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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Things You Save in a Fire in Books
Aug 5, 2019
Cassie Hanwell is a great firefighter. She loves her job in Austin, Texas and her friendly crew. Cassie's life is shaped by a series of events that occurred on her sixteenth birthday, including her mother leaving her and her father. Now she stays clearly in her comfort zone. That zone includes work, work, and more work. No relationships, no real attachments to anyone, a strong resistance to forgiving her mother, and definitely not love. But when her mom calls Cassie and asks her to move to Boston to help her--due to an illness--Cassie has to leave that comfort zone. Big time. She has to go live with her mother, whom she barely knows anymore. She has to leave behind her progressive Austin crew and work with a group of guys in Boston who are appalled at the thought of a "lady" on their crew. Except for one guy, the new rookie, who has no problem with Cassie. And Cassie doesn't mind being around him. At all. In fact she even likes it. But love isn't in Cassie's vocabulary, and even if it was, everyone knows firefighters don't date other firefighters. Right?
"I'd structured my life around routine, and safety, and order. Feelings were a lot of trouble. I avoided them as much as possible."
I really enjoyed Katherine Center's previous book, How to Walk Away, so I was excited to read this one. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much (though I enjoyed the little link between the two), but it is a cute read. I have to admit, there were times in this one when things seemed a little too saccharine for my cynical self. I know, I know, that's terrible, especially when things aren't always light and breezy for Cassie and friends in this book. I think it's something only sarcastic folks like myself will understand.
In fact, this book is a really interesting blend between dark and quite light and fluffy. Cassie has a dark past, as does the rookie, Owen, but a lot of the book is Cassie just repeating that she won't ever love anyone or date a firefighter. I think we all know where this is leading...
However, the book is really funny at times, and it's very easy to like Cassie. She's incredibly tough and brave, and she gives all the guys a run for their money. The book makes some great points on sexism, and I always enjoy a chance to watch a tough girl beat some boys at their own game. And I have to admit I enjoyed (okay, identified with) some of her anti-social tendencies.
"Human connection had its upsides, but it sure was a lot of work. The risk-reward ratio was low, at best."
There's also a good supporting cast from Cassie's mom and her mom's best friend. For me, this one picked up in the last fourth or so, when everything seemed to really come together. There's a moment when it all just clicks, and I found myself laughing and grinning a lot. That part made it all worth reading for me.
Overall, it took me some time to warm up to this book--much like it took Cassie a while to warm up to Massachusetts. But she's an engaging, tough character, and her story is one of resilience, even if there are a lot of really sweet, almost too-perfect moments too. You can pretty much tell how the story is going to play out, but it's a fun, cute read. 3.5 stars.
"I'd structured my life around routine, and safety, and order. Feelings were a lot of trouble. I avoided them as much as possible."
I really enjoyed Katherine Center's previous book, How to Walk Away, so I was excited to read this one. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much (though I enjoyed the little link between the two), but it is a cute read. I have to admit, there were times in this one when things seemed a little too saccharine for my cynical self. I know, I know, that's terrible, especially when things aren't always light and breezy for Cassie and friends in this book. I think it's something only sarcastic folks like myself will understand.
In fact, this book is a really interesting blend between dark and quite light and fluffy. Cassie has a dark past, as does the rookie, Owen, but a lot of the book is Cassie just repeating that she won't ever love anyone or date a firefighter. I think we all know where this is leading...
However, the book is really funny at times, and it's very easy to like Cassie. She's incredibly tough and brave, and she gives all the guys a run for their money. The book makes some great points on sexism, and I always enjoy a chance to watch a tough girl beat some boys at their own game. And I have to admit I enjoyed (okay, identified with) some of her anti-social tendencies.
"Human connection had its upsides, but it sure was a lot of work. The risk-reward ratio was low, at best."
There's also a good supporting cast from Cassie's mom and her mom's best friend. For me, this one picked up in the last fourth or so, when everything seemed to really come together. There's a moment when it all just clicks, and I found myself laughing and grinning a lot. That part made it all worth reading for me.
Overall, it took me some time to warm up to this book--much like it took Cassie a while to warm up to Massachusetts. But she's an engaging, tough character, and her story is one of resilience, even if there are a lot of really sweet, almost too-perfect moments too. You can pretty much tell how the story is going to play out, but it's a fun, cute read. 3.5 stars.
Emily (1 KP) rated Emergency Contact in Books
Feb 20, 2020
A great start to 2020!
What a cute start to 2020...
I only got chance to read 30 pages over two days but had such a relaxing NYD, that I managed to read the remaining 95% of this book all in one go. It’s so rare for me to be able to sit down and just devour a book within a day, and I love that feeling when it’s finished and you’ve just found yourself falling in love with even more characters.
<b>Characters:</b>
Penny was so relatable to me as she had only a few friends and had a quiet life. She indulged in her work and was focused on doing things to her best ability — scared of disappointing people. I loved her character because she was just normal. I love normal. Her friendship with Jude was also so heartwarming because both girls were at opposite ends of the spectrum who didn’t care about their differences and made it work.
Sam. <s>Don’t even get me started on Sam.</s> He’s another fictional character to add to my never ending ‘Cute-Not-Real Men’ list. He had the exterior of a tough guy with his tattoos and not wearing anything other than black (stereotypical, I know) but he was such a softie. He worked in a coffee shop and loved baking, he was a little bit of a nerd too. Why don’t people like this really exist?
<b>Plot:</b>
I thought the story started off quite slowly at the beginning, but it needed a build up in order to construct the character backgrounds and introduced events that would essentially come full circle at the end. I liked how the chapters were told from alternating points of view and you got to understand both Penny and Sam's feelings throughout the book. <spoiler>It was a slow burn for both characters to finally get together but it was kind of predictable (in a good way) because you knew that it was inevitable that they were going to end up together.</spoiler>
There were a few little twists that kept popping up here and there that would throw you off and try to convince you that something else would happen, but I liked that because you were constantly thinking what was going to happen next. It kind of pays tribute to real life, as it can throw curveballs at us all the time and we never know what to expect or take for granted.
<b>Style:</b>
I'm such a sucker for books that are broken up with text messages, emails etc. and those that use different formatting as it makes for a much more casual read and it makes it more enjoyable. The way in which the texts were written in 'Emergency Contact' made the story still feel quite soft and light-hearted, and also maybe appealing a little more the YA/teen audience.
<b>Summary:</b>
I loved the story, as it told two separate characters back stories with high maintenance mothers and personal battles. But it also told their own personal stories of growth and development — friendships, relationships and hardships. I’ll definitely have to check out Choi’s newest novel and I’ll probably fall in love with that as much as this.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆/5
I only got chance to read 30 pages over two days but had such a relaxing NYD, that I managed to read the remaining 95% of this book all in one go. It’s so rare for me to be able to sit down and just devour a book within a day, and I love that feeling when it’s finished and you’ve just found yourself falling in love with even more characters.
<b>Characters:</b>
Penny was so relatable to me as she had only a few friends and had a quiet life. She indulged in her work and was focused on doing things to her best ability — scared of disappointing people. I loved her character because she was just normal. I love normal. Her friendship with Jude was also so heartwarming because both girls were at opposite ends of the spectrum who didn’t care about their differences and made it work.
Sam. <s>Don’t even get me started on Sam.</s> He’s another fictional character to add to my never ending ‘Cute-Not-Real Men’ list. He had the exterior of a tough guy with his tattoos and not wearing anything other than black (stereotypical, I know) but he was such a softie. He worked in a coffee shop and loved baking, he was a little bit of a nerd too. Why don’t people like this really exist?
<b>Plot:</b>
I thought the story started off quite slowly at the beginning, but it needed a build up in order to construct the character backgrounds and introduced events that would essentially come full circle at the end. I liked how the chapters were told from alternating points of view and you got to understand both Penny and Sam's feelings throughout the book. <spoiler>It was a slow burn for both characters to finally get together but it was kind of predictable (in a good way) because you knew that it was inevitable that they were going to end up together.</spoiler>
There were a few little twists that kept popping up here and there that would throw you off and try to convince you that something else would happen, but I liked that because you were constantly thinking what was going to happen next. It kind of pays tribute to real life, as it can throw curveballs at us all the time and we never know what to expect or take for granted.
<b>Style:</b>
I'm such a sucker for books that are broken up with text messages, emails etc. and those that use different formatting as it makes for a much more casual read and it makes it more enjoyable. The way in which the texts were written in 'Emergency Contact' made the story still feel quite soft and light-hearted, and also maybe appealing a little more the YA/teen audience.
<b>Summary:</b>
I loved the story, as it told two separate characters back stories with high maintenance mothers and personal battles. But it also told their own personal stories of growth and development — friendships, relationships and hardships. I’ll definitely have to check out Choi’s newest novel and I’ll probably fall in love with that as much as this.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆/5
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Becky (2020) in Movies
Jan 1, 2021
Mindless violence and Kevin James in a dramatic role? Colour me intrigued.
Becky's life hasn't been the smoothest ride, but when her dad brings her up to their cabin things start to look up... briefly. The excitement is short-lived when his girlfriend turns up with her son and they reveal they have some wonderful news to share. Unfortunately that's not the worst thing that's going to happen this trip.
I don't want to say that Becky deserved everything that happened to her in the film... but I wasn't mad when it did happen. It was an interesting film, I felt little to nothing for her as a character and I had a real desire for the bad guys to win (to some degree).
This desire built quite quickly in the beginning, I was having serious misgivings about choosing to buy it. The whole lead up was a challenge, Becky was obnoxious and nothing seemed to be happening. But thankfully it did pick up.
Becky has a relatively small cast and they're well selected. Kevin James is a pleasant surprise in this dramatic role. I love seeing people take on something out of character, and I thought his performance as Dominick was impressive. There may have been a couple of points that seemed a little out of place, but on the whole the part was well scripted and James' depiction was very convincing. There was a slightly odd dynamic between Dominick and his minions, I liked the variety of personalities though, and Robert Maillet was definitely my favourite as Apex.
Lulu Wilson as Becky kept causing me problems. As I mentioned above, I didn't really like her as a character... I'm not sure quite where I fell out with her along the way. The beginning felt insanely unrealistic with regards to her behaviour, and while I found her to be less frustrating when the action started there was still something missing. I wonder if that might be to do with age. She's a 13-year-old girl, just a nudge into the higher teens might have made it more engaging.
I had to tap some expert knowledge when it came to the cinematography (thank you, Clare), after some investigation I'm going to say that there are a lot of transitions that lay somewhere between a match cut and an invisible cut. At the beginning of the film it's used to show the comparison of Becky at school and the convicts in prison, and that worked, I liked it. But it happens more, and that novelty value wore off quickly and I was expecting more of it, which became distracting.
There's a lot of gore on-screen throughout, with the accompaniment of some slightly dubious effects on occasions. On the whole the gratuitous violence amused me for its sheer outrageousness. One scene will get you a bit (well, it did me), you'll know it when you see it. Was all this violence needed? Probably not. Was it entertaining in the action of it all? Yes... probably.
Even with my conflicted feelings at the beginning of the film, I did come out enjoying myself. There are hints of a spicy Home Alone at work, somewhere just shy of Better Watch Out.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/01/becky-movie-review.html
Becky's life hasn't been the smoothest ride, but when her dad brings her up to their cabin things start to look up... briefly. The excitement is short-lived when his girlfriend turns up with her son and they reveal they have some wonderful news to share. Unfortunately that's not the worst thing that's going to happen this trip.
I don't want to say that Becky deserved everything that happened to her in the film... but I wasn't mad when it did happen. It was an interesting film, I felt little to nothing for her as a character and I had a real desire for the bad guys to win (to some degree).
This desire built quite quickly in the beginning, I was having serious misgivings about choosing to buy it. The whole lead up was a challenge, Becky was obnoxious and nothing seemed to be happening. But thankfully it did pick up.
Becky has a relatively small cast and they're well selected. Kevin James is a pleasant surprise in this dramatic role. I love seeing people take on something out of character, and I thought his performance as Dominick was impressive. There may have been a couple of points that seemed a little out of place, but on the whole the part was well scripted and James' depiction was very convincing. There was a slightly odd dynamic between Dominick and his minions, I liked the variety of personalities though, and Robert Maillet was definitely my favourite as Apex.
Lulu Wilson as Becky kept causing me problems. As I mentioned above, I didn't really like her as a character... I'm not sure quite where I fell out with her along the way. The beginning felt insanely unrealistic with regards to her behaviour, and while I found her to be less frustrating when the action started there was still something missing. I wonder if that might be to do with age. She's a 13-year-old girl, just a nudge into the higher teens might have made it more engaging.
I had to tap some expert knowledge when it came to the cinematography (thank you, Clare), after some investigation I'm going to say that there are a lot of transitions that lay somewhere between a match cut and an invisible cut. At the beginning of the film it's used to show the comparison of Becky at school and the convicts in prison, and that worked, I liked it. But it happens more, and that novelty value wore off quickly and I was expecting more of it, which became distracting.
There's a lot of gore on-screen throughout, with the accompaniment of some slightly dubious effects on occasions. On the whole the gratuitous violence amused me for its sheer outrageousness. One scene will get you a bit (well, it did me), you'll know it when you see it. Was all this violence needed? Probably not. Was it entertaining in the action of it all? Yes... probably.
Even with my conflicted feelings at the beginning of the film, I did come out enjoying myself. There are hints of a spicy Home Alone at work, somewhere just shy of Better Watch Out.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/01/becky-movie-review.html
Henry Rollins recommended Seven Samurai (1954) in Movies (curated)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Black Widow (2021) in Movies
Jun 29, 2021
After a delay lasting 19 months; the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has returned to the big screen with “Black Widow”. The film takes place between “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War”; audiences get more of the backstory of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), as we are introduced to her early life before the Red Room.
This is not to say that the film is an origin story as it uses her backstory through a clever introduction that establishes her “family” as sleeper agents in Ohio before they escape and she and her cover sister are tuned over for conditioning and training.
Since Natasha is on the run from the authorities; she finds a remote location in Norway to bide her time. This does not last as a dangerous adversary known as the Taskmaster arrives and sets a chain of events into motion.
Natasha has been sent a package from her cover sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) who also went through the Red Room and became a top assassin in the years since she and Natasha last saw one another.
Despite her mixed feelings; Natasha ventures to Budapest and confronts Yelena who in turn reveals the package she sent her contains a compound that can free the other Black Widows from the control of the Red Room which despite Natasha’s insistence is still very much alive as is the head of the institute which she is convinced she killed long ago.
With Taskmaster and other Widows hot on their trail, Natasha and Yelena are forced to seek the help of their former “Father” the imprisoned hero Red Guardian (David Harbour), and their cover Mother Melina (Rachel Weisz), to find the location of the new Red Room; free the Widows, and end the program once and for all.
What follows is an engaging story with solid action and effects that remains at its core a character story as Natasha attempts to reconcile her cover family with her new Avengers family and the pain of her upbringing and conditioning.
Marvel resisted calls from some to release the film on Disney+ last year when the Pandemic caused multiple delays to the planned release dates. This decision to me was very wise as this is a film that needs to be seen and heard on the big screen as it is an experience that is best experienced in a cinema with others.
While many attempts were made over the decades to adapt comic heroes to film and television; most of them came up lacking and disappointed fans of the source material. Marvel for over a decade has continued to succeed as they have a clear plan, cast well, and have engaging characters that develop over time.
“Black Widow” fills in a missing gap of time in the MCU well and also sets up future adventures as a scene in the credits clearly links two of the live-action Disney+ series and shows that the long-term plan for the MCU continues and incorporates the film and television series well.
From the moment the Marvel intro and music appeared on the screen until the very end; “Black Widow” was a very enjoyable and engaging blockbuster adventure that shows Marvel at the top of their game; and why they continue to set event-level movies not to miss.
This is not to say that the film is an origin story as it uses her backstory through a clever introduction that establishes her “family” as sleeper agents in Ohio before they escape and she and her cover sister are tuned over for conditioning and training.
Since Natasha is on the run from the authorities; she finds a remote location in Norway to bide her time. This does not last as a dangerous adversary known as the Taskmaster arrives and sets a chain of events into motion.
Natasha has been sent a package from her cover sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) who also went through the Red Room and became a top assassin in the years since she and Natasha last saw one another.
Despite her mixed feelings; Natasha ventures to Budapest and confronts Yelena who in turn reveals the package she sent her contains a compound that can free the other Black Widows from the control of the Red Room which despite Natasha’s insistence is still very much alive as is the head of the institute which she is convinced she killed long ago.
With Taskmaster and other Widows hot on their trail, Natasha and Yelena are forced to seek the help of their former “Father” the imprisoned hero Red Guardian (David Harbour), and their cover Mother Melina (Rachel Weisz), to find the location of the new Red Room; free the Widows, and end the program once and for all.
What follows is an engaging story with solid action and effects that remains at its core a character story as Natasha attempts to reconcile her cover family with her new Avengers family and the pain of her upbringing and conditioning.
Marvel resisted calls from some to release the film on Disney+ last year when the Pandemic caused multiple delays to the planned release dates. This decision to me was very wise as this is a film that needs to be seen and heard on the big screen as it is an experience that is best experienced in a cinema with others.
While many attempts were made over the decades to adapt comic heroes to film and television; most of them came up lacking and disappointed fans of the source material. Marvel for over a decade has continued to succeed as they have a clear plan, cast well, and have engaging characters that develop over time.
“Black Widow” fills in a missing gap of time in the MCU well and also sets up future adventures as a scene in the credits clearly links two of the live-action Disney+ series and shows that the long-term plan for the MCU continues and incorporates the film and television series well.
From the moment the Marvel intro and music appeared on the screen until the very end; “Black Widow” was a very enjoyable and engaging blockbuster adventure that shows Marvel at the top of their game; and why they continue to set event-level movies not to miss.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Secrets of Southern Girls in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I am very pleased to participate in my first #SpotlightTour, and thanks a lot to Sourcebooks Landmark and Liz Kelsch for inviting me. When I saw the description of this book, it really left me intrigued and raised a lot of questions. I am really glad I chose this book, because it is full of secrets and sorrow, and it is amazing to read, how it all unfolds in front of you.
When I finished reading this book, first mind which came to me was “Looking for Reba” (instead of "Looking for Alaska" by J. Green). I think it had that vibe going on, but this book was way better for me. The characters of this book are very interesting and really diverse; most of them seem really complicated and tired of Reba’s memory/ghost following them around. The main characters of this book supposed to be Julie and August, but Reba and Toby steals the spotlight with their story. Reba’s memory seems to ruin all these people’s lives. Julie separated from her husband due to constant memory of Reba, and the guilt, which was eating her. August never forgot his first love and never moved on in his life, looking for answers. Toby left obsessed with Reba’s memory and chooses not to let go of it. I really loved the way author portrayed the feelings of these characters, especially Reba’s. The detail of it, the teenage confusion of what she wants, choices which had to be made when you are still in school. They absolutely fascinated me. I really enjoy when authors tell the story from different character’s perspective, and this books didn’t leave me disappointed. All the characters are different personalities, and reading from different perspectives made the book more colourful and way more interesting to read.
The plot of the book starts quite slowly, by introducing Julie and her family. Well let me be honest with you, it dragged a little bit at the beginning, but once Julie and August got the diary, the whole book turns around into this fast paced and incredibly twisty adventure. So my advice would be, just be patient, because what is coming up will shock you, and will grip you so hard, that it will be hard to put it down (At least that’s what happened to me) . The plot takes the story back to the times when Reba was alive and back to present day, to show how those discoveries influenced the living characters. I had to put down the book couple of times, just to take a breath and let the truth sink in. I just didn’t expect to find out so many secrets and well hidden lies.
The writing style of this novel is very pleasant to read, with easy and understandable manner and short chapters. I would like to throw in a warning (for parents), that this book contains sex scenes and foul language, even though this book is about teenagers, it is an adult read. Even the ending of this book left me surprised, by throwing in some more unexpected turns, which help to come to nice conclusion of this book and leave the ghosts to rest. Haley Harrigan used her degree in Creative Writing very well in this debut novel, and I will definitely be waiting for her upcoming books. So if you looking for some good, secrets unfolding novel, with twists and turns that grips you in, get this book and indulge yourself into Southern heat.
When I finished reading this book, first mind which came to me was “Looking for Reba” (instead of "Looking for Alaska" by J. Green). I think it had that vibe going on, but this book was way better for me. The characters of this book are very interesting and really diverse; most of them seem really complicated and tired of Reba’s memory/ghost following them around. The main characters of this book supposed to be Julie and August, but Reba and Toby steals the spotlight with their story. Reba’s memory seems to ruin all these people’s lives. Julie separated from her husband due to constant memory of Reba, and the guilt, which was eating her. August never forgot his first love and never moved on in his life, looking for answers. Toby left obsessed with Reba’s memory and chooses not to let go of it. I really loved the way author portrayed the feelings of these characters, especially Reba’s. The detail of it, the teenage confusion of what she wants, choices which had to be made when you are still in school. They absolutely fascinated me. I really enjoy when authors tell the story from different character’s perspective, and this books didn’t leave me disappointed. All the characters are different personalities, and reading from different perspectives made the book more colourful and way more interesting to read.
The plot of the book starts quite slowly, by introducing Julie and her family. Well let me be honest with you, it dragged a little bit at the beginning, but once Julie and August got the diary, the whole book turns around into this fast paced and incredibly twisty adventure. So my advice would be, just be patient, because what is coming up will shock you, and will grip you so hard, that it will be hard to put it down (At least that’s what happened to me) . The plot takes the story back to the times when Reba was alive and back to present day, to show how those discoveries influenced the living characters. I had to put down the book couple of times, just to take a breath and let the truth sink in. I just didn’t expect to find out so many secrets and well hidden lies.
The writing style of this novel is very pleasant to read, with easy and understandable manner and short chapters. I would like to throw in a warning (for parents), that this book contains sex scenes and foul language, even though this book is about teenagers, it is an adult read. Even the ending of this book left me surprised, by throwing in some more unexpected turns, which help to come to nice conclusion of this book and leave the ghosts to rest. Haley Harrigan used her degree in Creative Writing very well in this debut novel, and I will definitely be waiting for her upcoming books. So if you looking for some good, secrets unfolding novel, with twists and turns that grips you in, get this book and indulge yourself into Southern heat.
Wow, this read was an absolute emotional rollercoaster, sometimes shattering my heart into million pieces and making me angry for all the injustice author had to suffer, and sometimes making me feel so proud for all the achievements Christine was able to conquer.
This book is a memoir of Christine Clayfield, where she is sharing her life story. The story begins when she was five years old, and it continues throughout her life, including rebellious teenage years, until the present, when she is 58 years old. All the past memories were triggered when suddenly she gets a call, that her mother is very ill and she has to return to Belgium, where she faces the ghosts from her past. Her youth years are very brutal and the amount of violence and abuse she had to face from her father is absolutely unbelievable. To top her already sad life, she married a violent man, who made her life even more miserable. I tend to question people’s choices in these type of books. Why they didn’t look for help? Why they didn’t complain to other family members? Why they stayed silent? And in many books I do find the answers which sound illogical, but not in this book. Christine explains everything very clearly, and for me, her thoughts and feelings fully explain every choice she had to make. I’m absolutely touched by how honest this book is. Christine poured her heart out and is sharing the deepest and darkest events with the readers, and I applaud her bravery because, I believe, it should have been a really difficult book to write.
The events in this book were jumping between present and past, giving a little insight of what will come. The author shared a beautiful story of how she met her present husband and the letters they shared while apart. They were absolutely adorable. The amount of topics discussed in this book is huge, such as child abuse, bullying, mentally caused illnesses, family problems, relationships with friends, alcoholism, loose sexual behaviour, domestic violence, business ideas, distance relationship, effects of divorce, and many many more. The author is openly speaking about nuns and their cruelty, and I thought nuns supposed to be kind and helpful, but they looked like tyrants rather than saints. (I kind of knew it, but still, was stupidly surprised about this fact 😀 )
The writing style is very pleasant and the language is easy and understandable. The chapters are a decent length and it doesn’t leave you bored. I would like to throw in a disclaimer, this book is not very easy mentally, there is a lot of cruelty and violence and does have a lot of heartbreaking moments, so tissues and strong nerves are recommended. 🙂 I loved the way Christine rounded up her novel, it left me really satisfied. So, to conclude, this work is incredibly inspiring and I do believe it should be widely spread to share the awareness of how you can do anything you put your mind to. That “can do” attitude, clear goals and a lot of hard work will make you successful, no matter what you endured in life. It is all in you, you just need to find it. Please do support this book, there is a lot of things to learn from Christine because she is freaking amazing and her story is absolutely inspiring. Enjoy 🙂
This book is a memoir of Christine Clayfield, where she is sharing her life story. The story begins when she was five years old, and it continues throughout her life, including rebellious teenage years, until the present, when she is 58 years old. All the past memories were triggered when suddenly she gets a call, that her mother is very ill and she has to return to Belgium, where she faces the ghosts from her past. Her youth years are very brutal and the amount of violence and abuse she had to face from her father is absolutely unbelievable. To top her already sad life, she married a violent man, who made her life even more miserable. I tend to question people’s choices in these type of books. Why they didn’t look for help? Why they didn’t complain to other family members? Why they stayed silent? And in many books I do find the answers which sound illogical, but not in this book. Christine explains everything very clearly, and for me, her thoughts and feelings fully explain every choice she had to make. I’m absolutely touched by how honest this book is. Christine poured her heart out and is sharing the deepest and darkest events with the readers, and I applaud her bravery because, I believe, it should have been a really difficult book to write.
The events in this book were jumping between present and past, giving a little insight of what will come. The author shared a beautiful story of how she met her present husband and the letters they shared while apart. They were absolutely adorable. The amount of topics discussed in this book is huge, such as child abuse, bullying, mentally caused illnesses, family problems, relationships with friends, alcoholism, loose sexual behaviour, domestic violence, business ideas, distance relationship, effects of divorce, and many many more. The author is openly speaking about nuns and their cruelty, and I thought nuns supposed to be kind and helpful, but they looked like tyrants rather than saints. (I kind of knew it, but still, was stupidly surprised about this fact 😀 )
The writing style is very pleasant and the language is easy and understandable. The chapters are a decent length and it doesn’t leave you bored. I would like to throw in a disclaimer, this book is not very easy mentally, there is a lot of cruelty and violence and does have a lot of heartbreaking moments, so tissues and strong nerves are recommended. 🙂 I loved the way Christine rounded up her novel, it left me really satisfied. So, to conclude, this work is incredibly inspiring and I do believe it should be widely spread to share the awareness of how you can do anything you put your mind to. That “can do” attitude, clear goals and a lot of hard work will make you successful, no matter what you endured in life. It is all in you, you just need to find it. Please do support this book, there is a lot of things to learn from Christine because she is freaking amazing and her story is absolutely inspiring. Enjoy 🙂
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Memento (2000) in Movies
Nov 29, 2020
One of my favourite films
Film #5 on the 100 Movies Bucket List: Memento
I have to admit, I may be a little biased when it comes to Memento. Christopher Nolan is my favourite director and Memento is both one of my favourite films of his and one of my favourite films of all time. For me, this undoubtedly deserves its place on this bucket list.
Memento is a 2000 psychological thriller starring Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man suffering from anterograde amnesia searching for the person responsible for the death of his wife, using notes and tattoos to organise his thoughts.
One of the most noticeable features of Memento is the fact that half of the narrative is told backwards. The movie begins at the end, focusing on a rather gruesome Polaroid photograph that fades rather than develops and a victim of a shooting coming back to life. The rest of the film jumps backwards a few minutes at a time, each scene ending where the last one started. For a film about memory loss and amnesia, this mechanism of telling the story really helps put us in Leonard’s shoes. It makes you feel as confused as he is. On the original dvd release, there was a hidden feature that allowed you to play the film in chronological order and this just didn’t have the same impact. These reverse scenes are interspersed with black and white flashbacks of Leonard earlier in his wife’s murder investigation and his life as an insurance investigator, which really help with the exposition. These paired together alongside a haunting score make for an intriguing and not your run of the mill murder mystery.
There are some great performances in this that also help increase the intrigue. Carrie-Anne Moss as the apparently helpful Natalie and Joe Pantoliano as the questionable sidekick appear new to Leonard every time they meet yet their loyalties and motives waver for us as the viewers throughout the film. And Guy Pearce manages to portray the frustrated and not as innocent as he first appears Leonard incredibly well, and holds this film on his own for most of the run time. They’re helped by a clever and smart script that flawlessly blends the sinister and rather dark criminal aspects of this with some surprisingly funny lines.
This story starts at the end so you don’t have to worry about how it turns out, but despite this Memento still comes up with a rather cracking twist and denouement. This entire film is about time and memory and how unreliable it is, and the lies we tell ourselves about our own identities. Even during this, what we thought we knew about Leonard as the black and white flashback meets the backwards story, is revealed to be completely unreliable and quite shocking. Without revealing too much, the outcome of this film is both surprising, sinister and rather emotional, and features some of the best dialogue of the entire movie. Leonard’s actions and motives revealed here and the final voiceover as he drives off makes for a hugely satisfying ending.
I first watched Memento in a psychology class at college around 17 years ago. I loved it then and in the years since, it hasn’t lost its appeal. Watching it back now still evokes the same emotion and feelings when the credits roll as it did all those years ago and will always be one of my favourite films, even possibly my all time favourite.
I have to admit, I may be a little biased when it comes to Memento. Christopher Nolan is my favourite director and Memento is both one of my favourite films of his and one of my favourite films of all time. For me, this undoubtedly deserves its place on this bucket list.
Memento is a 2000 psychological thriller starring Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man suffering from anterograde amnesia searching for the person responsible for the death of his wife, using notes and tattoos to organise his thoughts.
One of the most noticeable features of Memento is the fact that half of the narrative is told backwards. The movie begins at the end, focusing on a rather gruesome Polaroid photograph that fades rather than develops and a victim of a shooting coming back to life. The rest of the film jumps backwards a few minutes at a time, each scene ending where the last one started. For a film about memory loss and amnesia, this mechanism of telling the story really helps put us in Leonard’s shoes. It makes you feel as confused as he is. On the original dvd release, there was a hidden feature that allowed you to play the film in chronological order and this just didn’t have the same impact. These reverse scenes are interspersed with black and white flashbacks of Leonard earlier in his wife’s murder investigation and his life as an insurance investigator, which really help with the exposition. These paired together alongside a haunting score make for an intriguing and not your run of the mill murder mystery.
There are some great performances in this that also help increase the intrigue. Carrie-Anne Moss as the apparently helpful Natalie and Joe Pantoliano as the questionable sidekick appear new to Leonard every time they meet yet their loyalties and motives waver for us as the viewers throughout the film. And Guy Pearce manages to portray the frustrated and not as innocent as he first appears Leonard incredibly well, and holds this film on his own for most of the run time. They’re helped by a clever and smart script that flawlessly blends the sinister and rather dark criminal aspects of this with some surprisingly funny lines.
This story starts at the end so you don’t have to worry about how it turns out, but despite this Memento still comes up with a rather cracking twist and denouement. This entire film is about time and memory and how unreliable it is, and the lies we tell ourselves about our own identities. Even during this, what we thought we knew about Leonard as the black and white flashback meets the backwards story, is revealed to be completely unreliable and quite shocking. Without revealing too much, the outcome of this film is both surprising, sinister and rather emotional, and features some of the best dialogue of the entire movie. Leonard’s actions and motives revealed here and the final voiceover as he drives off makes for a hugely satisfying ending.
I first watched Memento in a psychology class at college around 17 years ago. I loved it then and in the years since, it hasn’t lost its appeal. Watching it back now still evokes the same emotion and feelings when the credits roll as it did all those years ago and will always be one of my favourite films, even possibly my all time favourite.
