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Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Nightingale (2018) in Movies
Dec 11, 2019
Brutal and beautiful
In 1825 Tasmania, a young wife and mother experiences brutal atrocity against her family by the British soldiers in her midst. With her entire world shattered, the battered and broken young woman embarks on a quest for revenge. Not thinking clearly through her grief, she decides to escapade through the harsh and unforgiving countryside with only a native guide to show her the way and maybe catch those who have violated her world. Haunted by the images of her recent past, Clare is tortured by what she remembers, but needs to persevere for her wits to remain intact.
The path is ripe with treachery. The jungle can be beautiful and harsh simultaneously. Her guide is reluctant to lead the way and has to be bribed to do so. Clare, the young woman, has to deceive her real motives and says she has to meet her husband who as gone on ahead a few days journey. The duo have several unforgiving encounters while tracking the soldiers. The soldiers themselves continually perpetrate barbarism on those they encounter as their own guide takes them on an equally perilous journey through the unforgiving countryside.
Clare's quest for revenge and redemption could end up costing her her own life and soul in the process.
Writer/director Jennifer Kent is now one I will start having to keep my eye on for her future theatrical endeavors. First she spooked us all in the cleverly inventive, The Babadook, and now shows us a glimpse as to the brutal world of 1825 in unrelenting realism. The Australian county is go gorgeous during the day, but during the night presents many ghouls and strange sounds.
The intrigue the film presents is not the brutality itself, but Clare's reaction to it and thus her sense of retribution. She presents strength and weakness sometimes at the same moment, but you feel for her, her tough life and her struggle to meander through it. She wanders from soul to soul trying to get help, but finds few who are willing to help her.
The leading role for actress Aisling Franciosi was astonishing. Her portrayal of Clare was honest, heartbreaking and inspiring during different parts of the film. She wasn't just a victim of violence then a heartless killer, she shows depth and compassion as well.
Some of the images the film shows the audience will be hard to forget any time soon, but I am so glad I found this film. Highly recommended.
The path is ripe with treachery. The jungle can be beautiful and harsh simultaneously. Her guide is reluctant to lead the way and has to be bribed to do so. Clare, the young woman, has to deceive her real motives and says she has to meet her husband who as gone on ahead a few days journey. The duo have several unforgiving encounters while tracking the soldiers. The soldiers themselves continually perpetrate barbarism on those they encounter as their own guide takes them on an equally perilous journey through the unforgiving countryside.
Clare's quest for revenge and redemption could end up costing her her own life and soul in the process.
Writer/director Jennifer Kent is now one I will start having to keep my eye on for her future theatrical endeavors. First she spooked us all in the cleverly inventive, The Babadook, and now shows us a glimpse as to the brutal world of 1825 in unrelenting realism. The Australian county is go gorgeous during the day, but during the night presents many ghouls and strange sounds.
The intrigue the film presents is not the brutality itself, but Clare's reaction to it and thus her sense of retribution. She presents strength and weakness sometimes at the same moment, but you feel for her, her tough life and her struggle to meander through it. She wanders from soul to soul trying to get help, but finds few who are willing to help her.
The leading role for actress Aisling Franciosi was astonishing. Her portrayal of Clare was honest, heartbreaking and inspiring during different parts of the film. She wasn't just a victim of violence then a heartless killer, she shows depth and compassion as well.
Some of the images the film shows the audience will be hard to forget any time soon, but I am so glad I found this film. Highly recommended.
Taut Lines: Extraordinary True Fishing Stories
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Since the earliest writings of civilization, people have been writing about fish and the pursuit of...
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'Omar Robert Hamilton brings vividly to life the failed revolution of 2011 on the streets of Cairo,...
Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the Western Mind
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It is well known that US culture is a dominant force and its exportation of everything from movies...
Saving Normal: An Insider's Revolt Against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life
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From "the most powerful psychiatrist in America" (New York Times) and "the man who wrote the book on...
Binocular Vision
Clare Skeats and Edith Pearlman
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Edith Pearlman's Binocular Vision are the collected stories of an award-winning author who has been...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Art of Death in Books
Jul 1, 2021
The main character in this novel is DI Grace Archer, she is a leading investigator in a series of very bizarre and very cruel murders. There is a very wide variety of diverse and intriguing characters in this novel, and this book is told from multiple perspectives, including the victims and the killer as well. DI Archer is a very complex character, her childhood had its horrors, and she is an outsider in her new police station. But I really admired her strength, sharp mind and complexity. This book allows me to delve deeper into the characters, especially the victims, I think all the victims were suffering from one thing or another, and it was interesting to read about their lives.
The narrative of this book always changes, from the investigation it jumps to new abductions, to personal character’s lives. All these things made the book very fast-paced and enjoyable for me. Even though it is a debut novel, I felt like this book is a part of a series because of the way the author incorporated the details from DI Archer’s past. I felt like I missed the investigations that happened in the past. 😀 I found the plot very multi-dimensional, absorbing and creepy. The topics discussed in this book were grief and loss, traumatic experiences, workplace discrimination, many mental health issues, drug use, domestic and other violence and many many more.
The writing style is very easy to read and enjoyable, but at the same time, it felt unusual, different. (I can’t describe how though 😀 ) The author has experience in cybersecurity, and it was interesting to see, how he highlights the mistakes people do in their daily lives when it comes to our social media and online presence. There are a lot of gory murder scenes in this book, so it might not be suitable for sensitive readers. The atmosphere and the setting of the novel constantly change, depending on the perspective, and I really enjoyed it. The chapters are pretty short, and the whole novel was a page-turner for me. I really loved the ending, it left me very intrigued, and I can’t wait for another book. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a very rich novel, full of layered and diverse characters as well as a plot that is fast-paced and always changing. I really enjoyed this book, it highlights so many various topics and social issues, you just need to find it.
The narrative of this book always changes, from the investigation it jumps to new abductions, to personal character’s lives. All these things made the book very fast-paced and enjoyable for me. Even though it is a debut novel, I felt like this book is a part of a series because of the way the author incorporated the details from DI Archer’s past. I felt like I missed the investigations that happened in the past. 😀 I found the plot very multi-dimensional, absorbing and creepy. The topics discussed in this book were grief and loss, traumatic experiences, workplace discrimination, many mental health issues, drug use, domestic and other violence and many many more.
The writing style is very easy to read and enjoyable, but at the same time, it felt unusual, different. (I can’t describe how though 😀 ) The author has experience in cybersecurity, and it was interesting to see, how he highlights the mistakes people do in their daily lives when it comes to our social media and online presence. There are a lot of gory murder scenes in this book, so it might not be suitable for sensitive readers. The atmosphere and the setting of the novel constantly change, depending on the perspective, and I really enjoyed it. The chapters are pretty short, and the whole novel was a page-turner for me. I really loved the ending, it left me very intrigued, and I can’t wait for another book. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a very rich novel, full of layered and diverse characters as well as a plot that is fast-paced and always changing. I really enjoyed this book, it highlights so many various topics and social issues, you just need to find it.
Becs (244 KP) rated The Book Thief in Books
Oct 2, 2019
I have no idea why I didn’t pick The Book Thief up sooner. It was honestly one of the best novels I’ve read so far this year. Scratch that, probably even one of the best novels I’ve read in my entire lifetime. Well, it might actually be a very close second to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo haha.
One thing that I enjoyed while reading was the narrator of the story (death himself) and all the little bits that are thrown throughout the text like this:
***THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN A BOY WHO HATES YOU***
A boy who loves you.
The author takes such a serious and sad topic and throws in love, sarcasm, and happiness. This was such a well rounded, beautiful and classic novel that I just couldn’t put it down. I loved every second of it, even though at first I was a little skeptical. But that’s only because I was in such a sour mood and reading slump when I started The Book Thief.
If you’re looking for a fast read, don’t read this. This took time to read and to understand. To process all that was going on. Markus Zusak doesn’t write The Book Thief in a morbid way that most books about the Holocaust are written, but instead with humor and love and happiness. The good and the bad all intermingled together to create an amazing book that I will be recommending to everybody from now on.
I cried. I laughed. I got pissed. I was stricken with grief, with pain, and with love. I felt that I went through almost every emotion that my body has while reading The Book Thief. And I honestly wanted more.
I wanted more of Liesel’s story after being the only one to survive on Himmel Street. I wanted spin-offs of Rudy and Liesel developing a relationship as they became teenagers and giving me that love story with a tragic back story. I wanted so much more but at the same time, I was content and happy with how the novel ended. I wouldn’t have changed anything about The Book Thief and I will most definitely be rereading it very soon. This is a book that will be cherished for an eternity.
If you haven’t picked up The Book Thief yet, please drop what you’re doing and read it. It will most defiantly change your life.
“And it would show me, once again, that one opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life, and death to more death.”
One thing that I enjoyed while reading was the narrator of the story (death himself) and all the little bits that are thrown throughout the text like this:
***THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN A BOY WHO HATES YOU***
A boy who loves you.
The author takes such a serious and sad topic and throws in love, sarcasm, and happiness. This was such a well rounded, beautiful and classic novel that I just couldn’t put it down. I loved every second of it, even though at first I was a little skeptical. But that’s only because I was in such a sour mood and reading slump when I started The Book Thief.
If you’re looking for a fast read, don’t read this. This took time to read and to understand. To process all that was going on. Markus Zusak doesn’t write The Book Thief in a morbid way that most books about the Holocaust are written, but instead with humor and love and happiness. The good and the bad all intermingled together to create an amazing book that I will be recommending to everybody from now on.
I cried. I laughed. I got pissed. I was stricken with grief, with pain, and with love. I felt that I went through almost every emotion that my body has while reading The Book Thief. And I honestly wanted more.
I wanted more of Liesel’s story after being the only one to survive on Himmel Street. I wanted spin-offs of Rudy and Liesel developing a relationship as they became teenagers and giving me that love story with a tragic back story. I wanted so much more but at the same time, I was content and happy with how the novel ended. I wouldn’t have changed anything about The Book Thief and I will most definitely be rereading it very soon. This is a book that will be cherished for an eternity.
If you haven’t picked up The Book Thief yet, please drop what you’re doing and read it. It will most defiantly change your life.
“And it would show me, once again, that one opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life, and death to more death.”
Bible Quotes: My Lord - Inspirational Verses from the Bible for Everyday Life
Lifestyle and Education
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Bible Quotes: My Lord - Inspirational Verses from the Bible for Everyday Life ★★★ A selection...
Buzz Books 2018: Young Adult Fall/Winter: Exclusive Excerpts from Forthcoming Titles by Rebecca Hanover, Julie Kagawa, Kody Keplinger, Natasha Ngan, Courtney Summers and More
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Our ninth Buzz Books: Young Adult gives readers the special excitement of being among the first to...