#FictionFriday: Down to (Middle) Earth

Welcome to  #FictionFriday, where we ask Yeovil College staff to share their thoughts, opinions and just plain random tastes in books.
Each staff member selects questions to answer from a finely honed and crafted selection, designed to entertain and educate us about their reading lives.



Today we're talking to April Cursons, who is our Assistant Learning Resource Advisor which means she makes sure the YCUC courses have books and reading lists for study and research. She also helps run our literary and literacy events, and occasionally appears in fancy dress for a good cause; recently she was an enthusiastic elf in Santa's grotto at the Yeovil College Victorian Christmas Fayre. April's Hogwarts House is definitely Ravenclaw - very suitable for one of our library staff.

What's the first book you remember reading, or being read?

 "Being read - my Rainbow Brite annual. Reading by myself - my collection of She Ra and Thomas the Tank Engine Ladybird books. Spot the 80's childhood!"

What is your favourite book of all time?

"There are so many I might pick... but if I was to choose just one, it would be "Lord of the Rings". I could go for a more literary or daring choice but I have loved it since I first read it. My more sophisticated choice would be "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt."

Name one book or author that you really can't stand


"This is going to be very unpopular, but I dislike the terribly dubbed "chick lit" genre, and I hated the Shopaholic series. It just doesn't resonate with me at all, and perpetuates bad stereotypes." 

 Which character in a book do you think is most like you?

"I've been told I am very like Hermione Granger, which may be a polite way of saying know-it-all. I would say a cross between Jane Eyre and Bilbo Baggins. Especially with the second breakfasts."

Which book would you love to be in or live inside its world?

"Middle Earth ("Lord of the Rings"). My heart resides in Lothlorien."

Which literary character would you want to date, and why?


"Possibly Nan King (from "Tipping the Velvet" by Sarah Waters) because going for an oyster supper then being serenaded and thrown roses at a Victorian music hall is basically living the dream.


I'm also rather fond of Jamie Fraser (from "Outlander", an adaptation of the Diana Gabaldon novels); although a picnic in the Highlands isn't quite as glamorous, he is such a romantic hero type that I probably wouldn't mind."

What's the most over-rated book?


"I found "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantell did not live up to critical acclaim. A rather dry and curiously lifeless portrayal, through a very contemporary mindset and aesthetic which detracts from the story." 

 What's your favourite book adaptation in film or TV?

 "Currently, I love "Carmilla" (the Youtube series and now movie ) as it's such a brilliant and brave reimagining of classic literature.
I'm also quite fond of "Practical Magic" (a movie based on the book by Alice Hoffman) but my ultimate is probably "Dr Zhivago" with Omar Sharif and Julie Christie as the tragic lovers in revolutionary era Russia."

Would you read the book before watching an adaptation, and does it matter?

"I would always try and read the book beforehand - and it matters because a book offers a unique opportunity to enter a world - its language, metaphors, narrative structure, character voices - all affect how you construct and imagine the world, the story, what it means. Good adaptations can capture this - despite whether they've changed elements or revised it - without it, whether overly faithful or not, it lacks authenticity. Both have to be true to the spirit and integrity of the story itself." 

 Who is the best villain in a novel?

"Heathcliff. A true villain achieves greatness with visceral cruelty, psychological manipulation and with evil in proportion to their occasional or implicit potential for good. Heathcliff is tragic, and woefully mistreated; you can see how and why he becomes so dark and bitter. But his vengeance is truly startling and thorough. Not to mention the hints of necrophilia, rape, abuse and animal torture - why Cliff Richard made this story into a musical starring himself is beyond me."

What's your favourite children's book?

"Roald Dahl's "Matilda" because I empathized with the character, and Neil Gaiman's "Fortunately The Milk" - because it is brilliantly creative, witty and fun."

What book would you recommend to someone else, and why?


"As I work in a library, I always try to find people just the right book they need - uniquely suited to them. So it may depend entirely on the person.

The last time I recommended a book it was "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami, which was divisive- people sometimes hate it! But others truly loved it, and recognized something of themselves in it. "Norwegian Wood" takes place in 60's Tokyo, with a young man torn between his first love and his new love. What elevates it from being merely a romantic cliché is how it is written - how the characters are drawn and described - and how Murakami beautifully depicts everything, from the preparation of food to states of suicidal despair or the beauty and understanding we find in each other. Copies are available to borrow from the Learning Centre for anyone who wishes to try something completely different!  

Another one I always recommend is "The Secret History" - a phenomenal story about the dark elegant group of misfits at a US college whose fall into lies, deceit and murder is brilliantly framed by their studies of classic myths and the backdrop of American academia."

 Who's your favourite cartoon character?

"Snoopy! I adore the Peanuts comic strips and the original animations. I love how Snoopy is both a lover and a dreamer, and how he takes care of his little buddy, Woodstock." 

 Who would play you in a film of your life?

"Scarlett Johansson or Molly Ringwald (from 1980's movies "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink").  

If you were to describe yourself as a type of cake, what would it be?

 "Red Velvet Cake - bright, sweet and charmingly retro."

Thanks April! If you wish to defend the chick lit genre, can speak Elvish fluently or want to reminisce about Rainbow Brite and Snoopy, you can comment (nicely) below- just log in with your Google account and join the conversation.
Alternatively, you can always tweet us at @YC_Reading using the hashtag #FictionFriday with what you think of choices!