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Mark Sonna
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"Where are they now" section
A true tale of how an American mom made a life in Mexico
Contains spoilers, click to show
A true tale of how an American mom moves from Illinois to Mexico with her two youngest sons in tow.
Lois Sonna (aka Batman) is tired of trying to be the kind of wife her husband expects her to be. She realizes this is not who she is and wishes to be free from the antiquated views of marriage and wifedom that her husband has.
She leaves her 4 children with her mother and heads for Mexico on Easter weekend and ends up securing a job and housing in Irapuato, Mexico.
She returns to the US to get her two youngest children and promptly heads back to Irapuato to move into their new apartment and report to work.
She soon discovers how different things are in Mexico from the battle to maintain more than 5 minutes of hot water, issues with plumbing, and the lack of American food choices to struggling to imbed some semblance of American culture in her childrens upbringing and making everything work out happily ever after in the end.
Due to unforseen (and not very well thought out) circumstances, she learns the Mexican ways of bribery and upcharging as well as taking advantage of the machismo culture of Mexico. This leads Lois to consider entering the world of smuggling goods from the US back into Mexico in order to make ends meet.
The memoir was written by Lois's oldest and only daughter, Linda Sonna, who recieved letters every week from her mother. The original manuscript was presented in letter form, but later changed to flow more like a story, with much of the writing taken verbatim directly from the letters.
This is a heart-warming, laugh out loud, and sometimes ridiculous story that can only be made sense of because it really happened.
Lois Sonna (aka Batman) is tired of trying to be the kind of wife her husband expects her to be. She realizes this is not who she is and wishes to be free from the antiquated views of marriage and wifedom that her husband has.
She leaves her 4 children with her mother and heads for Mexico on Easter weekend and ends up securing a job and housing in Irapuato, Mexico.
She returns to the US to get her two youngest children and promptly heads back to Irapuato to move into their new apartment and report to work.
She soon discovers how different things are in Mexico from the battle to maintain more than 5 minutes of hot water, issues with plumbing, and the lack of American food choices to struggling to imbed some semblance of American culture in her childrens upbringing and making everything work out happily ever after in the end.
Due to unforseen (and not very well thought out) circumstances, she learns the Mexican ways of bribery and upcharging as well as taking advantage of the machismo culture of Mexico. This leads Lois to consider entering the world of smuggling goods from the US back into Mexico in order to make ends meet.
The memoir was written by Lois's oldest and only daughter, Linda Sonna, who recieved letters every week from her mother. The original manuscript was presented in letter form, but later changed to flow more like a story, with much of the writing taken verbatim directly from the letters.
This is a heart-warming, laugh out loud, and sometimes ridiculous story that can only be made sense of because it really happened.
The Husband's Secret
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The Husband's Secret is a gripping story about love, deception and how the smallest choice can have...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Quiet Place (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Like many parents, Lee (John Krasinski), and Evelyn (Emily Blunt), have an overwhelming urge to keep their children safe in the world and protect them at all costs. In the new film “A Quiet Place”, that maternal drive is taken to extreme levels as the world has been attacked by vicious creatures who hunt by sound alone.
The slightest loud noise will bring a rapid moving creature in moments that will destroy whatever made the sound instantly. As such, Lee and Evelyn have gone to great lengths to live as quietly as possible and even have a system for their home and supply runs to be as safe as possible.
When tragedy strikes, it causes a division between Lee and their only daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), who although deaf herself believes she is being blamed for the tragedy and the guilt has only grown over time.
The family continues on and the film jumps forward in time to show that Lee is studying as much about the creatures as he can in an effort to find a weakness they can use as well as to provide more security for his family.
Of course even the best plans do not always work and what follows is a very intense and raw struggle for survival which shows just how far a person is willing to go for their family.
Krasinski not only stars in the film but also directed it and helped to write the screenplay. Working with his actual wife worked very well as they have a fantastic chemistry which helps them convey the emotions and thoughts of the film well which is amazing considering how little dialogue there is in the film as gestures and sign language are the most common form of communication.
The film is very intense in moments and a fantastic extended sequence with Blunt had my wife squeezing my hand tightly and afraid to utter a sound as it left her holding her breath.
The film is a very fresh take on the creature genre and the quality of the performances lifts the film to a level rarely seen in a suspense film. The film did play a bit fast and loose with some aspects such as the history of the creatures and the state of the world around them as it is largely conveyed through newspaper headlines left lying around. As such I found myself wondering why certain defensive options and offensive tactics were not used as to me they seemed to be common sense approaches. For a film with such a fresh premise and strong performances, the ending did seem to depend a bit too much on some of the usual Hollywood stereotypes but it did not keep the film from being highly entertaining and effective. As I watched the film I kept thinking that there could be a connection to “Cloverfield” especially based on aspects of the creatures. The film was made for a very small budget so hopefully we will be seeing a sequel in the near future as “A Quiet Place” was a very enjoyable film and one of the best surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2018/04/05/a-quiet-place/
The slightest loud noise will bring a rapid moving creature in moments that will destroy whatever made the sound instantly. As such, Lee and Evelyn have gone to great lengths to live as quietly as possible and even have a system for their home and supply runs to be as safe as possible.
When tragedy strikes, it causes a division between Lee and their only daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), who although deaf herself believes she is being blamed for the tragedy and the guilt has only grown over time.
The family continues on and the film jumps forward in time to show that Lee is studying as much about the creatures as he can in an effort to find a weakness they can use as well as to provide more security for his family.
Of course even the best plans do not always work and what follows is a very intense and raw struggle for survival which shows just how far a person is willing to go for their family.
Krasinski not only stars in the film but also directed it and helped to write the screenplay. Working with his actual wife worked very well as they have a fantastic chemistry which helps them convey the emotions and thoughts of the film well which is amazing considering how little dialogue there is in the film as gestures and sign language are the most common form of communication.
The film is very intense in moments and a fantastic extended sequence with Blunt had my wife squeezing my hand tightly and afraid to utter a sound as it left her holding her breath.
The film is a very fresh take on the creature genre and the quality of the performances lifts the film to a level rarely seen in a suspense film. The film did play a bit fast and loose with some aspects such as the history of the creatures and the state of the world around them as it is largely conveyed through newspaper headlines left lying around. As such I found myself wondering why certain defensive options and offensive tactics were not used as to me they seemed to be common sense approaches. For a film with such a fresh premise and strong performances, the ending did seem to depend a bit too much on some of the usual Hollywood stereotypes but it did not keep the film from being highly entertaining and effective. As I watched the film I kept thinking that there could be a connection to “Cloverfield” especially based on aspects of the creatures. The film was made for a very small budget so hopefully we will be seeing a sequel in the near future as “A Quiet Place” was a very enjoyable film and one of the best surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2018/04/05/a-quiet-place/
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Beautiful Boy (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
Trying to climb a slippery pole.
As John Lennon’s lyrics go:
“‘Cause it’s a long way to go,
A hard row to hoe
Yes, it’s a long way to go“
And so it proves for young Nic Sheff (Timothée Chalamet). For – based on a true story – Nic has progressively worked through the encyclopaedia of drugs until he has arrived at “C for Crystal Meth” where he is working through a recurring nightmare of addiction and attempted rehab.
What’s harder… being the victim of drugs or being the caring onlookers desperately hoping that this attempt to climb the slippery pole to recovery will be a successful one? This is reflected as a key aspect of the film, and as a parent it makes for a very hard watch. The ‘caring onlookers’ in this case are Nic’s father David (Steve Carell), his girlfriend Karen Barbour (Maura Tierney), the couple’s natural children Jasper (Christian Convery) and Daisy (Oakley Bull), and David’s ex-wife and Nic’s mother Vicki (Amy Ryan).
Flashbacks
This is only the 2nd English-language film from director Felix van Groeningen (after 2012’s ” The Broken Circle Breakdown”) and the film has its fair share of impressive directorial flourishes such that Felix might need to get added to that elusive list of “famous Belgians”! Not least among them is the use of flashbacks. The film starts with a 12 month flashback, but then throughout the story David flashes back to scenes of his boy’s childhood. Many of these reflect the regret in perhaps failing to identify ways he could have done things differently to avoid the current crisis.
While many of these flashbacks are sudden and unexpected, I didn’t find them confusing to follow although I can see how they might annoy some viewers who prefer a more ‘linear’ storytelling approach.
The turns
Above all, it is the acting performances that make this film, and the four key cast members all turn in memorable turns. It’s excruciating watching Carell’s parental anguish and then (like a blast of light) his realization of a truth he’d been avoiding for a long time. It’s Chalamet though who truly shines, delivering fully on the realization of the tortured and self-torturing Nic. Already nominated for a Golden Globe, I would have thought another Oscar nomination is assured for this.
ER’s Maura Tierney also excels in a quieter supporting role: something that generally seems to be her niche at the movies.
Part of the curriculum
This is most definitely a “Father Ted” film…. it’s a gruelling movie from beginning to end and as such it feels a lot longer than it’s 2 hour running time suggests. But it is well worth the effort. A drama that really delivers on its message: “just say no”.
It rather frustrates me that the film is a UK 15 certificate. Not that I’m criticising the BBFC here, since with graphic drug taking, a lot of choice language and one (not overly graphic) sex scene, the rating is appropriate. However this would seem to me to be required viewing by every 13 year old, since if Chalomet’s performance can’t drill the message home to not climb onto that pole in the first place, then noone can.
“‘Cause it’s a long way to go,
A hard row to hoe
Yes, it’s a long way to go“
And so it proves for young Nic Sheff (Timothée Chalamet). For – based on a true story – Nic has progressively worked through the encyclopaedia of drugs until he has arrived at “C for Crystal Meth” where he is working through a recurring nightmare of addiction and attempted rehab.
What’s harder… being the victim of drugs or being the caring onlookers desperately hoping that this attempt to climb the slippery pole to recovery will be a successful one? This is reflected as a key aspect of the film, and as a parent it makes for a very hard watch. The ‘caring onlookers’ in this case are Nic’s father David (Steve Carell), his girlfriend Karen Barbour (Maura Tierney), the couple’s natural children Jasper (Christian Convery) and Daisy (Oakley Bull), and David’s ex-wife and Nic’s mother Vicki (Amy Ryan).
Flashbacks
This is only the 2nd English-language film from director Felix van Groeningen (after 2012’s ” The Broken Circle Breakdown”) and the film has its fair share of impressive directorial flourishes such that Felix might need to get added to that elusive list of “famous Belgians”! Not least among them is the use of flashbacks. The film starts with a 12 month flashback, but then throughout the story David flashes back to scenes of his boy’s childhood. Many of these reflect the regret in perhaps failing to identify ways he could have done things differently to avoid the current crisis.
While many of these flashbacks are sudden and unexpected, I didn’t find them confusing to follow although I can see how they might annoy some viewers who prefer a more ‘linear’ storytelling approach.
The turns
Above all, it is the acting performances that make this film, and the four key cast members all turn in memorable turns. It’s excruciating watching Carell’s parental anguish and then (like a blast of light) his realization of a truth he’d been avoiding for a long time. It’s Chalamet though who truly shines, delivering fully on the realization of the tortured and self-torturing Nic. Already nominated for a Golden Globe, I would have thought another Oscar nomination is assured for this.
ER’s Maura Tierney also excels in a quieter supporting role: something that generally seems to be her niche at the movies.
Part of the curriculum
This is most definitely a “Father Ted” film…. it’s a gruelling movie from beginning to end and as such it feels a lot longer than it’s 2 hour running time suggests. But it is well worth the effort. A drama that really delivers on its message: “just say no”.
It rather frustrates me that the film is a UK 15 certificate. Not that I’m criticising the BBFC here, since with graphic drug taking, a lot of choice language and one (not overly graphic) sex scene, the rating is appropriate. However this would seem to me to be required viewing by every 13 year old, since if Chalomet’s performance can’t drill the message home to not climb onto that pole in the first place, then noone can.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Cruella (2021) in Movies
Jun 11, 2021
The two Emmas (2 more)
The rest of the ensemble cast
The technical team: cinematography, hair & make-up; costuming
An astonishing attack on the senses as Disney goes to the dark side.
Positives:
- The battle of the Emmas! It's really difficult to say who wins, since both Emma Thompson and Emma Stone give such fabulous performances here. You might think that Thompson steals a scene at one minute, only for Stone to come surfing in on a garbage truck and outdo her! I think it would be a surprise if both were not nominated for Actress and Supporting Actress Oscars for this.
- The supporting cast is also very strong. Paul Walter Hauser picks up the 'comedy villain' role as Horace Badun, and is so entertaining I could just about forgive his 'gor-blimey-guvnor' cockney accent: one that gives Dick Van Dyke a run for his money. Joel Fry - most recognisable to me as the useless roadie from "Yesterday" - plays the straight man in the duo, and does it very well. Mark Strong, cast against type as an evil henchman (#humour) is as good as always. And Kirby Howell-Baptiste and John McCrea round off the strong ensemble cast. But a particular shout-out I think should go to young Tipper Seifert-Cleveland who plays the young Estrella: she's way down the cast list, but I thought she gave a knock-out performance to ground the dramatic opening scenes of the movie.
- Technically, the film is marvellous and surely in line for a slew of technical Oscars next awards season. In fact, I think - even at this early point in the year - you would be a VERY brave person to bet against Cruella picking up the awards for Hair and Makeup (Nadia Stacey), Costume (Jenny Beavan and Tom Davies) and Production Design (Fiona Crombie). It's a stunning technical achievement - a real attack on the senses.
- The cinematography (Nicholas Karakatsanis) is also spectacular. A 'single-take' fly-through of the Liberty store from top to bottom is a tour-de-force, worthy of "1917"-style applause.
- And we should also add to this list a truly banging soundtrack from Nicholas Britell. Many of the tracks chosen - although regular visitors to cinema screen - catch the mood of the movie brilliantly and add to what is a joy-ride of a flick.
- The script is deliciously dark in places for a Disney film. Definitely NOT one for young children. Perhaps - given that it went down some of the roads it did, it could have been made EVEN BLACKER in places. (Did we REALLY need to see the Dalmatians again!) But some of the twists are delightful, especially 'mothageddon' which made me howl with laughter (even though I rather saw a variation of it coming).
Negatives:
- At 134 minutes, I felt the movie was a bit too long. There's a point (at about 100 minutes, where Emma Stone does her "I am Cruella" speech) which felt to me like the perfect end to a (first) film. I was delighted, happy and very content with the movie, thank-you very much. But then we dived back into the third reel. And, don't get me wrong, the ending was really entertaining. But, given that I suspect Disney KNEW that this was likely to be a big hit, I think a shorter film teasing for the sequel would have worked better.
Additional Notes:
- It's 12A certificate for a reason. Although a Disney, this is the dark-side of Disney and is not suitable for younger children.
- Yes, this one has a mid-credit scene - and for once its worth staying for: an introduction to two of the stars of the original cartoon that we haven't met yet, and for a rendition of a well-known tune (a TERRIBLE ear-worm that I've been quietly humming to myself ever since!).
Summary Thoughts on "Cruella": The cinema summer's still young, but it's already had some tricks up its sleeve. First "Nobody" came out of nowhere to delight me. And now, what a surprise! "Cruella" is a blisteringly funny, gloriously colourful and hugely entertaining blockbuster.
You'll know I'm not a fan of these Disney live-action re-imaginings of classic cartoons (although of course this one has previously had the Glenn Close treatment in two previous films in 1996 and 2000). But this is an origin story I really thought I didn't want... but now feel that I was wrong.
I've seen it described as "Devil Wears Prada meets Joker". The Prada analogy is well-deserved. But I'm not sure I agree with the Joker analogy. In Joker, our anti-hero was an everyman (albeit a disturbed one) driven to madness and anarchy by others. In Cruella, it's all inbred and that makes it perhaps even more deliciously dark. The fact that Disney released this - forewarned by a distinctly sombre and stormy castle logo at the start - is a minor miracle, and hopefully signs of more spice and adventure to come.
If you haven't caught it yet, it's highly recommended. As well as being in cinemas, its also available to buy on Disney+ streaming.
(Please check out the full graphical review at One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/11/cruella-an-astonishing-attack-on-the-senses-as-disney-goes-to-the-dark-side/. Thanks).
- The battle of the Emmas! It's really difficult to say who wins, since both Emma Thompson and Emma Stone give such fabulous performances here. You might think that Thompson steals a scene at one minute, only for Stone to come surfing in on a garbage truck and outdo her! I think it would be a surprise if both were not nominated for Actress and Supporting Actress Oscars for this.
- The supporting cast is also very strong. Paul Walter Hauser picks up the 'comedy villain' role as Horace Badun, and is so entertaining I could just about forgive his 'gor-blimey-guvnor' cockney accent: one that gives Dick Van Dyke a run for his money. Joel Fry - most recognisable to me as the useless roadie from "Yesterday" - plays the straight man in the duo, and does it very well. Mark Strong, cast against type as an evil henchman (#humour) is as good as always. And Kirby Howell-Baptiste and John McCrea round off the strong ensemble cast. But a particular shout-out I think should go to young Tipper Seifert-Cleveland who plays the young Estrella: she's way down the cast list, but I thought she gave a knock-out performance to ground the dramatic opening scenes of the movie.
- Technically, the film is marvellous and surely in line for a slew of technical Oscars next awards season. In fact, I think - even at this early point in the year - you would be a VERY brave person to bet against Cruella picking up the awards for Hair and Makeup (Nadia Stacey), Costume (Jenny Beavan and Tom Davies) and Production Design (Fiona Crombie). It's a stunning technical achievement - a real attack on the senses.
- The cinematography (Nicholas Karakatsanis) is also spectacular. A 'single-take' fly-through of the Liberty store from top to bottom is a tour-de-force, worthy of "1917"-style applause.
- And we should also add to this list a truly banging soundtrack from Nicholas Britell. Many of the tracks chosen - although regular visitors to cinema screen - catch the mood of the movie brilliantly and add to what is a joy-ride of a flick.
- The script is deliciously dark in places for a Disney film. Definitely NOT one for young children. Perhaps - given that it went down some of the roads it did, it could have been made EVEN BLACKER in places. (Did we REALLY need to see the Dalmatians again!) But some of the twists are delightful, especially 'mothageddon' which made me howl with laughter (even though I rather saw a variation of it coming).
Negatives:
- At 134 minutes, I felt the movie was a bit too long. There's a point (at about 100 minutes, where Emma Stone does her "I am Cruella" speech) which felt to me like the perfect end to a (first) film. I was delighted, happy and very content with the movie, thank-you very much. But then we dived back into the third reel. And, don't get me wrong, the ending was really entertaining. But, given that I suspect Disney KNEW that this was likely to be a big hit, I think a shorter film teasing for the sequel would have worked better.
Additional Notes:
- It's 12A certificate for a reason. Although a Disney, this is the dark-side of Disney and is not suitable for younger children.
- Yes, this one has a mid-credit scene - and for once its worth staying for: an introduction to two of the stars of the original cartoon that we haven't met yet, and for a rendition of a well-known tune (a TERRIBLE ear-worm that I've been quietly humming to myself ever since!).
Summary Thoughts on "Cruella": The cinema summer's still young, but it's already had some tricks up its sleeve. First "Nobody" came out of nowhere to delight me. And now, what a surprise! "Cruella" is a blisteringly funny, gloriously colourful and hugely entertaining blockbuster.
You'll know I'm not a fan of these Disney live-action re-imaginings of classic cartoons (although of course this one has previously had the Glenn Close treatment in two previous films in 1996 and 2000). But this is an origin story I really thought I didn't want... but now feel that I was wrong.
I've seen it described as "Devil Wears Prada meets Joker". The Prada analogy is well-deserved. But I'm not sure I agree with the Joker analogy. In Joker, our anti-hero was an everyman (albeit a disturbed one) driven to madness and anarchy by others. In Cruella, it's all inbred and that makes it perhaps even more deliciously dark. The fact that Disney released this - forewarned by a distinctly sombre and stormy castle logo at the start - is a minor miracle, and hopefully signs of more spice and adventure to come.
If you haven't caught it yet, it's highly recommended. As well as being in cinemas, its also available to buy on Disney+ streaming.
(Please check out the full graphical review at One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/11/cruella-an-astonishing-attack-on-the-senses-as-disney-goes-to-the-dark-side/. Thanks).
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Quatermass Conclusion (1979) in Movies
Feb 10, 2018 (Updated Feb 10, 2018)
We're all doomed, I tell you, DOOMED!
Big-screen version of Nigel Kneale's ultra-depressing finale to his series of Quatermass TV shows and films. Kneale was only in his fifties when he wrote this, which is odd because it feels very much like an old man's wail of anguish when faced with a world he no longer feels he belongs to or even recognises. Set in the near future - one very much informed by the social unrest and generational tensions that were present in the UK when it was made - this is the story of a collapsing civilisation presented with a new threat: a hostile alien presence, which originally visited Earth five thousand years ago, has returned, basically intent on chowing down on young people (this was clearly an influence on the later Torchwood series Children of Earth). Ageing boffin Bernard Quatermass must find a solution, if he can.
It's not uncommon for SF to be not so much about predicting the future as complaining about the present, but what makes this version of Quatermass unusual is it's told primarily from the perspective of old people - there are a couple of younger sympathetic characters, but even they are thirty-five-going-on-sixty in their attitudes, and most of the younger people are depicted as either feckless wasters or violent psychopaths. (The generation gap is explained by alien influences being at work.)
Reasonably lavish, bearing in mind its TV origins, and quite successful on its own terms - but as its main intention seems to be to drive the viewer to despair, it's not especially easy to like.
It's not uncommon for SF to be not so much about predicting the future as complaining about the present, but what makes this version of Quatermass unusual is it's told primarily from the perspective of old people - there are a couple of younger sympathetic characters, but even they are thirty-five-going-on-sixty in their attitudes, and most of the younger people are depicted as either feckless wasters or violent psychopaths. (The generation gap is explained by alien influences being at work.)
Reasonably lavish, bearing in mind its TV origins, and quite successful on its own terms - but as its main intention seems to be to drive the viewer to despair, it's not especially easy to like.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Big Little Lies in TV
Dec 16, 2018
The best thing about good programming is good writing!
I just finished binge watching all 7 episodes of this fantastic HBO limited series featuring a mostly female cast (I'm sure everyone knows of this by now).
The story centers around three women, all raising children trying to lead "normal" lives, but have hidden scars and emotional baggage in their relationships they are trying to work through. Tensions continue to escalate through a series of confrontations and slow burn emotional scenes, but the payoff is ultimately worth it. I am much more a fan of vague endings than most people, so I would say I thought they could have left out the final scene and left us to wonder what happened, but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that.
The acting is certainly stellar all around; however, the real royalty here is the screenplay. too often great writing gets overlooked since it's not the flashiest of production values, but this one should not be ignored. It shows that everyone you encounter in life is a human being with strengths and weaknesses. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes, or make the tough choices to save your situation and make a better life for yourself.
After finishing I read they are doing a second season. Not sure how I feel about that. It would be all right maybe if it was a completely separate story, but this is going to be a continuation. They are adding Meryl Streep so I guess that's a good start.
I will have to wait and see!
The story centers around three women, all raising children trying to lead "normal" lives, but have hidden scars and emotional baggage in their relationships they are trying to work through. Tensions continue to escalate through a series of confrontations and slow burn emotional scenes, but the payoff is ultimately worth it. I am much more a fan of vague endings than most people, so I would say I thought they could have left out the final scene and left us to wonder what happened, but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that.
The acting is certainly stellar all around; however, the real royalty here is the screenplay. too often great writing gets overlooked since it's not the flashiest of production values, but this one should not be ignored. It shows that everyone you encounter in life is a human being with strengths and weaknesses. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes, or make the tough choices to save your situation and make a better life for yourself.
After finishing I read they are doing a second season. Not sure how I feel about that. It would be all right maybe if it was a completely separate story, but this is going to be a continuation. They are adding Meryl Streep so I guess that's a good start.
I will have to wait and see!
Fancy Nancy Dress Up
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Make Nancy look extra fancy in this first-ever official Fancy Nancy game app! Nancy’s going to a...
Great writing (2 more)
Never slows down
Great characters
Of the few children's horror books out there, Neil Gaiman's 2002 short novel Coraline, is one of the must-read for that age group. When a young girl named Coraline, and her family move into a new house (one which shares its basement and attic with other tenets), she finds a locked door that leads to nowhere, but soon after the door opens to a house that mirrors her own, yet the people there are a little bit "different. "
The people here look like the people from the world on the other side of the door, but these people have big buttons for eyes, and some are younger than their counterparts, but the most odd are her "other" parents, who, in her world, don't spend very much time with Coraline, and these two buttoned-eyed parents pay so much attention to her that they want her to stay with them forever just so they can make her happy. Coraline even meets a talking black cat, but the cat tells her it was smart to bring protection to this world (a stone with a hole in it that was given to her in the other world by two older lady tenets); this makes Coraline wonder why she would need protection in such a great place like this.
But for Coraline to stay in this world, her other mother and father tell her there is only one little thing she has to do to make that happen: " 'If you want to stay,' said her other father, 'there's only one little thing we'll have to do, so you can stay here for ever and always. '
They went to into the kitchen. On a china plate on the kitchen table was a spool of black cotton, and a long silver needle, and, beside them, two large black buttons. "
Coraline must allow her other parents to sew buttons over her eyes, but she adamantly refuses to allow them; her other parents don't argue with her, but rather bid her farewell, stating they'll see her again soon.
When Coraline returns to her normal world, she comes to realize that her parents are missing. Coraline now knows that the other parents will stop at nothing, including kidnapping her real parents, to get her to join them. Coraline goes back to the other world, demanding that the other parents give her real ones back. It's always that easy, right?
Wrong. Since the other parents are not willing to let Coraline go so easily, the other mother decides to play a game with Coraline, which is if she can find the souls of the other children this other mother has taken, she'll not only get to go home, but also get to take her real parents with her.
Fortunately, Coraline wasn't working alone in this game - - - remember the black cat? - - - she even has to face the 'other' counterparts of the tenets that live in the building. Since the movie of Coraline is still popular, most readers can guess what happens, but maybe not exactly how it happens.
Some readers may realize that the movie is quite different from the book. Most books are different from their film counterparts, but then you have books such as Stephen King's 'The Shining,' which are practically complete opposites of the movie. I don't believe that those, like myself, who watched the movie 'Coraline,' before reading the book will be disappointed by it, although there are quite a few differences throughout.
I have to end my review here because to tell you any more of the story would give away some of what makes Coraline such a great book. Which is not surprising coming from Neil Gaiman whose writing is always clear and concise, never slowing scenes down. Gaiman's children-age books are always flawless in both idea and writing.
Although this story is for ages 8 - 12, as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I highly recommend this book as a great way to introduce children to the horror genre, and to older people that like a good creepy story to read.
The people here look like the people from the world on the other side of the door, but these people have big buttons for eyes, and some are younger than their counterparts, but the most odd are her "other" parents, who, in her world, don't spend very much time with Coraline, and these two buttoned-eyed parents pay so much attention to her that they want her to stay with them forever just so they can make her happy. Coraline even meets a talking black cat, but the cat tells her it was smart to bring protection to this world (a stone with a hole in it that was given to her in the other world by two older lady tenets); this makes Coraline wonder why she would need protection in such a great place like this.
But for Coraline to stay in this world, her other mother and father tell her there is only one little thing she has to do to make that happen: " 'If you want to stay,' said her other father, 'there's only one little thing we'll have to do, so you can stay here for ever and always. '
They went to into the kitchen. On a china plate on the kitchen table was a spool of black cotton, and a long silver needle, and, beside them, two large black buttons. "
Coraline must allow her other parents to sew buttons over her eyes, but she adamantly refuses to allow them; her other parents don't argue with her, but rather bid her farewell, stating they'll see her again soon.
When Coraline returns to her normal world, she comes to realize that her parents are missing. Coraline now knows that the other parents will stop at nothing, including kidnapping her real parents, to get her to join them. Coraline goes back to the other world, demanding that the other parents give her real ones back. It's always that easy, right?
Wrong. Since the other parents are not willing to let Coraline go so easily, the other mother decides to play a game with Coraline, which is if she can find the souls of the other children this other mother has taken, she'll not only get to go home, but also get to take her real parents with her.
Fortunately, Coraline wasn't working alone in this game - - - remember the black cat? - - - she even has to face the 'other' counterparts of the tenets that live in the building. Since the movie of Coraline is still popular, most readers can guess what happens, but maybe not exactly how it happens.
Some readers may realize that the movie is quite different from the book. Most books are different from their film counterparts, but then you have books such as Stephen King's 'The Shining,' which are practically complete opposites of the movie. I don't believe that those, like myself, who watched the movie 'Coraline,' before reading the book will be disappointed by it, although there are quite a few differences throughout.
I have to end my review here because to tell you any more of the story would give away some of what makes Coraline such a great book. Which is not surprising coming from Neil Gaiman whose writing is always clear and concise, never slowing scenes down. Gaiman's children-age books are always flawless in both idea and writing.
Although this story is for ages 8 - 12, as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I highly recommend this book as a great way to introduce children to the horror genre, and to older people that like a good creepy story to read.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Sing, Unburied, Sing in Books
May 14, 2018
I know, I'm late to the party. This book made a big splash back in September - everyone was talking about it, and it won the National Book Award. My library, however, did not have enough copies to go around, and I was late putting a hold on it, so the hold I put on it in January finally came around to my turn!
In Sing, Unburied, Sing, Jesmyn Ward returns to the same neighborhood in Mississippi that Salvage the Bones was written about. (Two of the siblings from Salvage the Bones show up in a scene in Sing.) The story is told from three different viewpoints: Jojo, a thirteen-year-old boy and the main character of the novel, Leonie, his drug-addicted mother, and Richie, the ghost of a boy Jojo's grandfather met in prison.
This book covers so much that it's difficult to categorize - between discrimination and outright bigotry, bi-racial romance and children, drug addiction, poverty, prison life - deep south gothic, I suppose, would be the best description. Sing really only takes place over a couple of days, but it feels much longer, because Jojo's grandfather tells stories of his time in prison decades prior, Leonie reminisces about high school, and there's just this sense of timelessness over the entire novel.
It's not an easy book. These are hard issues to grapple with, and too many people have to live with these issues. Poverty, bigotry, addiction - these things disproportionately affect the black community, and white people are to blame for the imbalance.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ghost aspect of the book; on one hand I feel like people will see the ghost and decide the book is fantasy - that they don't really need to care about the problems the family faces. On the other hand, the ghost allows us to see even more bigotry and inhumanity targeted at black people. So it serves a purpose.
I'm not sure I like this book. But I'm glad I read it. And that's pretty much going to be my recommendation; it's not a fun read, but it's an important one.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
In Sing, Unburied, Sing, Jesmyn Ward returns to the same neighborhood in Mississippi that Salvage the Bones was written about. (Two of the siblings from Salvage the Bones show up in a scene in Sing.) The story is told from three different viewpoints: Jojo, a thirteen-year-old boy and the main character of the novel, Leonie, his drug-addicted mother, and Richie, the ghost of a boy Jojo's grandfather met in prison.
This book covers so much that it's difficult to categorize - between discrimination and outright bigotry, bi-racial romance and children, drug addiction, poverty, prison life - deep south gothic, I suppose, would be the best description. Sing really only takes place over a couple of days, but it feels much longer, because Jojo's grandfather tells stories of his time in prison decades prior, Leonie reminisces about high school, and there's just this sense of timelessness over the entire novel.
It's not an easy book. These are hard issues to grapple with, and too many people have to live with these issues. Poverty, bigotry, addiction - these things disproportionately affect the black community, and white people are to blame for the imbalance.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ghost aspect of the book; on one hand I feel like people will see the ghost and decide the book is fantasy - that they don't really need to care about the problems the family faces. On the other hand, the ghost allows us to see even more bigotry and inhumanity targeted at black people. So it serves a purpose.
I'm not sure I like this book. But I'm glad I read it. And that's pretty much going to be my recommendation; it's not a fun read, but it's an important one.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com