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Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
2019 | Biography, Crime, Thriller
Surprisingly good. Thank you Netflix and Zac Efron.
This wasn't something that was on my list to watch, but my wife is a fan of anything Ted Bundy, so I obliged. From the moment the film begins, you are immediately engulfed in the amazingly twisted love story of Bundy and Liz. The movie is incredibly paced and enthralling. Efron is his normal charismatic self, but surprisingly gripping and believable in the serial killer role. He beautifully parallels the real life man he portrays. The film also does a great job of splicing in actual police photos and TV footage, leading to the gripping final act. To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised.
  
The Frontman
The Frontman
Ron Bahar | 2018 | Biography, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
There are a few books for me that made me feel for the characters in it. However, Bahar's The Frontman is one of those books that made me feel despite having some 80's cliche events happening it. I guess it felt real because this is more of a memoir than it is fiction, but for a story based on a period of this author's life, I actually understand what he was going through. Yes, he made stupid decisions, but he knows they were stupid, and he tried his best to fix it, no matter how much they worked or didn't. I was rooting for this guy, despite his horny mindset. (I can't believe I said that).
  
Call for the Dead
Call for the Dead
John Le Carre | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Story (2 more)
Length
Characters
One of the finest debuts of all time...
One of the finest debuts of all time, and thanks to John le Carré, a fine writer and real life secret service employee, one of the most realistic spy novels written.

Not only is this an excellent debut from le Carré, but an introduction to one of the greatest fictional spies, George Smiley, best known from "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy".

This may seem a strange one, but the book is quite short, which is a good thing. I enjoy books short and long, but this is excellent for some light reading, and the best place to start with le Carré's books is definitely at the start!
  
The Busconductor Hines
The Busconductor Hines
James Kelman | 1992 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I like the normality of this book. (0 more)
Slow (0 more)
Fairly good read
As realism goes, this book is spot on. Kelman's portrayal of Glasgow in the 1980's is accurate. The book is written in 5 chapters, each detailing the unsatisfactory life of Hines who is caught up in a job he feels desperately unhappy in, a struggling marriage and early signs of depression. Whilst Kelman's use of realism sucks the reader into 'place' the novel itself is frustrating in the sense that their is no real plot and nothing really exciting happens. I struggled to finish the book and was disappointed at the end. I can however, commend the author on his realist technique.