A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne

Maurice swift is a writer without ideas. So he sets about stealing those of others. His first 'victim' is Erich

who he meets while working as a waiter in the Savoy Hotel - Berlin. Eric falls in love with Maurice although the feeling is not receprecated. Once Maurice as bled Eric dry of a story from his youth during the war, he drops him. He the writes an award-winning novel, which leaves Erich destroyed.

Maurice then goes on using people to gain stories and to get what he wants from life. His own novels never reach the success of those taken from others. He uses anyone including his wife, and his child.

He is a disposable who is well written that his self-centredness flows of the page as does his attractivness which is mentioned regularly throughout the book, without it I wonder how far he would have got with plan.

There is however another equally dispicable character in the book. She like Maurice is willing to do anything to get her own way - even destroying lives. Out of the two I can honestly say it is her I hate the most. The malice of her character drips of the page leaving you feeling sullied.

Maurice is a craftsman of his role, he is charmingly written and in this I can see why those around him fall for him. The life of Maurice and the way he gains his stories is spectacularly written and leaves me wondering how much of our lives are fair game to the writers around us.

Although Maurice as you would expect out shines the other characters that does not mean they are in anyway inferior. They are written with gentleness and understanding along with the knowledge that we ourselves would inevitably be taken in by Maurice's charm. 

The ending is wonderful as we see Maurice becoming a shell of himself - does guilt play a part I wonder, or is it due to him growing older and not being as attractive which means he can't charm the way he once did.

The question is can someone enable him to fall completely and if so will he stay down or find away to bounce back.

Be prepard to hate and adore this lackluster writer in buckets.

Are You Watching by Vincent Ralph

Jessica Simmons was seven when her mum was killed by a serial killer. Ten years later and thirteen victims later, Jessica decides to use a new YouTube show - The Eye, to catch him. Five people each with a story to tell have one day every five days to gain the most followers and a three month contract. They are filmed from the moment they awake till midnight.

Jessica is determined not just for her, her dad and nan, but for all the families of the serial killers victims. After a time Jessica is the only participant left and she begins to taunt the killer. The events that follow make her understand that this is not a 'game' but reality and a dangerous one at that.

Her dad's grief and bewilderment of the past ten years is breath takingly papabke. This leads to feelings at times that we are invading in his sorrow and I was left wondering how to handle his grief.

Jessica was in some ways annoying, her determination to catch the killer, understandably is all encompassing. Due to this I felt she did not have any consideration for the pain and problems which her plans bring to those around her. However after an incident not relating to her 'task', she begins to grow in her understanding that others also have difficult lives.

All the characters brought either tension or relief to the story which allowed for a brilliant read.

The ending is delightful in its tension and suspense.