Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

Louise (64 KP) rated Concentr8 in Books

Jul 2, 2018  
C
Concentr8
2
3.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is set in London in a society where Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is on the rise. Ritalin is a drug that is used to calm children/teens with ADHD, however there is a new wonder drug Concentr8 which has the same desired effects but better and cheaper

The concentr8 program has been abandoned! as a result London is in chaos with riots, looting, and fires.

The novel starts off with 5 teenagers Blaze, Troy, Femi, Lee and Karen, on a whim they to decide to kidnap an employee from the Mayors offices and tie him to a radiator, but they don't really know why. It just happens.

I hadn't heard much about this book or the author when I requested it and the synopsis intrigued me or maybe it was the blinding yellow of the book that drew me in (who knows).

I really didn't like the writing style of this book, every chapter was told by a different person and because they were so short, I had to go back to remind myself who the narrator was. I have never seen writing like this before either, the words are mashed together, eg <b>"It's like all your lifeyou knowwhat's fantasyand whats solid..."</b> It is
like this throughout the book and I had to make sure what i was reading as could be confusing at times.There are lack of comma's, full stops and pretty appalling grammar with thick London accents.

So I researched ADHD and some of the symptoms are impulsiveness, little or no sense of danger, excessive talking, unable to concentrate, short attention span and many more. Which does come across in the characters.

This is one of the mental health issues that hasn't really be discussed in books that much and I was looking forward to it being touched upon. There are also excerpts in every chapter that has been taken from real life twitter accounts, magazines and other sources regarding Ritalin.

The book is very thought-provoking about ADHD, medications that are used, their side effects and diagnosis.

If you are interested in Mental Health and diverse books then have a look.

I personally didn't enjoy this book but made myself finish it (DNF is a rarity)
  
Paddington (2015)
Paddington (2015)
2015 | Comedy, Family
The timeless storybook written by Michael Bond about a loveable, well-mannered immigrant Bear who tries to adapt to the human world.

The movie opens up with an English Explorer, Montgomery Clyde (Tim Downie), who ventures to the darkest Peru and encounters Paddington’s Aunt Lucy(voiced by Imelda Stauton) and Uncle Pastuzo(voiced by Michael Gambon). Instead of shooting them to take back to the Geographers’ Guild to be stuffed, he teaches them to speak English and introduces them to marmalade. He ends his adventure by telling the two bears he would always give them a home in London. Fast forward 40 years, Lucy and Pastuzo are now raising their very energetic nephew (voiced by Ben Wishaw) and teach him everything they know about London and how to make marmalade. Sadly, tragedy strikes after a devastating earthquake destroys their home. This forces Aunt Lucy to allow the young bear to stowaway on a ship bound for London to find Montgomery Clyde, the explorer, while she takes residence at a facility for retired bears.

The little bear is discovered by the Brown family while wandering Paddington Station. After reading the tag that says, “Please look after this bear,” the Browns take him home and give him the name Paddington. They also agreed to help him find the explorer that once befriended his aunt and uncle. Confused by his new unfamiliar surroundings, Paddington becomes an accident prone guest who inadvertently creates chaos and devastation where ever he goes.

Writer/Director Paul King has made an ingeniously witty, funny film that will appeal to moviegoers of all ages. A sweet and playful take on the beloved 1950s children’s book. For the most part, it does follow the storyline of the book. With the exception of the character Millicent, played by Nicole Kidman, who is a museum taxidermist. She wants nothing more than to make Paddington the newest member of the museum’s collection of stuffed exotic animals.

You can’t help but fall in love with Paddington, and it’s just as easy to love the Brown family. This is a delightfully charming film with the perfect amount of quirkiness. A story of a lost child trying to find friends and a place to belong. A wonderful movie that will melt your heart!
  
Paddington 2 (2017)
Paddington 2 (2017)
2017 | Animation, Comedy, Family
Everything (0 more)
Not much really (0 more)
The Perfect Family Movie
I'm always wary heading into the cinema to see a 'family' movie, especially those featuring a CGI main character interacting with live human actors. Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Smurfs, The Scooby Doo movie - they've all done a pretty good job of destroying the genre, along with countless others. Even the better films struggle to engage the interest of kids and adults alike. But Paddington is just different. The sequel greatly improves on an already enjoyable first movie, and to be honest it's pretty difficult for me to write anything negative about it at all.

The story is a simple one. Paddington wants to buy a very special present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, and sets his sights on buying her a lovely pop-up book of London landmarks, London being the one place she always wanted to visit. The book is quite expensive though, so Paddington sets about earning the money himself. Unfortunately things go very wrong, with Paddington ending up jailed for a crime he did not commit.

An all-star cast play a huge variety of strange and wonderful characters, but the best of them all is the villain of the story. Hugh Grant gets to ham things hilariously up as Phoenix Buchanan, an actor longing for the limelight once more, reduced instead to starring in dog food commercials. Visual gags are carefully staged, then perfectly executed and the whole movie provides the ideal mix of laughs, peril, warmth and charm. The perfect family movie!