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Books : Grasshopper (Windsor Selection)
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Grasshopper (Windsor Selection) by: Barbara Vine |
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Binding: Hardcover EAN: 9780754014638 ISBN: 0754014630 Label: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C Manufacturer: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C Number Of Pages: 584 Publication Date: August 01, 2000 Publisher: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C Studio: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C Sales Rank: 1552280 Related Items: Related Items:      see moreBrowse for similar items by category:
Editorial Review: Amazon.co.uk Review: Grasshopper is the tale of Clodagh's recovery from the death of her best friend and liberation from the guilt her parents have imposed on her for the pylon-climbing that led to it; it is also the tale of new mistakes, and their disastrous consequences. In the London of the late 80s, Clodagh finds her own level--and it is way above the streets, with a roof-jaunting group of disaffected young people, each with a trauma of their own. For Swedish Liv, it is the nightmare of au-pairing; for Silver, it was abduction as a small boy; for the sinister young thug Jimmy, it was sexual abuse on a massive scale. When they graduate from merely clambering around to trying to do good, and help a couple on the run from the social services with a foster child, that is when the trouble starts... The audiobook adaptation is taut and passionate; Frances Barber's range of voices and characterisations adds immediacy to the strong characterisation and never becomes a mere series of comic impersonations, she retains a sense of this story's urgency even in the chunks of back-story that punctuate the main action. Duration: 5 hours--Roz Kaveney Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Don't listen to those who 'diss' this book I have never read any Barbara Vine or Ruth Rendell novels before this one but I loved it. It is a while since I read it but the memorable characters and rich plot are etched on my mind. I can't understand the poor rating by some readers but I imagine they were looking for basic whodunnit novels. Rating:  - opinions seem to be divided on this onebut I am glad I went with those who gave high star rating.This is classic Vine with lots of detail and good characterisation and clever plot with the essential surprises.I very nearly did not bother to get this book because of the negative reviews and I am glad that I decided to give it a try and of course I was soon hooked by delightful develish Barbara! Rating:  - Grasshopper by Barbara VineNormally I can't wait to read any book by Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell), so perhaps it was secretly telling me something that I had had this one sitting around at home for several months before I started it. There ARE moments of vintage Vine in this. The incident on the pylon, around which the whole book hangs has a marvellously haunting, dreamlike quality to it, and the descriptions of the gloomy basement flat where Clodagh goes to live are emphatically in the very best of the Rendell/Vine tradition. But after 200 pages of this book I simply couldn't stand any more of it. The characters doggedly refuse to come to life. The younger ones in particular just don't seem at all plausible. Johnny the cat-burglar is more like a Bill Sykes clone from ... Read More: Rating:  - Putdownable!I did not enjoy this book at all and each time I came to the end of a chapter I seriously contemplated calling it a day. But I ploughed on until the end but it got no better. The book is very slow and I felt as though I were trawling through it, there was no intrigue or mystery or thrill to it and the characters were too wishy-washy and unbelievable. Definately not one of her best! Rating: - original, haunting, brilliant!Because of the accident on the pylon, Clodagh has been banished to the city, to a dingy basement flat below the large house of one of her parents’ friends. Soon, prisoner of her near-claustrophobia, she bursts free when she discovers the residents of the top floor of nearby 15 Russia Road. Caring Silver, violent Jonny, weak and waspish Liv, and mysterious Wim. However, coming into contact with this fascinating bunch of misfits and their curious come-and-go lifestyle as they roam free up on the roofs will put Clodagh right in the path of tragedy once more… This book is both everything you would expect from Vine, and also a lot more besides. Some, I suppose, may be disappointed with the fact that it does veer off in a slightly unexpected ... Read More: |
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