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Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Keeper of Portals in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review </i>
Awaiting young adult readers in early 2017 is a fantasy story unlike any other. <i>The Keeper of Portals</i> is the debut novel of V.S. Nelson, the soon-to-be-published author with an imagination worth sharing. Incorporating the familiar concept of time travel into a new way of visualizing the world results in a story that will leave minds reeling.
Nelson’s theory is that every aspect of life has a keeper, a creature in charge of making sure their assigned element functions smoothly. There are the major keepers responsible for time, causality and other things that cannot be seen, yet objects as small as buttons have their own keeper, too. Humans, of course, are unaware of these keepers, therefore fifteen-year-old Martin Lockford initially believes he is going mad when the Keeper of Portals reveals his existence in Martin’s bedroom.
Martin and his mother, with nowhere else to go, have moved into a dilapidated manor once owned by a distant relative. Whilst exploring his new room, Martin is startled by a disembodied voice claiming to be the Keeper of Portals. Having not spoken to anyone for 400 years, Portals is eager to show off his role in the flowing of the unpredictable universe. The keeper’s task is to make sure each door leads to the correct place – something that he demonstrates by sending Martin to the <i>wrong</i> places. However, there is one door in the manor that he has been unable to open.
The very next morning, Martin awakes to discover the sealed door is no longer locked and, being the curious boy that he is, goes through to explore. The mystery door does not only transport Martin to a different place, it sends him back in time to 1623. Here he meets the young Isabel, a maid, who is intrigued with the inventions of the future, especially from a personal hygiene perspective. However, she is not the only one curious about the 21st century.
The irascible master of the manor is not who he initially seems. With the desire to control everything, he places Martin and Isabel in a grave predicament, trapping them in the 17th century. At risk of creating a paradox, Martin needs to return to his own time – a difficult feat in itself – however, with the Keeper of Portals missing, the master has caused many problems that need to be solved, otherwise a whole new future will be born.
Admittedly, it takes a while for the story to warm up – the reader may be introduced to the idea of keepers fairly early on, yet the key storyline does not reveal itself until much later. After perseverance on the reader’s behalf, <i>The Keeper of Portals</i>, becomes an exciting mix of fantasy and science fiction, cleverly thought out to create an unpredictable scenario. Adventure after adventure, until bittersweet conclusion, keeps readers engaged and compelled to read on long after bedtime.
Although Martin is the protagonist of the novel, Isabel’s role is equally important. Despite women in the 1600s being deprived on the rights they have in this day and age, Isabel is an intelligent, independent girl, perfectly able to handle everything that is thrown at her. She is an inspiration to teenage girls.
Written with teenage readers in mind, <i>The Keeper of Portals</i> is suitable for fantasy-loving adults, too. With equipoise of adventure and intellectual theory, as well as a touch of romance, it is definitely a book to look out for. V.S. Nelson writes with clarity, exuding remarkable intelligence; let us hope that there will be more from where this came from.
Awaiting young adult readers in early 2017 is a fantasy story unlike any other. <i>The Keeper of Portals</i> is the debut novel of V.S. Nelson, the soon-to-be-published author with an imagination worth sharing. Incorporating the familiar concept of time travel into a new way of visualizing the world results in a story that will leave minds reeling.
Nelson’s theory is that every aspect of life has a keeper, a creature in charge of making sure their assigned element functions smoothly. There are the major keepers responsible for time, causality and other things that cannot be seen, yet objects as small as buttons have their own keeper, too. Humans, of course, are unaware of these keepers, therefore fifteen-year-old Martin Lockford initially believes he is going mad when the Keeper of Portals reveals his existence in Martin’s bedroom.
Martin and his mother, with nowhere else to go, have moved into a dilapidated manor once owned by a distant relative. Whilst exploring his new room, Martin is startled by a disembodied voice claiming to be the Keeper of Portals. Having not spoken to anyone for 400 years, Portals is eager to show off his role in the flowing of the unpredictable universe. The keeper’s task is to make sure each door leads to the correct place – something that he demonstrates by sending Martin to the <i>wrong</i> places. However, there is one door in the manor that he has been unable to open.
The very next morning, Martin awakes to discover the sealed door is no longer locked and, being the curious boy that he is, goes through to explore. The mystery door does not only transport Martin to a different place, it sends him back in time to 1623. Here he meets the young Isabel, a maid, who is intrigued with the inventions of the future, especially from a personal hygiene perspective. However, she is not the only one curious about the 21st century.
The irascible master of the manor is not who he initially seems. With the desire to control everything, he places Martin and Isabel in a grave predicament, trapping them in the 17th century. At risk of creating a paradox, Martin needs to return to his own time – a difficult feat in itself – however, with the Keeper of Portals missing, the master has caused many problems that need to be solved, otherwise a whole new future will be born.
Admittedly, it takes a while for the story to warm up – the reader may be introduced to the idea of keepers fairly early on, yet the key storyline does not reveal itself until much later. After perseverance on the reader’s behalf, <i>The Keeper of Portals</i>, becomes an exciting mix of fantasy and science fiction, cleverly thought out to create an unpredictable scenario. Adventure after adventure, until bittersweet conclusion, keeps readers engaged and compelled to read on long after bedtime.
Although Martin is the protagonist of the novel, Isabel’s role is equally important. Despite women in the 1600s being deprived on the rights they have in this day and age, Isabel is an intelligent, independent girl, perfectly able to handle everything that is thrown at her. She is an inspiration to teenage girls.
Written with teenage readers in mind, <i>The Keeper of Portals</i> is suitable for fantasy-loving adults, too. With equipoise of adventure and intellectual theory, as well as a touch of romance, it is definitely a book to look out for. V.S. Nelson writes with clarity, exuding remarkable intelligence; let us hope that there will be more from where this came from.
Midge (525 KP) rated Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore in Books
Dec 24, 2018
A wonderful novel, and a must-read for bibliophiles and techies (2 more)
Hilarious and very genuine lead character
Cleverly written
Imaginative And Optimistic!
I love this book. It's a refreshing, pleasant, imaginative and optimistic book about friendship and the lure of the mysterious, and among other things, it's about a bookstore! It's a definite must-read for all bibliophiles.
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore begins with Clay Jannon, an out-of-work web designer who has found employment at a 24-hour bookstore located in San Francisco. Although the store has very few customers, he meets a variety of strange people that frequent the shop, but who rarely buy anything. However, they borrow mysteriously coded volumes, known as the "Waybacklist," most of which are hand-made, from a secret corner of the store. His curiosity sets him on a strange journey to try to find out more about the "Waybacklist," of ancient, esoteric books.
When they make an exchange from the "Waybacklist," Clay must record transaction details into an old logbook, including personal information about each customer, such as their appearance and state of mind. When the shop is empty, Clay busies himself by creating a computerised model of the bookstore in 3D. By identifying each of his customers by a different colour in the model, he is able to see a pattern developing and becomes convinced that the customers and Penumbra himself are members of a secret cult.
With two computer geek friends, one an old school friend, Neel, and the other a potential customer he met in the bookstore, Kat, who becomes his girlfriend, Clay sets out on a quest to learn the carefully kept secrets of the bookstore. When they bring their findings to Mr Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend further than they ever imagined.
Clay, the main character, is exactly the kind of lead you want in this type of novel. He is constantly clueless though he tries hard, he is absolutely hilarious and very genuine. There are many different secondary characters regularly being introduced, but the book is so cleverly written that they never seem unnecessary. There is a lot of different levels of interaction between them, that I really liked.
There is an amazing use of different technologies in this book, however despite all the Google, Amazon, Kindle and the computer references, the true emphasis of the novel is on the people, and that is why I found the book so charming and bewitching. The younger characters are keen and enthusiastic, and you can identify with their search for connection and knowledge. The mix of foisty old books and cutting-edge technology is captivating.
If you prefer villains in your novels then this book is not for you. There is no evil in this book, and everyone that the narrator meets becomes a friend. I couldn't really guess how this book would end but I loved the way the story was concluded. The following quote is actually the last paragraph in the book, but it describes the mystery and the wonder of the whole book, to perfection.
"A man walking fast down a dark lonely street. Quick steps and hard breathing, all wonder and need. A bell above a door and the tinkle it makes. A clerk and a ladder and warm golden light, and then: the right book exactly, at exactly the right time."
Enthralling and fun to read, this novel, with its unique twists and turns of plot, left me feeling very satisfied.
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore has inspired me to read other novels by Robin Sloan.
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore begins with Clay Jannon, an out-of-work web designer who has found employment at a 24-hour bookstore located in San Francisco. Although the store has very few customers, he meets a variety of strange people that frequent the shop, but who rarely buy anything. However, they borrow mysteriously coded volumes, known as the "Waybacklist," most of which are hand-made, from a secret corner of the store. His curiosity sets him on a strange journey to try to find out more about the "Waybacklist," of ancient, esoteric books.
When they make an exchange from the "Waybacklist," Clay must record transaction details into an old logbook, including personal information about each customer, such as their appearance and state of mind. When the shop is empty, Clay busies himself by creating a computerised model of the bookstore in 3D. By identifying each of his customers by a different colour in the model, he is able to see a pattern developing and becomes convinced that the customers and Penumbra himself are members of a secret cult.
With two computer geek friends, one an old school friend, Neel, and the other a potential customer he met in the bookstore, Kat, who becomes his girlfriend, Clay sets out on a quest to learn the carefully kept secrets of the bookstore. When they bring their findings to Mr Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend further than they ever imagined.
Clay, the main character, is exactly the kind of lead you want in this type of novel. He is constantly clueless though he tries hard, he is absolutely hilarious and very genuine. There are many different secondary characters regularly being introduced, but the book is so cleverly written that they never seem unnecessary. There is a lot of different levels of interaction between them, that I really liked.
There is an amazing use of different technologies in this book, however despite all the Google, Amazon, Kindle and the computer references, the true emphasis of the novel is on the people, and that is why I found the book so charming and bewitching. The younger characters are keen and enthusiastic, and you can identify with their search for connection and knowledge. The mix of foisty old books and cutting-edge technology is captivating.
If you prefer villains in your novels then this book is not for you. There is no evil in this book, and everyone that the narrator meets becomes a friend. I couldn't really guess how this book would end but I loved the way the story was concluded. The following quote is actually the last paragraph in the book, but it describes the mystery and the wonder of the whole book, to perfection.
"A man walking fast down a dark lonely street. Quick steps and hard breathing, all wonder and need. A bell above a door and the tinkle it makes. A clerk and a ladder and warm golden light, and then: the right book exactly, at exactly the right time."
Enthralling and fun to read, this novel, with its unique twists and turns of plot, left me feeling very satisfied.
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore has inspired me to read other novels by Robin Sloan.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Since audiences last visited the crime busting quartet, the group has become media darlings, and the impending wedding of two of the team members, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), has become media frenzy.
As plans for the wedding move forward, and Sue is confident that the wedding will not be postponed by another crisis, unaware that the greatest threat the earth has ever known is about to put very existence of the world in their hands.
When a mysterious Silver Surfer arrives on Earth leaving a path of chaos in his wake, it falls to the Fantastic Four, to get to the bottom of the threat and stop it as only they can. A chance encounter with the Surfer leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), on a high-speed race across the land which ultimately leads to a startling and at times comedic discovery. The surfer has the ability to disrupt what it touches and in the chase of Johnny, causes him to swap powers with any team member he touches.
While this is a potential disaster for Johnny, it does lead to some hilarious moments between him, Sue, and the Rock Laden The Thing, (Michael Chiklis), and ultimately leads Mr. Fantastic to devise a new way to track when and where the Surfer will appear.
The Silver Surfer is not the only danger facing the team, as the arrival of the Surfer has somehow revived the teams arch nemesis Dr. Doom (Julian Mc Mahon), who becomes obsesses with the Surfer and his secrets and forms a tenuous alliance with the Fantastic Four, despite their serious misgivings about trusting Doom.
Eventually it is learned that the Surfer is simply a harbinger for a much greater threat, Galactus, a being who eats planets to survive and who has determined the earth to be his next feats.
With the clock ticking, the team must battle, Dr. Doom, The Surfer, and each other as they try to unlock the mystery behind the surfer and save the world before it is too late.
The film though light on plot and character development, is a lot of fun and is a surprisingly enjoyable summer popcorn film. It does not try to be as haughty and pretentious as some past comic book film, and makes the most of its 89 minute run time without dragging itself out unnecessarily.
The cast works well with one another, and there are some good moments of humor to go with some well done action sequences that stay within themselves and the story rather than being the only point of the film.
If I had to find fault with the film, it would be that Dr. Doom is not really used much in the film and seems almost an afterthought to the story. He is supposed to be the ultimate villan but his real motives are only explained on a very superficial level which really detract from his effective use in the story. Another issue that the action was a bit less than I had expected it to be, especially the fact that the team is rarely seen in combat, and instead use the bulk of their powers in comedic or rescue efforts. I really would have liked to have seen the full power of the team used against a bad guy in an ongoing battle, instead of a few moments here or there.
In a summer where most of the offerings have failed to live up to expectations, this is a film that knows what it is, and does not try to be anything more than that. In doing so, the audience is treated to a briskly paced action adventure that delivers the goods, and does not promise more than it can deliver.
As plans for the wedding move forward, and Sue is confident that the wedding will not be postponed by another crisis, unaware that the greatest threat the earth has ever known is about to put very existence of the world in their hands.
When a mysterious Silver Surfer arrives on Earth leaving a path of chaos in his wake, it falls to the Fantastic Four, to get to the bottom of the threat and stop it as only they can. A chance encounter with the Surfer leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), on a high-speed race across the land which ultimately leads to a startling and at times comedic discovery. The surfer has the ability to disrupt what it touches and in the chase of Johnny, causes him to swap powers with any team member he touches.
While this is a potential disaster for Johnny, it does lead to some hilarious moments between him, Sue, and the Rock Laden The Thing, (Michael Chiklis), and ultimately leads Mr. Fantastic to devise a new way to track when and where the Surfer will appear.
The Silver Surfer is not the only danger facing the team, as the arrival of the Surfer has somehow revived the teams arch nemesis Dr. Doom (Julian Mc Mahon), who becomes obsesses with the Surfer and his secrets and forms a tenuous alliance with the Fantastic Four, despite their serious misgivings about trusting Doom.
Eventually it is learned that the Surfer is simply a harbinger for a much greater threat, Galactus, a being who eats planets to survive and who has determined the earth to be his next feats.
With the clock ticking, the team must battle, Dr. Doom, The Surfer, and each other as they try to unlock the mystery behind the surfer and save the world before it is too late.
The film though light on plot and character development, is a lot of fun and is a surprisingly enjoyable summer popcorn film. It does not try to be as haughty and pretentious as some past comic book film, and makes the most of its 89 minute run time without dragging itself out unnecessarily.
The cast works well with one another, and there are some good moments of humor to go with some well done action sequences that stay within themselves and the story rather than being the only point of the film.
If I had to find fault with the film, it would be that Dr. Doom is not really used much in the film and seems almost an afterthought to the story. He is supposed to be the ultimate villan but his real motives are only explained on a very superficial level which really detract from his effective use in the story. Another issue that the action was a bit less than I had expected it to be, especially the fact that the team is rarely seen in combat, and instead use the bulk of their powers in comedic or rescue efforts. I really would have liked to have seen the full power of the team used against a bad guy in an ongoing battle, instead of a few moments here or there.
In a summer where most of the offerings have failed to live up to expectations, this is a film that knows what it is, and does not try to be anything more than that. In doing so, the audience is treated to a briskly paced action adventure that delivers the goods, and does not promise more than it can deliver.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Escape Room (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
TL;DR - I'm never doing an escape room ever again, and potentially never going anywhere that begins with a mysterious invitation.
The film opens, somewhat strangely, with some of the last scenes of the movie. I'm not sure whether this helped the film along or not. We already knew what to expect before going in so starting with the intrigue of the invitations probably would have worked just as well, it did at least ease you in to what you'd be getting from the rest of the film.
I was a little disappointed that we didn't get an intro to all of the characters. Admittedly six intro pieces would have made the beginning of the story drag but it felt a little odd to have the other three thrown in with no context. On the plus side you are able to infer some things about their back story as we go through the film, but I don't quite see the logic behind who they included and excluded.
Drama, mystery, sci-fi, thriller... that's how IMDb classified Escape Room, and this is why I don't know why we bother pigeon holing films. It's definitely a thriller and can loosely fit into the horror genre (I only say loosely because of it's lack of gore) but to claim any of the others is a stretch.
In what was probably a rather average film I was glad to see some pieces that impressed me. Amanda (Deborah Ann Woll) has a flashback during one of their escapes and the transition was seamless. Woll's performance overall was probably the best, she goes from vulnerable to woman of action and in each scene she creates something that I found incredibly believable.
Tyler Labine is one of my favourite "hidden" gems of the movie world so I was excited to see he was part of this. My excitement was short lived though as his character wasn't given much opportunity to shine as his story is largely overlooked until the very last minute.
One of the issues I have at the cinema is that I suffer from mild motion sickness, generally I'm okay but on occasion the weirdest things can set it off. This film gave me a near heart attack when it entered the pool room, you can see it during the trailer, the room is basically upside down but that combined with the camera shots meant I had to keep looking at my feet for fear of either passing out or throwing up on my fellow cinema goers.
The idea behind the film had a lot of potential and up to a certain point I was enjoying what was happening... but that ending. My brain suddenly stopped and went "huh, Belko Experiment." I'm not generally a watcher of horror type films but from the comments I've seen online Escape Room is similar to a lot of things already out there. What I know is that it's predictable. Probably more so because of the way the film starts, the premise of an escape room, and the trailer. It does have some things up its sleeve though.
For someone who is easily scared out of their skin I didn't have a problem watching this (apart from that pool room scene), a lot of the really jumpy bits I'd already seen before going into the film. Until the memory of this film is washed away by several dozen other films I will not be setting foot in an escape room, and they should probably look at suing the film for lose of revenue.
What you should do
It's an entertaining film and if thrillers/horrors are your sort of thing then you should give it a go.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Needless to say there is basically nothing I want from this movie apart from the little piece of sanity and rational thinking it stole from me.
The film opens, somewhat strangely, with some of the last scenes of the movie. I'm not sure whether this helped the film along or not. We already knew what to expect before going in so starting with the intrigue of the invitations probably would have worked just as well, it did at least ease you in to what you'd be getting from the rest of the film.
I was a little disappointed that we didn't get an intro to all of the characters. Admittedly six intro pieces would have made the beginning of the story drag but it felt a little odd to have the other three thrown in with no context. On the plus side you are able to infer some things about their back story as we go through the film, but I don't quite see the logic behind who they included and excluded.
Drama, mystery, sci-fi, thriller... that's how IMDb classified Escape Room, and this is why I don't know why we bother pigeon holing films. It's definitely a thriller and can loosely fit into the horror genre (I only say loosely because of it's lack of gore) but to claim any of the others is a stretch.
In what was probably a rather average film I was glad to see some pieces that impressed me. Amanda (Deborah Ann Woll) has a flashback during one of their escapes and the transition was seamless. Woll's performance overall was probably the best, she goes from vulnerable to woman of action and in each scene she creates something that I found incredibly believable.
Tyler Labine is one of my favourite "hidden" gems of the movie world so I was excited to see he was part of this. My excitement was short lived though as his character wasn't given much opportunity to shine as his story is largely overlooked until the very last minute.
One of the issues I have at the cinema is that I suffer from mild motion sickness, generally I'm okay but on occasion the weirdest things can set it off. This film gave me a near heart attack when it entered the pool room, you can see it during the trailer, the room is basically upside down but that combined with the camera shots meant I had to keep looking at my feet for fear of either passing out or throwing up on my fellow cinema goers.
The idea behind the film had a lot of potential and up to a certain point I was enjoying what was happening... but that ending. My brain suddenly stopped and went "huh, Belko Experiment." I'm not generally a watcher of horror type films but from the comments I've seen online Escape Room is similar to a lot of things already out there. What I know is that it's predictable. Probably more so because of the way the film starts, the premise of an escape room, and the trailer. It does have some things up its sleeve though.
For someone who is easily scared out of their skin I didn't have a problem watching this (apart from that pool room scene), a lot of the really jumpy bits I'd already seen before going into the film. Until the memory of this film is washed away by several dozen other films I will not be setting foot in an escape room, and they should probably look at suing the film for lose of revenue.
What you should do
It's an entertaining film and if thrillers/horrors are your sort of thing then you should give it a go.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Needless to say there is basically nothing I want from this movie apart from the little piece of sanity and rational thinking it stole from me.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Recursion in Books
Jul 15, 2019
I want to start this review by saying that science fiction isn't my usual genre that I love to read. However, I loved Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, so I decided that I'd give Recursion by Blake Crouch a read since the synopsis intrigued me. I was absolutely blown away by Recursion!
Helena, a nueroscientist is working on a chair to help people with memory loss like her mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. She has it almost all figured out, but she lacks the funding to make her dream a reality. Funding comes in the form of Marcus Slade. Together, Slade and Helena work together to create a chair that can send people back in the past and change memories. However, when people start suffering from False Memory Syndrome due to the changing of memories, Helena wants to stop. Slade won't allow it. Together with Barry, who was forced to have his memories changed, Helena will stop at nothing to stop her memory chair from being used for bad, even if it means dying again and again.
I'm not a very scientific person. (In fact, science and math were my worse subjects in school.) This book does use a lot of scientific jargon that went way over my head at times, yet I was still very intrigued. There are enough context clues to figure out what's going on without all the scientific speak. I felt the plot was solid for Recursion, and scarily enough, I could actually picture this becoming a reality in the not too distant future. Blake Crouch has a knack for writing books that seem so lifelike and in the moment. There is plenty of action in Recursion, and there's also enough mystery to make the reader wonder what is going to happen next. Due to being able to go back to different memories and plotting different outcomes, Recursion is full of little plot twists. There's no cliff hangers in this book, and all my questions were answered by the last page.
The characters in Recursion were so very lifelike! Barry reminded me at first of a dad who loved his family, especially his daughter, very much. He seems like a down to Earth guy and just very well rounded. I admired tenacity to always want to make things right. I also loved Helena's character. I loved how she was willing to do whatever it took, including death and extreme pain, to try to make things right. Helena was an extremely intelligent woman, but she wasn't conceited about it. I felt like Slade's heart was in the right place, but greed took over. I felt like Slade was the perfect antagonist, and his personality reminded me of many people in power and those with a lot of money. I enjoyed reading about each character's story in each memory. I found that to be extremely interesting.
The pacing for Recursion was perfect. This book held my attention from the very first page until the very last word in the book. Not once did I ever become bored or lost while reading this book. I was hooked from the get-go, and I couldn't wait to read more of Recursion every time I was interrupted.
Trigger warnings for Recursion include profanity, mentions of drug use, alcohol use, profanity, sexual references (non graphic), death, violence, some gore, and murder.
Overall, Recursion is quite the read! It's got a thrilling plot and memorable characters throughout! I would love to see this book made into a movie. I think it would do very well! I would definitely recommend Recursion by Blake Crouch to anyone looking for a book that will keep them hooked from the beginning. Regardless of if you're a science fiction fan or not, Recursion is the kind of book that will please any reader.
Helena, a nueroscientist is working on a chair to help people with memory loss like her mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. She has it almost all figured out, but she lacks the funding to make her dream a reality. Funding comes in the form of Marcus Slade. Together, Slade and Helena work together to create a chair that can send people back in the past and change memories. However, when people start suffering from False Memory Syndrome due to the changing of memories, Helena wants to stop. Slade won't allow it. Together with Barry, who was forced to have his memories changed, Helena will stop at nothing to stop her memory chair from being used for bad, even if it means dying again and again.
I'm not a very scientific person. (In fact, science and math were my worse subjects in school.) This book does use a lot of scientific jargon that went way over my head at times, yet I was still very intrigued. There are enough context clues to figure out what's going on without all the scientific speak. I felt the plot was solid for Recursion, and scarily enough, I could actually picture this becoming a reality in the not too distant future. Blake Crouch has a knack for writing books that seem so lifelike and in the moment. There is plenty of action in Recursion, and there's also enough mystery to make the reader wonder what is going to happen next. Due to being able to go back to different memories and plotting different outcomes, Recursion is full of little plot twists. There's no cliff hangers in this book, and all my questions were answered by the last page.
The characters in Recursion were so very lifelike! Barry reminded me at first of a dad who loved his family, especially his daughter, very much. He seems like a down to Earth guy and just very well rounded. I admired tenacity to always want to make things right. I also loved Helena's character. I loved how she was willing to do whatever it took, including death and extreme pain, to try to make things right. Helena was an extremely intelligent woman, but she wasn't conceited about it. I felt like Slade's heart was in the right place, but greed took over. I felt like Slade was the perfect antagonist, and his personality reminded me of many people in power and those with a lot of money. I enjoyed reading about each character's story in each memory. I found that to be extremely interesting.
The pacing for Recursion was perfect. This book held my attention from the very first page until the very last word in the book. Not once did I ever become bored or lost while reading this book. I was hooked from the get-go, and I couldn't wait to read more of Recursion every time I was interrupted.
Trigger warnings for Recursion include profanity, mentions of drug use, alcohol use, profanity, sexual references (non graphic), death, violence, some gore, and murder.
Overall, Recursion is quite the read! It's got a thrilling plot and memorable characters throughout! I would love to see this book made into a movie. I think it would do very well! I would definitely recommend Recursion by Blake Crouch to anyone looking for a book that will keep them hooked from the beginning. Regardless of if you're a science fiction fan or not, Recursion is the kind of book that will please any reader.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Wolfman (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
During the golden age of cinematic horror, Lon Chaney terrified audiences with his portrayal of the Wolfman which launched the character as a cultural mainstay.
Over the years there have been countless updates to the tale which ranged from Michael Landon in “I Was a Teenage Werewolf, to the more contemporary “An American Werewolf in London” and “Dog Soldiers”.
With remakes being all the rage in Hollywood, Universal has returned to the original source material to offer an updated version of the original classic.
Set in England near the start of the twentieth century, the film stars Benicio Del Toro as an actor named Lawrence who is summoned home when his brother goes missing. Upon returning to the lavish familial estate, he is greeted by his estranged father, (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who informs him that his brother mutilated body was discovered earlier.
Dismayed by the condition of his brother’s remains, Lawrence decides to stay and get to the bottom of the mystery. When a clue provided by his brother’s fiancé leads him to a Gypsy encampment, Lawrence learns of a curse, but before he can obtain the information he desires, the camp is attacked by a mysterious creature that leaves a horrific path of carnage in its wake and leaves Lawrence badly wounded from a bite.
Lawrence makes an amazing recovery from his wounds and in doing so raises the suspicions of the locals who now see Lawrence as cursed and a threat to their society.
Lawrence has also raised the suspicions of Scotland Yard Inspector, (Hugo Weaving) who is convinced that Lawrence may be a key player in the local horror, as he was confined to an asylum in his childhood following the death of his mother.
At first Lawrence is outraged at the accusations, but when he transforms into a deadly creature and embarks on a deadly killing spree during a full moon, he soon learns a dangerous secret that places not only his life in danger, but endangers all those around him.
In a desperate race against time, Lawrence attempts to get to the root of his troubles and set things right before the next full moon, when his animal side will take over once again.
The film is a stylish update of the original and the cast is strong. Sadly they are given little to do with the by the numbers plot, and spend much of the time looking like they are simply going through the motions which makes it difficult for the audience to develop a deep sympathy or attachment to the characters.
Oscar winner Rick Baker has done some amazing makeup work and the effects of the film are solid. It was reported that the film was delayed so Universal could punch the film up by adding some new fx and sequences.
The final result is a mixed bag as while the film is a nice update on the original, audiences have seen more so many variations of the story over the years it is hard to be surprised by anything in the picture. Despite the best efforts of the creative talent, there is little tension or drama in the film and by the time the finale plays out, many may think they have seen it all before.
Universal has released the 1941 original Lon Cheney version of the film on DVD and for those who like film history; they may gain a new insight into the film by watching the original version prior.
In the end, “The Wolfman” works as a matinee or a DVD rental, but I would not suggest it as a full priced theatrical experience for anyone other than those looking for a piece of nostalgia.
Over the years there have been countless updates to the tale which ranged from Michael Landon in “I Was a Teenage Werewolf, to the more contemporary “An American Werewolf in London” and “Dog Soldiers”.
With remakes being all the rage in Hollywood, Universal has returned to the original source material to offer an updated version of the original classic.
Set in England near the start of the twentieth century, the film stars Benicio Del Toro as an actor named Lawrence who is summoned home when his brother goes missing. Upon returning to the lavish familial estate, he is greeted by his estranged father, (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who informs him that his brother mutilated body was discovered earlier.
Dismayed by the condition of his brother’s remains, Lawrence decides to stay and get to the bottom of the mystery. When a clue provided by his brother’s fiancé leads him to a Gypsy encampment, Lawrence learns of a curse, but before he can obtain the information he desires, the camp is attacked by a mysterious creature that leaves a horrific path of carnage in its wake and leaves Lawrence badly wounded from a bite.
Lawrence makes an amazing recovery from his wounds and in doing so raises the suspicions of the locals who now see Lawrence as cursed and a threat to their society.
Lawrence has also raised the suspicions of Scotland Yard Inspector, (Hugo Weaving) who is convinced that Lawrence may be a key player in the local horror, as he was confined to an asylum in his childhood following the death of his mother.
At first Lawrence is outraged at the accusations, but when he transforms into a deadly creature and embarks on a deadly killing spree during a full moon, he soon learns a dangerous secret that places not only his life in danger, but endangers all those around him.
In a desperate race against time, Lawrence attempts to get to the root of his troubles and set things right before the next full moon, when his animal side will take over once again.
The film is a stylish update of the original and the cast is strong. Sadly they are given little to do with the by the numbers plot, and spend much of the time looking like they are simply going through the motions which makes it difficult for the audience to develop a deep sympathy or attachment to the characters.
Oscar winner Rick Baker has done some amazing makeup work and the effects of the film are solid. It was reported that the film was delayed so Universal could punch the film up by adding some new fx and sequences.
The final result is a mixed bag as while the film is a nice update on the original, audiences have seen more so many variations of the story over the years it is hard to be surprised by anything in the picture. Despite the best efforts of the creative talent, there is little tension or drama in the film and by the time the finale plays out, many may think they have seen it all before.
Universal has released the 1941 original Lon Cheney version of the film on DVD and for those who like film history; they may gain a new insight into the film by watching the original version prior.
In the end, “The Wolfman” works as a matinee or a DVD rental, but I would not suggest it as a full priced theatrical experience for anyone other than those looking for a piece of nostalgia.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated A Kiss of Madness in Books
Jan 14, 2019
Too much smut (3 more)
Unbelievable plot
Underdeveloped and unlikable characters
Book is confused about the plot
Reads More Like a Rough Draft
I love reading books about mental illness, and even more so if they take place inside an asylum. When I saw A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones, it seemed like the perfect read for me. Unfortunately, I was left very disappointed.
The synopsis for A Kiss of Madness sounded very interesting. It could have been a very interesting book except there's too much going on in the story. Lydia gets sent to Brocker's Center for the Criminally Insane after having a vision and throwing a chair through a window as well as attacking an innocent bystander. She could have chose jail time or to voluntarily commit herself to Brocker's. She chose the latter. While there, she gets feelings about people and doesn't feel like she belongs. She meets three guys who are patients with their own issues. However, she ends up thinking they're hot, and they also think she's hot. The guys all agree to be her boyfriends and end up following her everywhere. When one of the other female patients goes missing, Lydia tries to uncover what really happened putting herself in grave danger. I was confused if A Kiss of Madness was trying to be more of a romance novel, a mystery/crime novel, or a paranormal novel. I got the insane asylum vibe for a few chapters, but soon this book lost its whole mental illness vibe. I felt like the insane asylum setting was just thrown in there to make this book sound more interesting than it actually was. It soon turned more into an erotic novel which made me like the book even less. There was just too much pointless fairly graphic sex for my liking. I feel like all the fairly graphic sex and sexual references really took away from the story. I also didn't like the ending. It just felt too rushed. Actually, the whole story just felt really rushed. I also didn't understand how one character who had a violent past could have such a great job. I won't go into further details because it's a spoiler.
I started out liking Lydia and was on her side for the first few chapters or so. However, I found myself losing the connection I felt with her the more I read. She just came across as being very irresponsible and immature. I didn't really care for Pierce, Emmett, or Mason/Jason either. None of the characters in A Kiss of Madness were fleshed out enough to be likable or believable.
The pacing starts out great in A Kiss of Madness. However, it soon slows down once the sex scenes come into play. Then it slows down and becomes more of a smut novel instead of a decent read. Luckily this is a short read or I would have given up on it when I got to the sex parts.
Trigger warnings for A Kiss of Madness include violence, murder, mental illness, attempted sexual assault, fairly graphic sex scenes, sexual references, and profanities.
Overall, A Kiss of Madness started out great. However, it soon went downhill close to halfway through the book. I feel like this book feels more like a rough draft on what could be a decent read. It just needs a lot more work to be good. Get rid of a lot of the pointless sex scenes and references, bulk up the story and characters a bit, decide on what angle to go with, and give this book some guts! At this time, I would not recommend A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones.
The synopsis for A Kiss of Madness sounded very interesting. It could have been a very interesting book except there's too much going on in the story. Lydia gets sent to Brocker's Center for the Criminally Insane after having a vision and throwing a chair through a window as well as attacking an innocent bystander. She could have chose jail time or to voluntarily commit herself to Brocker's. She chose the latter. While there, she gets feelings about people and doesn't feel like she belongs. She meets three guys who are patients with their own issues. However, she ends up thinking they're hot, and they also think she's hot. The guys all agree to be her boyfriends and end up following her everywhere. When one of the other female patients goes missing, Lydia tries to uncover what really happened putting herself in grave danger. I was confused if A Kiss of Madness was trying to be more of a romance novel, a mystery/crime novel, or a paranormal novel. I got the insane asylum vibe for a few chapters, but soon this book lost its whole mental illness vibe. I felt like the insane asylum setting was just thrown in there to make this book sound more interesting than it actually was. It soon turned more into an erotic novel which made me like the book even less. There was just too much pointless fairly graphic sex for my liking. I feel like all the fairly graphic sex and sexual references really took away from the story. I also didn't like the ending. It just felt too rushed. Actually, the whole story just felt really rushed. I also didn't understand how one character who had a violent past could have such a great job. I won't go into further details because it's a spoiler.
I started out liking Lydia and was on her side for the first few chapters or so. However, I found myself losing the connection I felt with her the more I read. She just came across as being very irresponsible and immature. I didn't really care for Pierce, Emmett, or Mason/Jason either. None of the characters in A Kiss of Madness were fleshed out enough to be likable or believable.
The pacing starts out great in A Kiss of Madness. However, it soon slows down once the sex scenes come into play. Then it slows down and becomes more of a smut novel instead of a decent read. Luckily this is a short read or I would have given up on it when I got to the sex parts.
Trigger warnings for A Kiss of Madness include violence, murder, mental illness, attempted sexual assault, fairly graphic sex scenes, sexual references, and profanities.
Overall, A Kiss of Madness started out great. However, it soon went downhill close to halfway through the book. I feel like this book feels more like a rough draft on what could be a decent read. It just needs a lot more work to be good. Get rid of a lot of the pointless sex scenes and references, bulk up the story and characters a bit, decide on what angle to go with, and give this book some guts! At this time, I would not recommend A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Synchronic (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019 (Updated Nov 10, 2019)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I'm not sure quite what I expected from the synopsis, it didn't sound like it was going to be very sci-fi, and it wasn't... but it was. I know I'm not making sense. It felt much more like a crime drama than something with sci-fi in it. The sci-fi action blended well with everything around it that you almost don't notice it happening. If there was a fence I'd be sitting on the fence.
Anthony Mackie is only someone I've come across in Marvel movies ready so it was nice to have him in something a little different. His role of Steve has a lot of emotions behind it and I thought he managed to capture them really well. There are a lot of hints to something in his story and the balance between what he shows and his reality helped to sell Steve's reaction. This really makes me look forward to seeing him in more films.
Jamie Dornan has only really been on the periphery of my film watching, I certainly wouldn't have been able to tell you any films he's been in, as an introduction to him as an actor I was impressed. Again, there's a lot of emotion as his daughter goes missing and the tensions between Dennis and those around him were just right.
The two together made a great mix as friends, the bond felt like brothers and was an accurate depiction of the relationship and tension that comes with the horrible truth of illness and the burden that holds.
I liked how Mackie's story unfolded. Half the battle with illness is finding a focus and the mystery in this gives him that. He almost appears to be better while deteriorating in other ways. His purpose is a race against time just like his illness and he is able to choose a more noble cause for what may be all the time he has left.
Whether the science behind Mackie's illness is accurate or not I don't know but they give you a plausible explanation to follow throughout. There is however a moment that breaks the idea of the story... I think. Taking the drug sends the young users back in time, when they come down they are brought back to their present. This means that each pill is a two way journey. When he gets stuck in the past because he moves too far away from his incoming destination he figures he needs to take another pill (that he luckily has on him) and travel back. Fine. He does that successfully but he doesn't then acknowledge the fact that in 7 minutes he should be popping back to where he came from, I'd have been up off my arse a going for a run so I didn't accidentally pop back again. The other issue is that in the present when you pop a pill you go back in time... yet when he takes a pill in the past he comes to the present... Oh hell, I've opened up a can of worms thinking about this now.
The way they've done the effects around the sci-fi bits is very good, but massively affecting as you're drawn into the transitions, especially the first time because you don't know what they're leading to. It almost seamlessly blends together and the stages it takes work so well, and as I said above it doesn't feel very sci-fi
Synchronic was a nice surprise of a film, an interesting mix of genres that managed to keep itself from getting too unbelievable.
Full review originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/11/synchronic-spoilers-movie-review.html
Anthony Mackie is only someone I've come across in Marvel movies ready so it was nice to have him in something a little different. His role of Steve has a lot of emotions behind it and I thought he managed to capture them really well. There are a lot of hints to something in his story and the balance between what he shows and his reality helped to sell Steve's reaction. This really makes me look forward to seeing him in more films.
Jamie Dornan has only really been on the periphery of my film watching, I certainly wouldn't have been able to tell you any films he's been in, as an introduction to him as an actor I was impressed. Again, there's a lot of emotion as his daughter goes missing and the tensions between Dennis and those around him were just right.
The two together made a great mix as friends, the bond felt like brothers and was an accurate depiction of the relationship and tension that comes with the horrible truth of illness and the burden that holds.
I liked how Mackie's story unfolded. Half the battle with illness is finding a focus and the mystery in this gives him that. He almost appears to be better while deteriorating in other ways. His purpose is a race against time just like his illness and he is able to choose a more noble cause for what may be all the time he has left.
Whether the science behind Mackie's illness is accurate or not I don't know but they give you a plausible explanation to follow throughout. There is however a moment that breaks the idea of the story... I think. Taking the drug sends the young users back in time, when they come down they are brought back to their present. This means that each pill is a two way journey. When he gets stuck in the past because he moves too far away from his incoming destination he figures he needs to take another pill (that he luckily has on him) and travel back. Fine. He does that successfully but he doesn't then acknowledge the fact that in 7 minutes he should be popping back to where he came from, I'd have been up off my arse a going for a run so I didn't accidentally pop back again. The other issue is that in the present when you pop a pill you go back in time... yet when he takes a pill in the past he comes to the present... Oh hell, I've opened up a can of worms thinking about this now.
The way they've done the effects around the sci-fi bits is very good, but massively affecting as you're drawn into the transitions, especially the first time because you don't know what they're leading to. It almost seamlessly blends together and the stages it takes work so well, and as I said above it doesn't feel very sci-fi
Synchronic was a nice surprise of a film, an interesting mix of genres that managed to keep itself from getting too unbelievable.
Full review originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/11/synchronic-spoilers-movie-review.html
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Dogville (2003) in Movies
Nov 23, 2019
Humanity sucks!
The town of Dogville is a simple one. Set up in the mountains, it only has one main thoroughfare dividing its rows of homes and businesses. Its simple folk mostly keep to themselves or occasionally adjourn together. Some have a craft or livelihood which passes their time, others mostly stay to themselves contemplating their thoughts or maybe waiting for something interesting to happen.
Enter mysterious stranger, Grace.
Grace arrives in Dogville on her own without much fanfare or explanation other than mysterious gun shots heard in the distance and the brief appearance of a vehicle with a mystery occupant. It appears she might be more interesting than initial reaction. A Dogville resident, Tom, meets Grace and talks with her. He says he will discuss her situation with the locals at their next meeting and assures her they will protect Grace and allow her to stay in Dogville if they deem her worthy of friendship. She has to gain their friendship and trust within two weeks in order to do so.
As Grace starts to move within the townspeople, she discovers their interesting, eccentric personalities and tries to figure out any "work" they have either around their houses or within their businesses she can assist them with to further show her devotion to being a good person. Although after making the rounds she does not acquire much work, the members of Dogville eventually open up and welcome Grace to assist them.
Grace starts to fall for Tom who is also smitten with her.
The police eventually arrive to post a sign of the missing Grace and to attempt to gain information on her. The town is unsure what to think and some folk start to question whether Grace is being truthful. A dark and winding road eventually develops and Grace is put through some difficult travails and her will tested. Emotions run high.
Writer/director Lars Von Trier produces another truly unique film. Not as shockingly, visually jarring as some of his other work, this time the screenplay is the ultimate star producing vast emotional turmoil and shocks with words and deeds instead. All the characters presented have quite the emotional arc during the 3 hour run time of this film and it is so interesting to endure the ride. Grace really disrupts this small, mountain community and helps the folk show their eventual true personalities in all their various forms.
The physical setting of the movie is an actual "sound stage" look of the main main street strip of Dogville shown only in building outlines with minimal props or decor within. When looking from above where extensive sections of the film are shown, the audience can view almost the entire township engaged in their daily activities either among one another or by themselves. A lot of the view from the street feels very real as the camera weaves through the conversations almost like another human being.
The slow erosion of the township to Grace, her situation and the way they treat her is the crux of the film. The way human beings can be so kind to each other and then the opposite is what struck and moved me while watching Dogville. Von Trier really took the time to use the right amount of words and craft them in a loving and vicious way made the film tough to watch at times, but also captivating.
I haven't always been the biggest Nicole Kidman fan; however, her performance in this film is amazing. She cautious vulnerability and warming personality have the town be initially enamored with her, then her willingness to please erodes her relationships down the hole of darkness and betrayal. Her quirky smile and subdued emotion suits the character perfectly as you are truly trying to unravel her character's mysteries.
Really enjoyed this one.
Enter mysterious stranger, Grace.
Grace arrives in Dogville on her own without much fanfare or explanation other than mysterious gun shots heard in the distance and the brief appearance of a vehicle with a mystery occupant. It appears she might be more interesting than initial reaction. A Dogville resident, Tom, meets Grace and talks with her. He says he will discuss her situation with the locals at their next meeting and assures her they will protect Grace and allow her to stay in Dogville if they deem her worthy of friendship. She has to gain their friendship and trust within two weeks in order to do so.
As Grace starts to move within the townspeople, she discovers their interesting, eccentric personalities and tries to figure out any "work" they have either around their houses or within their businesses she can assist them with to further show her devotion to being a good person. Although after making the rounds she does not acquire much work, the members of Dogville eventually open up and welcome Grace to assist them.
Grace starts to fall for Tom who is also smitten with her.
The police eventually arrive to post a sign of the missing Grace and to attempt to gain information on her. The town is unsure what to think and some folk start to question whether Grace is being truthful. A dark and winding road eventually develops and Grace is put through some difficult travails and her will tested. Emotions run high.
Writer/director Lars Von Trier produces another truly unique film. Not as shockingly, visually jarring as some of his other work, this time the screenplay is the ultimate star producing vast emotional turmoil and shocks with words and deeds instead. All the characters presented have quite the emotional arc during the 3 hour run time of this film and it is so interesting to endure the ride. Grace really disrupts this small, mountain community and helps the folk show their eventual true personalities in all their various forms.
The physical setting of the movie is an actual "sound stage" look of the main main street strip of Dogville shown only in building outlines with minimal props or decor within. When looking from above where extensive sections of the film are shown, the audience can view almost the entire township engaged in their daily activities either among one another or by themselves. A lot of the view from the street feels very real as the camera weaves through the conversations almost like another human being.
The slow erosion of the township to Grace, her situation and the way they treat her is the crux of the film. The way human beings can be so kind to each other and then the opposite is what struck and moved me while watching Dogville. Von Trier really took the time to use the right amount of words and craft them in a loving and vicious way made the film tough to watch at times, but also captivating.
I haven't always been the biggest Nicole Kidman fan; however, her performance in this film is amazing. She cautious vulnerability and warming personality have the town be initially enamored with her, then her willingness to please erodes her relationships down the hole of darkness and betrayal. Her quirky smile and subdued emotion suits the character perfectly as you are truly trying to unravel her character's mysteries.
Really enjoyed this one.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Lithium in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Lithium by Asina C is not the typical book style that comes to mind when I think about a fiction book based in Chernobyl. Normally I would expect such a book to be full of zombies or mutants who go around terrorizing a group of tourist that get lost but that is not the case with Lithium. Instead, this book mixes truth with science and a little bit of fantasy and gives readers a different type of story altogether. This book also talks about the Red Forest in Chernobyl and it sparked an interest in me to look up some pictures of the forest. I also did not notice too much that widely away from the actual facts about Chernobyl, though I would by no means consider myself to be well informed on the subject.
Zurin has lived with her mother for all of her twelve years in a small shack in Pripyat. Her mother has always kept Zurin inside her home for fear of radiation sickness and being seen. This is in part because the area in which they live is believed to be uninhabitable because of all the radiation still in everything following the explosion. Zurin has always been obedient to her mothers rules until one day when her mother goes to get supplies and Zurin decides to step outside for the first time but may have been seen by someone.
Then one day, shortly after her birthday Zurin wakes up to find her mother gone and blood on the floor. Zurin then ventures out into the Red Forest in search of her mother but gets extremely lost and succumbs to radiation sickness. Luckily she is found by a young couple who work for a travel company and snuck into a restricted area of Chernobyl to take pictures for their website. The couple takes Zurin to the hospital and adopts her once she gets better. As fate would have it months later Zurin returns to Pripyat in search of her mother yet again and finds herself in an abandoned hospital. It is in this hospital that she learns the truth about her mother and her life up to this point. Her only hope is to team up with a doctor she is not completely trusting of, the young couple, and a man she has never met before.
What I liked best was the idea of people still being able to live in a highly irradiated area such as Pripyat with few side effects was interesting. The book also offered some mystery as to who Zurin and her mother are and why they chose to continue to live in an isolated area such a Pripyat. What I liked least was a little more complicated. I understand the fact that people exposed to nuclear radiation and or uranium may mutate both physically and/or mentally if they survive. What I did not understand was Nikolavs goal by purposefully mutating the patients who survived the explosion but were trapped in the mental ward of the hospital.
This is definitely a young adult book, but for many, after high school, I feel like it would quickly lose its strong appeal. It is a good book but I feel like it would need to be a little more detailed, making the book a bit longer in order for it to have more of an appeal to adults. I ended up rating this book a 2 out of 4. This is because while I enjoy books set around Chernobyl (especially if mutated people or zombies are involved because it offers a plausible explanation for it) this book fell short of my expectations. One of the main issues I had was how the book fails to give solid reasoning and jumps from one topic to another.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/lithium
Zurin has lived with her mother for all of her twelve years in a small shack in Pripyat. Her mother has always kept Zurin inside her home for fear of radiation sickness and being seen. This is in part because the area in which they live is believed to be uninhabitable because of all the radiation still in everything following the explosion. Zurin has always been obedient to her mothers rules until one day when her mother goes to get supplies and Zurin decides to step outside for the first time but may have been seen by someone.
Then one day, shortly after her birthday Zurin wakes up to find her mother gone and blood on the floor. Zurin then ventures out into the Red Forest in search of her mother but gets extremely lost and succumbs to radiation sickness. Luckily she is found by a young couple who work for a travel company and snuck into a restricted area of Chernobyl to take pictures for their website. The couple takes Zurin to the hospital and adopts her once she gets better. As fate would have it months later Zurin returns to Pripyat in search of her mother yet again and finds herself in an abandoned hospital. It is in this hospital that she learns the truth about her mother and her life up to this point. Her only hope is to team up with a doctor she is not completely trusting of, the young couple, and a man she has never met before.
What I liked best was the idea of people still being able to live in a highly irradiated area such as Pripyat with few side effects was interesting. The book also offered some mystery as to who Zurin and her mother are and why they chose to continue to live in an isolated area such a Pripyat. What I liked least was a little more complicated. I understand the fact that people exposed to nuclear radiation and or uranium may mutate both physically and/or mentally if they survive. What I did not understand was Nikolavs goal by purposefully mutating the patients who survived the explosion but were trapped in the mental ward of the hospital.
This is definitely a young adult book, but for many, after high school, I feel like it would quickly lose its strong appeal. It is a good book but I feel like it would need to be a little more detailed, making the book a bit longer in order for it to have more of an appeal to adults. I ended up rating this book a 2 out of 4. This is because while I enjoy books set around Chernobyl (especially if mutated people or zombies are involved because it offers a plausible explanation for it) this book fell short of my expectations. One of the main issues I had was how the book fails to give solid reasoning and jumps from one topic to another.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/lithium