Reading & Libraries
Fantastic Festivals: Mansfield Central Library
Take front row seats as we explore some well-known festivals (and great music!) and give children …
Published 31st July 2023
As part of our I Am A Reader campaign we asked readers from all over the county for their reviews of recently read books. We love to hear all about your favourite books and we have included a few of the responses to our survey with some key titles for you to check out too!
At The Captain's Table by Gervase Phinn
Lisa from Retford had this to say about At The Captain's Table:
"This book is light hearted and up~lifting.
It was easy to imagine all of the characters and there were a few twists of
the plot along the way. Although different from Gervase’s school stories, it
was just as witty. I have never been on a cruise but I imagine that this book
is a true representation of the variety of people you would be likely to
meet. It would make a great holiday read."
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Ann from Forest Town enjoyed Fingersmith and had this to say:
"Right to the end, the images conjured by the
words written are so powerful.[It carries] the reader forward as the plot twists
and turns."
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Esther from Mapperley had these thoughts on the historical novel:
"This book focuses on an honourable count's life which is spent in a luxury hotel but where you are never allowed to forget the misery of the outside world. A most unlikely setting for writing which made me laugh out loud and yet in the next moment, shed a tear. Towles knows how to keep his readers entranced!"
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Ella from Southewell enjoys crime, especially Agatha Christie and has this to say on the classic novel:
"Reading an Agatha Christie novel is always a treat, and this one certainly doesn't disappoint! The "locked room" setting of the remote Soldier Island and the tangible tension between the cast of secretive strangers ticks all the boxes of the classic "cosy crime" genre.
The effortless detail with which Christie explores the fallibility of human
nature, fear and ultimately what drives people to kill sends a thrilling chill
down the reader’s spine. The island takes on a personality of its own as the
plot is revealed in tantalising gossamer ribbons which lead to twists at every
turn.
And Then There Were None is the epitome of a deadly game of cat and mouse
hidden behind the facade of an extravagant and ambiguous private island. I
could not put it down, and the protagonists have stayed with me since- this is
now my go-to book to curl up with on a rainy day and enjoy the sinister
atmosphere from the comforts of home."
Maame by Jessica George
Sophie from Huthwaite chose this contemporary novel to review:
"Maame tells the story of Maddie and her life in London, where she juggles work with being her dad's carer, while her mum spends most of her time with family in Ghana. The book explores themes of loss, loneliness, racism, and family, and I loved it's depiction of depression - it felt so real!
It's a brilliant debut novel and I can't wait to read whatever Jessica George writes next!"
