Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
8.1
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Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire at the hands of the Rebellion, the First Order...
Star Wars
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
7.3
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A world-class playboy and part-time special agent, Powers is defrosted after 30 years in a cryogenic...
The Blues Brothers (1980)
8.7
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The Blues Brothers Unrated Version stars comic icons John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in the...
Sharon Horgan recommended Postcards from the Edge in Books (curated)
The Suitcase Kid
8.0
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When my parents split up they didn't know what to do with me . . . My family always lived at...
300 Best Homemade Candy Recipes: Brittles, Caramels, Chocolates, Fudge, Truffles & So Much More
Book
The step-by-step bible for home sweets-makers. With hundreds of recipes for mouthwatering candies,...
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Storm Clouds Rolling In (Bregdan Chronicles #1) in Books
Nov 26, 2019
In reality however this is a far more complex work - yes the romance is there but it is very much overshadowed by the situation and events of the time. Firstly Carrie is not a Southern Belle happy to sit on the verandah and look after her hard working man - she wants to make something of herself and doesn't think that she will be happy running her father's plantation in later life. Secondly she has grave doubts about slavery, an institution that has become the basis of the plantation owner's very existence.
This novel then is far more an exploration of the confict the slave issue creates as well as the lack of opportunity for a bright woman to better herself in the nineteenth century.
The author does well with the slavery issue in presenting someone from the whole spectrum, from reactionary pro-slavery plantation owners to equally abhorrent abolitionlists who are in many ways just as bad. Carrie is very much undecided throughout the book and that is a good thing, we are essentially treated to a novel length essay on the causes of the civil war and the justifications for slavery that caused a lot of the friction, along with the North failing to take account of the depth of the pride of those in the South.
The characters are very well drawn, and although each more-or-less repesents one particular facet of the debate none are mere ciphers and indeed many of them evolve over time and change their outlook and opinions, not lease Carrie but also of note the slaves Rose and Moses, both young but who really grow during the course of the story. The author has necessarily put some perjorative terms for slaves in the mouths of some of her characters - for which she apologises in a brief forward - but this not only lends realism but underlines those characters attitudes towards the slaves.
The book does move at a relatively slow pace, and there are plenty of discussions around politics, society and slavery but it is quite immersive and acts to let each character become far more solid.
Overall a book I enjoyed and it provides a lot of insight into the state of America at the outbreak of war and why it happened
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2631 KP) rated Due or Die in Books
Jan 19, 2019
While I still don't have all the supporting characters straight in my head, the characters important to this mystery are all well developed. That includes not only the suspects, but the main characters. Thanks to a couple of sub-plots, I found the pacing uneven, although things did pick up for the climax. Things do fit together well, but there is a major timing issue in the climax. It annoys, but it is minor overall. While I always enjoy Jenn's books, I found this one super funny, laughing out loud multiple times over the course of the story. I'm already looking forward to my next stop at this library.
