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Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated I, Tonya (2017) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Most people when they hear the name Tonya Harding immediately have images of Nancy Kerrigan holding her knee and crying out “Why?” over and over again come to their minds. They may even think of Harding herself crying to a panel of judges about the state of the laces on her skates during Olympic competition. Her name and image became a point of ridicule and shame. She became the butt of jokes throughout the 90s and a never-ending punchline. People were not sympathetic to her and were not willing to hear her story. She was condemned to being the monster that we convinced ourselves that she was. The film I, Tonya sheds light onto who this woman was in demonstrating the complexities of her upbringing, years of abuse at the hands of her mother and later her husband. Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad, Wolf of Wall Street) stars as Tonya Harding, the disgraced Olympic figure skater.
I Tonya, takes audiences deep into the world that Tonya Harding experiences. We see the heartache, we bear witness to the brutal violence and abuse she suffers. Audiences find themselves rooting for Tonya to break out and become a success. The film, based on interviews, court testimony, and sports and news footage allows us all to have a greater picture of exactly who Tonya was. It points out in a mixture of humor, terror, and realism what the public got wrong about her and how we all became her worst abusers. The public wanted her to not only fail, but to fail miserably as most had fallen in love with her competitor and the victim of an attack committed in Tonya’s name. I Tonya, through brutal honesty shows us how someone who is already flawed due to their appearance, presentation, or lack of polish can quickly become villainized because they do not fit our description of innocent or are seen as someone we want representing us. The true reality of I, Tonya is that the film is a reflection in the mirror. It is one of the most honest representations of what the human, and more specifically, the American experience is. You have successes and failures, but despite this, we are recognized for the worst actions that are linked to our names and images.
I, Tonya takes the best elements of Mommy Dearest, Blades of Glory, Black Swan, and Sleeping With The Enemy in order to create a sports biopic that audiences will not realize they needed until they find themselves walking out of the theater. Margot Robbie, Allison Janney (Mom, The Help, Juno), and Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Civil War) will have audiences angered, elated, and heartbroken as they take audiences on a full tour of their emotions. I, Tonya is an instant classic that will capture audiences with its storytelling and demonstrate that Tonya Harding’s life is much more than a one-liner.
I Tonya, takes audiences deep into the world that Tonya Harding experiences. We see the heartache, we bear witness to the brutal violence and abuse she suffers. Audiences find themselves rooting for Tonya to break out and become a success. The film, based on interviews, court testimony, and sports and news footage allows us all to have a greater picture of exactly who Tonya was. It points out in a mixture of humor, terror, and realism what the public got wrong about her and how we all became her worst abusers. The public wanted her to not only fail, but to fail miserably as most had fallen in love with her competitor and the victim of an attack committed in Tonya’s name. I Tonya, through brutal honesty shows us how someone who is already flawed due to their appearance, presentation, or lack of polish can quickly become villainized because they do not fit our description of innocent or are seen as someone we want representing us. The true reality of I, Tonya is that the film is a reflection in the mirror. It is one of the most honest representations of what the human, and more specifically, the American experience is. You have successes and failures, but despite this, we are recognized for the worst actions that are linked to our names and images.
I, Tonya takes the best elements of Mommy Dearest, Blades of Glory, Black Swan, and Sleeping With The Enemy in order to create a sports biopic that audiences will not realize they needed until they find themselves walking out of the theater. Margot Robbie, Allison Janney (Mom, The Help, Juno), and Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Civil War) will have audiences angered, elated, and heartbroken as they take audiences on a full tour of their emotions. I, Tonya is an instant classic that will capture audiences with its storytelling and demonstrate that Tonya Harding’s life is much more than a one-liner.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Here and Gone in Books
Sep 24, 2020
All my reviews can be found on https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com/
I was enjoying it from the first pages of the book. The description above describes this book quite well. It started with Audra in the car with her children. That got my attention. Why? Where are they going? And little by little the main character Audra, unfolded it. I am not big fan of the books about children and their parents, because all you read is how much parents love their kids. But this book somehow gripped me. The main character suffered a lot in her life, so the way she was trying to fight for her kids and not to give up, really made me respect her. I think, that author of this novel, done a great job by letting all the main characters to speak in this book, even the evil ones. Another great point of this book, that author was finishing every chapter with a cliff hanger, and then just starting the next chapter with different characters story. It was so addictive, and all I wanted was to figure out, how the previous story finished. I enjoyed reading the story from children’s perspective as well. The little boy, Sean, was a real sweetheart; incredibly smart, caring and a little hero. (Reminder, I do not like children). The ability to read the story from different perspectives and told by different characters made it very enjoyable, and allowed to understand the characters way better.
The whole plot was happening in one area and was really concentrated on a small, dying town of Silver Water. I really liked the whole story; I found it really original and very interesting. The more I read this book, the catchier it got. I really liked how this story unfolded, with Audra’s difficult past, husband’s abuse, and her fight for her children at present. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. When I thought that is no one there to help Audra, author nicely twisted in a help for her. I liked the topics this novel was discussing: different ways of emotional abuse against women; hard life and decisions when you don’t have money; corrupt authorities and how they can ruin people’s lives.
The writing style of this book is not difficult and language used makes this book a pleasant and easy read. As I mentioned in my previous reviews, I’m a big fan of short chapters, and this book is another winner in that category for me. On the other hand, there are some violent details in this book, so if you have weak nerves, be prepared. The ending of the book was well thought through and didn’t leave me disappointed. It was well deserved after everything. So to conclude, it is twisted, fast paced and addictive thriller filled with mother’s fight and love for her children, and surprisingly I really enjoyed it.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
I was enjoying it from the first pages of the book. The description above describes this book quite well. It started with Audra in the car with her children. That got my attention. Why? Where are they going? And little by little the main character Audra, unfolded it. I am not big fan of the books about children and their parents, because all you read is how much parents love their kids. But this book somehow gripped me. The main character suffered a lot in her life, so the way she was trying to fight for her kids and not to give up, really made me respect her. I think, that author of this novel, done a great job by letting all the main characters to speak in this book, even the evil ones. Another great point of this book, that author was finishing every chapter with a cliff hanger, and then just starting the next chapter with different characters story. It was so addictive, and all I wanted was to figure out, how the previous story finished. I enjoyed reading the story from children’s perspective as well. The little boy, Sean, was a real sweetheart; incredibly smart, caring and a little hero. (Reminder, I do not like children). The ability to read the story from different perspectives and told by different characters made it very enjoyable, and allowed to understand the characters way better.
The whole plot was happening in one area and was really concentrated on a small, dying town of Silver Water. I really liked the whole story; I found it really original and very interesting. The more I read this book, the catchier it got. I really liked how this story unfolded, with Audra’s difficult past, husband’s abuse, and her fight for her children at present. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. When I thought that is no one there to help Audra, author nicely twisted in a help for her. I liked the topics this novel was discussing: different ways of emotional abuse against women; hard life and decisions when you don’t have money; corrupt authorities and how they can ruin people’s lives.
The writing style of this book is not difficult and language used makes this book a pleasant and easy read. As I mentioned in my previous reviews, I’m a big fan of short chapters, and this book is another winner in that category for me. On the other hand, there are some violent details in this book, so if you have weak nerves, be prepared. The ending of the book was well thought through and didn’t leave me disappointed. It was well deserved after everything. So to conclude, it is twisted, fast paced and addictive thriller filled with mother’s fight and love for her children, and surprisingly I really enjoyed it.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
mostlyinpyjamas (13 KP) rated The Roanoke Girls in Books
Nov 29, 2017
A well written book with a dark theme.
This book is one of those that's not going to be for everyone. The subject matter is heavy, and for some may well be triggering.
It features child abuse, incest, suicide and murder. It's deeply unsettling and at times made me feel really uncomfortable. I don't think there's a character in this book who isn't very messed up.
However it is very well written, I'm not sure if enjoyed is the right word to use but I was completely drawn in, I had to stick with it. I liked the way the author interweaves the flashbacks with the current story. Often, I don't enjoy flashbacks in books, they can make a story feel too disjointed for me, but it worked in The Roanoke girls.
I don't feel like it sensationalises the subjects it deals with, it sets them out as the stomach churning matters that they are.
It's definitely a story that will get you thinking.
I don't usually read the reading group questions at the end of a book, but I did with this book because I was curious, and I feel that there's definitely plenty for discussion, so perhaps it would be a good book club book.
An example of the reading group questions.
"Do you think gran is right when she says mothers are judged more harshly than fathers? Why do you think that might be? Is it a fair standard?"
Overall I enjoyed this book.
It features child abuse, incest, suicide and murder. It's deeply unsettling and at times made me feel really uncomfortable. I don't think there's a character in this book who isn't very messed up.
However it is very well written, I'm not sure if enjoyed is the right word to use but I was completely drawn in, I had to stick with it. I liked the way the author interweaves the flashbacks with the current story. Often, I don't enjoy flashbacks in books, they can make a story feel too disjointed for me, but it worked in The Roanoke girls.
I don't feel like it sensationalises the subjects it deals with, it sets them out as the stomach churning matters that they are.
It's definitely a story that will get you thinking.
I don't usually read the reading group questions at the end of a book, but I did with this book because I was curious, and I feel that there's definitely plenty for discussion, so perhaps it would be a good book club book.
An example of the reading group questions.
"Do you think gran is right when she says mothers are judged more harshly than fathers? Why do you think that might be? Is it a fair standard?"
Overall I enjoyed this book.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Medea's Curse (Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist, #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I was really drawn to this book from the blurb and was grateful to Legend Press via the Legend 100 Club for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
I found this a really difficult book to review because on the one hand, the story was captivating and interesting despite it being about some pretty despicable crimes (infanticide, child and domestic abuse, stalking and violence) but on the other, the writing style made it really, really hard to read which spoiled it for me in a big way. There are a lot of characters and the story jumps around a bit; I normally dont mind this if theres a thread which connects them all but in this novel, there were different threads that crossed but werent necessarily linked so this made it difficult for me to keep track. I also have an issue with the main character, Natalie King. Again, shes difficult to critique. On the one hand shes a very strong, independent woman but on the other, I found her to be extremely unlikeable and I wasnt able to warm to her at all.
Having said all that, its very clear that the author knows her stuff and despite the difficulties I had in reading this particular book, I would be tempted to read another written by her.
My blog: <a href="https://readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/medeas-curse-by-anne-buist.html">Reading Stuff 'n' Things</a>
I found this a really difficult book to review because on the one hand, the story was captivating and interesting despite it being about some pretty despicable crimes (infanticide, child and domestic abuse, stalking and violence) but on the other, the writing style made it really, really hard to read which spoiled it for me in a big way. There are a lot of characters and the story jumps around a bit; I normally dont mind this if theres a thread which connects them all but in this novel, there were different threads that crossed but werent necessarily linked so this made it difficult for me to keep track. I also have an issue with the main character, Natalie King. Again, shes difficult to critique. On the one hand shes a very strong, independent woman but on the other, I found her to be extremely unlikeable and I wasnt able to warm to her at all.
Having said all that, its very clear that the author knows her stuff and despite the difficulties I had in reading this particular book, I would be tempted to read another written by her.
My blog: <a href="https://readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/medeas-curse-by-anne-buist.html">Reading Stuff 'n' Things</a>
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated It (2017) in Movies
Jan 16, 2018 (Updated Jan 16, 2018)
Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise (1 more)
Child actors
Unlike the original, scares a little overhyped
I had a lot of expectations going in to watch this remake of a classic. But I'm a little disappointed to be honest.
Unlike the original, this film solely concentrates on the cast as they were children, and there are no scenes of them as adults replaying their pasts. However, it is apparent that there will be a second part, as the kids mention their pact to reunite if the clown ever makes another appearance. In this way, they have changed Stephen King's book, but I'm not sure if it's for the better. One of the gifts of King horrors are the actual plots and storylines that run through them. Here, it actually felt like a slightly scarier version of @Stranger Things with even an actor from the series landing one of the main roles in this film.
On the upside, there were plenty of nods to the original movie, with Tim Curry's clown making a cameo in one of the scenes. Bill Skarsgard's version was just as good as Curry's but the downside was that there was too many scenes with him making an appearance losing the scare factor. Sometimes less is more. The child actors were fantastic, and the back stories were far darker, exposing abuse in its many forms. Overall, it was an interesting watch, but it may have been overhyped.
Unlike the original, this film solely concentrates on the cast as they were children, and there are no scenes of them as adults replaying their pasts. However, it is apparent that there will be a second part, as the kids mention their pact to reunite if the clown ever makes another appearance. In this way, they have changed Stephen King's book, but I'm not sure if it's for the better. One of the gifts of King horrors are the actual plots and storylines that run through them. Here, it actually felt like a slightly scarier version of @Stranger Things with even an actor from the series landing one of the main roles in this film.
On the upside, there were plenty of nods to the original movie, with Tim Curry's clown making a cameo in one of the scenes. Bill Skarsgard's version was just as good as Curry's but the downside was that there was too many scenes with him making an appearance losing the scare factor. Sometimes less is more. The child actors were fantastic, and the back stories were far darker, exposing abuse in its many forms. Overall, it was an interesting watch, but it may have been overhyped.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Those Girls in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Jess, Dani, and Courtney live in a neglected house with their abusive and drunken father. One night, after a particularly bad fight, the girls have to flee town quickly -- only to see things go from bad to worse as their truck breaks down during their journey. Eventually, the story picks up 18 years later (with the girls living under new names), when a turn of events threatens to tear down the lives they've managed to somewhat re-build.
This book was rather bizarre, I have to say. First of all, do not read this if you are triggered by scenes of brutal abuse or rape. Just don't. Terrible things happen in this book. It was almost mind-numbing to read - almost too much.
I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. The sisters drove me a bit crazy. It seemed like one bad decision after another with them. I know they are young when they initially leave home, and abused, but seriously? Then it just seems like the book was a series of misfortunes after another. I feel like Stevens could have limited it at some point. However, it was all oddly compelling, and I found myself reading the whole thing rather compulsively, even if I was constantly disappointed and disheartened by each turn of events.
(Note: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
This book was rather bizarre, I have to say. First of all, do not read this if you are triggered by scenes of brutal abuse or rape. Just don't. Terrible things happen in this book. It was almost mind-numbing to read - almost too much.
I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. The sisters drove me a bit crazy. It seemed like one bad decision after another with them. I know they are young when they initially leave home, and abused, but seriously? Then it just seems like the book was a series of misfortunes after another. I feel like Stevens could have limited it at some point. However, it was all oddly compelling, and I found myself reading the whole thing rather compulsively, even if I was constantly disappointed and disheartened by each turn of events.
(Note: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Alicia S (193 KP) rated The Boy and His Ribbon in Books
Jun 18, 2018
Growing up changes us and sometimes life, and our hearts, have other plans...
Admittedly, I'm a sucker for anything Pepper Winters writes and in the past, she had originally drawn me in with multiple dark romance/suspense series. A Boy and His Ribbon is unlike most of her well-known works, yet similar to Unseen Messages (one of my all-time favorites), as both stories are based on characters living wild. A scenario that speaks to my wanderlust soul and moves me like no other topic. The story follows Ren and Della, two children who escape abuse and a fate worse than even any animal should endure. Growing up alone, fending for themselves, this story takes us through years of this unlikely pair growing up uneducated, unsocialized and learning from each other. And with such fierce love, devotion and determination from children so young... We've all had to deal with the ups and downs of growing up. Imagine facing your teenage years that come with messy feelings and changes, without any guidance or expectations? This Coming of Age/Romance teeters between not quite right and completely understandable. Like every other Pepper Winters title in the past, I devoured this book. It tore my heart out, leaving me in suspense until book 2 in the Ribbon Series, The Girl and Her Ren is released in June.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) in Movies
Dec 4, 2018
Another attempt at converting Stieg Larssen's very-popular-about-ten-years-ago characters into viable English-language multiplex fare. Film opens with implied child abuse followed by implied domestic violence (there's a lot of implication, in order to avoid the 18 certificate that scuppered the box office of the Daniel Craig/Rooney Mara movie), but this is mainly to set an authentically grim tone - the plot could fairly easily be retooled for one of the Bourne movies, as evil secret organisation tries to get its hands on apocalyptic McGuffin, hero gets framed for doing nasty things, and so on.
Not sure about Foy's 'Allo Sven, I got a Volvo' accent, but on the whole this is a decent, watchable thriller even if it does look a bit like an Ikea advert with extra gore. But the thing is that it is terribly generic. If the only way to bring these books and characters to the screen is to basically fillet out everything that makes them distinctive and memorable, one wonders why anyone should bother. (The producers of the film may be able to name 31 million reasons (at the time of writing), but this still hardly qualifies as a hit movie.)
(And I know it's a bit ungallant to say this, but Foy is 34 - at what point does she become *The Woman* with (for example) the Dragon Tattoo? The point seems pertinent.)
Not sure about Foy's 'Allo Sven, I got a Volvo' accent, but on the whole this is a decent, watchable thriller even if it does look a bit like an Ikea advert with extra gore. But the thing is that it is terribly generic. If the only way to bring these books and characters to the screen is to basically fillet out everything that makes them distinctive and memorable, one wonders why anyone should bother. (The producers of the film may be able to name 31 million reasons (at the time of writing), but this still hardly qualifies as a hit movie.)
(And I know it's a bit ungallant to say this, but Foy is 34 - at what point does she become *The Woman* with (for example) the Dragon Tattoo? The point seems pertinent.)
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Keturah (The Sugar Baron's Daughters, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Keturah has one of the most unique settings that I have ever read in Historical Fiction; 1773 in the West Indies. The sisters Banning have been through so much. They have lost both their parents, are threatened with financial ruin, and set sail "unchaperoned" all the way to the Caribbean to save their sugar plantation.
I really enjoyed the unique setting, the island life of the 1770s, the cultural differences, the hardships, and the romance. The author does address the issue of abuse throughout the story. The pain, the effects, the healing process, which I found very well done. Although I can not relate to Keturah's situation, I know that many have, and I pray that God uses this story to speak to and bring healing to them.
The reason for my rating is for the simple fact that the story moved very slow. I had a really hard time staying focused on the story while reading. My mind would wander too easily. The writing quality was good overall, just not a fast enough pace to keep me fully engaged.
If you are looking for a unique story, I would recommend you give Keturah a try. Just because it was too slow for me, doesn't mean it will be for you.
I received a complimentary copy of Keturah from the publisher through Litfuse. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I really enjoyed the unique setting, the island life of the 1770s, the cultural differences, the hardships, and the romance. The author does address the issue of abuse throughout the story. The pain, the effects, the healing process, which I found very well done. Although I can not relate to Keturah's situation, I know that many have, and I pray that God uses this story to speak to and bring healing to them.
The reason for my rating is for the simple fact that the story moved very slow. I had a really hard time staying focused on the story while reading. My mind would wander too easily. The writing quality was good overall, just not a fast enough pace to keep me fully engaged.
If you are looking for a unique story, I would recommend you give Keturah a try. Just because it was too slow for me, doesn't mean it will be for you.
I received a complimentary copy of Keturah from the publisher through Litfuse. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Aaru in Books
Nov 8, 2019
Rose is only 16 but her life is over. She has terminal cancer but a mysterious strangers offers her and her family the option of taking part in a trial. When she dies they assume the trail failed and mourn her passing, her sister being hit particularly hard. Then the message comes... Rose lives on.
This books takes one fascinating idea - what if people's personalities and memories could be copied at the point of death and then recreated inside a computer? - and looks at it from a lot of different angles. It is certainly thought provoking, and occasionally disturbing.
The first half of the book deals with Rose's death, the grief of her family and then the emotional trauma, denial and final acceptance that in some ways she is still alive. It also follows Rose's journey as she discovers her new virtual world and its other inhabitants.
The second half is darker and moves into thriller territory as Rose's new paradise shows that it may not be perfect and both her and her sister are exposed to danger. Some of the themes here - obsession, violence, sexual abuse, suicide - are made all the worse by their premeditated nature.
This book will make you think about a potential life after death but it doesn't flinch from showing the emotional, physical and moral implications that might arise both for those saved and those they leave behind.
This books takes one fascinating idea - what if people's personalities and memories could be copied at the point of death and then recreated inside a computer? - and looks at it from a lot of different angles. It is certainly thought provoking, and occasionally disturbing.
The first half of the book deals with Rose's death, the grief of her family and then the emotional trauma, denial and final acceptance that in some ways she is still alive. It also follows Rose's journey as she discovers her new virtual world and its other inhabitants.
The second half is darker and moves into thriller territory as Rose's new paradise shows that it may not be perfect and both her and her sister are exposed to danger. Some of the themes here - obsession, violence, sexual abuse, suicide - are made all the worse by their premeditated nature.
This book will make you think about a potential life after death but it doesn't flinch from showing the emotional, physical and moral implications that might arise both for those saved and those they leave behind.