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His Boy to Cherish (Naughty or Nice Season Two)
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Dear Santa, I’m going to be upfront and tell you that I feel silly doing this, but here goes...
Contemporary MM Romance Daddy Kink Seasonal
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Impossible (2012) in Movies
Apr 16, 2019
Epic and intimate
How would you like to take your family on holiday to Thailand only to be caught in the onslaught of a tsunami? Such is the case in this film based on the true story of a family's painful and moving ordeal from the 2004 tidal wave.
The wall of water comes out of nowhere when no one was expecting anything and everyone was just having a good time playing or relaxing by the pool. In an instant everyone present has their lives changed forever as they just try and hold on to something and claw their way to safety.
The disaster sequences are amazing, but it is all over quickly so the film is about love, loss and survival. Trying to make it back to the civilized world or at least what is left of it and trying to locate your missing family members is all the family cares about.
Understandably emotions run high throughout the film and I dare you to hold back the tears when several of the most touching moments occur. You are moved continually as you hope and pray the family find each other again and make it off together and patched up the best they can.
Naomi Watts was nominated for an Oscar for this role and she really deserves it giving an intense, emotional performance. Ewan McGregor is also emotional when he gets to use a cell phone to call his family and breaks down. Even young Spider-Man, Tom Holland, is along for the ride as the couple's oldest son frantically trying to help his mother to safety.
The triumph of the human spirit is present here and you are taken along with them as your empathy pours out to the victims of this tragedy.
Keep your tissues close by for this one.
The wall of water comes out of nowhere when no one was expecting anything and everyone was just having a good time playing or relaxing by the pool. In an instant everyone present has their lives changed forever as they just try and hold on to something and claw their way to safety.
The disaster sequences are amazing, but it is all over quickly so the film is about love, loss and survival. Trying to make it back to the civilized world or at least what is left of it and trying to locate your missing family members is all the family cares about.
Understandably emotions run high throughout the film and I dare you to hold back the tears when several of the most touching moments occur. You are moved continually as you hope and pray the family find each other again and make it off together and patched up the best they can.
Naomi Watts was nominated for an Oscar for this role and she really deserves it giving an intense, emotional performance. Ewan McGregor is also emotional when he gets to use a cell phone to call his family and breaks down. Even young Spider-Man, Tom Holland, is along for the ride as the couple's oldest son frantically trying to help his mother to safety.
The triumph of the human spirit is present here and you are taken along with them as your empathy pours out to the victims of this tragedy.
Keep your tissues close by for this one.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Christmas in Marlow Center in Books
Nov 30, 2018
Christmas in Marlow Center is a short Christmas-themed romance and mystery story by Jordan Elizabeth. Set in present-day December, Natassia is on her Winter Break and has arrived on her family farm to spend the period with her grandmother. Unfortunately, the family are unable to maintain the farm and are going to have to sell in the new year, therefore, this is Natassia's final opportunity to visit the place she loves. Yet, family secrets threaten to put an end to the Christmas festivities.
Meanwhile, Jesse, the tenant who lives in one of the farm buildings, is being plagued by horrifying family memories that occurred at Christmas-time. Unable to leave the past in the past, Jesse is dreading the coming holiday. Yet, when he meets Natassia, he feels a sense of hope. Perhaps he can move on, develop a new friendship, a relationship and learn to trust that other people will not judge him for the actions of a past family member.
While things are looking up for Jesse and Natassia in terms of relationship, problems with the farm cause enormous worry and strain. Just as things are beginning to fall into place, the remains of a body are found on the premises, unearthing family secrets dating back to 1964; secrets that affect both Natassia and Jesse.
Christmas stories are available in abundance and it is difficult to write something new and fresh without falling into traps, such as overly gushing romance or fake happiness. Jordan Elizabeth has kept the romance to a minimum, concentrating on family relationships, secrets and mystery.
Christmas in Marlow Center is a quick book to read, suitable for young adults and older. It is not too Christmassy, therefore, can be read any time of year. Unfortunately, the manuscript (at least the version I read) has numerous grammar and typographical errors, which slightly ruins the reading experience, however, it does not detract from the well thought out story.
Meanwhile, Jesse, the tenant who lives in one of the farm buildings, is being plagued by horrifying family memories that occurred at Christmas-time. Unable to leave the past in the past, Jesse is dreading the coming holiday. Yet, when he meets Natassia, he feels a sense of hope. Perhaps he can move on, develop a new friendship, a relationship and learn to trust that other people will not judge him for the actions of a past family member.
While things are looking up for Jesse and Natassia in terms of relationship, problems with the farm cause enormous worry and strain. Just as things are beginning to fall into place, the remains of a body are found on the premises, unearthing family secrets dating back to 1964; secrets that affect both Natassia and Jesse.
Christmas stories are available in abundance and it is difficult to write something new and fresh without falling into traps, such as overly gushing romance or fake happiness. Jordan Elizabeth has kept the romance to a minimum, concentrating on family relationships, secrets and mystery.
Christmas in Marlow Center is a quick book to read, suitable for young adults and older. It is not too Christmassy, therefore, can be read any time of year. Unfortunately, the manuscript (at least the version I read) has numerous grammar and typographical errors, which slightly ruins the reading experience, however, it does not detract from the well thought out story.
Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker
Book
From the author of the beloved #1 New York Times bestseller Wicked, the magical story of a toymaker,...
Fantasy
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Little Bee in Books
Jun 20, 2018
Today, June 20, is World Refugee Day. First observed in 2001, it is dedicated to raising awareness of the plight of refugees all across the world. African Refugee Day had been observed in some countries prior to the UN declaring it World Refugee Day, but the Organization of African Unity agreed to have the two days coincide.
To honor World Refugee Day, today I'm going to talk about Little Bee. Little Bee is a Nigerian refugee in the United Kingdom. She and her sister witnessed the destruction of their village by an oil company's thugs, and were hunted down to eliminate the witnesses. In a chance encounter on a Nigerian beach, she met Sarah and Andrew, a couple from London trying to save their marriage by going on an exotic holiday. The encounter changes the lives of all three of them, and when Little Bee makes it to the United Kingdom, they are the only people she knows. She arrives at their home on the day of Andrew's funeral, and Sarah takes her in.
The book switches between the viewpoints of Sarah and Little Bee, and it does suffer from that, a bit. I couldn't wait for Sarah's chapters to be done so I could get back to Little Bee. Her viewpoint - her voice - was enthralling. Some first-person views are just the person thinking to themselves, while some first-person views are the person talking to the reader. Sarah was the first type, and Little Bee the second. Reading her explanations of the differences between her old life and her new life, and how the girls from her village wouldn't understand things, was amazing. I was hooked within the first ten pages of the book, specifically her note about scars:
"I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived."
The events Little Bee talks about having witnessed are horrifying. And she recognizes that. She could be bitter, she could be depressed, she could be insane, but she is not. She manages to have hope, and even joy. She sees other refugees around her commit suicide, and in fact always has a plan for how to kill herself "if the men come." Because the stories of refugees always begin with "the men came and they..." and she'd rather kill herself than let herself be taken. Despite this, she has hope for a future. Or perhaps she simply takes joy in the present.
The book is not a happy one. Like Sing, Unburied, Sing, it's an important book but not exactly an enjoyable one. There are enjoyable parts. But there are very hard parts, too. (I should note, here, a TRIGGER WARNING for a graphic description of rape, when Little Bee tells Sarah what happened to Little Bee's older sister.) It did not end the way I wanted it to, though it ended in an unexpected way. I suppose it was too much to hope for a Happy Ever After when the vast majority of refugees don't get one.
For all that there were very tough scenes to get through in this book, I'm still putting it on my Best of 2018 list. Little Bee's voice and viewpoint is amazing, the story is well researched, and the plot absorbing. This is a book I'd like to have on my shelf.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
To honor World Refugee Day, today I'm going to talk about Little Bee. Little Bee is a Nigerian refugee in the United Kingdom. She and her sister witnessed the destruction of their village by an oil company's thugs, and were hunted down to eliminate the witnesses. In a chance encounter on a Nigerian beach, she met Sarah and Andrew, a couple from London trying to save their marriage by going on an exotic holiday. The encounter changes the lives of all three of them, and when Little Bee makes it to the United Kingdom, they are the only people she knows. She arrives at their home on the day of Andrew's funeral, and Sarah takes her in.
The book switches between the viewpoints of Sarah and Little Bee, and it does suffer from that, a bit. I couldn't wait for Sarah's chapters to be done so I could get back to Little Bee. Her viewpoint - her voice - was enthralling. Some first-person views are just the person thinking to themselves, while some first-person views are the person talking to the reader. Sarah was the first type, and Little Bee the second. Reading her explanations of the differences between her old life and her new life, and how the girls from her village wouldn't understand things, was amazing. I was hooked within the first ten pages of the book, specifically her note about scars:
"I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived."
The events Little Bee talks about having witnessed are horrifying. And she recognizes that. She could be bitter, she could be depressed, she could be insane, but she is not. She manages to have hope, and even joy. She sees other refugees around her commit suicide, and in fact always has a plan for how to kill herself "if the men come." Because the stories of refugees always begin with "the men came and they..." and she'd rather kill herself than let herself be taken. Despite this, she has hope for a future. Or perhaps she simply takes joy in the present.
The book is not a happy one. Like Sing, Unburied, Sing, it's an important book but not exactly an enjoyable one. There are enjoyable parts. But there are very hard parts, too. (I should note, here, a TRIGGER WARNING for a graphic description of rape, when Little Bee tells Sarah what happened to Little Bee's older sister.) It did not end the way I wanted it to, though it ended in an unexpected way. I suppose it was too much to hope for a Happy Ever After when the vast majority of refugees don't get one.
For all that there were very tough scenes to get through in this book, I'm still putting it on my Best of 2018 list. Little Bee's voice and viewpoint is amazing, the story is well researched, and the plot absorbing. This is a book I'd like to have on my shelf.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated My Trip to Adele in Books
Oct 5, 2020
My Trip To Adele is a book unlike any other. We are introduced to three different life stories, all of them connected to Adele in a wonderful way, and every one of them will teach us many lessons, bring tears or laughs on our faces and remind us who we are and why we exist in this world. This is a book of how a singer or a song can connect so many people and touch so many hearts in a way no one else could. A book about keeping traditions and breaking them, a book about love, bravery and most of all - HOPE.
Let’s meet Elias. A Moroccan man that has lived in Rome long enough to believe he is Italian, with a Moroccan dust left in his soul. Through Elias, we will find out about how many years ago, he paid a prostitute for her services and fell in love. His love for Malika is undescribable. While other men would pay hundreds to only have her body, he would pay thousands more to have her soul, even for just one night. He would never touch her body, but they would spend hours and hours talking about meaningful and meaningless things, about what it is like outside this city, outside this country, what can the world offer…
Malika has so many wishes and hopes, she sells her body so one day she would be able to leave this town, leave her family, and explore the world. Get married and have children, and be successful, and learn the English language. When life parts them from each other for eight years, Elias goes back to the same old city to look for her, and Malika has already left town. Sharing one special singer, there is only one place where he can find her - an Adele concert in Rome.
In Las Vegas, we have Yaser and Mariam, a married couple that lost its sparkle many years ago. Both are surgeons and spend a lot of time at work. And when they come home to the kids - everything is a routine. Yaser pretends to enjoy his TV Show evenings and the Prayers that Mariam wants to attend. He pretends to believe in God just to please his wife. They are not a happy family inside the house, but Mariam makes it sound perfect on the outside - they have the perfect social media photos, and they go to the most expensive places on a holiday, what could be so bad? He feels trapped inside a routine and wants to escape, but he also believes in saving his marriage, and following his marriage counselor, they are trying to revive their happiest memories, and that is when they decide to go to an Adele concert in Rome.
On the other side of the world we will meet Nadia and her son Waleed. Nadia is a strong woman that has been coping with her now ex-husband’s betrayals. She raised her son oh her own, and the love she feels for him is indescribable. Only a mother knows how much she adores her son. When her son gets hurt on her ex husband’s third wedding - Nadia decides that she would fight for her and her son, she will no longer be trapped, and she will finally enjoy a lovely holiday with her son - going to Adele’s concert in Rome.
This book is written in an amazing, fast pace, and you will never notice how you have scrolled through the pages and hours have passed. There were times where the character's description was basic, and sometimes Adele’s presence would be too exposed, but all the characters are different in their own way, and every story has its purpose and its lesson.
Let’s meet Elias. A Moroccan man that has lived in Rome long enough to believe he is Italian, with a Moroccan dust left in his soul. Through Elias, we will find out about how many years ago, he paid a prostitute for her services and fell in love. His love for Malika is undescribable. While other men would pay hundreds to only have her body, he would pay thousands more to have her soul, even for just one night. He would never touch her body, but they would spend hours and hours talking about meaningful and meaningless things, about what it is like outside this city, outside this country, what can the world offer…
Malika has so many wishes and hopes, she sells her body so one day she would be able to leave this town, leave her family, and explore the world. Get married and have children, and be successful, and learn the English language. When life parts them from each other for eight years, Elias goes back to the same old city to look for her, and Malika has already left town. Sharing one special singer, there is only one place where he can find her - an Adele concert in Rome.
In Las Vegas, we have Yaser and Mariam, a married couple that lost its sparkle many years ago. Both are surgeons and spend a lot of time at work. And when they come home to the kids - everything is a routine. Yaser pretends to enjoy his TV Show evenings and the Prayers that Mariam wants to attend. He pretends to believe in God just to please his wife. They are not a happy family inside the house, but Mariam makes it sound perfect on the outside - they have the perfect social media photos, and they go to the most expensive places on a holiday, what could be so bad? He feels trapped inside a routine and wants to escape, but he also believes in saving his marriage, and following his marriage counselor, they are trying to revive their happiest memories, and that is when they decide to go to an Adele concert in Rome.
On the other side of the world we will meet Nadia and her son Waleed. Nadia is a strong woman that has been coping with her now ex-husband’s betrayals. She raised her son oh her own, and the love she feels for him is indescribable. Only a mother knows how much she adores her son. When her son gets hurt on her ex husband’s third wedding - Nadia decides that she would fight for her and her son, she will no longer be trapped, and she will finally enjoy a lovely holiday with her son - going to Adele’s concert in Rome.
This book is written in an amazing, fast pace, and you will never notice how you have scrolled through the pages and hours have passed. There were times where the character's description was basic, and sometimes Adele’s presence would be too exposed, but all the characters are different in their own way, and every story has its purpose and its lesson.
ClareR (5596 KP) rated The Ninth Child in Books
May 1, 2020
Victorian Scotland, where reality meets myth.
The Ninth Child is a mesmerising mix of reality and fairytale. Neither of them are the pretty version, either. The story itself is set in Glasgow and the Trossachs between 1856 and 1859, where Isabel Aird is the wife of a young doctor. She has miscarried all seven of the babies she has carried so far, and is struggling to find meaning in her life. Her husband is very protective of her, but she can’t seem to forgive him for his apparent ability to shake off the loss of their babies.
We also get little glimpses in to the private lives of Queen Victoria and Albert, and the reason for this becomes clear as the story progresses. The link between the two families seems to be a strange character called Robert Kirke. Strange things seem to have been happening since the digging and tunnelling began. Isabel meets this strange man not long after she moves near to the site of the Loch Katrine Waterworks. This is no place for a lady brought up in all the comforts of a well-to-do Glaswegian home. But Isabel finds solace in the wildness, and the descriptions of the lochs and landscapes makes it easy to understand why.
This was such a surprising book, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I WAS expecting a good story - I loved The Sealwoman’s Gift. The mix of real, hard life and the fairy elements were really well done, and I loved that these weren’t the pretty, twee, friendly fairies that we seem to hear of so much of these days. I like my fairies to be tricksters, untrustworthy, always looking for an angle that they can work, a little grotesque.
I really enjoyed this book, and seemed to read it far too quickly. I’m a lover of history, myths and the unexplained, and this certainly delivered in these areas. The writing is gorgeous - the descriptions are such that you feel you’re there. We were supposed to be going on holiday this year to the Highlands, and this has made me hope even more that we’ll still be able to go. It’s one thing reading a description, it’s quite another to be there, experiencing the landscape for yourself.
This is a wonderful book, and one to tell my friends about!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Two Roads for my copy of this book to read and review.
We also get little glimpses in to the private lives of Queen Victoria and Albert, and the reason for this becomes clear as the story progresses. The link between the two families seems to be a strange character called Robert Kirke. Strange things seem to have been happening since the digging and tunnelling began. Isabel meets this strange man not long after she moves near to the site of the Loch Katrine Waterworks. This is no place for a lady brought up in all the comforts of a well-to-do Glaswegian home. But Isabel finds solace in the wildness, and the descriptions of the lochs and landscapes makes it easy to understand why.
This was such a surprising book, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I WAS expecting a good story - I loved The Sealwoman’s Gift. The mix of real, hard life and the fairy elements were really well done, and I loved that these weren’t the pretty, twee, friendly fairies that we seem to hear of so much of these days. I like my fairies to be tricksters, untrustworthy, always looking for an angle that they can work, a little grotesque.
I really enjoyed this book, and seemed to read it far too quickly. I’m a lover of history, myths and the unexplained, and this certainly delivered in these areas. The writing is gorgeous - the descriptions are such that you feel you’re there. We were supposed to be going on holiday this year to the Highlands, and this has made me hope even more that we’ll still be able to go. It’s one thing reading a description, it’s quite another to be there, experiencing the landscape for yourself.
This is a wonderful book, and one to tell my friends about!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Two Roads for my copy of this book to read and review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Grave's a Fine and Private Place: A Flavia de Luce Mystery Book 9 in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Flavia! (2 more)
Relationship between Flavia and Dogger
Mystery plot
Another excellent entry in Bradley's Flavia de Luce series
In the ninth (! - how is that possible?) Flavia de Luce mystery, we see Flavia away from her home turf, as she and her sisters have been sent away from Buckshaw on a holiday to try to help them recover from the death of their father. But instead (of course) Flavia discovers a dead body. As the gang is boating, she drags her hand along the water, it snags on something and boom - she catches her fingers on a corpse. Only our Flavia! Of course, Flavia isn't content to leave things to the local Constable. The dead man is named Orlando, and his death leads Flavia into a world of a traveling circus, a famous Canon renowned for poisoning three women, and much more.
I am an unabashed fan of Flavia and this book didn't disappoint. It has all the staples of an excellent Flavia novel-- a strong mystery to unravel and a bunch of clever, witty, and surprisingly uncanny lines from our beloved protagonist. By now, our dear twelve-year-old Flavia has been through a lot. She's more mature, and she's as feisty and clever as ever. I admit that some of the chemistry in these novels goes over my head (I'm not as smart as Flavia, and I'm completely fine admitting that). But I love the mystery plots, and more than that, I love Flavia. I've felt protective of her since the first novel, even though the thought of that would anger her more than anything.
There's a good eclectic cast of supporting characters in this one, including an aged actor, an undertaker's son, and a woman who used to know Dogger. And, of course, we get some appearances from Flavia's ever-suffering sisters, Daffy and Feely. The best part of this novel, however, for me, was the strengthening relationship between Dogger and Flavia. Their bond is one of the highlights of the book. I love those two. By now, Flavia and Dogger feel like friends, or even family. It's a sign of how well Bradley writes and creates these characters that you feel so attached to them.
Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. If you're a fan of Bradley's series, you probably will as well. If you haven't picked up this series, I do suggest starting near the beginning, as you'll form a better bond with the characters. But you will be able to jump in with this book, too, as the mystery stands alone. The ending of this one also leaves me excited and looking forward to what I hope will be book #10.
I was very excited to receive a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
I am an unabashed fan of Flavia and this book didn't disappoint. It has all the staples of an excellent Flavia novel-- a strong mystery to unravel and a bunch of clever, witty, and surprisingly uncanny lines from our beloved protagonist. By now, our dear twelve-year-old Flavia has been through a lot. She's more mature, and she's as feisty and clever as ever. I admit that some of the chemistry in these novels goes over my head (I'm not as smart as Flavia, and I'm completely fine admitting that). But I love the mystery plots, and more than that, I love Flavia. I've felt protective of her since the first novel, even though the thought of that would anger her more than anything.
There's a good eclectic cast of supporting characters in this one, including an aged actor, an undertaker's son, and a woman who used to know Dogger. And, of course, we get some appearances from Flavia's ever-suffering sisters, Daffy and Feely. The best part of this novel, however, for me, was the strengthening relationship between Dogger and Flavia. Their bond is one of the highlights of the book. I love those two. By now, Flavia and Dogger feel like friends, or even family. It's a sign of how well Bradley writes and creates these characters that you feel so attached to them.
Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. If you're a fan of Bradley's series, you probably will as well. If you haven't picked up this series, I do suggest starting near the beginning, as you'll form a better bond with the characters. But you will be able to jump in with this book, too, as the mystery stands alone. The ending of this one also leaves me excited and looking forward to what I hope will be book #10.
I was very excited to receive a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated 6 Underground (2019) in Movies
Dec 15, 2019
It’s a Michael Bay film. It’s going to have so many car crashes, explosions, stunts and more of the same. Seriously. It’s Michael Bay…AND Ryan Reynolds. With the script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who both have worked on Zombieland, Deadpool 1 & 2. Just to clarify, this IS an action movie. It surprises me that it was released at this time of year. I would have thought the typical release would head off the summer blockbuster season. However, Netflix has been sending out an eclectic group of movies to premiere in theaters prior to its streaming release.
The premise that we are set up for: super rich billionaire, Number One (Ryan Reynolds) has curated a team with members that each have a specific set of skills. The small team of specialists are all ghosts in the real world. The work that they do requires the anonymity of nonexistence. Each member of the six -person team have been chosen by Number One. Number Two (Melanie Laurent) is a former CIA Operative, Number Three (Manuel Garcia Rulfo) the very talented assassin, Number Four (Adria Arjona) is the Doctor. She is the one who can remove a bullet while the car is dodging through the traffic at breakneck speed. Number five (Ben Hardy, last seen in Bohemian Rhapsody as Roger Taylor) who is the parkour king. Rounding out the team is Number Six (Dave Franco) the Driver.
To say some parts of the film was subdued would have some people raise their collective eyebrows. However, the characters (Numbers Two to Six), have taken on the witty quips that we, as an audience have long associated with Ryan Reynolds. The writers have dispersed the wit and sarcasm to the other team members. This also helps to provide the comradery and establish the “family” concept that bonds the disparate backgrounds of each member. We are privy to a little bit of information of each team member, but I would have liked to see a little bit more history of each to fill in the personal motivation.
I enjoyed all the car chases, explosions, stunts and the international sites. It’s definitely not the typical fare of the holiday season in the theaters, but it is a very fun action movie that shoots the viewer through the story. The pacing is steady, the humor is a little sarcastic with a side of gentle familial teasing.
If you have had enough of the warm and fuzzies that the season provides in plentitude, Six Underground is a welcomed palate cleanser in this time of Yule. I certainly hope we get to see more of this team in a sequel.
4 out of 5 stars
The premise that we are set up for: super rich billionaire, Number One (Ryan Reynolds) has curated a team with members that each have a specific set of skills. The small team of specialists are all ghosts in the real world. The work that they do requires the anonymity of nonexistence. Each member of the six -person team have been chosen by Number One. Number Two (Melanie Laurent) is a former CIA Operative, Number Three (Manuel Garcia Rulfo) the very talented assassin, Number Four (Adria Arjona) is the Doctor. She is the one who can remove a bullet while the car is dodging through the traffic at breakneck speed. Number five (Ben Hardy, last seen in Bohemian Rhapsody as Roger Taylor) who is the parkour king. Rounding out the team is Number Six (Dave Franco) the Driver.
To say some parts of the film was subdued would have some people raise their collective eyebrows. However, the characters (Numbers Two to Six), have taken on the witty quips that we, as an audience have long associated with Ryan Reynolds. The writers have dispersed the wit and sarcasm to the other team members. This also helps to provide the comradery and establish the “family” concept that bonds the disparate backgrounds of each member. We are privy to a little bit of information of each team member, but I would have liked to see a little bit more history of each to fill in the personal motivation.
I enjoyed all the car chases, explosions, stunts and the international sites. It’s definitely not the typical fare of the holiday season in the theaters, but it is a very fun action movie that shoots the viewer through the story. The pacing is steady, the humor is a little sarcastic with a side of gentle familial teasing.
If you have had enough of the warm and fuzzies that the season provides in plentitude, Six Underground is a welcomed palate cleanser in this time of Yule. I certainly hope we get to see more of this team in a sequel.
4 out of 5 stars
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated Thorn in Books
Mar 29, 2020
A Phenomenon
There are some young adults books, Harry Potter, Letter for the King, His Dark Materials that can be translated through the languages of the world and for decades or more, be held up as classics of young literature, deserved to be read and bring joy for all ages. Thorn deserves to be held up in equal company as these. I won't beat about the bush, this is an exceptional, beautiful entertaining tale deserving to be a global best-seller for many many years. If you read my reviews I don't thrust such extreme praise on everything I read, but Thorn is the type of book you end up taking a days holiday off work just to carry on engaging with this wonderful story.
Intisar Khanani is a very special writer, like Neil Gaiman, she takes the world and weaves an understated thread of magic and fantasy into the story that provides an undercurrent which bubbles to the surface. The fact it is understated brings you a acceptance without question of the world you are reading, so magic spells and talking horses are as accepted as characters eating a meal. Intisar Khanani's writing flows effortlessly. When you are reading a true master of the art, they write in a way where you forget you are reading at all and are simply viewing a world from the pages. This is such a book.
Thorn contains very human characters who you will feel a deep tenderness for. It contains morality and dilemma asking you to question whether you put your happiness first or the duty of bettering the world? What is justice and rule? Do you seek justice through revenge or lessons as just a few. Yet these moralities are not there to beat you round the head, they are part of the grain of the story where you raise the questions alongside that of the adorable lead character whose gentle female strength is ferocious, again in a beautifully subtle way.
I don't want to give away any of the plot, I want you t pick up the book and let it unravel before your eyes like I did. Be wicked away into a rich multicultural world full of what i hope are many stories yet to be told.
Thorn may not just be the best young adult book of the decade, it could well be one of the best fantasy novels as well, that will be read and then re-read for the next few decades and beyond. Intisar Khanani is about to be a global superstar and deserves every particle of light the spotlight is made up of shining on her.
Intisar Khanani is a very special writer, like Neil Gaiman, she takes the world and weaves an understated thread of magic and fantasy into the story that provides an undercurrent which bubbles to the surface. The fact it is understated brings you a acceptance without question of the world you are reading, so magic spells and talking horses are as accepted as characters eating a meal. Intisar Khanani's writing flows effortlessly. When you are reading a true master of the art, they write in a way where you forget you are reading at all and are simply viewing a world from the pages. This is such a book.
Thorn contains very human characters who you will feel a deep tenderness for. It contains morality and dilemma asking you to question whether you put your happiness first or the duty of bettering the world? What is justice and rule? Do you seek justice through revenge or lessons as just a few. Yet these moralities are not there to beat you round the head, they are part of the grain of the story where you raise the questions alongside that of the adorable lead character whose gentle female strength is ferocious, again in a beautifully subtle way.
I don't want to give away any of the plot, I want you t pick up the book and let it unravel before your eyes like I did. Be wicked away into a rich multicultural world full of what i hope are many stories yet to be told.
Thorn may not just be the best young adult book of the decade, it could well be one of the best fantasy novels as well, that will be read and then re-read for the next few decades and beyond. Intisar Khanani is about to be a global superstar and deserves every particle of light the spotlight is made up of shining on her.