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The villagers of Stoney Cross were bustling about like hyperactive ants. In gardens, houses, and the...
Blackwater
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THE NEW ESSEX-BASED CRIME SERIES FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DI JACK FROST PREQUELS. 'A...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Rabbit Hole in Books
Jul 20, 2021
The title of this book is absolutely perfect and after having read it, I feel like I went down a Rabbit Hole and am only just beginning to emerge!
I am a huge fan of Mark Billingham's work, particularly his Tom Thorne Series, but this is a standalone psychological thriller that explores the fractured mind of Alice Armitage and her quest to find a killer whilst an in-patient on an acute psychiatric unit.
I said I felt like I went down a Rabbit Hole and that's because the reader is immersed totally within Alice's mind; the whole of the book is written from her perspective and focusses on her trying to solve a murder whilst dealing with the mental health difficulties she and those around her are experiencing but from her point of view rather than a clinical one, i.e. simplistic, but with a bit of humour so it's not all dark and heavy going.
Alice is an unreliable narrator which had me scratching my head wondering what was actually real and what was only real from Alice's perspective. This, I think, was genius as it provided plenty of opportunities for distractions and mis-directions which worked well but mashed my head a little!
This wasn't an easy book to read and I have a feeling it won't appeal to everyone but if you want to read something a bit different, I would recommend but be prepared to join Alice in the Rabbit Hole.
Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
I am a huge fan of Mark Billingham's work, particularly his Tom Thorne Series, but this is a standalone psychological thriller that explores the fractured mind of Alice Armitage and her quest to find a killer whilst an in-patient on an acute psychiatric unit.
I said I felt like I went down a Rabbit Hole and that's because the reader is immersed totally within Alice's mind; the whole of the book is written from her perspective and focusses on her trying to solve a murder whilst dealing with the mental health difficulties she and those around her are experiencing but from her point of view rather than a clinical one, i.e. simplistic, but with a bit of humour so it's not all dark and heavy going.
Alice is an unreliable narrator which had me scratching my head wondering what was actually real and what was only real from Alice's perspective. This, I think, was genius as it provided plenty of opportunities for distractions and mis-directions which worked well but mashed my head a little!
This wasn't an easy book to read and I have a feeling it won't appeal to everyone but if you want to read something a bit different, I would recommend but be prepared to join Alice in the Rabbit Hole.
Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
Fingers Crossed: How music saved me from success
10.0
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Formed in 1988, Lush were part of the London gig scene during one of the most vibrant and creative...
Trigger warning: self harm/ suicide
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated The Crow (1994) in Movies
Apr 19, 2017
Close to the source material (2 more)
Great Cast
A powerful and emotional film
A Powerful Classic
The Crow is one of my all time favourite films as well as one of my all time favourite graphic novels.
This Gothic, fantasy action film has a tragic story that's powerful to behold as we witness what the power of revenge can do to a person. However, this isn't your typical revenge plot, because SPOILERS!
Eric Draven, portrayed by the incredible Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), is actual brought back from the dead as an avenging angel, after he and his fiance were murdered by a group of thugs on Devils Night (the night before Halloween).
If you've read the graphic novel you'll know just how great this film is, and the only downside to it is knowing it was Brandon Lee's last after an accident that happened on set.
However, the film sticks close to the source material, especially since James O'Barr, the creator of the characters and the graphic novel worked closely with the cast and crew of the film to ensure it was done correctly.
The tone of the film is, for obvious reasons, dark but there is still humour in it which lightens the mood and gives you a sense of Eric Draven's mind because let's face it, coming back from the dead with the ability to heal any wound, and the opportunity to get revenge on those who wronged you, it's enough to send a sensible man insane, and we see that shine through Brandon Lee performance with jokes and laughter, whilst still remaining eerily dark and twisted. When the bad guys realise he heals any wounds and can't die...You can see how much Eric enjoys seeing the fear grow in their faces, and as the strong unfolds we learn that the group of thugs who committed the crime, were just pawns to a bigger villain leading a crime syndicate in the city.
We see emotion as Eric tries to find out the truth of what really happened that night, and why he and his fiance lost their lives, and we see him trying to connect to his past through Sarah, a young girl that he and his fiance looked after and cared for. We also see the truth unfold through Officer Albrecht who was in charge of the investigation.
The characters are all brilliantly written, from Sarah's childhood innocence becoming a more mature sense of realising that the world can't always be a happy place, to Eric's lust for revenger and being sidetracked by emotions of his former life, trying to remain a good person whilst committing these acts of murder for revenge.
The music in the film really fits the scenes and the feel of the entire story with bands like The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots among others, its soundtrack is brilliantly dark.
Also the main aspect that you have to love is Brandon Lee in the crow makeup and clothing. He looks menacing, he looks like he has a lust for revenge, most importantly he looks badass! One of the greatest comic book characters in film that I have ever seen, and whilst I was a little wary of the talks to remake this film in 2016/2017, I would be curious to see the character brought to life again and given a fresh look but I don't know if anyone can beat Brandon Lee in that portrayal because he looks incredible.
This film is dark, powerful, moving and poetic and will remain one of my top 5 films of all time. Maybe even top 3.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a comic book movie, especially if you like movies with action and drama with a Gothic overtone.
R.I.P Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
This Gothic, fantasy action film has a tragic story that's powerful to behold as we witness what the power of revenge can do to a person. However, this isn't your typical revenge plot, because SPOILERS!
Eric Draven, portrayed by the incredible Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), is actual brought back from the dead as an avenging angel, after he and his fiance were murdered by a group of thugs on Devils Night (the night before Halloween).
If you've read the graphic novel you'll know just how great this film is, and the only downside to it is knowing it was Brandon Lee's last after an accident that happened on set.
However, the film sticks close to the source material, especially since James O'Barr, the creator of the characters and the graphic novel worked closely with the cast and crew of the film to ensure it was done correctly.
The tone of the film is, for obvious reasons, dark but there is still humour in it which lightens the mood and gives you a sense of Eric Draven's mind because let's face it, coming back from the dead with the ability to heal any wound, and the opportunity to get revenge on those who wronged you, it's enough to send a sensible man insane, and we see that shine through Brandon Lee performance with jokes and laughter, whilst still remaining eerily dark and twisted. When the bad guys realise he heals any wounds and can't die...You can see how much Eric enjoys seeing the fear grow in their faces, and as the strong unfolds we learn that the group of thugs who committed the crime, were just pawns to a bigger villain leading a crime syndicate in the city.
We see emotion as Eric tries to find out the truth of what really happened that night, and why he and his fiance lost their lives, and we see him trying to connect to his past through Sarah, a young girl that he and his fiance looked after and cared for. We also see the truth unfold through Officer Albrecht who was in charge of the investigation.
The characters are all brilliantly written, from Sarah's childhood innocence becoming a more mature sense of realising that the world can't always be a happy place, to Eric's lust for revenger and being sidetracked by emotions of his former life, trying to remain a good person whilst committing these acts of murder for revenge.
The music in the film really fits the scenes and the feel of the entire story with bands like The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots among others, its soundtrack is brilliantly dark.
Also the main aspect that you have to love is Brandon Lee in the crow makeup and clothing. He looks menacing, he looks like he has a lust for revenge, most importantly he looks badass! One of the greatest comic book characters in film that I have ever seen, and whilst I was a little wary of the talks to remake this film in 2016/2017, I would be curious to see the character brought to life again and given a fresh look but I don't know if anyone can beat Brandon Lee in that portrayal because he looks incredible.
This film is dark, powerful, moving and poetic and will remain one of my top 5 films of all time. Maybe even top 3.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a comic book movie, especially if you like movies with action and drama with a Gothic overtone.
R.I.P Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
We Happy Few
7.3
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Afterlife (Afterlife Saga, #1)
10.0
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Afterlife… just some gothic nightclub where gossip is fuelled by the presence of a rich and...
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Apr 19, 2018
More horror films should be like this
Most modern horror films nowadays I think are usually rubbish. They're full of obvious jump scares and unnecessary gore, without really instilling any real fear into the watcher. Ghost Stories however is different.
It's a straightforward, simple premise with the paranormal debunker and the 3 unexplained cases. It starts off well but it's only when it starts detailing each of the 3 cases that this film really gets going. The three stories are bizarre, creepy and actually pretty scary. They do have some of the obligatory jump scares, but for me these weren't as obvious and predictable as other horror films. As the stories progress and it all starts to get a bit weird, there are a number of WTF moments which really start to make you feel uneasy. There's also a few moments of dark humour thrown in, to be expected from Jeremy Dyson.
The final act however seems to halt some of the momentum the film has gained. There's a reveal that I saw coming a mile off, and then a good 15 mins or so of complete bizarreness before culminating in a very satisfying final ending. This little dip right at the end annoyed me slightly as it gets a little too weird, although it is explained away with the great final twist ending. For me it's just a shame that this slight dip into weirdness right at the end has lost a bit of what could have been a fantastic horror film.
I personally think the best horror films are those that don't rely too heavily on obvious jump scares, and instead use more subtle methods. True fear comes from the unknown, from the confusion and strange goings on in the background, and this is where Ghost Stories does very well.
It's a straightforward, simple premise with the paranormal debunker and the 3 unexplained cases. It starts off well but it's only when it starts detailing each of the 3 cases that this film really gets going. The three stories are bizarre, creepy and actually pretty scary. They do have some of the obligatory jump scares, but for me these weren't as obvious and predictable as other horror films. As the stories progress and it all starts to get a bit weird, there are a number of WTF moments which really start to make you feel uneasy. There's also a few moments of dark humour thrown in, to be expected from Jeremy Dyson.
The final act however seems to halt some of the momentum the film has gained. There's a reveal that I saw coming a mile off, and then a good 15 mins or so of complete bizarreness before culminating in a very satisfying final ending. This little dip right at the end annoyed me slightly as it gets a little too weird, although it is explained away with the great final twist ending. For me it's just a shame that this slight dip into weirdness right at the end has lost a bit of what could have been a fantastic horror film.
I personally think the best horror films are those that don't rely too heavily on obvious jump scares, and instead use more subtle methods. True fear comes from the unknown, from the confusion and strange goings on in the background, and this is where Ghost Stories does very well.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Umbrella Academy in TV
Mar 6, 2019
Deserving of the hype
I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with this show. It's not every day when you watch something that meets all of the hype surrounding it, and I was quite sceptical to begin with.
The show manages to brilliantly blend action, the supernatural and dark humour to form an intriguing and interesting adult plot, with just enough twists to keep you hooked without going too OTT (Lost style). It also has some brilliant fight scenes (with a decent amount of blood and gore) that are paired with a truly killer soundtrack. And it has fortunately gone down the adult route rather than making this suitable for kids like some of the Marvel type shows/films.
The characters too for the most part are witty, deep and well thought out, from the family members to the villains Hazel and Cha-Cha. My favourites are by far Five and Klaus. Robert Sheehan is a great actor, I've loved him since Misfits and he's really perfect for Klaus. And Aidan Gallagher is brilliant as the old man in a child's body Five, there's something very humorous seeing a thirteen year old outsmarting and killing people. He's a true delight whenever he's on screen. My only real issue with the characters is with Vanya. For me I found her very dull to begin with and I thought her entire storyline was a teeny bit predictable. She does pick up and get more interesting towards the end, it's just a shame she puts a downer on the earlier episodes. Luckily the rest of the show more than makes up for it.
I can't begin to say how devastated I was at the end of the final episode. I could've quite happily watched more, so I really hope they renew this for another season.
The show manages to brilliantly blend action, the supernatural and dark humour to form an intriguing and interesting adult plot, with just enough twists to keep you hooked without going too OTT (Lost style). It also has some brilliant fight scenes (with a decent amount of blood and gore) that are paired with a truly killer soundtrack. And it has fortunately gone down the adult route rather than making this suitable for kids like some of the Marvel type shows/films.
The characters too for the most part are witty, deep and well thought out, from the family members to the villains Hazel and Cha-Cha. My favourites are by far Five and Klaus. Robert Sheehan is a great actor, I've loved him since Misfits and he's really perfect for Klaus. And Aidan Gallagher is brilliant as the old man in a child's body Five, there's something very humorous seeing a thirteen year old outsmarting and killing people. He's a true delight whenever he's on screen. My only real issue with the characters is with Vanya. For me I found her very dull to begin with and I thought her entire storyline was a teeny bit predictable. She does pick up and get more interesting towards the end, it's just a shame she puts a downer on the earlier episodes. Luckily the rest of the show more than makes up for it.
I can't begin to say how devastated I was at the end of the final episode. I could've quite happily watched more, so I really hope they renew this for another season.
Gets weirder each series
I loved the first series of Fortitude. The setting, Arctic Norway, was beautiful. The town of Fortitude has a selection of characters from different countries, all of whom seem to have some kind of secret, and who are played by a great cast. It can be quite slow moving at times, but there is a lot to take in. This is not a show to watch half-heartedly. There's mystery, intrigue and a bit of gore thrown in, too. I've seen comparisons to Twin Peaks - that might give you a bit of an idea of what to expect. If you like scandi-noir and a bit of dark humour, you'll like Fortitude.
(SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD)
In series one, a mammoth is found under the ice, threatening the development of a new hotel and Fortitude's first murders occur. There are many potential suspects but it turns out it's not just a straightforward case of finding who is responsible.
Throughout the three series' there are scientific discoveries and experiments, a shaman, missing persons, people possessed by parasites, a schoolteacher with a feeding fetish and many, many questions.
The first series was superb. The second series was just as good but started to get a little weirder. The third series is shorter than the previous two at only four episodes, but managed to fit in a whole lot more weirdness. (Dance with a burnt corpse, anyone?)
Series three is reported to be the last, and I think that's the right choice, but the ending does leave the possibility of the cause of Fortitude's 'problems' starting again somewhere else.
(SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD)
In series one, a mammoth is found under the ice, threatening the development of a new hotel and Fortitude's first murders occur. There are many potential suspects but it turns out it's not just a straightforward case of finding who is responsible.
Throughout the three series' there are scientific discoveries and experiments, a shaman, missing persons, people possessed by parasites, a schoolteacher with a feeding fetish and many, many questions.
The first series was superb. The second series was just as good but started to get a little weirder. The third series is shorter than the previous two at only four episodes, but managed to fit in a whole lot more weirdness. (Dance with a burnt corpse, anyone?)
Series three is reported to be the last, and I think that's the right choice, but the ending does leave the possibility of the cause of Fortitude's 'problems' starting again somewhere else.