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ClareR (5608 KP) rated Memorial in Books

Jan 19, 2021  
Memorial
Memorial
Bryan Washington | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Memorial is the story of Mike and Benson’s relationship and about their separate lives. They have lived together and loved one another for a few years, but when Mike gets word that his estranged father is dying back in Japan, it seems to come at the right time for their relationship. They clearly need the space to think. Except “frying pan” and “fire” comes to mind. Benson is left to live with Mike’s mother who has come to visit her son, and Mike is propelled in to caring for a dying man, a stranger to him, and running his bar.
It was so interesting to read about their lives and motivations. What starts out to be a purely selfish move by Mike (I felt that he was running away at first), actually becomes a selfless act. Of course, there is the advantage that he gets to know his father before his death, but he is there for him until the end.
Even though Mike’s childhood was much harder, it’s Benson who, to me, seemed to have been more affected by his parents break up. His father’s alcoholism, his mother leaving them and starting a new family, and his HIV+ diagnosis, all added up to a difficult mental space for him. But I didn’t feel that any of this became sentimental. It’s a joint decision when Benson and Mike realise that their relationship is coming to an end.

I really enjoyed this book. Its gentle pace where small acts and occurrences form the bigger picture really appealed to me. It’s an original and engrossing story from an author that I’ll be looking out for in the future.

Many thanks to Atlantic books for providing me with a copy of this book through NetGalley.
  
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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Final Destination 3 (2006) in Movies

Oct 18, 2020 (Updated Nov 26, 2020)  
Final Destination 3 (2006)
Final Destination 3 (2006)
2006 | Action, Drama, Horror
Rather chintzy and objectively garbo but a complete and utter blast almost from start to finish. Just plain cruel, reeks with the stench of death - whereas in the others the characters pretty much all reacted to impending demise with paranoia and/or denial, here we see them react with sardonicism, competitiveness, and even boredom. The deaths nor the effects aren't as good but this is infinitely better than the second one because the melodrama filler is actually back to being semi-entertaining (if never 'real movie' status) and has some pretty interesting musings about death's presence in these films. The whole product seems rushed out the door but has a good talking + dying ratio and it's also super funny with as enjoyable characters as can be expected for a mid-2000s horror sequel with none of the original cast. Plus the acting's decent again! Feels like Wong is winging it but even most half-assed Wong products look better than Ellis at his best. The tanning beds are one of the elite deaths in the entire franchise - and then the smash cut to the coffins right after? Lmfao, dug it.