Travelling in a strange land
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Set in a frozen winter landscape, the new novel from the prize-winning, acclaimed author David Park...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Jul 3, 2020
Dr. Ido (Christolph Waltz) searches the scrap pile junkyard of the metropolis known as Iron City for parts to repair patients at the clinic he owns and operates. He finds a badly damaged female cyborg (Rosa Salazar) that is still alive and chooses to repair her. When she awakens, she has no memory of her past, her name, or who she is. Dr. Ido allows her to live with him and names her Alita but doesn't permit her to venture out at night into the treacherous and dangerous streets of Iron City. However Alita has a wide-eyed view of looking at the world and with the help of a young boy named Hugo (Keean Johnson) she begins her quest to remember anything about her past and who she is.
Looks like Hollywood finally got an anime movie right. If you have any doubt you need to see this film for yourself. Definitely recommended if you like sci-fi and action movies but the heart and soul of the film is Alita herself. Her journey and transformation and her personality steal the show and make this movie great. The visual effects were awesome as well as the fight choreography and film cinematography. I'll admit that somethings plot wise fell through with the storyline towards the very end but this movie had a lot of emotion (heart and soul). I give this movie an 8/10.
The White Road: A Pilgrimage of Sorts
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Read an extract from the book and take a unique view inside Edmund's workspace "Other things...
The Echo Chamber
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What a thing of wonder a mobile phone is. Six ounces of metal, glass and plastic, fashioned into a...
Satire
Searching for Walter
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Walter Bloy, an ex-merchant navy officer, died in 1947 shortly before his son Stephen's second...
Zayn: The Official Autobiography
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***NOMINATED FOR THE NME BEST BOOK AWARD 2017 *** The first and only official book from ZAYN. 'This...
The world building continued even in this book and most importantly we were shown Luna. Before that, they story took place predominantly on Earth in either the European Union, the African Republic or the Eastern Commonwealth. Once transported to Luna, readers were better able to get a sense of the disparity between the Lunar Aristocracy and the rest of Luna's citizens. The palace and surrounding area of Artemisia are ornately decorated whereas the outer sectors live in squalor. The stunning contrast is reminiscent of our own world and gives us a glimpse into the change that needs to happen.
Although this story was supposed to delve deeper into Winter and Jacin's relationship (which it did) I felt that it was overshadowed by the overarching plot. It was really nice to see the two interact and Jacin's character be developed more. He can seem cold and removed most of the time, but his demeanor completely changes when he is around Winter. He cares about her so much and will do anything to ensure her well-being. My one criticism about the book is that these two didn't receive the same relationship development and story time as the other three pairings.
You fall in love with these characters and follow them on their journey from mechanic to revolutionary, criminal to captain, or even unsure to (mildly) confident. They feel real and make their way into your heart. Iko was her usual precious self and I was so happy to see her woven more into the story. You don't want to see their stories end and thankfully they don't because the author is continuing the series in graphic novel form.
I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers even if science fiction or fairytale retellings aren't usually your thing. They're so fantastically written that I think they appeal to broad range of readers and genres.
Original Review: I read the entire series over the course of four days, novellas included. That is how wonderful it is. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this series and it did not disappoint. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytales while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine the Lunar Palace as a place of opulence while those in the lower districts lived in poverty. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth. Each character had a unique personality and strength in the group. from fiery Scarlet to shy Cress and from flirty Thorn to tortured Wolf.
Sometimes conclusions to series just don't stand up to their legacy, but this was not one of those books. The author gave the reader everything they desired, climactic action scenes, wrapping up story threads while opening the door to future adventures, and leaving the reader satisfied. There's nothing worse than reading an amazing series that you become wholly invested in and then being utterly disappointed by the conclusion.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or really good books/series that you won't regret reading.
What is Sound Healing?
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Cast your mind back to the last time a sound affected you. Perhaps birdsong set a positive tone for...
Crime or Compassion?: One Woman's Story of a Loving Friendship That Knew No Bounds
Book
'I was torn. My best friend needed me. But little did I know then what the consequences of helping...
Endless Fables: The Minotaur's Curse (Full)
Games and Stickers
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"There are some beautiful moments" - Allaboutcasualgame.com "A very high quality game" -...