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Necole (36 KP) rated The Stolen Marriage in Books

Aug 12, 2018

The Stolen Marriage

Diane Chamberlain | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry

10.0

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

Ok so let me just say the cover of this novel is absolutely stunning … all the water droplets are raised and the image is breath taking!!!!
After reading the synopsis of the story in the cover, I was hooked into wanting to read this and the novel did not disappoint. This is not only a multilayered, multifaceted novel of plots and characters but also genre of books. The writing is like watching a movie playing in your head … Chamberlain has a way at pulling you in and making you feel all different emotions throughout the story. Each character is written in a way that you feel like you know them and see their growth and there views and feel each of their stories. If you like historical fiction or mystery or self discovery or even romance, you will love The Stolen Marriage.
The book is set in 1943-1945 with an epilogue that is 1955. It starts out with Tess in Baltimore, which in these times is considered to have northern values and religions with a mix of cultures. Then the story continues into Hickory NC where southern religions, views on colored people, values such as money and family come into play. I am not going to summarize it too much and give too much away nor am I going to describe the synopsis of the book that is given because it is spot on. However, the first chapter draws you in with an accident and a death!!! Then the story unfolds where Tess makes a detrimental decision that changes her path in life drastically. Then its a wild, emotional and beautiful story about a marriage to someone she doesn't know and slowly gets to know, loosing people that are precious to her, loosing herself and finding herself when she becomes a nurse and uses these skills when the polio epidemic hits Hickory, how the town comes together during this time to build a make shift hospital in a very short time, losing and regretting the love of her life, finding out people are not what they make of themselves, secrets that come to light throughout the book, finding out that even though differences are evident you still can learn and overcome a way of thinking, and so much more.
The decisions she makes changes not only her path but others as well. And also the decisions others make change Tess and change the characters lives as well.
This book has race issues, religious issues, moral dilemmas, moral values, personal growth, finding ones true self, etc.
I highly recommend this book!!!!! It was an amazing read, compelling story telling and so many plots wrapped up in one incredible novel!

Kudos

Darren (1599 KP) rated Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2015) in Movies

Jul 25, 2019

Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2015)

2015 | Action, Drama, Mystery

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Story: Kidnapping Freddy Heineken starts as we follow our five criminals Cor Van Hout (Sturgess), Willem (Worthington), Cat (Kwanten), Spikes (Eeuwen) and Brakes (Cocquerel) who have always been looking for a way to make money quickly instead of getting real jobs in Holland. Their latest plan is to kidnap beer tycoon Freddy Heineken (Hopkins) and collecting the ransom.

With the plan in place the kidnapping goes well the wait for the ransom is what takes the time and tests the strength of the kidnappers over the victims as we follow what could be the undoing of the men.

Thoughts on Kidnapping Freddy Heineken

Characters – Cor Van Hout is the leader of the gang, he brings his men together to complete the jobs with some failing and others not, he comes up with the latest job while his personal life is about to hit the highs a father could experience. Willem is the hot head of the group who will go past the marks to make the job get done and he could become the biggest problem involved. Freddy Heineken is the beer tycoon that has become the target of this men and he stays extremely calm through his ordeal trying to friend his kidnappers too.

Performance – Jim Sturgess is strong in the leading role of this film throughout feeling like the rest would listen to his every word. Sam Worthington is good in the loose cannon role too. Anthony Hopkins is as always the star of the show here as you want to see all of his scenes.

Story – The story is based on the true story of what happened when a group of criminals kidnap the tycoon and how they were not completely sure things would work and how things could go wrong. This is good because it doesn’t go down a slick as the best heist movies but is also calm enough to feel like it is based on real people human errors through the heist.

Action/Crime – There are a couple of good car chases through the film which do make up the action side of things while the whole story is about the crime being committed.

Settings – The streets involved in Amsterdam show us how tight the car chases can be and escape routes by more than just road, we do feel like this is authentic with how everything unfolds during the crime.

Scene of the Movie – Freddy’s orders.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The clear choice for a problem is having some Dutch cast members but the leads are not.

Final Thoughts – This is one of the films that didn’t get much talk when it came out but I don’t understand why, it is an enjoyable and one film that is worth watching for all the heist fans out there.

Overall: Good heist film.