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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Staircase in TV
Jun 27, 2018 (Updated Nov 27, 2018)
Pretty Captivating
I went straight into watching the Staircase immediately after watching Evil Genius and initially was underwhelmed due to the simplicity of this case in comparison to the case in Evil Genius. However, after sticking with the show after a few episodes, I found myself more invested and binged the entire series over the next few days. I never watched the original 9 episodes when they originally aired back in 2004, which I was actually glad of as it allowed me to take in the entire story in a few sittings from start to finish.
There are a lot of interesting characters in this doc and it is really them that keep your interest throughout. Michael Peterson is interesting to watch and listen to, regardless of whether or not you think that he is guilty of the crime he is accused of committing. The rest of the Peterson family are also interesting and it is eye opening, - if slightly harrowing, - to see all of these people go through this decades spanning ordeal. Michael's lawyer, David Rudolph is also pretty entertaining and it is compelling to watch him work.
Out of all of the docs I watched recently, this one provides the most closure and tells the most complete story, which makes sticking with all of it's 13 episodes feel satisfying.
I wanted to add a wee bit onto this review after I went to see David Rudolph speak in Glasgow last night during his, 'Inside The Staircase,' World Tour. It was an interesting night and well worth going to as a fan of the documentary. David brought with him some unseen clips from the show and some unseen autopsy photos. After seeing this fresh evidence, I personally am convinced that the Owl Theory is the most plausible scenario at this point. At first, I thought that the Owl Theory was absurd, but after David laid out all of the evidence to support the theory last night, I don't see how it could have possibly played out any other way. Regardless, this is still a very interesting case and the documentary is well worth a binge if you haven't already seen it.
There are a lot of interesting characters in this doc and it is really them that keep your interest throughout. Michael Peterson is interesting to watch and listen to, regardless of whether or not you think that he is guilty of the crime he is accused of committing. The rest of the Peterson family are also interesting and it is eye opening, - if slightly harrowing, - to see all of these people go through this decades spanning ordeal. Michael's lawyer, David Rudolph is also pretty entertaining and it is compelling to watch him work.
Out of all of the docs I watched recently, this one provides the most closure and tells the most complete story, which makes sticking with all of it's 13 episodes feel satisfying.
I wanted to add a wee bit onto this review after I went to see David Rudolph speak in Glasgow last night during his, 'Inside The Staircase,' World Tour. It was an interesting night and well worth going to as a fan of the documentary. David brought with him some unseen clips from the show and some unseen autopsy photos. After seeing this fresh evidence, I personally am convinced that the Owl Theory is the most plausible scenario at this point. At first, I thought that the Owl Theory was absurd, but after David laid out all of the evidence to support the theory last night, I don't see how it could have possibly played out any other way. Regardless, this is still a very interesting case and the documentary is well worth a binge if you haven't already seen it.
Louise (64 KP) rated Flame in the Mist in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This was my first time reading anything by Renee Ahdieh, as usual I do things back to front. Her Wrath and the Dawn duology has got nothing but praise so when I saw she had another book coming out I jumped at the chance to read it.I was really intrigued as I heard it was a Mulan retelling and plus the cover is absolutely stunning.
Flame in the Mist follows Mariko, she is 17 years old and is destined to marry, she has had a sheltered life and brought up for the sole purpose to marry to support his social standing. She is on her way to marry a prince from another part of Japan when her litter and convoy are attacked by the Black Clan. Mariko manages to make it out alive, instead of returning home to her family she decides to disguise herself as a boy to find out who tried to kill her and why.
I found this story hard to get into at the beginning, I wasn't totally gripped and didn't have the inclination to carry on reading. I didn't know what to expect with Renee Ahdieh's writing style but I was pleasantly surprised and she had this knack for creating an atmosphere and world building. The downfall to this book was that Mariko was a very boring character. We were told how smart she was several times but we wasn't shown. She was headstrong and knew that she was born the wrong gender to be perceived as anything other than marriage material.
I liked the romance and loved the buildup of tension between the love birds even if it did have some problems. I didn't see the twist at the end coming. This is supposed to be a fantasy but there were no fantastical creatures and very little magic involved. The Mulan retelling is 'loosely based'.
I think for me I am going to have reread this book at a later date - it didn't hold my attention enough to take a lot of it in. I still would like to read her Wrath and the Dawn duology.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
This was my first time reading anything by Renee Ahdieh, as usual I do things back to front. Her Wrath and the Dawn duology has got nothing but praise so when I saw she had another book coming out I jumped at the chance to read it.I was really intrigued as I heard it was a Mulan retelling and plus the cover is absolutely stunning.
Flame in the Mist follows Mariko, she is 17 years old and is destined to marry, she has had a sheltered life and brought up for the sole purpose to marry to support his social standing. She is on her way to marry a prince from another part of Japan when her litter and convoy are attacked by the Black Clan. Mariko manages to make it out alive, instead of returning home to her family she decides to disguise herself as a boy to find out who tried to kill her and why.
I found this story hard to get into at the beginning, I wasn't totally gripped and didn't have the inclination to carry on reading. I didn't know what to expect with Renee Ahdieh's writing style but I was pleasantly surprised and she had this knack for creating an atmosphere and world building. The downfall to this book was that Mariko was a very boring character. We were told how smart she was several times but we wasn't shown. She was headstrong and knew that she was born the wrong gender to be perceived as anything other than marriage material.
I liked the romance and loved the buildup of tension between the love birds even if it did have some problems. I didn't see the twist at the end coming. This is supposed to be a fantasy but there were no fantastical creatures and very little magic involved. The Mulan retelling is 'loosely based'.
I think for me I am going to have reread this book at a later date - it didn't hold my attention enough to take a lot of it in. I still would like to read her Wrath and the Dawn duology.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Louise (64 KP) rated The Girl in the Red Coat in Books
Jul 2, 2018
This book is every parent/guardians worst nightmare! This book made me feel anxious and sick at how realistic this is. For my daughter to be the same age as Carmel is just terrifying to me. This story line will definitely bring out your emotions even if you are not a parent. The premise was what drew me towards reading this book, child abduction is something that we will see on the news occasionally and something that could happen to anyone.
Carmel Wakeford is 8 years old and intelligent for her age, recently Carmel has been “Away with the Fairies” and occasionally wanders off. Beth (Carmel’s mother) is on constant edge when they visit a children’s festival, so much so they Carmel becomes agitated by her mothers clingyness that she decides to remove herself from her mothers grasp just for a while. When Carmel returns to the spot her mother is no where to be seen, a grey haired man appears and introduces himself as Carmel’s grandfather. With never actually meeting her grandfather before and him knowing her parents, she believes him when he tells her that her mother has been in an accident and he is there to look after her. Beth is frantically searching for her daughter realising her worst fear is becoming a reality.
The book is told from two alternating point of views, Beth and Carmel’s. Though this is a crime book, it is not told from the investigation perspective as we are used to, it’s more of the mother/father/family/child’s suffering. Hamer has captured the emotions of the mother really well with feeling guilty and the grieving process and I could feel her despair and knew if I was in the same position I would be feeling exactly the same way. I enjoyed reading from Carmel’s perspective, it’s interesting when the author writes as a child it needs to come across realistically which Hamer managed to pull off.
I found this story to be quite slow even with the alternating POV’s and some parts I was bored but I continued reading as I needed to know what happened to Carmel. The ending all seemed to be a bit rushed and left things unexplained. The writing was really good and packed full of emotion.
This is a great debut novel from Kate Hamer and would be interested in reading her future work.
Overall I rated this 3.5 out of stars
Carmel Wakeford is 8 years old and intelligent for her age, recently Carmel has been “Away with the Fairies” and occasionally wanders off. Beth (Carmel’s mother) is on constant edge when they visit a children’s festival, so much so they Carmel becomes agitated by her mothers clingyness that she decides to remove herself from her mothers grasp just for a while. When Carmel returns to the spot her mother is no where to be seen, a grey haired man appears and introduces himself as Carmel’s grandfather. With never actually meeting her grandfather before and him knowing her parents, she believes him when he tells her that her mother has been in an accident and he is there to look after her. Beth is frantically searching for her daughter realising her worst fear is becoming a reality.
The book is told from two alternating point of views, Beth and Carmel’s. Though this is a crime book, it is not told from the investigation perspective as we are used to, it’s more of the mother/father/family/child’s suffering. Hamer has captured the emotions of the mother really well with feeling guilty and the grieving process and I could feel her despair and knew if I was in the same position I would be feeling exactly the same way. I enjoyed reading from Carmel’s perspective, it’s interesting when the author writes as a child it needs to come across realistically which Hamer managed to pull off.
I found this story to be quite slow even with the alternating POV’s and some parts I was bored but I continued reading as I needed to know what happened to Carmel. The ending all seemed to be a bit rushed and left things unexplained. The writing was really good and packed full of emotion.
This is a great debut novel from Kate Hamer and would be interested in reading her future work.
Overall I rated this 3.5 out of stars
Louise (64 KP) rated The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I have not read anything with Genies, nothing NADA! So when I saw this I jumped on the chance to read it. I love reading short story collections, you get to read from authors that you have never read from before and to see if you like their writing style. This collection of short stories is from authors all over the world and it is their take on the djinn and some of the myths,tales that they have heard whilst growing up or heard. The only author that I had heard and read beforehand was Neil Gaiman, I read ‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’ years ago and enjoyed it so I knew there would be one possible story that I would like.
So going into this I knew nothing about Genie’s/Djinn other than Aladdin! The book has an introduction written by the editors Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin explaining how this book came together and the different authors involved. We also had the The Djinn Falls In Love by Hermes which is poem about a djinn which I really enjoyed.
There are 20 stories in this collection in total and are all very different, however I found the majority of them to be a little dull and wasn’t holding my attention or the story line/plot got confusing. There were however some really great ones that I loved such as ‘Spite House’ and ‘Reap’. I must admit that there will be something for everyone as there several different genres within.
‘Reap’ by Sami Shah – This was a 5 star from me. This is a story about a small team who use a drone for surveillance on a small village in Pakistan. They have to watch the residents of this village and one family has 11 children, but one day Miriam, the youngest, doesn’t return with the clan. This has supernatural elements and is pretty scary but truly wonderful and had me gripped all the way through.
This is not one of my favourite short story collection as there were just too many that didn’t hold my interest or was a little confusing. The cover though is beautiful and recommend if you want to read some different interpretations about Djinn.
I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
I have not read anything with Genies, nothing NADA! So when I saw this I jumped on the chance to read it. I love reading short story collections, you get to read from authors that you have never read from before and to see if you like their writing style. This collection of short stories is from authors all over the world and it is their take on the djinn and some of the myths,tales that they have heard whilst growing up or heard. The only author that I had heard and read beforehand was Neil Gaiman, I read ‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’ years ago and enjoyed it so I knew there would be one possible story that I would like.
So going into this I knew nothing about Genie’s/Djinn other than Aladdin! The book has an introduction written by the editors Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin explaining how this book came together and the different authors involved. We also had the The Djinn Falls In Love by Hermes which is poem about a djinn which I really enjoyed.
There are 20 stories in this collection in total and are all very different, however I found the majority of them to be a little dull and wasn’t holding my attention or the story line/plot got confusing. There were however some really great ones that I loved such as ‘Spite House’ and ‘Reap’. I must admit that there will be something for everyone as there several different genres within.
‘Reap’ by Sami Shah – This was a 5 star from me. This is a story about a small team who use a drone for surveillance on a small village in Pakistan. They have to watch the residents of this village and one family has 11 children, but one day Miriam, the youngest, doesn’t return with the clan. This has supernatural elements and is pretty scary but truly wonderful and had me gripped all the way through.
This is not one of my favourite short story collection as there were just too many that didn’t hold my interest or was a little confusing. The cover though is beautiful and recommend if you want to read some different interpretations about Djinn.
I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Silence of the Grave in Books
Sep 1, 2018
Bleak atmosphere, excellent writing and story
Contains spoilers, click to show
***Spoilers you have been warned***
I loved Jar City because of the dark bleak mood setting that’s described in Erlandur’s world. This one proves to be just the same. Coupled with a well written mystery that goes back into the past, this one lived up to the previous.
The book goes back and forth in time. It features on the past of a woman and her family and the horrendous abuse she endures. It leads up to the mystery surrounding the body found in the present. It’s good background storytelling and put in the missing pieces gradually as you progress in the book. Then as it goes forward to present day, you have Erlandur and his crew attempting to figure out the mystery but it also focuses on Erlandur’s past, and his attempt at patching things up with Eva Lind as she’s in a coma at the hospital.
Don’t expect twists and turns or any special revelations in this novel. It’s a subtle mystery but so well written that it’s a quick read and you’re so immersed into the book that the pages do fly by. It’s the writing style that makes it so good. The mood and setting is again, dark as usual. It’s more bleak than the previous one due to the subject matter and with what Erlandur experiences.
Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone. The physical, mental, emotional abuse featured in this book is hard to read. You sympathize with the mother and her children and Grimur is just one awful piece of garbage. Erlandur’s ghosts from the past is also revealed in this book and he’s got quite a lot of baggage on his shoulders (not including his ex wife and Eva Lind) but it gives his character more substance and he’s not just a presence in the novel. You also learn more about his colleagues (although I’d like to learn more about Elinborg) as they have their lives as well. I like this aspect of the novel as it shows what they do out of duty and gives them a more realistic human feel to the book.
Not much of a mystery but makes for really good reading, not only do the characters flesh out more but the writing is so well done. Recommended and I’ll be moving onto the next book after this one.
I loved Jar City because of the dark bleak mood setting that’s described in Erlandur’s world. This one proves to be just the same. Coupled with a well written mystery that goes back into the past, this one lived up to the previous.
The book goes back and forth in time. It features on the past of a woman and her family and the horrendous abuse she endures. It leads up to the mystery surrounding the body found in the present. It’s good background storytelling and put in the missing pieces gradually as you progress in the book. Then as it goes forward to present day, you have Erlandur and his crew attempting to figure out the mystery but it also focuses on Erlandur’s past, and his attempt at patching things up with Eva Lind as she’s in a coma at the hospital.
Don’t expect twists and turns or any special revelations in this novel. It’s a subtle mystery but so well written that it’s a quick read and you’re so immersed into the book that the pages do fly by. It’s the writing style that makes it so good. The mood and setting is again, dark as usual. It’s more bleak than the previous one due to the subject matter and with what Erlandur experiences.
Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone. The physical, mental, emotional abuse featured in this book is hard to read. You sympathize with the mother and her children and Grimur is just one awful piece of garbage. Erlandur’s ghosts from the past is also revealed in this book and he’s got quite a lot of baggage on his shoulders (not including his ex wife and Eva Lind) but it gives his character more substance and he’s not just a presence in the novel. You also learn more about his colleagues (although I’d like to learn more about Elinborg) as they have their lives as well. I like this aspect of the novel as it shows what they do out of duty and gives them a more realistic human feel to the book.
Not much of a mystery but makes for really good reading, not only do the characters flesh out more but the writing is so well done. Recommended and I’ll be moving onto the next book after this one.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated City of Savages in Books
Oct 16, 2018
Romance nearly killed this one
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book was pretty good for a dystopia. The background story on how it came to be was interesting and set it apart from other stories of this genre where most of the time it’s vague and no one remembers a thing because it was that many years later. So this was nice to read about. The plot alternates between Sky and Phee, but also some parts here and there from present to the past. I prefer reading about Phee because she’s the all around tough girl who can hold her own whereas Sky is more on the romantic idealistic side of things.
The flow of the story is good with stops here and there for character development and plot hooks. It’s engaging and interesting for a good part of the book until you read a little more than half of the novel. This is where the eye rolling instances come on. You knew the love triangle was going to happen. It got pretty nauseating and petty (but then again, Ryder was practically the only guy these two girls have met that they actually liked) and it severely hampered the plot. I didn’t care for this too much as it brought the plot to a complete halt and made reading it not as enjoyable. I begged for something better to come along.
To be fair, it got more interesting towards the final story arc, where you find out more truths about Sky and Phee’s family, and what happened in the past. Everything came to a nice close towards the end. The cheesy romance was still there and induced more eye rolls, but it was toned down for the latter part of the book.
Character wise, Phee would have to be the most interesting as she’s more aggressive of the two sisters and of a more stronger personality. She wasn’t a good match for Ryder anyway as they were just two very different people and completely incompatible but you kinda wish she found someone who’s just as tough as she is.
The romance nearly killed the book for me in this one. I’m glad I went through it as it proved to pick up the pace and went back on track. It’s a hidden gem and if you can get past the obvious, you’ll find a good dystopian story worth reading.
The flow of the story is good with stops here and there for character development and plot hooks. It’s engaging and interesting for a good part of the book until you read a little more than half of the novel. This is where the eye rolling instances come on. You knew the love triangle was going to happen. It got pretty nauseating and petty (but then again, Ryder was practically the only guy these two girls have met that they actually liked) and it severely hampered the plot. I didn’t care for this too much as it brought the plot to a complete halt and made reading it not as enjoyable. I begged for something better to come along.
To be fair, it got more interesting towards the final story arc, where you find out more truths about Sky and Phee’s family, and what happened in the past. Everything came to a nice close towards the end. The cheesy romance was still there and induced more eye rolls, but it was toned down for the latter part of the book.
Character wise, Phee would have to be the most interesting as she’s more aggressive of the two sisters and of a more stronger personality. She wasn’t a good match for Ryder anyway as they were just two very different people and completely incompatible but you kinda wish she found someone who’s just as tough as she is.
The romance nearly killed the book for me in this one. I’m glad I went through it as it proved to pick up the pace and went back on track. It’s a hidden gem and if you can get past the obvious, you’ll find a good dystopian story worth reading.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Curiosity Keeper (Treasures of Surrey, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
The year is 1812, and the search for a missing treasure commences. Mystery and intrigue are found around every corner. A thrilling new regency book!
Jonathan Gilchrist is on a mission to recover The Bevoy, a ruby of immense value, stolen from his father. Jonathan's family needs The Bevoy in order to save their home. But the last thing he expected was Camille Iverness. Camille has grown up in a shady part of London and has learned how to fend for herself. Running her father's curiosity shop, she has encountered many people of different characters. When strange and threatening events occur, she must rely on the help of Mr. Gilchrist, a stranger. But can she trust him? Running from her past, Camille seeks refuge in the village of Fellsworth. As her attachment for the village grows, she begins to feel as though she can begin a new life at last. But when her past literally shows up in Fellsworth, her hopes for a new life are dashed to pieces. Will Jonathan and Camille ever be able to find peace? Will events that unfold push them apart or draw them closer together?
"It is not just a ruby, as you say. It is large as a quail's egg, still untouched and unpolished. And it is rumored to either bless or curse whomever possess it."
The Curiosity Keeper was a book that I had been looking forward to reading for quite a while. And I was not disappointed! It is a thrilling story that kept me engaged from beginning to end. It has all of the elements expected for a regency romance, with a few interesting surprises, mystery being one of them. Sarah Ladd does a brilliant job of drawing you into the story. I could feel my heart racing when tensions rose and sighed with relief on more than one occasion. Throughout the book we can clearly see the underlying message: And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28 NIV) I highly recommend The Curiosity Keeper, and I look forward to the next book in the Treasures of Surrey series.
I received a free digital copy of The Curiosity Keeper from NetGalley courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.
Jonathan Gilchrist is on a mission to recover The Bevoy, a ruby of immense value, stolen from his father. Jonathan's family needs The Bevoy in order to save their home. But the last thing he expected was Camille Iverness. Camille has grown up in a shady part of London and has learned how to fend for herself. Running her father's curiosity shop, she has encountered many people of different characters. When strange and threatening events occur, she must rely on the help of Mr. Gilchrist, a stranger. But can she trust him? Running from her past, Camille seeks refuge in the village of Fellsworth. As her attachment for the village grows, she begins to feel as though she can begin a new life at last. But when her past literally shows up in Fellsworth, her hopes for a new life are dashed to pieces. Will Jonathan and Camille ever be able to find peace? Will events that unfold push them apart or draw them closer together?
"It is not just a ruby, as you say. It is large as a quail's egg, still untouched and unpolished. And it is rumored to either bless or curse whomever possess it."
The Curiosity Keeper was a book that I had been looking forward to reading for quite a while. And I was not disappointed! It is a thrilling story that kept me engaged from beginning to end. It has all of the elements expected for a regency romance, with a few interesting surprises, mystery being one of them. Sarah Ladd does a brilliant job of drawing you into the story. I could feel my heart racing when tensions rose and sighed with relief on more than one occasion. Throughout the book we can clearly see the underlying message: And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28 NIV) I highly recommend The Curiosity Keeper, and I look forward to the next book in the Treasures of Surrey series.
I received a free digital copy of The Curiosity Keeper from NetGalley courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Beyond the Point in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Hannah, Dani, and Avery meet at West Point, the U.S. Military Academy. Together, they are going to face four difficult years--at a tough military academy that is even harder on women. Through the adversity, the three will forge a tight friendship. Dani has come to play basketball, but her body may not be on board with that plan. Hannah comes from a military family, but even her own grandfather isn't sure he wants Hannah at West Point. But Hannah forges ahead anyway, and at school, she meets Tim, the love of her life. And finally, there's Avery, who has come to West Point to escape her tough parents and get a free education. But once there, she finds the strict rules harder to follow than expected, especially when she can't help breaking a few hearts along the way. Hannah, Dani, and Avery are coming of age at West Point in the era of 9/11, facing war together, along with love, heartbreak, and more. Can their friendship survive all these things?
This book took me forever to read; it's very long and detailed, starting with the girls arriving at West Point and going much past it. It actually begins with a series of emails, then dips back to West Point. I have somewhat mixed feelings about this novel, which is very sweeping in its content. I never felt a deep desire to get back and pick it up, but when reading it, found it interesting and compelling.
Hannah, Dani, and Avery are intriguing characters, though it took me a little while to tell them apart. At times, they seemed a bit cliched. Other times, they seemed very in-depth. It was very interesting to read a book that went into such detail about military life. (While West Point clearly offered a chance at great friendships and future success, it seemed really scary sometimes!) It offers a lot of heartfelt moments, and I think it truly gave some insight to what military families go through.
Overall, I liked this one - it was a very different read, and I really enjoyed the chance to read a book set at West Point. It's very poignant and often heartbreaking. It felt a bit long and uneven at times, but still very strong for a debut novel. 3+ stars.
This book took me forever to read; it's very long and detailed, starting with the girls arriving at West Point and going much past it. It actually begins with a series of emails, then dips back to West Point. I have somewhat mixed feelings about this novel, which is very sweeping in its content. I never felt a deep desire to get back and pick it up, but when reading it, found it interesting and compelling.
Hannah, Dani, and Avery are intriguing characters, though it took me a little while to tell them apart. At times, they seemed a bit cliched. Other times, they seemed very in-depth. It was very interesting to read a book that went into such detail about military life. (While West Point clearly offered a chance at great friendships and future success, it seemed really scary sometimes!) It offers a lot of heartfelt moments, and I think it truly gave some insight to what military families go through.
Overall, I liked this one - it was a very different read, and I really enjoyed the chance to read a book set at West Point. It's very poignant and often heartbreaking. It felt a bit long and uneven at times, but still very strong for a debut novel. 3+ stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) in Movies
Jul 15, 2019
If you must blink, do it now” or you might miss any number of details the
beautifully animated film, Kubo and the Two Strings, has to offer. Our
culturally rich journey begins with Kubo (Art Parkinson) and his mother
fleeing from his evil grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), after he
leaves Kubo with only one eye. Soon they settle in a cave where Kubo builds
a community around himself in a nearby Japanese village by using his
talents as a storyteller to charm the town’s people. With his stack of
origami papers and his shamisen that brings them to life he weaves tales of
Hanzo the Samurai. Soon though the danger his mother has tried so valiantly
to hide him from finds him and the real magic begins.
After he inadvertently summons an evil spirit from the past, Kubo is lead
on a quest by a monkey (Charlize Theron) to the far lands to recover three
pieces of a magical suit of armor. On their journey they find companionship
with a giant beetle (Matthew McConaughey) that they learn once belonged to
Kubo’s father’s army. The three are plagued by appearances from his aunts
(Rooney Mara) who try their best to keep Kubo from fulfilling his quest. In
the end Kubo is faced with having to choose immortality or to stay human
which we learn has a kind of magic all in its own.
Though I found parts of the film a bit dark for younger viewers it seems it
is a theme of the animated film studio Laika (Coraline, ParaNorman). There
was some comic relief through the banter of Charlize Theron (monkey) and
Mathew McConaughey (beetle) but the movie always circled backed to a more
serious tone. I also felt it could have done a better job of giving us a
back story about how Kubo comes to posses his magical items (origami papers
and his shamisen) and it glossed over some important details, like why his
mother is so fragile after they reach the cave, which we are left to assume
for ourselves. Kubo does however emphasize the power of our memories and
how important stories become in telling what one holds in his or her heart.
Kubo is thoughtful and weaves a story of how family shapes us but how in
the end we must forge our own path.
beautifully animated film, Kubo and the Two Strings, has to offer. Our
culturally rich journey begins with Kubo (Art Parkinson) and his mother
fleeing from his evil grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), after he
leaves Kubo with only one eye. Soon they settle in a cave where Kubo builds
a community around himself in a nearby Japanese village by using his
talents as a storyteller to charm the town’s people. With his stack of
origami papers and his shamisen that brings them to life he weaves tales of
Hanzo the Samurai. Soon though the danger his mother has tried so valiantly
to hide him from finds him and the real magic begins.
After he inadvertently summons an evil spirit from the past, Kubo is lead
on a quest by a monkey (Charlize Theron) to the far lands to recover three
pieces of a magical suit of armor. On their journey they find companionship
with a giant beetle (Matthew McConaughey) that they learn once belonged to
Kubo’s father’s army. The three are plagued by appearances from his aunts
(Rooney Mara) who try their best to keep Kubo from fulfilling his quest. In
the end Kubo is faced with having to choose immortality or to stay human
which we learn has a kind of magic all in its own.
Though I found parts of the film a bit dark for younger viewers it seems it
is a theme of the animated film studio Laika (Coraline, ParaNorman). There
was some comic relief through the banter of Charlize Theron (monkey) and
Mathew McConaughey (beetle) but the movie always circled backed to a more
serious tone. I also felt it could have done a better job of giving us a
back story about how Kubo comes to posses his magical items (origami papers
and his shamisen) and it glossed over some important details, like why his
mother is so fragile after they reach the cave, which we are left to assume
for ourselves. Kubo does however emphasize the power of our memories and
how important stories become in telling what one holds in his or her heart.
Kubo is thoughtful and weaves a story of how family shapes us but how in
the end we must forge our own path.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Out of the Silence in Books
Nov 21, 2019
This book tackles a difficult subject without compromise but still manages to be a gripping and powerful read. In rural Pakistan a woman is found badly injured after a horrific attack. Sure she is about to die she tells the nurse tending her the story of her life.
She is called Afra and was courted by a boy called Jameel in her village. But her family only see profit in Afra and sell her to a rich businessman from a distant city to be his wife. Jameel leaves the village in shame. Their lives take very different paths from there.
Ralph Buchanan used to be the toast of the journalistic world, exposing corruption and scandal, his work earning him awards and fame. However too many corners cut and too many regrets have left him washed up in Lahore, a has-been drinking his life away. He is told the story of Afra and realises he could make a difference, but before that he needs to drag himself up from rock bottom.
The first part of the book, telling the story of Afra and Jameel is relatively slow paced. It is also a pretty grim read as Mullen describes the reality of life for many women who are still treated as property in Pakistan. There is much that is hard to read, but sometimes the truth can be very ugly. This is nothing like anything Mullen has written before. But he is a writer of considerable talent and weaves the tale expertly. Naturally there is a murder mystery woven into the story, so it is not a complete departure from his normal subject matter.
Once Buchanen enters, the pace picks up and something of the style of his other books returns, with Ralph being very much in the mould of a 'noir journalist'. The story from this point forward is not only his ongoing investigation into Afra's story and the murderer, but also his own personal journey. Mullen has a fabulously light touch with both characters and language that mean the reader is drawn into the events, even more so for having read the shocking story that kicks this book into life.
Owen Mullen has tried something different here, and has sought to expose a deep injustice in the world. He has succeeded on both counts. An author that deserves a wider audience
She is called Afra and was courted by a boy called Jameel in her village. But her family only see profit in Afra and sell her to a rich businessman from a distant city to be his wife. Jameel leaves the village in shame. Their lives take very different paths from there.
Ralph Buchanan used to be the toast of the journalistic world, exposing corruption and scandal, his work earning him awards and fame. However too many corners cut and too many regrets have left him washed up in Lahore, a has-been drinking his life away. He is told the story of Afra and realises he could make a difference, but before that he needs to drag himself up from rock bottom.
The first part of the book, telling the story of Afra and Jameel is relatively slow paced. It is also a pretty grim read as Mullen describes the reality of life for many women who are still treated as property in Pakistan. There is much that is hard to read, but sometimes the truth can be very ugly. This is nothing like anything Mullen has written before. But he is a writer of considerable talent and weaves the tale expertly. Naturally there is a murder mystery woven into the story, so it is not a complete departure from his normal subject matter.
Once Buchanen enters, the pace picks up and something of the style of his other books returns, with Ralph being very much in the mould of a 'noir journalist'. The story from this point forward is not only his ongoing investigation into Afra's story and the murderer, but also his own personal journey. Mullen has a fabulously light touch with both characters and language that mean the reader is drawn into the events, even more so for having read the shocking story that kicks this book into life.
Owen Mullen has tried something different here, and has sought to expose a deep injustice in the world. He has succeeded on both counts. An author that deserves a wider audience