Book Review: Looking for Alaska

by Jackie Law

“suffering was caused by desire”

Having enjoyed a couple of YA novels by John Green I decided to read his debut. Looking for Alaska is mostly set in an American, fee paying school where academic merit is valued. It opens the night before the narrator, Miles Halter, is taken to this place by his parents. He is sixteen years old and it is his choice to switch from a state school in Florida, where he had no friends, to board at Culver Creek in Alabama, the school his father attended.

Miles is tired of his lonely, although self-sufficient, life and seeks a Great Perhaps – a phrase coined by a poet whose biography he has read. Miles reads a great many biographies of writers, enjoying them more than the subjects’ writing. He also gets a kick out of memorising the last words of famous dead people.

At Culver Creek he is placed in a dorm room with Chip Martin, a scholarship pupil who appears to hate their wealthier cohorts. Chip goes by the name of the Colonel and he quickly decides Miles will be known as Pudge (being both tall and skinny).

Having unpacked, the Colonel takes Miles to meet the beautiful Alaska Young that they may buy cigarettes from her. Miles doesn’t smoke but soon starts. Likewise, drinking. Both habits are strictly forbidden at the school but, it seems, Miles has fallen in with a group for whom rules are made to be broken. He is delighted to have found friends.

The story follows the group, which also includes a Japanese student named Takumi and then a Romanian student named Lara, over the course of an academic year. As well as breaking the rules around smoking and drinking, elaborate pranks are played and suffered from. There appears to be social currency in getting away with these, with going to the edge but ultimately not being expelled.

The first part of the story is told in chapters headed with a countdown, such as Fifty-eight Days Before. By the time the pivotal event is reached Miles may be at risk of expulsion due to his misbehaviour. Harsh though it seems, it was almost a relief when the story moved into part two, a count of days after.

Alaska has a boyfriend she claims to love but will still flirt when in the mood. She is very moody and enjoys being at the centre of any action. Miles is besotted with her which the Colonel warns him against.

Although the first half of the book portrays American teenagers in ways that are fairly common – the drinking, misbehaving and making out – I found the characters hard to warm to due to these habits. The second half of the book was more interesting as effort was made to work out how the kids were thinking. The opportunity was taken to offer some insights into their developing characters and explore emotional intelligence.

They are, of course, still children but academically bright and therefore, one would hope, capable of critical thinking. They are also now close friends, even if all they know of each other is what has been revealed during their few months at the school. A degree of loyalty has developed, although this is not foolproof when under duress.

I pondered if the pranks were intended to inject humour. I suspect this aspect of the novel may appeal more to its intended younger audience.

An engaging enough tale and one that avoids descending into cliché when portraying teenage reactions to a tragedy. It does not have the depth of some of the author’s later work but is a passable addition to the many stories out there set in the contained communities of boarding schools.

Looking for Alaska is published by Harper Collins

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

by Jackie Law

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth book in what is still a highly popular series featuring the witches and wizards of Hogwarts School. This is my review of a reread of the story, although my first read of the twentieth anniversary house edition – all of which I have collected. My memory of the tale suggested I enjoyed it more than its bloated predecessor, Order of the Phoenix, but not as much as Goblet of Fire, which I consider the highlight of what became a less and less imaginative slice of fantasy fiction.

The special edition Ravenclaw hardback opens with an introduction to the house of Ravenclaw. There is then a map of Hogwarts followed by the thirty chapters that make up the story. To finish there is a brief precis of a house alumni, Luna Lovegood, and a couple of pages on the importance of magical books in the wizarding world. These extras add little by this stage – having read similar in previous instalments – although the illustrations, by Levi Pinfold, do add value.

The story opens in the office of the UK Prime Minister as he is visited by the outgoing and then incoming Ministers of Magic. Now that Voldemort has returned, the muggle world can no longer ignore its magical counterpart. Death and destruction are being wreaked across the land by the Dark Lord’s many and varied followers.

The action then moves to a remote location, a run down former mill town, where two sisters seek the help of a man neither trusts but who their master has, apparently, confided in. The man makes an oath to protect a son – who has agreed to undertake a difficult and dangerous task.

By chapter three we are back with Harry Potter who is waiting to be rescued from the Dursleys’ by Dumbledore. That the great wizard is undertaking this task himself this year highlights the danger Harry is now in. He is delivered to The Burrow where he will enjoy the rest of his summer holiday with the Weasleys, but first they must visit another wizard who Dumbledore wishes to join his teaching staff.

As is often the case, The Burrow has taken in others of Harry’s acquaintance. One does have to wonder how much time Hermione actually spends with her parents. Nevertheless, as in much children’s and fantasy fiction, it is best to suspend such judgements in order to allow the plot to progress.

It does so in what has become the formula for Harry Potter books. There is a visit to Diagon Alley where the motley crew encounter Draco Malfoy. There is the journey on the Hogwarts Express as all return to school. There is peril along the way, with Harry soon falling foul of Severus Snape. There is the excitement of Quidditch alongside many new potions to conjure and spells to learn.

As always, I wondered why these magical possibilities were not used more often given their effectiveness.

A feature of this particular book is the detailed exposition and narrative that offers much background to the wider story arc – portrayed as lessons during arranged meetings between Harry and Dumbledore. In previous books in the series, Dumbledore actively avoids Harry believing this to be the best course of action in keeping the boy safe. Now, aged sixteen, Harry is instead offered confidences. By the end the reasoning behind this becomes clear. Although interesting, the presentation felt clunky, offered as it is in thick info dumps.

There are the usual love interests among the students and good guys, alongside the continuation of simmering feuds. Harry is really not the brightest of sparks, prone to anger and ill thought through risk-taking, but continues to enjoy luck and the help of his friends.

As the story approaches its conclusion I found myself wishing the pace could increase, perhaps because, being a reread, I knew what the outcome would be.

The denouement is well enough done, bringing together previous characters (although I thought at least one of these was meant to be dead) and sets up the final instalment in the series. Continuity and consistency do not appear to be amongst the author’s strengths in her world building. Perhaps she would do things differently if she could rewrite the series from the beginning.

Several times, while reading this, I wondered if Rowling had her eye on the film that would soon be made of this book. There are certainly many potentially cinematic scenes.

When these books were first published I was still eager to read them, despite growing less enchanted as the series progressed. This reread did not stand up well being so obviously formulaic and, this time around, containing no surprises. My children have read the entire series multiple times continuing in the main to thoroughly enjoy it. For me there was not enough depth to offer interest and much to irritate.

A disappointing reread.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is published by Bloomsbury.

I have previously reviewed:

Book Review: Damnation Spring

by Jackie Law

Damnation Spring, by Ash Davidson, was published in August 2021 and garnered positive reviews from several of the book bloggers I follow. Despite this I have only just got around to reading the early proof copy I was sent – perhaps another example of me unwittingly avoiding a story that wouldn’t fully resonate.

Starting in the summer of 1977 and spanning exactly a year in time, it features a community that has grown up around the logging of giant redwood trees in California, and the schisms that develop when questions are asked about recent methods employed in gaining access to this valuable harvest, along with their impact.

The protagonist is Rich Gunderson, a fourth generation timberman whose father had started work for a tree logging company in 1916, aged 13, following in the footsteps of his dad and granddad. The men became high climbers and died climbing. Despite this, Rich cannot imagine another way of living. What he does dream of is owning the timber he fells and thereby earning a decent wage.

Thanks to a long time friend, a close colleague of his late father, Rich is offered a parcel of land on which grows the largest redwood in the area. Buying it would be a huge financial risk and depends on the company he works for creating a road that, although planned, does not yet exist. If he could fell the tree all the debts taken on could be paid.

Rich is married to Colleen who he met long after he had resigned himself to bachelorhood. At the start of the story she has recently given birth to a stillborn daughter who arrived too soon to survive. This came after multiple miscarriages. Colleen is devastated, trying to comfort herself that she has a healthy son, Chub, but still desperate for another baby.

Into this mix arrives Daniel, a scientist with funding for a study on why salmon and other fish, once prevalent in the local waters, have drastically reduced in numbers. What he claims is happening threatens to set families and long time friends against each other. That he has a history with Colleen complicates things further.

A couple of elements accounted for my failure to fully engage with this tale. I guessed early on what was happening having watched films and read details of the environmental impact of common agricultural practices around the time this book is set. Added to this there is a great deal of detail around logging – the skilled and dangerous work the men did. Whilst done as a ‘show, don’t tell’, and the scenes depicted add to the world building, they seemed to take up a great many pages. My interest waned.

The Gunderson family are also presented as almost too perfect, although to be irritated by this seems curmudgeonly.

Thus the book was a very slow burn. When I did start to grow curious about what would happen next I found myself increasingly irritated by Colleen’s sister, Enid, and her family. Enid is married to Eugene who will do whatever it takes to earn the money needed to feed his large brood. While this in itself may be commendable, Eugene’s attitude is hard to admire. When Colleen makes life difficult for Rich due to her choices, Eugene is angry with Rich for not keeping her under control – as though she were his dog rather than his partner and wife.

Talking of dogs, they are not always well treated here. Neither are people, particularly those from the original indigenous population. This is of its time but still hard to read.

Other than being a tad bloated, the writing flows well. Why people act as they do is covered as is why the risks, when made clear, are often dismissed. As in life, there are corrupt politicians and the wealthy out to line their pockets and protect themselves. Mostly though this is about the families who have worked the timber for generations and now have few other choices, despite the high physical and moral cost.

Ultimately this turned out to be an interesting and poignant read once it got going. The ‘tree huggers’ featured may be derided – environmental tourists who will move on to their next cause – but the publicity they garnered did have an impact. That this ended a way of life, splitting apart a close community that would once have been there for each other when needed, adds to the thought provoking aspects of the narrative. A shame it had to end as it did but this was still fitting – and by then I cared.

Damnation Spring is published by Tinder Press.

Book Review: The Pelican Child

by Jackie Law

This review was written for and first published by Bookmunch.

“many must feel they are living lives that they no longer inhabit”

The Pelican Child is a collection of a dozen, rather weird and often surreal, short stories. Don’t let that put you off. By going with the flow and accepting the strange and at times disturbing characters and events, intriguing tales may be enjoyed. Death is a recurring motif, both human and within the wider natural world. The timeframe in which these stories are set is also unclear – whether it is contemporary or futuristic. Some have an almost mythic quality. All offer plenty of food for thought despite their apparent lack of direction or purpose.

The opening story, ‘Flour’, features a woman who employs a driver to arrange and then take her on excursions lasting several days. These are not grand days out and do not seem to be particularly enjoyed. What we have, both here and throughout the collection, are strangely interesting characters rather than explanations of their choices.

The second story, ‘Stuff’, is one of several that explore a relationship between adult children and an elderly parent, one of whom is dying. The gap in understanding of their thoughts and perspectives take on a desperate quality given time is running out.

Of course, time is running out for everyone although some do not realise.

The stories contain at least a mention of dogs, often a German shepherd. These may be a memory or an important character. I particularly enjoyed ‘Argos’ which offers a take on the Odysseus legend. Although not happy, it has an ever after.

When young children feature they rarely experience or provide joy. If they survive they carry with them troubling emotional scars. In ‘Chaunt’ a bereaved mother has chosen a drastic means of coping, a drawn out shut down in a community that is far from sociable.

‘After the Haiku Period’ is a strong inclusion. The denouement is particularly odd, albeit raised by a killer last paragraph. Its main characters are wealthy identical twins looked after by a devoted companion of sorts. Their family fortune comes from a rape of the land – environmental destruction on a vast scale. Breaking from their comfortable and settled habits, the impetuous choice they make comes across as particularly pointless. But then so much of what the wealthy do in a stated attempt to do good ends up likewise.

‘My First Car’ features a less privileged cast and more variation in emotional response to events. The portrayal of setting provides a means to make sense of behaviours. Like many of the characters, these are odd yet somehow work within context.

‘The Beach House’ offers a tale of greed and entitlement over inheritance. The dying, it would appear, are rarely granted respect let alone love.

The final and titular story is brutal but excellent. There are many layers to peel back alongside impact to consider. The pelican child is, indeed, a pelican, living in the woods with her magical mother and her cat and dog siblings. All is calm until the arrival of a stranger. A tragedy ensues but one that reveals much about human behaviour.

Any Cop?: An unsettling collection, then, but one that rewards careful reading. Nothing herein should necessarily be taken at face value yet the effect of each story lingers.

Jackie Law

Book Review: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

by Jackie Law

“Ridiculous, I know. I don’t pretend to understand. Frankly, I find the whole notion absurd. But you know what I realised? It doesn’t matter what I think.”

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the first instalment in the author’s award winning Wayfarers Series. First published thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, it attained a massive cult following, which led to a traditional publishing deal.

Robyn recommended it to me having enjoyed it herself (you may read her review here). I now look forward to discussing this with her as my reaction to the story was very different.

What we have here is a futuristic sci-fi adventure in which humans have all but destroyed their home planet and had to leave. Over time some established a colony on Mars. Others went further afield, fulfilling various roles in outer space alongside other species.

The first character introduced is Rosemary, a Martian human raised in great privilege who has gone to great pains to escape this life and reinvent herself. Through money and subterfuge she manages to join the crew of a spaceship, the Wayfarer, that creates tunnels – allowing for speedier and easier travel between planets. All of this is well explained.

The Wayfarer is owned and captained by Ashby. As well as humans, his small crew includes aliens. The author does her best to explain each of their bodily attributes, cultural differences and skillsets. While it is clear that, on the Wayfarer at least, all are to be treated as equals there are still challenges when living in close quarters to those who are very different.

So far all of this rang true, or as true as science fiction can be when read from a human perspective. I struggled to empathise with many of the personalities but a reader doesn’t need to like a character to understand what they add to the unfolding story. What I found more difficult to accept was the sexual side to the depiction, especially when species were so different physically as well as mentally – I tried to put from my mind unpleasant images of bestiality.

It is not made clear how far in  the future the story is set but could humans really evolve as suggested? The author does try to cover such aspects, suggesting prejudice rather than perversion. She presents acceptance of other’s choices as progressive rather than adaptation given limitation of options.

I tried to focus on plot over character development. The main storyline focuses on a tunnelling contract Ashby acquires that is both potentially dangerous and highly paid. There then follows the long journey, with several stops along the way that allow the author to explain more about the background and desires of each crew member. She does this well. It is certainly imaginative and builds depth as well as backstory. Sadly, I still couldn’t like most of the crew due to their habits and indulgences .

The exceptions to this were the navigator, Ohan, and the medic, Dr Chef, who as his name suggests also sorted food for the crew. These characters were not granted the in-depth development of other crew members – perhaps subsequent books in the series will rectify this.

The plot progresses at pace although certain chapters contained so much exposition I struggled to retain interest. This isn’t to take away from the wider world-building which was excellent. Once the Wayfarer reached its destination what happened next came across as believable. The denouement was also skilfully handled albeit with a few untied threads (it is the first in a series).

There were few twists or surprises but those included were handled well, upping the tension and introducing questions that could then be answered later. Perhaps my biggest problem with the book was that this futuristic world seemed to have retained so many of humanity’s worst habits – that so little had changed other than the technology and acceptance of and by other species.

A book that offers plenty to consider albeit one I didn’t fully enjoy reading. It would be a good choice for a book group willing to tunnel through for the sake of potentially lively discussion.

The Wayfarers Series is published by Hodderscape.

Run Report: Chippenham Parkrun, my #250

by Jackie Law

Team Law returned to our home parkrun this morning as it was my 250th event – and what a glorious morning it turned out to be. The park was at its best for the time of year with bright sunshine making the touch of frost glisten but no sign of ice on the course paths. The cold wind of the past few days had eased and, having donned enough layers for the low temperature, it was pretty much perfect for running. Even the muddy field had dried out sufficiently to remove the usual slip hazard, and the puddles that can be a feature on the gravel section had disappeared.

Being the last parkrun of the year I was also completing my 6th year of parkrunning, and my 4th consecutive year taking part in all 54 events. This report brings my volunteer tally to 76 although as I’ve only ever taken on 3 distinct roles this is a stat I hope to improve on next year.

Run Director Valerie welcomed everyone and thanked the volunteers before calling out the milestones – as well as my own, Toby Northeast was there to earn his purple t-shirt – and reminding us of the usual safety rules. She then invited everyone to line up at the start point and got us underway.

Running along the river path towards the low sun was almost blinding and it was actually a relief to turn left and ascend the short hill. On returning to the river path the fastest runners were starting to lap me so I was careful to stay left as instructed in the briefing. Knowing how slippery the muddy field can be I had opted to wear trail shoes but today their extra grip was unnecessary. After the slight congestion at the beginning, the pack spread out quickly meaning overtaking was never an issue.

There were plenty of marshals at each turn offering welcome encouragement. The course is twice around the park before continuing alongside the river to the field and twice around this, then heading back alongside the river towards the finish. Enjoyable though running in these conditions was, it is always a relief when the finish funnel comes into sight and that final push can be made for a sprint finish.

228 participants passed through the finish funnel today – some more than once from what I’ve heard (well done RD for sorting that out). The pack was led by Zac Rogers, a first timer to parkrun, in a time of 17:15. Ann Marie Brazier was first female in a time of 19:42. 26 participants achieved a course PB, including my daughter.

It was lovely to be back at Chippenham – this was my 104th time running here although only my 3rd this year – and to still see many familiar faces. It is such a friendly and efficiently run parkrun – thank you to the 37 volunteers without whom the event couldn’t have happened.

If husband can be persuaded not to try to complete quite so many 5k app challenges, we may be able to parkrun this close to home more often. My elder two children, who join us when they are free, made it clear that the chance for a lie in would be most welcome, especially if course conditions were as good as they were today.

Monthly Roundup – December 2025

by Jackie Law

Regular readers will know that I am not the most sociable of creatures. Since the torrent of accusatory words poured over us during the Covid period, I have mostly avoided gatherings of people such as: concerts, theatre, cinema, parties and other book events – outings I used to glean enjoyment from. The exceptions are parkruns and races – held outside and demanding no interaction unless sought. I will also eat in a restaurant from time to time, although only when seated with family or, very occasionally, close friends.

I therefore view December somewhat differently to many. For me it is a time of hibernation rather than get togethers. My children still visit and are welcomed – I would feel sad if this ceased – but I do not meet with friends or wider family. Nor do I travel. Hospitality venues tend to be busy with seasonal trade and I prefer when they are quieter – not only is service likely to be better but there is less of a hubbub, something my limited hearing and need for calm can struggle with.

Thus, this month has been mostly filled with my usual activities locally. We celebrated the festive season,  just the five of us, except for Christmas Day dinner when husband invited his dad to join us – I just about coped with that although he’s the perfect gent and causes no trouble.

I’ve visited the gym for strength training and a swim a couple of times each week. I continue to run around our village lanes. And all of this is how I like it – low key but still marking the events in ways I am comfortable with.

Before the festive season kicked in, at the end of last month, husband and I enjoyed our final holiday of the year, basing ourselves for the most part in Brecon. I posted about: the Castle we stayed in here; of Edwards adventures here; and of the parkrun we ran while away here.

Running wise, December has actually been quite an active month. I posted a run report for a recently started parkrun, Victoria Park in Newbury, which has since had to close for the winter after discovering how churned up grass can get when a few hundred runners gallop across it every week – we hope the team can find a way for it to return. I also posted run reports for a couple of other events I completed: The Chilly Max 10k and Chilly Mile, and the Chippenham Darkrun. My mileage for the year came in at just over 875 (1409 km). I’m still slow but am content with the consistency and enjoyment I derive getting out there regularly.

And I am still reading, also slowly, and posted reviews for 6 books in December. This brings my total for the year to 58, with Robyn adding a further 16 – mostly of the romance titles she enjoyed over the summer. To read my thoughts on each of this month’s books you may click the title below.

Fiction

 
Wild Houses by Colin Barrett, published by Vintage
The Watch by Bibi Berkley, published by Salt

 
The Power by Naomi Alderman, published by Penguin
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, published by Dover Thrift

Short Stories


Brecon Beacons Myths & Legends by Horatio Clare (illustrated by Jane Matthews), published by Graffeg

Non fiction


89 Words by Milan Kundera, published by Faber

Sourcing the books 

No new books were under the Christmas tree for me but I received a good selection through the post thanks to Bookmunch.

As ever I wish to thank all who send me their books to review – the arrival of book post remains a cheering event in my day.

My thanks also to those who share my words across their social media platforms – whichever ones you are now using – your support is always appreciated. I am no longer on Twitter but you may find me on Instagram and Threads.

To those who celebrate, I hope you enjoyed a merry festive season. And to everyone reading this, I wish you and yours a happy and healthy New Year.

Run Report: Pontypool Parkrun

by Jackie Law

Having booked a few days holiday in south Wales, we were on the lookout for a suitable parkrun in the area. Pontypool seemed to tick all boxes in terms of an enjoyable parkrun for us: just the two laps, not too hilly, and all on tarmac – good for a time of year when mud can be an issue.

We had checked out the park on the previous day and so, on the morning, were familiar with where to park (plenty of spaces and free) as well as other amenities (toilets also free and no queues at 8.30am).

We spotted the volunteers gathering up by the rugby club so went to say hello and get the obligatory photos by the pop up – thank you to the young lad who set this up and took our pictures. We hadn’t realised that part of the course included running around the pitch and that the finish was in front of the stands. All of this added interest.

There was then time for a warm-up which I completed by walking to the park gates just beyond the start point and then back in time for the first timers briefing. Both this and the run director’s briefing were pleasingly succinct as well as welcoming and informative. We were impressed that aspects of the latter were bilingual.

3-2-1-Go! and the pack set off towards the rugby ground, passing below it before veering left. It was lovely to be at a parkrun where there was no congestion, the paths being wide enough to accommodate the number of participants.

The course is quite twisty so while marshals ensured everyone knew what direction to take there were many turns to navigate. There were also a few climbs – none too steep but still enough to work the legs. There were also puddles although none too deep – wet feet are expected at this time of year. Patches of leaf mulch that could have been slippery were easily avoided.

Having completed the first lap, the second felt easier as I knew where to go and what effort would be required to complete a climb before the downhill recovery. The short rain shower at the beginning, that I had dressed for based on weather forecast, had passed and blue sky was appearing. Realising I was overdressed I started to shed layers. When husband appeared to encourage me on – he tends to complete a parkrun around 10 minutes faster than me – I handed him the clothing no longer needed and was able to up my pace.

The final lap around the rugby pitch was particularly fun to run. Finishing in front of the stands somehow felt iconic. Thank you to the two runners who heard me approach from behind and allowed me to pass (the path here is narrower than elsewhere). I couldn’t quite catch the lady in front but it felt like a decent effort to end with.

103 participants passed through the finish funnel today. The pack was led by Andy Dean in a time of 19:48.

6 participants achieved course PBs. 2 participants earned the right to wear a new milestone t-shirt: Angela Langley (50) and Polly Bridges (25). Congratulations to all.

Biggest thanks, as ever, go to the 19 volunteers without whom the event couldn’t have happened. Many parkruns seem to be struggling to fill slots at this time of year. Do please consider stepping in to help with one of the many and varied roles available.

We very much enjoyed Pontypool parkrun finding it a particularly friendly event as well as being well organised. It proved a good choice and a fine way to end our holiday.

Book Review: A Christmas Carol

by Jackie Law

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, must be one of the best known stories in the English language. Although familiar with the tale I had not read the book, which I have had on my shelves since my children’s schooldays. I am not a fan of the author, finding his writing too obvious and heavy in moral lecturing, but my edition of this story ran to a mere 68 pages which I thought I could get through without too much irritation.

It is, of course, a moralising tale. Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean and greedy businessman, intent on accruing wealth while treating those he deals with as assets to be squeezed for his own benefit.

He reminded me greatly of certain leaders and power brokers we suffer under today.

Scrooge resents the fact that he must pay his clerk, Bob Cratchit, for a day when no work will be completed (Christmas). When approached, he refuses to part with any small donation to help the poor and destitute, stating they have prisons and workhouses if needed and if they die this is fine as it will decrease the surplus population.

Again, I have heard depressingly similar attitudes expressed in recent years.

At the end of his working day on Christmas Eve, Scrooge follows his usual habits before entering his cold lodgings – he will not even part with money for personal comfort. Here he experiences a night that will teach him the error of his ways. Visited by ghosts who take him to his past, present and future, Scrooge comes to realise that hoarding money causes damage, including to him, and that acts of kindness have greater value.

All of this is portrayed as the spirit of Christmas, the true meaning of the season.

I’m still not a fan of the author’s style of writing but the short tale had the power to move even this jaded reader. The commercialisation of Christmas, that now seems to start around Halloween, has made me turn from it. A Christmas Carol is a reminder that it can be a day for sharing, for being thankful even when life is hard – such as for the Cratchits – and that there are still good people who all may aspire to emulate. It is the giving that matters, the thought behind it, more than the size of the gift.

The family and friends herein are loving and jolly, whereas we know this is often not the case in modern times. Perhaps we should also learn from this and try to do better, as Scrooge’s nephew attempted.

No story can be everything but this has much that is worth remembering. I can understand why it has long been so widely read and shared.

My copy of A Christmas Carol was published by Dover Publications.

Book Review: Brecon Beacons Myths and Legends

by Jackie Law

On a recent holiday in Brecon, the hotel where we stayed had placed this book in our room. Amusingly, it was in the drawer of a bedside table where Gideons bibles used to be left. I noted it was written by Horatio Clare, an author whose work I have previously enjoyed, so decided to read it during our stay.

What we have here is a collection of ten short stories, each reimagining a myth or legend local to the area. It was interesting after reading them to check the internet for the original tale. From this I was able to glean why Clare had chosen the structure and form he did. The stories may not be the strongest works of literature but they are entertaining when understood in the context in which they were written. It was an easy read, enhanced by the many maps and illustrations featured.

Although the stories are based on tales from long ago, they are presented here in contemporary voices. In the first entry, I Never Was Black Vaughan, the narrator escapes from his watery grave into an accidentally dropped and then rescued mobile phone, thereby enabling him to attempt to rewrite his legacy via the internet.

The Men in the Cave puts forward a theory that Merlin placed King Arthur and his Knights under a spell that would see them sleep in a secluded Welsh cave until such times as a ‘great danger threatens the Isles of Britain’ at which point they would awaken and ride to the rescue. The strength of this story is how modern Britain looks to a knight from that time – food for thought.

There are stories of the people who lived in some of the big houses of Wales and how they treated their families and servants – often better than may now be believed.

The Wild Boar Chase is a fitting reminder of why modern news outlets feed us the nonsensical stories they do – truly, we brought it on ourselves.

Chris and the White Lady is an entertaining take on a haunted property, the existence of ghosts and of attitudes towards such beings. For reasons I cannot explain I awoke from a nightmare featuring a ghost after reading this (I was staying adjacent to an ancient castle…).

A Mission Station on the Buffalo River offers a reminder of the cost of war and how bravery is revered, especially when those involved were more simply reacting to an unfolding situation – a poignant and thought-provoking tale.

It is followed by a story narrated by someone clearly based on Donald Trump – I suspect he would not be impressed should he be capable of reading it.

The True Prince of Wales has a fun build up to a clever denouement, especially the last line.

The final story, The Lady of the Lake, offers a take on contemporary marriage, where the man struggles to understand that everything he has is thanks to the efforts of his wife – and squanders it.

A nicely produced little book that sits well in the area featured. It made an enjoyable addition to my holiday and provided fresh eyes through which to look at places visited.

Commissioned by the Park Authority, Brecon Beacons Myths and Legends is published by Graffeg who are based in Llanelli, Wales.