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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.
SummerLGrant (185 KP) rated Within the Sanctuary of Wings in Books
Aug 2, 2017
The world building (3 more)
The character development
The way it's approached as a real memoir
Just the writing in general
One of the best fantasy series around
This is a review more for the entire series as a whole.
Lady Trent has been an absolutely fascinating character to read about for the past few years and the character development you see happens naturally throughout all five books of her memoirs. As the final instalment of an amazing series, Within the Sanctuary of Wings is a suitable conclusion for her adventures and completely outstripped my expectations.
In a series of this size there's usually a dip of quality at some point, but somehow Marie Brennan was able to avoid that and kept the pace of the story going without a wasted word and a clear idea of where she wanted the story to go.
Lady Trent has been an absolutely fascinating character to read about for the past few years and the character development you see happens naturally throughout all five books of her memoirs. As the final instalment of an amazing series, Within the Sanctuary of Wings is a suitable conclusion for her adventures and completely outstripped my expectations.
In a series of this size there's usually a dip of quality at some point, but somehow Marie Brennan was able to avoid that and kept the pace of the story going without a wasted word and a clear idea of where she wanted the story to go.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Marcelo in the Real World (Audio CD) in Books
May 10, 2018
Marcelo has Autism. His father has given him a very important choice. In order to keep attending his private school he must break from his routine and work with his father at the law firm for the summer. If he is able to make it and survive "the real world" then he can continue to go to his school. If not than he must attend public school.
Marcelo is assigned to work in the mailroom with Jasmine. They quickly become allies in the firm. Marcelo also has to work with Wendell, the other partners son. When Marcelo finds a picture of a girl in some files Wendell has asked him to go through, he sets out on a quest to find and help this girl. With Jasmine's help, Marcelo accomplishes a lot more than he expects to in one summer.
Marcelo is assigned to work in the mailroom with Jasmine. They quickly become allies in the firm. Marcelo also has to work with Wendell, the other partners son. When Marcelo finds a picture of a girl in some files Wendell has asked him to go through, he sets out on a quest to find and help this girl. With Jasmine's help, Marcelo accomplishes a lot more than he expects to in one summer.
Jordi Sanchez (3 KP) rated Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 in Tabletop Games
Mar 8, 2019
Immersive narrative (3 more)
Plot twists!
Real cooperation
Exciting, lots of surprises every campaign
The campaign is not replayable (1 more)
Adding steps to the mechanics of the game can make you forget some things
The best experience we had on a table
The famous Pandemic cooperative game about saving the world from epidemic disease with a Legacy twist, which means, playing a campaign where new goals, rules, characters, skills will be added and lost along the game.
We loved the tension and the rewarding feeling when we won.
The game is full of surprises. The box includes some mystery boxes and a bunch of dossiers that you can only open as you advance with the campaign.
The storyline is interesting and we'll balanced. You will get help if you keep losing, and things will get more challenging if you keep winning.
We loved the tension and the rewarding feeling when we won.
The game is full of surprises. The box includes some mystery boxes and a bunch of dossiers that you can only open as you advance with the campaign.
The storyline is interesting and we'll balanced. You will get help if you keep losing, and things will get more challenging if you keep winning.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Real Genius (1985) in Movies
Jun 8, 2018
80s Comedy fun!
When you are super smart and your parents want you to go to college at 15, you hope you get a roommate like Chris Knight. Super smart, of course, but he has also learned street smartz and how to relax and have fun as well as work. Now the smart club, faces the challenge of getting a large, high-powered laser beam to work. What's it all for?
Maybe a little far-reaching plot aside, the film has so many funny moments like ice in the hallways, a random guy living in your closet and swimming with student beauticians not to mention a great 80s soundtrack, it is hard not to love it. I have to admit, every time I hear "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" I think of "Real Genius".
Maybe a little far-reaching plot aside, the film has so many funny moments like ice in the hallways, a random guy living in your closet and swimming with student beauticians not to mention a great 80s soundtrack, it is hard not to love it. I have to admit, every time I hear "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" I think of "Real Genius".
Beatriz (138 KP) rated Coraline (2009) in Movies
Nov 25, 2018
Coraline
Coraline is a fantasy thriller made in 2009 by Henry Selick
It’s a story about this blue haired girl that just moved to a new house called The Pink Palace. She finds a secret door that takes her to a pararelle universe where she has her Othet Mother and Other Father and everything is better. Her Other Mother promises her everything she wants but in return she has to stitch buttons in her eyes. Coraline refuses and the Other Mother traps her a steals her from her parents.
Coraline needs to be brave and find a way to go back to the real world and save her family.
The director thought about every single detail of the film. The film took 4 years to be made. And it became a classic and one of the best films I ever watched
It’s a story about this blue haired girl that just moved to a new house called The Pink Palace. She finds a secret door that takes her to a pararelle universe where she has her Othet Mother and Other Father and everything is better. Her Other Mother promises her everything she wants but in return she has to stitch buttons in her eyes. Coraline refuses and the Other Mother traps her a steals her from her parents.
Coraline needs to be brave and find a way to go back to the real world and save her family.
The director thought about every single detail of the film. The film took 4 years to be made. And it became a classic and one of the best films I ever watched
Peter G. (247 KP) rated A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) in Movies
Oct 30, 2019
Aged but incredibly original and unsettling for it's time this slasher single handedly caused me a few sleepless nights due to its connection with sleep and dreams.
The serial killer with the unforgettable name who affects dreams and pushes into the real world was a horror story type unheard of back then and Robert Englund was quite menacing and genuinely frightening as Freddy and the bladed glove scraping along walls was a huge indicator that shit was going to hit the fan and someone was going to die.
If you are interested in this franchise then this classic is the one to see and not the confusing and muddled sequels that followed.
It delivers strongly on the fright even though the budget was quite low and changed the landscape of horror that had somewhat stalled at that time.
The serial killer with the unforgettable name who affects dreams and pushes into the real world was a horror story type unheard of back then and Robert Englund was quite menacing and genuinely frightening as Freddy and the bladed glove scraping along walls was a huge indicator that shit was going to hit the fan and someone was going to die.
If you are interested in this franchise then this classic is the one to see and not the confusing and muddled sequels that followed.
It delivers strongly on the fright even though the budget was quite low and changed the landscape of horror that had somewhat stalled at that time.
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