Anthony Storr

Advantages: Amusing at times, interesting topic, different areas covered and explained a bit
Disadvantages: bit selective with research, Derek Acorah fans - look away now

...paranormal or 'supernatural' stuff. Mum's a Spiritualist, so of course believes in the afterlife, and so do I. It's just always made sense, really. Now how or where mum heard of this book, I'm afraid I dunno. I forgot to ask. I could text her but my phone is all the way over *there* and there's no point in emailing my brother to ask him because then he'd have to get up and go downstairs to ask her. But she told me about it, told me it had some pretty funny parts and even had an eyebrow-raising anecdote from participating in the television atrocity (read: faked shite) that is 'Most Haunted'. Oooh aye, that was my interest peaked, let me tell you! But Will Storr is a journalist, and I don't really like journalists. Giving the book the quick once-over I notice that it's listed as 'Travel' on the back (no doubt due to the fact that Storr... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Total immersion in plot, believe characters, excellent narrative
Disadvantages: Only 490 pages ...

...Minions (people who have given the Unmaker their soul in return for immortality), and those led by Meldor i.e. the Unstablers, the tainted and the Unbound. Keris rebels against the rigidness of Order and the Chantry and flees her home after the death of her father and the imminent death of her mother. Rather than be forced into marriage, she ends up in the company of Meldor and some 'pilgrims' who turn out to be Davron Storre, Scow, a Chantor, some ordinary people and a Minion. This is an interesting and dangerous mix of people for a 20 year old to deal with when she's never travelled the Unstable (chaos) or crossed a ley line (power). It turns out that Davron Storre is hiding a dark secret which only Keris can help him with. It tests both their lives and their eventual love for each other. Each of the minor characters adds an interesting... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Beautifully written, good messages about confronting fears.
Disadvantages: Rather scary and a little bit anachronistic.

...at each other and try to rid themselves of anger by imposing it on the other. Gradually, though, they recognise the common foe – for the evil boulders, read their illnesses – and begin to work together to devise a strategy for escape. And as they do this in the dreamscape, so they begin to make progress recuperating in the real world. It IS scary, though! Marianne Dreams frightened the bejeezus out of me when I first read it as a child. The boulders, with their one, blinking eye and their low, droning hum of whispers are menacing. An atmosphere of danger and threat pervades the book and Catherine Storr builds tension remorselessly. Despite its strong, positive messages about fear disappearing when faced, I would hesitate to recommend Marianne Dreams for a young, sensitive child who likes to read alone. The sort of child who watches TV... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful