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Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) in Movies
Feb 7, 2018
Surprisingly Entertaining
Contains spoilers, click to show
THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN MILD SPOILERS, but honestly nothing more than I’d already gathered from Twitter and talk /reviews on various other forms of social media. Still, you have been warned. Read no further than the following first paragraph if you don’t want to risk mild spoilage.
10 Cloverfield Lane was surprisingly entertaining. I’m not really a huge fan of movies shot in an enclosed space because, in general, how often does that work out well? (Remember the Ashley Judd movie about bugs? Mmhmm.) However, it worked, and worked well in this. Part of this, no doubt, belongs to the fact that John Goodman put on a freaking amazing performance. That man just OWNED this movie. You knew something wasn’t right with him. It was obvious he had some crazy going on. The way he was able to yo-yo between affable and scary, though, was fantastic and kept you guessing as to just how crazy his crazy was. Everything was nailed, from the look in his eyes to the flexing of his hands when he was struggling to keep himself under control. Top-notch!
The other two, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr, also brought good performances to the table and perfectly complimented Goodman’s acting. Winstead, who has one of those “I knowwww you..you’re…you were in something I’ve seen!” faces (she’s actually got quite the list of acting credits to her name), did a great job as a solid female lead. She sold her confusion, wariness, intelligence and strength to you with all the skill of Joel Olsteen convincing christians that their tithes were actually going to go for good works. Considering the man has a multi-million dollar mansion and people still buy that line – that should tell you something! Great job by Winstead. She didn’t shine like Goodman did, but she never faltered either.
This movie quite literally had me on the edge of my seat leaning forward, tips of my fingers near my ears at one point because I was expecting bad loudness. Trachtenburg delivered. From the absurd to the affable family moments, and from the crazy-scary to the Cloverfield freakouts, the only weak part of the film really seemed to be the fact that the ending they gave it wasn’t really necessary. It would have been just as strong if they’d ended it before it went full Cloverfield. It might have even been stronger. It felt like Trachtenburg gave in to ever-present “Action! ACTION! WE NEED ACTION!” push that seems to present in Hollywood now, even if its unnecessary, and then wanted to put everything in a basket with a pretty bow. But ending it right before it went BOO! would have left people walking from the theatres, feeling vaguely disturbed, and talking only about the fantastic performances by the three actors.
Overall, great job by all involved and it was definitely worth the price of the tickets, beer, popcorn, and mnms!
10 Cloverfield Lane was surprisingly entertaining. I’m not really a huge fan of movies shot in an enclosed space because, in general, how often does that work out well? (Remember the Ashley Judd movie about bugs? Mmhmm.) However, it worked, and worked well in this. Part of this, no doubt, belongs to the fact that John Goodman put on a freaking amazing performance. That man just OWNED this movie. You knew something wasn’t right with him. It was obvious he had some crazy going on. The way he was able to yo-yo between affable and scary, though, was fantastic and kept you guessing as to just how crazy his crazy was. Everything was nailed, from the look in his eyes to the flexing of his hands when he was struggling to keep himself under control. Top-notch!
The other two, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr, also brought good performances to the table and perfectly complimented Goodman’s acting. Winstead, who has one of those “I knowwww you..you’re…you were in something I’ve seen!” faces (she’s actually got quite the list of acting credits to her name), did a great job as a solid female lead. She sold her confusion, wariness, intelligence and strength to you with all the skill of Joel Olsteen convincing christians that their tithes were actually going to go for good works. Considering the man has a multi-million dollar mansion and people still buy that line – that should tell you something! Great job by Winstead. She didn’t shine like Goodman did, but she never faltered either.
This movie quite literally had me on the edge of my seat leaning forward, tips of my fingers near my ears at one point because I was expecting bad loudness. Trachtenburg delivered. From the absurd to the affable family moments, and from the crazy-scary to the Cloverfield freakouts, the only weak part of the film really seemed to be the fact that the ending they gave it wasn’t really necessary. It would have been just as strong if they’d ended it before it went full Cloverfield. It might have even been stronger. It felt like Trachtenburg gave in to ever-present “Action! ACTION! WE NEED ACTION!” push that seems to present in Hollywood now, even if its unnecessary, and then wanted to put everything in a basket with a pretty bow. But ending it right before it went BOO! would have left people walking from the theatres, feeling vaguely disturbed, and talking only about the fantastic performances by the three actors.
Overall, great job by all involved and it was definitely worth the price of the tickets, beer, popcorn, and mnms!
JT (287 KP) rated The Intouchables (2012) in Movies
Mar 17, 2020
Beautifully acted (2 more)
Well-directed
Heart warming
A foreign film that everyone should watch
I don’t think there has been one foreign film that I have watched that I have not liked or one that has not moved me in some way. It’s good to be able to pull away from mainstream Hollywood films and delve into another language.
This time I went for a heartwarming tale about a French aristocrat and a man from the projects who form an unlikely bond. Driss (Omar Sy) struggles in life, he lives at home with a large extended family and does his best to make ends meet.
Looking to show the benefits office that he is trying to find work so he can claim is not the easiest way to make money. On the other side, Philippe (François Cluzet) is dependent on everyone in his life, since a paragliding accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.
During an interview process to find his next carer in which Driss applies for the pair seemingly hit it off, and so begins a wonderful and awe-inspiring story. Driss who has never really needed to take responsibility after being pushed out on the street by his Aunt finds a new companion in Philippe.
Philippe too has found someone to share a smile with again, a laugh and most importantly someone that does not pity him which he feels is the most important. There is no particular story in this to adhere to, it’s about the growing relationship between two different people from opposite ends of the financial spectrum and how important they realise they are to each other.
Driss has to come to grips with the lifestyle that Philippe leads, how he has to be on call at every hour of the day, but living inside the large Parisian mansion he gets a taste of what his life is like to be wealthy and to seemingly have it all.
When Driss discovers that Philippe has an epistolary relationship with a woman he forces him to speak to her on the phone as opposed to the continual writing of letters, even going so far as to set him up on a date. Dris and Philippe force each other to step out of their comfort zones and to realize there is so much more in life.
The film’s serious nature is broken in parts by some beautiful light-hearted comedy, Driss realizing what the rubber gloves are for, and that foot cream is not shampoo. It’s been a while since I genuinely laughed out loud at any film.
When Philippe and Driss decide it is time to part ways there is a deflating sense of sadness that their relationship is over, but both men soon discover that they need each other in their life more than ever. Based on a true story it’s a brilliantly written and well-directed film that tugs at the heartstrings but will have you smiling all the way through.
This time I went for a heartwarming tale about a French aristocrat and a man from the projects who form an unlikely bond. Driss (Omar Sy) struggles in life, he lives at home with a large extended family and does his best to make ends meet.
Looking to show the benefits office that he is trying to find work so he can claim is not the easiest way to make money. On the other side, Philippe (François Cluzet) is dependent on everyone in his life, since a paragliding accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.
During an interview process to find his next carer in which Driss applies for the pair seemingly hit it off, and so begins a wonderful and awe-inspiring story. Driss who has never really needed to take responsibility after being pushed out on the street by his Aunt finds a new companion in Philippe.
Philippe too has found someone to share a smile with again, a laugh and most importantly someone that does not pity him which he feels is the most important. There is no particular story in this to adhere to, it’s about the growing relationship between two different people from opposite ends of the financial spectrum and how important they realise they are to each other.
Driss has to come to grips with the lifestyle that Philippe leads, how he has to be on call at every hour of the day, but living inside the large Parisian mansion he gets a taste of what his life is like to be wealthy and to seemingly have it all.
When Driss discovers that Philippe has an epistolary relationship with a woman he forces him to speak to her on the phone as opposed to the continual writing of letters, even going so far as to set him up on a date. Dris and Philippe force each other to step out of their comfort zones and to realize there is so much more in life.
The film’s serious nature is broken in parts by some beautiful light-hearted comedy, Driss realizing what the rubber gloves are for, and that foot cream is not shampoo. It’s been a while since I genuinely laughed out loud at any film.
When Philippe and Driss decide it is time to part ways there is a deflating sense of sadness that their relationship is over, but both men soon discover that they need each other in their life more than ever. Based on a true story it’s a brilliantly written and well-directed film that tugs at the heartstrings but will have you smiling all the way through.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Crank 2: High Voltage (2009) in Movies
Apr 12, 2020
A Very Poor Man's Hardcore Henry
Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) is back (because apparently falling out of a helicopter thousands of feet in the air can’t kill him) facing off against a gang of thugs that want to harvest his “special” heart for their leader. Artificial heart attached, Chev has to keep recharging himself or slow down and, ultimately, die. Can’t make this shit up…
Acting: 2
Beginning: 4
Characters: 3
You might find it a challenge to find a more disinteresting group of characters wrapped in one movie. I’m not exaggerating when I say I hated just about everyone in Crank 2: High Voltage. Every character is overdone and represents one big waste of space. And the man of the hour, Chev Chelios? Yep, hate him too. He’s crass (and not in the cool Logan kind of way), racist (and not in the cool Clint Eastwood kind of way), and only cares about himself. Thirty minutes in, I was wishing he would run out of options and his heart would just stop, putting me out of my misery once and for all.
I wish he was the worst, but yes it gets worse. The other characters are a combination of racist stereotypes, antagonists that would be better off with a couple of lines rather than pages of them, and fodder for gunfire. The combination was painful to say the least.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 7
The action is far out there and I definitely give them a C for effort. I know farfetched is the name of the game when it comes to this movie, but so is Hardcore Henry by comparison and I loved those action scenes. Perfect example: A gunfight breaks out at a mansion. A gardener continues to hedge the bushes while bullets are flying all around him before he finally gets shot. Come on, man! Too lazy for words.
Entertainment Value: 5
Memorability: 7
For better or worse, there are definitely moments of this movie I will never forget. Like the sex scene on the horse racetrack. During a live horse race. Or the head in the jar. Or the random porn star protest. Or or or…I never said they were great memorable moments, but they are in there.
Pace: 7
Plot: 4
The story doesn’t even begin to make sense. I’m only giving it a four because the whole story revolves around Chev beating people the hell up so the story really shouldn’t matter that much. Still, if you’re looking for something coherent, please save your time and go watch something else.
Resolution: 4
Overall: 52
On my quest to watch 366 movies in a year, yes, I have seen worse movies than Crank 2: High Voltage. But not many. It’s bad. Real bad. Please save your time and avoid this movie at all costs.
Acting: 2
Beginning: 4
Characters: 3
You might find it a challenge to find a more disinteresting group of characters wrapped in one movie. I’m not exaggerating when I say I hated just about everyone in Crank 2: High Voltage. Every character is overdone and represents one big waste of space. And the man of the hour, Chev Chelios? Yep, hate him too. He’s crass (and not in the cool Logan kind of way), racist (and not in the cool Clint Eastwood kind of way), and only cares about himself. Thirty minutes in, I was wishing he would run out of options and his heart would just stop, putting me out of my misery once and for all.
I wish he was the worst, but yes it gets worse. The other characters are a combination of racist stereotypes, antagonists that would be better off with a couple of lines rather than pages of them, and fodder for gunfire. The combination was painful to say the least.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 7
The action is far out there and I definitely give them a C for effort. I know farfetched is the name of the game when it comes to this movie, but so is Hardcore Henry by comparison and I loved those action scenes. Perfect example: A gunfight breaks out at a mansion. A gardener continues to hedge the bushes while bullets are flying all around him before he finally gets shot. Come on, man! Too lazy for words.
Entertainment Value: 5
Memorability: 7
For better or worse, there are definitely moments of this movie I will never forget. Like the sex scene on the horse racetrack. During a live horse race. Or the head in the jar. Or the random porn star protest. Or or or…I never said they were great memorable moments, but they are in there.
Pace: 7
Plot: 4
The story doesn’t even begin to make sense. I’m only giving it a four because the whole story revolves around Chev beating people the hell up so the story really shouldn’t matter that much. Still, if you’re looking for something coherent, please save your time and go watch something else.
Resolution: 4
Overall: 52
On my quest to watch 366 movies in a year, yes, I have seen worse movies than Crank 2: High Voltage. But not many. It’s bad. Real bad. Please save your time and avoid this movie at all costs.
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BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated Down a Dark Hall (2018) in Movies
Jul 26, 2020
Movie? Not great. Concept? Fabulous!
Contains spoilers, click to show
So I wouldn't call this a good horror. Maybe a passable thriller or drama??? Just the usual possession and strange happenings in a secluded school. (If you're looking for a better version of a similar thing, i recommend The Silenced.)
The general plot is that after her father dies when she's young, Katherine slowly becomes the stereotypical angry teen who lets the world know she hates it by letting it burn. She gets made to go to therapy after claiming she sees her father (which she does, because we watched his spirit say goodbye). She is invited to Blackwood. A mysteriously remote mansion home to 6 even more mysterious teachers, including Madame Duret, the headmistress. Kat is joined by 4 other girls of a seemingly lost cause. Duret calls them 'gifted' and 'misunderstood'. They are taught the usual lessons, Maths and English, music and art. And with the exception of Veronica (the literal definition of teenage nightmare) they all seem to excel at one thing in particular. Our lead girl Kat, music, specifically piano. She is taught by Durets son, Jules. Everything seems to be going well, one girl paints like a prodigy, another writes poems that could rock Shakespeares world, Kat does her piano thing rivalling Mozart and the last (who could basically still be in the role of Esther in Orphan) is solving maths problems that could save the world. That is until they start seeing shadows of people who aren't there, voices in their heads and they physically can't stop doing what they are gifted at, to the point where they don't eat or leave their rooms. After finding old files of other girls in similar situations who died, Kat and Veronica try to do something about it. Veronica is taken away and Kat is suddenly a Piano prodigy, almost possessed by the greats themselves. Yeah 'almost'. Because that's exactly what happened. They have been used as vessels for history's greatest men and women, who died too soon. How fantastic is that? If this movie was made better, that is a brilliant plot! But of course everything goes bad, just like their ghosts, the girls start dropping like flies, Poem girl kills herself, Painter literally starves herself, and crazy math girl is on the verge of escaping when she becomes enthralled in the beauty of the flames. Flames caused by Kat when she saves Veronica from being possessed by some weird demon thing who really doesn't get explained. They almost get out. Duret gets possseded and burned by the spirits she conjured. All the teachers die and Jules is crushed when he saves Kat. Of course there has to be surviors so Kat and Veronica get out, where on the brink of death, Kat sees her father again who makes her come back to life after she tries to go with him.
Overall, not a terrible movie, but if it had been made better, would probably be one of my favourite plots ever!
The general plot is that after her father dies when she's young, Katherine slowly becomes the stereotypical angry teen who lets the world know she hates it by letting it burn. She gets made to go to therapy after claiming she sees her father (which she does, because we watched his spirit say goodbye). She is invited to Blackwood. A mysteriously remote mansion home to 6 even more mysterious teachers, including Madame Duret, the headmistress. Kat is joined by 4 other girls of a seemingly lost cause. Duret calls them 'gifted' and 'misunderstood'. They are taught the usual lessons, Maths and English, music and art. And with the exception of Veronica (the literal definition of teenage nightmare) they all seem to excel at one thing in particular. Our lead girl Kat, music, specifically piano. She is taught by Durets son, Jules. Everything seems to be going well, one girl paints like a prodigy, another writes poems that could rock Shakespeares world, Kat does her piano thing rivalling Mozart and the last (who could basically still be in the role of Esther in Orphan) is solving maths problems that could save the world. That is until they start seeing shadows of people who aren't there, voices in their heads and they physically can't stop doing what they are gifted at, to the point where they don't eat or leave their rooms. After finding old files of other girls in similar situations who died, Kat and Veronica try to do something about it. Veronica is taken away and Kat is suddenly a Piano prodigy, almost possessed by the greats themselves. Yeah 'almost'. Because that's exactly what happened. They have been used as vessels for history's greatest men and women, who died too soon. How fantastic is that? If this movie was made better, that is a brilliant plot! But of course everything goes bad, just like their ghosts, the girls start dropping like flies, Poem girl kills herself, Painter literally starves herself, and crazy math girl is on the verge of escaping when she becomes enthralled in the beauty of the flames. Flames caused by Kat when she saves Veronica from being possessed by some weird demon thing who really doesn't get explained. They almost get out. Duret gets possseded and burned by the spirits she conjured. All the teachers die and Jules is crushed when he saves Kat. Of course there has to be surviors so Kat and Veronica get out, where on the brink of death, Kat sees her father again who makes her come back to life after she tries to go with him.
Overall, not a terrible movie, but if it had been made better, would probably be one of my favourite plots ever!
Eddie's Bastard
Book
In this rich, deeply resonant literary debut, twenty-eight-year-old William Kowalski explores the...
fiction literary fiction contemporary American
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Life & Death of Jorja Graham (Jorja Graham #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I participated in a book blitz for The Life & Death of Jorja Graham a week or so ago. After reading the blurb and seeing a teaser, I really wanted to read this book. While is wasn't a fantastic read, it was still an alright read.
The title sounds very ominous which is another thing that made me want to read the book. It's very straight forward, and I think that suits the book just fine.
The girl on the cover, who I assume is Jorja Graham, looks a bit spooky which I love! I do sort of like the cover, but I would've liked to see the mansion which is mentioned a lot throughout the book on the cover too.
The world building was good, I thought. I found it to be believable for the most part. Towards the end, it gets a little big confusing though. I'd elaborate, but I want this to be a spoiler free review.
The pacing was a bit slow to begin with. I was starting to think I had made a mistake in buying this book. Luckily, the pacing starts picking up about thirty percent in.
The plot was alright. For about the first sixty percent or so, the book reads like a contemporary romance for the most part. However, it's like it becomes a different book for the rest of the way because it turns into more of a paranormal book. Again, I don't want to give away any spoilers, but let's just say there was a plot twist I was totally not expecting! There is a slight cliff hanger at the end of the book, and I do believe there will be another book in the series, but don't quote me on that.
I thought the character of Jorja was written really well. I instantly liked her and her charming nature. Corbin comes off as a bit of a stalker to begin with, but I eventually warmed to him and his passionate nature as well. The other minor characters were written a bit lukewarm, I felt. For example, Jorja's best friend Cat could've been written as a stronger character, but I felt that she was just a bit too bland. I would've liked to know more about her and more about hers and Jorja's friendship.
I did enjoy the dialogue, and I felt it flowed very well. I felt that maybe if this book was a bit longer and a had a bit more detail, it could've been better. There is some swearing and some violence.
All in all, The Life & Death of Jorja Graham is a decent read. The lead character is likable and the dialogue is fantastic!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who are big fans of paranormal romance.
<b>I'd give The Life & Death of Jorja Graham by Brynn Myers a 3.5 out of 5.</b>
(I bought this ebook with my own money from Amazon. I was not required to write a review).
I participated in a book blitz for The Life & Death of Jorja Graham a week or so ago. After reading the blurb and seeing a teaser, I really wanted to read this book. While is wasn't a fantastic read, it was still an alright read.
The title sounds very ominous which is another thing that made me want to read the book. It's very straight forward, and I think that suits the book just fine.
The girl on the cover, who I assume is Jorja Graham, looks a bit spooky which I love! I do sort of like the cover, but I would've liked to see the mansion which is mentioned a lot throughout the book on the cover too.
The world building was good, I thought. I found it to be believable for the most part. Towards the end, it gets a little big confusing though. I'd elaborate, but I want this to be a spoiler free review.
The pacing was a bit slow to begin with. I was starting to think I had made a mistake in buying this book. Luckily, the pacing starts picking up about thirty percent in.
The plot was alright. For about the first sixty percent or so, the book reads like a contemporary romance for the most part. However, it's like it becomes a different book for the rest of the way because it turns into more of a paranormal book. Again, I don't want to give away any spoilers, but let's just say there was a plot twist I was totally not expecting! There is a slight cliff hanger at the end of the book, and I do believe there will be another book in the series, but don't quote me on that.
I thought the character of Jorja was written really well. I instantly liked her and her charming nature. Corbin comes off as a bit of a stalker to begin with, but I eventually warmed to him and his passionate nature as well. The other minor characters were written a bit lukewarm, I felt. For example, Jorja's best friend Cat could've been written as a stronger character, but I felt that she was just a bit too bland. I would've liked to know more about her and more about hers and Jorja's friendship.
I did enjoy the dialogue, and I felt it flowed very well. I felt that maybe if this book was a bit longer and a had a bit more detail, it could've been better. There is some swearing and some violence.
All in all, The Life & Death of Jorja Graham is a decent read. The lead character is likable and the dialogue is fantastic!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who are big fans of paranormal romance.
<b>I'd give The Life & Death of Jorja Graham by Brynn Myers a 3.5 out of 5.</b>
(I bought this ebook with my own money from Amazon. I was not required to write a review).
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Woman in the Wood in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I would like to begin by saying, that this is my first book by this author, and it really surprised me. It felt like I was reading a literary classics and I really hope it will become one day.
The main characters of this book are twins Maisy and Duncan, and author really puts a lot of effort in introducing them. Generally, all the characters in this book were very well introduced and rounded. Their personalities were shining in this book, and there were so many to choose from. Lesley Pearse kept really pleasant balance between cold and warm characters, giving a taste of both and keeping the diversity going. I really liked the way author chose different ages for the characters, so everyone, from young to old will find someone to relate to. I do love books where characters have a voice, and this book didn’t disappoint me with that, but the transition between different perspectives was sometimes difficult to follow for me, as it just starts from new paragraph. That’s why, for me, this book required some concentration and suitable atmosphere to read it.
The plot of this book starts in 1960 in West London but quite quickly it is transferred to Nightingales mansion in Burley. Well, it was way before I was born and there are so many clues of the 60ies, but during whole book I had the feeling of early nineteenth century. It was because of the elegant and refined writing style used in this book, everything in this book screamed of politeness and rich mannerism, that’s why it felt like reading one of the classic books.
The story of this novel was flowing very smoothly, without any story changing twists or turns. There were some really interesting discoveries along the way, which made the book interesting, but it was not very fast paced for me. L. Pearse was discussing really interesting topics in this book, such as: children growing up with lack of parental love; the strong bond between siblings (in this case twins); how paedophilia and child abuse affects young kids mentally and physically; why people choose to live away from society; and I believe some of them were taken from author’s own colourful life.
As I mentioned before, the writing style of this book is very refined and sophisticated, and for me it is not easy to read such work, but very refreshing at the same time. The chapters of this book are not very short, but it changes between different characters perspectives, so they are not boring. I would like to throw in a disclaimer, there are some nasty things discussed in this book, so if you have an eager sensitive child who would like to read this novel, it could be a little distressing. The ending of this book wasn’t very exciting, but it was well deserved and rounded the story fully, leaving me satisfied with the outcome of this story. So to conclude, I enjoyed reading this rich novel, filled with unexpected writing style, well rounded, interesting characters, and it discusses very wide range of life aspects. Get it, read it, enjoy it!
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
The main characters of this book are twins Maisy and Duncan, and author really puts a lot of effort in introducing them. Generally, all the characters in this book were very well introduced and rounded. Their personalities were shining in this book, and there were so many to choose from. Lesley Pearse kept really pleasant balance between cold and warm characters, giving a taste of both and keeping the diversity going. I really liked the way author chose different ages for the characters, so everyone, from young to old will find someone to relate to. I do love books where characters have a voice, and this book didn’t disappoint me with that, but the transition between different perspectives was sometimes difficult to follow for me, as it just starts from new paragraph. That’s why, for me, this book required some concentration and suitable atmosphere to read it.
The plot of this book starts in 1960 in West London but quite quickly it is transferred to Nightingales mansion in Burley. Well, it was way before I was born and there are so many clues of the 60ies, but during whole book I had the feeling of early nineteenth century. It was because of the elegant and refined writing style used in this book, everything in this book screamed of politeness and rich mannerism, that’s why it felt like reading one of the classic books.
The story of this novel was flowing very smoothly, without any story changing twists or turns. There were some really interesting discoveries along the way, which made the book interesting, but it was not very fast paced for me. L. Pearse was discussing really interesting topics in this book, such as: children growing up with lack of parental love; the strong bond between siblings (in this case twins); how paedophilia and child abuse affects young kids mentally and physically; why people choose to live away from society; and I believe some of them were taken from author’s own colourful life.
As I mentioned before, the writing style of this book is very refined and sophisticated, and for me it is not easy to read such work, but very refreshing at the same time. The chapters of this book are not very short, but it changes between different characters perspectives, so they are not boring. I would like to throw in a disclaimer, there are some nasty things discussed in this book, so if you have an eager sensitive child who would like to read this novel, it could be a little distressing. The ending of this book wasn’t very exciting, but it was well deserved and rounded the story fully, leaving me satisfied with the outcome of this story. So to conclude, I enjoyed reading this rich novel, filled with unexpected writing style, well rounded, interesting characters, and it discusses very wide range of life aspects. Get it, read it, enjoy it!
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
tapestry100 (306 KP) rated Meddling Kids: A Novel in Books
Jul 26, 2017
Ever wonder what happened to the Scooby Doo gang when they grew up? It wasn't exactly a question I ever thought I needed an answer to until Edgar Cantero decided he needed to give his unique twist on what that adulthood could have looked like. In his beautifully bizarre (bizarrely beautiful?) novel, Cantero introduces us to the Blyton Summer Detective Club, a group of 4 teenagers and their dog who spend their summer vacations solving mysteries in idyllic Blyton Hills. We're familiar with the team: there's Peter, the jock; Nate, the nerdy outsider; Andy, the tomboy; Kerri, the smart one; and Sean, the faithful Weimaraner. After their final case in the summer of 77, involving a masked fortune hunter trying to find the buried treasure of Deboën Mansion, the kids suddenly hang up their spy gear and retire from mystery solving.
Jump ahead thirteen years, and those same crime solving sleuths of young are now disillusioned 20-somethings trying to make their way thru life, not really understanding where their lives went wrong. Peter is dead (even tho Nate still talks to him), Nate is institutionalized (he talks to a dead guy, after all), Andy is a wanderer with a somewhat criminal past, and Kerri is a bartender in a seedy bar, who is also taking care of Tim, Sean's descendant. There was something about that last case, the one they all can't stop thinking about, that wasn't quite right, that is at the root of their problems. When Andy finally decides that enough is enough and they need to go back to Blyton Hills to face these demons and reopen that last case, the group gets together one last time to try to bring sense and closure to that final, haunting case.
Of course, it's not as easy as just a guy in a mask, and as they face down eco-villainous corporations, primordial monsters, ecological disasters, and something that defies description, they begin to come to terms with what has been haunting them over the years. This sounds wildly simplistic as I type it out, and I'm leaving it that way. It's not simplistic in the slightest, but the joy in this book is in the details and following along with the BSDC as they uncover one clue after the next, taking them on a whirlwind ride that makes you unable to put the book down until the very last page.
Much like his previous novel The Supernatural Enhancements (which I am a huge fan of as well), Cantero takes his time with the story, creating a slow build that eventually spirals into this wild adventure, making unexpected twists and turns in the narrative so you never really are sure that you know what's going on. His characters are exactly who they appear to be, rifs of the Scooby gang, but he doesn't make clichés of them. These characters are all their own and as individual as can be. Eagle-eyed readers will also notice fun callbacks to the Scooby cartoons.
So, if you're looking for something with a little mystery, a little horror, with some supernatural hijinx thrown in for fun, you can't go wrong with Meddling Kids. And if you like this, be sure to check out Cantero's The Supernatural Enhancements as well.
Jump ahead thirteen years, and those same crime solving sleuths of young are now disillusioned 20-somethings trying to make their way thru life, not really understanding where their lives went wrong. Peter is dead (even tho Nate still talks to him), Nate is institutionalized (he talks to a dead guy, after all), Andy is a wanderer with a somewhat criminal past, and Kerri is a bartender in a seedy bar, who is also taking care of Tim, Sean's descendant. There was something about that last case, the one they all can't stop thinking about, that wasn't quite right, that is at the root of their problems. When Andy finally decides that enough is enough and they need to go back to Blyton Hills to face these demons and reopen that last case, the group gets together one last time to try to bring sense and closure to that final, haunting case.
Of course, it's not as easy as just a guy in a mask, and as they face down eco-villainous corporations, primordial monsters, ecological disasters, and something that defies description, they begin to come to terms with what has been haunting them over the years. This sounds wildly simplistic as I type it out, and I'm leaving it that way. It's not simplistic in the slightest, but the joy in this book is in the details and following along with the BSDC as they uncover one clue after the next, taking them on a whirlwind ride that makes you unable to put the book down until the very last page.
Much like his previous novel The Supernatural Enhancements (which I am a huge fan of as well), Cantero takes his time with the story, creating a slow build that eventually spirals into this wild adventure, making unexpected twists and turns in the narrative so you never really are sure that you know what's going on. His characters are exactly who they appear to be, rifs of the Scooby gang, but he doesn't make clichés of them. These characters are all their own and as individual as can be. Eagle-eyed readers will also notice fun callbacks to the Scooby cartoons.
So, if you're looking for something with a little mystery, a little horror, with some supernatural hijinx thrown in for fun, you can't go wrong with Meddling Kids. And if you like this, be sure to check out Cantero's The Supernatural Enhancements as well.