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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated More Than Words in Books
Apr 22, 2021
This is the thirteenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Nina Gregory has always been a loyal daughter. After her mother's death, she was raised by her father, the owner of the Gregory Hotels, a renowned chain in New York City. She knows she will take over the family business someday. And her father has always taught her that family (and reputation) come before everything. But when Nina's father dies, she finds herself adrift. Not even her boyfriend, Tim, whom she's been raised with since childhood (his parents work with her father) can provide comfort. When Nina finds out something about her father that causes her to question everything, she finds herself turning to her boss, mayoral candidate Rafael. Nina's always been cautious and proper. But now, she's not so sure what to believe.
"Not only was she going to lose her father, she was going to lose the life she'd imagined for herself. The future she'd expected would be hers."
This was a good read about love, loss, and politics. I think parts of it might have annoyed me more, but I read it at a good time. Nina honestly came across as self-centered at moments, but she was certainly going through a lot, trying to find herself in the wake of her father's death. With her family legacy, she was under a lot of pressure. The book did a good job of capturing grief and loss. I also really liked Rafael--he was a character I could root for. The story seemed to meander a little and could be heartbreaking, but it was a book centered around death, after all.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It's sad, but hopeful too. A good read if you go in with the right mindset. 3.5 stars.
Nina Gregory has always been a loyal daughter. After her mother's death, she was raised by her father, the owner of the Gregory Hotels, a renowned chain in New York City. She knows she will take over the family business someday. And her father has always taught her that family (and reputation) come before everything. But when Nina's father dies, she finds herself adrift. Not even her boyfriend, Tim, whom she's been raised with since childhood (his parents work with her father) can provide comfort. When Nina finds out something about her father that causes her to question everything, she finds herself turning to her boss, mayoral candidate Rafael. Nina's always been cautious and proper. But now, she's not so sure what to believe.
"Not only was she going to lose her father, she was going to lose the life she'd imagined for herself. The future she'd expected would be hers."
This was a good read about love, loss, and politics. I think parts of it might have annoyed me more, but I read it at a good time. Nina honestly came across as self-centered at moments, but she was certainly going through a lot, trying to find herself in the wake of her father's death. With her family legacy, she was under a lot of pressure. The book did a good job of capturing grief and loss. I also really liked Rafael--he was a character I could root for. The story seemed to meander a little and could be heartbreaking, but it was a book centered around death, after all.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It's sad, but hopeful too. A good read if you go in with the right mindset. 3.5 stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Young Jane Young in Books
Jun 10, 2021
An emotional, character-driven tale
This is the twenty-fifth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
YOUNG JANE YOUNG weaves together the story of five women--Rachel Grossman, who worries about her college-aged daughter, Aviva and her future. Jane Young, who lives in Maine with her daughter, Ruby. Ruby Young, who has led a quiet life with her mom, until now. Embeth Levin, the wife of a famous congressman. And Aviva Grossman, who became Internet famous after a terrible scandal. These five women are bound together by this scandal and the man at its center.
This was an interesting read, told from the perspective of each of our female protagonists. Zevin is excellent at portraying different voices, from young Ruby to the older Rachel and Embeth, and I really enjoyed how strong of a storyteller she was. Some of the women's stories were told in unique formats, such as all email or a "choose your own adventure" style. It was different, took a little getting used to, but overall worked for this book.
This is less of an action packed tale than a character-driven one, focused on how Aviva's actions affect everyone going forward. It has a political bent, but centers more around emotion, relationships, and family. It does a good job portraying the double standards applied to women--in politics, in marriage, and more. My favorite character was probably Ruby, but I thought Zevin did a good job of bringing each woman to life and showing their complex feelings and flaws.
I would have liked more of an ending to this story, especially finding out what was next for Ruby and Rachel. But this was an interesting and different read, and I'm glad I picked it up. As always, as I get nearly to the end of the alphabet, I'm glad my challenge has gotten me to choose some books I might not have otherwise.
YOUNG JANE YOUNG weaves together the story of five women--Rachel Grossman, who worries about her college-aged daughter, Aviva and her future. Jane Young, who lives in Maine with her daughter, Ruby. Ruby Young, who has led a quiet life with her mom, until now. Embeth Levin, the wife of a famous congressman. And Aviva Grossman, who became Internet famous after a terrible scandal. These five women are bound together by this scandal and the man at its center.
This was an interesting read, told from the perspective of each of our female protagonists. Zevin is excellent at portraying different voices, from young Ruby to the older Rachel and Embeth, and I really enjoyed how strong of a storyteller she was. Some of the women's stories were told in unique formats, such as all email or a "choose your own adventure" style. It was different, took a little getting used to, but overall worked for this book.
This is less of an action packed tale than a character-driven one, focused on how Aviva's actions affect everyone going forward. It has a political bent, but centers more around emotion, relationships, and family. It does a good job portraying the double standards applied to women--in politics, in marriage, and more. My favorite character was probably Ruby, but I thought Zevin did a good job of bringing each woman to life and showing their complex feelings and flaws.
I would have liked more of an ending to this story, especially finding out what was next for Ruby and Rachel. But this was an interesting and different read, and I'm glad I picked it up. As always, as I get nearly to the end of the alphabet, I'm glad my challenge has gotten me to choose some books I might not have otherwise.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020) in Movies
Oct 24, 2020
Is Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm as laugh out loud funny as the first one? I would argue that it isn't, however I would also argue that it's cleverer, and more shocking in some of it's content, with some truly outrageous moments.
It certainly feels more scripted than before, but the reasons behind it are sound. Firstly, the narrative is much more competent than the first, with a full blown story about family that has some weirdly touching moments. The scripted parts are essential to drive the plot forwards. No spoilers here, but it climaxes with a genuinely clever twist.
Another reason for the scripted sections is the little problem of Borat being recognized pretty much everywhere these days, causing Sacha Baron Cohen to re disguise a few times (all of his disguises are ridiculous by the way.)
It's also commendable how naturally the Coronavirus pandemic is written into the story. The pandemic hit half way through production and the way this was overcome is pretty well done.
To detail any of the scenes would serve only to spoil things - so all I'll say is this - the scene at a Michael Pence rally, the anti-lockdown protest concert, the part in a Synagogue, the Woman's clinic segment, and of course, the much discussed scene involving Rudy Giuliani all rival anything that Cohen has ever put out in terms of cringe and jaw dropping. I can absolutely respect that 14 years after the first movie, he still has balls of steel and doesn't hold back in what he puts out. Some of the stuff on display here could end up having some real life repercussions for certain individuals.
It's also worth mentioning how good Maria Bakalova is as Borat's daughter Tutar. She pretty much steals the show and will no doubt have a successful career off the back of this.
If you enjoyed the original, or even have an interest in politics, then there's something for you here. Looking forward to seeing how many people try to sue SBC this time around!
It certainly feels more scripted than before, but the reasons behind it are sound. Firstly, the narrative is much more competent than the first, with a full blown story about family that has some weirdly touching moments. The scripted parts are essential to drive the plot forwards. No spoilers here, but it climaxes with a genuinely clever twist.
Another reason for the scripted sections is the little problem of Borat being recognized pretty much everywhere these days, causing Sacha Baron Cohen to re disguise a few times (all of his disguises are ridiculous by the way.)
It's also commendable how naturally the Coronavirus pandemic is written into the story. The pandemic hit half way through production and the way this was overcome is pretty well done.
To detail any of the scenes would serve only to spoil things - so all I'll say is this - the scene at a Michael Pence rally, the anti-lockdown protest concert, the part in a Synagogue, the Woman's clinic segment, and of course, the much discussed scene involving Rudy Giuliani all rival anything that Cohen has ever put out in terms of cringe and jaw dropping. I can absolutely respect that 14 years after the first movie, he still has balls of steel and doesn't hold back in what he puts out. Some of the stuff on display here could end up having some real life repercussions for certain individuals.
It's also worth mentioning how good Maria Bakalova is as Borat's daughter Tutar. She pretty much steals the show and will no doubt have a successful career off the back of this.
If you enjoyed the original, or even have an interest in politics, then there's something for you here. Looking forward to seeing how many people try to sue SBC this time around!
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