THE MIND'S EVIL TOY (The Life and Death of Amy Dudley) by Gemma Lawrence @TudorTweep

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: A favourite author, was looking forward to it.

In a Nutshell: Historical fiction with a fantastical element.

Amy Dudley, neglected wife of Lord Robert Dudley, walks through the story of her life with him ... after she has departed this world.  She is led from place to place, from situation to situation, by her companion: Death.  The purpose of this journey is to uncover the truth, and thus allow her to rest in peace, behind not only her mysterious passing, but the crumbling of her once happy marriage, as the love between Dudley and Queen Elizabeth I deepens.

I'm not into the genre of fantasy at all, but this book worked for me so well.  I loved it.  It didn't feel like fantasy as such, I think because the events portrayed really did happen. 

Amy and Death discuss the machinations of her husband and his ill-fated relationship with the queen, shown to them via their invisible presence in scenes from the past.  I found this a perfect way to tell such a story; a straight fiction from the points of view of Elizabeth, Robert and Amy would not have been half so compelling.

The twist on the likely truth behind Amy's demise is clever and interesting, written in the mode of any good murder mystery, though the notes at the back of the book reveal the author's actual thoughts on the matter (I too am in agreement with the general opinion).  However, this is not all the book is about.  It's the story of a love that couldn't be, of ambition and deceit, of the Queen's triumph of sense over passion; it makes one ponder an abandoned woman's lot in such times, and also the value of life itself, with some wise observations from the not-at-all-demonic Death.

'The wisdom of others should never be ignored, but it should also never be followed with such slavish abandon that we forget to use the matter of our own minds'

'All things must end, that is the way of things. But other beings than me, grief, bitterness, resentment, these are the true enemies, for they steal life still there to live.  They make people think life, this precious and unlikely gift, is not worth living, and the worst of it is, it is a lie and people are tricked into believing it.  I am not the enemy, just the end.  Those who steal away life from those still living, they are the enemy'

It is observations such as these that reiterate to me why Gemma Lawrence is so successful at her chosen profession.  Well done.

FAST CASH by J Gregory Smith #RBRT

 3.5 out of 5 stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Vigilante justice to avenge scammers.

This is book 4 in a series; a look back at my reviews tells me that I read and liked Book 1 back in 2018.  I can't remember anything about it, as I read a lot and we're talking five years ago, so this was like being introduced to a completely new scenario. 

Did it work as a stand alone?  Yes and no.  I felt there were far too many characters mentioned in the first few chapters, to the extent that I couldn't keep straight in my head who they all were, and many of them were introduced with a quick backstory, but it was all too much information.  It was like starting to watch a film half way through and having to keep nudging the person next to me and saying, 'So who's he again?'

Main character Kyle is at the centre of a raggle-taggle group who operate outside the law, targeting scammers and other crooks.  This time, they're up against some Indian call centre cheats and the extremely suspect Sweat Equity, a crooked pyramid scheme disguised as a great opportunity for those down on their luck.  I loved reading about this, and the ghastly pair who run the outfit; I actually thought the story could easily have centred just around this.  As it was, I felt there was almost too much plot, which necessitated much of the book being in dialogue, as one character explained stuff to another, and thus to the reader.

Having said that, I did find all the scam info fascinating; how they operate, how Kyle's mate VP worked out systems to foil them.  Also, I very much liked the writing style, which is conversational, intelligent and often amusing; it just needed a bit of paring down and sorting out, I think.

WE THE LIVING by Ayn Rand @AynRandOrg

5 GOLD stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I watched a documentary about Ms Rand, after which I knew I had to read this.

In a Nutshell: A love story set in the Communist USSR of the 1920s, first published in 1936.  Rand says it is not a book about the Russian Revolution; this is just the setting.  However, from a reader's point of view, it is indeed a novel about just that, expressed through the eyes, lives and minds of the characters.

This is one of the best books I've ever read.  Kept feeling excited about going back to it.  The main character is Kira, from Petrograd (formerly St Petersburg) who, as a child, migrated to the Crimea with her wealthy family when the revolution took hold.  Some years later, when the Red Army reached the Crimea, the family returned to Petrograd (which became Leningrad after Lenin's death), to find everything they had owned and known gone, under the new regime.  Like everyone else in the city, they were forced to live a meagre, dangerous life, frequently with not enough to eat.

Kira falls in love with Leo, also of the former bourgeoisie; their attraction is instant and intense.  The story follows their lives and the paths they and their families and friends choose in order to survive under the punishing Communist regime.

Many of the 'white' Russians who fled their homeland, like Kira's parents, considered the situation temporary, and thought their former lives would soon be restored.

The novel is widely considered part-autobiographical; it was written once Rand had managed to escape to America.  She writes about life in Russia as she experienced it, of the increasing threat to anyone who did not want to accept the new order.  Aside from being a warning to the world about the evils of Communism, however, it's a masterfully written story about love, sacrifice, survival, tragedy, about the good, the bad and the ugly of human nature, about fear and courage, those brave enough to suffer for what they know is right, and good versus evil.  It's neither preachy nor black and white; the basically brave and courageous can make bad choices.

I've read around the Revolution since finishing it, and discovered that the widely purported idea that it was an uprising of the downtrodden masses against the tyranny of the hated ruling classes is a myth.  It was actually crafted and funded by wealthy financiers from Germany, Britain and the US. Quelle surprise.