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Love in Exile
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
Love in Exile by Ayse Kulin is a family narrative told between 1903 and 1941 during difficult times in Turkey. It occurs after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Balkan Wars and World War I. During this time families were torn apart by politics and war. This story is not just about war and difficult times but also a love story of two people who must find a way to be together despite their family differences and objections.

Sabahat Yedic is a lovely and smart woman who wishes to peruse her education despite the cultural expectations that she finish. She is driven and stubborn and stands up for her wish to complete her goal. Sabahat's family is Muslim. Her family taught her that as a women she should have a good family and children but she believes that her life should be so much more. She persuades her family allow her to continue her education. Sabahat meets a handsome mane named Aram, who is a young Armenian Christian. He has many qualities and views that match the same views of Sabahat. Soon after meeting they fell in love. The two love birds could have allowed their families to dictate who they love but decided to not allow their families choose who to love. They withstand traditions and risk everything to be together.
The descriptions of the city of Istanbul during the time of the story allowed for the story to come alive. I could feel the love and everything that surrounded me as I read.

I received this book from the published via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
  
TG
The Gangster's Son (Shig Sato #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Shig Sato took a hiatus from the police department, working security details for the Japanese elite to spend more time with his wife. However, now he's back at his desk and ready for action. Too bad his very first night back, a waitress is murdered at a jazz club owned by the son of a family friend. Shig must decide which is a higher priority: solving the case and bringing her killer to justice, or supporting his honor code to a friend to whom he is indebted.

This was a very interesting book from the start, and it really pulled me in. I felt like I understood the various cultural aspects, even though I have basically no idea about anything Japanese. The author does a very good job of explaining various ideas related to the area, the culture, the way of life, etc. As for Shig, I really identified with him: He's a man working at a job he loves, trying to do the right thing by everyone, but he just can't seem to make everything line up to keep everyone happy. Haven't we all been down that road a time or two? The only problem is, he gets stuck between a rock and a hard place once certain details of the case come to light, and he must contemplate his next point of action very carefully. What does he decide to do? You'll have to read it to find out.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery, who has a penchant for police procedurals, and/or who might be interested in learning a little about the Japanese culture.

4 stars
  
Planet 51 (2009)
Planet 51 (2009)
2009 | Action, Animation, Comedy
On a planet far from our own, green creatures are experiencing their own version of the 1950’s. Among them is Lem (Justin Long) who has just gotten his first job as an assistant at the local planetarium. When a space ship appears harboring an alien, human astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker (Dwayne Johnson), the fearful locals are not so friendly. It is up to Lem to save the astronaut and help his people learn not to fear the world beyond what they know.

The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of “Shrek” with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the film’s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.

Other characters of note are Lem’s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.

“Planet 51” is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.

A delightful, animated romp, “Planet 51” will make you hope for a groovy 1960’s sequel.
  
The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
2014 | Drama
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
When it comes to food, opinions on colors, flavors, and textures are dynamic. No two foodies are the same. Throughout the world culinary differences abound; even ideas of what constitutes a food can be disparate. Blurring the line between history and the future, favorite dishes get modern twists and contemporary chefs discover innovation by studying the foods of yesteryear.

Films always have a location, but while “The 100 Foot Journey” is set in small town France, the story really exists at the crossroads of two fiercely independent culinary traditions. Throughout the film, Indian and French cuisines feed the visual storytelling and nourish the scenes.

As the leading man, Hassan, actor Manish Dayal plays a convincing chef struggling between two cultural and culinary worlds. But it is the support of Papa, Hassan’s can-do attitude driven father, played by actor Om Puri, and Michelin star obsessed know-it-all neighbor Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren) that invigorate the screen.

Simple yet engaging, plot is not where “The 100 Foot Journey” excels. Opting to focus on subtle interpersonal scenes, the film lacks twists, suspense, and grand surprises. Instead “The 100 Foot Journey” explores the joys, sorrows, and revelations that happen when two culinary histories and lifestyles meet. The journey highlights the challenges faced with preserving tradition while also carving a new path.

Consumables garnish almost every moment of character interaction; food plays a role in careers, conflicts, and mutual understanding. It could be easy, and not entirely wrong, to write-off this picture as a feel good foodie flick. However, just like a good croissant, “The 100 Foot Journey” is worth more than a deceptively uncomplicated a first glance; it contains flavorful and complex layers upon further examination. Be it a story of coincidence, lucky, or fate, “The 100 Foot Journey” is worth a taste if not a feast.
  
Chubby Checker&#039;s Greatest Hits by Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker's Greatest Hits by Chubby Checker
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"One of the first records I ever bought was Chubby Checker's 'Twistin Round The World'. He was a cultural phenomenon because the twist in those early days was a really big thing. He had an afternoon TV show every day called where he would show people how to do the twist. All it was was a green screen in those days and him doing all that stuff. I studied him, like anything else. Ernest Evans was his real name, and Kal Mann wrote those records, but the irony is that 'The Twist' was not originally recorded by Chubby Checker. It was recorded by Hank Ballard And The Midnighters, that was the original and he sounds just like Chubby. Chubby changed his name from Ernest Evans to Chubby Checker after Dick Clark's wife says, 'He reminds me of a young Fats Domino'. Fats, Chubby. Checker, Domino. Again, 'Twistin Round The World', with the globe behind it and everything, it showed me that this was a global phenomenon. That told me something. That's when I started to be aware that there are songs, then there are artists, and then there is the informational gathering of how you tell people how big you are, how famous you are. I remember later on that I saw an advertisement for Sabbath in Rolling Stone, and the ad said: 'Black Sabbath: Louder Than Led Zeppelin', I thought that was genius. It didn't say it was better, just louder. Chubby Checker had so many hits. Obviously 'The Twist', 'Let's Twist Again', 'Pony Time', 'The Fly', 'Limbo Rock', lots of stuff! He must have had 20 hits. Great music isn't just songs; it's also a social tool, like a favourite song that people used to get married or something like that."

Source
  
The Hacienda Classics by  Various Artists
The Hacienda Classics by Various Artists
2006 | Compilation, House
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"When Oasis first started, very early on we used to cover ‘Feel The Groove’ by Cartouche. There’s a tape of that live gig knocking about somewhere. I was the dance music head in the group. I was into indie music like everyone else, New Order, The Smiths and then one night in 1987 someone took me to the Hacienda because I’d been reading about this music and I just stood there, drinking Colt 45, thinking 'Well, this is shit…' But then someone else took me the week after and said, 'Have one of these.' And put a little pill in my hand. And within an hour I thought that this music was the greatest thing that I’d ever heard in my entire fucking life. It was a life changing experience. The thing about the Hacienda was it was a superclub before superclubs existed. Acid house only lasted two years and that was it at its best. If you go to a club now you might as well be listening to the same song all night. Back then they played everything, hip hop, electro, acid house, techno and it was all mashed up. It was on your doorstep and full of people who were skint. It was only two quid to get in, they sold Rizla behind the bar so you could skin up and acid and Es were just entering the cultural stream. They were the best years of my life and probably every other day since I’ve thought, 'I wonder what those tunes were called?' Then I heard this album was coming out, I put it on at home and I was instantly transported back into that nightclub. And I thank the people who put this album out. It reminds me of great days when I was young and enjoying life to the full."

Source
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Onward (2020) in Movies

Oct 5, 2020 (Updated Oct 5, 2020)  
Onward (2020)
Onward (2020)
2020 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Heartwarmingly funny
For me Pixar films usually fall into one of two categories: very good (Cars, Brave, Coco) and brilliant (Up, Wall-E, Toy Story). However there is no such thing as a bad Pixar film, and Onward does not prove this wrong.

A Pixar film with a fantasy setting, what's not to like? It's a great take on elves, wizards and mythical creatures and also relevant to today's society with it's cultural references and technological advancements. And unicorns acting like stray cats? Genius. The plot itself is exactly the type of quest you'd expect in a fantasy, with your typical Disney/Pixar tropes (dead parent). However this story doesn't necessarily turn out the way you'd expect and I have to commend Pixar for not being predictable. Like Frozen before it, this plays out in a rather emotional and heartwarming yet fairly unexpected way. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get any "feels" watching this!

There's no real need to say that this film looks amazing. I think it'd be more surprising if a Pixar film didn't. It also has a great voice cast although my only real negative of this film is that I felt like the cast could've been given more to work with. It may have just been me not paying attention, but I struggled to even notice John Ratzenberger (which is like missing the late Stan Lee in a Marvel film).

Onward is an unusual Pixar film. For me it falls between the aforementioned categories. It's not "bad" enough to just be very good but it's not quite brilliant, although I did enjoy it very much and laughed a lot more than I was expecting.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) Oct 5, 2020

I found this one to be surprisingly enjoyable. Definitely laughed more than I thought I would too

Isle of Dogs (2018)
Isle of Dogs (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Animation
8
7.8 (39 Ratings)
Movie Rating
When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, 12-year-old Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.



Before this even hit our screens I was worried I was going to be bored of it because I'd seen the trailer so much. Thankfully that wasn't the case.

It was a beautifully crafted film, and refreshingly different. I loved that it was from the dog's point of view, kind of a reverse Lassie. All the individual dogs and their quirks are very entertaining. And those dumb little moments they have that you'll identify with if you've ever owned a dog.

When Chief and Atari as separated from the rest of the pack on Trash Island I really like how the master/pet relationship is reversed when Atari see's the ride. The amount of times I had been in Chief's position... "Don't do it." *shifty look and edges closer* "Don't" *edges further*

My only wish for this film would be that there was more dog, less person. But despite that it was amusing, and very stylish.

As films go this month there were a few that were hit with "controversy" of some description, and Isle Of Dogs was no exception with cried of cultural misappropriation. I can't say that this is going to be something I can ever say I'd be on the receiving end of, but any rational person would not take a film as an accurate portrayal of a culture and its people.
  
When Dimple Met Rishi
When Dimple Met Rishi
Sandhya Menon | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
4
7.4 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sweet romance (1 more)
Great commentary about cultural identity
Underdeveloped plot (2 more)
Unconvincing setting
Frustrating main character
A sweet summer romance with potential that just didn't work for me
Sigh. It’s hard for me to decide how to start this review because I found myself confused and disappointed when I finished. I think I suffered a little bit from overhype about this book since it was recommended so highly and talked about like mad over the summer. I wanted to love this book because everything just sounded so perfect: a strong willed STEM girl heroine, a clash between cultures, a sweet summer romance with lots of laughs, and one of the cutest book covers I’ve seen in a long time–I was all over it!

I absolutely adored the first half of this book. I could sympathize with both of the main characters, especially Dimple, whose mother reminded me of my own. I too was that nerdy awkward girl that felt uncomfortable wearing makeup and dresses and found happiness in front of a computer screen grinding out code to make websites and browser games. Like my mom, Dimple’s mother pushes her to be more feminine and doesn’t fully understand modern western culture. Dimple struggles with feeling like an outsider in both of her worlds, an experience shared by many American children with immigrant parents. It made me happy that this duality is explored in the novel as I think it’s important for children and teens that, like me, had difficulties with their cultural identity.

On the other hand there’s Rishi, who embraces his cultural heritage and doesn’t care whether or not he “fits in” with either group. He is still a modern young man adapted to western culture that also values tradition and believes with all of his heart in the fairy tale romance of his parents. He is exceptionally sweet and witty and is pretty much the ideal cute nerd boyfriend. The romance between Dimple and Rishi is swoon-worthy and made my heart melt.. Which was great for exactly half of the book.

With the Insomnia Con setting what I expected was a summer “coding camp” similar to ones like the Make School Summer Academy and others held on college campuses around the country every year. Many of these camps usually offer workshops to practice making programs, opportunities to make professional connections and to meet industry leaders, and very often have competitions where they can create and submit their own apps for a cool cash prize. I guess my expectations were misplaced because What I got, sadly, was high school drama with hook ups and a talent show that turned more into a dance competition? Dance? In a coding camp??

This was the start of when the book stopped working for me.

A large part of Dimple’s story revolves around her desire to develop her own app to catapult her into a successful tech career. The book talks at length about how much this matters to her, how she’s dying to make connections to help her on her way, and how she’s so different from other girls by being interested in coding. The book tells the reader all of these things but fails to actually show the reader these things. It’s easy to forget that the main characters are even at a coding camp because so little time is spent on it. The plot just gets plain weird and doesn’t seem to have any sort of focus, even the romance felt rushed.

Also I’m sorry, the dance competition was exceedingly boring to read. That and, well, the love story has already happened by then so the build up for that is finished as well. So what else was there? I thought heavily about skimming or just putting the book down at that point but I honestly wanted to know if Dimple would win the competition (the app one, not the dance one) and achieve her dream of becoming a high powered STEM girl. I was still optimistic that the book would get back to the code camp, but it never does. In fact, three weeks out of the six week camp is skipped completely as the story fast forwards to the result of the app completion. The more I read the more disappointed I was as the plot became more and more juvenile.

By the 3/4 mark it seemed like there was no story left to tell and was starting to seriously drag. So of course there had to be some drama to keep it going. I hated this part. Dimple’s actions in the later portion of the book quite frankly left me feeling confused because they didn’t make any sense whatsoever. It was frustrating and I quite frankly got a little mad at how Dimple treated Rishi in the latter half of the novel. Such a shame considering how amazing the story set up was and how strong the early chapters were.

The characters drift from dinners, parties, and dance practices with next to no time actually coding and it made for a surprisingly boring and mediocre read for me personally. Even despite my criticisms, When Dimple Met Rishi is still a sweet summer romance that shined in the first half of the book. Just because it didn’t work out so well for me doesn’t mean that it won’t work out for others, in fact I seem to be in quite the minority for this book. This book definitely had a lot of potential and I honestly wish that the tech girl part of the story could have been developed better and for the setting to be a little more convincing.
  
The Bronze Horseman
The Bronze Horseman
Paullina Simons | 2001 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well, the Bronze Horseman started off well enough. The love story between Tatiana and Alexander was beautifully written and engaging for the first two parts of the book. Then in the third part, entitled Lazarevo, the book fell apart. Barely any plot, I could have skipped it and not missed much at all. Not to mention Alexander took a turn for the worse. He always was a bit short-tempered before, but he was ten times worse and became way too possessive of Tatiana for me to consider this romantic at all. Truthfully, it didn't feel like it belonged in this book and nearly made me abandon the book altogether. Nevertheless, I trudged through the 157 pages and got to the fourth part. Finally. After reading the first page, the writing and story already appeared better, more like how the book started, but it didn't really catch my interest again until the last sixty pages. That was the turning point and now, after thinking I wouldn't, I probably will pick up the next installment of their story.

As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.