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Dinner Party: A Tragedy
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A MAJOR 2021 DEBUT FICTION LAUNCH, THIS REMARKABLE IRISH NOVEL ABOUT THE MESSINESS OF MODERN FAMILY...
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The History of Wolves in Books
Nov 3, 2017
Compelling and rather odd
History of Wolves is a coming of age story that will resonate with many people. Linda, mostly left to raise herself by hippy, laid back parents, lives in Northern Minnesota, on grounds that used to belong to a commune, of which her parents were members.
Linda is 14, melodramatic and poetic. She's somewhat obsessed with a classmate, Lily, who spread rumours that their teacher, Me Grierson, molested her though this is questionable. Linda's narrative often veers off into dark corners, and the way the story is told (going back and forth, from teenage Linda to older Linda, reminiscing) only serves to increase the feeling of unease as the reader continues through the story.
The girl also spends a lot of time babysitting Paul, a toddler who moved into a cabin across the lake with his mother, Patra. Paul's father, Leo, is often working away, but when he arrives, Linda's relationship with Petra becomes strained. Patra's youth becomes glaringly obvious when her older husband appears. As a reader you're aware that something terrible has happened, but author Emily Fridlund trickled the information into your mind, keeping you reading until the end. The story surrounds Linda feeling both as a victim and a wrongdoer.
It's not the best Man Booker long list read as at times the narrative is far too disjointed. But the author writes very well.
Linda is 14, melodramatic and poetic. She's somewhat obsessed with a classmate, Lily, who spread rumours that their teacher, Me Grierson, molested her though this is questionable. Linda's narrative often veers off into dark corners, and the way the story is told (going back and forth, from teenage Linda to older Linda, reminiscing) only serves to increase the feeling of unease as the reader continues through the story.
The girl also spends a lot of time babysitting Paul, a toddler who moved into a cabin across the lake with his mother, Patra. Paul's father, Leo, is often working away, but when he arrives, Linda's relationship with Petra becomes strained. Patra's youth becomes glaringly obvious when her older husband appears. As a reader you're aware that something terrible has happened, but author Emily Fridlund trickled the information into your mind, keeping you reading until the end. The story surrounds Linda feeling both as a victim and a wrongdoer.
It's not the best Man Booker long list read as at times the narrative is far too disjointed. But the author writes very well.
Dr Dystopian (526 KP) rated Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ in Apps
Jan 10, 2018
Fantastic story (7 more)
Decent graphics for the time
Comfortable 60 hours worth of game play
Challanging
A number of well know places from the Star Wars universe
The ability to choose the light or dark side
Intro to an entirely new Star Wars era
Decent supporting characters
Possibly the greatest Star Wars game ever made
Comfortably one of if not the best Star Wars games ever made.
The game has a rich and compelling storyline with interesting quests taking you to various locations recognisable from Star Wars lore. The supporting characters are decent and interesting in their own right and aid to progress the story of your own character whilst also developing themselves.
The combat mechanics works well and are challenging without being frustrating and the graphics, at the time, were great.
There is very little negative to say about this game as it's one of those that you start playing and don't want to put down. With the various progression options for your own character as you choose the light or dark side you are able to open other dialogue options and interact with others in different ways making the game worthy of at least another play through.
A game that stands the test of time and whilst looking a little dated graphically now it's still every bit as enjoyable to play especially if you've note had the pleasure to already!
The game has a rich and compelling storyline with interesting quests taking you to various locations recognisable from Star Wars lore. The supporting characters are decent and interesting in their own right and aid to progress the story of your own character whilst also developing themselves.
The combat mechanics works well and are challenging without being frustrating and the graphics, at the time, were great.
There is very little negative to say about this game as it's one of those that you start playing and don't want to put down. With the various progression options for your own character as you choose the light or dark side you are able to open other dialogue options and interact with others in different ways making the game worthy of at least another play through.
A game that stands the test of time and whilst looking a little dated graphically now it's still every bit as enjoyable to play especially if you've note had the pleasure to already!
Dr Dystopian (526 KP) rated Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in Video Games
Jan 10, 2018
Fantastic story (7 more)
Decent graphics for the time
Comfortable 60 hours worth of game play
Challenging
A number of well known places from the Star Wars universe
The ability to choose the light or dark side
Intro to an entirely new Star Wars era
Decent supporting characters
Possibly the greatest Star Wars game ever made
Comfortably one of if not the best Star Wars games ever made.
The game has a rich and compelling storyline with interesting quests taking you to various locations recognisable from Star Wars lore. The supporting characters are decent and interesting in their own right and aid to progress the story of your own character whilst also developing themselves.
The combat mechanics works well and are challenging without being frustrating and the graphics, at the time, were great.
There is very little negative to say about this game as it's one of those that you start playing and don't want to put down. With the various progression options for your own character as you choose the light or dark side you are able to open other dialogue options and interact with others in different ways making the game worthy of at least another play through.
A game that stands the test of time and whilst looking a little dated graphically now it's still every bit as enjoyable to play especially if you've note had the pleasure to already!
The game has a rich and compelling storyline with interesting quests taking you to various locations recognisable from Star Wars lore. The supporting characters are decent and interesting in their own right and aid to progress the story of your own character whilst also developing themselves.
The combat mechanics works well and are challenging without being frustrating and the graphics, at the time, were great.
There is very little negative to say about this game as it's one of those that you start playing and don't want to put down. With the various progression options for your own character as you choose the light or dark side you are able to open other dialogue options and interact with others in different ways making the game worthy of at least another play through.
A game that stands the test of time and whilst looking a little dated graphically now it's still every bit as enjoyable to play especially if you've note had the pleasure to already!
Verner Latskin (74 KP) rated Mr. Robot - Season 1 in TV
Jul 21, 2017
The Writing (6 more)
The Cinematography
The Direction
The Performances
Best Dream Sequence that David Lynch didn't create
The Music
Best plot twist since Fight Club (the one that isnt inspired by Fight Club)
Brilliant, breathtaking, addictive.
I love this show. I only watched it on a lark, expecting to make fun of it - a hacker drama on USA called "Mr. Robot"? This is gonna be hilarious, I thought. I was so incredibly wrong. By the end of the pilot, I was hooked harder than any show since Twin Peaks had hooked me.
It's maybe the most cinematic TV series ever made, more so than a lot of movies. The mysteries it creates are gripping and compelling, inviting intense theorizing and speculation. It pulls off the best twist I've ever seen on television, and does it by blinding you with one that is telegraphed and inspired by another famous plot twist. Rami Malik goes from that guy you've seen in a bunch of stuff to legend status in one scene. In fact, the entire cast is nothing short of amazing. It makes the audience into a part of the show like no show ever has. It's already one of my favorite series ever made. It's brilliant.
It's maybe the most cinematic TV series ever made, more so than a lot of movies. The mysteries it creates are gripping and compelling, inviting intense theorizing and speculation. It pulls off the best twist I've ever seen on television, and does it by blinding you with one that is telegraphed and inspired by another famous plot twist. Rami Malik goes from that guy you've seen in a bunch of stuff to legend status in one scene. In fact, the entire cast is nothing short of amazing. It makes the audience into a part of the show like no show ever has. It's already one of my favorite series ever made. It's brilliant.
KerysJayne Draganova (21 KP) rated Resistance is futile in Books
Jan 13, 2018 (Updated Jan 14, 2018)
Majority of the characters, especially the main (1 more)
Comedic style of writing
Luke (1 more)
The romance aspect
A decent sci-fi Rom-com hybrid.
First of let me just say, this is the type of book that makes you look incredibly silly when reading it in public. It had me laughing until I couldn't breathe, and thanking my lucky stars that I read it in the comfort of my own home.
The characters in Colgan's book are a breath of fresh air: smart, just the right amount of geeky, and incredibly funny. The mix of the different characters and personalities within the group works perfectly, and as I said they have you crying with laughter. Connie is a fantastic main character: interesting, smart and witty, and I loved reading the adventures from her point of view.
However, I was disappointed with the romance aspect of this book, I didn't find the relationship between Connie and Luke to be believable, and I just couldn't get behind Luke as a character as a whole. I didn't find his character very compelling, and I felt the author went further into the development of other smaller characters than Luke, considering he is supposed to be quite an important part of the story line.
Overall though the characters in this book are so lovable and funny it definitely makes the book worth a read.
The characters in Colgan's book are a breath of fresh air: smart, just the right amount of geeky, and incredibly funny. The mix of the different characters and personalities within the group works perfectly, and as I said they have you crying with laughter. Connie is a fantastic main character: interesting, smart and witty, and I loved reading the adventures from her point of view.
However, I was disappointed with the romance aspect of this book, I didn't find the relationship between Connie and Luke to be believable, and I just couldn't get behind Luke as a character as a whole. I didn't find his character very compelling, and I felt the author went further into the development of other smaller characters than Luke, considering he is supposed to be quite an important part of the story line.
Overall though the characters in this book are so lovable and funny it definitely makes the book worth a read.
Genuine sympathy for Katy Tur
Katy Tur gives you an inside look at the strangest political campaign, maybe in history. Following Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, Tur had the unfortunate task of interviewing Trump or dealing with his chief aids throughout this period.
Tur tells us what it was like reporting on an exhaustive daily basis and of how she felt on a professional basis and personal level. As a female journalist, she became a target for his bullying and outright 'weird' behaviour at times. She shares with us how she felt being singled out at rallies for ridicule and hateful remarks by the then presidential candidate, and of how vulnerable she and her colleagues felt at one particular venue when the behaviour of a baying mob of loyal supporters had been supported and even encouraged by Trump.
Packed amidst the vengeful, rhetoric of Trump's speeches or condemnation of pretty much anyone distasteful to his sensibilities Tur manages to inject a fair amount of humour in the form of her inner dialogue which lightens what could have been an overbearing political tirade.
Intelligently written, fast paced, and intensely compelling, I was engrossed, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure by the book. While it doesn't shed any new light on Trump's character, it vindicates much of what is said in Michael Woolf's controversial book Fire and Fury.
Tur tells us what it was like reporting on an exhaustive daily basis and of how she felt on a professional basis and personal level. As a female journalist, she became a target for his bullying and outright 'weird' behaviour at times. She shares with us how she felt being singled out at rallies for ridicule and hateful remarks by the then presidential candidate, and of how vulnerable she and her colleagues felt at one particular venue when the behaviour of a baying mob of loyal supporters had been supported and even encouraged by Trump.
Packed amidst the vengeful, rhetoric of Trump's speeches or condemnation of pretty much anyone distasteful to his sensibilities Tur manages to inject a fair amount of humour in the form of her inner dialogue which lightens what could have been an overbearing political tirade.
Intelligently written, fast paced, and intensely compelling, I was engrossed, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure by the book. While it doesn't shed any new light on Trump's character, it vindicates much of what is said in Michael Woolf's controversial book Fire and Fury.
Sam (74 KP) rated The Keeper Of Lost Things in Books
Mar 27, 2019
So to begin with I struggled with this one. Even though it only had 300 pages, it seemed to be taking a while for anything to happen with the plot. But I’m glad I didn’t give in. It did take until around page 150 for me to get into it, but after that point it was brilliant.
Laura is a brilliant protagonist. She’s got all of her own problems and is then left with the complicated mystery of Anthony’s life. But she never dwells on the past too much. She moves on from everything that has happened and lives in the moment.
I loved Sunshine. She’s such an enthusiastic character and she seemed to be the only one who could see the truth in everything that was going off. Sunshine had Down’s Syndrome and she saw a friend in Laura. She made the perfect friend and was such a lovely person with some of the best ideas. It was so refreshing to find a character like her.
I would happily just read a book of all the short stories that came with every lost item. I found most of them gripping, and quite a lot of them dealt with quite serious subjects. They were like little windows into people’s lives and I found them really compelling.
The Keeper of Lost Things is a brilliant little book and worth picking up.
Laura is a brilliant protagonist. She’s got all of her own problems and is then left with the complicated mystery of Anthony’s life. But she never dwells on the past too much. She moves on from everything that has happened and lives in the moment.
I loved Sunshine. She’s such an enthusiastic character and she seemed to be the only one who could see the truth in everything that was going off. Sunshine had Down’s Syndrome and she saw a friend in Laura. She made the perfect friend and was such a lovely person with some of the best ideas. It was so refreshing to find a character like her.
I would happily just read a book of all the short stories that came with every lost item. I found most of them gripping, and quite a lot of them dealt with quite serious subjects. They were like little windows into people’s lives and I found them really compelling.
The Keeper of Lost Things is a brilliant little book and worth picking up.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated First Man (2018) in Movies
Apr 9, 2019
Dull and boring
Anyone asking me how First Man was or should they see it I would tell to watch Apollo 13 instead!
The writing for Apollo 13 was very familiar subject matter, but kept things interesting even though the audience knows ahead of time how both stories end up. At nearly 2 1/2 hours, there were lots of drawn out/boring sequences of NASA getting ready for the launches and Armstrong's family life. I just wanted it to be more exciting.
I hate to say it, but the fact Apollo 13 was the one where the mission went wrong and they had to struggle to figure out a way to get back to Earth under extraordinary circumstances is more compelling than the story of landing on the moon where everything basic went to plan.
I have never been a Ryan Gosling fan (he always looks like he just woke up and needs a shower) and my opinion did not change here. I'm sure the studious Armstrong did not have a robust personality in real life; however, Gosling didn't seem to do much for the character.
Apollo 13 was released in 1995 and I still remember almost the entire film whereas I will have forgotten everything about this film in less than 2 years.
The writing for Apollo 13 was very familiar subject matter, but kept things interesting even though the audience knows ahead of time how both stories end up. At nearly 2 1/2 hours, there were lots of drawn out/boring sequences of NASA getting ready for the launches and Armstrong's family life. I just wanted it to be more exciting.
I hate to say it, but the fact Apollo 13 was the one where the mission went wrong and they had to struggle to figure out a way to get back to Earth under extraordinary circumstances is more compelling than the story of landing on the moon where everything basic went to plan.
I have never been a Ryan Gosling fan (he always looks like he just woke up and needs a shower) and my opinion did not change here. I'm sure the studious Armstrong did not have a robust personality in real life; however, Gosling didn't seem to do much for the character.
Apollo 13 was released in 1995 and I still remember almost the entire film whereas I will have forgotten everything about this film in less than 2 years.
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Doggerland in Books
May 3, 2019
The boy (Jim), who is not a boy, and the old man (Griel), live and work on a wind farm out at sea. Land seems to be a distant memory, and escape from the wind farm seems unlikely. The boy is required to take over his fathers contract after he disappears. The old man might know what happened to him, but the boy never really asks, and no information is volunteered.
This has been compared to The Road and Waiting For Godot, and I’d agree with both of these. There is an overwhelming feeling of being trapped, even though they are out at sea and can see for miles, and this brought Huis Clos by Jean Paul Sartre to mind for me. Two men, trapped for what feels like eternity in the same place, with no hope of escape.
It’s a climate change story as well. It tells of the power of the sea and water, and how it will reclaim everything. This makes the story all the more futile. What’s the point if it’s all for nothing anyway?
I liked this book - I would say that it wasn’t a book I loved, but at the same time, it was a book that I didn’t want to put down. It’s a pretty bleak story, but compelling all the same.
This has been compared to The Road and Waiting For Godot, and I’d agree with both of these. There is an overwhelming feeling of being trapped, even though they are out at sea and can see for miles, and this brought Huis Clos by Jean Paul Sartre to mind for me. Two men, trapped for what feels like eternity in the same place, with no hope of escape.
It’s a climate change story as well. It tells of the power of the sea and water, and how it will reclaim everything. This makes the story all the more futile. What’s the point if it’s all for nothing anyway?
I liked this book - I would say that it wasn’t a book I loved, but at the same time, it was a book that I didn’t want to put down. It’s a pretty bleak story, but compelling all the same.