Search

Search only in certain items:

The Snow Angel
The Snow Angel
Lauren St. John | 2017 | Children, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It tells a story of 11-year-old girl Makena, who lives in Nairobi, Kenya. Her parents died because of a cruel disease, leaving Makena an orphan. Due to some events, she ends up in the slum, where she meets her one true friend Snow.

I really enjoyed this book and its complex characters. The protagonist in this novel is Makena. She is a very smart person for an eleven-year-old. Her thoughts about life, survival and friendship were so inspiring to me, that’s why, I think, this book is superb for young readers. Makena teaches so many great values and shows great appreciation for things that matter in life. I really loved that the author chose such unique and original characters. They all had very intriguing personalities and their input in the story was irreplaceable. The story was mostly told from Makena’s perspective, and it was fully sufficient for me.

The narrative was absolutely gorgeous. It has a lot to offer to the reader, it is serious, educational but at the same time playful and magical. I think the author has done a great research for this book, and her personal experience was very well utilized in this novel. There is plenty of surprises in this story, which kept me glued to this book. I really loved the topics which the author was discussing, such as Ebola and its effects on the families they left behind, poverty and fight for survival, charity workers and their lives, and many more. The setting and atmosphere always change in this book, from Mount Kenya to slums, to the Scottish Highlands, so, your imagination will not be bored and will be taking you to various places…

I really enjoyed the writing style of this novel, I think it was very well crafted and I found it easy, and pleasant to read. The chapters are not very short, but for me, they just flew by because I was absorbed by the story itself. It has absolutely stunning illustrations by Catherine Hyde, and it makes the whole reading experience even more pleasant. I did enjoy the ending of this book, I think it rounded the story very nicely and gave the closure which left me very satisfied.

So, to conclude, this is a very beautiful story, filled with inspiring and motivating characters, who made me smile and cry on multiple occasions, and I do strongly recommend this book not only to children but to adults as well. There are plenty of things to learn from little Makena.
  
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
2017 | Sci-Fi
Where to begin with Luc Besson? The masterpiece of Leon aside, he is notorious for creating beautifully bonkers visual treats that twist and turn like a monkey on cocaine, making as much sense. This comic book adaptation starts well, with some jaw dropping CG design and a decent concept – it truly is a dreamscape of glorious colour and imagination rarely matched… but so is Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and we all know how awful that is.

He just doesn’t have the knack with story and character in the same way as he does with the visuals, often leaving you with the impression that even the actors are confused by what is going on, and why, and what the hell is coming out of their mouths as an excuse for dialogue.

I like Dane De Haan, he has shown a lot of promise in some valiant near misses, such as Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines and The Cure For Wellness – three films I enjoyed, with reservations, that were better for him being in them – but he has not quite made it to the A-list as yet. Here, opposite the gorgeously cute but somehow hollow presence Cara Delevingne, he is burdened by a love story with no chemistry and some cringe-worthy banter. As the film ultimately focuses and depends on the likability of this relationship it inevitably fails; melting into comic book kookiness that loses a lot in translation.

I almost found myself hating them and wishing they would die painfully so the film could end, but not quite as much as I hated how fundamentally terrible Clive Owen was as the villain – I mean, so awkward and awful it made how uncomfortable Harrison Ford seemed in Ender’s Game look like an Oscar worthy performance. Risible. Inexcusable. Inexplicable. But that’s Besson where let loose into the realm of full sci-fi.

One corner of joy was Rihanna as the shape-shifting Bubble, who showed a charm and talent for film acting I hadn’t quite expected, and how much fun Ethan Hawke had dressing up and hamming it up as Jolly, her pimp. But essentially, you’d be better off turning the sound off completely and just drinking in the spectrum of imaginative design on display. A film that may hold some cult status into the future, and one small children may get oddly addicted to, but as a functioning and satisfying cinematic story… just, no.
  
    Krome Studio Plus

    Krome Studio Plus

    Photo & Video

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Welcome to Krome Studio Plus, a unique AI (Artificial Intelligence) SERVICE App for creating your...

    The Fairy Tale Tarot

    The Fairy Tale Tarot

    Entertainment and Lifestyle

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Welcome to the world of imagination and magic in The Fairy Tale Tarot! Brought to life by award...

    Shadowmatic

    Shadowmatic

    Games

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    ** Apple Design Award Winner ** ** App Store Best of 2015 ** Shadowmatic is an imagination-stirring...

    Sketch Club

    Sketch Club

    Entertainment and Photo & Video

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    SketchClub let's you not just draw and paint, but also share what you create right in the app to a...

    Wrestling Revolution 3D

    Wrestling Revolution 3D

    Games and Sports

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    The Wrestling Revolution rumbles into the 3rd dimension - now featuring BOTH aspects of the business...

    My Town : Home Doll House

    My Town : Home Doll House

    Games and Education

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Every thing is possible when you play the new My-Town : Home game. With lots of rooms to explore and...