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Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated The Mummy (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2018
Blech
The Mummy was a completely awesome movie! Filled with perfectly timed comedy, a strong female heroine, a somewhat sinister Mummy, and great lines! I’m talking, of course, about the 1999 version of The Mummy. The one starring Brendan Fraser and the wonderful Rachel Weisz.
The remake tried to be a great movie and slid in somewhere around “mediocre at best”. As one might expect, this was Tom Cruise playing Tom Cruise. (Does the man ever actually try to play someone other than himself? Serious question.) Sofia Boutella is blandly proficient as the scantily clad mummy who couldn’t ooze menace or evil if her life depended on it. Given that we’re supposed to accept that this chick killed her baby half-brother and her father, you’d think there’d be something in the way of evil there. Instead she just comes across as your typical vengeful, wanton female. Annabelle Wallis was about as good as Boutella was. And I did not buy Crowe’s Jekyll/Hyde at all.
Why was there a wet white t-shirt scene in The Mummy? Did not a single person making it go “You know, maybe we should have her put on a different color shirt?” Because it’s not like the wet white t-shirt is a blatant aim to give guys something to beat off to or anything. Between Boutella’s outfit and the “Lookit! Boobies!” of that particular scene, it was obvious that the film crew wasn’t exactly confident of their success in the movie being popular on it’s premise or the actors’ abilities alone.
Now, I do give them credit for the hiring of Sofia Boutella. She looked right for the role. However, why did we have to do the contrast of the evil foreign female against the stereotypical white female again. (Blonde hair, blue eyes, etc. etc. You really can’t get more white.) This is, admittedly, more predominant in my mind since seeing the criticism that Wonder Woman got for the very minor role African Americans played in the film. I couldn’t help but think “Really, how hard would it have been to hire an African American female for Jenny’s role?” And then it would have avoided the white girls vs the other girls thing. But, yeah, no, that’s too difficult a concept for the people making the casting decisions to understand.
(On a lighter note: A blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jenny meant every time she was on screen, I kept expecting Forest Gump to yell for her from off screen.)
The action was fine, with nothing new thrown in. Some of the scenes are recognizable from the better The Mummy. The dialogue was acceptable, but nothing to write home about.
Do yourself a favor and just watch The Mummy movie from 1999. It’s by far the better film experience. This one wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t very good.
The remake tried to be a great movie and slid in somewhere around “mediocre at best”. As one might expect, this was Tom Cruise playing Tom Cruise. (Does the man ever actually try to play someone other than himself? Serious question.) Sofia Boutella is blandly proficient as the scantily clad mummy who couldn’t ooze menace or evil if her life depended on it. Given that we’re supposed to accept that this chick killed her baby half-brother and her father, you’d think there’d be something in the way of evil there. Instead she just comes across as your typical vengeful, wanton female. Annabelle Wallis was about as good as Boutella was. And I did not buy Crowe’s Jekyll/Hyde at all.
Why was there a wet white t-shirt scene in The Mummy? Did not a single person making it go “You know, maybe we should have her put on a different color shirt?” Because it’s not like the wet white t-shirt is a blatant aim to give guys something to beat off to or anything. Between Boutella’s outfit and the “Lookit! Boobies!” of that particular scene, it was obvious that the film crew wasn’t exactly confident of their success in the movie being popular on it’s premise or the actors’ abilities alone.
Now, I do give them credit for the hiring of Sofia Boutella. She looked right for the role. However, why did we have to do the contrast of the evil foreign female against the stereotypical white female again. (Blonde hair, blue eyes, etc. etc. You really can’t get more white.) This is, admittedly, more predominant in my mind since seeing the criticism that Wonder Woman got for the very minor role African Americans played in the film. I couldn’t help but think “Really, how hard would it have been to hire an African American female for Jenny’s role?” And then it would have avoided the white girls vs the other girls thing. But, yeah, no, that’s too difficult a concept for the people making the casting decisions to understand.
(On a lighter note: A blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jenny meant every time she was on screen, I kept expecting Forest Gump to yell for her from off screen.)
The action was fine, with nothing new thrown in. Some of the scenes are recognizable from the better The Mummy. The dialogue was acceptable, but nothing to write home about.
Do yourself a favor and just watch The Mummy movie from 1999. It’s by far the better film experience. This one wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t very good.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated BlacKkKlansman (2018) in Movies
Aug 20, 2018
The first real Oscar contender of 2018
The first shot of the 2018 Oscar race has been fired and it is Spike Lee's BLACKkKLANSMAN. If you are an "Oscar completest" I highly recommend you check this film out as you will be hearing it's name called (probably many times) when the Oscar nominations are revealed.
But...is it a good film?
For the most part, yes.
Based on the incredible true story of Colorado Springs undercover office, Ron Stallworth, an African-American, who was able to infiltrate the KKK via the phone. He then needs a surrogate to keep the subterfuge up in face to face meetings.
In playing Stallworth, relative newcomer John David Washington (son of Denzel) shows that he has inherited at least some of his famous father's acting chops. His portrayal of Washington shows a conflicted man, determined to do his job while juggling his feelings and responsibilities of being a black man in early 1970's America.
Laura Harrier (Liz in SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING) matches Washington beat for beat as Black activist - and potential love interest - Patrice Dumas who has razor-sharp focus on changing the plight of African Americans and drives Stallworth to thinking about more than just his job.
Other strong performances comes from Topher Grace (as KKK Head David Duke), Robert John Burke as Chief Bridges and Corey Hawkins in an extended cameo as Kwame Ture (aka 1960's Black Activist Stokely Carmichael). I really liked the passion and furvor Hawkins brought to this part.
But...the standout performance in this film comes from Adam Driver as the "white face" of Ron Stallworth to the KKK. He portrays Flip Zimmerman who has been constantly denying his Jewish heritage to pass as a WASP in this world and when he comes face to face with race hatred, he must confront his own inner feelings towards his own past. This is another strong performance by Driver (who is much, much more than just Kylo Ren) and I expect to hear his name called when Oscar nominations are announced.
But...good acting aside...this is a Spike Lee "joint" in all the ways (good and bad) that Spike Lee directs his films. There is a cleanliness in the way he drives the narrative never losing focus on what the main theme of the proceedings needs to be. He paints interesting pictures on the screen and crafts a strong, message picture that should be seen by all.
But...he does have a tendency to overplay his hand, hitting the audience over the head over and over again with his themes to the point of me wanting to say to the screen "all right already, I get it!". This knocks the film down just a hair.
But...that is the price of admission for a very good Spike Lee film, one that I highly recommend you see.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
But...is it a good film?
For the most part, yes.
Based on the incredible true story of Colorado Springs undercover office, Ron Stallworth, an African-American, who was able to infiltrate the KKK via the phone. He then needs a surrogate to keep the subterfuge up in face to face meetings.
In playing Stallworth, relative newcomer John David Washington (son of Denzel) shows that he has inherited at least some of his famous father's acting chops. His portrayal of Washington shows a conflicted man, determined to do his job while juggling his feelings and responsibilities of being a black man in early 1970's America.
Laura Harrier (Liz in SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING) matches Washington beat for beat as Black activist - and potential love interest - Patrice Dumas who has razor-sharp focus on changing the plight of African Americans and drives Stallworth to thinking about more than just his job.
Other strong performances comes from Topher Grace (as KKK Head David Duke), Robert John Burke as Chief Bridges and Corey Hawkins in an extended cameo as Kwame Ture (aka 1960's Black Activist Stokely Carmichael). I really liked the passion and furvor Hawkins brought to this part.
But...the standout performance in this film comes from Adam Driver as the "white face" of Ron Stallworth to the KKK. He portrays Flip Zimmerman who has been constantly denying his Jewish heritage to pass as a WASP in this world and when he comes face to face with race hatred, he must confront his own inner feelings towards his own past. This is another strong performance by Driver (who is much, much more than just Kylo Ren) and I expect to hear his name called when Oscar nominations are announced.
But...good acting aside...this is a Spike Lee "joint" in all the ways (good and bad) that Spike Lee directs his films. There is a cleanliness in the way he drives the narrative never losing focus on what the main theme of the proceedings needs to be. He paints interesting pictures on the screen and crafts a strong, message picture that should be seen by all.
But...he does have a tendency to overplay his hand, hitting the audience over the head over and over again with his themes to the point of me wanting to say to the screen "all right already, I get it!". This knocks the film down just a hair.
But...that is the price of admission for a very good Spike Lee film, one that I highly recommend you see.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Snow like Ashes in Books
Oct 9, 2018
The world-building in this book is fascinating. At first, it seems like yet another YA novel about displaced royals trying to win back their kingdom, but this royal is in much more dire straits than most. Meira is a refugee living on the run with seven others, one of them her rightful King. All the rest of their people have been enslaved by the conquering country, and their kingdom's link to the magic inherent in the land has been broken.
A little backdrop is needed. In Meira's land, there are eight countries. The Rhythm countries, where seasons proceed as normal, and the Seasons - 4 countries locked in one season each. The rulers of each country have a magic conduit that lets them feed magic to their people - but the conduits are gender-locked. In four of the countries, only women can use the conduit; in the other four, only men. Meira and her little band are all that's left of the free people of Winter. Spring invaded sixteen years ago, killed Winter's queen, broke the locket that was their magic conduit (each ruler has one) and enslaved their people. Because the queen only had a son, he can't wield Winter's magic anyway. They're still trying to find the two pieces of the locket so when he has a daughter, she can wield it. You'd think at this point, since he's of age, he should be trying to get as many women pregnant as possible to up the odds of getting a royal heir who can wield the magic, but that...doesn't come up.
The book does delve into the country's people being oppressed, used as slaves, and being incredibly abused by the conquering country, and this is where I ran into a quandary. The Season's people reflect their countries: Autumn's people have copper skin, Spring's citizens are blond-haired and green-eyed - and Winter's people are white. Pale skin, snow-white hair, blue eyes. Writing white people as the oppressed people just rubs me the wrong way. (In that false "help I'm being oppressed because other people want equal rights!" kind of way.) Yes, this is fantasy, yes, it has nothing to do with our world's politics - but it bothers me. It's at least not white-savioring, as Meira's trying to save her own people, but I don't know. Is it better or worse to write white people as the oppressed protagonists?
That question aside, this was a well-written novel of fighting against an oppressor. There is definitely still work to be done at the end of the book, and there are two more books, as well as two short stories. While I am a little curious what ultimately happens, I don't know if the series has earned more time on my reading list.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
A little backdrop is needed. In Meira's land, there are eight countries. The Rhythm countries, where seasons proceed as normal, and the Seasons - 4 countries locked in one season each. The rulers of each country have a magic conduit that lets them feed magic to their people - but the conduits are gender-locked. In four of the countries, only women can use the conduit; in the other four, only men. Meira and her little band are all that's left of the free people of Winter. Spring invaded sixteen years ago, killed Winter's queen, broke the locket that was their magic conduit (each ruler has one) and enslaved their people. Because the queen only had a son, he can't wield Winter's magic anyway. They're still trying to find the two pieces of the locket so when he has a daughter, she can wield it. You'd think at this point, since he's of age, he should be trying to get as many women pregnant as possible to up the odds of getting a royal heir who can wield the magic, but that...doesn't come up.
The book does delve into the country's people being oppressed, used as slaves, and being incredibly abused by the conquering country, and this is where I ran into a quandary. The Season's people reflect their countries: Autumn's people have copper skin, Spring's citizens are blond-haired and green-eyed - and Winter's people are white. Pale skin, snow-white hair, blue eyes. Writing white people as the oppressed people just rubs me the wrong way. (In that false "help I'm being oppressed because other people want equal rights!" kind of way.) Yes, this is fantasy, yes, it has nothing to do with our world's politics - but it bothers me. It's at least not white-savioring, as Meira's trying to save her own people, but I don't know. Is it better or worse to write white people as the oppressed protagonists?
That question aside, this was a well-written novel of fighting against an oppressor. There is definitely still work to be done at the end of the book, and there are two more books, as well as two short stories. While I am a little curious what ultimately happens, I don't know if the series has earned more time on my reading list.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Lee (2222 KP) rated Next Gen (2018) in Movies
Oct 15, 2018 (Updated Oct 15, 2018)
Beautiful Animation (1 more)
John Krasinski
Fantastic Family Movie
We're in the futuristic city of Grainland and robots are everywhere, helping humans with all aspects of life. From robotic teachers and police, right the way down to the smaller, task orientated robots. Friendly robot hairbrushes leap on kids heads and start brushing their messy hair while robot toothbrushes, programmed by mum to ensure their kids regularly brush their teeth, seek out the children who are trying to avoid them. It's all done in good humour, even if in reality it would all be just a little bit creepy. The opening credits introduce us to Mai Su, whose parents split following an argument. As Mai grows up, her mother compensates for her loss by filling her life with servant robots called Q-Bots, making Mai feel neglected and eventually resentful towards all robots. She's a very unhappy teenager, bullied at school for being different.
At the big launch of the next generation of Q-Bots, Mai breaks free from her excited mum and, following a run in with some security robots, finds herself in a hidden lab. There, Dr Rice, who is the technical brains behind the Q-Bots, has been developing a robot of his own: Project 7723 (voiced by John Krasinski). As the curious Mai goes to investigate the robot, security bots catch up with her once more and she has to leave quickly, leaving behind her backpack. Project 7723 picks up the backpack and sets about returning it to its rightful owner at all costs. As 7723 travels along the highway, following the car that is transporting Mai home, we begin to discover just how technologically advanced 7723 is - packing some serious weaponry, which it uses to effectively take out the police robots that are in pursuit. Nothing stands in its way.
The backpack is eventually returned, but Mai is initially disinterested in the robot. That is, until it takes out the annoying robot toothbrush with a laser! The pair form a friendship, and Mai hides 7723 away in her garage at night. Unfortunately though, 7723 sustained damage to his core memory during the earlier chase and each night has to decide which of the memories he made with Mai that day he can delete in order to prevent his storage from reaching critical capacity. As they have fun together and become good friends, this gets harder to do each day, and you just know that eventually this isn't going to end well.
I really enjoyed Next Gen. It's very reminiscent of movies like Big Hero 6 and The Iron Giant and John Krasinski brings 7723 to life brilliantly. The animation is of such a high standard, beautifully detailed, and there are some fantastic action sequences, along with plenty of good humour throughout. And, as suspected, it does manage to pack a real emotional punch at times too. I sat and watched this with my daughter and it really is just a great family movie.
At the big launch of the next generation of Q-Bots, Mai breaks free from her excited mum and, following a run in with some security robots, finds herself in a hidden lab. There, Dr Rice, who is the technical brains behind the Q-Bots, has been developing a robot of his own: Project 7723 (voiced by John Krasinski). As the curious Mai goes to investigate the robot, security bots catch up with her once more and she has to leave quickly, leaving behind her backpack. Project 7723 picks up the backpack and sets about returning it to its rightful owner at all costs. As 7723 travels along the highway, following the car that is transporting Mai home, we begin to discover just how technologically advanced 7723 is - packing some serious weaponry, which it uses to effectively take out the police robots that are in pursuit. Nothing stands in its way.
The backpack is eventually returned, but Mai is initially disinterested in the robot. That is, until it takes out the annoying robot toothbrush with a laser! The pair form a friendship, and Mai hides 7723 away in her garage at night. Unfortunately though, 7723 sustained damage to his core memory during the earlier chase and each night has to decide which of the memories he made with Mai that day he can delete in order to prevent his storage from reaching critical capacity. As they have fun together and become good friends, this gets harder to do each day, and you just know that eventually this isn't going to end well.
I really enjoyed Next Gen. It's very reminiscent of movies like Big Hero 6 and The Iron Giant and John Krasinski brings 7723 to life brilliantly. The animation is of such a high standard, beautifully detailed, and there are some fantastic action sequences, along with plenty of good humour throughout. And, as suspected, it does manage to pack a real emotional punch at times too. I sat and watched this with my daughter and it really is just a great family movie.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Carrie (1976) in Movies
Oct 28, 2019
They're All Gonna Laugh At You!
If you are Carrie White, your life has not been an easy one. You have had to endure years of abuse and torture at the hand of your crazed, ultra religious and protective mother, the scorn and subject of ridicule of your entire school and the emergence of your unexplained abilities to move objects with your mind.
After a horribly embarrassing episode in the high school shower involving the onset of mensuration in the teen, Carrie is reduced to a sobby mess as her schoolmates laugh, point and ridicule her to no end. She finds no solace from her mother who now thinks of her as "dirty". The gym teacher comes to Carrie's defense and outlines to the rest of the class they will be in detention for one week as their penance and any further unruly behavior will result in their suspension and remove from attending their senior prom.
This does not sit well with Chris a popular girl with a cool boyfriend and an attitude toward authority. Another classmate, Sue, feels guilt upon her participation in the shower scene event so much so she forces her boyfriend to ask Carrie to the prom despite his reservation. Once at the prom, Carrie is delighted by the event, fighting through her embarrassment and demure feelings to try and enjoy her newfound appearance as a beautiful young woman.
All hell is about to break loose!
The original film Carrie, is a lot of premature exposition and character introductions for the inevitable culmination of Carrie's triumph, ridicule and retribution during the prom, but it is worth the wait.
Almost every character Carrie interacts with does not like her including most of her classmates, her teachers who can't remember her name and then there's her mother. Not only does she shame her daughter whenever possible and tell her she is a go good sinner, she even says at one point she wishes Carrie had not been born since she thinks of any sex act as a sin.
Both Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie who played Carrie's mother were nominated for Academy Awards in 1977 for their work and it was very well deserved. Carrie is so timid at times and then so filled with desire for vengeance and the willingness to murder her character arc was one you don't often see in film. Her mother annoyed everyone she met including the neighbors she tried to convert and her daughter who I don't think she loved at all. You instantly hated her for what she did to her fragile young daughter and Laurie brought her to life well.
Any movie which is over 40 years old will look somewhat dated with the music, costumes and hair styles (and lots of nudity, wow, forgot about that!), but that does not diminish the fine acting performances and the very fulfilling payoff the movie delivers.
A horror classic!
After a horribly embarrassing episode in the high school shower involving the onset of mensuration in the teen, Carrie is reduced to a sobby mess as her schoolmates laugh, point and ridicule her to no end. She finds no solace from her mother who now thinks of her as "dirty". The gym teacher comes to Carrie's defense and outlines to the rest of the class they will be in detention for one week as their penance and any further unruly behavior will result in their suspension and remove from attending their senior prom.
This does not sit well with Chris a popular girl with a cool boyfriend and an attitude toward authority. Another classmate, Sue, feels guilt upon her participation in the shower scene event so much so she forces her boyfriend to ask Carrie to the prom despite his reservation. Once at the prom, Carrie is delighted by the event, fighting through her embarrassment and demure feelings to try and enjoy her newfound appearance as a beautiful young woman.
All hell is about to break loose!
The original film Carrie, is a lot of premature exposition and character introductions for the inevitable culmination of Carrie's triumph, ridicule and retribution during the prom, but it is worth the wait.
Almost every character Carrie interacts with does not like her including most of her classmates, her teachers who can't remember her name and then there's her mother. Not only does she shame her daughter whenever possible and tell her she is a go good sinner, she even says at one point she wishes Carrie had not been born since she thinks of any sex act as a sin.
Both Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie who played Carrie's mother were nominated for Academy Awards in 1977 for their work and it was very well deserved. Carrie is so timid at times and then so filled with desire for vengeance and the willingness to murder her character arc was one you don't often see in film. Her mother annoyed everyone she met including the neighbors she tried to convert and her daughter who I don't think she loved at all. You instantly hated her for what she did to her fragile young daughter and Laurie brought her to life well.
Any movie which is over 40 years old will look somewhat dated with the music, costumes and hair styles (and lots of nudity, wow, forgot about that!), but that does not diminish the fine acting performances and the very fulfilling payoff the movie delivers.
A horror classic!
Natacha (374 KP) rated Half the World in Books
Dec 15, 2019 (Updated Dec 15, 2019)
As with the first book, the main story is very basic. I group of misfits that are thrown together to complete a quest to find allies. But I still had a blast reading this book.
Things I liked:
-Because the main plot is so simple all characters and their developments are amazing. All of them have their own voice, their own personality and keep evolving and keep you intrigued until the end.
-Thorn. Thorn is a strong female character but with a twist. She is not the typical strong female character that is the best fighter to ever walk this earth, the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth and who think that loves is something stupid and not for her. No, she tall, muscular, with scars and a weird hair cut. She is a fighter and a killer but you get to see her become one through hard training and strong will. And when she falls in love? She is afraid of it, yes, but when the times comes she doesn't shy away from it, she embraces it and doesn't mind showing a more gentle side of her. That was very nice to see.
-Brand is our second main character and the opposite of Thorn. He is a sweet boy that wants to be a soldier but deep down he just wants to be a good person and do good no matter what.
-There is a love story but it's not the main theme of the story and it's a slow burn one. Initially, I was a little annoyed just because at some point there is a misunderstanding that could have easily been solved by simply talking but the way things evolve later makes up for it.
-The ending left me with the feeling that something big is coming with the next book and made we want to pick it right away.
-We got to see magic! One of my complaints in the first book was that we had elves and magic being mention but never saw any of it.
Things I didn't like
-The main reason why my rating is (4.5 instead of 5 goodreads rating) 9/10 instead of 10/10 if this one. As I mention the main plot is very basic. I group of misfits that are thrown together. They travel a lot, get to know each other, bond and fight bad guys. Unfortunately, although I loved the characters, for more than half of the book I felt disappointed because what I was reading felt very similar to what I had read in book one. In Half a King you had again a group of misfits thrown in a boat together that travelled a lot, had to find a way to survive, they get to know each-other bond and fight bad guys. It sounds like a minor thing but when I picked because it picked up this book straight after the first one it felt repetitive.
Things I liked:
-Because the main plot is so simple all characters and their developments are amazing. All of them have their own voice, their own personality and keep evolving and keep you intrigued until the end.
-Thorn. Thorn is a strong female character but with a twist. She is not the typical strong female character that is the best fighter to ever walk this earth, the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth and who think that loves is something stupid and not for her. No, she tall, muscular, with scars and a weird hair cut. She is a fighter and a killer but you get to see her become one through hard training and strong will. And when she falls in love? She is afraid of it, yes, but when the times comes she doesn't shy away from it, she embraces it and doesn't mind showing a more gentle side of her. That was very nice to see.
-Brand is our second main character and the opposite of Thorn. He is a sweet boy that wants to be a soldier but deep down he just wants to be a good person and do good no matter what.
-There is a love story but it's not the main theme of the story and it's a slow burn one. Initially, I was a little annoyed just because at some point there is a misunderstanding that could have easily been solved by simply talking but the way things evolve later makes up for it.
-The ending left me with the feeling that something big is coming with the next book and made we want to pick it right away.
-We got to see magic! One of my complaints in the first book was that we had elves and magic being mention but never saw any of it.
Things I didn't like
-The main reason why my rating is (4.5 instead of 5 goodreads rating) 9/10 instead of 10/10 if this one. As I mention the main plot is very basic. I group of misfits that are thrown together. They travel a lot, get to know each other, bond and fight bad guys. Unfortunately, although I loved the characters, for more than half of the book I felt disappointed because what I was reading felt very similar to what I had read in book one. In Half a King you had again a group of misfits thrown in a boat together that travelled a lot, had to find a way to survive, they get to know each-other bond and fight bad guys. It sounds like a minor thing but when I picked because it picked up this book straight after the first one it felt repetitive.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Spelled (The Storymakers, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Pun intended in that post title.
As the crown princess of Emerald who may be cursed to set the world on fire, Dorthea has been locked in the Emerald Palace since she was born and kept away from anything that could potentially catch fire. When she gets a wishing star, she decides to use it, only to have it completely backfire on her.
<i>Spelled</i> is filled with bits of humor throughout, particularly from the side characters who have quickly become my favorite characters. The main character, on the other hand...
<blockquote>But I really, <i>really</i> don't want to.</blockquote>
Dorthea pretty much annoyed me for a good part of the book. She's snotty, stuck-up, spoiled – gosh, I'm turning that into a tongue twister with so many s-words. She's also whiny – Dorthea spends her time whining and complaining for quite literally a quarter of the book before someone snarks at her and tells her to shut up, grow up, and act like a proper princess (she even had the nerve to say no one else had manners – manners? *flips hair* Ha! Nope!) She's funny at some points, but the majority of her sarcasm seemed more like an attempt at sounding funny rather than actually being as funny as Rexi's use of sarcasm and snark.
<blockquote><b>Bob:</b> No, Priestess. When all his nails are broken, he will die.
<b>Rexi:</b> You can't get a haircut, and he can't get a manicure. Death by salon visit.</blockquote>
I even started wondering if <i>Spelled,</i> as pretty as the cover the book and premise is, would even last. The book isn't strictly a retelling of <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> – there are other fairy tale characters as well. Throwing in other fairy tale characters aren't exactly bothersome in my case, but Schow throws in King Midas and chimeras – both of whom are from <i>Greek mythology</i>, NOT from a fairy tale. Someone please tell me I'm wrong and those two actually appear in a fairy tale, because if they do appear in one, I obviously haven't read enough of the non-gruesome original fairy tales. Or do they actually appear in the gruesome ones? I would love to know.
<i>Spelled</i> could be considered a fun read, if you put aside all of the problems – there's humor, a good premise, and an amazing cast of side characters. But if you don't have the patience to handle a spoiled and stuck-up princess who whines a lot for approximately a quarter of the book, <i>Spelled</i> might not be a book on your radar.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-spelled-by-betsy-schow/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Pun intended in that post title.
As the crown princess of Emerald who may be cursed to set the world on fire, Dorthea has been locked in the Emerald Palace since she was born and kept away from anything that could potentially catch fire. When she gets a wishing star, she decides to use it, only to have it completely backfire on her.
<i>Spelled</i> is filled with bits of humor throughout, particularly from the side characters who have quickly become my favorite characters. The main character, on the other hand...
<blockquote>But I really, <i>really</i> don't want to.</blockquote>
Dorthea pretty much annoyed me for a good part of the book. She's snotty, stuck-up, spoiled – gosh, I'm turning that into a tongue twister with so many s-words. She's also whiny – Dorthea spends her time whining and complaining for quite literally a quarter of the book before someone snarks at her and tells her to shut up, grow up, and act like a proper princess (she even had the nerve to say no one else had manners – manners? *flips hair* Ha! Nope!) She's funny at some points, but the majority of her sarcasm seemed more like an attempt at sounding funny rather than actually being as funny as Rexi's use of sarcasm and snark.
<blockquote><b>Bob:</b> No, Priestess. When all his nails are broken, he will die.
<b>Rexi:</b> You can't get a haircut, and he can't get a manicure. Death by salon visit.</blockquote>
I even started wondering if <i>Spelled,</i> as pretty as the cover the book and premise is, would even last. The book isn't strictly a retelling of <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> – there are other fairy tale characters as well. Throwing in other fairy tale characters aren't exactly bothersome in my case, but Schow throws in King Midas and chimeras – both of whom are from <i>Greek mythology</i>, NOT from a fairy tale. Someone please tell me I'm wrong and those two actually appear in a fairy tale, because if they do appear in one, I obviously haven't read enough of the non-gruesome original fairy tales. Or do they actually appear in the gruesome ones? I would love to know.
<i>Spelled</i> could be considered a fun read, if you put aside all of the problems – there's humor, a good premise, and an amazing cast of side characters. But if you don't have the patience to handle a spoiled and stuck-up princess who whines a lot for approximately a quarter of the book, <i>Spelled</i> might not be a book on your radar.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-spelled-by-betsy-schow/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Seizure (Virals, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/03/review-seizure-by-kathy-reichs.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste
I had no clue why the title was Seizure. For all I knew, seizure meant something to do with a stroke or a heart attack and could possibly result in death if not fixed ASAP. I could be wrong with that definition as well. What I never knew however, was the other definition. The Dictionary enlightened me:
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2czRrDxmYY8/UUEOb7ipebI/AAAAAAAABKE/7MBpVauz380/s320/Seizure+Definition.JPG"; />
I guess I was partially right. Apparently there goes proof I'm not a walking/talking dictionary. Living proof. I'm honestly better off as a spellchecker any day. I must be bored if I did know the definition for every word that exists. Extremely bored. To the point of desperation. Which isn't happening any day until the zombie apocalypse at the least.
Seizure is the second novel in the Virals series (first book is Virals, but my review for it never existed on this planet because my book blogging life never existed at the time) written by Kathy Reichs. It's been awhile after the Virals have transformed from a super-virus. Due to financial problems, Loggerhead Island is at risk to be shut down, and the Virals may have to separate, facing the super-virus on their own. At least until Tory Brennan hears about Anne Bonny's legend. It's said that her treasure is buried right in Charles Town, but no one has succeeded in finding it for around 3 centuries.
What I like about Seizure is the storyline. It's creative, and it twists a legend (I don't know the actual legend though) to fit in with what's going on with the Virals after their transformation. I also love how the characters have changed a lot from the first novel, or at least, most of them, and how there are new characters introduced. Whitney's still as annoying as before (just get out of Tory's hair already! Dx) and Chance hasn't changed much. As for everyone else? Well, I can't say. I can say they changed, but I can't say how. I might as well tape an index card on my forehead with the words SPOILER.
What I dislike? My prediction (always. I fear I'm aiming correctly... even though I have terrible accuracy). I sense a love triangle coming soon. And as typical as it goes with love triangles in YA, it might get ugly with the tension. The best part about that though? I might be off the mark. Or I may be bull's eye (I hope not!). Don't take my prediction for granted. It's just a thought. I might be wrong, or I might be right. I guess we'll see.
Speaking of which, the third book in the series, Code, came out last Wednesday, March 12. Who's excited for a new Virals adventure? :D
Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste
I had no clue why the title was Seizure. For all I knew, seizure meant something to do with a stroke or a heart attack and could possibly result in death if not fixed ASAP. I could be wrong with that definition as well. What I never knew however, was the other definition. The Dictionary enlightened me:
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2czRrDxmYY8/UUEOb7ipebI/AAAAAAAABKE/7MBpVauz380/s320/Seizure+Definition.JPG"; />
I guess I was partially right. Apparently there goes proof I'm not a walking/talking dictionary. Living proof. I'm honestly better off as a spellchecker any day. I must be bored if I did know the definition for every word that exists. Extremely bored. To the point of desperation. Which isn't happening any day until the zombie apocalypse at the least.
Seizure is the second novel in the Virals series (first book is Virals, but my review for it never existed on this planet because my book blogging life never existed at the time) written by Kathy Reichs. It's been awhile after the Virals have transformed from a super-virus. Due to financial problems, Loggerhead Island is at risk to be shut down, and the Virals may have to separate, facing the super-virus on their own. At least until Tory Brennan hears about Anne Bonny's legend. It's said that her treasure is buried right in Charles Town, but no one has succeeded in finding it for around 3 centuries.
What I like about Seizure is the storyline. It's creative, and it twists a legend (I don't know the actual legend though) to fit in with what's going on with the Virals after their transformation. I also love how the characters have changed a lot from the first novel, or at least, most of them, and how there are new characters introduced. Whitney's still as annoying as before (just get out of Tory's hair already! Dx) and Chance hasn't changed much. As for everyone else? Well, I can't say. I can say they changed, but I can't say how. I might as well tape an index card on my forehead with the words SPOILER.
What I dislike? My prediction (always. I fear I'm aiming correctly... even though I have terrible accuracy). I sense a love triangle coming soon. And as typical as it goes with love triangles in YA, it might get ugly with the tension. The best part about that though? I might be off the mark. Or I may be bull's eye (I hope not!). Don't take my prediction for granted. It's just a thought. I might be wrong, or I might be right. I guess we'll see.
Speaking of which, the third book in the series, Code, came out last Wednesday, March 12. Who's excited for a new Virals adventure? :D
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