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Objects as Actors: Props and the Poetics of Performance in Greek Tragedy
Book
Objects as Actors charts a new approach to Greek tragedy based on an obvious, yet often overlooked,...
Night School: Wake up to the power of sleep
Book
Almost a third of your whole life is spent asleep. Night School uncovers the scientific truth about...
David McK (3562 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Aug 23, 2020 (Updated Jan 17, 2023)
2018 post apocalyptic horror film, that proved to be a big hit for Netflix when it was released on that streaming platform.
Starring Sandra Bullock, this was sold on the (strong) imagery of a blindfolded woman leading two equally blindfolded children through a river journey - the film, later, makes it clear that this is because a mysterious entity has decimated the population, driving whoever sees it (we don't) mad and causing them to commit suicide.
The film is actually told in both the 'now' of the journey and '5 year previously' (when this first started happening), with Sandra Bullock's character of Malorie heavily pregnant and trapped in a house with other survivors - we know, of course (they're not in the 'now'!) that they're all going to be bumped off one by one, but the suspense is in the how and when.
The ending also, apparently, is a lot less dark that the book on which it is based, and I still have little idea why the film is even called Bird Box!
Starring Sandra Bullock, this was sold on the (strong) imagery of a blindfolded woman leading two equally blindfolded children through a river journey - the film, later, makes it clear that this is because a mysterious entity has decimated the population, driving whoever sees it (we don't) mad and causing them to commit suicide.
The film is actually told in both the 'now' of the journey and '5 year previously' (when this first started happening), with Sandra Bullock's character of Malorie heavily pregnant and trapped in a house with other survivors - we know, of course (they're not in the 'now'!) that they're all going to be bumped off one by one, but the suspense is in the how and when.
The ending also, apparently, is a lot less dark that the book on which it is based, and I still have little idea why the film is even called Bird Box!
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Magicians' Guild (Black Magician Trilogy, #1) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Trudi Canavan has been on my 'to read' list for a long time (far too long really). I finally found the time to read The Magicians' Guild - book one of the Black Magician trilogy.
The story revolves around Sonea, a girl living amongst the poor and near-poor of Imardin. The city is home to the titular guild, where the greatest magicians in the world learn and teach.
Those showing magical talent only come from the ruling classes. But Sonea has magical talent so the guild need to either break tradition and train her or block her powers as unless she is trained they will unleash themselves and kill her. The problem is that Sonea (along with the rest of the less privileged city dwellers) distrusts and fears the guild.
The book is in two parts - the first involves Sonea hiding from the guild and their attempts to find her. This is quite a clever strategy from a story telling point of view since the world and characters can be gradually introduced. We meet Sonea and her friends, and also the Thieves that control the slums. On the magicians' side we find some are sympathetic towards Sonea while others are outraged at the thought of training a slum girl - some for more personal reasons than others.
The second half involves Sonea's initial training at the guild. I do try not to give away major plot direction in these reviews, but I don't think it's much of a spoiler that she does end up in the guild, given the name of the book. In this part we find out more about magic and the guild, plus the plot that forms the core of this book moves forward and is resolved in a satisfactory - and dramatic - style.
Canavan's writing is focused firmly on character, although the world around them is fully realised, with the slums suitably dingy and grubby and the guild grand and opulent. The characters are allowed to develop through the pages. I found the start a little slow going, but I think that was mostly because the previous book I read was for more action based. There is also very little dramatic tension about Sonea ending up in the guild, but I don't think that is the purpose of the first half of the book anyway.
This story is clearly there to set up the characters for the trilogy as a whole - and as the plot progresses Sonea discovers some things that are clearly going to be important in her future. The way the ending is left is therefore very finely balanced between the resolution of the main plot and leaving the threads for the next book, and Canavan is spot on in delivering this.
Overall I really liked this book and will read the other installments as time allows without hesitation. If you are looking for some brutal anti-hero cutting a swathe of destruction through his enemies this is not the book for you. If you want some careful characterisation and a personality driven and human-scale plot, pick up this book. It is also refreshing to have a female main protagonist in the traditionally macho world of fantasy. Recommended.
The story revolves around Sonea, a girl living amongst the poor and near-poor of Imardin. The city is home to the titular guild, where the greatest magicians in the world learn and teach.
Those showing magical talent only come from the ruling classes. But Sonea has magical talent so the guild need to either break tradition and train her or block her powers as unless she is trained they will unleash themselves and kill her. The problem is that Sonea (along with the rest of the less privileged city dwellers) distrusts and fears the guild.
The book is in two parts - the first involves Sonea hiding from the guild and their attempts to find her. This is quite a clever strategy from a story telling point of view since the world and characters can be gradually introduced. We meet Sonea and her friends, and also the Thieves that control the slums. On the magicians' side we find some are sympathetic towards Sonea while others are outraged at the thought of training a slum girl - some for more personal reasons than others.
The second half involves Sonea's initial training at the guild. I do try not to give away major plot direction in these reviews, but I don't think it's much of a spoiler that she does end up in the guild, given the name of the book. In this part we find out more about magic and the guild, plus the plot that forms the core of this book moves forward and is resolved in a satisfactory - and dramatic - style.
Canavan's writing is focused firmly on character, although the world around them is fully realised, with the slums suitably dingy and grubby and the guild grand and opulent. The characters are allowed to develop through the pages. I found the start a little slow going, but I think that was mostly because the previous book I read was for more action based. There is also very little dramatic tension about Sonea ending up in the guild, but I don't think that is the purpose of the first half of the book anyway.
This story is clearly there to set up the characters for the trilogy as a whole - and as the plot progresses Sonea discovers some things that are clearly going to be important in her future. The way the ending is left is therefore very finely balanced between the resolution of the main plot and leaving the threads for the next book, and Canavan is spot on in delivering this.
Overall I really liked this book and will read the other installments as time allows without hesitation. If you are looking for some brutal anti-hero cutting a swathe of destruction through his enemies this is not the book for you. If you want some careful characterisation and a personality driven and human-scale plot, pick up this book. It is also refreshing to have a female main protagonist in the traditionally macho world of fantasy. Recommended.
A Quick Guide to Writing Business Stories: Crafting Basic Business Stories
Book
Business journalism is of critical importance to society, though it may appear to some that it...
Designing for User Engagement on the Web: 10 Basic Principles
Book
Designing for User Engagement on the Web: 10 Basic Principles is concerned with making user...
Being with and Saying Goodbye: Cultivating Therapeutic Attitude in Professional Practice
Book
At a time of increasing financial pressure on families - as well as the services that support them -...
ICOON global picture dictionary
Travel and Lifestyle
App
"Those who want to go abroad should download ICOON" CNET "I am confident, ICOON will become one...
Domonique (0 KP) rated The Walking Dead: v. 1: Days Gone Bye in Books
May 12, 2018
This was awesome! I've been watching the show for years, but I never read the comic even though I knew that's what it was based on. And people kept saying how good it was, but I read so many other things that I just never had a chance to check out. But I got this free trial on Comixology and thought, why not? And let me tell you, I am hooked, I think I read this in a day and it's a comic book so it's not like it takes longs to read anyway but I found it hard to focus on other things when all I wanted to do was read this. It's exactly like the show, and of course I know this came first, but it's kind of cool to read this after watching the show to see how true they stayed to the story. I've started Volume 2 already and I'm pretty sure I'm going to finish this quickly as well. Before long, I might be caught on the comics like I am with the show.
Jornalero: Being a Day Laborer in the USA
Book
The United States has seen a dramatic rise in the number of informal day labor sites in the last two...