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Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House in Books
Feb 27, 2018
You actually couldn't make this shit up...
By now you will have read a number of (probably contradictory) reviews for this book, which will probably have given you quite a lot of detailed (and probably contradictory) information about the book.
So here’s a very brief answer and overview to help you if you are still wrestling with the question “Should I buy this book, should I read this book, will I be left wishing for those hours of my life back ?”
Well, it’s a doddle to read. It’s actually quite interesting to read. It’s not going to tell you any more outrageous stories about Trump than you have already heard. But it will confirm them, and it will add texture to some. He really didn’t expect to win, he really was just on another self-promo binge.
All of that doesn’t mean the book doesn’t hold surprises. I had no idea Ivanka and Jared are DEMOCRATS (!!??). Oops! I guess I just gave that surprise away…but it’s worth reading about the chaos that’s causing in a White House voted in to place by hard core Republicans. Steve Bannon really is the sad little, alt-right man-child you always thought he was, and not the towering power-house of a political tactician that he accidentally appeared as for a moment or two.
And childishness. So much childishness from so many purportedly adult people. Most of my sticky-notes mark points where the degree of infantile behaviour was so bad that it actually stood out from the day-to-day sulking and tantrums. It quite simply has to be the most insane government a western democracy has ever hosted. Then there’s Trump’s clear belief that the role of POTUS is actually that of an El Presidente-style, junta-leading, banana republic tyrant whose sole purpose is his own aggrandisement and pocket-lining. Like I said at the start – you actually couldn’t make this shit up.
But none of this is revelatory or extraordinary enough to warrant the hardback price, so my ultimate advice – wait until it’s in paperback.
So here’s a very brief answer and overview to help you if you are still wrestling with the question “Should I buy this book, should I read this book, will I be left wishing for those hours of my life back ?”
Well, it’s a doddle to read. It’s actually quite interesting to read. It’s not going to tell you any more outrageous stories about Trump than you have already heard. But it will confirm them, and it will add texture to some. He really didn’t expect to win, he really was just on another self-promo binge.
All of that doesn’t mean the book doesn’t hold surprises. I had no idea Ivanka and Jared are DEMOCRATS (!!??). Oops! I guess I just gave that surprise away…but it’s worth reading about the chaos that’s causing in a White House voted in to place by hard core Republicans. Steve Bannon really is the sad little, alt-right man-child you always thought he was, and not the towering power-house of a political tactician that he accidentally appeared as for a moment or two.
And childishness. So much childishness from so many purportedly adult people. Most of my sticky-notes mark points where the degree of infantile behaviour was so bad that it actually stood out from the day-to-day sulking and tantrums. It quite simply has to be the most insane government a western democracy has ever hosted. Then there’s Trump’s clear belief that the role of POTUS is actually that of an El Presidente-style, junta-leading, banana republic tyrant whose sole purpose is his own aggrandisement and pocket-lining. Like I said at the start – you actually couldn’t make this shit up.
But none of this is revelatory or extraordinary enough to warrant the hardback price, so my ultimate advice – wait until it’s in paperback.
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Husbands and Other Sharp Objects in Books
May 28, 2018
HYSTERICAL
This book is HILARIOUS! 9 LOL STARS!!
Some favorites....
••• "Is bread still considered white once toasted?"
••• "I hate the term “baby lettuce.” Worse is “Boston baby lettuce.” It’s not bad enough you’re eating the baby. You have to know where it comes from."
••• "People I knew hardly ever called on the landline anymore, which was good because I liked to keep that phone open for insurance types who mispronounced my name and financial advisors hawking upside-down mortgages."
And those are literally from just the first 10% of the book!
I LOL'd from beginning to end. If you need some humor in your life, please do yourself a favor and get this book! You won't regret it.. I chuckled, I guffawed, I made all the silly noises that describe laughter. But get this - there is divorce, infidelity, cancer, family issues, heart attacks... and I still made all those silly noises!! Never have I laughed out loud so much from a book.
Marcy Hammer is done with her marriage. Despite a lifetime of memories, three adult kids and a pretty comfortable life, it's inexcusable what Harvey has done. She's got a new man in her life, but Harvey will not let her go. She's determined to get him to file, and move forward with the divorce. But while her own marriage is ending, her daughter Amanda gets engaged, and her marriage is just beginning.
The wedding planning is the bulk of the story - and it is hysterically insane. From beginning to end between thieving in-laws, silly traditions, and just having her kids meet Jon her new boyfriend, nothing is simple, everything involves some sort of challenge or confrontation - but Marcy takes it all in stride - doing her best as a mom, a friend, a partner - and her sense of humor truly shines in this book!
I loved Marcy, she is witty and feisty, and her family is just as dysfunctional as you'd want in a great book. The writing is sharp and quick, and I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.
Some favorites....
••• "Is bread still considered white once toasted?"
••• "I hate the term “baby lettuce.” Worse is “Boston baby lettuce.” It’s not bad enough you’re eating the baby. You have to know where it comes from."
••• "People I knew hardly ever called on the landline anymore, which was good because I liked to keep that phone open for insurance types who mispronounced my name and financial advisors hawking upside-down mortgages."
And those are literally from just the first 10% of the book!
I LOL'd from beginning to end. If you need some humor in your life, please do yourself a favor and get this book! You won't regret it.. I chuckled, I guffawed, I made all the silly noises that describe laughter. But get this - there is divorce, infidelity, cancer, family issues, heart attacks... and I still made all those silly noises!! Never have I laughed out loud so much from a book.
Marcy Hammer is done with her marriage. Despite a lifetime of memories, three adult kids and a pretty comfortable life, it's inexcusable what Harvey has done. She's got a new man in her life, but Harvey will not let her go. She's determined to get him to file, and move forward with the divorce. But while her own marriage is ending, her daughter Amanda gets engaged, and her marriage is just beginning.
The wedding planning is the bulk of the story - and it is hysterically insane. From beginning to end between thieving in-laws, silly traditions, and just having her kids meet Jon her new boyfriend, nothing is simple, everything involves some sort of challenge or confrontation - but Marcy takes it all in stride - doing her best as a mom, a friend, a partner - and her sense of humor truly shines in this book!
I loved Marcy, she is witty and feisty, and her family is just as dysfunctional as you'd want in a great book. The writing is sharp and quick, and I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Animators in Books
Jun 18, 2018
I hadn't actually intended this to be one of my Pride Month reads, but Mel, the main character's best friend and business partner, is lesbian, so it turns out that it counts! I read this book as part of Litsy's "Buddy Reads" program, where everyone participating reads the same section of the book and discusses it before moving on to the next section. So I've been slowly reading this one over the past month. I'm not sure I would have read this if not for the Buddy Read.
This book surprised me! I enjoyed it, and I wasn't sure I would. Mel and Sharon have been friends since college, spurring each other to greater artistry in their chosen field of adult cartooning. (Not porn, just not childish themes.) They work well together, with Mel coming up with most of the beginning ideas and Sharon hammering them into a shape that will work and keeping them on track through projects. But Mel has a drug and alcohol problem, and Sharon has a stroke, and working through all of those things are really what the book deals with.
The two go back to visit Sharon's hometown in Kentucky at one point, and the way Sharon describes the town, and how surreal it is and how she never felt like she belonged, even when she lived there - that was a really hard-hitting passage for me. I went back to my own hometown last Christmas, and I felt the same feelings Sharon has in the book. Seeing those feelings actually put into words was....strange.
I honestly didn't like either Mel or Sharon for the first few chapters, but as the story unfolds, they begin to open up. The book is about growing up in some ways; the two of them, though advancing in their careers, haven't had to do a lot of maturing emotionally until the events of the book. I thought they both become much more likable as that happened.
The writing was excellent in this book, the character development outstanding, and the plot heartbreaking in places. Even though it's not my typical reading fare, I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
This book surprised me! I enjoyed it, and I wasn't sure I would. Mel and Sharon have been friends since college, spurring each other to greater artistry in their chosen field of adult cartooning. (Not porn, just not childish themes.) They work well together, with Mel coming up with most of the beginning ideas and Sharon hammering them into a shape that will work and keeping them on track through projects. But Mel has a drug and alcohol problem, and Sharon has a stroke, and working through all of those things are really what the book deals with.
The two go back to visit Sharon's hometown in Kentucky at one point, and the way Sharon describes the town, and how surreal it is and how she never felt like she belonged, even when she lived there - that was a really hard-hitting passage for me. I went back to my own hometown last Christmas, and I felt the same feelings Sharon has in the book. Seeing those feelings actually put into words was....strange.
I honestly didn't like either Mel or Sharon for the first few chapters, but as the story unfolds, they begin to open up. The book is about growing up in some ways; the two of them, though advancing in their careers, haven't had to do a lot of maturing emotionally until the events of the book. I thought they both become much more likable as that happened.
The writing was excellent in this book, the character development outstanding, and the plot heartbreaking in places. Even though it's not my typical reading fare, I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Shadow Fall (Shadow Fall, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Rating 1.5 stars
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
For almost a decade, dystopian literature has become mainstream amongst the young adult community, and it appears set to stay as another debut author joins the bandwagon. <i>Shadow Fall</i> by Audrey Grey encompasses ideas from popular series, such as<i> The Hunger Games</i> and <i>The Maze Runner</i>, to create an original apocalyptic story. In barely more than a fortnight the Earth is doomed to be destroyed by a passing asteroid, only a handful of humans can survive. The question is who?
Maia Graystone, a fugitive, has been given the opportunity to win a place on Hyperion space station – a castle in the stars – and safety from the asteroid, Pandora. However in a game of life and death it is not going to be easy to get through the trials. Posing, quite literally, as the Lady Everly March, Maia hopes not to be recognized by the tyrannous Emperor, nor by the mother who abandoned her. Yet Maia’s supporters have an ulterior motive – kill the Emperor.
To be brutally honest, <i>Shadow Fall</i> was a rather tedious book to read. Granted there was a lot of action – mostly unnecessary, bloodthirsty murder – however the confusing storyline, rude characters and the inability to evoke a visual idea of the setting, resulted in a painstakingly uninspiring story.
With so many dystopian novels to compete against, it is going to be hard for a new writer to stand out from the crowd. Audrey Grey used a lot of Greek mythological references as the basis of her ideas, something that appealed to me, but may be lost on other readers.
On the other hand,<i> Shadow Fall </i>contains a couple of scenes that will conjure emotion up in the majority of readers, and mildly excite and engage. Yet, for me, this was not enough to save it from a negative review. I really wanted to like this book but I struggled to get into the story and appreciate the author’s hard work.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
For almost a decade, dystopian literature has become mainstream amongst the young adult community, and it appears set to stay as another debut author joins the bandwagon. <i>Shadow Fall</i> by Audrey Grey encompasses ideas from popular series, such as<i> The Hunger Games</i> and <i>The Maze Runner</i>, to create an original apocalyptic story. In barely more than a fortnight the Earth is doomed to be destroyed by a passing asteroid, only a handful of humans can survive. The question is who?
Maia Graystone, a fugitive, has been given the opportunity to win a place on Hyperion space station – a castle in the stars – and safety from the asteroid, Pandora. However in a game of life and death it is not going to be easy to get through the trials. Posing, quite literally, as the Lady Everly March, Maia hopes not to be recognized by the tyrannous Emperor, nor by the mother who abandoned her. Yet Maia’s supporters have an ulterior motive – kill the Emperor.
To be brutally honest, <i>Shadow Fall</i> was a rather tedious book to read. Granted there was a lot of action – mostly unnecessary, bloodthirsty murder – however the confusing storyline, rude characters and the inability to evoke a visual idea of the setting, resulted in a painstakingly uninspiring story.
With so many dystopian novels to compete against, it is going to be hard for a new writer to stand out from the crowd. Audrey Grey used a lot of Greek mythological references as the basis of her ideas, something that appealed to me, but may be lost on other readers.
On the other hand,<i> Shadow Fall </i>contains a couple of scenes that will conjure emotion up in the majority of readers, and mildly excite and engage. Yet, for me, this was not enough to save it from a negative review. I really wanted to like this book but I struggled to get into the story and appreciate the author’s hard work.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated This Raging Light in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This Raging Light</i> is a contemporary young adult debut novel by Estelle Laure. It is a fast paced story of family, friendship and first love. Seventeen-year-old Lucille should be worrying about her senior year at school, spending time with her best friend Eden and admiring Eden’s twin brother, Digby. Instead both parents have disappeared, leaving 9-year-old Wren and a pile of bills in Lucille’s unprepared hands.
Whilst trying to keep up appearances so that no one finds out what is going on at home, Lucille struggles to maintain her friendship with words-of-wisdom-quoting Eden and curb her ever-growing fascination with Digby.
Laure’s writing style instantly connects the reader with Lucille’s personality and circumstance. Lucille is an admirable character who has already been through so much before the story even began. Her father had a mental breakdown and then disappeared from the hospital with no word of where he was going. At a time in their life when they needed as much support as possible, Lucille and Wren’s mother takes off as well. It is unfathomable how Lucille managed to cope and keep it secret for so long; readers are sure to question how they would cope in the same situation.
Toward the beginning of the book the phrases used to describe Lucille’s father and his mental health problems were a bit stigmatic. This almost made mental illness appear to be a negative problem to be avoided and shunned. Hopefully this will not fuel any reader’s prejudices about the mental ill.
Lucille and Digby’s relationship was a little confusing. It was not delved into deep enough to create any climax within the storyline. The key theme was about Lucille surviving on her own rather than her romantic experiences.
Overall, <i>This Raging Light</i> is so easy to read that many people will find it difficult to put down. Lucille is such a lovely character that you will want to see through to the very end to make sure she is okay and looked after.
This Raging Light</i> is a contemporary young adult debut novel by Estelle Laure. It is a fast paced story of family, friendship and first love. Seventeen-year-old Lucille should be worrying about her senior year at school, spending time with her best friend Eden and admiring Eden’s twin brother, Digby. Instead both parents have disappeared, leaving 9-year-old Wren and a pile of bills in Lucille’s unprepared hands.
Whilst trying to keep up appearances so that no one finds out what is going on at home, Lucille struggles to maintain her friendship with words-of-wisdom-quoting Eden and curb her ever-growing fascination with Digby.
Laure’s writing style instantly connects the reader with Lucille’s personality and circumstance. Lucille is an admirable character who has already been through so much before the story even began. Her father had a mental breakdown and then disappeared from the hospital with no word of where he was going. At a time in their life when they needed as much support as possible, Lucille and Wren’s mother takes off as well. It is unfathomable how Lucille managed to cope and keep it secret for so long; readers are sure to question how they would cope in the same situation.
Toward the beginning of the book the phrases used to describe Lucille’s father and his mental health problems were a bit stigmatic. This almost made mental illness appear to be a negative problem to be avoided and shunned. Hopefully this will not fuel any reader’s prejudices about the mental ill.
Lucille and Digby’s relationship was a little confusing. It was not delved into deep enough to create any climax within the storyline. The key theme was about Lucille surviving on her own rather than her romantic experiences.
Overall, <i>This Raging Light</i> is so easy to read that many people will find it difficult to put down. Lucille is such a lovely character that you will want to see through to the very end to make sure she is okay and looked after.
Louise (64 KP) rated Blue Bottle Mystery - The Graphic Novel: An Asperger Adventure in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was provided a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion.
The artwork in this graphic novel is very simplistic and colourful, easy to follow as targeted for middle grade.
I enjoyed this Graphic Novel it was very informative on a basic level, it showed family dynamics and symptoms of aspergers. I believe this should be put in all schools for children to read, to recognise that there are illnesses out there that define people the way they are. I have only really learnt about AS in my adult life, this could be that it's more recognised and understood now.
There are several characters in this story that surround Ben and you get to see all their ways in which they communicate.
Grandma is around to look after Ben when his father is working, she is very supportive and understanding and is a go between Ben and his father.
The dad, is a stereotypical dad, wants his son to be good at sports and have a rough and tumble, he doesn't understand why Ben is the way he is and clearly gets frustrated when Ben can't explain himself.
Andy, Ben's best friend, is a decent kid and is very tolerant but he himself also gets frustrated with Ben on occasions but sticks with him, its great to see that true friends will stick around and keep coming back.
The teacher (I have forgotten her name.... it's something double-barreled) is very frustrated, she has her own problems too, but Ben can't read her emotions, he takes things too literally and is mistaken for being rude.
The blue bottle and the genie is just added to make the story interesting for the kids to read, It doesn't have any real relevance to AS.
This book looks at family dynamics, friendship, bullying and obviously Aspergers Syndrome.
This is such an easy read, definitely one to read with kids to make them more aware or anyone that has never heard of AS as it shows all they symptoms in Ben's character.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
The artwork in this graphic novel is very simplistic and colourful, easy to follow as targeted for middle grade.
I enjoyed this Graphic Novel it was very informative on a basic level, it showed family dynamics and symptoms of aspergers. I believe this should be put in all schools for children to read, to recognise that there are illnesses out there that define people the way they are. I have only really learnt about AS in my adult life, this could be that it's more recognised and understood now.
There are several characters in this story that surround Ben and you get to see all their ways in which they communicate.
Grandma is around to look after Ben when his father is working, she is very supportive and understanding and is a go between Ben and his father.
The dad, is a stereotypical dad, wants his son to be good at sports and have a rough and tumble, he doesn't understand why Ben is the way he is and clearly gets frustrated when Ben can't explain himself.
Andy, Ben's best friend, is a decent kid and is very tolerant but he himself also gets frustrated with Ben on occasions but sticks with him, its great to see that true friends will stick around and keep coming back.
The teacher (I have forgotten her name.... it's something double-barreled) is very frustrated, she has her own problems too, but Ben can't read her emotions, he takes things too literally and is mistaken for being rude.
The blue bottle and the genie is just added to make the story interesting for the kids to read, It doesn't have any real relevance to AS.
This book looks at family dynamics, friendship, bullying and obviously Aspergers Syndrome.
This is such an easy read, definitely one to read with kids to make them more aware or anyone that has never heard of AS as it shows all they symptoms in Ben's character.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Night School (2018) in Movies
Oct 15, 2018
Funny...enough - especially the classmates
Both Kevin Hart and Tiffany Hadish are comedic performers that can wear their welcome out if they are not reigned in properly. They both serve best as the comic "2nd banana" of a film, rather than the lead, so it was with some trepidation that I checked out the Hart/Haddish starring comedy NIGHT SCHOOL and when the first meeting of the two was the both of them running their very fast mouths at each other, I thought - for sure - that they would wear their welcome out with me.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Night School - the focus of this film veered away from these two bantering with each other and settled into a fairly funny, fairly innocuous comedy that I walked away liking.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (GIRLS TRIP), Night School stars Hart as a High School drop-out who is now a motor-mouthed salesman who loses his job and just might lose his girl if he doesn't go back and get his GED so he can land a new job. Haddish stars as the teacher of the Night School. Both the leads are used sparingly enough that they were enjoyable participants in this film.
But for me, the strength of this film comes in the rogues gallery of comedians that were brought in to play the other students in the Night School. Rob Riggle, Mary-Lynn Rajskub, Romany Malco, Fat Joe and Al Madrigal are all winning and comforting strengths of this film as the adult "Breakfast Club" that fall under the spell - and direction - of Hart's character. It is a group that I loved spending time with and wouldn't mind spending more time with.
And I'm glad they are there for the Direction, plot twists and other characters are all pretty predictable, but they made it an enjoyable enough romp that I fall on the side of recommending it - especially if you are looking for a mindless comedy that will NOT require you to break into a discussion group afterward. A good "Netflix", rental or rainy afternoon on TBS comedy.
Letter Grade: B-
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the BankofMarquis
But a funny thing happened on the way to Night School - the focus of this film veered away from these two bantering with each other and settled into a fairly funny, fairly innocuous comedy that I walked away liking.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (GIRLS TRIP), Night School stars Hart as a High School drop-out who is now a motor-mouthed salesman who loses his job and just might lose his girl if he doesn't go back and get his GED so he can land a new job. Haddish stars as the teacher of the Night School. Both the leads are used sparingly enough that they were enjoyable participants in this film.
But for me, the strength of this film comes in the rogues gallery of comedians that were brought in to play the other students in the Night School. Rob Riggle, Mary-Lynn Rajskub, Romany Malco, Fat Joe and Al Madrigal are all winning and comforting strengths of this film as the adult "Breakfast Club" that fall under the spell - and direction - of Hart's character. It is a group that I loved spending time with and wouldn't mind spending more time with.
And I'm glad they are there for the Direction, plot twists and other characters are all pretty predictable, but they made it an enjoyable enough romp that I fall on the side of recommending it - especially if you are looking for a mindless comedy that will NOT require you to break into a discussion group afterward. A good "Netflix", rental or rainy afternoon on TBS comedy.
Letter Grade: B-
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the BankofMarquis
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Haunting of Hill House in TV
Oct 20, 2018
Outstanding
I'm not familiar with the book that this Netflix show is based on, but then from what I understand this is meant to be more a 'remix' of the book anyway. All I can say though is, faithful to the book or not, this is without a doubt one of the most incredibly brilliant shows I have seen in a very long time.
The Haunting of Hill House is all about the Crain family, flitting between then, now, yesterday and varying points in their lives. From their early years of living in a haunted house and having to leave quickly one night following their mothers suicide, to adulthood and trying to keep it all together in order to live some kind of normal life. The show takes a little while to settle in and to get comfortable with who is the adult version of which child (there are 5 children in total) and where they're all currently at in their lives, but after that the show just goes from strength to strength. Taking a few episodes to cover each child's story, all the while carefully taking the time occasionally to go back to their childhood life in the house, piecing things together for us. Continuing to add layers to each character and highlighting key points in those early years that subsequently affect their behaviour towards other family members as grown ups. It's like a much darker version of 'This is Us', with added horror and jump scares!
Whenever I read any positive reviews for the movie Hereditary, everything they describe about what made it great for them is totally what I got out of this show. It's the complete opposite to what I got from Hereditary, and I came away from that just feeling angry, frustrated and hugely disappointed. With The Haunting of Hill House though, every episode gripped me, sticking with me for a long time after. Episodes featuring beautifully elaborate long takes draw you into the drama, camera weaving between and around the characters and scenery, creating opportunities for some fantastic effects, especially within the house at night. Perfectly paced storytelling, effective without overly used scares, and some truly heartbreaking sadness at times. I loved it all, from start to finish.
The Haunting of Hill House is all about the Crain family, flitting between then, now, yesterday and varying points in their lives. From their early years of living in a haunted house and having to leave quickly one night following their mothers suicide, to adulthood and trying to keep it all together in order to live some kind of normal life. The show takes a little while to settle in and to get comfortable with who is the adult version of which child (there are 5 children in total) and where they're all currently at in their lives, but after that the show just goes from strength to strength. Taking a few episodes to cover each child's story, all the while carefully taking the time occasionally to go back to their childhood life in the house, piecing things together for us. Continuing to add layers to each character and highlighting key points in those early years that subsequently affect their behaviour towards other family members as grown ups. It's like a much darker version of 'This is Us', with added horror and jump scares!
Whenever I read any positive reviews for the movie Hereditary, everything they describe about what made it great for them is totally what I got out of this show. It's the complete opposite to what I got from Hereditary, and I came away from that just feeling angry, frustrated and hugely disappointed. With The Haunting of Hill House though, every episode gripped me, sticking with me for a long time after. Episodes featuring beautifully elaborate long takes draw you into the drama, camera weaving between and around the characters and scenery, creating opportunities for some fantastic effects, especially within the house at night. Perfectly paced storytelling, effective without overly used scares, and some truly heartbreaking sadness at times. I loved it all, from start to finish.
This book was provided as a complimentary and signed copy from the author, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to review another piece of writing by this talented author.
The story is told by Bullheaded Black, the horse of Alexander the Great, or Alex as the horse calls him. It covers the basic history of the life and triumphs of Alexander from a young boy and even includes some overarching history to help the reader grasp the overall history of the era and the other ancient peoples involved in the tale.
I have always been taught to be honest, and that is exactly what I will do, I felt this style of writing, at times, oversimplified the history. Now, I think I find that less appealing as I am an avid reader of history books of a much more detailed level, however, for the target audience, I feel it was pitched quite well. The history covered is interestingly put to the reader and is well described in context, which I think helps you absorb more of the history.
It was quite slow to get going, and never really gained a great pace, however I would find this very useful as a classroom text to introduce this era of history to any child over about 7 years old as it is at a level that they could understand. Also, the novelty of using the horse to tell the story is something that I feel would appeal to the intended audience, perhaps a little more than it did to me!
Overall, this is a good book for younger children and teenagers to learn about history in a fun and interesting way. It is written in a very different style to the author's other works I have read, which only goes to show his versatility in writing for the adult and children's market! Despite the apparently low rating, 3 stars means I liked it, and I would recommend it to younger readers, and to my teaching friends who are looking for some interesting historical fiction to assist their own knowledge, and to engage the children in a fantastic era of history.
The story is told by Bullheaded Black, the horse of Alexander the Great, or Alex as the horse calls him. It covers the basic history of the life and triumphs of Alexander from a young boy and even includes some overarching history to help the reader grasp the overall history of the era and the other ancient peoples involved in the tale.
I have always been taught to be honest, and that is exactly what I will do, I felt this style of writing, at times, oversimplified the history. Now, I think I find that less appealing as I am an avid reader of history books of a much more detailed level, however, for the target audience, I feel it was pitched quite well. The history covered is interestingly put to the reader and is well described in context, which I think helps you absorb more of the history.
It was quite slow to get going, and never really gained a great pace, however I would find this very useful as a classroom text to introduce this era of history to any child over about 7 years old as it is at a level that they could understand. Also, the novelty of using the horse to tell the story is something that I feel would appeal to the intended audience, perhaps a little more than it did to me!
Overall, this is a good book for younger children and teenagers to learn about history in a fun and interesting way. It is written in a very different style to the author's other works I have read, which only goes to show his versatility in writing for the adult and children's market! Despite the apparently low rating, 3 stars means I liked it, and I would recommend it to younger readers, and to my teaching friends who are looking for some interesting historical fiction to assist their own knowledge, and to engage the children in a fantastic era of history.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The 5th wave (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Films about invaders from space have been a staple of film and television since the golden age of cinema. Playing on many Cold War fears in the aftermath of W.W.II, aliens bent on destruction has been an enduring staple of cinematic culture.
In the new film “The 5th Wave” which is based on the book of the same name, Chloe Grace Moretz plays Cassie, a teen who has her entire life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious craft. A few days after the arrival of “the Others” as they are known, a pulse wipes out all electronics on the planet. This is soon followed by tsunamis and earthquakes as well as disease and death.
Cassie along with her father and brother find shelter but their community is soon disrupted by the arrival of the military who say that the invaders are now amongst them and posing as humans.
The military under the leadership of Colonel Vosch (Liev Schreiber) has a plan to train the children to spot and defeat the alien invaders thus setting in motion the main conflict of the film. The secondary story consists of Cassie attempting to reunite with her family and her relationship with a mysterious stranger named Evan (Alex Roe).
The film is clearly aimed at a young adult market and as such I was able to spot the big twist in the film a long ways off as the clues were blatantly obvious to me. That being said, the film is better than you might expect and being the first chapter in a trilogy of books does set up the possibilities of sequels.
The dialogue and acting is pretty groan inducing at times, but again, remember the target audience, the film should entertain and it is nice to see Moretz deliver a solid performance in what in many ways could have been a limited role.
While it is not going to make you forget “The Hunger Games” anytime soon, the film is still a decent escape for those willing to overlook the flaws.
http://sknr.net/2016/01/22/the-5th-wave/
In the new film “The 5th Wave” which is based on the book of the same name, Chloe Grace Moretz plays Cassie, a teen who has her entire life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious craft. A few days after the arrival of “the Others” as they are known, a pulse wipes out all electronics on the planet. This is soon followed by tsunamis and earthquakes as well as disease and death.
Cassie along with her father and brother find shelter but their community is soon disrupted by the arrival of the military who say that the invaders are now amongst them and posing as humans.
The military under the leadership of Colonel Vosch (Liev Schreiber) has a plan to train the children to spot and defeat the alien invaders thus setting in motion the main conflict of the film. The secondary story consists of Cassie attempting to reunite with her family and her relationship with a mysterious stranger named Evan (Alex Roe).
The film is clearly aimed at a young adult market and as such I was able to spot the big twist in the film a long ways off as the clues were blatantly obvious to me. That being said, the film is better than you might expect and being the first chapter in a trilogy of books does set up the possibilities of sequels.
The dialogue and acting is pretty groan inducing at times, but again, remember the target audience, the film should entertain and it is nice to see Moretz deliver a solid performance in what in many ways could have been a limited role.
While it is not going to make you forget “The Hunger Games” anytime soon, the film is still a decent escape for those willing to overlook the flaws.
http://sknr.net/2016/01/22/the-5th-wave/