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An imperfect perfect future
October 2014 Book of the Month
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
It has been over twenty years since Lois Lowry’s controversial children’s story The Giver was published and it certainly deserves its status as an essential modern classic. Jonas has grown up in the perfect world of the Community whose survival relies on strict rules and rituals. Adults are assigned spouses and children (one boy and one girl) as they take up their role within the society. At the beginning of the book Jonas is approaching then end of his eleventh year and feeling apprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve where he will be assigned a job for him to do for the rest of his adult life. Jonas gets selected as the Receiver of Memory – a very rare position – and begins to experience memories from humans who lived a long time ago. For Jonas this is exciting until he begins to see the flaws in his perfect world.
Dystopian literature has become popular over the past few years and it would not be surprising if it were The Giver that inspired these contemporary works. Lowry claims that she did not intend for The Giver to have a sinister feel about it; she was writing an adventure story and exploring the concept of the importance of memory, but it turned out to be something much more thought provoking. As the children’s novelist Margaret Mahy (The Haunting) pointed out, up until the publication of this novel in 1993 Lowry was best known for her funny stories about Anastasia Krupnik resulting in The Giver being even more shocking and unexpected.
The Giver highlights that attempting to produce perfection can often result in the loss of good things as well as the bad. The notion of the ideal world may seem like a wonderful proposal, but in order to achieve it humans would have to do away with free choice as in ironing out the inequalities and injustices of the present world would result in everything becoming the same for each individual.
This is a difficult concept to grasp, particularly for a child. Although intended as a children’s series, The Giver and its following installments are more suitable for young adults and older. The only issue with this is that the writing style was target at a younger audience meaning that the overall story is short and lacks depth. If it were to have been written for older readers then there would have been the scope for it to become a much lengthier novel.
There are a lot of mixed reviews surrounding this book although they have changed greatly since the original publication. To begin with The Giver was banned in some areas however the dystopian theme has become accepted in today’s society. What many people comment on now is the oversimplification of such strong ideas. Then again, as already mentioned, it needs to be emphasized that this book was aimed at children, thus the language reflects the reading skills of its target audience.
The Giver is a gem of a book that not only is enjoyable but also can educate the reader on the dangers of attempting a utopian society and why it is important to retain human memories – even the bad – in order that wisdom can exist. Those who have become fans of contemporary dystopian novels, for example Divergent by Veronica Roth or Delirium by Lauren Oliver, will be sure to love this series.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
It has been over twenty years since Lois Lowry’s controversial children’s story The Giver was published and it certainly deserves its status as an essential modern classic. Jonas has grown up in the perfect world of the Community whose survival relies on strict rules and rituals. Adults are assigned spouses and children (one boy and one girl) as they take up their role within the society. At the beginning of the book Jonas is approaching then end of his eleventh year and feeling apprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve where he will be assigned a job for him to do for the rest of his adult life. Jonas gets selected as the Receiver of Memory – a very rare position – and begins to experience memories from humans who lived a long time ago. For Jonas this is exciting until he begins to see the flaws in his perfect world.
Dystopian literature has become popular over the past few years and it would not be surprising if it were The Giver that inspired these contemporary works. Lowry claims that she did not intend for The Giver to have a sinister feel about it; she was writing an adventure story and exploring the concept of the importance of memory, but it turned out to be something much more thought provoking. As the children’s novelist Margaret Mahy (The Haunting) pointed out, up until the publication of this novel in 1993 Lowry was best known for her funny stories about Anastasia Krupnik resulting in The Giver being even more shocking and unexpected.
The Giver highlights that attempting to produce perfection can often result in the loss of good things as well as the bad. The notion of the ideal world may seem like a wonderful proposal, but in order to achieve it humans would have to do away with free choice as in ironing out the inequalities and injustices of the present world would result in everything becoming the same for each individual.
This is a difficult concept to grasp, particularly for a child. Although intended as a children’s series, The Giver and its following installments are more suitable for young adults and older. The only issue with this is that the writing style was target at a younger audience meaning that the overall story is short and lacks depth. If it were to have been written for older readers then there would have been the scope for it to become a much lengthier novel.
There are a lot of mixed reviews surrounding this book although they have changed greatly since the original publication. To begin with The Giver was banned in some areas however the dystopian theme has become accepted in today’s society. What many people comment on now is the oversimplification of such strong ideas. Then again, as already mentioned, it needs to be emphasized that this book was aimed at children, thus the language reflects the reading skills of its target audience.
The Giver is a gem of a book that not only is enjoyable but also can educate the reader on the dangers of attempting a utopian society and why it is important to retain human memories – even the bad – in order that wisdom can exist. Those who have become fans of contemporary dystopian novels, for example Divergent by Veronica Roth or Delirium by Lauren Oliver, will be sure to love this series.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Making of a Duchess (The Sons of the Revolution, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Sarah Smith is just a governess… but then her employer sends her off to spy on the French Duc de Valère, Julien. Sarah takes on an identity of someone who died years ago. Insecure and out of her comfort zone, she does her best to figure out if Julien is a traitor… but gets nearly swept away by him. Being discovered as a spy doesn't help her situation any, either. But Julien isn't going to turn her out on the streets. He's going to use her to keep himself safe from the men trying to catch him… and he might just marry her.
Julien knows it's his duty to ask Serafina Artoris to marry him, and after seeing her once and being astounded by her beauty, he's fully prepared to marry her—but she rejects him. He tries his best to keep his head on straight as he continues his search for his brothers, who he is convinced are alive. But he never counted on Serafina being so attractive, so unique, so different… and discovers that he is willing to give her a second chance.
Both Julien and Sarah struggle with their feelings about each other, but unite in a common cause: to prove that Julien is not a traitor to his country, by finding his brother who may or may not be alive, using information from a man who may or may not be luring them into a trap. But there are many mysteries and complications along the way, such as compromised reputations, jail breaks, at least three marriage proposals, and pirates… and a Duc madly in love with a governess.
The Making of a Duchess was romantic, exciting, and sweet. It kept me reading and sat in the forefront of my mind.
The plot was exciting near the end when the action took place, but there wasn't much happening through the rest besides a lot of sneaking and a lot of kissing. I figured out a key element of the story the second the hint was dropped, in one of the first chapters, and I was a little disappointed that the mystery didn't get unveiled later. And, again with the last-page love confession… is it a requirement for men in romance novels to put off saying "I love you" for as long as they can? It was the only thing that bugged me about Julien. He was such a bright man, but he didn't even tell her that he loved her. Not until it was quite obvious. At least he said it, though.
I liked the characters a lot: I felt really bad for poor Sarah—although her repetition of doubts did get annoying after a while—and I cared a lot for her happy ending. She had so many doubts about who she was, her family, what was right and what was wrong, and even whom she was loyal to. Julien was just one of those heroes that everyone wants but nobody can seem to get their hands on, so there was no way to not love him. He was brave, courageous, had his priorities set straight, a hard worker, and a romantic (and extremely good looking). Their relationship was a little fast paced, and it was hard to see what it was based off of at first. Sarah had a hard time figuring out what was desire, and what was love… but I think she got it right in the end.
Content/Recommendation: little language, some sex. Ages 18+
Julien knows it's his duty to ask Serafina Artoris to marry him, and after seeing her once and being astounded by her beauty, he's fully prepared to marry her—but she rejects him. He tries his best to keep his head on straight as he continues his search for his brothers, who he is convinced are alive. But he never counted on Serafina being so attractive, so unique, so different… and discovers that he is willing to give her a second chance.
Both Julien and Sarah struggle with their feelings about each other, but unite in a common cause: to prove that Julien is not a traitor to his country, by finding his brother who may or may not be alive, using information from a man who may or may not be luring them into a trap. But there are many mysteries and complications along the way, such as compromised reputations, jail breaks, at least three marriage proposals, and pirates… and a Duc madly in love with a governess.
The Making of a Duchess was romantic, exciting, and sweet. It kept me reading and sat in the forefront of my mind.
The plot was exciting near the end when the action took place, but there wasn't much happening through the rest besides a lot of sneaking and a lot of kissing. I figured out a key element of the story the second the hint was dropped, in one of the first chapters, and I was a little disappointed that the mystery didn't get unveiled later. And, again with the last-page love confession… is it a requirement for men in romance novels to put off saying "I love you" for as long as they can? It was the only thing that bugged me about Julien. He was such a bright man, but he didn't even tell her that he loved her. Not until it was quite obvious. At least he said it, though.
I liked the characters a lot: I felt really bad for poor Sarah—although her repetition of doubts did get annoying after a while—and I cared a lot for her happy ending. She had so many doubts about who she was, her family, what was right and what was wrong, and even whom she was loyal to. Julien was just one of those heroes that everyone wants but nobody can seem to get their hands on, so there was no way to not love him. He was brave, courageous, had his priorities set straight, a hard worker, and a romantic (and extremely good looking). Their relationship was a little fast paced, and it was hard to see what it was based off of at first. Sarah had a hard time figuring out what was desire, and what was love… but I think she got it right in the end.
Content/Recommendation: little language, some sex. Ages 18+
Ross (3284 KP) rated Season of Storms in Books
Apr 23, 2018 (Updated Apr 25, 2018)
2-d characters (2 more)
fantasy-by-numbers
Frequent incongruent Latin/French phrases
More a set of short stories than a novel in its own right
* I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. Formatting issues (many) have not been factored into the review *
To my knowledge, the books of The Witcher are split into the short story collection prequels (one of which I have read) and the full books (which I have not read). This book is somewhere in between being neither strictly a collection of short stories nor a focussed standalone novel in its own right. Chronologically, this book falls in between the stories contained in The Last Wish) though it is impossible to say quite where it falls (as mention of the stryga is made near the end, which begins the Last Wish I have to assume it comes after the flashback stories from that tome but before the overarching story linking them all).
It may be because I haven't read the full novels, but I find the Witcher to be a thoroughly bland and unexciting character and I have no connection with him. He has next to no personality and contributes nothing to the dialogue of the book. Similarly, all other characters are very disposable - they are either supposedly strong-willed sorceresses (who smell of flowers and throw themselves at the Witcher and are bedded instantly) or they are otherwise instantly forgettable.
I think Sapkwoski was trying to give the sorcerers a sense of academic snobbery but they frequently use Latin phrases, which just gets irritating very quickly. Similarly French words and phrases are thrown in willy-nilly without translation which gets annoying as well. This seems even more unusual when you realise the story was written in Polish and translated into English, with some parts kept in French or Latin. And then further when it is meant to be in a different world where French wouldn't be a thing.
The story essentially follows Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) who loses his swords and goes on a quest to get them back, and just happens along the way to meet people who need his skills (like on Neighbours where one character leaves and another comes in through the door at exactly the same moment). This aspect makes me think this was meant to be a series of short stories stitched together. But unfortunately here those short stories are not finished up within themselves and you have a number of unsatisfying loose ends in the back of your head throughout.
As with The Last Wish, I found the ending very confusing and had no idea what had happened. It may be that other works fill in the gap and I will have that filled in time, but if so that makes this not a satisfying read in its own right.
Overall, I don't mind Sapkowski's writing in general, other than a few irritating bad habits and I like the overriding idea of the stories but find the execution, character development and overall world-building somewhat clumsy and throw-away. But as I say, this may be because (I think) I have read these in chronological order, rather than published order. I will fill in the gaps and work out if that is the case.
To my knowledge, the books of The Witcher are split into the short story collection prequels (one of which I have read) and the full books (which I have not read). This book is somewhere in between being neither strictly a collection of short stories nor a focussed standalone novel in its own right. Chronologically, this book falls in between the stories contained in The Last Wish) though it is impossible to say quite where it falls (as mention of the stryga is made near the end, which begins the Last Wish I have to assume it comes after the flashback stories from that tome but before the overarching story linking them all).
It may be because I haven't read the full novels, but I find the Witcher to be a thoroughly bland and unexciting character and I have no connection with him. He has next to no personality and contributes nothing to the dialogue of the book. Similarly, all other characters are very disposable - they are either supposedly strong-willed sorceresses (who smell of flowers and throw themselves at the Witcher and are bedded instantly) or they are otherwise instantly forgettable.
I think Sapkwoski was trying to give the sorcerers a sense of academic snobbery but they frequently use Latin phrases, which just gets irritating very quickly. Similarly French words and phrases are thrown in willy-nilly without translation which gets annoying as well. This seems even more unusual when you realise the story was written in Polish and translated into English, with some parts kept in French or Latin. And then further when it is meant to be in a different world where French wouldn't be a thing.
The story essentially follows Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) who loses his swords and goes on a quest to get them back, and just happens along the way to meet people who need his skills (like on Neighbours where one character leaves and another comes in through the door at exactly the same moment). This aspect makes me think this was meant to be a series of short stories stitched together. But unfortunately here those short stories are not finished up within themselves and you have a number of unsatisfying loose ends in the back of your head throughout.
As with The Last Wish, I found the ending very confusing and had no idea what had happened. It may be that other works fill in the gap and I will have that filled in time, but if so that makes this not a satisfying read in its own right.
Overall, I don't mind Sapkowski's writing in general, other than a few irritating bad habits and I like the overriding idea of the stories but find the execution, character development and overall world-building somewhat clumsy and throw-away. But as I say, this may be because (I think) I have read these in chronological order, rather than published order. I will fill in the gaps and work out if that is the case.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Awakened (House of Night, #8) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The book opens with Zoey, Stark, Aphrodite, and Darius still on the Isle of Skye. Several factors are adamant about keeping Zoey and Stark there, from their romance to Sgiach's sudden change of perspective about keeping the Isle a secret. All through the book I get the feeling that Sgiach is not as trustworthy or pure of intention as the reader is led to believe, but I imagine that will be a subject for a future book.
Fairly early in the book, a death occurs - I won't say who - but it feels a bit like an author's attempt to cull an entirely-too-long cast list. I have felt for awhile that there were too many characters in this series to keep track of all of them in a single book, but even with the random death occurring every so often, many of the characters are almost non-existent in this book.
I really like the character Rephaim and what the authors are doing with his sub-plot. He has much potential for growth in personality and maturity, and he brings a more adult element to what often feels like a very immature series. I was thrilled with how Nyx helps him at the end, as it shows him that good has its own rewards. His presence has forced Stevie Rae to grow up and make decisions that have a great impact, too. Normally Stevie Rae can be quite annoying, but around Rephaim I like her.
Neferet is of course, beyond revolting. Everything she does makes me want to hurl the book across the room - from her posturing around Kalona and Rephaim, to her false guilt at the funeral, to her simpering over the white bull. Her character is actually my strongest clue that the authors are good at what they do. Only a well-written character can elicit the kind of strong emotion that Neferet brings out in me. They do a good job of showing how the soul-sucking darkness is driving her to madness, even to the point of always underestimating what Zoey and Nyx are capable of. I may be delusional, but I still think that Kalona can be saved from this darkness, even though it's obvious that Neferet can not. His actions seem to be driven by bitterness and a hunger for what is denied him, rather than evil for the sake of evil.
I do love that the authors found a way to continue using Heath in the plotline, as he was always so good for Zoey and probably the only "normal" person in the cast list of supernaturally-gifted beings. He likely will have a long way to go with the direction the authors are taking him, but I imagine I'll keep reading this series through to the end - whenever that is.
Many of the same problems that I had with the series early on still persist - such as sickly-sweet teenage lingo, the condensed time frame of each book, and too many characters with too little time. I find myself wondering which parts of the books are written by which author, as the writing style seems to change sporadically.
I was actually both relieved and saddened by the death at the end, first that it was not someone else dying, but also how it will affect Zoey. Beyond that, there are simply too many characters for me to be emotionally-attached to all of them. So on to the next book - Destined (House of Night Novels).
Fairly early in the book, a death occurs - I won't say who - but it feels a bit like an author's attempt to cull an entirely-too-long cast list. I have felt for awhile that there were too many characters in this series to keep track of all of them in a single book, but even with the random death occurring every so often, many of the characters are almost non-existent in this book.
I really like the character Rephaim and what the authors are doing with his sub-plot. He has much potential for growth in personality and maturity, and he brings a more adult element to what often feels like a very immature series. I was thrilled with how Nyx helps him at the end, as it shows him that good has its own rewards. His presence has forced Stevie Rae to grow up and make decisions that have a great impact, too. Normally Stevie Rae can be quite annoying, but around Rephaim I like her.
Neferet is of course, beyond revolting. Everything she does makes me want to hurl the book across the room - from her posturing around Kalona and Rephaim, to her false guilt at the funeral, to her simpering over the white bull. Her character is actually my strongest clue that the authors are good at what they do. Only a well-written character can elicit the kind of strong emotion that Neferet brings out in me. They do a good job of showing how the soul-sucking darkness is driving her to madness, even to the point of always underestimating what Zoey and Nyx are capable of. I may be delusional, but I still think that Kalona can be saved from this darkness, even though it's obvious that Neferet can not. His actions seem to be driven by bitterness and a hunger for what is denied him, rather than evil for the sake of evil.
I do love that the authors found a way to continue using Heath in the plotline, as he was always so good for Zoey and probably the only "normal" person in the cast list of supernaturally-gifted beings. He likely will have a long way to go with the direction the authors are taking him, but I imagine I'll keep reading this series through to the end - whenever that is.
Many of the same problems that I had with the series early on still persist - such as sickly-sweet teenage lingo, the condensed time frame of each book, and too many characters with too little time. I find myself wondering which parts of the books are written by which author, as the writing style seems to change sporadically.
I was actually both relieved and saddened by the death at the end, first that it was not someone else dying, but also how it will affect Zoey. Beyond that, there are simply too many characters for me to be emotionally-attached to all of them. So on to the next book - Destined (House of Night Novels).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Into the Night in Books
Mar 6, 2019
Intriguing and refreshing mystery
Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock is working in Melbourne now, trying to negotiate relationships with her new boss, Chief Inspector Toby Isaacs, and her partner, Detective Sergeant Fleet. She has been in Melbourne for three months; this has meant leaving behind her five-year-old son, Ben, and his father, Scott. She's keeping busy with a series of cases, including that of a homeless man, Walter Miller, who was brutally killed and one with the famous actor, Sterling Wade, who was stabbed while filming a high-profile zombie film. Alone and away from her son, Gemma throws herself into her work, but will these difficult cases prove too much for her and her emotional well-being?
"I was high-functioning but deeply broken and eventually something had to give. When the opportunity to transfer to Melbourne arose, I needed to take it. Living in Smithson was slowly killing me."
This novel picks up a few years after the first Gemma book. Gemma has been haunted by the Rosalind Rose case featured in Bailey's superb first novel, The Dark Lake, as well as her affair with her former partner, Felix. We find her lost and floundering. This serves a dual-purpose for us, the reader. We get to read a novel with a complicated, realistic character in Gemma. She's true to herself. On the other hand, she's not always the easiest to like or even empathize with. This is a woman who has left her child behind, after all. I have to congratulate Bailey on having Gemma not make the easy/safe choices in life, or the ones you typically see in detective novels. Not only do we get a strong yet vulnerable female character, we get one who is flawed, real, and struggling to find her way in the world. I certainly didn't always agree with her choices, but I do enjoy reading about them.
Even better, Gemma features in an excellent complicated and captivating mystery, with several cases that keep you guessing. The prominent one is the Sterling Wade case. Bailey brings in various Hollywood elements, and there are a lot of characters to suspect and pieces to put together. I quite liked not knowing who had killed Sterling. Even the detectives were flummoxed at times: how refreshing. Throughout all her cases, Gemma is working out where she fits in her new department and how she relates to her new partner, Fleet. There's a lot going on, but Bailey handles it all quite deftly. The excellent writing I enjoyed so much in her first novel is on display again here; you'll be impressed at the way she can pull together her story and bring out her characters.
"'Or maybe this case is just fucking with my mind,' I say, 'and making me think that Agatha Christie plots are coming to life.'"
Overall, I found this book intriguing and refreshing. Gemma is a complicated and complex character who is matched by the intricate cases she attempts to solve. Those who enjoy a character-driven mystery will be drawn to Gemma's prickly exterior, while those who simply enjoy a hard-to-solve case will find plenty to like here as well. Sarah Bailey is certainly a go-to author for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"I was high-functioning but deeply broken and eventually something had to give. When the opportunity to transfer to Melbourne arose, I needed to take it. Living in Smithson was slowly killing me."
This novel picks up a few years after the first Gemma book. Gemma has been haunted by the Rosalind Rose case featured in Bailey's superb first novel, The Dark Lake, as well as her affair with her former partner, Felix. We find her lost and floundering. This serves a dual-purpose for us, the reader. We get to read a novel with a complicated, realistic character in Gemma. She's true to herself. On the other hand, she's not always the easiest to like or even empathize with. This is a woman who has left her child behind, after all. I have to congratulate Bailey on having Gemma not make the easy/safe choices in life, or the ones you typically see in detective novels. Not only do we get a strong yet vulnerable female character, we get one who is flawed, real, and struggling to find her way in the world. I certainly didn't always agree with her choices, but I do enjoy reading about them.
Even better, Gemma features in an excellent complicated and captivating mystery, with several cases that keep you guessing. The prominent one is the Sterling Wade case. Bailey brings in various Hollywood elements, and there are a lot of characters to suspect and pieces to put together. I quite liked not knowing who had killed Sterling. Even the detectives were flummoxed at times: how refreshing. Throughout all her cases, Gemma is working out where she fits in her new department and how she relates to her new partner, Fleet. There's a lot going on, but Bailey handles it all quite deftly. The excellent writing I enjoyed so much in her first novel is on display again here; you'll be impressed at the way she can pull together her story and bring out her characters.
"'Or maybe this case is just fucking with my mind,' I say, 'and making me think that Agatha Christie plots are coming to life.'"
Overall, I found this book intriguing and refreshing. Gemma is a complicated and complex character who is matched by the intricate cases she attempts to solve. Those who enjoy a character-driven mystery will be drawn to Gemma's prickly exterior, while those who simply enjoy a hard-to-solve case will find plenty to like here as well. Sarah Bailey is certainly a go-to author for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Know You Know in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Fascinating and compelling mystery
For twenty years, Sidney Noyce has claimed his innocence for the murders of Charlie Paige and Scott Ashby. In 1996, their bodies were found dumped by a dog track near the estate where they lived. Their friend, Cody Swift, who was ten like Charlie, lived, and now, twenty years later, is reviving the case via a podcast, It's Time to Tell. He too has his doubts about Sidney's guilt. He returns home to Bristol to start investigating. But not everyone wants this case reopened, including Charlie's mother, Jessica, who has started a new life, with a new family. And then there's the investigating detective, John Fletcher, who found the boys. Charlie died in his arms; you don't forget a case like that. Now, he's investigating another body--found buried in a location near where the boys died. Are the two cases related? Is there a murderer still out there?
I still remember the moment I discovered Gilly Macmillan, and her books are such a treat. This one was no exception. This is a stand-alone novel, or at least not one of her Jim Clemo novels, and I found it to be a highly enjoyable and compelling mystery. When I first realized that part of the book was being told via the podcast format, I felt a bit of deja-vu, as I had just recently finished another book in that structure (Sadie), but have no fear: the organization of this one is fresh and flawless.
The book is told via the podcast; Jessica's point of view; and Fletcher's perspective--both now and back then, when he was a rookie cop, investigating the boys' death. You have to get used to the book swinging back and forth in time with Fletcher, but it doesn't take much, and it's worth it, because Macmillan parallels things so well in time. The juxtaposition of the past and present with the two cases (current body, the boys' case - plus Cody's podcast) is really brilliant. Plus, we get to see the trajectory of Fletcher's life and the many decisions that have led him to where he his today. His character, for me, was fascinating and one of the best surprises of the book.
One of my favorite aspects of any Macmillan novel is her characters. They are always so detailed and fully fleshed out. That is the case here: you will find yourself transported back to the estate twenty years ago, with Charlie, Scott, and Cody running around, and then to the present, with Cody and his podcast, Jessica struggling to keep her new life afloat, and Fletcher, unraveling the details on a new--potentially related--case.
There are multiple mystery threads to keep any detective fan happy: what happened to Charlie and Scott all those years ago? Was it really Sidney Noyce? How about the body Fletcher just discovered nearby? Just a coincidence? I loved the way Macmillan weaved the pieces of all these stories together. There are some wonderful and unexpected turns here. I adore a book that surprises me, and it was great to have some twists and turns that shocked me.
Overall, this is a fascinating and compelling mystery that expertly weaves together the thread of two cases separated by twenty years. The characters are well-detailed and the book is beautifully plotted. It's hard to go wrong with a Macmillan mystery, and this one is no exception.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
I still remember the moment I discovered Gilly Macmillan, and her books are such a treat. This one was no exception. This is a stand-alone novel, or at least not one of her Jim Clemo novels, and I found it to be a highly enjoyable and compelling mystery. When I first realized that part of the book was being told via the podcast format, I felt a bit of deja-vu, as I had just recently finished another book in that structure (Sadie), but have no fear: the organization of this one is fresh and flawless.
The book is told via the podcast; Jessica's point of view; and Fletcher's perspective--both now and back then, when he was a rookie cop, investigating the boys' death. You have to get used to the book swinging back and forth in time with Fletcher, but it doesn't take much, and it's worth it, because Macmillan parallels things so well in time. The juxtaposition of the past and present with the two cases (current body, the boys' case - plus Cody's podcast) is really brilliant. Plus, we get to see the trajectory of Fletcher's life and the many decisions that have led him to where he his today. His character, for me, was fascinating and one of the best surprises of the book.
One of my favorite aspects of any Macmillan novel is her characters. They are always so detailed and fully fleshed out. That is the case here: you will find yourself transported back to the estate twenty years ago, with Charlie, Scott, and Cody running around, and then to the present, with Cody and his podcast, Jessica struggling to keep her new life afloat, and Fletcher, unraveling the details on a new--potentially related--case.
There are multiple mystery threads to keep any detective fan happy: what happened to Charlie and Scott all those years ago? Was it really Sidney Noyce? How about the body Fletcher just discovered nearby? Just a coincidence? I loved the way Macmillan weaved the pieces of all these stories together. There are some wonderful and unexpected turns here. I adore a book that surprises me, and it was great to have some twists and turns that shocked me.
Overall, this is a fascinating and compelling mystery that expertly weaves together the thread of two cases separated by twenty years. The characters are well-detailed and the book is beautifully plotted. It's hard to go wrong with a Macmillan mystery, and this one is no exception.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Dark Tower (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
10 years in the making
A film adaptation of Stephen King’s wildly successful Dark Tower novels has been rumoured for over a decade. In 2007, J.J. Abrams was attached to direct the film but dropped out in December 2009.
Then, in 2010, veteran director Ron Howard was to head the project, but that fell through in 2015. Finally, by June 2015 the film entered full-steam ahead production with Danish filmmaker Nikolaj Arcel at the helm.
So, 10 years on from the first murmurings of a Dark Tower film were discovered, what is the finished product like? And does it capture the wonder of that eight-novel behemoth by King?Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), the last Gunslinger, is locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim (Matthew McConaughey), also known as the Man in Black. The Gunslinger must prevent the Man in Black from toppling the Dark Tower, the key that holds the universe together. With the fate of worlds at stake, two men collide in the ultimate battle between good and evil.
Unfortunately, this troubled production has resulted in a film that’s biggest sin is its averageness. There’s not a single thing about The Dark Tower that stands out as unique, even with charismatic stars like Matthew McCounaughey and Idris Elba at the helm.
The two of them perform well with the overtly expositional dialogue and Elba just reeks of charisma, despite the dross he unfortunately has to spout from time to time. Newcomer Tom Taylor is fine, but it pains me to say it, just a little bit bland.
The plot is nigh on impossible to understand for those who haven’t read King’s books with a story that never fully explains what the titular tower even does. How on earth can a film enter production without a script that fully describes such a vital plot point? It’d be like Mad Max: Fury Road never actually featuring Max, just referencing him occasionally.
Elsewhere, Tom Holkenborg’s score is bland, the special effects just about as average as you can get and the cinematography uninspiring. This is such a shame, because moments of excellence shine through.
The action is choreographed to a good standard and the sequences in which Elba and Taylor visit Earth are an enjoyable fish-out-of-water style distraction from an otherwise disappointing script. Think Thor on Earth but in NYC rather than New Mexico.
Ultimately though, films like this get me a little angry and I feel frustrated just writing this review. With eight books in which to take nuggets of story from, the film just kind of plods along for 95 minutes. I’m not normally one for suggesting a movie be longer, but The Dark Tower really did need an extra 30 minutes at least to flesh out the characters and plot.
Overall, despite two commanding performances from its lead stars, The Dark Tower is a royal mess. In a year that has featured numerous disappointing sequels, Sony could’ve kicked things up a gear with something completely new. In the end, we’re left with a film as bland and average as you can possibly get. What a shame.
Let’s just hope that It is the King adaptation we’ve been waiting for.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/08/19/the-dark-tower-review-10-years-in-the-making/
Then, in 2010, veteran director Ron Howard was to head the project, but that fell through in 2015. Finally, by June 2015 the film entered full-steam ahead production with Danish filmmaker Nikolaj Arcel at the helm.
So, 10 years on from the first murmurings of a Dark Tower film were discovered, what is the finished product like? And does it capture the wonder of that eight-novel behemoth by King?Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), the last Gunslinger, is locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim (Matthew McConaughey), also known as the Man in Black. The Gunslinger must prevent the Man in Black from toppling the Dark Tower, the key that holds the universe together. With the fate of worlds at stake, two men collide in the ultimate battle between good and evil.
Unfortunately, this troubled production has resulted in a film that’s biggest sin is its averageness. There’s not a single thing about The Dark Tower that stands out as unique, even with charismatic stars like Matthew McCounaughey and Idris Elba at the helm.
The two of them perform well with the overtly expositional dialogue and Elba just reeks of charisma, despite the dross he unfortunately has to spout from time to time. Newcomer Tom Taylor is fine, but it pains me to say it, just a little bit bland.
The plot is nigh on impossible to understand for those who haven’t read King’s books with a story that never fully explains what the titular tower even does. How on earth can a film enter production without a script that fully describes such a vital plot point? It’d be like Mad Max: Fury Road never actually featuring Max, just referencing him occasionally.
Elsewhere, Tom Holkenborg’s score is bland, the special effects just about as average as you can get and the cinematography uninspiring. This is such a shame, because moments of excellence shine through.
The action is choreographed to a good standard and the sequences in which Elba and Taylor visit Earth are an enjoyable fish-out-of-water style distraction from an otherwise disappointing script. Think Thor on Earth but in NYC rather than New Mexico.
Ultimately though, films like this get me a little angry and I feel frustrated just writing this review. With eight books in which to take nuggets of story from, the film just kind of plods along for 95 minutes. I’m not normally one for suggesting a movie be longer, but The Dark Tower really did need an extra 30 minutes at least to flesh out the characters and plot.
Overall, despite two commanding performances from its lead stars, The Dark Tower is a royal mess. In a year that has featured numerous disappointing sequels, Sony could’ve kicked things up a gear with something completely new. In the end, we’re left with a film as bland and average as you can possibly get. What a shame.
Let’s just hope that It is the King adaptation we’ve been waiting for.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/08/19/the-dark-tower-review-10-years-in-the-making/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Snowman (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
No, not that one
Nordic noir is big business at the moment, but with the incredible scenery of the locations lending themselves perfectly to film, is there any wonder?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Hypnotist are just a couple of movies that have fallen into this massively expanding genre.
Now, Jo Nesbø’s chilling The Snowman novel gets the silver screen treatment in a film of the same name. But can this continue the thrilling trend of whodunit novels being turned into fabulous crime dramas?For Detective Harry Hole (Michael Fassbender), the death of a young woman during the first snow of winter feels like anything but a routine homicide. His investigation leads him to “The Snowman Killer,” an elusive sociopath who continuously taunts Hole with ingeniously crafted cat-and-mouse games. As the brutal deaths show no sign of slowing, Harry teams up with a new recruit (Rebecca Ferguson) to try and lure the madman out of the shadows before it’s too late.
With Michael Fassbender at the helm, director Thomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) manages to blend gorgeous imagery with an intriguing plot and excellent performances in a film that suffers from a couple of issues that stops it from becoming a must-see event.
These R-rated thrillers are ten-a-penny these days with the bar still being set incredibly high by Gone Girl. Last year’s Girl on the Train was a decent stab at dethroning David Fincher’s masterpiece, but it just fell a little short – well the same has happened here.
Michael Fassbender is uniformly excellent as troubled detective, Harry and the actor can do no wrong in his performances, but he’s suffered this year. After Assassin’s Creed failed to ignite the box-office, it looks to be a similar story this time. While The Snowman is technically competent and filmed beautifully, it lacks the sense of originality that breeds success.
It also doesn’t help that he’s surrounded by thinly padded supporting characters like former love interest Rakel (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and new police officer Katrine (Ferguson). Elsewhere, bizarre glorified cameos for Val Kilmer and Toby Jones leave you wondering if these actors expected a little more from their parts.
Perhaps I’m being a little harsh. After all, the cast is one of the film’s strongest suits. Add J.K. Simmons to the aforementioned roster and it really does have one of the best line-ups of the year. It’s just a shame the script doesn’t do more with them.
To look at, The Snowman is absolutely gorgeous. Helped obviously by magnificent Norwegian landscapes, Alfredson shoots using steady cam in scenes reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, high praise indeed. In a year populated by CGI-heavy blockbusters, this comes as a real breath of fresh air.
Unfortunately, the constant use of flashbacks and a peculiar subplot involving a Winter sporting event ruin the pacing, though at 130 minutes, this isn’t too much of an issue. The ending however, is disappointing and lacks an emotional payoff after the film’s events.
Overall, The Snowman is a gritty adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s successful novel and while some of the plot choices leave a little to be desired, a great anchor performance by Michael Fassbender and stunning cinematography mean it’s definitely worth a watch; just don’t expect too much.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/10/14/the-snowman-review/
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Hypnotist are just a couple of movies that have fallen into this massively expanding genre.
Now, Jo Nesbø’s chilling The Snowman novel gets the silver screen treatment in a film of the same name. But can this continue the thrilling trend of whodunit novels being turned into fabulous crime dramas?For Detective Harry Hole (Michael Fassbender), the death of a young woman during the first snow of winter feels like anything but a routine homicide. His investigation leads him to “The Snowman Killer,” an elusive sociopath who continuously taunts Hole with ingeniously crafted cat-and-mouse games. As the brutal deaths show no sign of slowing, Harry teams up with a new recruit (Rebecca Ferguson) to try and lure the madman out of the shadows before it’s too late.
With Michael Fassbender at the helm, director Thomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) manages to blend gorgeous imagery with an intriguing plot and excellent performances in a film that suffers from a couple of issues that stops it from becoming a must-see event.
These R-rated thrillers are ten-a-penny these days with the bar still being set incredibly high by Gone Girl. Last year’s Girl on the Train was a decent stab at dethroning David Fincher’s masterpiece, but it just fell a little short – well the same has happened here.
Michael Fassbender is uniformly excellent as troubled detective, Harry and the actor can do no wrong in his performances, but he’s suffered this year. After Assassin’s Creed failed to ignite the box-office, it looks to be a similar story this time. While The Snowman is technically competent and filmed beautifully, it lacks the sense of originality that breeds success.
It also doesn’t help that he’s surrounded by thinly padded supporting characters like former love interest Rakel (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and new police officer Katrine (Ferguson). Elsewhere, bizarre glorified cameos for Val Kilmer and Toby Jones leave you wondering if these actors expected a little more from their parts.
Perhaps I’m being a little harsh. After all, the cast is one of the film’s strongest suits. Add J.K. Simmons to the aforementioned roster and it really does have one of the best line-ups of the year. It’s just a shame the script doesn’t do more with them.
To look at, The Snowman is absolutely gorgeous. Helped obviously by magnificent Norwegian landscapes, Alfredson shoots using steady cam in scenes reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, high praise indeed. In a year populated by CGI-heavy blockbusters, this comes as a real breath of fresh air.
Unfortunately, the constant use of flashbacks and a peculiar subplot involving a Winter sporting event ruin the pacing, though at 130 minutes, this isn’t too much of an issue. The ending however, is disappointing and lacks an emotional payoff after the film’s events.
Overall, The Snowman is a gritty adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s successful novel and while some of the plot choices leave a little to be desired, a great anchor performance by Michael Fassbender and stunning cinematography mean it’s definitely worth a watch; just don’t expect too much.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/10/14/the-snowman-review/
Re-Read Update:
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
Kyera (8 KP) rated A Court of Wings and Ruin in Books
Jan 31, 2018
A Court of Wings and Ruin further expands the fantastic world that Sarah J. Maas has built for us. We predominantly saw Feyre’s life in the human world and Tamlin’s Spring Court in A Court of Thorns and Roses. Then we were given a look into the mysterious Night Court and some time to explore the Summer Court in A Court of Mist and Fury. We are finally able to experience the other Courts in the third book, beyond brief mentions.
The first Court we are given more information about is the Autumn Court, where Lucien hails from. Lucien is developed much further in this book, although we have gotten to know him fairly well throughout the first two books – it was nice to get more backstory and an explanation about why he is the male that he is. We also get to experience more of his father’s personality, as well as his eldest brother Eris’.
She describes each palace, forest and street in Prythian with such vivid detail that the entire land comes to life in your mind. The strongest part of this series is the world building, although that does not mean that any of the other aspects of the series are lacking. I personally believe that her strong suit is illustrating such fantastic lands and that shines in this book.
Each Court has its own way of ruling and they tend to keep to themselves. Although they have relations with one another, their alliances and communication are generally not very strong. This makes convincing them to all join together to face Hybern’s threat much more difficult, especially when all of the Courts don’t even agree that the King is a threat.
Although the main characters were well developed over the course of the first two novels, they continue to grow in the third. Elain and Nesta especially take a more central role in the storyline than they did before, which allows the reader to get to know them better. More of Amren’s backstory is also revealed, which was honestly not something I ever expected to learn about because I didn’t think any of the characters were brave enough to question her – despite desperately wanting to know more about her.
As you’re reading, you actually get chills as big actions are taken or decisions are made. You are that invested in the story, the characters, and the world that it physically affects you. I never felt that the pacing was slow, rather each event and scene built the narrative towards the final, explosive climax. It was a steady, enticing pace that pulled me in and never let go. If the book wasn’t as long as it is (and I didn’t have to leave my house to go to school), I would have sat there for ten hours straight reading.
Each character, good or bad has become real so their struggles, triumphs and pain resonate within you. It is the book that makes an impact like this that will stay with you. I cheered and cried in equal measure reading this book.
The stunning conclusion to this series left me breathless, and glad that though this story might be done the world of Prythian still had more tales to tell us.
The first Court we are given more information about is the Autumn Court, where Lucien hails from. Lucien is developed much further in this book, although we have gotten to know him fairly well throughout the first two books – it was nice to get more backstory and an explanation about why he is the male that he is. We also get to experience more of his father’s personality, as well as his eldest brother Eris’.
She describes each palace, forest and street in Prythian with such vivid detail that the entire land comes to life in your mind. The strongest part of this series is the world building, although that does not mean that any of the other aspects of the series are lacking. I personally believe that her strong suit is illustrating such fantastic lands and that shines in this book.
Each Court has its own way of ruling and they tend to keep to themselves. Although they have relations with one another, their alliances and communication are generally not very strong. This makes convincing them to all join together to face Hybern’s threat much more difficult, especially when all of the Courts don’t even agree that the King is a threat.
Although the main characters were well developed over the course of the first two novels, they continue to grow in the third. Elain and Nesta especially take a more central role in the storyline than they did before, which allows the reader to get to know them better. More of Amren’s backstory is also revealed, which was honestly not something I ever expected to learn about because I didn’t think any of the characters were brave enough to question her – despite desperately wanting to know more about her.
As you’re reading, you actually get chills as big actions are taken or decisions are made. You are that invested in the story, the characters, and the world that it physically affects you. I never felt that the pacing was slow, rather each event and scene built the narrative towards the final, explosive climax. It was a steady, enticing pace that pulled me in and never let go. If the book wasn’t as long as it is (and I didn’t have to leave my house to go to school), I would have sat there for ten hours straight reading.
Each character, good or bad has become real so their struggles, triumphs and pain resonate within you. It is the book that makes an impact like this that will stay with you. I cheered and cried in equal measure reading this book.
The stunning conclusion to this series left me breathless, and glad that though this story might be done the world of Prythian still had more tales to tell us.