peppercricket
Book Assistant
Batley Townswoman's Guild presents the Battle of Pearl Harbour
Posts: 7,075
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Post by peppercricket on Jul 27, 2019 19:26:03 GMT
Looking forward to seeing what you thought!
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Post by adelynechan on Jul 27, 2019 19:57:38 GMT
Beautiful story, quite possibly the first time since Harry Potter that I’ve felt myself being transported into a such a magical world. The choice of setting: The years of war which is commonly used to tell the story of children being forced to prematurely grow up following enlistment / having to take on adult roles around the house – but using it to then describe retaining a touch with one’s inner child made for an amazing and unique storyline. One of my favourite scenes is right after Martha’s birth, when Papa Jack takes Cathy into the diorama and shows her the scenes of him making toys for fellow soldiers in war – and how each and every one of them (even the “toughest” of the pack) felt some element of solace in having a toy in their hand. This theme is pretty central in the book, and I thought the author very cleverly used the design of toys (particularly the soldiers, in the context of the Long War) to initially reflect differences in the brothers’ personality but later, after Kaspar had returned from the war, to show how he had been changed by his experience and how his views on fighting had diverged from that of his brother’s.
I swung back and forth several times re: which of the brothers I could relate more to (and in the earlier chapters, which one would get the girl!). On one hand, I respected Kaspar for his responsibility towards his younger brother particularly in the days where they were alone following the death of their mother and before the return of their father, as well as at Papa Jack’s funeral where he was clearly not up to the task of being there but was determined to be by his brother’s side. Yet, in the early Emporium scenes, I felt some element of inferiority complex in Emil – how hard he strove just to get recognition from his brother, who was described at this stage at having more raw talent in toy design, as well as his father – which made me sympathise with him. I felt this was in part spurred on by Kaspar’s dismissive behaviour towards his brother, a part of him that I really didn’t like. I have no doubt that Emil would have protected Cathy in the same way, though I wonder if he would have had the guts to actually bring her back the way Kaspar did. I really felt for him on the night of Martha’s birth when it became clear who Cathy preferred. Yet, in the later years, even when Kaspar became pretty much a broken man who I really couldn’t relate with, it was hard to root for Emil who seemed to have developed this complete obsession with winning, even resorting to killing his brother to achieve his objectives. At this stage he felt more like a monster than a man, and it goes to show how wars affect everyone, even those not fighting at the front line.
As someone in science, and being recently involved in many discussions about artificial intelligence and its utility in fields like medical diagnosis, I also couldn’t help drawing parallels with the soldiers who were able to support each other and effectively deal with elements of learned behaviour. I don’t know if this was intended on the part of the author, it certainly was not mentioned outright, but I thought overall it was a clever idea for a book written in 2018 but set in the past – a reflection of what artificial intelligence might have looked like in a less digital setting. I guess the general take-home message remains the same: that non-human intelligence has both its utilities and its dangers, and the good can be offset by designers with malicious intentions.
I don’t know at what stage I realised / accepted that a happy ending was never going to be possible, and a part of me wishes that the family met with a more harmonious end. The signs were there but only actually confirmed right in the last chapter (when what Emil did to Kaspar was also revealed – I completely did not see that coming!) that the Emporium ended at the same time as my journey with the toy makers did, though it is up to the reader’s imagination to dream up what Martha and her children may be able to reconstruct of the empire. Thank you Janice peppercricket for taking me on this magical journey, it was lovely to feel like a child again 😊!
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Post by rosemary3 on Aug 3, 2019 21:04:00 GMT
I enjoyed this one too!
I agree with Adelyne it was hard to choose between the brothers in some ways - there wasn't a "perfect hero", although Kaspar was clearly the more charming - but this didn't seem totally fair, as charm never is, and I thought it was Cathy's choice of Kaspar that made Emil go so badly wrong. At the beginning of the story, although he was jealous and inclined to be destructive, I think Emil could have been "saved". But left to himself, he went further and further down that vindictive path.
I also thought about artificial intelligence - the fear of what the soldiers might do, and how scary it is when we set something in motion and then lose control of it. I loved the toys, especially the instant trees and Sirius the patchwork dog.
I didn't see the ending coming either! I never thought Kaspar was dead, and I thought they would meet up again at the end, but not that way. I was shocked at the destruction of the Emporium, and that Emil would let that happen rather than have his brother in the world. All in all, despite the magic, I found it a sad story. But the toys are wonderful!
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Post by celia48 on Aug 7, 2019 16:25:53 GMT
I absolutely loved this book. I haven’t read a book with a magical theme since the Harry Potter books and this made me realise that I missed them! I loved the Emporium and envied the obvious joy of everyone visiting and working there. How they must have wished the snowdrops would be late. The main characters were, with the exception of Nina who I disliked as soon as she appeared, likeable if not loveable, even Emil. However, he suffered from being the younger brother of a more able and charming sibling and I did feel for him and his obvious inferiority complex but the ending was truly shocking. I also found the soldiers ‘coming to life’ quite frightening. Thank you for choosing this book. It wasn’t one I would have chosen for myself but I am very glad to have read it. If anyone wants a copy, I am happy to pass it on. In fact, it is the sort of book you want to pass on for someone else to read.
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Post by adelynechan on Aug 8, 2019 8:08:22 GMT
... In fact, it is the sort of book you want to pass on for someone else to read.
Completely agree! It's not really one I think I would be able to enjoy a second time around (especially knowing how it ends).
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Post by froglady on Aug 21, 2019 9:27:14 GMT
Just bought this for my kindle. Sal
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Post by pennylane on Aug 22, 2019 15:44:58 GMT
Loved, loved this, onto my favourites list it goes.............kept imagining it as a Tim Burton film all the way through! Thanks peppercricket I may have overlooked this one otherwise
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Post by froglady on Aug 22, 2019 20:08:42 GMT
It's reminding me of the film Mr Magorian's Wonder Emporium so far. Sal
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Post by geminii on Sept 1, 2019 6:46:11 GMT
I bought this book sone months ago as I liked the cover and decided it looked completely different to the usual crime thriller I usually end up buying .. Many thanks Janice peppercricket for picking this as a Quarterly read .. really enjoyed it .. Will add my review soon xx
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Post by janetandjohn on Sept 22, 2019 7:43:38 GMT
Read the first 50 or so pages on the train last night..... I was enchanted, so I expect I will zoom through this one, especially as it's raining today!
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Post by janetandjohn on Sept 24, 2019 10:26:51 GMT
Oh! Janice! What a fabulous pick! Thank you so much for choosing this one.
If you don't like magic realism, stop reading right here.... but then, if you don't but you loved Harry Potter maybe keep reading? or if you believe in magic? or if you are anti war?
I was enchanted by this book very early on, when a pregnant teen applies for and gets a job at a toy store in London in 1906. I was right to be so, for this the toy store was full of enchantment, with toys made by the owner, an Eastern European and his two sons, and every winter season was a success, with people queueing to be let in on the first frosty day each year.
But the war to come was forshadowed by the war the two brothers were fighting, from childhood onwards with toy soldiers first, and with themselves as the story progressed. I found that part very truthful - that siblings can think they love each other and want the same thing, but as time passes it's not always the case. And when one of the brothers was turned down by the recruiting officer and the other wasn't at the beginning of WW1, I could see the spitefulness growing. And I knew there would be difficulties ahead because of that war.
All the major players here were well padded - you knew exactly what they were like in character, what their feelings were, and what they looked like. And the toys were just - well magical!
When Papa Jack died, the signal for all out war between the brothers sounded, but really it was very onesided, for one wanted the fight, and the other didn't. I had a great sadness for Cathy, who had a husband returned to her from the war in body but not mind. All in all, a magical read. Enchanted by the toys, enjoyed the characters, and loved the Emporium. But isn't it just the most clever anti-war book? At every stage the pros and cons of soldiering and warfare step off the pages, and I could see, when a group of soldiers cannot think for themselves they must do as they are told..... but what if they do begin to think for themselves. Stranger things have happened.
I too, was fascinated at this clever alternate view of AI.
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Post by rosemary3 on Sept 25, 2019 21:08:45 GMT
Great review, Mrs Mac!
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Post by sarita on Oct 7, 2019 6:49:55 GMT
I wasn't sure if I'd like the book in the beginning but it grew on me. There is so much more to it than a story of magic in a toyshop. So many themes are developed, so many characters with depth. And the ending is beautiful too. What happens to Kasper and Cathy? Are they dead and in heaven or are they really still living together? I loved this book, thank you Janice for choosing it.
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Post by windysisters on Oct 21, 2019 9:22:52 GMT
I spent a long time reading this book. I never wanted to skim through any part of it to speed up the process. Even if I had no time to read for a day, as soon as I was able to pick it up again I was thrust back into the Emporium.
I think the war theme particularly compelling. Each November when Remembrance Sunday looms there is often a lot of propaganda on the internet about being proud to wear a poppy set against those who believe it glorifies war and we should celebrate the peace instead. I think this book shows how within a family both sides can be seen.
The characters evolved throughout the story. At first Kaspar was too charming and I preferred Emil and felt sad for him that Cathy chose Kaspar. After Kaspar came home from the war this changed, with him getting all my sympathy and my disliking Emil for him having no sympathy for his brother and being totally single minded.
The magical side made the whole thing more thrilling with the Kaptain himself having a voice to see how the brothers were viewed from inside the Emporium
Thanks Janice for introducing me to a fantastic book - I still have my copy if anyone wants to read
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Post by scarlet21 on Nov 1, 2019 23:49:22 GMT
I waited such a long time for this at the library, so I am glad it didn’t disappoint. For me it had echoes of The Night Circus, which I loved. Definitely a unique and imaginative read.
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