Charles Clover

Advantages: Good story
Disadvantages: Selective

...Charles is according to its author, a biographical novel, not a biography. It aims to be accurate but it is also selective and interpretative. As such it is easy and interesting to read. My main desire on completing the novel is to read a real biography about Charles Dickens. Charles serves as an interesting introduction, a way of becoming familiar with personalities without becoming inundated by too much detail initially. It tells a good story which would compel even without the attraction of its famous name. I would recommend this book.... Read review

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Advantages: Seems to portray a close family who cope no matter what
Disadvantages: I found the problems Katy encounters with ill health much more believeable than Cousin Helen.

...I read the first three Katy books in my younger days & only recently in the last year got my hands on the last Two that were written to take the stories into adulthood. The first Three, What Katy Did, What Katy Did At School & What Katy Did Next were very definatly set to try to encompass any One of several age groups from Katy's very obvious little brother & sisters to her sister Clover who I am afraid seemed a bit to good for my taste & seemed very much Katy's shadow.. In What katy did we read of Katy, who is the oldest daughter having to learn some deep lessons about life & it's ups & downs. What Katy did at school is hers & her sister Clover's chance to learn to live with others & to make life long friendships. In What Katy did next, Katy gets what for those times is every girls desire, a chance to go abroad to Europe & other... Read review

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Advantages: Easy, light and undemanding reading, with a bit of culture thrown in.
Disadvantages: Not the most uplifting of the Charles Paris series.

...For once fans of Charles Paris find the loveable alcoholic actor in something of a pink patch as not only has the regularly unemployed performer managed to secure himself secure and steady work for at least the next five months, he's also managed to get himself a nice plum role and one he's always wanted to play. Appearing as Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is probably about as good as it gets for an actor of Charles' maturing years. Add to this the fact that because of renovations to his dingy Hereford Road bed-sitter Charles is currently moved in with on/off wife Frances and for once their relationship seems to be ticking along nicely, you do have to wonder if the only way is down from this unprecedented high. Still for all "long suffering" readers of Charles' exploits will know all too well that the only way is down... Read review

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