Short reviews again.

Yes, I know. More short reviews. Sorry about that. Uh ... and swearing. Sorry about that, too.


The Year Of The Flood by Margaret Atwood
So, Oryx and Crake was mostly about this guy, Jimmy, who went a bit nuts after most of the humans died, and he was left with these strange, bio-engineered cat people.

The Year of the Flood is set in the same dystopic universe as Oryx and Crake, but it isn't a sequel. It's more of a this-is-what-happened before, without exactly being a prequel either. Confused? Start with Orxy and Crake; it was published first. That's always easiest.

There are more people in The Year of the Flood, for one thing - the story is told from the perspective of two former members of God's Gardeners - a kind of environmental cult that's preparing for the Waterless Flood, which is basically an evil virus that's unleashed and does some serious, serious damage to the world.

I read The Year of the Flood a few weeks ago, and honestly, I have no idea what to say about it. I liked it - I liked it a lot, and I feel compelled to go back and re-read Oryx and Crake, but it's one of those novels. You read it, and then you try and compose your review in your head ... and nothing happens.
9/10 So good, you'd take it to meet your Mum




The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
Have I said enough about these books yet? Yes? No? GO AND READ THEM. Seriously.
More dystopia (it's a bit of a theme with me lately) and I don't want to say too much if anyone's reading here who hasn't read The Knife of Never Letting Go.

SPOILER AHEAD FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ TKONLG

Suffice it to say ... there is Trouble. Big, big trouble, as Todd and Viola struggle with the mad-bastard mayor of New Prentisstown. There are TWISTS and talking horses (seriously ... 'boy colt' is one of the most endearing things I've ever read). And now I demand that Mr Patrick Ness (sorry ... swears ahead) COME THE FUCK ON with book three. Thank you for your time.
9/10 So good, you'd take it to meet your Mum


Access Road by Maurice Gee
I forgot I'd read this one, actually, which is ... bad. And the book's not bad. It's a pretty good story, with Family Secrets and Betrayals and a Strange Man From the Past, but ... I wasn't as engaged with it as I wanted to be.

Rowan is in her 70s, looking back on various incidents in her life, involving her and her two brothers, Lionel and Roly, who are now living back at the old family home on Access Road. When someone from their distant past returns, Rowan is worried.

Liked it; didn't LOVE it. (I'm totally Simon Cowell here ...)
7/10 Someone else cooks dinner – yay!