March Reads

I’ve been very busy this month and as a result, I don’t seem to have had as much time for reading as I would have liked, however I have managed to get through three books.

Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Lustre, Dana Thomas

I’d read about this book on a couple of other blogs and had been meaning to buy it for ages. It gives a fascinating history of how brands such as Louis Vuitton developed and grew to become the gigantic international mega-brands that they are today, along with how the definition of luxury has changed since the post-war period. There are also several chapters devoted to manufacturing and counterfeiting, giving an insight into the real price of your designer bags. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for those interested in the history of designer brands and how the brands themselves operate today.

Fingersmith, Sarah Waters

I’m very fond of a Victorian novel and I have no idea why this book eluded me for so long! At almost 600 pages, it is fairly weighty but I didn’t find the story dragged at any point, and indeed there were several points at which I gasped out loud as the plot twists and turns unexpectedly. The story revolves around the lives of two girls whose lives become inextricably linked via an intricate scheme. Sue is an orphan, who has been brought up by Mrs Sucksby and her gang of thieves. One of the group, "Gentleman", has a plan to marry a lady, Maud Lilly - the niece of a man he is doing some work for, and who is the heiress to a great fortune, and there starts the great plot to obtain her fortune and make himself and Sue rich. 

I am loathe to tell you any further plot details as it would ruin the novel for you, but suffice to say, that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to deception and scheming,and be prepared for your perceptions of characters to be promptly turned on their head!

The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey

This is a retelling of a traditional Russian fairy story.  Jack and Mabel are an old childless couple, living in Alaska in the 1920s, who one day decide to build a girl out of snow. The next morning, the snow girl has disappeared but there is a trail of tiny footsteps leading towards the woods.

This story is one that sucks you in from the very first moment with its intense descriptions of the cold and isolation of Alaska. I felt it was a little overlong, at over 400 pages, and could have been at least 50 pages shorter, however I did enjoy it and it was an easy read which transported me to another world.

Have you read any good books lately?

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