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Underwater (2020)
Underwater (2020)
2020 | Horror, Sci-Fi
Decent, what is essentially ๐˜Œ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข ๐˜™๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ต meets ๐˜‹๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ป๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ without the fun, tantalizing lore of either. First 15 minutes and last 15 minutes are fucking banger (and terrifying, case #5,000 on why I'll never so much as dip a toe in the ocean), though everything sandwiched between is a mixed bag - I'll give it credit that it gets right into it with maybe only 30 or so seconds of exposition; but it isn't always intense enough to be this brisk and the editing can be a bit of a mess, so much is easy to miss. I'll credit Stewart acting the house down for saving this movie, while the rest of the cast... exists. Occasionally falls into your conventional modern horror movie traps but not nearly as much as you'd expect. Looks way better in the interior environments as opposed to the actual underwater stuff, but otherwise it does what it should - definitely has some scary as hell parts but never truly coagulates into a whole. Not sure why this was put on hold for so long, but it is nice to see T.J. Miller return to disaster movies.
  
The Daughters of Ironbridge
The Daughters of Ironbridge
Mollie Walton | 2019 | History & Politics, Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
202
Book
The Daughters of Ironbridge ( Ironbridge Saga book 1)
By Mollie Walton

Anny Woodvine's family has worked at the ironworks for as long as she can remember. The brightest child in her road, Anny has big dreams. So, when she is asked to run messages for the King family, she grabs the opportunity with both hands.

Margaret King is surrounded by privilege and wealth. But behind closed doors, nothing is what it seems. When Anny arrives, Margaret finds her first ally and friend. Together they plan to change their lives.

But as disaster looms over the ironworks, Margaret and Anny find themselves surrounded by secrets and betrayal. Can they hold true to each other and overcome their fate? Or are they destined to repeat the mistakes of the past?


It was exactly as I thought it would be! I really enjoyed this story. I absolutely adore Ironbridge it holds a special place in me and I have so many fond memories of visiting! I love stories based around local history and places! Looking forward to reading more and hoping Anny gets that happy ending! X
  
The Day of the Triffids
The Day of the Triffids
John Wyndham | 1951 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
7.6 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Famous and highly influential British catastrophe novel. The collapse of global civilisation, after what appears to be an encounter with a comet blinds the majority of the world's population, is made even worse by the existence of sentient, mobile, lethal carnivorous plants, genetically engineered before the disaster. It sounds schlocky written down like that - and most screen adaptations end up that way - but Wyndham's dry, cultured, understated voice means this is a chillingly plausible and deeply affecting depiction of the end of the world.

In some ways this is very much of its time, but in others it is a remarkably prescient book, touching on issues such as the weaponisation of satellites and genetically-modified foodstuffs. It is also a vehicle for Wyndham to explore some of the key issues of his novels - the moral decisions faced by survivors, and the conflict between the individual and the collective. The structure of the plot is somewhat idiosyncratic, and accusations that this is the kind of catastrophe where the really bad stuff just happens to other people may have some weight to them, but this is an immensely readable and thought-provoking book which still feels relevant today.
  
A Wrinkle in the Skin
A Wrinkle in the Skin
John Christopher | 1965 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Almost relentlessly bleak SF-disaster novel. An immense series of global earthquakes destroys civilisation overnight, leaving only a handful of survivors. The protagonist has previously been emotionally self-sufficient, but can he maintain this attitude in the face of the horror and desolation around him?

Worlds away from the 'cosy catastrophe' label which this kind of book is occasionally lumbered with, this anticipates The Road in many ways: the central image is of a man and a boy making their way across the devastated landscape, scavenging to survive and trying to avoid lawless mobs of other survivors. Christopher's ideas about human nature are crushingly cynical but unpleasantly compelling; the psychological depth of this book makes most similar works of fiction look frivolous and lightweight. Still, for all the skill with which it is written, this story is both tragic and depressing (the book does a good job of making you realise the difference between the two). It's telling that while it concludes on the promise of hope, it's only a promise: an actual happy ending would feel grotesquely inappropriate. Not without its strengths, but a tough read in many ways - other apocalypses are much more fun.