The Living Rainforest

A trip not so far away to a place called The Living Rainforest at Hampstead Norreys, just north of Newbury.



An Emerald Tree Boa



A pitcher plant (this is a carnivorous plant)



One of two toucans at the Living Rainforest, both rescued from the pet trade and having suffered malnutrition before their arrival have badly cracked beaks that will never improve :(



This curious critter was an Agouti



Spot the red-crested touraco...



Some gorgeous plants that I just loved the colouring of, it really was this vivid.



And these flowers as they were a heady mix of magenta, red and orange.



And a chinese water dragon.

There were lots more beautiful plants and animals there but my phone camera is just not up to the job of taking pictures, especially if something is moving.

Summer Reading Challenge: Read a book that hasn't been made into a movie and make a cast list

The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite by Beatrice Colin


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was a quick read, the atmosphere created allowed you to sink into it and the characters drew you in. The little "future" snippets on some of the characters was interesting, it made them more real. Almost an epilogue that has been broken up and interspersed into the writing at a later date.

It was an intriguing look at life in Weimar Germany, the instability that created National Socialism, the intense poverty and social breakdown.

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Lilly - Sandra Bullock
Hanne - Gwyneth Paltrow
Sister August - Meryl Streep
Eva - Jessica Alba
Stefan the Uhlan - Brad Pitt
Kurt - Rupert Everett
Ilya - Eric Bana

(the cast list was mostly based on physical attributes)

Total points to date: 390

Summer Reading Challenge: Read a book outside (more than 100 pages)

Fruits Basket, Volume 2 by Natsuki Takaya


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I got confused as to which character was which as I found this a bit jumpy nonetheless it is a great story with some fabulous funny and heartfelt parts in it. I also love that the central character is a strong female. I may have to buy #3 to find out what happens next...

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Points to date: 375

Summer Reading Challenge: Read a book that takes place in or about your dream vacation spot and post an itinerary

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Brutality, heartbreak, mystery, poverty, despair and a city suffering at the hands of a dictator, this book has the makings of a film noir. As I was reading the foggy scenes on Avenue Tibidabo I was picturing an atmospheric black and white scene from a '50s movie. A fabulous book about a love of books, family, your country and just about love.

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In order to complete this task I had to make an itinery. The book is set in Barcelona, a town with a fabulous history and my trip would have to include some of the things mentioned in this book.

• Plaça d'Espanya, at the foot of Montjuic where there were public hangings.
• A trip to Montjuic Castle for a view over Barcelona followed by a ride on the cable car to Barceloneta. Fermin was held in Montjuic castle in the book.
• A ride on the Tramvia Blue - used by Daniel Sempere to reach Avenue Tibidabo followed by a trip on the Funicular railway to Tibidabo
• Tibidabo - for the awesome views, the observatory and the funfair.
• The Gaudi buildings (the main reason Barcelona is on my list of places to visit) - La Pedrera, Güell Park & Sagrada Família
• A walk up and down Las Ramblas, mostly populated by tourists, artists, performers and flower sellers
• Two days at least wandering around the Cuitat Vella (Old City) - visiting the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, Cathedral Plaça de la Seu, Plaça Sant Felip Neri, Santa Maria del Pi followed by Carrer Petritxol for a hot chocolate.
• More Gaudi architecture at Casa Batllo and finally a quieter day spent either at L'Aquarium or on the beach at Barceloneta.
  

Current points total: 360

Summer Reading Challenge: Roseann's Task - Read a book about books and a book mentioned in the book about books and compare/review.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
this book shows Nabokov's genius for words and wordplay, even more effective given his first language was Russian, English not even being his second language. Despite the subject matter there are definite comedic moments and perhaps that's why this novel is seen as subversive.

Do I feel sorry for Humbert Humbert, no, not at all.... but then I don't feel sorry for Dolores either.

Perhaps in the end both got what they deserved, Humbert ending up in custody and Lolita a dull and mundane life with a boring husband.

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And for the comparison to "Reading Lolita in Tehran" - I thought that Azar Nafisi and her students concentrated too much on the morality of the book, immersed in a culture where moral judgements are far more important than they are in the West, whereas I loved watching the characterization, the wordplay and delighting in the quirkiness of Nabokov when he made mundane things seem different. I thought the disintegration of Humbert into a paranoid and anxious man was beautifully written. I didn't think I would have sympathy or like the main protagonists so set out to read this book for the story.

Points to date: 345