland. THE LAST TEMPTATION is an aggregate of pristine prose, complicated plot twists, roller coaster pacing, intelligent characters, and very interesting subject matter. McDermid writes with finesse and her extraordinary storytelling prowess sets her new book apart from the ordinary. Wow! This book is a sure fire winner. --- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum	His job is to outsmart the killer and prevent any more brutal "mutilation" deaths	killer	negative	0
I just finished "Skylar in Yankeeland" and wasn't overly impressed. Certainly, it was better than "Skylar", but that's like saying Cheez in a Can is better than those Cracker Barrel fake cheddar sticks. Neither one really takes the blue ribbon, but at least you can squeeze Cheez in a Can directly into your mouth, without having to waste time cutting it. In "Skylar", yankee cousin Jonathan Whitfield is a fish out of water when he comes south for a visit. In this installment, MacDonald turns the tables and has good ol' boy Skylar venture north to visit the very rich Whitfields, where he is, yes, a fish out of water. The family jewels are heisted, a young lady is murdered and general hilarity ensues. Or doesn't. As a reader, I never like easy jokes. I figure the reason I'm paying to read an author's book is because he or she is much cleverer than I and will say things that I haven't already thought or write things that aren't cliches and because of this, I am increasingly saddened by Gregory MacDonald's descent into mediocrity. None of the characters here are much better than stereotypes and the situations they encounter are downright unlikely. Add to that the fact that one of the characters, a Boston blue blood since before the revolution, makes a personality change likely to cause a whiplash in anyone paying even the most casual attention and you have a book that is unlikely to win MacDonald any new fans	In "Skylar", yankee cousin Jonathan Whitfield is a fish out of water when he comes south for a visit	Skylar	neutral	0
If you are looking for a thrilling mystery, this is the book for you! This book is about an asmatic boy who has moved to a new school and the first day has a asma attack. In having this attach Arthur Penhaligon meets two new friends (Leaf and Ed twin brother and sister) and also gets a suprise, Mister Monday and his buttler, Sneezer, appear with a flash of light and give Arthur a gift,(Arthur thinks Sneezer is up to something but does not know) a minute hand of a clock (the clock that was guarding the will) and a book (An Atlas he can't yet open). Arhtur does not know this but a will guarded by a clock face glass box and other odd things has been released which is the reason he got the key (clock hand) in the first place. During this book Arthur meets some odd people like some dog-faced men in bowler hats. At the beginning of the book he thought it was all a dream (from his asma attack) but he finds out that everything was very real. Arthur does not know the danger ahead of him untill the night somebody shows up at his window. This book is a wonderful choice. Garth Nix really outdid hiself when he wrote this one. This book reminds me of Ravens Gate in a way so if you read and liked it you will love this! One of the best books I have ever read. This is a dark side of the moon kind of book it is full of suspense and you never what will happen next. You will find yourself captivated by each letter in this book, you will see that you are swept away in the pages but don't want to come out! Mister Monday will do anything to get the key back (you will have to read to see if Arthur makes it through the book alive)!	If you are looking for a thrilling mystery, this is the book for you! This book is about an asmatic boy who has moved to a new school and the first day has a asma attack	asma attack	negative	0
The children's novel "keys of the Kingdom Mister Monday" is a hardcore mix beetween mystery and science fiction. This is a 361 page book about a boy named Arthur Penhaligon who is destined to die an early death, but is saved by a key given to him by a mysterious man named Mister Monday. After being given the key he notices many strange things happening around his neighborhood. Including a strange house a few blocks away from his house. he journeys up the house into Mister Monday's room on the top floor of the house. After Arthur defeats Mister Monday he surrenders his strange powers to "The Will". I liked the way the author described all imnportant and non-important characters in such detail, but I didn't like the way he kept coming back to the question "why did Arthur get the key, why is he still alive, who are Mister Monday and Sneezer". My favorite character in this book was Noon the first big Villain or henchman of Mister Monday. He is my favorite character because he has and awesome outfit, I mean there aren't many guys waliking around with wings and a flaming sword. My favorite secton or scene was when mister monday & Sneezer first appeared. I liked the way the author made it so i could picture it in my head. What i would say to someone about this book is about a nobody kid who ends up saving the world. One question I have is what happens after you fall asleep during the process of the "Sleepy Plague". I would strongely recommend this book for someone who likes a book in which they can picture all of the important moments	After Arthur defeats Mister Monday he surrenders his strange powers to "The Will"	Mister Monday	negative	2
THe last Poirot case was a heartbreaking affair. Anyway, Agatha Christie wrote one of the best Poirot novels ever. It seem she wrote it in the 40's, but in was only published in 1975. Great novel, the ever faithful Captain Arthur Hastings is narrating, and things go out with a bang	Anyway, Agatha Christie wrote one of the best Poirot novels ever	novels	positive	0
I'm inclined to agree with Ramseelbird's review, and unlike indiegirl29, I don't recall Liz going out with another guy who nearly rapes her. What I do remember is teens in the 70s claiming to love this book, while I (maybe I wasn't savvy enough) just didn't get it. I sort of maybe guessed that her "friends" were accompanying Liz to have an abortion (didn't occur to me whether it was legal or not; I may not have even been aware of the issue of legality). What struck me more was the unlikelihood of a pretty, cool girl being best friends with an uncool, homely girl. Never saw this in real life. Actually the most vivid memory I have of the story is when Liz calls home to say she'll be late, her stepfather calls her a tramp, and that's when she succumbs to Sean's pressure to have sex. This scenario is what is actually timeless in the story, as opposed to the rest of it. The plot and atmosphere are indeed grim, which is indeed what bothered me. It's darker than any other teen / Young Adult novel I can think of. I certainly couldn't relate to any of the characters. I wasn't cool, didn't have a best friend who was cool, didn't have a boyfriend (pressuring or otherwise), and didn't have a stepparent. I suppose that's not Zindel's fault, but I do expect a fiction author to be able to cause the reader to feel what the characters are feeling, or sympathize with their situations. I suppose that's why I wouldn't recommend this book	I suppose that's why I wouldn't recommend this book	book	negative	0
I'm wholeheartedly disappointed to see that some reviewers have perceived the author to have a "chip on her shoulder" simply because she presents some facts on how society has perceived women who occupy the role of wife. This is a thought-provoking look at the history of how wives are perceived(and yes, let's take our blinders off people, because in one way or another, pop culture affects how we define ourselves, and it sure as heck is affecting our children!). The research is original and fascinating. I am not opposed to marriage and hope to get married one day; furthermore, I was not at all offended by the tone of the book and did not feel that Kingston was trying to discourage anyone from getting married. Instead, she seems to challenge us to define ourselves beyond restrictive labels. For those who are moaning that the book lacks a thesis, I believe it lies in the proof that she gives over and over throughout the book: not all women are the same and to lump them all in one category (ie. "the vindictive other woman", "the helpless battered woman", "the sad, single girl with her cats", "the sassy single girl with her Manolo Blahniks", etc. ) has dangerous social consequences	The research is original and fascinating	research	positive	0
To me, this book requires some imagination and patience. I could not just breeze through the Prologue and other parts of the book without having to go back and reread some parts. But once I got into the beginning and reading about Arthur, the hesitant hero, the book grew on me. I found it was quite easy to visualize the main character's adventures when he was on Earth in the beginning, but when the book shifted to the other world. I kind of got confused again. But I did not give up reading the book. I kept on, trying to visualize where Arthur was. The other world is quite original with its descriptions and the names given to different places, the characters, and so forth. I was kind of expecting Leaf to be with Arthur through the book as a sidekick, but I liked Suzy just as well. I really like the quick adventure on the stairs and where it lead Suzy and Arthur. I was glad to find out where Suzy came from. I didn't even think about that until they reached the one platform. Mr. Monday was a funny, lazy villian (or rather a sleepy villian). But I will say that Garth Nix is a very clever, talented writer. I liked how he made me think about what I was reading. It wasn't the kind of book, for me at least, where you can just read through and not pay attention. You have to pay attention to the writing because he eventually goes back to those details later on. There are connections, and I like a book like that. So, in my opinion, if you read it, pay attention to the writing, be patient, and don't forget to add your imagination. Thanks	I was kind of expecting Leaf to be with Arthur through the book as a sidekick, but I liked Suzy just as well	Arthur	neutral	2