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ClareR (5674 KP) rated The Push in Books

Feb 7, 2021  
The Push
The Push
Ashley Audrain | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
10
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Push is a dark, twisted and thoroughly disturbing look at motherhood - and I couldn’t put it down.
Blythe wants to be everything her own mother was not when she was a child, and we do see some of the ways her mother treated her in flashbacks. This is three generations of women (grandmother, mother and daughter)who have clearly not been ideal mothers or treated well as daughters. Blythe desperately wants to break the cycle, and goes in to motherhood with the best of intentions. Except her newborn is not an easy baby for her. She cries continuously, and Blythe really struggles. I did wonder throughout the book if a lot of Blythe’s problems derived from postnatal depression. Except when she goes to see a male doctor about it, he thinks she’s fine (insert the eye roll here! I really didn’t agree with him!). The same could possibly be said of Blythe’s mother and grandmother: if not PND, then some other mental health issue was surely at play here?
This is a brutal look at motherhood. It shows it for what it is for many women: a hard slog. I couldn’t help but empathise with Blythe. I felt that her needs and feelings were pushed aside by her husband and the doctor. In a time where motherhood is all about creating a perfect family, with perfect babies, children and husbands, Blythe doesn’t seem to stand a chance. It made for an intensely uncomfortable reading experience in places.
This is a book that’s going to stay with me for a long while - especially after THAT ending (see, you’ll have to read it now!). I’d highly recommend this - it’s already in my books of the year.
Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an e-copy of this book to read through NetGalley.
  
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BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated Bridgerton in TV

Jan 11, 2021  
Bridgerton
Bridgerton
2020 | Drama, Romance
Memorable Characters (3 more)
Beautiful fashion design
Handsome men!
Based on a book!
I'm not a debutante in the 1800s marrying into royalty... (0 more)
Thank you Tik Tok!
Contains spoilers, click to show
I don't usually like period dramas or anything historical. But this, is art. The fashion is gorgeous, enough to make me buy a corset and several dresses in the style. And its quite funny for something set so long ago.

Daphne is the beautiful oldest daughter of the Bridgerton house, one of Londons richest. She is one of the debutantes set for marriage along with many other eligible bacholerettes and is highly sought after the Queen dubs her a Diamond. But since their father is gone, her oldest brother Antony is responsible for scaring off matches, and that he does. Leaving her with no choice but some hideous man who I can't even remember the name of.

Simon is the Duke of Hastings, taking over his fathers work after his death. He is very handsome and very rich. All the ladies want him and all the mothers want him for their daughter's. He happens to be Antonys best friend from their boarding school times and after meeting Daphne, they decide to fake a courtship so she can seem desirable again and he will be left alone. But without even realising, they start to fall in love.
After the Queens handsome nephew starts to fall for Daphne, and their plan seems to be working, he realises he wants her and 'defiles' her honour at a party. After a failed duel on her brothers part, they are to be married despite his refusal and his insistence that he can't have children or give her the big family she dreams of.
  
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Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated Killer's Moon (1978) in Movies

Dec 11, 2020 (Updated Dec 11, 2020)  
Killer's Moon (1978)
Killer's Moon (1978)
1978 | Horror
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Classic low budget British horror
I love my bonkers films and this demented British horror from Alan Birkinshaw certainly is up there. Four lunatics escape from a cottage (yep, not even a mental institution) whilst dosed up on LSD provided by the psychiatrists (it's a experiment in which said nutters think they are only dreaming - so whatever they do whilst tripping holds no consequence). Meanwhile, in the middle of nowhere, a bus full of schoolgirls brakes down. With no other choice the bus driver goes lookin for help whilst the teachers and girls seek refuge in a desolate hotel. As the escaped lunatics make their murderous way across country they come across the hotel. Once inside they begin tormenting, raping and decimating the cast. It's grimy, sleazy and very non-politically correct. I certainly can't imagine it getting made in todays times. The infrequent gore scenes are more 'Carry On...' style than gruesome, the special effects are amateur, accompanied with goofy sound effects. What carries the film along is the dialogue. Co-written with the directors sister Fay Weldon, the script is jaw droppingly unbelievable, unintentionally hilarious and mind-bogglingly bizarre. The most infamous quote comes after one school girl has been raped by one of the lunatics and pretty much sets the tone of what you are watching...

"Look, you were only raped, as long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. You pretend it never happened, I pretend I never saw it and if we ever get out of this alive, well, maybe we'll both live to be wives and mothers"

Just one of many delicious quotes from the film I hasten to add. Guaranteed trash gold. Highly recommended.