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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Broken Girls in Books
Mar 20, 2018
Captivating, ghostly thriller
Idlewild Hall has been abandoned since 1979. Until then, it was a boarding school of last resort, where parents sent the daughters they'd sooner rather forget. Now someone is looking to restore it, bringing back all of journalist Fiona Sheridan's memories of her teenage sister, Deb. Deb was murdered and her body left in the fields of Idlewild. A rich teen--her sister's boyfriend--named Tim Christopher was charged with Deb's murder. But it never seemed quite right to Fiona. So, she decides to write a story about the restoration, but encounters more than she bargained for as she begins to uncover years of long-buried secrets.
This is a wonderful, captivating book that drew me in immediately. I've never read anything by Simone St. James, so this was a welcome surprise. The novel alternates between two time periods: 1950 and 2014. In 1950, we hear from four girls attending Idlewild Hall--Katie, CeCe, Sonia, and Roberta. One of the girls soon goes missing and her disappearance ties to 2014, where Fiona is both searching for more information about her sister's death and, eventually, more knowledge about the missing Idlewild student. It's incredibly well-done and extremely suspenseful, drawing you quickly into the narrative and the two separate but related worlds.
The book plays on the boarding school mystique and offers up more supernatural elements than I was expecting, but they somehow work here. The novel is creepy and not one I always wanted to be reading alone in the dark! Like some of my favorites, Jennifer McMahon and Carol Goodman, St. James has a flair for the eerie and the ghostly, and it works well in this context. The boarding school stands stark and haunting in the book-terrifying at times-and you feel the fear ooze across the pages from the various characters.
Indeed, St. James does a great job capturing her characters, whom practically come to life before your very eyes. The group from boarding school are excellent--each different in their own way--and Fiona is an excellent, complicated character as well. While the two eras stood alone, I enjoyed how the stories intermingled and slowly tangled together, making the book quite fascinating and a real page-turner. This one wasn't what I expected; at times, it could be quite heartbreaking and touching.
Overall, this is an incredibly well-done thriller. It's quite captivating with lovely characters. A great discovery. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com.
This is a wonderful, captivating book that drew me in immediately. I've never read anything by Simone St. James, so this was a welcome surprise. The novel alternates between two time periods: 1950 and 2014. In 1950, we hear from four girls attending Idlewild Hall--Katie, CeCe, Sonia, and Roberta. One of the girls soon goes missing and her disappearance ties to 2014, where Fiona is both searching for more information about her sister's death and, eventually, more knowledge about the missing Idlewild student. It's incredibly well-done and extremely suspenseful, drawing you quickly into the narrative and the two separate but related worlds.
The book plays on the boarding school mystique and offers up more supernatural elements than I was expecting, but they somehow work here. The novel is creepy and not one I always wanted to be reading alone in the dark! Like some of my favorites, Jennifer McMahon and Carol Goodman, St. James has a flair for the eerie and the ghostly, and it works well in this context. The boarding school stands stark and haunting in the book-terrifying at times-and you feel the fear ooze across the pages from the various characters.
Indeed, St. James does a great job capturing her characters, whom practically come to life before your very eyes. The group from boarding school are excellent--each different in their own way--and Fiona is an excellent, complicated character as well. While the two eras stood alone, I enjoyed how the stories intermingled and slowly tangled together, making the book quite fascinating and a real page-turner. This one wasn't what I expected; at times, it could be quite heartbreaking and touching.
Overall, this is an incredibly well-done thriller. It's quite captivating with lovely characters. A great discovery. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Shattered in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I'm a huge fan of horror books, so when Shattered by C.S. Kane was offered for review, I knew it was a book I had to read! However, I was really disappointed with this book.
I don't think the title suits the book at all. I don't really understand what is being shattered unless it's talking about Stacey's sanity.
The cover is alright. It is a scene from the book. It took me awhile to realize that the red thing on the cover was a heart pinned to the wall.
I didn't really have any problems with the world building except that it didn't come across as a creepy world. Not once was I the slightest bit scared or creeped out.
I felt the pacing of this book was slow. If it had been a longer book, I probably would've added it to my DNF (did not finish) shelf. It took forever, or so I thought, before the action really started, and when it did, it felt like it wasn't much.
The plot idea itself was a good one but sadly fell flat with poor execution. I would've liked this story to involve more of a haunting with more goings on. This story was poorly lacking I believe.
I found all the characters to be a bit dull and on dimensional. I couldn't connect with Stacey on any level, and I found myself not really caring what happened to her. There's a few other characters that are minor but I felt that they are also just sub par.
The dialogue doesn't feel disjointed or awkward in this novel, so it does have that going for it. The character interactions also flow well. There may be a slight amount of swearing in this book. (To be honest, I was a bit bored with this book, so I just wanted to get to the end). There is some blood and gore as well.
Overall, the idea for Shattered was a good one but was just poorly executed. Personally, I found it to be a bit dull and lacking depth. However, there are some good reviews for this book, so I encourage you to form your own opinion.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I'd give Shattered by C.S. Kane a 1.75 out of 5.
(I received a free ecopy of this title from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I'm a huge fan of horror books, so when Shattered by C.S. Kane was offered for review, I knew it was a book I had to read! However, I was really disappointed with this book.
I don't think the title suits the book at all. I don't really understand what is being shattered unless it's talking about Stacey's sanity.
The cover is alright. It is a scene from the book. It took me awhile to realize that the red thing on the cover was a heart pinned to the wall.
I didn't really have any problems with the world building except that it didn't come across as a creepy world. Not once was I the slightest bit scared or creeped out.
I felt the pacing of this book was slow. If it had been a longer book, I probably would've added it to my DNF (did not finish) shelf. It took forever, or so I thought, before the action really started, and when it did, it felt like it wasn't much.
The plot idea itself was a good one but sadly fell flat with poor execution. I would've liked this story to involve more of a haunting with more goings on. This story was poorly lacking I believe.
I found all the characters to be a bit dull and on dimensional. I couldn't connect with Stacey on any level, and I found myself not really caring what happened to her. There's a few other characters that are minor but I felt that they are also just sub par.
The dialogue doesn't feel disjointed or awkward in this novel, so it does have that going for it. The character interactions also flow well. There may be a slight amount of swearing in this book. (To be honest, I was a bit bored with this book, so I just wanted to get to the end). There is some blood and gore as well.
Overall, the idea for Shattered was a good one but was just poorly executed. Personally, I found it to be a bit dull and lacking depth. However, there are some good reviews for this book, so I encourage you to form your own opinion.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I'd give Shattered by C.S. Kane a 1.75 out of 5.
(I received a free ecopy of this title from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Nancy Whang recommended Twin Peaks Soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti in Music (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Friend Request in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I got kind of sucked in from the first pages of this book. It started quite idyllic, a single mother with her little boy. The pressure slowly building up after Louise receives the friend request, and it continues throughout the whole book.
Our main character is, of course, Louise, even though she had a tough divorce which broke her, she got her life together and is a successful businesswoman. Throughout the book, we meet a lot of unique characters, not only from her present but from the past as well. I really liked Louise as a character, she proved to me, that people are able to change.
The narrative, that is the part of this book which I really loved. It is told from a single perspective, but the plot is very well crafted and filled with a lot of feelings, emotions and fantastic twists and turns. It is pretty hard to describe it without spoilers, but let’s try. I do have to mention, that this novel is about bullying, drugs and its consequences to peoples lives. Louise has done something really bad when she was at school, and that thing is haunting her 25 years later. The author does not leave it to this disappearance of Maria only, she spices it up with a ton of twists and illusions. I should say that Laura is a master for creating an illusion.
The plot was time travelling between the present and 1989, revealing the events that took place little by little, and creating even more suspense and wish to find out more. One thing that really annoyed me was that the author exaggerated the character’s secrets, and when you expect something grand and you receive a very uninteresting surprise, it kind of left me disappointed. :/ Another thing what really annoyed me, the way drug use was portrayed in this book. I think drug use is a serious issue, and shouldn’t be portrayed as “cool” or as a “not a big deal”, especially when it comes to school kids.
This was a very well thought through novel, with easy language and overall great writing style. I liked the not-too-long, not-too-short chapters, and I think that the ending of this book was incredibly unexpected, and rounded this story really nicely. So, to conclude, I do strongly recommend this compelling and chilling book, filled with incredible story, unexpected turns, and things which are not as they seem to be. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Our main character is, of course, Louise, even though she had a tough divorce which broke her, she got her life together and is a successful businesswoman. Throughout the book, we meet a lot of unique characters, not only from her present but from the past as well. I really liked Louise as a character, she proved to me, that people are able to change.
The narrative, that is the part of this book which I really loved. It is told from a single perspective, but the plot is very well crafted and filled with a lot of feelings, emotions and fantastic twists and turns. It is pretty hard to describe it without spoilers, but let’s try. I do have to mention, that this novel is about bullying, drugs and its consequences to peoples lives. Louise has done something really bad when she was at school, and that thing is haunting her 25 years later. The author does not leave it to this disappearance of Maria only, she spices it up with a ton of twists and illusions. I should say that Laura is a master for creating an illusion.
The plot was time travelling between the present and 1989, revealing the events that took place little by little, and creating even more suspense and wish to find out more. One thing that really annoyed me was that the author exaggerated the character’s secrets, and when you expect something grand and you receive a very uninteresting surprise, it kind of left me disappointed. :/ Another thing what really annoyed me, the way drug use was portrayed in this book. I think drug use is a serious issue, and shouldn’t be portrayed as “cool” or as a “not a big deal”, especially when it comes to school kids.
This was a very well thought through novel, with easy language and overall great writing style. I liked the not-too-long, not-too-short chapters, and I think that the ending of this book was incredibly unexpected, and rounded this story really nicely. So, to conclude, I do strongly recommend this compelling and chilling book, filled with incredible story, unexpected turns, and things which are not as they seem to be. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated After He Died in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The main protagonist in this novel is Paula, a middle-class housewife, who just became a widow. A young woman – Cara, is trying to shine a different light on Paula’s deceased husband Thomas. This novel is told from two different perspectives – Paula’s and Cara’s. This book is soaked with grief, both of these characters lost people in their past, and they are still dealing with their grief. I really liked Paula in this book. I could feel her pain and her confusion, and to be honest, I was confused with her because all those little clues and words left me as much baffled as Paula herself. I really wanted to like Cara in this novel, but I couldn’t bond with her. I did like what she represented and I did like her attitude, but I couldn’t warm up to her.
The narrative of this novel is very masterfully delivered. It covers a really wide spectrum of events: we have a domestic noir, filled with family relationships and grief, and at the same time we have murders and mystery which are unfolding very slowly. I really liked the topics M. Malone discussed in this book, such as poverty and homelessness; how people deal with grief and what death brings to the families; drugs and how it influences people and their future, etc. I think this novel is more character driven than the investigation itself, but all these talks about feelings and sadness were too much for me at times, I wanted more pace and more unexpected findings. 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of surprises and twists, but I needed more. 😀
I really enjoyed M. Malone’s writing style, it is a very well crafted novel, and his way of sharing Scottish lingual nuances was absolutely adorable and I really liked them. 🙂 This book has a very strong “rich vs. poor” accent, and the setting is changing between luxury, wellness, and shady areas with homeless people, and I found it very well balanced in this book. The chapters were pretty short, and the whole novel was quick and easy to read. The ending of this book rounded this novel very well and it did leave me satisfied. So, to conclude, this is a very sensitive novel, where the pain after someone’s death is very raw and haunting, but at the same time, it is a great thriller filled with very realistic and casual characters and a very unexpected plot. I really liked this novel, and I hope you will give this book a try and enjoy as much as I did.
The narrative of this novel is very masterfully delivered. It covers a really wide spectrum of events: we have a domestic noir, filled with family relationships and grief, and at the same time we have murders and mystery which are unfolding very slowly. I really liked the topics M. Malone discussed in this book, such as poverty and homelessness; how people deal with grief and what death brings to the families; drugs and how it influences people and their future, etc. I think this novel is more character driven than the investigation itself, but all these talks about feelings and sadness were too much for me at times, I wanted more pace and more unexpected findings. 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of surprises and twists, but I needed more. 😀
I really enjoyed M. Malone’s writing style, it is a very well crafted novel, and his way of sharing Scottish lingual nuances was absolutely adorable and I really liked them. 🙂 This book has a very strong “rich vs. poor” accent, and the setting is changing between luxury, wellness, and shady areas with homeless people, and I found it very well balanced in this book. The chapters were pretty short, and the whole novel was quick and easy to read. The ending of this book rounded this novel very well and it did leave me satisfied. So, to conclude, this is a very sensitive novel, where the pain after someone’s death is very raw and haunting, but at the same time, it is a great thriller filled with very realistic and casual characters and a very unexpected plot. I really liked this novel, and I hope you will give this book a try and enjoy as much as I did.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 8, 2019 (Updated Oct 23, 2019)
Believe the hype
Contains spoilers, click to show
Full disclaimer - I have not been a massive fan of any movies DC related since the Dark Knight trilogy. There have been highlights here and there, but it's a been a rough few years to say the least.
I went to see Joker under a pretty neutral assumption - I had heard the good reviews, the bad reviews, and seen the incredibly well put together trailers - but I was still worried that I wouldn't like it.
What I was presented with was quite possibly the film of the year (I can't realistically see anything beating it at this point)
Make no mistake - Joker is a character driven think piece, light on action, and at times difficult to watch.
Jaoquin Phoenix is absolutely phenomenal as Arthur Fleck, and as we watch his descent into madness (or mental freedom depending on which way you look at it), it's hard not to sympathise with him - I felt myself welling up on more than one occasion.
Frances Conroy deserves a round of applause as well, carving out a fading and sad character failing to realise just how low Arthur is spiralling.
The film itself is bleak, painting a realistic Gotham City, on the brink of anarchy, not too dissimilar to how our world is IRL. All it takes is someone ballsy enough to pull the trigger to set it all off.
The film is draped with tense scene after tense scene as the plot builds up to its climax.
The films depiction of mental health issues rings louder than ever, showing us an all too real world that dismisses and laughs at those who suffer with such issues. It's haunting.
The final act is breathtaking - watching Arthur/Joker on Murray Franklin's talk show - when he's underneath the make up, he's a completely different person, threatening, but with a point that makes sense, and that what makes him so sinister.
The much discussed violence is seldom, but impactful, and most importantly, has a purpose as it builds character growth. Everything just seems so wonderfully crafted - hats off to Todd Phillips.
The score is pretty much flawless, hitting all the right notes, as is the cinematography, showcasing fantastic shots continuously throughout.
Joker feels like a true stand-alone, and is concrete evidence why DC should maybe concentrate on one off efforts rather than building an underwhelming connected universe...
It's a fantastic film through and through, and Phoenix deserves an Oscar, at the very least a nomination.
I went to see Joker under a pretty neutral assumption - I had heard the good reviews, the bad reviews, and seen the incredibly well put together trailers - but I was still worried that I wouldn't like it.
What I was presented with was quite possibly the film of the year (I can't realistically see anything beating it at this point)
Make no mistake - Joker is a character driven think piece, light on action, and at times difficult to watch.
Jaoquin Phoenix is absolutely phenomenal as Arthur Fleck, and as we watch his descent into madness (or mental freedom depending on which way you look at it), it's hard not to sympathise with him - I felt myself welling up on more than one occasion.
Frances Conroy deserves a round of applause as well, carving out a fading and sad character failing to realise just how low Arthur is spiralling.
The film itself is bleak, painting a realistic Gotham City, on the brink of anarchy, not too dissimilar to how our world is IRL. All it takes is someone ballsy enough to pull the trigger to set it all off.
The film is draped with tense scene after tense scene as the plot builds up to its climax.
The films depiction of mental health issues rings louder than ever, showing us an all too real world that dismisses and laughs at those who suffer with such issues. It's haunting.
The final act is breathtaking - watching Arthur/Joker on Murray Franklin's talk show - when he's underneath the make up, he's a completely different person, threatening, but with a point that makes sense, and that what makes him so sinister.
The much discussed violence is seldom, but impactful, and most importantly, has a purpose as it builds character growth. Everything just seems so wonderfully crafted - hats off to Todd Phillips.
The score is pretty much flawless, hitting all the right notes, as is the cinematography, showcasing fantastic shots continuously throughout.
Joker feels like a true stand-alone, and is concrete evidence why DC should maybe concentrate on one off efforts rather than building an underwhelming connected universe...
It's a fantastic film through and through, and Phoenix deserves an Oscar, at the very least a nomination.
Darren (1599 KP) rated At The Devil's Door (2014) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – This was a hard film to figure out who the main character was until the end, so I will talk about the three biggest characters in no particular order. Hannah is the first one we meet, she is a runaway that finds herself in the middle of a demon worshiping cult, walking the halls of a house up for sale, she has a secret waiting to reveal. Leigh is the real-estate agent that is trying toe sale the house only to learn that there is a force in the house trying to control certain movements. Vera is the younger sister of Leigh, an artists that becomes the target of the presence that is haunting the land.
Performances – While I don’t think the actors do a bad job in anyway in this film, the scorecard is being harsh on them, most of this complaint that the characters don’t become the main until late in the film which doesn’t give us enough time to get behind the actors. The three actresses do well with what they have without having that one moment that makes them stand out.
Story – The story follows a potential demon being born into the world, I think, it would be fair to say this movie does put forward all the generic ideas that something is off with each scene, but as I was saying with the characters, we follow ones events only for the to mean nothing and these scenes go on for a healthy 20 odd minutes before we move onto the next character’s story, which only leaves us confused and feeling withdrawn from where the story is going.
Horror – The horror is the normal, people walking around the empty houses following or running from noises, the only scene that stands out is involving the hospital.
Settings – The film keeps us in a few houses that always seem to be empty, nothing is overly interesting with the locations being used.
Special Effects – The effects are the strongest part of the film, it does have a couple of stand out moments which will make you look away but also make you want to watch.
Scene of the Movie – Hospital time.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not knowing the main character early on.
Final Thoughts – This is a messy confusing movie that does try to break the mould because of the source material of demon trying to be born, we skip over the been there scene that parts but it takes too long to get there.
Overall: Not good enough horror movie.
Performances – While I don’t think the actors do a bad job in anyway in this film, the scorecard is being harsh on them, most of this complaint that the characters don’t become the main until late in the film which doesn’t give us enough time to get behind the actors. The three actresses do well with what they have without having that one moment that makes them stand out.
Story – The story follows a potential demon being born into the world, I think, it would be fair to say this movie does put forward all the generic ideas that something is off with each scene, but as I was saying with the characters, we follow ones events only for the to mean nothing and these scenes go on for a healthy 20 odd minutes before we move onto the next character’s story, which only leaves us confused and feeling withdrawn from where the story is going.
Horror – The horror is the normal, people walking around the empty houses following or running from noises, the only scene that stands out is involving the hospital.
Settings – The film keeps us in a few houses that always seem to be empty, nothing is overly interesting with the locations being used.
Special Effects – The effects are the strongest part of the film, it does have a couple of stand out moments which will make you look away but also make you want to watch.
Scene of the Movie – Hospital time.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not knowing the main character early on.
Final Thoughts – This is a messy confusing movie that does try to break the mould because of the source material of demon trying to be born, we skip over the been there scene that parts but it takes too long to get there.
Overall: Not good enough horror movie.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated A Haunting in Venice (2023) in Movies
Sep 30, 2023
Well Crafted
Famed Agatha Christie Belgian Sleuth Hercule Poirot is a familiar figure on the screen - both large and small. He has been played numerous times by numerous performers, each one riffing on the famed mustached Detective and his “little grey cells” and and any performer who takes on this character must bear the weight of those who played the role before him.
In A HAUNTING IN VENICE, Kenneth Branagh’s 3rd go around as Poirot, Branagh has finally shaken off the Ghosts of Poirot’s Past and has made the part his own.
Based on the 1969 novel by Agatha Christie, HALLOWE’EN PARTY, Branagh (who also directed the film) imbues horror elements and the macabre to the whoddunit detective genre - largely to positive results.
As stated above, Branagh has finally made this version of Hercule Poirot his own, giving the detective (who, at the beginning of this film/novel, is in self-imposed retirement) some self-doubt and self-retrospection which helps drive the story, plot and intrigue of the story.
Branagh has populated this murder-mystery with strong performers from recent Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh (EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE) to Jamie Dornan (Branagh’s BELFAST) to YELLOWSTONE’s Kelly Reilly. Each brings mystery and star power to their roles.
Special notice needs to be made of Comedienne Tina Fey who is tackling her first non-comedic role and largely sticks the landing. As a friend of the Detective from NYC, Fey more than holds her own in the many, many scenes she shares with Branagh. As is often the case with comediennes, there is more to be mined in Fey’s acting chops and here’s hoping she dives deeper into more serious roles.
Director Branagh smartly uses the setting and mood of this piece to craft a film experience that is eerie, spooky and claustrophobic. While it is being billed as a HORROR film, it is not. It is a tense, taught, macabre film, filled with fish-eye lens and blurred-focus shots, which makes the set design and cinematography complimentary to the story.
Which is important for this is, in the end, a drawing room murder-mystery and the audience’s enjoyment of this film will be in direct alignment with how the mystery plays out…and this mystery plays out well (enough). What it lacks in surprises, it more than makes up for in mood, atmosphere and character
And that makes for a very entertaining time at the Cinema.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis).
In A HAUNTING IN VENICE, Kenneth Branagh’s 3rd go around as Poirot, Branagh has finally shaken off the Ghosts of Poirot’s Past and has made the part his own.
Based on the 1969 novel by Agatha Christie, HALLOWE’EN PARTY, Branagh (who also directed the film) imbues horror elements and the macabre to the whoddunit detective genre - largely to positive results.
As stated above, Branagh has finally made this version of Hercule Poirot his own, giving the detective (who, at the beginning of this film/novel, is in self-imposed retirement) some self-doubt and self-retrospection which helps drive the story, plot and intrigue of the story.
Branagh has populated this murder-mystery with strong performers from recent Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh (EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE) to Jamie Dornan (Branagh’s BELFAST) to YELLOWSTONE’s Kelly Reilly. Each brings mystery and star power to their roles.
Special notice needs to be made of Comedienne Tina Fey who is tackling her first non-comedic role and largely sticks the landing. As a friend of the Detective from NYC, Fey more than holds her own in the many, many scenes she shares with Branagh. As is often the case with comediennes, there is more to be mined in Fey’s acting chops and here’s hoping she dives deeper into more serious roles.
Director Branagh smartly uses the setting and mood of this piece to craft a film experience that is eerie, spooky and claustrophobic. While it is being billed as a HORROR film, it is not. It is a tense, taught, macabre film, filled with fish-eye lens and blurred-focus shots, which makes the set design and cinematography complimentary to the story.
Which is important for this is, in the end, a drawing room murder-mystery and the audience’s enjoyment of this film will be in direct alignment with how the mystery plays out…and this mystery plays out well (enough). What it lacks in surprises, it more than makes up for in mood, atmosphere and character
And that makes for a very entertaining time at the Cinema.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis).
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Demon in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book is creepy, intriguing, and haunting from beginning to end. I am not a fan of horror per say, but this book was absolutely fantastic in a horrific kind of way. I have read Tosca Lee's other book, Havah, and I was just as impressed by Lee's style of writing in this book. Her descriptions are vivid and incredible. I can easily discern that the work she puts into the background information is both from intense study as well as a wonderful imagination.
I have read lots of fantasy, including some with the occasional "demon," but no demon has come close to the terror that Lucian evokes - both the fanatical hatred and disgust for mankind that is slowly revealed throughout the plot and the way that he takes any form, any body, to appear to Clay, the main character. At the same time, Lucian is as fascinating as any dictator, terrorist, or serial killer can be, and I am as morbidly curious with his obsession with telling Clay his story as Clay himself is. While I personally believe that Lee's portrayal of the demon is in reality not very accurate - he is too much like a human for starters, the character in the book is still the most unique "demon" that I have ever read in fiction.
Lee does an excellent job of keeping the story of Creation as close to the Biblical text as possible, while filling it with all the imagery of first-hand experience. As many times as I have read the Biblical account, Lucian's retelling of it, interspersed with Clay's false memories, made the story come alive for me in a whole new way. Lee covers topics using this story-telling that have often sparked my curiosity when reading the scriptures, such as the angels being with God before the creation of man or even the existence of time, exactly what triggered the fall, or even what it was like to do nothing but the purpose the angels were created for. I often had to put the book down just to contemplate some of these things that she addresses with the plot.
Even though there were no loose ends to speak of, I was still a bit disappointed when the book ended. I wanted Lee to draw out Clay's fate and describe it in all its excruciating detail to the very end, instead of the implications of what happens to him with Lucian's parting words and the letter in the epilogue. But the message I gathered from this ending is like a warning to the reader - to beware that Clay's fate is not the same as that of the reader's.
I have read lots of fantasy, including some with the occasional "demon," but no demon has come close to the terror that Lucian evokes - both the fanatical hatred and disgust for mankind that is slowly revealed throughout the plot and the way that he takes any form, any body, to appear to Clay, the main character. At the same time, Lucian is as fascinating as any dictator, terrorist, or serial killer can be, and I am as morbidly curious with his obsession with telling Clay his story as Clay himself is. While I personally believe that Lee's portrayal of the demon is in reality not very accurate - he is too much like a human for starters, the character in the book is still the most unique "demon" that I have ever read in fiction.
Lee does an excellent job of keeping the story of Creation as close to the Biblical text as possible, while filling it with all the imagery of first-hand experience. As many times as I have read the Biblical account, Lucian's retelling of it, interspersed with Clay's false memories, made the story come alive for me in a whole new way. Lee covers topics using this story-telling that have often sparked my curiosity when reading the scriptures, such as the angels being with God before the creation of man or even the existence of time, exactly what triggered the fall, or even what it was like to do nothing but the purpose the angels were created for. I often had to put the book down just to contemplate some of these things that she addresses with the plot.
Even though there were no loose ends to speak of, I was still a bit disappointed when the book ended. I wanted Lee to draw out Clay's fate and describe it in all its excruciating detail to the very end, instead of the implications of what happens to him with Lucian's parting words and the letter in the epilogue. But the message I gathered from this ending is like a warning to the reader - to beware that Clay's fate is not the same as that of the reader's.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated At Eternity's Gate (2018) in Movies
Feb 16, 2019
A slow meditation of the last days of a tortured artist
he artist as a tortured soul.
How many films have been made on this subject? Too many to count. Add AT ETERNITY'S GATE to this list as it tells the tale of the tortured final days of Vincent Van Gogh - including cutting his own ear off - so perhaps no one deserves the title of "tortured artist" more than he.
Directed by Julian Schnabel (THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) and starring Willem DaFoe (AQUAMAN) in an Oscar nominated turn as Van Gogh, AT ETERNITY'S GATE follows Van Gogh in the final weeks of his life. Since it is a film by Schnabel, you get an introspective, languid, haunting, beautifully shot meditation on life, art, madness and misunderstanding. Which, of course, is both the blessing and the curse of the film. Schnabel trains his camera - sometimes for long stretches - on the mundane...Van Gogh walking through a field, Van Gogh looking out at a landscape, Van Gogh thinking and, most importantly. Van Gogh painting...and painting...and painting...
Do you know how exciting it is to WATCH someone paint? About as exciting as watching paint dry.
Thank goodness DaFoe is mesmerizing as Van Gogh, for he really holds the film - and attention - throughout. His Academy Award nomination is justified for he brings a haunted, world weariness quality to his portrayal. - check this film out just for this performance. Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelson and Mathieu Amalric all show up in glorified cameos to punch a little dialogue and forward momentum into this narrative. But, mostly, we watch DaFoe - as Van Gogh - walk and think and look and paint and paint and paint...
I know I am repeating myself, but I felt the film repeated itself over and over again as well. I think there is about 1/2 of interesting film in this 1 hour 54 minute movie. The rest is just "art" and "artistic expression" of images on the screen by Schnabel. If that sort of thing is up your alley, you'll enjoy this. For the rest , it will just become repetitive and boring.
I will say, however, that after seeing this film, I have a greater appreciation for Van Gogh's work, how he made them and how his style differs from ANYBODY else. I am now going to make it a point to find a museum that shows some of his works and check it out.
So, I guess, that's a good thing.
Letter Grade: B- (it is a well made and acted film)
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
How many films have been made on this subject? Too many to count. Add AT ETERNITY'S GATE to this list as it tells the tale of the tortured final days of Vincent Van Gogh - including cutting his own ear off - so perhaps no one deserves the title of "tortured artist" more than he.
Directed by Julian Schnabel (THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) and starring Willem DaFoe (AQUAMAN) in an Oscar nominated turn as Van Gogh, AT ETERNITY'S GATE follows Van Gogh in the final weeks of his life. Since it is a film by Schnabel, you get an introspective, languid, haunting, beautifully shot meditation on life, art, madness and misunderstanding. Which, of course, is both the blessing and the curse of the film. Schnabel trains his camera - sometimes for long stretches - on the mundane...Van Gogh walking through a field, Van Gogh looking out at a landscape, Van Gogh thinking and, most importantly. Van Gogh painting...and painting...and painting...
Do you know how exciting it is to WATCH someone paint? About as exciting as watching paint dry.
Thank goodness DaFoe is mesmerizing as Van Gogh, for he really holds the film - and attention - throughout. His Academy Award nomination is justified for he brings a haunted, world weariness quality to his portrayal. - check this film out just for this performance. Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelson and Mathieu Amalric all show up in glorified cameos to punch a little dialogue and forward momentum into this narrative. But, mostly, we watch DaFoe - as Van Gogh - walk and think and look and paint and paint and paint...
I know I am repeating myself, but I felt the film repeated itself over and over again as well. I think there is about 1/2 of interesting film in this 1 hour 54 minute movie. The rest is just "art" and "artistic expression" of images on the screen by Schnabel. If that sort of thing is up your alley, you'll enjoy this. For the rest , it will just become repetitive and boring.
I will say, however, that after seeing this film, I have a greater appreciation for Van Gogh's work, how he made them and how his style differs from ANYBODY else. I am now going to make it a point to find a museum that shows some of his works and check it out.
So, I guess, that's a good thing.
Letter Grade: B- (it is a well made and acted film)
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)