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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Sinner - Season 1 in TV

Nov 24, 2017 (Updated Nov 25, 2017)  
The Sinner - Season 1
The Sinner - Season 1
2017 | Crime
Not as good as expected
I finished watching this series a couple of weeks ago and to be honest I have mixed feelings about it. It surrounds the story of an average housewife, played by Jessica Biel, who one day mysteriously snaps while on the beach with her husband and young son, and ends up stabbing a man to death. While investigating the case, Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) becomes increasingly obsessed with finding out why exactly she carried out such an unprovoked attack, probing further into her psyche and revealing very dark and tormented secrets.

The premise is engaging, and the first few episodes quickly begin uncovering bits of her past. But by the fourth episode, there seems to be a lull, as if the director may have exposed too much in the first three chapters, and it begins to dip in terms of interesting content.

By the end, it is explosive, with very little build-up - and to be fair it may have gone slightly too far, appearing hyperbolic to the extreme. The problem was that when it became unappealing in the middle of the series, it was difficult to stay completely captivated until the end. Pullman's character was quite lecherous, as if the only reason he cared was because he found Biel's docile persona attractive.

Would I watch it again? Probably not - there are far better psychological crime shows such @True Detective - Season 1, that seem more carefully and thoughtfully produced.
  
Outstanding insight, meticulous and moving
Other than historians and international lawyers you will not have heard of the lawyer Hersch Lauterpacht yet he is a very important figure in Philippe Sands' magnificent book.

East West Street is different and distinct in many meaningful ways, telling the fascinating story of the beginning of international human rights, but rather do so as dry legal history it focuses on two of the most significant individuals.

The author weaves the stories of Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin into Sands' own personal family story, which all tie into the 'city of lions' (Lviv/Lwow/Lemberg) in the first few decades of the 20th century. Both men and Sand's own family lived here, a place where East and West meet, hence the book's title.

It culminates into their assistance with the Nuremburg trials of ten senior Nazi figures, with Lauterpacht preparing the first drafts of the opening and closing speeches of the chief prosecution. Crucially he crafted the wording of Article 6 of the Nuremberg Charter, enshrining crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression into international law. Lemkin, in the same vein, constructed the concept of genocide, even coining the term.

And Sands discusses his detective work to find answers to numerous questions about his family. In the end his journey reveals tragedy, but a tragedy lightened by knowing the truth.

This is an outstanding book by a barrister, filmmaker and writer. It reeks of intellectual strength, and truly superb.
  
BV
Batman, Volume 3: Death of the Family
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
With a title that references the famous Batman story 'A Death in the family' (in which the Joker bumps off Robin - or, at least, one of the characters to hold that mantle), this is third volume in 'The New 52' series of Batman comics (after [b:Batman, Volume 1: The Court of Owls|13223349|Batman, Volume 1 The Court of Owls|Scott Snyder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1342307351s/13223349.jpg|18412501] and [b:Batman, Volume 2: The City of Owls|15752115|Batman, Volume 2 The City of Owls|Scott Snyder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1342309403s/15752115.jpg|21446852]), and sees the return of who is commonly considered to be ol' Bat's arch-nemesis: that of the Joker.

And, boy, is the clown prince of crime scary in this.

With more in common, perhaps, to Heath Ledgers portrayal of that character in 'The Dark Knight' than to Cesar Romero's (Batman '66 TV series) or even Jack Nicholson (the 1989 Batman movie), this version is pretty much just a pure agent of chaos, and a formidable (and scary) foe indeed - this is definitely not a read for the kiddies, say.

Taking in a couple of plot-strands from other New 52 titles (including The Joker, Nightwing, Batgirl and Detective Comics, amongst others) this version of the Joker is out to re-create his early crimes; out to (effectively) 'reset' tgime back to when it was just Batman and him duking it out.
  
Stay Dead (Elise Sandburg #2)
Stay Dead (Elise Sandburg #2)
Anne Fraiser | 2020 | Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
146 of 200
Kindle
Stay Dead ( Elise Savannah book 2)
By Anne Frasier

Frasier takes readers back to her dark, enchanting Savannah--a place as terrifying as it is mesmerizing.
Homicide detective Elise Sandburg is traumatized after her run-in with a madman the press has dubbed "The Organ Thief." As Elise takes refuge in her deceased aunt Anastasia's abandoned plantation to investigate and recover from her ordeal, she begins to question everything--from her dangerous line of work to her complex relationship with her handsome, tortured partner, David Gould. But with a madman on the loose, and her mother's claims to still hear from Aunt Anastasia, she may have more immediate problems on her hands. In Elise's world, where cold hard crime mixes with the local Gullah culture, nothing is ever what it seems, and no one is above suspicion--not even the dead.



This is book 2 in the series and it was brilliant! The story continues from book 1 with the mystery surrounding not only the murders but the so called murderer waking and walking away from a coma. Elise is not yet recovered before she’s back up and chasing the organ thief, as well as dealing with two major back from the dead family members, the growing feelings for Gould and the daughter that won’t do as she’s told!! The writing is just brilliant a thriller with a touch of possible voodoo witchcraft!