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Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated The Movie Crypt in Podcasts
Jan 8, 2018
Adam Green and Joe Lynch (3 more)
Different guest each week
Heartfelt stories
It's pretty damned funny
Awesome Pod for anyone who wants to make movies
Adam and Joe are two of the best "indie" film makers out there. Adam brought one of the horror genres newest icons to life in the form of Victor Crowley and Joe has been responsible for a pair of my favorite independent films with the births of Mayhem and Everly. But did you ever wonder how they got their starts in the film industry? Or what it takes to make a horror film? Or how some of your favorite actors writers directors and people involved in the industry got to be where they are today?
This pod brings it all to light. They hold nothing back and tell all things. Both good and bad.
With awesome guests such as horror icons Kane Hodder, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley and Ray Wise as well as fellow filmmakers the likes of Darren Lynn Boussman, Adam Wingard and Ti West. The boys leave no stone unturned as they bring everything to the table.
The pod is also welcome to subscription through Patreon with some cool little gifts to those who want to donate. Including Film commentaries once a month, first come basis viewer mail questions and Hollywood tell all answers to industry questions in a segment called Ask Dr. Arwen, named after Green's Yorkie and fellow show host.
I would recommend this Podcast to anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of the film world told from a perspective that is understandable to anyone. And it's good for a few laughs as well. I've been a devoted listener since 2013. And the vast library of webisodes is available to anyone via iTunes and other podcast generators.
Listen and enjoy folks. You won't be disappointed.
This pod brings it all to light. They hold nothing back and tell all things. Both good and bad.
With awesome guests such as horror icons Kane Hodder, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley and Ray Wise as well as fellow filmmakers the likes of Darren Lynn Boussman, Adam Wingard and Ti West. The boys leave no stone unturned as they bring everything to the table.
The pod is also welcome to subscription through Patreon with some cool little gifts to those who want to donate. Including Film commentaries once a month, first come basis viewer mail questions and Hollywood tell all answers to industry questions in a segment called Ask Dr. Arwen, named after Green's Yorkie and fellow show host.
I would recommend this Podcast to anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of the film world told from a perspective that is understandable to anyone. And it's good for a few laughs as well. I've been a devoted listener since 2013. And the vast library of webisodes is available to anyone via iTunes and other podcast generators.
Listen and enjoy folks. You won't be disappointed.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Gone Girl in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I feel a bit let down. Don't take that the wrong way...it is NOT AT ALL because this book was bad, but because it was so good, very, VERY good!!! And I've read it already. And it's over. It's become my favorite read of 2013 & it's only January!! This doesn't bode well for the books I'll read the rest of the year!
This book went from 0 to 10 in the matter of a few pages & just went faster from there. I literally could not put it down. There were so many unexpected twists & turns that it was quite frankly, a roller coaster. I'd love to see it as a movie, but at the same time I dread those words when applied to a book I adored because the movie version never quite lives up to the book itself.
Gone Girl tells the story of Nick & Amy Dunne a seemingly perfect, blissfully happily married. Successful writers, trust fund, living a glamorous life in Manhattan, cool couple. Until they are very suddenly thrust into the "real" world...kind of. Suddenly, they are both laid off, Nick's mom gets cancer, they move to Missouri & then things go terribly wrong. Not just wrong, but horribly, unbelievably, scarily, WRONG! The door to their McMansion is left hanging open, the living room is a wreck & Amy is gone. Of course the investigation, in both the legal & public opinion arenas, is focused squarely on Nick. The cheating, abusive, cheater of a husband...of course. Or is he?
I want to say so much more, but really I can't. I don't want to ruin it for you should you be wise (or lucky) enough to pick up this book & crack open it's spine. You deserve to go into unaware, to experience the ride for yourself. You deserve a great book & this, my friends, is IT!!!!
This book went from 0 to 10 in the matter of a few pages & just went faster from there. I literally could not put it down. There were so many unexpected twists & turns that it was quite frankly, a roller coaster. I'd love to see it as a movie, but at the same time I dread those words when applied to a book I adored because the movie version never quite lives up to the book itself.
Gone Girl tells the story of Nick & Amy Dunne a seemingly perfect, blissfully happily married. Successful writers, trust fund, living a glamorous life in Manhattan, cool couple. Until they are very suddenly thrust into the "real" world...kind of. Suddenly, they are both laid off, Nick's mom gets cancer, they move to Missouri & then things go terribly wrong. Not just wrong, but horribly, unbelievably, scarily, WRONG! The door to their McMansion is left hanging open, the living room is a wreck & Amy is gone. Of course the investigation, in both the legal & public opinion arenas, is focused squarely on Nick. The cheating, abusive, cheater of a husband...of course. Or is he?
I want to say so much more, but really I can't. I don't want to ruin it for you should you be wise (or lucky) enough to pick up this book & crack open it's spine. You deserve to go into unaware, to experience the ride for yourself. You deserve a great book & this, my friends, is IT!!!!
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Edible Front Yard in Books
Sep 8, 2017
A gorgeous book about growing edibles while maintaining a beautiful appearance
I would definitely give this book the full five stars. It’s filled with gorgeous, full-color, glossy photographs that really show off the concepts illustrated in the book. Soler describes both some common vegetables (corn and beans, for example) as well as some things I didn’t even know were edible, like daylilies and nasturtiums! She includes a lot of unusual edibles, like artichokes and bananas, the latter of which I can’t grow outside here in Maryland. She lives in LA, though, and I completely understand how it must be complicated to write a book applicable to the entire United States!
Her chapters range from “Curb Appeal” – WHY should we care what our yard looks like, and what actually looks good? – to “The New Front Yard Plant Palette” which is all about classic edibles that also look great. Another chapter is about helper plants – plants that aren’t necessarily edible (though some of them are), but that serve other purposes in the garden, such as pest repellant or predatory bug attractants. Both of these chapters list a TON of plants, with short descriptions about why they’re on the list, how to take care of them, and what to use them for. EXTREMELY useful.
Soler has her own blog – The Germinatrix – but unfortunately it doesn’t look like it’s been updated since 2012. Her Twitter seems to have died about the same time, and her Facebook hasn’t seen a post since early 2013. I’m still hoping to find her presence online, as I love her writing style and would love to find more of her work.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Her chapters range from “Curb Appeal” – WHY should we care what our yard looks like, and what actually looks good? – to “The New Front Yard Plant Palette” which is all about classic edibles that also look great. Another chapter is about helper plants – plants that aren’t necessarily edible (though some of them are), but that serve other purposes in the garden, such as pest repellant or predatory bug attractants. Both of these chapters list a TON of plants, with short descriptions about why they’re on the list, how to take care of them, and what to use them for. EXTREMELY useful.
Soler has her own blog – The Germinatrix – but unfortunately it doesn’t look like it’s been updated since 2012. Her Twitter seems to have died about the same time, and her Facebook hasn’t seen a post since early 2013. I’m still hoping to find her presence online, as I love her writing style and would love to find more of her work.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Mark of Athena in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="The Mark of Athena" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-mark-of-athena-by-rick-riordan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
I probably should have waited until it was about a month until The House of Hades was published in order to read The Mark of Athena.
The good thing? I don't need to do some major catching up. And I might end up dragging (not literally) my mom over to the book store when the fourth book finally does come out.
But where there's good, there's bad (boo). So, the bad thing? Considering what happened in The Mark of Athena and The Son of Sobek (I'm not even sure I spelled that right. Oh, and link leads to my Goodreads review), I really wished I could have waited. Because I now have to do the fancy little countdown... (is there even an official countdown?).
Unfortunately, I might decide to wait an entire year after all to finally read The House of Hades. (Sorry, but I'm one who keeps good things for last... sometimes. For reasons not to be told >;))
But I still want to know what happens next to Percy and Annabeth after what happens to them at the end (and definitely the rest of the demigod crew as well).
So! Overall thoughts on Riordan's most latest work in the Heroes of Olympus series: fast paced, lovable and humorous characters from the prior series returning along with the new ones, and a confession of mine: I'm a sucker for mythologies retold as I am with fairy tales retold.
Random Question: Anyone else excited for The House of Hades to come out later this year? :D
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
I probably should have waited until it was about a month until The House of Hades was published in order to read The Mark of Athena.
The good thing? I don't need to do some major catching up. And I might end up dragging (not literally) my mom over to the book store when the fourth book finally does come out.
But where there's good, there's bad (boo). So, the bad thing? Considering what happened in The Mark of Athena and The Son of Sobek (I'm not even sure I spelled that right. Oh, and link leads to my Goodreads review), I really wished I could have waited. Because I now have to do the fancy little countdown... (is there even an official countdown?).
Unfortunately, I might decide to wait an entire year after all to finally read The House of Hades. (Sorry, but I'm one who keeps good things for last... sometimes. For reasons not to be told >;))
But I still want to know what happens next to Percy and Annabeth after what happens to them at the end (and definitely the rest of the demigod crew as well).
So! Overall thoughts on Riordan's most latest work in the Heroes of Olympus series: fast paced, lovable and humorous characters from the prior series returning along with the new ones, and a confession of mine: I'm a sucker for mythologies retold as I am with fairy tales retold.
Random Question: Anyone else excited for The House of Hades to come out later this year? :D
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Shadow Bound (Wraith, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review Posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/03/review-shadow-bound-by-angel-lawson.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 4.5
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
It's another one of those stories with a minor to majorly strange title in which the meanings of it are figured out with the following ways: a) woven throughout the pages and only reading will enlighten you, b) it's in the dictionary and it has a double meaning, which definitely isn't the typical definition you generally hear, or c) you simply never find out why.
Well, it's been a while since the situation with Evan and his family has passed. It's now summer vacation and it's been ghost-free for Jane and Connor for some time. At least for awhile. It's not along until another ghost comes along, and it's worse than Evan's situation.
I like how Shadow Bound is a different situation to both Jane and Connor than what they're used to. It's a bit more challenging for them, and we find out more about Jane's ability, which is different than what she thought it was. I'm surprised that Ruth was willing to help and warn Jane later; she seemed too lost to help, much less warn.
I'm confused a few times, especially a bit at the beginning, but overall, I found Shadow Bound better than Wraith in a way. I am hoping, however, that if there's ever a *insert one word spoiler*-sized ghost, both Jane and Connor have better luck, despite the tedious situation they'll be in.
Original Rating: 4.5
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
It's another one of those stories with a minor to majorly strange title in which the meanings of it are figured out with the following ways: a) woven throughout the pages and only reading will enlighten you, b) it's in the dictionary and it has a double meaning, which definitely isn't the typical definition you generally hear, or c) you simply never find out why.
Well, it's been a while since the situation with Evan and his family has passed. It's now summer vacation and it's been ghost-free for Jane and Connor for some time. At least for awhile. It's not along until another ghost comes along, and it's worse than Evan's situation.
I like how Shadow Bound is a different situation to both Jane and Connor than what they're used to. It's a bit more challenging for them, and we find out more about Jane's ability, which is different than what she thought it was. I'm surprised that Ruth was willing to help and warn Jane later; she seemed too lost to help, much less warn.
I'm confused a few times, especially a bit at the beginning, but overall, I found Shadow Bound better than Wraith in a way. I am hoping, however, that if there's ever a *insert one word spoiler*-sized ghost, both Jane and Connor have better luck, despite the tedious situation they'll be in.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated The Staircase in TV
Feb 25, 2021
The massive red writing on the promotional image says it all: Did he do it? In 2001, Michael Peterson was accused of murdering his wife, who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase covered in blood the prosecution said was too much for an accidental fall. But Peterson, supported by most (but not all) of his family maintains his innocence throughout, and the show follows his attempt to prove it. The first 8 episodes of this incredible story were first shown in 2004, before True Crime docs were really a thing, followed by two updates of several episodes in 2013 and then 2018 as the case updated and new evidence came to light.
Of all the docs on this list, this is the one that had me most gripped by the back and forth of the case. I changed my mind so much, almost several times an episode at points, because Peterson himself is both very likeable and very suspicious. There is an opportunity to weigh the evidence for yourself here that a lot of crime series ignore. The balance feels fair, and the case itself is so very fascinating, both from a personal and legal point of view. It plays like a real life soap opera at times, complete with cliff-hangers and teases, as Making a Murderer proved was so effective. To this day, I am not certain of Peterson’s guilt. The only thing I can say is that it was he himself who commissioned the series and allowed the filming of the case. Is that something a guilty man would do to manipulate what we see, or what an innocent man would do when unafraid of the truth? You decide! This would be the one I would recommend to anyone new to the genre, uncertain if this kind of thing is for them.
Of all the docs on this list, this is the one that had me most gripped by the back and forth of the case. I changed my mind so much, almost several times an episode at points, because Peterson himself is both very likeable and very suspicious. There is an opportunity to weigh the evidence for yourself here that a lot of crime series ignore. The balance feels fair, and the case itself is so very fascinating, both from a personal and legal point of view. It plays like a real life soap opera at times, complete with cliff-hangers and teases, as Making a Murderer proved was so effective. To this day, I am not certain of Peterson’s guilt. The only thing I can say is that it was he himself who commissioned the series and allowed the filming of the case. Is that something a guilty man would do to manipulate what we see, or what an innocent man would do when unafraid of the truth? You decide! This would be the one I would recommend to anyone new to the genre, uncertain if this kind of thing is for them.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Palo Alto (2014) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Flooringly seismic, as someone who was around this exact age in this exact time period - this is the perfect representation of high school in 2012/2013 to a T. I'm always put off by how high school kids in movies from around this time never talk right, and even when its ever so close there's still just that slight amount of "out-of-touch adult writes how they think teens speak" jargon which completely takes me out of it. Not here, the way people talk to each other here is scarily dead-on to how me and my shithead friends used to talk to each other to the comma. The fact that there's no clear-cut good or bad guys, just varying degrees of shitty; those tiny but thick iPod touches that had the messaging apps with the grey background and green messages; weird fake meme-sounding music abound parties with lethal amounts of alcohol... trades in the (still tantalizing in its own way) metaphorical cringe that these movies usually have and finally depicts high schoolers from this time as the snaky, rash, social-status obsessed psychopaths that we were - the type who would sooner ask for mouthwash after they vomited up hours worth of alcohol rather than water. The déjà vu I felt during this was unreal, and beyond that it's the movie equivalent to an opiate - not to mention daring, economical, accurate, and cautiously brisk with tremendous performances across the board (Nat Wolff holy *shit*). What happens when you stick a bunch of emotionally unstable sociopaths who don't like each other (or are at least fooled into thinking they do) into a 5-days-a-week institution and leave them to their own devices in the early 2010s. I fucking *lived* this movie - which may even be the best one directed by a Coppola.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Mythology (Mythology #1) in Books
May 31, 2023
The world of Hope Gentry has always been a little strange but it's about to become surreal.
Hope is a girl with a gift and a history, not all of it good. She is just trying to make it through High School as easily as possible without freaking everyone out. Then along comes Micah. A guy with his own problems who blows Hope away (in a good sense). Let the story commence!
This story is fantastic! At 418 pages long, it is big enough for you to sink your teeth into and completely immerse yourself in their world. Speaking of which, the premise of this book is extraordinarily well thought out and the abundance of characters, with their individual quirks and wittiness, is a pleasure to read. There are some amazing one-liners in this book including one which resonated with me - "Give me Dante's Inferno or Homer's The Odyssey over a math problem any day"!!! I completely get that!
The characters interact with each other brilliantly and I loved Micah. That boy is something else! As wrong as this will sound (unless you've read the book) I loved the interaction with Jonathon. You could almost see the sparks that flew between those two. Jonathon's wit and ability are just two of the things that make him shine. And Hope is a breath of fresh air. She is blunt, sometimes at the expense of tact, and is not some cowering wallflower.
I was gutted when I finished the book as I needed more but I am happy to say that Book 2 is to be released this month (according to GoodReads) and it's already on my to-be-read list.
Highly recommended!!!
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 14, 2013
Hope is a girl with a gift and a history, not all of it good. She is just trying to make it through High School as easily as possible without freaking everyone out. Then along comes Micah. A guy with his own problems who blows Hope away (in a good sense). Let the story commence!
This story is fantastic! At 418 pages long, it is big enough for you to sink your teeth into and completely immerse yourself in their world. Speaking of which, the premise of this book is extraordinarily well thought out and the abundance of characters, with their individual quirks and wittiness, is a pleasure to read. There are some amazing one-liners in this book including one which resonated with me - "Give me Dante's Inferno or Homer's The Odyssey over a math problem any day"!!! I completely get that!
The characters interact with each other brilliantly and I loved Micah. That boy is something else! As wrong as this will sound (unless you've read the book) I loved the interaction with Jonathon. You could almost see the sparks that flew between those two. Jonathon's wit and ability are just two of the things that make him shine. And Hope is a breath of fresh air. She is blunt, sometimes at the expense of tact, and is not some cowering wallflower.
I was gutted when I finished the book as I needed more but I am happy to say that Book 2 is to be released this month (according to GoodReads) and it's already on my to-be-read list.
Highly recommended!!!
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 14, 2013
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Rise of the Triad in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Back in 1993 The Internet was mainly confined to college campuses and would not start to arrive in homes for another year. Those who went online used dial up modems to access local bulletin boards to share pictures, play social games, and use chat programs in the early precursors to social networks.
With the success of the Doom games, First Person Shooters were all the rage and numerous companies cranked out games in this genre trying to appeal to a consumer base eager for games of this type and who wanted to experience to get in on the fairly new concepts of online play with their friends.
One such game was Rise of the Triad. Originally planned as a Wolfenstein sequel by Apogee Software the game cast players as a member of a United Nations special forces team who is dispatched to an island to take down a dangerous cult that has arisen.
Gameplay was frantic and fast as players had to mow down as many bad guys as they could with all manner of weapons and gear. The game was innovative in that there were all sorts of traps and objects that players could bounce from and they could even become a dog during power ups as they took the fight to the bad guys in both offline and online modes.
Jump forward to 2013, Rise of the Triad is back with a slick makeover that while looking more contemporary is still very much a retro game loaded with throwback elements.
The plot is essentially the same and aside from the improved graphics and physics, the game looks and plays very much like the original. The graphics are not eye popping examples of modern technology, rather they are improved and take advantage of graphic cards which were not widely in use back in 1993.
My first reaction was how much it played like a game of old. Aside from being faster and smoother than games of that era, the combat mechanics and techniques were very much as they were back in games of the day.
I enjoyed the nostalgia as I took down enemies and used the bounce pads to ascend to upper levels of buildings and collect power up coins that were littered throughout the map. I also enjoyed the over the top gore and humor of the game such as being rewarded with a pair of eyeballs splattered on the screen after I dispatched an enemy with a rocket launcher.
My biggest frustration was with the check point save system as having to replay elements of a game over and over when you die is not my favorite thing. Many times I would make solid progress only to be killed and forced to replay the previous segments over and over.
Enemies still come at you fairly directly when they attack but they can be very effective and deadly so players will need to be on their toes art all times.
The amount of firepower you can deploy is great from dual pistols to machines guns and rocket launchers, carnage is the way of the game.
I also had some issues getting matched online during my earlier attempts but as time went on, this became easier and I was able to enjoy the online nostalgia.
Rise of the Triad is great for those who remember the original and that era of gaming but for those who are accustomed to the mechanics and polish of modern shooters, they may find elements of the game frustrating and best left in the past.
For the rest of us, it was a welcome trip to the past that helped illustrate just how far games have evolved in the last twenty years.
http://sknr.net/2013/09/22/rise-of-the-triad/
With the success of the Doom games, First Person Shooters were all the rage and numerous companies cranked out games in this genre trying to appeal to a consumer base eager for games of this type and who wanted to experience to get in on the fairly new concepts of online play with their friends.
One such game was Rise of the Triad. Originally planned as a Wolfenstein sequel by Apogee Software the game cast players as a member of a United Nations special forces team who is dispatched to an island to take down a dangerous cult that has arisen.
Gameplay was frantic and fast as players had to mow down as many bad guys as they could with all manner of weapons and gear. The game was innovative in that there were all sorts of traps and objects that players could bounce from and they could even become a dog during power ups as they took the fight to the bad guys in both offline and online modes.
Jump forward to 2013, Rise of the Triad is back with a slick makeover that while looking more contemporary is still very much a retro game loaded with throwback elements.
The plot is essentially the same and aside from the improved graphics and physics, the game looks and plays very much like the original. The graphics are not eye popping examples of modern technology, rather they are improved and take advantage of graphic cards which were not widely in use back in 1993.
My first reaction was how much it played like a game of old. Aside from being faster and smoother than games of that era, the combat mechanics and techniques were very much as they were back in games of the day.
I enjoyed the nostalgia as I took down enemies and used the bounce pads to ascend to upper levels of buildings and collect power up coins that were littered throughout the map. I also enjoyed the over the top gore and humor of the game such as being rewarded with a pair of eyeballs splattered on the screen after I dispatched an enemy with a rocket launcher.
My biggest frustration was with the check point save system as having to replay elements of a game over and over when you die is not my favorite thing. Many times I would make solid progress only to be killed and forced to replay the previous segments over and over.
Enemies still come at you fairly directly when they attack but they can be very effective and deadly so players will need to be on their toes art all times.
The amount of firepower you can deploy is great from dual pistols to machines guns and rocket launchers, carnage is the way of the game.
I also had some issues getting matched online during my earlier attempts but as time went on, this became easier and I was able to enjoy the online nostalgia.
Rise of the Triad is great for those who remember the original and that era of gaming but for those who are accustomed to the mechanics and polish of modern shooters, they may find elements of the game frustrating and best left in the past.
For the rest of us, it was a welcome trip to the past that helped illustrate just how far games have evolved in the last twenty years.
http://sknr.net/2013/09/22/rise-of-the-triad/
The Bandersnatch (199 KP) rated The Secret Garden in Books
Nov 7, 2019
Written and published in 1911 the secret garden started its life as a serialization ten issues of in The American magazine (November 1910-August 1911), before being published by the American publishers Fredrick A. Stokes in August 1911 and by British publishers Heinemann later that year. However Copyright expired in the states in 1987 and inmost other parts of the world by 1995 placing the book in public domain and resulting in several abridged and unabridged editions being published. The book has the theme of Rejuvenation and regeneration, showing that if something is neglected it dies and if its worked on and cared for it thrives (Like Mary, Colin and the garden do).
The story starts at the turn of the 20th century and follows Mary Lennox, a sickly and unloved child born abroad and brought back to her wealthy uncles house after a Cholera outbreak leaves her an orphan. As Mary gets used to her new isolated home she learns of a private walled garden once owned by her aunt forever locked by her uncle and hears crying which eventually leads to her cousin Colin. With Mary telling Colin stories about the moor, her friend Dickon and the secret garden she has access to, Colin is inspired to join her outside and as such both children improve beyond belief.
The books working title was Mistress Mary in reference to the English Nursery Rhyme Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. Parts of the book was written during Burnett's visits to Buile Hill park, Maytham Hall in Kent, England. She'd lived there for a number of years and the garden was cited as influence for the book. Burnett herself kept an extensive garden however its noted besides the garden Maytham hall and Misslethwaite Manor are physically very different.
Having been marketed to both adults and children the reception may have been affected. The book was not as celebrated as Burnett's other books during her lifetime and paled in comparison to the popularity of her other books. The books revival could be traced by an almost complete eclipse at the time of Burnett's death in1924. With the rise of scholarly work in the past twenty five years the book has risen in popularity and prominence. Its often noted as amongst the best books of the 20th century. It ranked 51 in the Big Read (BBC Survey), was named amongst the Teachers top 100 books for children in 2007 and in 2012 ranked 15th in the all time children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal.
There have been Six movies (1919, 1949, 1987, 1993 and 1994), a TV show (1975), a Musical (1989), an Anime TV series (1991), an Opera (2013), Even a colouring book published (2013) from the book each one with various degrees of popularity and success. There will be a new 'The Secret Garden' movie which is being produced by David Heyman and Rosie Alison with the Production company Heydey films and Studiocanal. Both Colin firth and Julie Walters are set to star as Mrs Medlock and Archibald Craven and the release date will be the 17th April 2020....I am very excited to go see it.
The Author is Francis Hodgson Burnett and her bio segment is in last Tuesdays book club on The Little Princess if you would like to read it.
MY OPINIONS
I came across the book after seeing the 1993 movie when I was 9/10 years old. I went looking for the book bought it and started reading. I really really like the book and I agree that the theme of rejuvenation and regeneration definitely runs through the book. I love this book and definitely will be reading it to my future children. I give this book 8/10.
The story starts at the turn of the 20th century and follows Mary Lennox, a sickly and unloved child born abroad and brought back to her wealthy uncles house after a Cholera outbreak leaves her an orphan. As Mary gets used to her new isolated home she learns of a private walled garden once owned by her aunt forever locked by her uncle and hears crying which eventually leads to her cousin Colin. With Mary telling Colin stories about the moor, her friend Dickon and the secret garden she has access to, Colin is inspired to join her outside and as such both children improve beyond belief.
The books working title was Mistress Mary in reference to the English Nursery Rhyme Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. Parts of the book was written during Burnett's visits to Buile Hill park, Maytham Hall in Kent, England. She'd lived there for a number of years and the garden was cited as influence for the book. Burnett herself kept an extensive garden however its noted besides the garden Maytham hall and Misslethwaite Manor are physically very different.
Having been marketed to both adults and children the reception may have been affected. The book was not as celebrated as Burnett's other books during her lifetime and paled in comparison to the popularity of her other books. The books revival could be traced by an almost complete eclipse at the time of Burnett's death in1924. With the rise of scholarly work in the past twenty five years the book has risen in popularity and prominence. Its often noted as amongst the best books of the 20th century. It ranked 51 in the Big Read (BBC Survey), was named amongst the Teachers top 100 books for children in 2007 and in 2012 ranked 15th in the all time children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal.
There have been Six movies (1919, 1949, 1987, 1993 and 1994), a TV show (1975), a Musical (1989), an Anime TV series (1991), an Opera (2013), Even a colouring book published (2013) from the book each one with various degrees of popularity and success. There will be a new 'The Secret Garden' movie which is being produced by David Heyman and Rosie Alison with the Production company Heydey films and Studiocanal. Both Colin firth and Julie Walters are set to star as Mrs Medlock and Archibald Craven and the release date will be the 17th April 2020....I am very excited to go see it.
The Author is Francis Hodgson Burnett and her bio segment is in last Tuesdays book club on The Little Princess if you would like to read it.
MY OPINIONS
I came across the book after seeing the 1993 movie when I was 9/10 years old. I went looking for the book bought it and started reading. I really really like the book and I agree that the theme of rejuvenation and regeneration definitely runs through the book. I love this book and definitely will be reading it to my future children. I give this book 8/10.