Heads up: you’ve got 6 weeks to read Cloud Atlas before it hits cinemas

Cloud Atlas, the eagerly anticipated film adaptation of David Mitchell’s award-winning bestseller, is released in UK cinemas on 22 February. But before you go booking tickets, take my advice and read the book now.

Everyone knows that books are always better than their big screen adaptations. No star-studded film, however faithfully rendered, is ever going to match up to the literary genius of Dickens or Austen, nor can a two-hour dash through a murder mystery thriller ever compare with days of getting lost in a so-gripping-you-stop-watching-telly novel. Admittedly, there are times when special effects and CGI can bring a story to life on screen brilliantly (I’ve been partial to a Christmas holidays cinema trip to see Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings in the past myself) but most of the time you should definitely read the book first before venturing out to see its celluloid counterpart – not least so that you don’t witness a load of spoilers that would seriously compromise your enjoyment of the book. Case in point: Ian McEwan’s Atonement. I’m still mad at myself for going to see it at the cinema first, because there’s a MASSIVE spoiler at the end that haunted me the whole way through when I finally got round to reading the book (McEwan is now my favourite author of all time, by the way).

Also falling into this must read first category is Cloud Atlas. Mitchell’s novel is, quite simply, brilliant. Comprised of multiple different stories that unfold over a span of several hundred years, it’s one of those books that can quite rightly be called epic. Every story, from a 19th century doctor in the pacific islands to a Korean robot worker in the far distant future, is captivating in its own right, but it’s the way the plots intertwine that is truly astonishing. It’s like six amazing novels in one. But don’t just take my word for it. Reviewers have called it ‘extraordinary,’ ‘visionary,’ and ‘a masterpiece.’ No wonder it won the Man Booker Prize in 2004.

When I read Cloud Atlas over Christmas, I loved it. (And I think I would have loved it even more if I hadn’t had to read a load of the plot when I wrote up a feature on the film for work. Tsk.) It’s a very ambitious book to attempt to adapt for the movies, but reviews from America, where it was released in October, suggest directors the Wachowskis (they of The Matrix fame) and Tom Tykwer have done a pretty good job. They’ve got the likes of Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw and Susan Sarandon playing 4, 5 or 6 characters each. So, obviously, I want to go and see it, and so should you. And while there isn’t one massive Atonement-style spoiler as such, this is definitely the sort of book you should read first. Which is why I’m giving you six weeks notice. That’s plenty of time. Also, Cloud Atlas is reported to be one of the books most donated to Oxfam (because it sold so many copies, and because it’s a bit too complicated for your average Twilight fan to get through) so you should be able to pick up a copy on the cheap very easily. Here, why not find your local Oxfam Books shop. Happy reading and – eventually – watching.

Cloud Atlas is released in cinemas in the UK on 2nd February 2013. I’m not even going to watch the trailer, but here it is anyway.

Reading list|Fashion Today by Colin McDowell

I decided that in preparation for my LCF short course I would re-read my favourite fashion book, Colin McDowell’s Fashion Today. I’m so glad I did – I’d forgotten how ridiculously good it is.

This is a coffee table book in the realest sense. At 30cm by 30cm, as thick as 4 copies of Vogue, and weighing considerably more than my laptop, this tome could actually be used as a coffee table, let alone put on one. Which makes it pretty unweildy – reading it in bed is not easy. The huge pages are great though because the book is packed with beautiful fashion images from the 1940′s onwards.

See! It’s huge.

The book is basically a history of modern fashion. Starting with Christian Dior’s much-lauded ‘New Look’ collection of 1947, the 13 chapters cover major topics in fashion, from the rise of the model and the designer as celebrity to the influence of vintage and fetishism. It’s littered with references to so many influentials films, books and people that I’ve found myself making a shopping list as I’ve been reading it.

McDowell is probably my favourite fashion writer off all time. His style isn’t the easiest to get through – I frequently have to refer to Dictionary.com to find out the meaning of words I don’t know, but to me that’s a good thing. It’s absolutely inspirational to read – not just because of the tales of fashion designers, models, socialites and celebrities, but because it’s written so darn well.  I was lucky enough to meet McDowell at the Masters of Style exhibition that he curated at Somerset House. He was just as posh and proper as I expected him to be, but he was very sweet and kindly answered my questions about the exhibition. I managed not to be a total fangirl and tell him how much I adore Fashion Today, but in hindsight maybe I should have. Not only is this an excellent reference book, it’s really beautiful to look at too. AND considering it’s so humongous it’s kind of a bargain at £35.

Buy Colin McDowell’s Fashion Today (Phaidon, 2000).

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My Christmas Wish List | Katie

As if you didn’t need another reminder that you haven’t got all your Christmas shopping done yet (well I know I haven’t), in the run up to Christmas us five members of team Style & Then Some will each be telling you what gifts we hope to find Father Christmas (or Mum, Littlewoods would have you believe) has deposited in our stockings. Obviously we’ve all been VERY good girls this year and the big, fat, bearded guy will definitely have our names will down on the Nice list.

Kicking off, here are 10 treats that would make me a happy girl on Christmas morning. As you will see they, for the most part, can be categorised as either clothes, books, or beauty.

I love how sleek and subtly sexy this variation on the LBD is. The ASOS Bodycon Dress in Cutwork Lattice seems to be getting reduced by the day. It started at £45 and is now just £27. Praying it doesn’t sell out so that I can get myself one after Christmas if Santa doesn’t come through.

Admittedly, I already own four Heattech tops from Uniqlo, but they are SO useful that I really don’t think I could ever have too many. Women’s HEATTECH Crew Neck T-Shirt, £9.90.

I’ve wanted a tux jacket for ages. I think white is that bit more daring than black, but still classic enough to last for ages. ASOS PETITE Exclusive Tuxedo Blazer, £55.

Everybody says Caitlin Moran’s How To Be A Woman, a kind of modern day guide to feminism, is brilliant.

I’ve been meaning to read Garbiel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude for about a hundred years (boom boom) because people who know what I like say I will love it. And if Penguin say it’s a modern classic, who am I to argue?

As a iPhone devotee (well, until I was given a Nokia Lumia) I’m fascinated by Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography is the only biography authorised by the man himself, apparently, and it was released just after his death.

I don’t understand why people buy expensive mascara, because whenever you see videos of famous make up artists they’re so often using a tube of the classic green and pink-packaged Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, which is only £5.19 at Boots.

I was given some Groomed Face Scrub Smooth Off at a press event in August and promptly handed it over to my boyfriend. But I’ve kind of regretted that because every time I use it at his house I remember how good it is – it smells so fresh and leaves my skin feeling decidedly smoother. I can hardly believe it’s only £1.50 from Asda.

Yves Saint Laurent ‘Elle’ perfume has been my signature scent ever since it was released in 2007. I’m almost at the end of my huge 90ml bottle and ready for a refill.

How amazing is this? I think Sophie Caldecott will like it. The Nordicware Gingerbread House Cake Tin produces a perfectly shaped gingerbread house ready for you to decorate just as expertly as in the picture below. Only thing is, it costs £37. Bit much for a cake tin if you ask me!

What do you think of my Christmas wish list? Anything you’ll be adding to yours, or ideas you’ll be stealing for others people’s gifts?

The Queen announces it’s officially Gin O’Clock

Did the photo fool you? That’s not actually the real Queen of England, it’s an imposter sent by the Queen of Twitter a.k.a @Queen_UK, the fictional monarch who has a predilection for gin.  The lookalike was on hand last Monday to deliver a speech to mark the launch of Gin O’Clock, the Twitter Queen’s debut book.  (Watch a video of the Queen’s speech below).

Easily one of the funniest fictional Twitter accounts, @Queen_UK has amassed more than 470,000 loyal subjects since she started tweeting  – about everything from life in Buckingham Palace (‘Queen fancy dress party in Royal household this evening. Charles has come as Freddie Mercury. Camilla has come as me.’) to international state affairs (‘One has banned Sarah Palin from running for President to save one’s American subjects from international embarrassment.’). Naturally, a book deal was sure to follow. Gin O’Clock is a diary of the events of 2011, delivered in the Queen’s typically dry tone. Obviously major occasions like the Royal Wedding and a visit from the Obama feature, but who knew the Queen was such a fan of the Brit Awards (‘Pencilled in Cee-Lo Green for the Royal Wedding’)? And she loves Eurovision so much she threw a themed party – ‘Beatrice and Eugenie came as Jedward, which was quite convincing, to be fair to them.’

Helen and I meet 'The Queen' at the Gin O'Clock launch

Gin features heavily in the diary (the contents of Her Maj’s handbag for the Royal Wedding are listed as ‘miniature gin, remote weapons button, reading glasses, iPhone, bag of peanuts) so it made sense that those gin geniuses Bombay Sapphire were enlisted for the book launch. They rustled up a special Gin O’Clock cocktail which Her Majesty heartily endorsed. ‘Any time is the perfect time for a Gin O’Clock cocktail,’ she said. ‘Goodness, it’s gone Gin O’Clock.

Gin O’Clock by The Queen (of Twitter) is available now from all good bookshops and to order from Amazon. RRP £12.99. Visit the Gin O’Clock Facebook page.

Reading list: The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan

Death, decay, incest and cross-dressing children – The Cement Garden is as dark as it is gripping, and I highly recommend it.

Before he won the Booker Prize for Amsterdam, before Atonement was turned into a big screen adaptation (I still haven’t been able to bring myself to read the book since the ending was thoroughly spoiled – thanks for that, Keira Knightley), Ian McEwan wrote his debut novel, The Cement Garden. Almost a novella at not much more than 100 pages long, it tells the story of teenager Jack and his three siblings, as they struggle through a long, hot summer following the death of their father. I don’t want to give anything more away, because the plot is pretty gripping, but if you like your books filled with very dark humour, keenly observed family relationships and a fair few scenes that will make you gasp in shock, you’ll love The Cement Garden as much as I did. It easily cemented (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun) McEwan’s place – not far below Bret Easton Ellis and a few places ahead of Donna Tart – in the list of my top ten favourite authors.

Also, here’s a bit of literary trivia for you: Do you remember Madonna’s ‘What it feels like for a girl’, which featured a snippet of spoken word at the beginning and made everyone say ‘doesn’t Madge do a good English accent?’ Those words are actually spoken by Charlotte Gainsbourg and were sampled from the film adaptation of The Cement Garden. Check it out in the video below.