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Lee Ronaldo recommended Ladies of the Canyon by Joni Mitchell in Music (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated My Sister in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book drew me in from the first chapter. It was extremely mysterious and I could feel the suspense building up already. It was very hard to put this novel down.
The main character in this novel is Irini (love, love the name), a successful doctor with hip problems, which left her slightly limping. All her life she was running from her sister – Elle. Why? Because Elle is dangerous and unpredictable. I really loved the characters which were chosen for this book. I think they were very original, charismatic and supported each other very nicely. I really liked Irini and her life story, but it is very hard not to admire Elle, in some sort of weird way. Her character has charm, her personality is very strong, her actions, masterful manipulations because she is a psychopath. It was very interesting to read about this connection which Irini and Elle shared, they can’t be together but they need each other. You know it will destroy your life, but you still need it… All this was told while sharing Irini’s experiences from the past, which I found absolutely amusing and very intriguing to read.
The narrative of this novel is very gripping. Page after page, the author brought in a twist or unexpected turn, leaving me more and more interested in what will happen next. The whole plot was told from Irini’s perspective, and even though it was enough to make it an interesting read, I would have loved to read Elle’s perspective as well. I think it would have made this book even more interesting and would’ve answered more questions, and at least for me, it is always interesting to read what psychopaths think. Sometimes I got tired of this constant “Why did they give me away?” question. For me, in some places, it was quite repetitive and not always necessary.
The writing style of this novel is very creative and smartly thought through, leaving some cliffhangers, which are still bothering me a little. The chapters are a very decent length and it didn’t drag for me because the plot has sucked me in. I do not recommend it for young readers, as it contains some mild violence, drugs and alcohol. I am not fully satisfied with the ending of this book, even though it answered the main questions of this novel, it still has unresolved mysteries, which were left with hypothetical explanations.
So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this dark and gripping thriller, filled with strange sisterly love, very strong and charismatic characters and very well thought through and intriguing plot, uncovering new secrets with every chapter. Enjoy
The main character in this novel is Irini (love, love the name), a successful doctor with hip problems, which left her slightly limping. All her life she was running from her sister – Elle. Why? Because Elle is dangerous and unpredictable. I really loved the characters which were chosen for this book. I think they were very original, charismatic and supported each other very nicely. I really liked Irini and her life story, but it is very hard not to admire Elle, in some sort of weird way. Her character has charm, her personality is very strong, her actions, masterful manipulations because she is a psychopath. It was very interesting to read about this connection which Irini and Elle shared, they can’t be together but they need each other. You know it will destroy your life, but you still need it… All this was told while sharing Irini’s experiences from the past, which I found absolutely amusing and very intriguing to read.
The narrative of this novel is very gripping. Page after page, the author brought in a twist or unexpected turn, leaving me more and more interested in what will happen next. The whole plot was told from Irini’s perspective, and even though it was enough to make it an interesting read, I would have loved to read Elle’s perspective as well. I think it would have made this book even more interesting and would’ve answered more questions, and at least for me, it is always interesting to read what psychopaths think. Sometimes I got tired of this constant “Why did they give me away?” question. For me, in some places, it was quite repetitive and not always necessary.
The writing style of this novel is very creative and smartly thought through, leaving some cliffhangers, which are still bothering me a little. The chapters are a very decent length and it didn’t drag for me because the plot has sucked me in. I do not recommend it for young readers, as it contains some mild violence, drugs and alcohol. I am not fully satisfied with the ending of this book, even though it answered the main questions of this novel, it still has unresolved mysteries, which were left with hypothetical explanations.
So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this dark and gripping thriller, filled with strange sisterly love, very strong and charismatic characters and very well thought through and intriguing plot, uncovering new secrets with every chapter. Enjoy
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated All-New Wolverine, Volume 5: Orphans of X in Books
Nov 30, 2020
<b>**</b> <i>Before I begin, I should just like to preface this review with the following disclaimer: any reviews I have written are almost always going to be less than biased, due to the content being related to Laura Kinney (X-23). However, that being said, if the story is rubbish, and Laura is in it, I will still be honest in my review. Now, on to the review.. </i><b>**</b>
ORPHANS OF X was the perfect story arc to wash away the taste from the two previous arcs - "Enemy of the State II" and "Immune". From the beginning to the end, this was a solid story! There was action, there was suspenseful tension, and, of course, there was humor along the way (Thanks in part to Gabby, or as she is known by her new codename: Honey Badger!). A winning recipe for how to write a comic book successfully!
Under writer Tom Taylor's hand, Laura has evolved as a character. Yes, she was a former assassin. Yes, she killed a hell of a lot of people during her time when she was part of the Facility's Weapon X Program. However, that doesn't mean you can't a) move beyond that, nor b) can you just forget that. And that is what Taylor has done.
Laura has grown, taking on the responsibility of looking out for/"raising" her sister/clone Gabby. She displays more emotions, not 100% perfect, but considering her backstory, it makes sense the way she is being written.
No spoilers, promise, but the ending resolution to ORPHANS OF X sets in motion great potential! We know the next arc will be "Old Woman Laura", but after that? Oh, wait 'til you read it, and if you are a fan of the character, you should be as excite as I am!
And, as praiseworthy as Tom Taylor's writing was, I feel I should also gave a more than fair nod to new series artist (I hope!) Juann Cabal. A lot of talent, and definitely someone this book could use! Cabal's pencils are tight, yet fluid. He brings a lot of action to a fight panel, yet also brings a careful attention to facial detail when it is a simpler, not action-y scene.
Oh, of course, there were also some amazing (as always) covers by fan favorite Terry Dodson! Brilliant!!
Many of us, fans of Laura Kinney, have been hankering for a story like this. Everything about it was all aces! But, don't let me be the final word on this. By all means, good folk, read on..
ORPHANS OF X was the perfect story arc to wash away the taste from the two previous arcs - "Enemy of the State II" and "Immune". From the beginning to the end, this was a solid story! There was action, there was suspenseful tension, and, of course, there was humor along the way (Thanks in part to Gabby, or as she is known by her new codename: Honey Badger!). A winning recipe for how to write a comic book successfully!
Under writer Tom Taylor's hand, Laura has evolved as a character. Yes, she was a former assassin. Yes, she killed a hell of a lot of people during her time when she was part of the Facility's Weapon X Program. However, that doesn't mean you can't a) move beyond that, nor b) can you just forget that. And that is what Taylor has done.
Laura has grown, taking on the responsibility of looking out for/"raising" her sister/clone Gabby. She displays more emotions, not 100% perfect, but considering her backstory, it makes sense the way she is being written.
No spoilers, promise, but the ending resolution to ORPHANS OF X sets in motion great potential! We know the next arc will be "Old Woman Laura", but after that? Oh, wait 'til you read it, and if you are a fan of the character, you should be as excite as I am!
And, as praiseworthy as Tom Taylor's writing was, I feel I should also gave a more than fair nod to new series artist (I hope!) Juann Cabal. A lot of talent, and definitely someone this book could use! Cabal's pencils are tight, yet fluid. He brings a lot of action to a fight panel, yet also brings a careful attention to facial detail when it is a simpler, not action-y scene.
Oh, of course, there were also some amazing (as always) covers by fan favorite Terry Dodson! Brilliant!!
Many of us, fans of Laura Kinney, have been hankering for a story like this. Everything about it was all aces! But, don't let me be the final word on this. By all means, good folk, read on..
Darren (1599 KP) rated Jasper Jones (2016) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
Characters – Charlie Bucktin is the teenager that is in the middle of the mystery about the death of the girl in the town. He befriends the one person everyone thinks it is as he must see the prejudice that the non-locals deal with being in the town. Ruth is Charlie’s mother that is always worrying about Charlie when he keeps breaking the curfew. Eliza is the sister of the dead girl, she becomes friends with Charlie as she needs someone to keep her feeling the right mind set during the wait. Jasper Jones is the outcast of the town who is easily the suspect the town will blame for the murder.
Performances – Levi Miller is good in the leading role, we have seen him in other movies and he has been making a reputation with this type of role. Toni Collette shines as we know she always will, she is such an incredible actress. Angourie Rice after The Nice Guys is an actress we want to see where she went next, here she is good and shows her potential. The rest of the stars are good for what they need to do.
Story – The story follows the mystery surrounding the death of a young woman and the mystery about who was the one responsible. We get secrets which help with the mystery as well as dealing with racial behaviour of the town’s people towards the ones that aren’t Australian. We do touch on other important subjects which come from the ending of the film, so won’t be spoiling them. This feels like a story that should have such a big impact though we don’t get enough time to process each moment to its full effect, this only disappoints because you do need to process large parts of this film.
Mystery – The mystery in this film comes from just wondering who was behind the death of the girl, even though this isn’t the only major talking point in the film as we end up seeing other subjects getting dealt with.
Settings – The small town setting in one that works for the film, it shows you could never know everything about your neighbours and you will need to be friends when things go wrong.
Scene of the Movie – The truth about the body.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – So many serious subjects, not enough time to process.
Final Thoughts – This does feel like a massively powerful movie that just doesn’t give us the time to process all the major talking points within the movie, this needed to be longer or a television show.
Overall: Too much to process at times.
Performances – Levi Miller is good in the leading role, we have seen him in other movies and he has been making a reputation with this type of role. Toni Collette shines as we know she always will, she is such an incredible actress. Angourie Rice after The Nice Guys is an actress we want to see where she went next, here she is good and shows her potential. The rest of the stars are good for what they need to do.
Story – The story follows the mystery surrounding the death of a young woman and the mystery about who was the one responsible. We get secrets which help with the mystery as well as dealing with racial behaviour of the town’s people towards the ones that aren’t Australian. We do touch on other important subjects which come from the ending of the film, so won’t be spoiling them. This feels like a story that should have such a big impact though we don’t get enough time to process each moment to its full effect, this only disappoints because you do need to process large parts of this film.
Mystery – The mystery in this film comes from just wondering who was behind the death of the girl, even though this isn’t the only major talking point in the film as we end up seeing other subjects getting dealt with.
Settings – The small town setting in one that works for the film, it shows you could never know everything about your neighbours and you will need to be friends when things go wrong.
Scene of the Movie – The truth about the body.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – So many serious subjects, not enough time to process.
Final Thoughts – This does feel like a massively powerful movie that just doesn’t give us the time to process all the major talking points within the movie, this needed to be longer or a television show.
Overall: Too much to process at times.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Big Summer in Books
May 7, 2020
Well this was an unexpected yet enjoyable read. It's far less serious than Weiner's previous book, the expansive and beautiful Mrs. Everything, but I think it's exactly the read we need for these times. I finished feeling happy and grateful for what I had in my life. Big Summer was a wonderful distraction from real life.
This is a fun story featuring our engaging plus-size heroine, Daphne, who is still struggling to find herself as an adult. Many of her scars and insecurities come from her so-called friendship with Drue, who was more of a user than a friend. After Drue hurt Daphne one time too many, she hasn't seen her in six years. But she's still powerless to say no to her, especially when she's begging for her to attend her high society wedding.
"You are susceptible to Drue Cavanaugh. She's your Kryptonite."
I found Daphne to be sweet albeit in need of a backbone at times. Her journey to self-actualization is certainly engaging. Big Summer takes a huge turn about halfway through, giving me a big surprise, but I loved it, honestly. I'm glad I hadn't read about the twist--a lot of reviews give it away, but I won't. Let's just say that Drue and her minions can be quite twisted at times, and there's a lot to unravel and unwrap here in terms of motivations and backstory. Big Summer starts with a little snippet set in the early 1990s, setting us up for the story ahead. We also learn about Daphne and Drue's past and all about their friendship.
This is such a sweet, sometimes silly (oh how I love Daphne's parents), and real read. Goodness, the pieces about Daphne's weight can be so heartbreaking. There's a section where she remembers her grandmother caring for her for a summer and basically giving her her weight insecurities, as she put Daphne on her first diet, making her aware of being heavier. Oh man. Weiner is an excellent writer, and she brings Daphne to life here, making her such a true person, whom we want to root for, hug, and love.
And she gives us a book about family, love, and reminds us to be grateful for what we have. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, per se. Always important, but even so more right now. I loved this one, with its escapist nature and twisty yet heartfelt storyline. 4+ stars.
This is a fun story featuring our engaging plus-size heroine, Daphne, who is still struggling to find herself as an adult. Many of her scars and insecurities come from her so-called friendship with Drue, who was more of a user than a friend. After Drue hurt Daphne one time too many, she hasn't seen her in six years. But she's still powerless to say no to her, especially when she's begging for her to attend her high society wedding.
"You are susceptible to Drue Cavanaugh. She's your Kryptonite."
I found Daphne to be sweet albeit in need of a backbone at times. Her journey to self-actualization is certainly engaging. Big Summer takes a huge turn about halfway through, giving me a big surprise, but I loved it, honestly. I'm glad I hadn't read about the twist--a lot of reviews give it away, but I won't. Let's just say that Drue and her minions can be quite twisted at times, and there's a lot to unravel and unwrap here in terms of motivations and backstory. Big Summer starts with a little snippet set in the early 1990s, setting us up for the story ahead. We also learn about Daphne and Drue's past and all about their friendship.
This is such a sweet, sometimes silly (oh how I love Daphne's parents), and real read. Goodness, the pieces about Daphne's weight can be so heartbreaking. There's a section where she remembers her grandmother caring for her for a summer and basically giving her her weight insecurities, as she put Daphne on her first diet, making her aware of being heavier. Oh man. Weiner is an excellent writer, and she brings Daphne to life here, making her such a true person, whom we want to root for, hug, and love.
And she gives us a book about family, love, and reminds us to be grateful for what we have. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, per se. Always important, but even so more right now. I loved this one, with its escapist nature and twisty yet heartfelt storyline. 4+ stars.
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Saltburn (2023) in Movies
Dec 29, 2023
Interesting...Intriguing...and Dark
Actress/Writer/Director Emerald Fennell is turning into an artistic voice that bears noticing and with SALTBURN - her follow-up to PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (the film that won her the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay) - Fennell’s artistic voice is in full bloom.
Starring Barry Keoghan (Oscar nominated for THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN), SALTBURN tells the story of an Oxford student who befriends the rich, cool kid (Jacob Elordi, EUPHORIA) who invites him back to his family compound, SALTBURN, for the summer with his eccentric (to say the least) family.
As written and directed by Fennell, SALTBURN is a satire on the elite rich, showing them in their extravagant, quirky isolation in their compound, looking down on the common folk from their piles of money (or…in some cases…oblivious of the common folk because of their money) while peeling back the layers to show the unhappiness and manipulation underneath.
Fennell layers this story richly, slowly folding back facades and layers to show the ugliness of inherently unhappy people who cover their unhappiness up with wealth, money and parties.
Into this world comes Oliver Quick (Keoghan) who is the audiences’ conduit into this level of living - and who has secrets of his own.
Keoghan is interesting to watch (as always) and the family…Elordi, Sadie Soverall (his sister) and Archie Madekwe (another outsider who is jealous of Oliver’s appearance) all are good looking, good enough performers who live the hedonistic lifestyle and deny the consequences and responsibilities thereof.
When a film needs an “ice queen” as the matriarch of a family, Rosamund Pike is, inevitably, brought in and she brings the goods to Saltburn. She is perfectly cast as the mother of the family who says what she thinks, does not show what she is feeling and doesn’t give a darn about anyone else. She is suitably balanced by the off-balanced, quirky performance of the always good Richard E. Grant as the patriarch of the family who is (usually) lost in his own little world of whatever fantasy he is currently involved in.
But if this was just a film about a quirky family, it would be a fun, interesting romp. But…in Fennell’s hands, it becomes something much more sinister - and much more interesting - to watch.
Saltburn is a film that one must sit with after watching to digest what was just witnessed, but…ultimately…is one that is very interesting….and intriguing…and dark.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Starring Barry Keoghan (Oscar nominated for THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN), SALTBURN tells the story of an Oxford student who befriends the rich, cool kid (Jacob Elordi, EUPHORIA) who invites him back to his family compound, SALTBURN, for the summer with his eccentric (to say the least) family.
As written and directed by Fennell, SALTBURN is a satire on the elite rich, showing them in their extravagant, quirky isolation in their compound, looking down on the common folk from their piles of money (or…in some cases…oblivious of the common folk because of their money) while peeling back the layers to show the unhappiness and manipulation underneath.
Fennell layers this story richly, slowly folding back facades and layers to show the ugliness of inherently unhappy people who cover their unhappiness up with wealth, money and parties.
Into this world comes Oliver Quick (Keoghan) who is the audiences’ conduit into this level of living - and who has secrets of his own.
Keoghan is interesting to watch (as always) and the family…Elordi, Sadie Soverall (his sister) and Archie Madekwe (another outsider who is jealous of Oliver’s appearance) all are good looking, good enough performers who live the hedonistic lifestyle and deny the consequences and responsibilities thereof.
When a film needs an “ice queen” as the matriarch of a family, Rosamund Pike is, inevitably, brought in and she brings the goods to Saltburn. She is perfectly cast as the mother of the family who says what she thinks, does not show what she is feeling and doesn’t give a darn about anyone else. She is suitably balanced by the off-balanced, quirky performance of the always good Richard E. Grant as the patriarch of the family who is (usually) lost in his own little world of whatever fantasy he is currently involved in.
But if this was just a film about a quirky family, it would be a fun, interesting romp. But…in Fennell’s hands, it becomes something much more sinister - and much more interesting - to watch.
Saltburn is a film that one must sit with after watching to digest what was just witnessed, but…ultimately…is one that is very interesting….and intriguing…and dark.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)