268. The Opium War by Brian Inglis (MCO book #14)

BOOK REVIEW: The Opium War by Brian Inglis

Thank god the MCO is going to end. But I guess the effects were not felt as strongly being surrounded by books and all. So let's delve into this book shall we?

Drugs are a malevolent force to contend with and generation after generation people have been trying to combat this ever-growing problem. Opiates aka opium are being used in the medical field. However, it has been misused time and againg by junkies. So how did all this start?

In 1839, trade was the stalwart of the British empire. When Britain sent troops to compel the Chinese to accept imports of opium, they opened one of the most disgraceful chapters in the history of the Empire. 

How did the situation arise? How did opium exports become so crucial to the British economy? How did the British come to be as addicted to opium revenue as the Chinese were?

Shocking but fascinating throughout, this book gives the answers to these and more in thia meticulously researched study. Its one of those hard reads where you have to be truly focused in order to soak in the facts. You won't be left dissapointed. Stay home, stay safe!

267. The Muse by Jessie Burton (MCO book #13)

BOOK REVIEW: The Muse by Jessie Burton

Great..the MCO has been extended till June..what better way to stave off the stay-at-home blues than to read an immersive book. By immersive I mean a bundle of energy that surpasses many of the novels I have read this year.

The saying a picture hides a thousand words has never been more true once you read this book written by bestselling author Jessie Burton. 

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, ready for her luck to change. She has been employed as a typist by the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick, who unlocks a potential Odelle didn't realize she had.

When a lost masterpiece arrives at the gallery, Quick seems to know more than she is prepared to reveal and Odelle is determined to unravel the truth.

The painting's secret history lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. 

Into this fragile paradise come two strangers, who overturn the Schloss family with explosive and devastating consequences.

A story set in warring Spain, it spins a world of love, romance, betrayal, trust and care as each character collides in two different times brought together by a single painting. The storyline was complex but certainly not confusing, with elements that leave you on the edge of a cliff. 

Highly recommended by myself for a read that combines all the nuances of a good novel. Stay home and stay safe to flatten the curve. Don't forget to read!