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Hazel (1853 KP) rated This Shining Life in Books

Feb 15, 2021  
This Shining Life
This Shining Life
Harriet Kline | 2021 | Contemporary
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ollie's Dad died. Richard had an incurable brain tumour, and before he passed away, he sent everyone a special present. He also told Ollie that "being alive was like a puzzle and it was all falling into place." Ollie is autistic. He thinks his father left him a puzzle to solve. Could it involve the gifts? Why won't anyone help him solve the puzzle?

This Shining Life by Harriet Kline is a heartbreaking tale about a family coming to terms with death. Told from several people's point of view, Kline explores different portrayals of grief. Ollie's mum wants to stay in bed; his aunt wants life to carry on; his maternal grandmother tries to exert control; his paternal grandmother wishes she could understand her grandson; and his grandfather has no idea what is going on. No one has time for Ollie and his obsession with his puzzle.

Before Richard's death, Ollie dominated family life. Ollie had a strict routine, always had a few spare pairs of socks with him because he hated dirty ones, and had meltdowns if his parents used the "wrong" tone of voice. Without his familiar habits, Ollie's life was a mass of confusion - an apt metaphor for the grief the rest of the family experienced.

With a contemporary novel such as This Shining Life, there is no "happy ever after". People do not come back from the dead. There is no answer to the meaning of life. Grief is a long process and different for everyone. It causes depression, anger and confusion, but hidden under all these negative feelings is love.

Harriet Kline takes death and grief seriously but adds a touch of humour to the narrative for the reader's benefit. It is not a light read, nor is it markedly profound. Instead, This Shining Life is painfully honest, and for that reason, it is beautiful.
  
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Lenard (726 KP) rated 3 From Hell (2019) in Movies

Sep 23, 2019  
3 From Hell (2019)
3 From Hell (2019)
2019 | Horror
7
5.3 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
After the deadly shootout in The Devil's Rejects, the Rejects miraculously survive and face trial. All three are given the death penalty or life sentences. Due to SId Haig's health, Captain Spaulding does not a huge part, but his performance is still extremely memorable. Otis Driftwood takes center stage as he regathers his family after a massacre leading to his escape from prison. On the run, Otis, Baby, and Wolfman (don't ask) hide out in a Mexican town because they love killing people for sport. Anyway, director Rob Zombie once again crafts a love letter to 70s exploitation films even if he never intended to make another chapter to the House of 1000 Corpses series.
  
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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Prediction in Books

Jan 12, 2018  
TP
The Prediction
Darren Sugrue | 2013
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
[The Prediction] by [Darren Sugrue] was an excellent thriller. The question is, if you could know the date of death would you want to? Daniel did his PhD thesis on a mathematical formula that could predict when someone would die. His thesis was rejected and he gave up his old life to be a crane operator. Twelve years later his old professor approaches him after the death of his son and wants Daniel to take his thesis up again. This decision will change everyone involved.

The characters were well developed and drove the plot. I really liked how you got to see different perspectives throughout the book.I highly recommend this book. I could not put it down once I started reading.
  
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ClareR (6230 KP) rated The Book of Echoes in Books

Dec 4, 2020  
The Book of Echoes
The Book of Echoes
Rosanna Amaka | 2020 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Book of Echoes has left me with a serious book hangover. It’s a hard book to follow. All three of the narrative voices in this book grab your heart and squeeze it - hard! Michael who lives in Brixton has a normal South London upbringing, living on a housing estate with his stepmother, sister and brother. When his brother kills his stepmother, his life takes a completely different direction as he steps in to care for his sister.

Ngozi lives in Nigeria, and we pick up as she transitions from being an orange seller to a house girl. Her life is changed forever when a house burglary goes terribly wrong. Her life takes many twists and turns, and she is determined to make something of her life.

The third voice is that of a female African slave, as she follows her children centuries after her death. She recounts the story of her life and death as well. I found this and Ngozi’s story particularly fascinating, as their stories are so very far removed from my own experience - so is Michael’s, to be honest.

This is a story of poverty, racism and the determination to change your life and break free from the expectations that others have of you. Ngozi is an ‘osu’, an outcast, and she makes a success of her life against all the odds. Michael makes a mistake and society makes him pay for it - wrongly in his case, but again, he’s determined to turn his life around. However the unnamed female slave never managed to live the life she wanted. Slave traders took that opportunity away from her - but she is still filled with hope for her ‘children’ through the generations.

I thought the ending of this book was perfect for all three characters, and I still think of this book a week after I finished it. I think it will be one of those books that will stay with me.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this very special book.