A Town Called Alice by Nevil Shute

This book tells the story of Jean Paget an English woman who spent time in the war as a prisoner walking the country of Malaya as a walking prisoner. As the group of women trek from one place to the next surviving on what they can and dying as they walk they meet an Australian man called Joe Harmen who goes out of his way to help the women, especially for Jean and subsequently finds himself crucified by the Japanese for stealing some chickens.

Believing him dead when Jean is finally back in the UK she tries to get on with her life. The story told by her solicitor and friend Noel Strachen, unfolds as Jean comes in to a huge amount of money and returns to Malaya to those who helped her survive in the war and builds them a water well. During this time she discovers that Joe did not die and is back in Australia. Jean ventures off to Australia and Joe in the meantime is searching for her in England...all very frustrating. She travels through a prosperous town called Alice Springs and when she gets to the town Joe is from Willstown she eventually with Joe (who eventually returns, joins her and begins a relationship) builds the town up and keeps building until it is a prosperous town to live in attracting many others to come and work there.

It wasn't as good as i thought it would be. I have heard much about this book and when i read it I found it tedious in places and not gripping at all.

6/10

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Three Secrets. Two Women. One Grail.




Alais from 1209 and Alice in 2005 are both on a journey and their destiny's are entangled. It is set in the French town of Carcassonne and the two women in their own times have fought to find the true meaning of the grail and protect its secrets.


The book, chapter from chapter, swaps between the time zones, making the story flow very cleverly but giving two totally different worlds a bond between each other.


The symbol of the Labyrinth causes intrigue and mystery as they seek to fulfil their respective destinies.



If you like a very in depth descriptive and intricate storyline, then this book will suit you well. It featured in the famous Richard and Judy reading club, which is how i got to hear about it. Reviews were mixed but on the whole positive towards the book.

I enjoyed it but it wasn't as compelling a page-turner as I have read before. I enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery but found some elements of the short a little unbelievable which spoilt it slightly for me. On the whole I would give the book a 6/10.