Infamous by Lex Croucher

Pages: 400

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre 

Released: 21st July 2022 

22-year-old aspiring writer Edith 'Eddie' Miller and her best friend Rose have always done everything together-climbing trees, throwing grapes at boys, sneaking bottles of wine, practicing kissing . . .

But following their debutante ball Rose is suddenly talking about marriage, and Eddie is horrified.

When Eddie meets charming, renowned poet Nash Nicholson, he invites her to his crumbling Gothic estate in the countryside. The entourage of eccentric artists indulging in pure hedonism is exactly what Eddie needs in order to forget Rose and finish her novel.

But Eddie might discover the world of famous literary icons isn't all poems and pleasure . . .

What I Have to Say

There should be more regency books written about the rebels of society, it really is so fun to read about. I enjoyed the differences between the society balls and the literary parties thrown by Nash immensely. I enjoyed reading about women who wore trousers and artists who went by there first names and Valentine, who was never given a gender. With this and watching Gentleman Jack on the BBC, I've definitely developed a taste for stories about the people who went against the rules of society and didn't let anyone define who they were. 

Beyond this, however, I was a little bored. Despite starting out with two girls kissing ("for practice") there was no real hint of romance until after the half way point. And I never really felt the romance. Eddie was supposed to be confused about her feelings and that was fine, but it didn't really feel like she was interested in anyone. 

I also got such bad vibes from one of the characters. It was probably intentional and other people may look at it as a plus, but I felt really uncomfortable about it. 

(3 stars) 

My thanks go to Bonnier and Negalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

 Pages: 384

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton 

Released: 12th of April 2022 

This was how things began: Boston on the cusp of fall, the Sackler Museum robbed of 23 pieces of priceless Chinese art. Even in this back room, dust catching the slant of golden, late-afternoon light, Will could hear the sirens. They sounded like a promise.

Will Chen, a Chinese American art history student at Harvard, has spent most of his life learning about the West – its art, its culture, all that it has taken and called its own. He believes art belongs with its creators, so when a Chinese corporation offers him a (highly illegal) chance to reclaim five priceless sculptures, it’s surprisingly easy to say yes.

Will’s crew, fellow students chosen out of his boundless optimism for their skills and loyalty, aren’t exactly experienced criminals. Irene is a public policy major at Duke who can talk her way out of anything; Daniel is pre-med with steady hands and dreams of being a surgeon. Lily is an engineering student who races cars in her spare time; and Will is relying on Alex, an MIT dropout turned software engineer, to hack her way in and out of each museum they must rob.

Each student has their own complicated relationship with China and the identities they’ve cultivated as Chinese Americans, but one thing soon becomes certain: they won’t say no.

Because if they succeed? They earn an unfathomable ten million each, and a chance to make history. If they fail, they lose everything . . . and the West wins again.

What I Have to Say 

This book is not a heist book. It has heists in it, but the focus is on the characters and their relationships and it is written in a contemporary style. I was disappointed by this. I love a good heist book and the fact that it wasn't a thriller threw me off. It's a shame because it tempered my feelings for the whole book. I think if I'd gone into it knowing it was contemporary, I would have liked it more. 

The plot and characters were really interesting though. I liked that it showed five different perspectives and five different ways to be Chinese American, from Daniel, who was born in China and moved to the US when he was young, to Lily who doesn't speak Mandarin and has never been to China before the events of this book. 

I really liked the ending as well. It was the perfect way to close the book and I'm glad the author chose to do it that way. 

In all, I would have preferred a thriller, but it was good despite that. 

(3.5 stars)

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free copy of this book for review. 

Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 256 

Publisher: Lion Forge 

Released: 15th October 2019 

A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers' bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery. 

What I Have to Say 

My first graphic novel review and it is definitely a must read! A fantastic story of adventure, family and love combined with a gorgeous art style full of colour and magic. It was a perfect combination of the two showing a vibrant world with fully shaped and relatable characters who burst out of the page with every word and image.

There was so much representation in this book and it flowed perfectly into the story. Tam is non-binary which informs so much of their past and relationship with their parents. Nova is deaf, and with hearing aids, which is a fact important to the story and her relationship with Tam, who comments on how Nova has changed hearing aids and that they like the colour. Both Tam and Nova are also Asian-American and their queer relationship is a major part of the story.

One of the things I loved most was seeing how Nova's deafness and magic interacted. How the magic is used to highlight her deafness and her experience of both. My favourite scene was one where the characters linked psychically and Nova talks about the way that she gets a taste from it of how her life could be without deafness. It was done in such a beautiful way, showing the impact being deaf has on her life but without denying how much a part of her identity it is or showing her as some poor trapped, disabled character wanting to be free (a trope that is used so often and is extremely harmful for people with disabilities).

This is such a great book full of magic and excitement whilst also showcasing the intricacies of regular life. Definitely a must read.

My thanks go to Lion Forge and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

High Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352 

Publisher: Knights Of Media 

Released: 4th of April 2019 

The detective duo everyone is dying to meet! 

Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there's been a murder in THE TRI: the high-rise home to resident know-it-alls, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the case? Armed with curiosity, home-turf knowledge and unlimited time - until the end of the summer holidays anyway. 

What I Have to Say 

While bringing a beautifully teenage feel to the genre, Jackson created two great characters and a fantastic community that I can tell will create great mysteries to future books. I loved how real the Nik and Norva felt, utilising smart phones for everything. Because why would a modern day teenager have a case book and write everything down when they can just reach for their smart phone and have a document they can edit and update whenever they need? The way that current teen culture was used in this way (and others!) just made it feel really authentic. 

I loved the relationship between Nik and Norva as well. Jackson did well to show how sisters really are, a complex relationship where they love and hate each in equal measures. I really liked the way they bickered and fell out, teased and needled one another but at the end they were there for each other all the time. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing more from the Tri and it's inhabitants in the rest of the series. It's looking like a really great addition to the middle-grade crime genre. 

You Can't Hide by Sarah Mussi

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

When Lexi wakes up in the Hudson Medical Center, barely in one piece, she is unable to recall how she got there.

Nobody seems to be able to tell her.

Disturbing memories haunt her daylight hours. Nightmares stalk her sleep. 

With huge unanswered questions, like where is her Mom - why doesn't she visit? What's happened to her boyfriend Finn - and who is this friend, Crystal, who visits her a lot and of whom she has no recollection? Lexi sets out to discover what's happened.

But the more she searches for answers, the deeper and darker the mystery gets.

And as she begins to piece the fragments together, she remembers one thing: I MUST HIDE FROM CHARLIE.

But the question is: who is Charlie? And is he still out there?

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, bullying, 

What I Have to Say 

This was completely enthralling from the first page. The secrets, the loss of memory, the things that Lexi won't write because she's so worried about being found by Charlie? All of these added up to a great mystery. 

As the story unfolded, it grew darker. The pressure on her to go along with the bullying because she's so scared of Charlie finding them and hurting her and her mum. It makes it different from the typical bullying story, because if Lexi doesn't do what Finn's girlfriend says then a video of her will be posted on the internet and Charlie will know where to find her. 

I did have to wonder about some of the things Lexi did though. I mean she stood outside the school completely naked? And no teachers came out to tell her off? It seems pretty unlikely that no teachers saw her or at least heard the buzz from the other students and came out to find out what was going on. 

Still, it was a really great plot and I loved the ending. 

My thanks go to Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review. 

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 353

Publisher: Simon Pulse 

Released: 26th of September 2017 

Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.

But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

What I Have to Say 

This book touched me so much. It went beyond a question of identity and showed how it feels to be a girl who is pretty much completely ignored by her mother. A girl who's entire life has been living in a household where half of her identity is completely ignored. Having divorced Kiko's father, her mother refuses to engage in anything Japanese. The idea of living like that touched me so much. 

So of course, it was good to see Kiko exploring her Japanese side. I loved watching her come out of herself. Seeing for the first time that someone who looked like her could exist in the world and was just as worthwhile as her white mother and the faces she sees in magazines. It was also interesting to see how her and her brothers coped with their mother's neglect so differently. 

I also loved the art theme of the book. The way that art was really essential to everything. The pictures that Kiko saw leading her to an artist who can help her explore her identity and change her life forever. 

My thanks go to Simon Pulse and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 264 

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing 

Released: 8th of February 2018 

Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she's ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she doesn't really welcome, like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for "at-risk" girls. 

Just because her mentor is black and graduated from the same high school doesn't mean she understands where Jade is coming from. She's tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope. Maybe there are some things she could show other women about understanding the world and finding ways to be real, to make a difference. 

What I Have to Say 

This book was beautiful and had so much to say. In one way it was about a Black girl trying to get through life with a mother who works so hard and can barely afford to keep the family fed. On the other hand, it was also a book about a private school girl who finds it hard to assert herself and ask for what she wants out of life. And about how to make people listen to her when she does. It's about racism. It's about opportunities. It's about Spanish and poverty and being Black. It's about so much more than anyone could put into a small synopsis. 

I loved the bits of Spanish at the start of each chapter and how much that Jade was into languages. They made such an interesting point about how giving a girl a trip to the opera when she's passionate about the Spanish language and making collages, isn't much of an opportunity when they could send her on a trip to a Spanish speaking country or help furthering her art. Giving her opportunities for an actual career and life rather than just viewing her as an underprivileged Black girl who needs charity. 

At it's heart though, it's about Jade learning to speak up for herself. Learning what opportunities are worth pursuing and when she has to speak up and say "this isn't useful for me, this is what I want" and getting the people around her to listen. 

This book really has something for everyone. It's an incite into what it's like to be a Black girl, what it's like to be a teenager and what it's like to live in poverty while also giving out advice and life lessons that is useful for everyone to know. Definitely one of the best books I've read this year. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for providing me with this copy for review. 

Unveiling Venus by Sophia Bennett

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Stripes Publishing 

Released: February 2018 

Mary Adams continues her journey through Victorian society – now as the much-admired Persephone Lavelle. From lavish Venetian balls to luxurious Mayfair townhouses, she gets a glimpse into the most glamorous lives of the age. When she meets a mysterious Harlequin she has the chance to rise to the very top, but to do so she must betray someone close ...

What I Have to Say 

It was good to return to the scandalous world of Persephone Lavelle and the Pre-Raphaelite painters that she attracts. I was really excited by the fact that she ment to Venice because it's one of my favourite cities in the world and definitely a backdrop suitable for Persephone's style. 

The story was a lot more twisted than the last book. I hated one of the characters by the end of it because of how he treated Persephone and Kitty and just everyone. He came into the book and just destroyed everything with his actions. It was exciting, action packs and just perfect as a follow up to the first book, because how can a girl like Persephone seem more scandalous to the society around her? Well here's how. 

I loved the ending. It was the perfect way to end the story and though I think it would be a good place to leave the series, I want there to be another book. I'm not quite ready to leave Persephone's world yet. 

My thanks go to Stripes and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 7th of September 2017 

'Since I blacked out, the slightest thing seems to aggravate my brain and fill it with fire'

These are the things Lux knows:

She is an Artist. 

She is lucky. 

She is broken.

These are the things she doesn't know:

What happened over the summer.

Why she ended up in hospital.

Why her memories are etched in red.

'The nightmares tend to linger long after your screams have woken you up ...'

Desperate to uncover the truth, Lux's time is running out. If she cannot piece together the events of the summer and regain control of her fractured mind, she will be taken away from everything and everyone she holds dear.

If her dreams don't swallow her first

What I Have to Say 

This was a really interesting book that went in a lot of unexpected directions. I wasn't sure how it would go at first, but I quickly really came to like the characters and the school was so interesting and creative. While the school probably wouldn't work in real life, it was really cool to imagine. It also had this cult-like undertone that gave a good in-joke type vibe. 

The trauma that Lux showed was really intense. I loved how they gave such little pieces of information at a time. I couldn't possibly have guessed what really happened. 

In all though, it's hard to say much without giving too much away, but I just loved the atmosphere of the book and the secrets and lies involved in the mystery. 

Definitely a good book about trauma. 

My thanks go to Hodder Children's Books and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index by Julie Israel

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 345

Publisher: Penguin

Released: 1st of June 2017 

This moving and uplifting debut follows Juniper Lemon, heartbroken after her older sister Camilla's unexpected death, as she navigates the holes that have been torn in her world, and the mysteries that Camilla left behind.

It's hard to keep close a person everyone keeps telling you is gone.

It's been sixty-five painful days since the death of Juniper's big sister, Camilla. On her first day back at school, bracing herself for the stares and whispers, Juniper borrows Camie's handbag for luck - and discovers an unsent break-up letter inside. It's mysteriously addressed to 'You' and dated July 4th - the day of Camie's accident. Desperate to learn the identity of Camie's secret love, Juniper starts to investigate.

But then she loses something herself. A card from her daily ritual, The Happiness Index: little notecards on which she rates the day. The Index has been holding Juniper together since Camie's death - but without this card, there's a hole. And this particular card contains Juniper's own secret: a memory that she can't let anyone else find out.

What I Have to Say 

This is such a beautiful book about grief, guilt and friendship. It's about how people process and grieve differently. It was interesting to see the family dynamic and how each member of the family were trying to grieve for Camilla in different ways and how it meant that Juniper clashed so much with her mum and how she wasn't able to grieve because her mum got upset every time Camilla was mentioned. 

Though Juniper's motives for getting them together may not have been entirely good, I loved the friendship group that formed throughout the novel. It was obvious how close they were growing in such a short amount of time and it felt real. It felt like what you want in a friendship group.

I also really liked the arty stuff. I loved how the idea of the found collages and how Juniper started to express herself through her art. 

For friendship, realistic characters and Dala horses, Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index is the place to go. 

My thanks go to Netgally and Penguin for providing me with this copy for review. 

Following Ophelia by Sophia Bennett

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Stripes Publishing 

Released: 9th of March 2017 

When Mary Adams sees Millais’ depiction of the tragic Ophelia, a whole new world opens up for her. Determined to find out more about the beautiful girl in the painting, she hears the story of Lizzie Siddal – a girl from a modest background, not unlike her own, who has found fame and fortune against the odds. Mary sets out to become a Pre-Raphaelite muse, too, and reinvents herself as Persephone Lavelle. But as she fights her way to become the new face of London’s glittering art scene, ‘Persephone’ ends up mingling with some of the city’s more nefarious types and is forced to make some impossible choices.

Will Persephone be forced to betray those she loves, and even the person she once was, if she is to achieve her dreams?

What I Have to Say 

I feel this book really captured the feel of the Pre-Raphaelite spirit for me. Having had a small interest in the paintings and general history of the Pre-Raphaelites, I'm far from an expert, but I know a bit about them and I just felt that this was a good introduction to the artistic movement. 

Though I did feel that the whole scandal of it was a little tamed down. Obviously for younger readers, a lot of the things the brotherhood got up to would have been too much, but Mary was engaging in her own scandal as if it was nothing. For any girl to become and artist's model was a hugely massive scandal.Yet Mary was more worried about getting found out and losing her job. Her reputation was a small worry in her mind, but she didn't seem to think about the fact that even if she didn't do anything, people would assume she had. 

Aside from this one thing, the book was brilliant. I loved the story, I loved Mary's character and I loved the adventures of Persephone Lavelle. It was well told and had the right balance of the history, historical figures and pure fiction. 

This is definitely a great introduction to the world of the Pre-Raphaelites. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Stripes for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Mystery of the Painted Dragon by Katherine Woodfine

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352 

Publishers: Egmont Books Ltd 

Released: 9th of February 2017 

When a priceless painting is stolen, our dauntless heroines Sophie and Lil find themselves faced with forgery, trickery and deceit on all sides!

Be amazed as the brave duo pit their wits against this perilous puzzle! Marvel at their cunning plan to unmask the villain and prove themselves detectives to be reckoned with – no matter what dangers lie ahead . . .

It’s their most perilous adventure yet!

What I Have to Say 

There's always a sense of calm that comes across me when I open a new book from one of my favourite authors. Katherine Woodfine is definitely one of those. From the first book, I knew that Sinclairs was one of those book places where my imagination can feel at home. 

As always, the mystery that Woodfine created was as always thrilling and compelling, but I did feel a little disappointed that I figured it out so easily. I felt that this one was fairly obvious. Maybe it was just me. It didn't effect my enjoyment of the book too much, but I expected more from Woodfine. 

I love how it ended. It makes me really interested to see how the next book turns out. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Egmont for providing me with this copy for review. 

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 400

Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books 

Released: 25th of February 2016 

What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong?

Frances has always been a study machine with one goal, elite university. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret – not even the person she is on the inside.

But when Frances meets Aled, the shy genius behind her favourite podcast, she discovers a new freedom. He unlocks the door to Real Frances and for the first time she experiences true friendship, unafraid to be herself. Then the podcast goes viral and the fragile trust between them is broken.

Caught between who she was and who she longs to be, Frances’ dreams come crashing down. Suffocating with guilt, she knows that she has to confront her past…

She has to confess why Carys disappeared…

Meanwhile at uni, Aled is alone, fighting even darker secrets.

It’s only by facing up to your fears that you can overcome them. And it’s only by being your true self that you can find happiness.

Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has. 

What I Have to Say 

I don't even know how to begin to sum up this amazing book. It is just so important. Alice Oseman has put into writing so many things that people have been avoiding saying for years. Things like the way our school system just doesn't give teenagers any other option than A Levels and university, simply by not saying that the other options are out there. How they are making teenagers feel like not getting good grades at GCSE will ruin their lives completely. And not only that, but she has dared to write a book where a boy and a girl main character are friends and never get together or have any romance with each other. She even used the word asexual. 

Not only did she manage to include all these extremely important topics, but she did so while creating a beautiful and moving story. A story about identity, taking the main character, Frances on a journey of finding herself, learning what she actually likes and is good at outside of what school has taught her that she has to be. 

This story has so much mystery, suspense and tragedy that it overwhelms me in a way that makes it hard to write about just how wonderful it is, because there's just so much that I could say. It's reminded me how great Alice Oseman is as a writer and what I originally liked about Solitaire, while also going on to achieve something even better. 

This book is definitely one that will stay with me and that I will force on all my friends.

I think that teenagers looking towards university and finding out what they want in life should read this book.

Students facing GCSEs, especially if they're bad at tests should read this book. 

And perhaps most importantly, anyone who feels that university or even A Levels may not be the right path for them, but doesn't know what other options are out there, should very definitely read this book. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with this review copy,

Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 256

Publisher: Harper Collins

Release: July 1st 2015

A teenage girl will soon discover, there are some things which burn even brighter than fire.

Iris’s father Ernest is at the end of his life.

Her best friend Thurston seems like a distant memory to her.

Her mother has declared war. She means to get her hands on Ernest’s priceless art collection so that she can afford to live the high life.

But Ernest has other ideas. 

There are things he wants Iris to know. Things he can tell her and things that must wait till he’s gone.

What she does after that is up to her

What I Have to Say 

This book was interesting. It took me a while to get into it and it hasn't left me feeling like it was anything special, but there are moments that I can think back to and remember I really enjoyed. I think that for someone out there, this could become their favourite book, but unfortunately for me, it wasn't the one for me. 

There wasn't anything wrong with the book that I can see. I really liked the relationships, or lack thereof, between the characters. Iris' background of not really feeling love and actually despising her mother was really interesting to read. Her friendship with Thurston and Thurston's character in general was one of my favourite parts of the book. I always love an eccentric character and an eccentric character who enjoys doing performance art was sure to win my heart. 

I was also very captured by the descriptions of Hannah and her fakery. It was good to see a character who by very definition hasn't got that much to her, but who is still a very strong, well written character. It is an easy thing to get wrong, making a character bland and uninteresting, but Hannah is just shallow, vain and driven by her greed. She makes the perfect antagonist for Iris, as Iris is striving to form a relationship with her father, Ernest. 

As I said, I enjoyed this book, but don't think it will stay with me as one of my favourites, but I would encourage others to read it as it is well written and full of lively characters. It may not be the book for me, but it could be for you. 

Ghosts of Heaven by Marcus Sedgwick

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

My thanks go to the publisher for providing me with this review copy.

Pages: 448

Publisher: Orion

Released: 2nd of October 2014

The spiral has existed as long as time has existed. 

It's there when a girl walks through the forest, the moist green air clinging to her skin.

There centuries later in a pleasant green dale, hiding the treacherous waters of Golden Beck that take Anna, who they call a witch.

There on the other side of the world, where a mad poet watches the waves and knows the horrors they hide, and far into the future as Keir Bowman realises his destiny.

Each takes their next step in life.

None will ever go back to the same place.

And so their journeys begin...

What I Have To Say 

I chose to read this in the order it was put in the book. It was the most logical order and seemed the most easy since I was reading a paperback and was slipping reading time in whenever I could rather than reading it straight through. If I'd had other circumstances, I might have tried a different reading order, but to be honest, I'm pretty happy with the order I read it in. It made sense chronologically and had a nice sort of come together at the end. But I'd be interested to hear from people who chose to read it in a different order and how they found it. 

This book was a work of art. A lot of books that feel more like art than works of fiction feel like the art concept is overshadowing the actual enjoyment of the book. This one was better though. There was still a feeling that the art and the spiral metaphor of the whole thing was overshadowing the goal of making an entertaining story, but each little story was entertaining. 

The final one was pretty confusing though. It made my head hurt. But then often with that brand of sci fi, the confusion is half the fun. Still, I think it is worth reading, if you like Marcus Sedgwick or are just interested in all the myths and ideas surrounding spirals. It's an interesting read.