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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Haunting of Hill House in Books
May 16, 2018
Several years ago, I watched The Haunting (1999). It was not an intentional watching of the movie and I actually forgot that I had watched it shortly after. Now and then, I would recall a scene and try to remember where it was from without much luck. At that time, I was not aware that it was an adaptation of Shirley Jackson's novel, The Haunting of Hill House. In fact, it wasn't until more recently that I returned to my long forgotten passion for the written word. In a way, I'm a bit glad that I read the book - or in this case, listened to it.
One of the largest determining factors for me when I'm listening to an audio book is the quality of the narration, and in this case I highly suggest the version narrated by David Warner over Bernadette Dunne. Warner's voice is far gentler on the ears and his heavy English lends an utterly unique feeling to the story. I only listened to a sample of Dunne's version and found it very painful on my ears. Warner's reading is published by Phoenix, whereas Dunne's is from Blackstone Audio. Considering that I use audiobooks in order to help me relax along the hour long commute to and from work, the quality of the recording is vital to whether or not I am capable of stomaching the book (and for this reason, I nearly dropped House).
The Haunting of Hill House was published in 1959 by Viking, six years before Shirley Jackson's death. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Jackson"; target="new">The book itself is lauded as a classic example of haunted house fiction, earning praise from my all time favorite author, Stephen King.</a> It is a story in which four individuals take up summer residence in the famed Hill House, where they embark upon an unexpectedly brief journey to learn more about the supernatural - and perhaps even about their own selves. Each character is riddled with their own flaws and, to my great surprise, are not filled with the incessantly needy yearning for romance that is so common in other books.
I can also admit that none of the characters are particularly likable. The character that I find most tolerable is Eleanor Vance, our star for this read who clearly suffers from mental illness. Given the time in which the book takes place, it is almost heartbreaking how little others are able to pick up regarding her mental state and, when they finally do, the disdain they treat her with is extremely painful to watch. My least favorite of the cast is Mrs. Montague and her planchette. Mrs. Montague seems rather incapable of caring about anyone other than herself and goes to great lengths to undermine her husband. Her short fuse makes her utterly unbearable and, were I to cross paths with her, I can't promise that I wouldn't want to throttle her.
As far as the haunting of the manse itself goes, there's very little to it. While Jackson's prose is meticulous and gorgeous to behold, at no point did I feel any sense of unease. Much of what is meant to be unsettling is not supernatural in origin, but derived from the interactions of the characters. In a way, the reader is simply a passenger along for the ride in Eleanor's descent into madness, and it is from this that unease can be felt than by anything ethereal.
I enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House and I find it to be a pleasant read (or in this case, listen), but it is not among my favorites when it comes to horror. I felt no real need to keep going and none of the edge-of-your-seat anxiety that horror fans like myself thrive on. It is certainly a beautiful book and Hill House has a hauntingly sad past, but other than that I did not find the story to be overly impressive. While some of this could be attributed to the fact that I had seen the movie in the past, I don't really feel that is the case - especially since I seem to be in agreement with several other readers.
One of the largest determining factors for me when I'm listening to an audio book is the quality of the narration, and in this case I highly suggest the version narrated by David Warner over Bernadette Dunne. Warner's voice is far gentler on the ears and his heavy English lends an utterly unique feeling to the story. I only listened to a sample of Dunne's version and found it very painful on my ears. Warner's reading is published by Phoenix, whereas Dunne's is from Blackstone Audio. Considering that I use audiobooks in order to help me relax along the hour long commute to and from work, the quality of the recording is vital to whether or not I am capable of stomaching the book (and for this reason, I nearly dropped House).
The Haunting of Hill House was published in 1959 by Viking, six years before Shirley Jackson's death. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Jackson"; target="new">The book itself is lauded as a classic example of haunted house fiction, earning praise from my all time favorite author, Stephen King.</a> It is a story in which four individuals take up summer residence in the famed Hill House, where they embark upon an unexpectedly brief journey to learn more about the supernatural - and perhaps even about their own selves. Each character is riddled with their own flaws and, to my great surprise, are not filled with the incessantly needy yearning for romance that is so common in other books.
I can also admit that none of the characters are particularly likable. The character that I find most tolerable is Eleanor Vance, our star for this read who clearly suffers from mental illness. Given the time in which the book takes place, it is almost heartbreaking how little others are able to pick up regarding her mental state and, when they finally do, the disdain they treat her with is extremely painful to watch. My least favorite of the cast is Mrs. Montague and her planchette. Mrs. Montague seems rather incapable of caring about anyone other than herself and goes to great lengths to undermine her husband. Her short fuse makes her utterly unbearable and, were I to cross paths with her, I can't promise that I wouldn't want to throttle her.
As far as the haunting of the manse itself goes, there's very little to it. While Jackson's prose is meticulous and gorgeous to behold, at no point did I feel any sense of unease. Much of what is meant to be unsettling is not supernatural in origin, but derived from the interactions of the characters. In a way, the reader is simply a passenger along for the ride in Eleanor's descent into madness, and it is from this that unease can be felt than by anything ethereal.
I enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House and I find it to be a pleasant read (or in this case, listen), but it is not among my favorites when it comes to horror. I felt no real need to keep going and none of the edge-of-your-seat anxiety that horror fans like myself thrive on. It is certainly a beautiful book and Hill House has a hauntingly sad past, but other than that I did not find the story to be overly impressive. While some of this could be attributed to the fact that I had seen the movie in the past, I don't really feel that is the case - especially since I seem to be in agreement with several other readers.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated My Mother Was Nuts in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Of course I've known who Penny Marshall is for awhile, but I never realized just what a fascinating person she is or what an incredible life she's experienced until I picked up this book! She is a unique woman and so strong with such an amazing talent! The overlying message I took from her memoir is that no matter your circumstances if you just stick to your guns and enjoy what you do, you can do anything.
There doesn't seem to be a person in Hollywood that she doesn't know, hasn't screen tested for a movie, or who hasn't lived in her house at some point! It was such a normal life, under such extraordinary circumstances. What an amazing woman!
There doesn't seem to be a person in Hollywood that she doesn't know, hasn't screen tested for a movie, or who hasn't lived in her house at some point! It was such a normal life, under such extraordinary circumstances. What an amazing woman!
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies
Jan 24, 2020
I greatly enjoyed the film. I thought that it was beautiful, charming, and entertaining. That being said, I do not think that it was a perfect film. I thought that the choices being made were interesting and had good direction but I felt some scenes lacked the emotion I wanted because they were too quick or short and some of the character decisions or adjustments from the book didn't work for me. I did think that the cast did an astounding job and the movie was truly beautiful and captivating. If you want to see a longer review where I pick apart some of my issues as well as gush over my favorite moments, click the link to my blog. https://scrutinizingstorytellers.wordpress.com/blog/
Batman Adventures Podcast
1.0
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down
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David McK (3929 KP) rated Mulan (2020) in Movies
Aug 22, 2023
Aladdin.
Beauty and the Beast.
Cinderella.
The Jungle Book.
The Lion King.
Pinnochio
And Mulan.
What do they all have in common? Answer: they're all live action reimaginings of animated movies.
From that aforementioned list, this is also the only one I haven't actually seen the original of, so can't really compare (except I know the original had Eddie Murphy voicing a character), and that the basic plot is about a girl pretending to be a bloke to join the Imperial army.
This also actually had more mystical/magical elements in it than I was expecting for a live action movie, what with the whole 'witch' turning into birds thing and the Phoenix, but was also curiously 'dead' and not really all that involving.
Beauty and the Beast.
Cinderella.
The Jungle Book.
The Lion King.
Pinnochio
And Mulan.
What do they all have in common? Answer: they're all live action reimaginings of animated movies.
From that aforementioned list, this is also the only one I haven't actually seen the original of, so can't really compare (except I know the original had Eddie Murphy voicing a character), and that the basic plot is about a girl pretending to be a bloke to join the Imperial army.
This also actually had more mystical/magical elements in it than I was expecting for a live action movie, what with the whole 'witch' turning into birds thing and the Phoenix, but was also curiously 'dead' and not really all that involving.
Dana (24 KP) rated Annihilation, Book Two in Books
Mar 23, 2018
So in this, the second book of the Annihilation comic series, we get even more characters in the universe!
Many people have been introduced to the Silver Surfer in the second Fantastic Four film by Sony pictures, but we get a lot more information of who he is in this book and I really liked seeing that! We get to see his interactions with the other former heralds of Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. This also gives us some background of his power and relationships with the rest of the Marvel Comics Universe. He's a pretty cool character, in my opinion.
In this book, we also get a lot more information about Super Skrull. He's great and I love him. That's all.
Finally, we get to meet Ronan for real. I loved getting to see him as more than just the villain he is painted as in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. He gets a backstory and a reason for why he is the way he is! I am actually kind of sympathetic towards him, to be completely honest. I love it when people who can be seen as villains are portrayed as round characters who are more than just evil. He is The Accuser. He has the power to reduce people to ash at the drop of a few words, yet he only does it when he deems it necessary. That's a pretty cool move! Also, the fact that he is not working for the Annihilation crew is a redeeming quality if I have ever seen one!
I am keeping this review pretty short so I can move onto the next one! I can't wait to see how this ends!
Many people have been introduced to the Silver Surfer in the second Fantastic Four film by Sony pictures, but we get a lot more information of who he is in this book and I really liked seeing that! We get to see his interactions with the other former heralds of Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. This also gives us some background of his power and relationships with the rest of the Marvel Comics Universe. He's a pretty cool character, in my opinion.
In this book, we also get a lot more information about Super Skrull. He's great and I love him. That's all.
Finally, we get to meet Ronan for real. I loved getting to see him as more than just the villain he is painted as in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. He gets a backstory and a reason for why he is the way he is! I am actually kind of sympathetic towards him, to be completely honest. I love it when people who can be seen as villains are portrayed as round characters who are more than just evil. He is The Accuser. He has the power to reduce people to ash at the drop of a few words, yet he only does it when he deems it necessary. That's a pretty cool move! Also, the fact that he is not working for the Annihilation crew is a redeeming quality if I have ever seen one!
I am keeping this review pretty short so I can move onto the next one! I can't wait to see how this ends!
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Heart's Appeal (London Beginnings #2) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
A delightful read! I loved this story from start to finish. Ms. Delamere hooked me instantly and kept me turning the pages long into the night. The Heart's Appeal is a story that will make you smile, make you think, make you want more of this fabulous author's work.
Julia and Michael are complex and wonderfully chiseled. The interactions between the two were beautifully done, and the story line was rich in historicaly detail. The way that Ms. Delamere pieced Julia and Michael's story together, was captivating and delicately done.
These characters, this story line, the history, the inspirational messages woven throughout, all made this story one that I will turn to again and again. It played out like a movie, and the characters all came to life, bringing me into the heart of the story right along side them all.
This is a 4 star novel that I recommend to all! If you want a book that will suck you in, and keep you hooked until you're reading the last page, then look no further than the talent of Ms. Delamere and The Heart's Appeal. It's sure to leave you wanting more!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Julia and Michael are complex and wonderfully chiseled. The interactions between the two were beautifully done, and the story line was rich in historicaly detail. The way that Ms. Delamere pieced Julia and Michael's story together, was captivating and delicately done.
These characters, this story line, the history, the inspirational messages woven throughout, all made this story one that I will turn to again and again. It played out like a movie, and the characters all came to life, bringing me into the heart of the story right along side them all.
This is a 4 star novel that I recommend to all! If you want a book that will suck you in, and keep you hooked until you're reading the last page, then look no further than the talent of Ms. Delamere and The Heart's Appeal. It's sure to leave you wanting more!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I'm a massive fan of the (widely slated) original TV mini-series and can't see past Tim Curry as Pennywise. However I found this to be a good alternative version. I would say it is more of a horror movie than the original version, and probably closer to the book (though it has been some time since I read that) and there is a lot less of a Stand By Me feel about it. All the child actors are excellent in this, especially Stranger Things' superbly named Finn Wolfhand as (Beep beep) Ritchie who here gets to have a lot more fun than he seems to on Stranger Things.
Bill skarsgard plays Pennywise well, at times appearing childish and just wanting to be friends, and then quickly switches to a blank mental stare.
The decision to make this two films was a brave one, though the story does lend itself well to doing so. I much preferred the 80s setting for the film with the kids being the victims and am not exactly awaiting the adult follow up with anticipation.
Bill skarsgard plays Pennywise well, at times appearing childish and just wanting to be friends, and then quickly switches to a blank mental stare.
The decision to make this two films was a brave one, though the story does lend itself well to doing so. I much preferred the 80s setting for the film with the kids being the victims and am not exactly awaiting the adult follow up with anticipation.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Godhunter in Books
Nov 30, 2020
First off, let me say what a real treat this was to read! With the "urban fantasy" genre flooding the market as the flavor of the moment, it's rare for a book like this to come along and force me to reconsider dipping into that genre now and again!
'The God Hunter' feels like the most perfect rollercoaster: the beginning starts out smooth, with a bit of fun, a relaxed feel to the style. Then, it begins to pick up a bit, as more of the bigger picture unfolds, then it heads in the scream-a-rific thrill ride as the coaster dives into the finale.
The one thing that really stuck in my mind while reading this: "Dang! This would make one hell of a great movie!" Seriously, Mr. Lees has a great sense of characterization and pacing that seem to be lacking in so many movies these days!
So, in conclusion, I'd just like to say that in a genre such as "urban fantasy", Tim Lees brings something fresh and fun, with just the right amount of white-knuckled adrenaline rush, to the table!
'The God Hunter' feels like the most perfect rollercoaster: the beginning starts out smooth, with a bit of fun, a relaxed feel to the style. Then, it begins to pick up a bit, as more of the bigger picture unfolds, then it heads in the scream-a-rific thrill ride as the coaster dives into the finale.
The one thing that really stuck in my mind while reading this: "Dang! This would make one hell of a great movie!" Seriously, Mr. Lees has a great sense of characterization and pacing that seem to be lacking in so many movies these days!
So, in conclusion, I'd just like to say that in a genre such as "urban fantasy", Tim Lees brings something fresh and fun, with just the right amount of white-knuckled adrenaline rush, to the table!