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Louise (64 KP) rated Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) in Books
Jul 2, 2018
Yael is 5 years old and finds herself a prisoner in a Nazi Concentration camp, she has been specifically selected by a doctor for an experiment. The experiment entails a series of injections every few days - their aim.... to make her blonde haired and blue-eyed (an Aryan). These injections are severe and the weak show signs of fever and for most of them death but not for Yael.
1956 Yael is a member of the resistance, her aim in life is to kill Hitler to make the world a better place. With so many assassination attempts Hitler hardly attends social functions, so it's quite difficult to get near him. The resistance have a plan which involves Yael - she must enter the Axis Motorbike race disguised as another young girl who has once had the pleasure of meeting the Führer - if Yael can win, her life's mission will be complete, However she didn't plan for all the backstabbing and love involved in the race or the hidden secrets which are not on file. For this no training would help her, she has to win.
This is one of those books that explores the topic of Hitler winning the war and how the rest of the world would be effected and what other bizarre theories he comes up with. This also covers another serious topic that I myself did not know about was that people were experimented on in the concentration camps which caused death and disfigurements. Which is absolutely brutal and very hard to read about.
I was umming and ahhing over this book for a while,I heard many great things about it but I still wasn't totally convinced. Was it the fact that this book is based on Hitler winning and carrying on with his reign of terror or was it the motorcycle race? I have never read anything about racing before and it doesn't really appeal to me.However my lesson has been learnt...... I think! Always try to read something out of your comfort zone because you never know you might just end up loving it, which is exactly what happened to me with this book.
I loved this book with a passion, I loved the back stories to the wolves and how they become. The authors writing style was beautiful to read, utterly compelling but also hard due to the content and how realistic it was. This is a book that explores identity and reasons that drive Yael on through her mission. The book does go back and forth from the past and present, which I really enjoyed, I think if the book wasn't written this way it could have dragged a bit. The premise of this book is definitely unique and like nothing I have read before. Ryan Graudin has a novella which is called Iron to Iron which I desperately need to read as I just want more.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction and young adult.
Overall I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
1956 Yael is a member of the resistance, her aim in life is to kill Hitler to make the world a better place. With so many assassination attempts Hitler hardly attends social functions, so it's quite difficult to get near him. The resistance have a plan which involves Yael - she must enter the Axis Motorbike race disguised as another young girl who has once had the pleasure of meeting the Führer - if Yael can win, her life's mission will be complete, However she didn't plan for all the backstabbing and love involved in the race or the hidden secrets which are not on file. For this no training would help her, she has to win.
This is one of those books that explores the topic of Hitler winning the war and how the rest of the world would be effected and what other bizarre theories he comes up with. This also covers another serious topic that I myself did not know about was that people were experimented on in the concentration camps which caused death and disfigurements. Which is absolutely brutal and very hard to read about.
I was umming and ahhing over this book for a while,I heard many great things about it but I still wasn't totally convinced. Was it the fact that this book is based on Hitler winning and carrying on with his reign of terror or was it the motorcycle race? I have never read anything about racing before and it doesn't really appeal to me.However my lesson has been learnt...... I think! Always try to read something out of your comfort zone because you never know you might just end up loving it, which is exactly what happened to me with this book.
I loved this book with a passion, I loved the back stories to the wolves and how they become. The authors writing style was beautiful to read, utterly compelling but also hard due to the content and how realistic it was. This is a book that explores identity and reasons that drive Yael on through her mission. The book does go back and forth from the past and present, which I really enjoyed, I think if the book wasn't written this way it could have dragged a bit. The premise of this book is definitely unique and like nothing I have read before. Ryan Graudin has a novella which is called Iron to Iron which I desperately need to read as I just want more.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction and young adult.
Overall I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Max Payne (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Against the gritty, snow covered, and crime ridden streets of New York, one man is waging a battle for redemption and revenge. The man in Detective Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg), and following the murder of his wife and infant son, Payne has seen his life and career spin down an ever deepening black hole to the point where he is relegated to a basement office working on cold cases.
Max has become a creature of the night, and spends his off hours patrolling the grimy sections of the city looking for clues about the death of his wife and taking on all manner of the cities criminal elements to get to the truth which has so long eluded him.
While attempting to gain information from a former snitch, Max is introduced to the Natasha Sax (Olga Kurylenko), and her sister Mona (Mila Kunis). The fact that Mona is suspicious of Max from the start is of little concern to Natasha who follows Max back to his apartment and attempts to seduce him. Max quickly spurns her advances which causes Natasha to leave his apartment angry and unbeknownst to Max, steals his wallet in the process. Shortly after leaving Max’s apartment, Natasha is brutally murdered and when Max’s wallet is found at the scene, he becomes the lead suspect in the murder.
Soon after learning from his former partner that Natasha’s dead may be linked to the death of Max’s wife, Max becomes the subject of a city wide manhunt when his partner turns up dead which is attributed to Max going over the edge.
In a race against time, Max must get to the bottom of the deaths as well as solve his family’s murder and clear his good name. This will not be easy as Max must face the resources of a gigantic corporation as well as a crazed drug lord, and his colleagues on the police force.
Based on the popular video games series from Remedy Entertainment and 3D Realms, Max Payne takes some of the games more prominent characters and themes and creates a new storyline. The bullet time ability that Max had in the game has been omitted and replaced with a few gun battles that are shot at times in slow motion, such as a well staged battle in an office building.
While the storyline and character development may be lacking, the film does a decent job of capturing the look and tone of the games, and Wahlberg is solid as the tormented lead character.
Backed by a solid supporting cast which includes Beau Bridges, Chris O’Donnell, and Ludacris, “Max Payne” is an enjoyable if flawed movie experience that makes up for its shortcomings with solid visuals and some great gun battles that come late in the film.
The picture and sound quality of the movie are very crisp and if you have the chance to enjoy the film in surround sound and HDTV I would highly suggest it.
The bonus features are very good and there is a great graphic book feature that delves more into the character of Max Payne’s wife and the events leading up to her murder.
Max has become a creature of the night, and spends his off hours patrolling the grimy sections of the city looking for clues about the death of his wife and taking on all manner of the cities criminal elements to get to the truth which has so long eluded him.
While attempting to gain information from a former snitch, Max is introduced to the Natasha Sax (Olga Kurylenko), and her sister Mona (Mila Kunis). The fact that Mona is suspicious of Max from the start is of little concern to Natasha who follows Max back to his apartment and attempts to seduce him. Max quickly spurns her advances which causes Natasha to leave his apartment angry and unbeknownst to Max, steals his wallet in the process. Shortly after leaving Max’s apartment, Natasha is brutally murdered and when Max’s wallet is found at the scene, he becomes the lead suspect in the murder.
Soon after learning from his former partner that Natasha’s dead may be linked to the death of Max’s wife, Max becomes the subject of a city wide manhunt when his partner turns up dead which is attributed to Max going over the edge.
In a race against time, Max must get to the bottom of the deaths as well as solve his family’s murder and clear his good name. This will not be easy as Max must face the resources of a gigantic corporation as well as a crazed drug lord, and his colleagues on the police force.
Based on the popular video games series from Remedy Entertainment and 3D Realms, Max Payne takes some of the games more prominent characters and themes and creates a new storyline. The bullet time ability that Max had in the game has been omitted and replaced with a few gun battles that are shot at times in slow motion, such as a well staged battle in an office building.
While the storyline and character development may be lacking, the film does a decent job of capturing the look and tone of the games, and Wahlberg is solid as the tormented lead character.
Backed by a solid supporting cast which includes Beau Bridges, Chris O’Donnell, and Ludacris, “Max Payne” is an enjoyable if flawed movie experience that makes up for its shortcomings with solid visuals and some great gun battles that come late in the film.
The picture and sound quality of the movie are very crisp and if you have the chance to enjoy the film in surround sound and HDTV I would highly suggest it.
The bonus features are very good and there is a great graphic book feature that delves more into the character of Max Payne’s wife and the events leading up to her murder.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Life Of Pi (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
When I heard that one of my favorite books was being converted into a movie, I was a little skeptical. Add one of my favorite directors, Ang Lee, and my skepticism started to recede. As many know, Lee is renowned for his artistic vision and cinematography. I fell in love with his vision of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” and “Brokeback Mountain.” To me, if there was a director who could capture the beauty and imagery of this book, it was Lee.
The movie and the book are great parallels of one another. The story revolves around a young Indian boy named Piscine (“Pool” in French) who spent much of his youth in Pondicherry, a French colony of India. Much of the book, and movie, include flash-backs of Pi’s life in India – the ridicule of his name, his father’s ownership of a zoo, etc. When Pi and his family decide to move to Canada due to political concerns (the book covers much more of this, including Pi’s exploration of various spiritualties/religions), they are chartered on a ship. En route, they encounter a fierce storm which capsizes their vessel, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.
Being the only human on board with said animals, Pi naturally fears for his welfare. He observes the hyena killing the injured zebra and then turning on the orangutan. The orangutan, as one should note, cares for Pi in a very motherly fashion (remember that Pi’s whole family had drowned in the ship), and her death was very difficult for Pi to endure. Eventually, the hyena succumbs to death by the tiger. As further explained in the movie and novel, Pi names the tiger “Richard Parker” and the two of them set out to endure their lives aboard the ship in some strange sort of symbiotic relationship.
Lee’s vision transforms this novel into a brilliant masterpiece. Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” you will be awed by the cinematography and artistic interpretation he presents. The young actors employed for the role of Pi (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon, Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan) are downright perfect and I particularly enjoyed Gerard Depardieu as the grizzled and difficult French cook (not a difficult stretch for him as one can imagine). Overall, as an avid lover of Yann Martel’s novel and Ang Lee’s work, I can say this is a beautiful movie and one many will enjoy (even if you haven’t read the novel – which you MUST do).
My only complaint is that while it is a beautiful representation of CGI technology, sometimes it looked a bit too manufactured and fantastical. Their work on the tiger, however, was downright genius (and I personally hate when they create CGI animals instead of working with the real thing – but in this instance it worked very well). The ending and symbolism of this work is what makes it truly a piece of art. If you’re a fan of “Inception” and “The Sixth Sense,” you will enjoy the twist at the end.
Overall, I think this is a lovely representation of the novel and a great movie all around. I highly suggest checking it out.
The movie and the book are great parallels of one another. The story revolves around a young Indian boy named Piscine (“Pool” in French) who spent much of his youth in Pondicherry, a French colony of India. Much of the book, and movie, include flash-backs of Pi’s life in India – the ridicule of his name, his father’s ownership of a zoo, etc. When Pi and his family decide to move to Canada due to political concerns (the book covers much more of this, including Pi’s exploration of various spiritualties/religions), they are chartered on a ship. En route, they encounter a fierce storm which capsizes their vessel, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.
Being the only human on board with said animals, Pi naturally fears for his welfare. He observes the hyena killing the injured zebra and then turning on the orangutan. The orangutan, as one should note, cares for Pi in a very motherly fashion (remember that Pi’s whole family had drowned in the ship), and her death was very difficult for Pi to endure. Eventually, the hyena succumbs to death by the tiger. As further explained in the movie and novel, Pi names the tiger “Richard Parker” and the two of them set out to endure their lives aboard the ship in some strange sort of symbiotic relationship.
Lee’s vision transforms this novel into a brilliant masterpiece. Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” you will be awed by the cinematography and artistic interpretation he presents. The young actors employed for the role of Pi (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon, Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan) are downright perfect and I particularly enjoyed Gerard Depardieu as the grizzled and difficult French cook (not a difficult stretch for him as one can imagine). Overall, as an avid lover of Yann Martel’s novel and Ang Lee’s work, I can say this is a beautiful movie and one many will enjoy (even if you haven’t read the novel – which you MUST do).
My only complaint is that while it is a beautiful representation of CGI technology, sometimes it looked a bit too manufactured and fantastical. Their work on the tiger, however, was downright genius (and I personally hate when they create CGI animals instead of working with the real thing – but in this instance it worked very well). The ending and symbolism of this work is what makes it truly a piece of art. If you’re a fan of “Inception” and “The Sixth Sense,” you will enjoy the twist at the end.
Overall, I think this is a lovely representation of the novel and a great movie all around. I highly suggest checking it out.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated GoodFellas (1990) in Movies
Aug 25, 2020
Cast (3 more)
Sets
Script
Directing
Masterpiece
Contains spoilers, click to show
At the weekend, I was lucky enough to go and see one of my favourite films ever made on the big screen; Goodfellas. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of seeing the movie in an actual cinema, but it has been a few years since I have last seen it and seeing it after seeing some of Scorsese’s more recent efforts, I actually saw the story in a different light.
Here me out here; Goodfellas is a religious story.
I know what you are thinking, “But Scorsese has already made religious movies with The Last Temptation of Christ and Silence. Goodfellas is about gangsters and murder and the only brief mention of religion in the movie is the fact that Karen is Jewish and Henry wears a cross.” Well none of that is strictly untrue, but there were just several points of the movie that I just couldn’t help but feel an implied religious undertone.
The first of which is in the opening scene of the movie, when Henry, Tommy and Jimmy open the boot of the car to finish off Billy Batts. The bright red tail light shines harshly on Henry’s face as he watches a man die and delivers his iconic voiceover: “As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a gangster.” Here we are being introduced to a man who is capable of literally staring death in the face and metaphorically staring into the jaws of hell without even flinching.
From this point on, Henry is our guide into this forbidden underworld. He treats us the viewers as total newcomers to this chaotic landscape as he attempts to sell to us how great it is to live this way. It’s akin to Virgil guiding Dante through the various circles of hell in the Divine Comedy. This idea of Henry being a guide into hell is most explicit in the scene of his and Karen’s first real date at the Copacabana nightclub. In this scene we are treated to a glorious tracking shot that follows the couple all the way from their car to their seat directly in front of the stage. The first major direction we are taken is down. We descend down a staircase into a hallway painted red, in fact if you pay attention to the background in this entire sequence, there is almost always at least one red object onscreen. All the way to the table, Henry is greeted by various sinners as the ‘Then He Kissed Me,’ plays in the background; a song of seduction and lust.
Another example of this is the famous scene where Henry introduces us to various gangsters such as Jimmy Two Times through voiceover. Once again, the environment is littered with red light and dark shadowed areas as we are being introduced to a batch of sinners, thieves and murderers.
After Tommy’s death, the period of seduction in the movie is over. From this point on, we are seeing the intense fall of Henry’s world. It is just as chaotic as the first half of the movie, but now Henry and his friends are no longer in charge of the chaos and slowly they are beginning to lose control of everything that was once theirs. All of a sudden the momentum that has carried the movie and Henry’s life up until this point is brought to a halt, most obviously manifested in the scene of Henry driving far too fast despite being unaware of wait awaits him ahead and having to slam on his breaks and come to a screeching stop mere inches away from crashing. What direction is he looking just prior to this? He’s looking up for the chopper that he suspects has been following him, however he is also looking in the direction of Heaven, looking for a threat of something bigger than him that threatens to put a stop to his sinful lifestyle.
In the movie’s epilogue, once Henry gives up Jimmy and Paulie to the FBI, we see him in an entirely different environment. He’s dressed different, the weather is different and he describes how he is now just a nobody like everyone else as if that to him is a fate worse that death. Almost as if, he is in Limbo. No longer is he amongst the sinners in a world of gratification and sin, but instead he is in a ‘safe,’ environment where he can’t do anything even remotely illegal or morally questionable because he is being monitored by people just waiting for him to slip up. Then the very last shot we see is Tommy shooting at the audience. This is not only a very neat bookend as both the opening scene and final scene of the movie see Tommy committing a violent act, but it signifies that elements of Henry’s old life still follow him and he will spend the rest of his days looking over his shoulder for demons from his old life, like Tommy waiting to snuff him out.
Maybe I’m reaching slightly with this, but I feel like at least a few of these choices were intentionally put in by Scorsese. Especially the opening scene showing the murder of Billy Batts and the tracking shot as we are taken into the Copacabana. After watching recently watching Silence and The Irishman, it is clear that faith and mortality are both things that heavily weigh on Scorsese’s mind, so I don’t think that it is too much of a stretch to say that it was probably something that was at least in the back of his mind in 1990.
Regardless, this movie is a masterpiece and is still great no matter how many times you have seen it previously. It feels so authentic and genuine through the direction and presentation and the fantastic performances given by the respective cast members allow the characters to feel so real and deep. There is a reason that this is still considered as one of the seminal gangster movies. 10/10
Here me out here; Goodfellas is a religious story.
I know what you are thinking, “But Scorsese has already made religious movies with The Last Temptation of Christ and Silence. Goodfellas is about gangsters and murder and the only brief mention of religion in the movie is the fact that Karen is Jewish and Henry wears a cross.” Well none of that is strictly untrue, but there were just several points of the movie that I just couldn’t help but feel an implied religious undertone.
The first of which is in the opening scene of the movie, when Henry, Tommy and Jimmy open the boot of the car to finish off Billy Batts. The bright red tail light shines harshly on Henry’s face as he watches a man die and delivers his iconic voiceover: “As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a gangster.” Here we are being introduced to a man who is capable of literally staring death in the face and metaphorically staring into the jaws of hell without even flinching.
From this point on, Henry is our guide into this forbidden underworld. He treats us the viewers as total newcomers to this chaotic landscape as he attempts to sell to us how great it is to live this way. It’s akin to Virgil guiding Dante through the various circles of hell in the Divine Comedy. This idea of Henry being a guide into hell is most explicit in the scene of his and Karen’s first real date at the Copacabana nightclub. In this scene we are treated to a glorious tracking shot that follows the couple all the way from their car to their seat directly in front of the stage. The first major direction we are taken is down. We descend down a staircase into a hallway painted red, in fact if you pay attention to the background in this entire sequence, there is almost always at least one red object onscreen. All the way to the table, Henry is greeted by various sinners as the ‘Then He Kissed Me,’ plays in the background; a song of seduction and lust.
Another example of this is the famous scene where Henry introduces us to various gangsters such as Jimmy Two Times through voiceover. Once again, the environment is littered with red light and dark shadowed areas as we are being introduced to a batch of sinners, thieves and murderers.
After Tommy’s death, the period of seduction in the movie is over. From this point on, we are seeing the intense fall of Henry’s world. It is just as chaotic as the first half of the movie, but now Henry and his friends are no longer in charge of the chaos and slowly they are beginning to lose control of everything that was once theirs. All of a sudden the momentum that has carried the movie and Henry’s life up until this point is brought to a halt, most obviously manifested in the scene of Henry driving far too fast despite being unaware of wait awaits him ahead and having to slam on his breaks and come to a screeching stop mere inches away from crashing. What direction is he looking just prior to this? He’s looking up for the chopper that he suspects has been following him, however he is also looking in the direction of Heaven, looking for a threat of something bigger than him that threatens to put a stop to his sinful lifestyle.
In the movie’s epilogue, once Henry gives up Jimmy and Paulie to the FBI, we see him in an entirely different environment. He’s dressed different, the weather is different and he describes how he is now just a nobody like everyone else as if that to him is a fate worse that death. Almost as if, he is in Limbo. No longer is he amongst the sinners in a world of gratification and sin, but instead he is in a ‘safe,’ environment where he can’t do anything even remotely illegal or morally questionable because he is being monitored by people just waiting for him to slip up. Then the very last shot we see is Tommy shooting at the audience. This is not only a very neat bookend as both the opening scene and final scene of the movie see Tommy committing a violent act, but it signifies that elements of Henry’s old life still follow him and he will spend the rest of his days looking over his shoulder for demons from his old life, like Tommy waiting to snuff him out.
Maybe I’m reaching slightly with this, but I feel like at least a few of these choices were intentionally put in by Scorsese. Especially the opening scene showing the murder of Billy Batts and the tracking shot as we are taken into the Copacabana. After watching recently watching Silence and The Irishman, it is clear that faith and mortality are both things that heavily weigh on Scorsese’s mind, so I don’t think that it is too much of a stretch to say that it was probably something that was at least in the back of his mind in 1990.
Regardless, this movie is a masterpiece and is still great no matter how many times you have seen it previously. It feels so authentic and genuine through the direction and presentation and the fantastic performances given by the respective cast members allow the characters to feel so real and deep. There is a reason that this is still considered as one of the seminal gangster movies. 10/10
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Thread Needle in Books
Jun 17, 2021
“Magic is the first sin. It must be bound.”
Anna is an orphan, she is a witch with no magic, she is a nobody.
Raised by her aunt in London since her parents’ death when she was just 3 months old, Anna leads a monotonous life of school, homework, chores and learning to control her magic. Not that she has much magic to control, but Anna has been raised in the shadow of the Binders, a coven who believe magic is a sin and who will bind Anna’s magic when she turns 16. Until then, Anna must not draw attention to herself or the world of magic, she must shrink and she must be invisible. Only when her magic is bound will she be safe…or so the Binders would lead her to believe.
Threadneedle begins around Anna’s 15th birthday, when Anna and her Aunt receive a surprise visit from a family friend (and witch) Selene, her daughter Effie and friend Attis. Anna has idolised Selene since her childhood but I imagine even she did not anticipate this birthday visit to change her life so significantly.
Selene, Effie and Attis are the complete opposite of the Binders, using magic freely and unreservedly: they open up a whole new world to the reluctant Anna and even convince her to create a coven with them, discovering new witches right under their noses. However, as Anna practices magic more, a peculiar symbol seems to haunt her; the symbol of the eye – the symbol of a curse.
The majority of Threadneedle takes place within Anna’s home and school. Anna’s life as a nobody at school is turned on its head with Effie’s arrival and she finds that, along with friends, comes the drama of a typical teenage girl. Bullying and body-shaming are key topics here and sort of edged the book into the YA category in my opinion.
Anna as a character is portrayed as an entirely ordinary teenager, if a little meek. Her aunt, in juxtaposition, is controlling and dominating, although she always expresses that this is necessary to protect Anna and comes from a place of love. Aunt is rarely referred to by her name and has an abusive hold over Anna, punishing her with magic if she so much as shows a flicker of emotion. The reader witnesses Anna’s emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her Aunt, with Cari Thomas even beginning each chapter with one of the Binders’ tenets, signifying the brainwashing nature of the coven.
Anna doesn’t remain meek for long though: fuelled by her intrigue of magic and the mystery behind her parent’s death, Anna soon starts pushing the boundaries that she has lived within for so long. Will she succeed and manage to discover the magical world that surrounds her? Or will her magic be knotted before she gets the chance?
Despite being set in present-day London, Thomas really does introduce an entirely new world of magic with different magical languages, different covens and the constant threat of The Hunters. I found the mixture of darkness and realism incredible.
I also loved the fact that the magic and non-magic worlds run side by side in Thomas’ world but I am very conscious that any magical book written post-Harry Potter is obviously going to have comparisons made. However, Anna does not have the safety of Hogwarts or a doting headmaster to fall back on. There are no teachers providing an education in magic, she must find her magic on her own. No this is a far cry from Harry Potter; Threadneedle is more like a bubbling mixture of Charmed, with a ladle full of Mean Girls and a teaspoon of The Craft for good measure.
The sheer amount of world building by Cari Thomas means that the first few chapters of Threadneedle can feel quite slow but the novel soon settles into place. Thomas also has almost a rhythmic quality to her narrative, with fast-paced writing in dramatic spots before slowing right down again to represent Anna’s isolation. The final chapters were so captivating, with several mysteries that had been steadily growing finally coming to a head: I couldn’t read this fast enough.
Threadneedle is the first in the Language of Magic series by Cari Thomas and it is one hell of a debut! From prophecies and poison to bullies and love triangles; magical libraries, witch hunters and more plot twists than you can imagine, this book has it all. Thomas’ writing is so clever that towards the end of the book even the reader doesn’t know who to believe any more!
Thank you to HarperCollins, and NetGalley for the opportunity to discover this new world. The hype around this book is going to be crazy and it is completely deserved.
Anna is an orphan, she is a witch with no magic, she is a nobody.
Raised by her aunt in London since her parents’ death when she was just 3 months old, Anna leads a monotonous life of school, homework, chores and learning to control her magic. Not that she has much magic to control, but Anna has been raised in the shadow of the Binders, a coven who believe magic is a sin and who will bind Anna’s magic when she turns 16. Until then, Anna must not draw attention to herself or the world of magic, she must shrink and she must be invisible. Only when her magic is bound will she be safe…or so the Binders would lead her to believe.
Threadneedle begins around Anna’s 15th birthday, when Anna and her Aunt receive a surprise visit from a family friend (and witch) Selene, her daughter Effie and friend Attis. Anna has idolised Selene since her childhood but I imagine even she did not anticipate this birthday visit to change her life so significantly.
Selene, Effie and Attis are the complete opposite of the Binders, using magic freely and unreservedly: they open up a whole new world to the reluctant Anna and even convince her to create a coven with them, discovering new witches right under their noses. However, as Anna practices magic more, a peculiar symbol seems to haunt her; the symbol of the eye – the symbol of a curse.
The majority of Threadneedle takes place within Anna’s home and school. Anna’s life as a nobody at school is turned on its head with Effie’s arrival and she finds that, along with friends, comes the drama of a typical teenage girl. Bullying and body-shaming are key topics here and sort of edged the book into the YA category in my opinion.
Anna as a character is portrayed as an entirely ordinary teenager, if a little meek. Her aunt, in juxtaposition, is controlling and dominating, although she always expresses that this is necessary to protect Anna and comes from a place of love. Aunt is rarely referred to by her name and has an abusive hold over Anna, punishing her with magic if she so much as shows a flicker of emotion. The reader witnesses Anna’s emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her Aunt, with Cari Thomas even beginning each chapter with one of the Binders’ tenets, signifying the brainwashing nature of the coven.
Anna doesn’t remain meek for long though: fuelled by her intrigue of magic and the mystery behind her parent’s death, Anna soon starts pushing the boundaries that she has lived within for so long. Will she succeed and manage to discover the magical world that surrounds her? Or will her magic be knotted before she gets the chance?
Despite being set in present-day London, Thomas really does introduce an entirely new world of magic with different magical languages, different covens and the constant threat of The Hunters. I found the mixture of darkness and realism incredible.
I also loved the fact that the magic and non-magic worlds run side by side in Thomas’ world but I am very conscious that any magical book written post-Harry Potter is obviously going to have comparisons made. However, Anna does not have the safety of Hogwarts or a doting headmaster to fall back on. There are no teachers providing an education in magic, she must find her magic on her own. No this is a far cry from Harry Potter; Threadneedle is more like a bubbling mixture of Charmed, with a ladle full of Mean Girls and a teaspoon of The Craft for good measure.
The sheer amount of world building by Cari Thomas means that the first few chapters of Threadneedle can feel quite slow but the novel soon settles into place. Thomas also has almost a rhythmic quality to her narrative, with fast-paced writing in dramatic spots before slowing right down again to represent Anna’s isolation. The final chapters were so captivating, with several mysteries that had been steadily growing finally coming to a head: I couldn’t read this fast enough.
Threadneedle is the first in the Language of Magic series by Cari Thomas and it is one hell of a debut! From prophecies and poison to bullies and love triangles; magical libraries, witch hunters and more plot twists than you can imagine, this book has it all. Thomas’ writing is so clever that towards the end of the book even the reader doesn’t know who to believe any more!
Thank you to HarperCollins, and NetGalley for the opportunity to discover this new world. The hype around this book is going to be crazy and it is completely deserved.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Tingler (1959) in Movies
Dec 5, 2020
Vincent Price (1 more)
William Castle
When You Scream
The Tingler- is a excellent movie and if you havent watched it than go watch it.
The plot: Dr. Warren Chapin (Vincent Price) has made a surprising discovery -- the spine-chilling sensation that people get when scared is due to a parasite that he dubs the "tingler." Chapin concludes that in extreme circumstances, prolonged fear can cause the creature to damage a person's spine and even cause death if the victim can't scream, a theory that Oliver Higgins (Philip Coolidge) uses to deadly effect on his wife (Judith Evelyn). Soon the tingler that killed the woman is on the loose.
Castle used gimmicks to sell the film. The Tingler remains most well known for a gimmick called "Percepto!", a vibrating device in some theater chairs which activated with the onscreen action.
In a similar manner as Universal's Frankenstein (1931), Castle opened the film with an on-screen warning to the audience:
"I am William Castle, the director of the motion picture you are about to see. I feel obligated to warn you that some of the sensations—some of the physical reactions which the actors on the screen will feel—will also be experienced, for the first time in motion picture history, by certain members of this audience. I say 'certain members' because some people are more sensitive to these mysterious electronic impulses than others. These unfortunate, sensitive people will at times feel a strange, tingling sensation; other people will feel it less strongly. But don't be alarmed—you can protect yourself. At any time you are conscious of a tingling sensation, you may obtain immediate relief by screaming. Don't be embarrassed about opening your mouth and letting rip with all you've got, because the person in the seat right next to you will probably be screaming too. And remember—a scream at the right time may save your life."
William Castle was famous for his movie gimmicks, and The Tingler featured one of his best: "Percepto!". Previously, he had offered a $1,000 life insurance policy against "Death by Fright" for Macabre (1958) and sent a skeleton flying above the audiences' heads in the auditorium in House on Haunted Hill (1959).
"Percepto!" was a gimmick where Castle attached electrical "buzzers" to the underside of some seats in theaters where The Tingler was screened. The buzzers were small surplus airplane wing deicing motors left from World War II. The cost of this equipment added $250,000 to the film's budget. It was used predominantly in larger theaters.
During the climax of the film, The Tingler was unleashed in the movie theater, while the audience watched Tol'able David (1921), in which a young woman escapes the unwanted advances of her boyfriend and is targeted. In the real-life theater, a woman screamed and then pretended to faint; she was then taken away in a stretcher, all part of the show arranged by Castle. From the screen, the voice of Price mentioned the fainted lady and asked the rest of the audience to remain seated. The film-within-a-film resumed and was interrupted again. The projected film appeared to break as the silhouette of the tingler moved across the projection beam. The image of the film went dark, all lights in the auditorium (except fire exit signs) went off, and Price's voice warned the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic. But scream! Scream for your lives! The tingler is loose in this theater!" This cued the theater projectionist to activate the Percepto! buzzers, giving some audience members an unexpected jolt, followed by a highly visible physical reaction. The voices of scared patrons were heard from the screen, replaced by the voice of Price, who explained that the tingler was paralyzed and the danger was over. At this point, the film resumed its normal format, which was used for its epilogue
An alternate warning was recorded for drive-in theaters; this warning advised the audience the tingler was loose in the drive-in. Castle's voice was substituted for Price's in this version.
Castle's autobiography, Step Right Up!: I'm Gonna Scare the Pants off America, erroneously stated that "Percepto!" delivered electric shocks to the theater seats.
To enhance the climax even more, Castle hired fake "screamers and fainters" planted in the audience There were fake nurses stationed in the foyer and an ambulance outside of the theater. The "fainters" would be carried out on a gurney and whisked away in the ambulance, to return for the next showing.
Although The Tingler was filmed in black-and-white, a short color sequence was spliced into the film. It showed a sink (in black-and-white) with bright-red "blood" flowing from the taps and a black-and-white Evelyn watching a bloody red hand rising from a bathtub, likewise filled with the bright red "blood". Castle used color film for the effect. The scene was accomplished by painting the set white, black and gray and applying gray makeup to the actress to simulate monochrome.
Excellent Film.
The plot: Dr. Warren Chapin (Vincent Price) has made a surprising discovery -- the spine-chilling sensation that people get when scared is due to a parasite that he dubs the "tingler." Chapin concludes that in extreme circumstances, prolonged fear can cause the creature to damage a person's spine and even cause death if the victim can't scream, a theory that Oliver Higgins (Philip Coolidge) uses to deadly effect on his wife (Judith Evelyn). Soon the tingler that killed the woman is on the loose.
Castle used gimmicks to sell the film. The Tingler remains most well known for a gimmick called "Percepto!", a vibrating device in some theater chairs which activated with the onscreen action.
In a similar manner as Universal's Frankenstein (1931), Castle opened the film with an on-screen warning to the audience:
"I am William Castle, the director of the motion picture you are about to see. I feel obligated to warn you that some of the sensations—some of the physical reactions which the actors on the screen will feel—will also be experienced, for the first time in motion picture history, by certain members of this audience. I say 'certain members' because some people are more sensitive to these mysterious electronic impulses than others. These unfortunate, sensitive people will at times feel a strange, tingling sensation; other people will feel it less strongly. But don't be alarmed—you can protect yourself. At any time you are conscious of a tingling sensation, you may obtain immediate relief by screaming. Don't be embarrassed about opening your mouth and letting rip with all you've got, because the person in the seat right next to you will probably be screaming too. And remember—a scream at the right time may save your life."
William Castle was famous for his movie gimmicks, and The Tingler featured one of his best: "Percepto!". Previously, he had offered a $1,000 life insurance policy against "Death by Fright" for Macabre (1958) and sent a skeleton flying above the audiences' heads in the auditorium in House on Haunted Hill (1959).
"Percepto!" was a gimmick where Castle attached electrical "buzzers" to the underside of some seats in theaters where The Tingler was screened. The buzzers were small surplus airplane wing deicing motors left from World War II. The cost of this equipment added $250,000 to the film's budget. It was used predominantly in larger theaters.
During the climax of the film, The Tingler was unleashed in the movie theater, while the audience watched Tol'able David (1921), in which a young woman escapes the unwanted advances of her boyfriend and is targeted. In the real-life theater, a woman screamed and then pretended to faint; she was then taken away in a stretcher, all part of the show arranged by Castle. From the screen, the voice of Price mentioned the fainted lady and asked the rest of the audience to remain seated. The film-within-a-film resumed and was interrupted again. The projected film appeared to break as the silhouette of the tingler moved across the projection beam. The image of the film went dark, all lights in the auditorium (except fire exit signs) went off, and Price's voice warned the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic. But scream! Scream for your lives! The tingler is loose in this theater!" This cued the theater projectionist to activate the Percepto! buzzers, giving some audience members an unexpected jolt, followed by a highly visible physical reaction. The voices of scared patrons were heard from the screen, replaced by the voice of Price, who explained that the tingler was paralyzed and the danger was over. At this point, the film resumed its normal format, which was used for its epilogue
An alternate warning was recorded for drive-in theaters; this warning advised the audience the tingler was loose in the drive-in. Castle's voice was substituted for Price's in this version.
Castle's autobiography, Step Right Up!: I'm Gonna Scare the Pants off America, erroneously stated that "Percepto!" delivered electric shocks to the theater seats.
To enhance the climax even more, Castle hired fake "screamers and fainters" planted in the audience There were fake nurses stationed in the foyer and an ambulance outside of the theater. The "fainters" would be carried out on a gurney and whisked away in the ambulance, to return for the next showing.
Although The Tingler was filmed in black-and-white, a short color sequence was spliced into the film. It showed a sink (in black-and-white) with bright-red "blood" flowing from the taps and a black-and-white Evelyn watching a bloody red hand rising from a bathtub, likewise filled with the bright red "blood". Castle used color film for the effect. The scene was accomplished by painting the set white, black and gray and applying gray makeup to the actress to simulate monochrome.
Excellent Film.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated These Nameless Things in Books
Jul 2, 2020
When I read the synopsis for These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker, I knew it was a book I had to read. It ticked all the right boxes for me. Luckily, this book did not disappoint!
The plot was very interesting. Dan lives in an idyllic small village. Everyone is happy and friendly until a beautiful woman arrives at Dan's door on the verge of death. Dan doesn't tell anyone about her as he nurses her back to health. However, strange things start happening. The crops don't grow right, and people are regaining painful memories they had long forgotten. When the mysterious woman convinces Dan to go back through the mountain, a place he had been tormented at and had escaped, to fetch his brother who is stuck there, Dan is torn. He misses his brother like crazy. All the while Dan is left wondering who this strange woman is who has a strong pull over him, and why does she want him to go back to the horrible place he came from to save his brother so badly.
How amazing does that plot sound!?! The plot for These Nameless Things was solid, and it helps very much that Shawn Smucker is a very talented writer. Smucker has a way with words. The way he wrote and described everything really helped make it easy to envision everything that was unfolding second by second. He was able to put so much description into everything, but Smucker doesn't overdo it to the point where it becomes boring to read. He creates a very nice balance. I will say that the first third of the book is fairly slow pacing, but I kept reading because I did want to know more about Dan's brother and how the mysterious woman was connected to everything. For my perseverance, I was richly rewarded. The last two thirds of the book really took off! I found myself hooked on every single word, hungry for as much as I could get. I did not want to put this book down at all. I had to know what was going to happen to everyone. Yes, some of it was predictable, but it was a fantastic read nonetheless. While I would have liked to read some sort of epilogue or had more knowledge in what happened to everyone some time later, I think These Nameless Things ends well enough, and everything is explained leading up to the ending.
I felt that every character in These Nameless Things was fleshed out very well. By the middle of the book (perhaps even sooner than that), I felt like I had become friends with everyone mentioned in the book. It was easy to picture each and every character as a real life person (mostly thanks to Shawn Smucker's excellent writing again). I did feel that although the character of Dan was written superbly, he came across as a bit selfish for the most part. I felt like he put people in so much danger by keeping secrets. I did love Miho and Lucia very much. Miho seemed to be the biggest voice of reason throughout the book. I just loved Lucia because she made me feel hopeful and happy. Abe was my favorite character though. I loved how optimistic he could become and how much he cared for everyone. He was the leader of the village, and I admired how seriously he took this title. It was obvious how much love he had for all of his village. I would love an Abe in my life. He had such a soothing presence.
Trigger warnings for These Nameless Things include minor violence, death, a mention of rape, and alcoholism.
Overall, These Nameless Things is a highly interesting read that makes you reflect on your own feelings and how you react to them. With Shawn Smucker's fantastic prose, this book makes it easy to get hooked. I would definitely recommend These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker to those aged 17+ who are after well written novels with a touch of philosophy.
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback of These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot was very interesting. Dan lives in an idyllic small village. Everyone is happy and friendly until a beautiful woman arrives at Dan's door on the verge of death. Dan doesn't tell anyone about her as he nurses her back to health. However, strange things start happening. The crops don't grow right, and people are regaining painful memories they had long forgotten. When the mysterious woman convinces Dan to go back through the mountain, a place he had been tormented at and had escaped, to fetch his brother who is stuck there, Dan is torn. He misses his brother like crazy. All the while Dan is left wondering who this strange woman is who has a strong pull over him, and why does she want him to go back to the horrible place he came from to save his brother so badly.
How amazing does that plot sound!?! The plot for These Nameless Things was solid, and it helps very much that Shawn Smucker is a very talented writer. Smucker has a way with words. The way he wrote and described everything really helped make it easy to envision everything that was unfolding second by second. He was able to put so much description into everything, but Smucker doesn't overdo it to the point where it becomes boring to read. He creates a very nice balance. I will say that the first third of the book is fairly slow pacing, but I kept reading because I did want to know more about Dan's brother and how the mysterious woman was connected to everything. For my perseverance, I was richly rewarded. The last two thirds of the book really took off! I found myself hooked on every single word, hungry for as much as I could get. I did not want to put this book down at all. I had to know what was going to happen to everyone. Yes, some of it was predictable, but it was a fantastic read nonetheless. While I would have liked to read some sort of epilogue or had more knowledge in what happened to everyone some time later, I think These Nameless Things ends well enough, and everything is explained leading up to the ending.
I felt that every character in These Nameless Things was fleshed out very well. By the middle of the book (perhaps even sooner than that), I felt like I had become friends with everyone mentioned in the book. It was easy to picture each and every character as a real life person (mostly thanks to Shawn Smucker's excellent writing again). I did feel that although the character of Dan was written superbly, he came across as a bit selfish for the most part. I felt like he put people in so much danger by keeping secrets. I did love Miho and Lucia very much. Miho seemed to be the biggest voice of reason throughout the book. I just loved Lucia because she made me feel hopeful and happy. Abe was my favorite character though. I loved how optimistic he could become and how much he cared for everyone. He was the leader of the village, and I admired how seriously he took this title. It was obvious how much love he had for all of his village. I would love an Abe in my life. He had such a soothing presence.
Trigger warnings for These Nameless Things include minor violence, death, a mention of rape, and alcoholism.
Overall, These Nameless Things is a highly interesting read that makes you reflect on your own feelings and how you react to them. With Shawn Smucker's fantastic prose, this book makes it easy to get hooked. I would definitely recommend These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker to those aged 17+ who are after well written novels with a touch of philosophy.
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback of These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Someone Knows in Books
Jun 26, 2019
I was on the fence about reading Someone Knows by Lisa Scottoline. I kept wanting to read it, but then I'd change my mind. However, when I noticed it was available at my library, I decided to check it out. While it wasn't a great read, it was still alright.
Allie is a 15 year old overweight teenage girl. When popular and beautiful Sasha talks to her and invites her to hang out, she can't say no. When another teenager moves to the area and hangs out with them one night, things go lethally wrong. None of the teens confess to what actually happen, and no one gets in trouble. However, Allie continues to feel guilty over the next twenty years. This big secret has affected every aspect of Allie's life. When Allie finally wants to confess, things turn deadly.
The plot to Someone Knows sounded very similar to a book I had read previously. However, once I started reading it, I noticed how Lisa Scottoline gave her book a bunch of little twits and turns to keep it fresh. The plot seemed very realistic. I enjoyed how each chapter was told from each character's point of view. It was interesting to see the thought process behind each person. It was easy to lose myself in the story because of how realistic everything felt. Although I've never been as privileged financially as all the teens in the book, I felt like I was part of the group. There were no cliffhangers in this book either which was nice. While I did predict one plot twist, there was one that I didn't see coming! That was a nice curve ball!
I liked Allie very much. She reminded me a lot of myself at 15 years old. I definitely could see myself as Allie. In fact, my thought process was a lot like Allie's. I've never lost a sibling like Allie, but I was saddened by the death of her sister Jill, and I sympathized with Allie's mother when it came to depression. I do wish Allie would have clued her husband about what was going on because I felt bad for him since Allie was distant throughout a lot of the marriage. I get why she kept her secret to herself, but I still felt bad for Allie's and Larry's marriage. Sasha was an interesting character. I've definitely known a few Sashas in my life! Sasha was able to make any guy putty in her hands. I loved reading Sasha's point of view. Even though she could sometimes be a mean girl, I enjoyed her very much. It was interesting to read about David and learn of his struggle especially when it came to how his father was. David came across as a nice guy. Julian was a character who I would say was a mix of Sasha and David. He could be really nice and charming when he wanted to be, but he would say mean things about Allie to Sasha which wouldn't be very nice. However, I did admire how business oriented he was. I loved Kyle so much, and I hated how he was shunned because of something his father did. Kyle seemed like such a sweet boy who was dealt a tough hand through no fault of his own.
The pacing in Someone Knows seemed to be fairly slow throughout about 80 percent of the book especially during the first half or so. I know it was probably to set up the world building and backstory, but it was just so tedious. I would have liked a bit more action or had the backstory given to me during and after the main event. The pacing is what really let this book down in my opinion.
Trigger warnings include underage drinking, adult drinking, prescription pill abuse, death, talks of suicide, violence, and sexual situations (both underage and adult which aren't overly graphic).
Although the pacing for Someone Knows lets this book down, it's still an alright read. It does have some interesting characters with realistic problems that readers can identify with. I would recommend Someone Knows by Lisa Scottoline to those aged 17+ who are looking for an alright thriller to read.
Allie is a 15 year old overweight teenage girl. When popular and beautiful Sasha talks to her and invites her to hang out, she can't say no. When another teenager moves to the area and hangs out with them one night, things go lethally wrong. None of the teens confess to what actually happen, and no one gets in trouble. However, Allie continues to feel guilty over the next twenty years. This big secret has affected every aspect of Allie's life. When Allie finally wants to confess, things turn deadly.
The plot to Someone Knows sounded very similar to a book I had read previously. However, once I started reading it, I noticed how Lisa Scottoline gave her book a bunch of little twits and turns to keep it fresh. The plot seemed very realistic. I enjoyed how each chapter was told from each character's point of view. It was interesting to see the thought process behind each person. It was easy to lose myself in the story because of how realistic everything felt. Although I've never been as privileged financially as all the teens in the book, I felt like I was part of the group. There were no cliffhangers in this book either which was nice. While I did predict one plot twist, there was one that I didn't see coming! That was a nice curve ball!
I liked Allie very much. She reminded me a lot of myself at 15 years old. I definitely could see myself as Allie. In fact, my thought process was a lot like Allie's. I've never lost a sibling like Allie, but I was saddened by the death of her sister Jill, and I sympathized with Allie's mother when it came to depression. I do wish Allie would have clued her husband about what was going on because I felt bad for him since Allie was distant throughout a lot of the marriage. I get why she kept her secret to herself, but I still felt bad for Allie's and Larry's marriage. Sasha was an interesting character. I've definitely known a few Sashas in my life! Sasha was able to make any guy putty in her hands. I loved reading Sasha's point of view. Even though she could sometimes be a mean girl, I enjoyed her very much. It was interesting to read about David and learn of his struggle especially when it came to how his father was. David came across as a nice guy. Julian was a character who I would say was a mix of Sasha and David. He could be really nice and charming when he wanted to be, but he would say mean things about Allie to Sasha which wouldn't be very nice. However, I did admire how business oriented he was. I loved Kyle so much, and I hated how he was shunned because of something his father did. Kyle seemed like such a sweet boy who was dealt a tough hand through no fault of his own.
The pacing in Someone Knows seemed to be fairly slow throughout about 80 percent of the book especially during the first half or so. I know it was probably to set up the world building and backstory, but it was just so tedious. I would have liked a bit more action or had the backstory given to me during and after the main event. The pacing is what really let this book down in my opinion.
Trigger warnings include underage drinking, adult drinking, prescription pill abuse, death, talks of suicide, violence, and sexual situations (both underage and adult which aren't overly graphic).
Although the pacing for Someone Knows lets this book down, it's still an alright read. It does have some interesting characters with realistic problems that readers can identify with. I would recommend Someone Knows by Lisa Scottoline to those aged 17+ who are looking for an alright thriller to read.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Benevolent in Books
Aug 25, 2019
I first heard of Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen through the blogging community. It sounded very interesting especially the more I heard about it. When an opportunity to review Benevolent came about, I jumped at the chance. Although Benevolent does mention the television show Supernatural throughout the book, you don't have to be a fan of Supernatural or know anything about the show to enjoy this novel. I will admit that I've only seen a few episodes of Supernatural back when it first began, but my limited knowledge of Supernatural did not take away my enjoyment of Benevolent. I'm really glad I got the chance to read Benevolent because it truly is a gem of a book!
The plot of Benevolent was a truly interesting one that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout. Benevolent begins with a teenage girl, Abigail (or Abbie as she's sometimes called) losing her best and only friend to cancer. She is comforted by an angel who appears in the form of Castiel from the television show Supernatural (her and her best friend's favorite). The reader is then taken through a journey throughout Abbie's life including all the ups and downs. Her angel, Castiel, plays a big role in her life's journey, and Abbie's left wondering if Castiel is real or if he's just a figment of her imagination. Benevolent is more than just that though. It's a gripping and emotional love story, but not in the romantic sense.
I could not put Benevolent down! In fact, I pretty much read this book in one sitting. It's a fairly short story, but the pacing was absolutely perfect throughout. I love how each chapter title was a song title. In fact, it makes for a great playlist whilst reading the chapter that features it or before and/or after that chapter. I was pulled into Abigail's world as soon as I started reading the first page. I loved how every loose end is tied up before Benevolent ends, and every question I had was answered. The world building is fantastic, and I can't fault anything about it. Erin A. Jensen is such a talented writer based on Benevolent!
I absolutely enjoyed every character in Benevolent. Abigail felt like an old friend. In fact, I felt like I was reading a true life biography about Abigail instead of just a work of fiction. Everything about Abigail's character was just laid bare for everyone to read about, and I think that's what made me love her so much. She had been through a lot, and I could relate to her on so many levels. The character of Castiel was written perfectly too. Like I said, I had only watched a few episodes of Supernatural before they introduced the character of Castiel, so I can't comment on how much Benevolent's character of Castiel was like the one on Supernatural. However, it is mentioned in the beginning of Benevolent that Abigail's angel took on the form of Castiel and his name and mannerisms to make Abbie feel more comfortable. It is said that he isn't the actual Castiel from Supernatural. We also get to know Danny, Abbie's childhood best friend, through Abbie's memories. Danny seemed like such an awesome person, and even I was saddened by his death.
Trigger warnings for Benevolent include death, cancer, attempted suicide, overdosing, drug use, alcohol, and some profanity but nothing too bad.
Overall, Benevolent is one of those books that will stick with you long after you've stopped reading. It's a book that tugs on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. Benevolent has such a fantastic plot with such a relatable main character that it just makes for an awesome read. What makes Benevolent even more awesome (which is saying something since Benevolent is highly awesome already) is that 100 percent of the profits from its sales will be donated to Random Acts charity. I would wholeheartedly recommend Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen to everyone aged 15+ no matter what genre of book they like. I feel like this book will touch everyone who gives it a read.
--
(A special thank you to Erin A. Jensen for providing me with a paperback of Benevolent in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot of Benevolent was a truly interesting one that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout. Benevolent begins with a teenage girl, Abigail (or Abbie as she's sometimes called) losing her best and only friend to cancer. She is comforted by an angel who appears in the form of Castiel from the television show Supernatural (her and her best friend's favorite). The reader is then taken through a journey throughout Abbie's life including all the ups and downs. Her angel, Castiel, plays a big role in her life's journey, and Abbie's left wondering if Castiel is real or if he's just a figment of her imagination. Benevolent is more than just that though. It's a gripping and emotional love story, but not in the romantic sense.
I could not put Benevolent down! In fact, I pretty much read this book in one sitting. It's a fairly short story, but the pacing was absolutely perfect throughout. I love how each chapter title was a song title. In fact, it makes for a great playlist whilst reading the chapter that features it or before and/or after that chapter. I was pulled into Abigail's world as soon as I started reading the first page. I loved how every loose end is tied up before Benevolent ends, and every question I had was answered. The world building is fantastic, and I can't fault anything about it. Erin A. Jensen is such a talented writer based on Benevolent!
I absolutely enjoyed every character in Benevolent. Abigail felt like an old friend. In fact, I felt like I was reading a true life biography about Abigail instead of just a work of fiction. Everything about Abigail's character was just laid bare for everyone to read about, and I think that's what made me love her so much. She had been through a lot, and I could relate to her on so many levels. The character of Castiel was written perfectly too. Like I said, I had only watched a few episodes of Supernatural before they introduced the character of Castiel, so I can't comment on how much Benevolent's character of Castiel was like the one on Supernatural. However, it is mentioned in the beginning of Benevolent that Abigail's angel took on the form of Castiel and his name and mannerisms to make Abbie feel more comfortable. It is said that he isn't the actual Castiel from Supernatural. We also get to know Danny, Abbie's childhood best friend, through Abbie's memories. Danny seemed like such an awesome person, and even I was saddened by his death.
Trigger warnings for Benevolent include death, cancer, attempted suicide, overdosing, drug use, alcohol, and some profanity but nothing too bad.
Overall, Benevolent is one of those books that will stick with you long after you've stopped reading. It's a book that tugs on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. Benevolent has such a fantastic plot with such a relatable main character that it just makes for an awesome read. What makes Benevolent even more awesome (which is saying something since Benevolent is highly awesome already) is that 100 percent of the profits from its sales will be donated to Random Acts charity. I would wholeheartedly recommend Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen to everyone aged 15+ no matter what genre of book they like. I feel like this book will touch everyone who gives it a read.
--
(A special thank you to Erin A. Jensen for providing me with a paperback of Benevolent in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Thirteen Reasons Why in Books
May 23, 2017
Trigger Warning
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Recently filmed as a thirteen-part Netflix drama executively produced by Selena Gomez, Thirteen Reasons Why was the first novel by the award-winning author, Jay Asher. It is the type of book readers will either love or hate, but it should definitely come with a warning. This story is NOT an accurate representation of depression and suicide.
Yes, suicide. A teenaged girl has committed suicide, shocking everyone who knew her. No one could understand why, but thirteen people are going to find out. Clay Jensen is the ninth person to receive a box of thirteen audiotapes from Hannah Baker. However, Hannah died two weeks ago. As she premeditated taking her life, Hannah recorded thirteen stories involving people from her school that caused her to snowball into deep depression and despair. Desperate to find out why his name features in Hannah’s story, Clay begins listening to the tapes in order, putting together the events that led to Hannah’s death.
What follows is a heart-breaking story showing the impact individuals have on other people’s lives, often without realising it. In some cases, the characters only played a minor role in Hannah’s life, whereas others caused significant damage. The saddest thing is, Clay could have helped Hannah, but she had pushed him away.
At times, Hannah seemed like the horrible person, calling all these people out on petty little things, but these things, along with the more horrible ones, all built up to create a life that did not feel worth living. It is eye opening how much a small action, comment or rumour can so drastically alter someone’s future.
Bearing in mind that depression affects everyone differently and has numerous causes, some readers may feel disgusted at Hannah’s extreme action, but this is the fault of the author. Jay Asher fails to completely describe the emotional torment that Hannah felt, and only someone who may have been through a similar situation, or worse, will fully be able to understand the impact everything has had on her mental health.
As Hannah beleaguers her listeners, the thirteen people start to feel like the victims rather than the “attackers”, which is most probably not what the author was intending. Now, these people will have to live their lives believing they caused a girl to commit suicide when really they were only 1/13th of the reason. Although, before criticising this novel, keep in mind it is a work of fiction.
What is most painful about Thirteen Reasons Why, is not Hannah’s plight, but the reaction Clay has to hearing Hannah’s story. Unlike the other people Hannah accuses, Clay is not one of her antagonists; all Hannah wants to do is to say sorry.
It is up to the reader to judge whether Thirteen Reasons Why is worthy of praise or not. Those without an understanding of depression may dislike it on account of misunderstanding Hannah’s reasons, whereas others may feel insulted that she killed herself over things that could have been eased had she told someone. Personally, I understand where Hannah is coming from, and although I would not go to the extremes Hannah did, I do not think she was selfish or stupid or any other insult that may befall her.
The reason I give this book a good rating lies in the quality of writing. Asher seamlessly alternates between two narratives – Hannah’s story and Clay’s reaction and reflection. Although the author may not have clearly expressed Hannah’s emotions, he successful emphasises the grief and despair Clay feels listening to the cassettes. My main concern is that Thirteen Reasons Why will only be short lived. Audiotapes were already obsolete when the book was published, but soon will there be any new readers who know what a tape is?
Recently filmed as a thirteen-part Netflix drama executively produced by Selena Gomez, Thirteen Reasons Why was the first novel by the award-winning author, Jay Asher. It is the type of book readers will either love or hate, but it should definitely come with a warning. This story is NOT an accurate representation of depression and suicide.
Yes, suicide. A teenaged girl has committed suicide, shocking everyone who knew her. No one could understand why, but thirteen people are going to find out. Clay Jensen is the ninth person to receive a box of thirteen audiotapes from Hannah Baker. However, Hannah died two weeks ago. As she premeditated taking her life, Hannah recorded thirteen stories involving people from her school that caused her to snowball into deep depression and despair. Desperate to find out why his name features in Hannah’s story, Clay begins listening to the tapes in order, putting together the events that led to Hannah’s death.
What follows is a heart-breaking story showing the impact individuals have on other people’s lives, often without realising it. In some cases, the characters only played a minor role in Hannah’s life, whereas others caused significant damage. The saddest thing is, Clay could have helped Hannah, but she had pushed him away.
At times, Hannah seemed like the horrible person, calling all these people out on petty little things, but these things, along with the more horrible ones, all built up to create a life that did not feel worth living. It is eye opening how much a small action, comment or rumour can so drastically alter someone’s future.
Bearing in mind that depression affects everyone differently and has numerous causes, some readers may feel disgusted at Hannah’s extreme action, but this is the fault of the author. Jay Asher fails to completely describe the emotional torment that Hannah felt, and only someone who may have been through a similar situation, or worse, will fully be able to understand the impact everything has had on her mental health.
As Hannah beleaguers her listeners, the thirteen people start to feel like the victims rather than the “attackers”, which is most probably not what the author was intending. Now, these people will have to live their lives believing they caused a girl to commit suicide when really they were only 1/13th of the reason. Although, before criticising this novel, keep in mind it is a work of fiction.
What is most painful about Thirteen Reasons Why, is not Hannah’s plight, but the reaction Clay has to hearing Hannah’s story. Unlike the other people Hannah accuses, Clay is not one of her antagonists; all Hannah wants to do is to say sorry.
It is up to the reader to judge whether Thirteen Reasons Why is worthy of praise or not. Those without an understanding of depression may dislike it on account of misunderstanding Hannah’s reasons, whereas others may feel insulted that she killed herself over things that could have been eased had she told someone. Personally, I understand where Hannah is coming from, and although I would not go to the extremes Hannah did, I do not think she was selfish or stupid or any other insult that may befall her.
The reason I give this book a good rating lies in the quality of writing. Asher seamlessly alternates between two narratives – Hannah’s story and Clay’s reaction and reflection. Although the author may not have clearly expressed Hannah’s emotions, he successful emphasises the grief and despair Clay feels listening to the cassettes. My main concern is that Thirteen Reasons Why will only be short lived. Audiotapes were already obsolete when the book was published, but soon will there be any new readers who know what a tape is?