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Neverwhere
Neverwhere
Neil Gaiman | 2003 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.8 (25 Ratings)
Book Rating
Setting (4 more)
Plot
Characters
World building
Gaiman's writing.
Richard Mayhew (0 more)
wonderland-esque and oh so good.
This was my first real venture in to the Urban Fantasy genre and I was so surprised I'd never really read anything from it before.

Neverwhere was an amazing book that had my imagination going on a rampage just trying to visualize London below, Gaiman did a wonderful job with combining a wonderland-esque world with modern London and living up to the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished."

The characters from London Below were all so detailed and took on a life of their own even as well as the magic of London Below it all just came off as being so real. My favorite characters hands down was Marquis De Carabas he was just so crafty and I really did not know if he was to be trusted or not, and Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar were some of the best villains I've seen in awhile.

The only thing I had a problem with and the reason even though I loved this book couldn't give it a full five star rating was I just didn't care for Richard Mayhew at all through out the whole book I made no attachment to him in the least bit, I know he was supposed to be this average every man type of person that got thrown into this crazy world but he either really annoyed me or was just kind of forgettable and fell into the background...I honestly forgot he was suppose to be the Protagonist.
  
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Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Quick in Books

Feb 21, 2018  
TQ
The Quick
Lauren Owen | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
**I received an ARC of this book at no cost, but was not compensated for this review.**

This book has some elements of the trendy epistolary style of story-telling via documents woven into a traditional, Victorian-style novel. James Norbury is an aspiring poet who finds himself living in London with the friend of a friend. A quiet, shy man, James finds friendship, love, and then tragedy as his life is torn apart by events completely outside of his control. The first part of the book tells us James' story, then we move on to journal entries and tales from other points of view, and slowly piece together what is truly happening in London, and what James has unwittingly become involved in.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book but was quickly drawn into James' London. The book is both surprising and at times terrible, but I couldn't put it down. This is definitely not a story for the feint-of-heart, but a very good read set in an entirely believable world filled with characters you won't soon forget.
  
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Butch Vig recommended London Calling by The Clash in Music (curated)

 
London Calling by The Clash
London Calling by The Clash
1979 | Rock
8.8 (10 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"For me this is possibly the greatest rock album of all time. It's a band playing at the absolute, height of their power. It's very ambitious: it's got elements of ska and funk, pop songs, soul, jazz, rockabilly, reggae - and in the end it's got this really great blues energetic vibe. It just seems like they tossed it off and lyrically it touches on a lot of different subjects. Some of the songs are very political: 'Spanish Bombs' is about the Spanish civil war, 'London Calling' itself - that song is such an anthem. The band had some commercial success after this album - with Combat Rock - but to me London Calling is the pinnacle of their song-writing. It is just a fantastic record with an iconic sleeve; that shot of Paul Simonon smashing his bass, it's just incredible. I saw The Clash play in Chicago when I was on tour and it was like electricity. They came out and they started with 'London Calling'. The place was rammed with 5,000+ people and it went OFF! It was as if a bomb dropped and it was one of the most exciting concerts I've ever seen!"

Source
  
BJ
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
British Magistrate Sir John Fielding and his ward, Jeremy Proctor, solve the murder of a Lord in 1768 London. Very real characters and engaging plot. I loved it and can't wait to read more.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-blind-justice-by-bruce.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Colin Newman recommended track The One & Only by PFM in Producer 02 by PFM in Music (curated)

 
Producer 02 by PFM
Producer 02 by PFM
2002 | Dance
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

The One & Only by PFM

(0 Ratings)

Track

"It’s a drum’n’bass thing, released on LTJ Bukem’s label Good Lookin. It’s got a great bassline, it’s just very, very danceable. Quite a noddy dance, not a flinging yourself around the dancefloor dance. I was huge on drum’n’bass. There was a moment when it hit in London and it felt like nothing else mattered."

Source
  
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Swim Deep recommended track Fast and Loud by Talk Show in Fast and Loud by Talk Show in Music (curated)

 
Fast and Loud by Talk Show
Fast and Loud by Talk Show
2019 | Alternative, Indie
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

Fast and Loud by Talk Show

(0 Ratings)

Track

"Really dig how much energy this band have in their songs, it feels like it’s part of a big guitar-led post-punk revival at the moment. They’re from South London but the singer Harrison is a manc so he gives them this sort of Echo and the Bunnymen edge which is really cool"

Source
  
The Gilded Gutter Life of Francis Bacon: The Authorized Biography
The Gilded Gutter Life of Francis Bacon: The Authorized Biography
Daniel Farson | 1994 | Art, Photography & Fashion
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I'm not really a fan of biographies, or of Francis Bacon's art. So why do I love this book? It brings mid-20th century gay London to life. And it helps me understand why people appreciate Bacon's work so deeply, even if I still can't say I'd hang his paintings on my living room wall."

Source
  
84 Charing Cross Road
84 Charing Cross Road
Helene Hanff, Juliet Stevenson | 2012 | Biography
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Long before the Internet, or even computers, New Yorker Helene Hanff started buying books from Marks & Co. in London, thereby beginning relationships that lasted for decades. Her account of this was made into this book You can read my recently revised review here https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2015/01/11/everything-old-is-new-again/
  
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David McK (3236 KP) rated Paddington (2015) in Movies

Sep 18, 2022 (Updated Dec 24, 2023)  
Paddington (2015)
Paddington (2015)
2015 | Comedy, Family
Family friendly fare, following the (mis)adventures of a talking bear from deepest darkest Peru who travels to London, is named after the train station in which he arrives and falls in with the Brown family.

Inoffensive stuff, although Nicole Kidman's Millicent does steer uncomfortably close to scary stuff for the younger viewers ...
  
"kooky" is the perfect word

humorous designs with a London theme ... and yes I have made a few of them.

The Pigeon Knitting Kit is perfect. Short needles and all you need to make your 1st London companion ... patterns written with fun, and suggestions to adapt them.

Before this I admit that even tho I have been knitting for over 30 years I had never really caught the in-the-round bug, but this book changed that, and I also got the authors followup book Stitch New York

For a learner this book would be a great addition after learning the basic skills. As with most knitting books there are instructions on how to knit. A fun addition to any crafters bookshelves.