The Flickering Leaf
Book
I have often been asked why I believed in God and I have always replied: 'When I was four years old...
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea in Books
Jan 17, 2018
Ishikawa describes his life under the North Korean regime as gruelling, horrifically terrifying, and there are some completely hopeless moments where you think why even bother anymore.
His journey begins in Japan, the child of a Japanese mother and Korean father, he was forced at a young age to move to North Korea under the pretence of "returning" to his motherland, though he never believed so. His father, an originally extremely violent man became pacified as he realised the perilous situation he bought his family into. But they soon face the truth and brutality of their circumstances.
The narrator defects at a much later stage in life, living around 30 years under the dictatorship, but leaving his family behind. He questions whether he made the right decision in the end as the consequences are revealed and the reader is left writhing in agony at his pain.
It is not an easy read, but it is important to understand the level of complexity and the reality of the situation. An absolute must read.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Front Seat - Single by Talii in Music
Jun 18, 2019
“I don’t think we ever met in this lifetime but my soul knows you. I don’t recognize you with my eyes but I think I’m starting to. You reflect the best of me, make me wanna give my all to you. I’m tryna get to know you better.” – lyrics
‘Front Seat’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who courageously decides to take the lead in her life.
Apparently, she looks within herself for guidance and gets in tune with her soul. Later, she admits, she’s becoming somebody and starting to remember who she truly is.
‘Front Seat’ contains an adorable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and rhythmic instrumentation flavored with tropical, R&B, and dancehall elements.
“The title refers to moving your ego out of the driver’s seat and allowing your true self to take the wheel. It’s a representation of appreciating and loving the person I’m becoming. It reflects my growth and evolution not only musically but within my life overall.” – Talii via Billboard
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/talii-front-seat/
Deborah (162 KP) rated Mistress of My Fate; The Confessions of Henrietta Lightfoot in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Books written in the first person can sometimes feel a bit contrived, but that wasn't a problem here at all. An older Henrietta relates the 'true' story of her life, evidently in answer to some untruths put about by a character we have yet to properly meet in this first volume; I'm sure all will become apparent later on!
Many of the characters who weave their way through Rubenhold's tale are actually real, historical figures. Even her fictional characters owe something to the real life experiences of other Georgian inhabitants. This certainly isn't prettified historical fiction; we follow the initially very naive Henrietta through her ups and downs. The main action of the novel takes place over the space of about a year, when Henrietta is still only 17. I look forward to the next instalment!
The Lights of Pointe-Noire
Alain Mabanckou and Helen Stevenson
Book
Finalist for the Man Booker International Prize 2015 Alain Mabanckou left Congo in 1989, at the age...
Passage Across the Mersey
Book
When Helen Forrester's father went bankrupt in the 1930's, she and her six siblings fell from a...
Ernest Hemingway
Book
Ernest Hemingway has enjoyed a rich legacy as the progenitor of modern fiction, an oversized...
The Stranger In The Woods:The Extraordinary Story Of The Last True Hermit
3.0
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Book
In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in...
The Miniaturist
7.0
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Book
There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed ...On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old...
David McK (3425 KP) rated The Winter King in Books
Sep 4, 2020
These are also novels that - despite being the author's own personal favourites of the (many) novels he has written - I have struggled with, never really getting into them or feeling any connection with the story or character in the same way as I do towards Uhtred of Bebbanburg, or to Richard Sharpe.
I don't know whether that's because these are so different than I was originally expecting (the magic and mysticism of the tales, here, are more to do with superstition and ignorance), or whether because it may be fairer to call these a tale of Derfel, who narrates the story in later life in a monastery and how - here- he first came to the service of Arthur, the King that never was.
Maybe also because of the Dark Ages setting, which - obviously, since so little is known of that period (hence the name Dark Ages!) - means that Cornwell can't really bring history to life like he does in most of his other works?