Product Description

For more than 25 years, York Notes have been helping students throughout the UK to get the inside track on the written word.

Firmly established as the nation's favourite and most comprehensive range of literature study guides, each and every York Note has been carefully researched and written by experts to make sure that you get the most wide-ranging critical analysis, the most detailed commentary and the most helpful key points and checklists.

York Notes Advanced offer a fresh and accessible approach to English Literature. Written by established literature experts, they introduce students to a more sophisticated analysis, a range of critical perspectives and wider contexts.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69431 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-30
• Binding: Paperback
• 135 pages

Synopsis
For more than 25 years, York Notes have been helping students throughout the UK to get the inside track on the written word. Firmly established as the nation's favourite and most comprehensive range of literature study guides, each and every York Note has been carefully researched and written by experts to make sure that you get the most wide-ranging critical analysis, the most detailed commentary and the most helpful key points and checklists. York Notes Advanced offer a fresh and accessible approach to English Literature. Written by established literature experts, they introduce students to a more sophisticated analysis, a range of critical perspectives and wider contexts.

Customer Reviews

Very good
I used this book when retaking my English Lit AS level, and I acheived an A...While that wasn't totally down to the book, it is concise, accurate and detailed and was very helpful when revising.

However, it is far less important than the book itself, but they would make great companions. A minor irration was that the margins seemed to be filled with useless snipetts of information regarding things related to the book. While a few of them may be interesting, i'd have preferred the space they used to be filled with actual relevant content.

not in depth enough
The study guide simply does not go into enough depth. It provides basic summaries of chapters, and very brief descriptions of key themes and characters, without going anywhere near the detail required to get even a C grade on the AS level exam.
This study guide would be suitable if Spies was set as a GCSE text, however for AS level it does not cut it.

An unbiased and honest review
This is a great revision guide for AS English Literature when studying Spies by Michael Frayn.
Everything you need to know is explained in the guide, and there are also other things which are there to increase your understanding of the novel. I particularly liked the chapter by chapter breakdown, which explains the significance of what goes on in each chapter, and has a glossary to explain words you don't understand. The notes in the column, which guide you to websites and books for further information are also very good, and very well researched.
However, in some of the sections, it would be better if more quotations from the novel had been used to back-up what was written, especially in the themes section. A few example exam questions would have also been nice.
Overall this is an essential revision guide to Spies, and I would highly recommend you buy it.