Journal Entry 1 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, September 08, 2007

Picked up today at my favourite local second-hand store.

Kate Atkinson has put away the crockery, closed up the dishwasher and gone out of the kitchen door into the dark. Case Histories, her fourth novel since Behind the Scenes at the Museum, kicks off with a few unconnected vignettes: a three-year-old girl disappears one hot morning; a solicitor witnesses the violent death of his beloved daughter; a struggling mother loses her temper with her husband and reaches for the axe. That's three families shattered in the space of 50 pages - a sign that cosy domestic drama, of the sort that won the hearts of the judges who awarded Behind the Scenes the 1995 Whitbread prize, has been left behind.
Case Histories revolves around three family tragedies: a disappearance of a young girl, a man sees his daughter murdered, and a wife takes an axe to her husband. More than a decade later, private detective Jackson Brodie gets involved investigating some aspect of all three cases. As he delves further into each one, he uncovers family secrets perhaps left behind unopened doors. Brodie must deal with his own family troubles while discovering the actions and violence that tears others asunder. Kate Atkinson's novel has received mostly positive reviews. The New Zealand Herald says, "Although Case Histories feels almost like a detective novel, it's more than that. Not every case is solved neatly by the end, but Atkinson does present an entertaining tale - sometimes shocking, sometimes laughable - of how our lives intertwine and actions reverberate."

Hmmm. Not sure about it from this review, but I'll give it a go. 

Journal Entry 2 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Friday, November 09, 2007

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me, it's right up there with Behind the Scenes at the Museum. People who like detective stories may be disappointed -- among a plethora of missing people, it becomes obvious who some of them have become years later. But that doesn't matter. There are still enough twists in the tale to make it engrossing and, as always I delighted in Atkinson's witty style of writing. And the characterisation is just wonderful!


Offered as a bookring 12 November. The participants are:

LadyIndigo (NSW)
scrapaholic (NT)
Hawkette (Vic)
tqd (NSW)
BellaMack (Tas)


Returned to livrecache 25 July 2008
 

Journal Entry 3 by livrecache at By post in Melbourne, a controlled release -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, November 17, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (11/17/2007 UTC) at By post in Melbourne, a controlled release -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Setting off on the first stage of a bookring . . . 

Journal Entry 4 by LadyIndigo from Orange, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, November 28, 2007

a little package has arrived with this bookring (and other goodies)
many many thanks livrecache

i do currently have a couple of [ overdue :-( ] bookrings waiting to move out of the tbr pile - so will read and pass as quick as i can

thanks livrecache 

Journal Entry 5 by LadyIndigo from Orange, New South Wales Australia on Monday, January 28, 2008

i got a bit confused - having to go back to see who was who

i did not like the soppy happy ending thing at the end and why not write an ending for each character not just jackson brodie and his two gals - the tying up of loose ends at the end is rushed a few more pages wouldn't have done any harm i say!

the alleged police investigation into the disappearance of the little girl is not realistic, not believable (to me anyway)- seriously if this is how police investigate it is a wonder they ever solve any crime!

overall though it was a good read - the intro was well done with the introduction of three families and their tragedies & atkinson's writing style is not complicated, her language easy

thanks livrecache for sharing ;-) 

Journal Entry 6 by scrapaholic from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Arrived safely in Darwin today 

Journal Entry 7 by scrapaholic from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Friday, February 15, 2008

I really enjoyed reading this book.
Although not all cases were solved I liked the way they all intertwined. 

Journal Entry 8 by Hawkette from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Has arrived with me in Melbourne....onto the TBR it goes! 

Journal Entry 9 by Hawkette from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Pulled straight into this one by the case histories, and the horror of each of them, I was drawn in to see how they would tie in, and what Jackson could so after all this time.

A look at people, and the aftermaths of events in peoples lives that shake the very core of being.

Am going to try and send this on off from NYC, after finishing it on the flight over here! 

Journal Entry 10 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, June 19, 2008

Thanks Hawkette! Your parcel turned up today in a very cheerful yellow package, same time as the sun (finally) decided to come out. I'm feeling much more happy all of a sudden. :)

It arrived at a good time too, I've got a fairly clear plate at the moment, so I look forward to reading this one soon! 

Journal Entry 11 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Well, thank you very much for this bookring, livrecache. It's been a very long time since I've been so engrossed by a book that I spend every waking moment hanging out for some reading time. I loved everything about this book (although I did cry possibly a bit too much at times). Matter of fact, I read it so fast, because I was so desperate to find out what happens, that I really wish I had the time to re-read this one!

And I found another Kate Atkinson at the library the other week (One Good Turn, which is billed as "a jolly murder mystery" - the mind boggles) and now that one is going to be bumped right up Mt TBR to the top.

I found all the stories just suckered me right in. They were such beautifully written little stories in their own right, and I really needed to know what had happened in each case. And I was very satisfied by all the endings, even the ones that didn't end. (One can't have everything, and I do like a bit of uncertainty at the end of books; it allows me to think and contemplate what might have happened.)

It was heartbreaking at times (Miss Boo is three, so every aspect of the Olivia story just kills me every time I stop to think about it), but there was also quite a bit of quietly snarky humour from Jackson that stopped this from becoming a tissue-fest.

I am definitely adding all other Kate Atkinson novels to my wishlist. :)

I've got BellaMack's address already (I have another book to send her as well) so shall pop this in the post tomorrow. Thanks again for the great read!

UPDATE 25 June 2008: And in the mail to BellaMack today. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 12 by BellaMack from St Helens, Tasmania Australia on Monday, June 30, 2008

Received today, Thanks tqd 

Journal Entry 13 by BellaMack from St Helens, Tasmania Australia on Monday, July 21, 2008

I was completely absorbed in this book from page 1! I don't think I can add much to what others have written. Thank you so much livrecache for sharing. 

Journal Entry 14 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Friday, July 25, 2008

Returned home safely today.

Thank you to everyone who took part in this ring.

I'll store this copy in my PC until I buy a replacement, and then I'll send this one on its BC way again.