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ClareR (5950 KP) rated Mrs Death Misses Death in Books
Feb 15, 2021
This is such an original idea: Mrs Death. Death in this book is a black, working class woman. This turns on its head everything we’ve all grown up believing about Death, and I love this. Why shouldn’t Death be a woman? As it says in the book:
“For surely only she who bears it, she who gave you life, can be she who has the power to take it.”
Seems logical to me.
“And there is no human more invisible, more easily talked over, ignored, betrayed and easy to walk past than a woman; than a poor old black woman.”
The thought of walking past death on a daily basis and not realising that’s who you’re passing, is rather a disconcerting thought!
I liked the playful language, starting with the title and moving on through prose mixed with poetry, and parts were written in script form too. This wasn’t reading for the lazy: it kept me on my toes. The historical deaths seen from Death’s point of view were fascinating too.
I did find myself wishing that Mrs Death had found herself another ghost writer, because Wolf Willeford is clearly a vulnerable person with mental health issues - I did wonder if it was written to illustrate a form of psychosis.
Either way, I loved it and read it FAR too quickly. If this is Salena Godden’s first foray into prose, I will be looking out for what she writes next - and looking out for some of her poetry too, when I can get back in to a library!
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-copy of this book through NetGalley.
“For surely only she who bears it, she who gave you life, can be she who has the power to take it.”
Seems logical to me.
“And there is no human more invisible, more easily talked over, ignored, betrayed and easy to walk past than a woman; than a poor old black woman.”
The thought of walking past death on a daily basis and not realising that’s who you’re passing, is rather a disconcerting thought!
I liked the playful language, starting with the title and moving on through prose mixed with poetry, and parts were written in script form too. This wasn’t reading for the lazy: it kept me on my toes. The historical deaths seen from Death’s point of view were fascinating too.
I did find myself wishing that Mrs Death had found herself another ghost writer, because Wolf Willeford is clearly a vulnerable person with mental health issues - I did wonder if it was written to illustrate a form of psychosis.
Either way, I loved it and read it FAR too quickly. If this is Salena Godden’s first foray into prose, I will be looking out for what she writes next - and looking out for some of her poetry too, when I can get back in to a library!
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-copy of this book through NetGalley.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated A Nun in the Closet in Books
Mar 9, 2022
Laughs and Thrills
The nuns in the Abbey of St. Tabitha are shocked when they are left a house and estate in New York State, several hundred miles from where they live in cloister. However, they must decide what to do with it, so Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe are elected to head up there and get a feel for what they’ve been left. Within hours of arriving, they’ve discovered a suitcase full of cash in the well and a man bleeding out from a gunshot wound in an upstairs closet. What is happening on this property? Why was it left to the nuns?
While I have loved the Mrs. Pollifax series for decades, I have never read any of Dorothy Gilman’s non-Mrs. Pollifax books. I’m glad I decided to fix that since this one was delightful. Yes, I had the broad strokes of the plot figured out early on, but I was missing a few pieces, and the twists along the way kept me highly entertained. The characters are good. They could be a little stronger overall, but they work to draw us into the story. Since the book came out in 1975, some of the references are dated, but that’s only worth noting in passing. I appreciated how one subject was handled without the book crossing into lecture mode. And the laughs were plentiful. I was smiling each time I picked up the book knowing that I was in for more fun. A lesser authors couldn’t have pulled this mix off, but Dorothy Gilman makes it look easy. I’m glad I finally picked it up.
While I have loved the Mrs. Pollifax series for decades, I have never read any of Dorothy Gilman’s non-Mrs. Pollifax books. I’m glad I decided to fix that since this one was delightful. Yes, I had the broad strokes of the plot figured out early on, but I was missing a few pieces, and the twists along the way kept me highly entertained. The characters are good. They could be a little stronger overall, but they work to draw us into the story. Since the book came out in 1975, some of the references are dated, but that’s only worth noting in passing. I appreciated how one subject was handled without the book crossing into lecture mode. And the laughs were plentiful. I was smiling each time I picked up the book knowing that I was in for more fun. A lesser authors couldn’t have pulled this mix off, but Dorothy Gilman makes it look easy. I’m glad I finally picked it up.
Halloween Cupcake Murder
Carlene O'Connor, Liz Ireland and Carol J. Perry
8.0
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Book
From Galway, Ireland to Salem, Massachusetts, all the way up to the North Pole, a trio of Halloween...
MY (82 KP) rated Calling Mrs Christmas in Books
Oct 3, 2017
A fantastically festive romance (3 more)
The perfect book to read as the festivities begin
Cassie Smith is a great leading character
Reading about lapland made it all the more enjoyable
As with all Carole Matthews books, I found myself clinging to every page drawn in by Cassie Smith and her new venture and the up and downs it would bring to her.
For me personally, I found the obvious research for characters and locations and consequence details used within the book, made it even more appealing and heartfelt to read and certainly added to my overall enjoyment and high rating for Calling Mrs Christmas.
This is a book I could read again and again and I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a festive read with some fun-filled, heartwarming Christmas spirit.
For me personally, I found the obvious research for characters and locations and consequence details used within the book, made it even more appealing and heartfelt to read and certainly added to my overall enjoyment and high rating for Calling Mrs Christmas.
This is a book I could read again and again and I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a festive read with some fun-filled, heartwarming Christmas spirit.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Peter Rabbit (2018) in Movies
Mar 19, 2018 (Updated Mar 23, 2018)
Almost wholly ghastly bastardisation of Beatrix Potter's charming, gentle tales. Starts off with Peter Rabbit essentially killing Mr McGregor (not before contemplating sticking a carrot up his rectum) and goes on from there. 'Hilarious' jokes about Asbestos poisoning and anaphylactic shock ensue, plus a sight gag where Mrs Tiggy-Winkle walks into an electric fence.
Made all the more indefensible by a lovely fully-animated segment which completely captures the style of the original stories. Film-makers clearly not interested in that, though: not nearly 'contemporary' or 'irreverent' enough for them. Often resembles a mean-spirited parody of Beatrix Potter, twisted so it can make knowing jokes about rom-coms and so on. Very nearly completely horrible; scrapes one point for the animation sequence, another for Rose Byrne (what can I say, I'm sentimental).
Made all the more indefensible by a lovely fully-animated segment which completely captures the style of the original stories. Film-makers clearly not interested in that, though: not nearly 'contemporary' or 'irreverent' enough for them. Often resembles a mean-spirited parody of Beatrix Potter, twisted so it can make knowing jokes about rom-coms and so on. Very nearly completely horrible; scrapes one point for the animation sequence, another for Rose Byrne (what can I say, I'm sentimental).
Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Nudist Colony of the Dead (1991) in Movies
Feb 24, 2018
Ridiculous. Ridiculously silly. Ridiculously fun.
Ridiculous. Ridiculously funny, silly and blasphemous.
“Your children can’t praise the lord if they’ve got genitals in their mouths!” - Reverend Ritz
So much to snigger at here - notably the slightly-more-mature nudist Mrs Druple and her hazardous wrinkly swinging boobs.
There’s things to learn as well - whoever knew that devilled eggs came from possessed chickens?! Beware folks- evil lurks in the most unlikely of places.
“There’s a history of fornication in my family.” Fanny Wype
Actually, there are some deep theological questions raised here, such as, Why does this god guy get lost so much? Everyone is always trying to find him.
“Your children can’t praise the lord if they’ve got genitals in their mouths!” - Reverend Ritz
So much to snigger at here - notably the slightly-more-mature nudist Mrs Druple and her hazardous wrinkly swinging boobs.
There’s things to learn as well - whoever knew that devilled eggs came from possessed chickens?! Beware folks- evil lurks in the most unlikely of places.
“There’s a history of fornication in my family.” Fanny Wype
Actually, there are some deep theological questions raised here, such as, Why does this god guy get lost so much? Everyone is always trying to find him.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated 8MM (1999) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Look at this Photograph
8mm- is a underrated mystery thriller, it was directed by Joel Schumacher, yes the person who destoryed and ruined batman two years before this movie came out. Joel Schumacher is better with mysterious and thrillers than Batman. Anyways the plot:
Private detective Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage) lives a normal life with his wife (Catherine Keener) and young daughter, until he receives a startling new case. A widow named Mrs. Christian (Myra Carter) has found what appears to be a snuff film among her late husband's belongings, and she wants Welles to determine if the movie is real or fake. Welles heads to California, where a video store employee (Joaquin Phoenix) helps him infiltrate the dangerous and depraved world of illegal porn movies.
Its suspenseful, horrorfying, twisted and overall a good movie.
Private detective Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage) lives a normal life with his wife (Catherine Keener) and young daughter, until he receives a startling new case. A widow named Mrs. Christian (Myra Carter) has found what appears to be a snuff film among her late husband's belongings, and she wants Welles to determine if the movie is real or fake. Welles heads to California, where a video store employee (Joaquin Phoenix) helps him infiltrate the dangerous and depraved world of illegal porn movies.
Its suspenseful, horrorfying, twisted and overall a good movie.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
8.8
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Movie Watch
An arrogant young prince (Robby Benson) and his castle's servants fall under the spell of a wicked...
Celebrate! Top Picks from the Chinese Table
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Celebrate! Top Picks from the Chinese Table promises to brighten your dinner table with 28 classic...
Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York
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Scenes from the City is a celebration of the rise of New York-shot films, particularly after the...