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It Could Have Been Fantastic
I feel very conflicted about this YA novel so please bear with me as I try to explain why!
The positives first. The plot is very interesting and well thought out. Although not entirely original it isn't your run of the mill haunted house story either.
The main characters are well rounded and sympathetic. They each have a strong voice and are relatable. The author is very good at creating tension and does not shy away from scary/unsettling images.
The narration and pace of the story feels perfect for a young adult book - no slow enough to be condescending but with simple sentence structures and short chapters that will help to encourage reluctant or not so confident readers to stick with it. I would certainly use this book in my teaching role for my higher level students - adults that struggle with literacy and/or have slight learning difficulties.
The messages that this story carries are important ones. The main message is especially vital for both male and female readers.
Now for the negative's. There is rather a lot of repetition in the story. Not just parts of the back story but actual sentences in a couple of instances. This did grow to be tiresome and, had I read this aged fourteen I would have felt the same way. Unfortunately this did tend to slow the story down at times. Reading the exact same joke from four chapters ago isn't great.
The book centres on one character and what happened to her. I felt that the sudden shift in her personality was rushed. More time should have been taken to really understand her and what happened to her.
The fact that she is automatically disbelieved is not great. It's a VERY sensitive subject and to have the rest of the characters do that could easily lodge the idea, in some young people's heads, that they would also be treated with scepticism.
A few times throughout the story there were errors. Mostly continuation errors but a couple of glaring mistakes. For example, two of the characters are playing a video game. Fallout 4. In the story one of the characters 'gets the guy' of the other. Fallout 4 is not a multiplayer game, a friend cannot 'get' you in any way.
Yes, a small thing but hugely annoying when you know that it is wrong. As Fallout 4 is such a popular game this will not go unnoticed by many young adults!
The ending did feel rather rushed. An extra chapter or two to explain what happened and to explore the feelings of the characters properly would have been nice.
So yes, this is an extremely mixed review. Most of the negative's are small and I would have given another star if not for the slightly mixed message surrounding the title character - I was disappointed with that.
The author is obviously very talented and writes perfectly for the YA market. Just a little more time and care would have made it awesome.
The positives first. The plot is very interesting and well thought out. Although not entirely original it isn't your run of the mill haunted house story either.
The main characters are well rounded and sympathetic. They each have a strong voice and are relatable. The author is very good at creating tension and does not shy away from scary/unsettling images.
The narration and pace of the story feels perfect for a young adult book - no slow enough to be condescending but with simple sentence structures and short chapters that will help to encourage reluctant or not so confident readers to stick with it. I would certainly use this book in my teaching role for my higher level students - adults that struggle with literacy and/or have slight learning difficulties.
The messages that this story carries are important ones. The main message is especially vital for both male and female readers.
Now for the negative's. There is rather a lot of repetition in the story. Not just parts of the back story but actual sentences in a couple of instances. This did grow to be tiresome and, had I read this aged fourteen I would have felt the same way. Unfortunately this did tend to slow the story down at times. Reading the exact same joke from four chapters ago isn't great.
The book centres on one character and what happened to her. I felt that the sudden shift in her personality was rushed. More time should have been taken to really understand her and what happened to her.
The fact that she is automatically disbelieved is not great. It's a VERY sensitive subject and to have the rest of the characters do that could easily lodge the idea, in some young people's heads, that they would also be treated with scepticism.
A few times throughout the story there were errors. Mostly continuation errors but a couple of glaring mistakes. For example, two of the characters are playing a video game. Fallout 4. In the story one of the characters 'gets the guy' of the other. Fallout 4 is not a multiplayer game, a friend cannot 'get' you in any way.
Yes, a small thing but hugely annoying when you know that it is wrong. As Fallout 4 is such a popular game this will not go unnoticed by many young adults!
The ending did feel rather rushed. An extra chapter or two to explain what happened and to explore the feelings of the characters properly would have been nice.
So yes, this is an extremely mixed review. Most of the negative's are small and I would have given another star if not for the slightly mixed message surrounding the title character - I was disappointed with that.
The author is obviously very talented and writes perfectly for the YA market. Just a little more time and care would have made it awesome.
ClareR (6001 KP) rated Unclean Spirits (Gods and Monsters #1) in Books
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
Low down and dirty Mythology!!
Carson Cole escapes his life of servitude when a bomb destroys his boss, Mr E. Rose. Yes, if you say it quickly it sounds like Eros, and that’s because it IS Eros. Carson learns that he is embroiled in the world of the Gods from every pantheon. They have all been cast out of the heavens by ‘The Usurper’ and are having to scratch out a life on Earth. Not many of them actually like it.
Carson had lost his life five years previously to Eros’ whims, and his wife and son hate him. He goes on a journey with Frank (who is frankly, a horrific character) to find out why this is. It’s a ‘100mph’ book: non-stop action pretty much, and if you like Gods (and monsters!) you’ll like this. It has a very dark, menacing atmosphere: dirty, unclean, violent. I enjoyed it! There was a bit (a huge!) twist at the end.
I also enjoyed the short story at the end by Pat Kelleher (Drag Hunt) featuring Coyote. This story isn’t set completely in the US, but does start there and ends in London and it’s environs. Coyote has lost a rather important part of himself, and is determined to find it. A very enjoyable story, again, with a great selection of Norse, Celtic, Egyptian and other Gods that I have probably forgotten in it! I find myself very much enjoying these stories with Coyote in. He’s very much the Loki of the North American native people. Got to love a trickster!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book!
Carson had lost his life five years previously to Eros’ whims, and his wife and son hate him. He goes on a journey with Frank (who is frankly, a horrific character) to find out why this is. It’s a ‘100mph’ book: non-stop action pretty much, and if you like Gods (and monsters!) you’ll like this. It has a very dark, menacing atmosphere: dirty, unclean, violent. I enjoyed it! There was a bit (a huge!) twist at the end.
I also enjoyed the short story at the end by Pat Kelleher (Drag Hunt) featuring Coyote. This story isn’t set completely in the US, but does start there and ends in London and it’s environs. Coyote has lost a rather important part of himself, and is determined to find it. A very enjoyable story, again, with a great selection of Norse, Celtic, Egyptian and other Gods that I have probably forgotten in it! I find myself very much enjoying these stories with Coyote in. He’s very much the Loki of the North American native people. Got to love a trickster!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Dakota and the American Dream in Books
Apr 24, 2020
"Dakota was tired of playing catch with his mother at the park," so he rested on a bench but was soon distracted by a peculiar talking squirrel. Chasing after the strange creature, Dakota finds himself in a fantasy world full of anthropomorphic animals. Before he knows what is happening, Dakota finds himself working for Corporate America with its odd rules and unhappy employees.
The fantasy world of Sameer Garach's Dakota and the American Dream is a satire of modern-day America. From a ten year old's perspective, the short story covers the corporate ladder, hierarchy, racism, discrimination, career success and an extreme love of coffee. Whilst all this is humorous to the adult mind, there is an alarming amount of truth that paints the "American Dream" as a corrupt society.
From the very start, Dakota's experience feels remarkably like Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and could almost be said to be a 21st-century version of the classic children's book. Most of Dakota's story will go over the heads of young readers, however, adults will enjoy the humour and childhood innocence as well as appreciate the connection with their favourite books as a child.
As a parody of both real life and fiction, Dakota and the American Dream is a clever story that entertains and makes you think. Although sometimes extreme, it is amusing to read about everyday life being acted out by squirrels, mice, rats, a cowardly lion, an 800-pound Gorilla and many more bizarre creatures. If the humour and satire was stripped away, we would be left with a child's confusion about the way America works with many things appearing stupid or unfair.
The fantasy world of Sameer Garach's Dakota and the American Dream is a satire of modern-day America. From a ten year old's perspective, the short story covers the corporate ladder, hierarchy, racism, discrimination, career success and an extreme love of coffee. Whilst all this is humorous to the adult mind, there is an alarming amount of truth that paints the "American Dream" as a corrupt society.
From the very start, Dakota's experience feels remarkably like Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and could almost be said to be a 21st-century version of the classic children's book. Most of Dakota's story will go over the heads of young readers, however, adults will enjoy the humour and childhood innocence as well as appreciate the connection with their favourite books as a child.
As a parody of both real life and fiction, Dakota and the American Dream is a clever story that entertains and makes you think. Although sometimes extreme, it is amusing to read about everyday life being acted out by squirrels, mice, rats, a cowardly lion, an 800-pound Gorilla and many more bizarre creatures. If the humour and satire was stripped away, we would be left with a child's confusion about the way America works with many things appearing stupid or unfair.
Lone Wolf: The Remarkable Story of Britain's Greatest Nightfighter Ace of the Blitz - Flt Lt Richard Playne Stevens DSO, DFC & Bar
Andy Saunders and Terry Thompson
Book
During the Second World War, Flt Lt Richard Stevens led an extraordinary campaign as an RAF...
A History of the Grandparents I Never Had
Book
Ivan Jablonka's grandparents' lives ended long before his began: although Mates and Idesa Jablonka...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Summer at Sandcastle Cottage in Books
Jul 1, 2021
This book is told from multiple perspectives, Kitty, Apollo and Jemini are sharing their thoughts and feelings. I really liked not only the main characters but all characters mentioned in this book. They all are very realistic, unique and incredibly funny. The protagonists had a difficult past, but I am happy about their present life.
The narrative was very entertaining and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the little twists and turns, that the author incorporated into this novel. The topics discussed in this book were difficult relationships, everyday life, racism, looking for love, friendships and plenty more. One thing that really annoyed me is the term “politically correct” used in multiple places throughout this book. I don’t think it was needed and it irked me a lot.
I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I would love to spend holidays in a place like Firefly Common, where you can go to the beach and enjoy idyllic walks. The book is set during summer, so it was a great escape to somewhere nice during the lockdown. The chapters of the book have medium length, but the story is very entertaining and the pages just fly by. The ending was quite predictable, but I liked the way this story was concluded. There is a short story/prequel to this book called Christmas At Sandcastle Cottage. I haven’t read it, but I hope it would explain the past situations of the main characters better.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this funny, romantic novel, filled with intriguing and humorous characters as well as the plot that takes you to a beautiful place and makes you believe in a better life.
The narrative was very entertaining and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the little twists and turns, that the author incorporated into this novel. The topics discussed in this book were difficult relationships, everyday life, racism, looking for love, friendships and plenty more. One thing that really annoyed me is the term “politically correct” used in multiple places throughout this book. I don’t think it was needed and it irked me a lot.
I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I would love to spend holidays in a place like Firefly Common, where you can go to the beach and enjoy idyllic walks. The book is set during summer, so it was a great escape to somewhere nice during the lockdown. The chapters of the book have medium length, but the story is very entertaining and the pages just fly by. The ending was quite predictable, but I liked the way this story was concluded. There is a short story/prequel to this book called Christmas At Sandcastle Cottage. I haven’t read it, but I hope it would explain the past situations of the main characters better.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this funny, romantic novel, filled with intriguing and humorous characters as well as the plot that takes you to a beautiful place and makes you believe in a better life.
Merissa (13472 KP) rated Shadow Walker (Bloody Hearts #1) in Books
Oct 3, 2023
Shadow Walker is the first book in the Bloody Hearts series, and we start off with a young girl celebrating her 20th birthday. The boy she has had her eye on comes to her party with his grumpy brother but leaves not long after midnight. Alana's life changes dramatically within a short period of time, and she copes with it well, whilst still throwing hissy fits at regular intervals. Not that I blame her, I'm just saying!
Now, be warned, although this is a slow-burn romance, there IS a love triangle involved, and it's between two brothers. Obviously, I have my favourite over which one I think she should be with, but it wouldn't be the first time the story has changed and twisted in later books. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, and with the amount of angst in this book, I feel there is enough to continue with a meaty storyline WITHOUT having a love triangle thrown into the mix. I am hoping it will be resolved in the next book, so we can concentrate on Alana's abilities and the Walkers.
Written in the first person, from multiple perspectives, you are kept on your toes as the story develops. The pacing is smooth, the characters well-developed, and the world-building is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and look forward to continuing to the next one to find out what happens next. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2019
Now, be warned, although this is a slow-burn romance, there IS a love triangle involved, and it's between two brothers. Obviously, I have my favourite over which one I think she should be with, but it wouldn't be the first time the story has changed and twisted in later books. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, and with the amount of angst in this book, I feel there is enough to continue with a meaty storyline WITHOUT having a love triangle thrown into the mix. I am hoping it will be resolved in the next book, so we can concentrate on Alana's abilities and the Walkers.
Written in the first person, from multiple perspectives, you are kept on your toes as the story develops. The pacing is smooth, the characters well-developed, and the world-building is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and look forward to continuing to the next one to find out what happens next. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2019
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) in Movies
Jan 10, 2019 (Updated Jan 10, 2019)
A winning anthology
I am NOT a Coen Brothers apologist. For every good/great film that they have made (like FARGO, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN or underrated THE HUDSUCKER PROXY) there are duds/movies that didn't work for me (like O' BROTHER WHER ART THOU, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS and the movie I ranked as the worst film of 2016, HAIL, CAESAR). So when I heard that the latest Coen Brothers flick was going straight to Netflix AND (like HAIL, CAESAR), it was a film anthology of 6 short stories, I dragged my feet in checking this out.
But...I am glad I finally got around to it...for THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS is a strong film, taking on a heavy subject (death) in a variety of ways - light-hearted, poignant and deadly (pun intended) serious. The tone of this film - or, more accurately, these 6 short films - worked for me and I felt they wove together very well to tell an overarching story of man's relationship with death - as seen through the eyes of Wild, Wild West characters.
And what characters they are! From Tim Blake Nelson's titular character, Buster Scruggs, to James Franco's hapless (but lucky) Outlaw to Liam Neeson's traveling theatrical show to Tom Waite's grizzled prospector to Zoe Kazan's lonesome Prairie Widow to the group of passengers on the Stagecoach in the last vignette, all are interesting to watch, and listen to.
Credit, of course, needs to go to Joel and Ethan Cohen. These characters are interesting to watch, because these two put wonderful scenes and scenery up on the screen with dialogue (or lack of dialogue) that perfectly reflects what is going on and what the characters are feeling. In my opinion, the Coen Brothers are at their best when they focus on gritty subjects with poignancy (BARTON FINK) but fail when they try to get "wacky" or "over-serious" (BURN AFTER READING, A SERIOUS MAN), this film is full of the former and has very little of the latter.
I'm sure, like all Coen Brothers films, that this anthology of short films is not for everyone - and not every film will work for everyone - but they did for me. I thought each short film was the better than the one before it. I caught the vibe of what the Coen's were after and I fell under their spell.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars out of 10 and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
But...I am glad I finally got around to it...for THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS is a strong film, taking on a heavy subject (death) in a variety of ways - light-hearted, poignant and deadly (pun intended) serious. The tone of this film - or, more accurately, these 6 short films - worked for me and I felt they wove together very well to tell an overarching story of man's relationship with death - as seen through the eyes of Wild, Wild West characters.
And what characters they are! From Tim Blake Nelson's titular character, Buster Scruggs, to James Franco's hapless (but lucky) Outlaw to Liam Neeson's traveling theatrical show to Tom Waite's grizzled prospector to Zoe Kazan's lonesome Prairie Widow to the group of passengers on the Stagecoach in the last vignette, all are interesting to watch, and listen to.
Credit, of course, needs to go to Joel and Ethan Cohen. These characters are interesting to watch, because these two put wonderful scenes and scenery up on the screen with dialogue (or lack of dialogue) that perfectly reflects what is going on and what the characters are feeling. In my opinion, the Coen Brothers are at their best when they focus on gritty subjects with poignancy (BARTON FINK) but fail when they try to get "wacky" or "over-serious" (BURN AFTER READING, A SERIOUS MAN), this film is full of the former and has very little of the latter.
I'm sure, like all Coen Brothers films, that this anthology of short films is not for everyone - and not every film will work for everyone - but they did for me. I thought each short film was the better than the one before it. I caught the vibe of what the Coen's were after and I fell under their spell.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars out of 10 and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Paris for One and Other Stories
7.2
Rate It
Book
A collection of 11 unmissable short stories from the Number One internationally bestselling author...
Although Fire is listed as the second book in the Graceling Realm series, it is really a prequel and generally unrelated to the first book. The events of Fire take place some 30+ years before the events of Graceling and in a different land. Although the two are somehow magically connected by a series of mountain tunnels, they don't know about one another. I didn't realize this when I started reading the book and was quite confused for a while.
The book starts with an extensive prol0gue which introduces us to a character that only re-emerges in the story for a short time near the conclusion. While I understand his inclusion, as it is the only thing that ties Graceling and Fire together I don't see its purpose in the story. It was not particularly interesting to read and didn't give me a better sense of who the character was. Personally, I would have rather the prologue not have been included in the story as it certainly made my interest in the book wane.
The prologue set a slow and unengaging pace for the start of the book that did not remedy itself for some time. Although the start of the book was enjoyable enough, it didn't really really intriguing until the second half. That is when I really fell in love with the characters and the plot. In Fire, we are introduced to Monsters rather than Gracelings. Human Monsters have special abilities, although there aren't many of them in the Dells. Instead, most of the Monsters are animals with abilities beyond their average non-Monster kin. I don't feel like the Monster idea is well explained in the books and I wish the author had developed that aspect of the world building more.
When we first meet Fire, she is not a very likeable character (at least in my opinion). Her Monster abilities make her so beautiful that people can't control themselves around her and usually either want to possess her or kill her so no one else can have her. Harsh. She also has the ability to get inside people's heads and manipulate their thoughts. Scary. Those combined made it difficult to relate to her character, although over the course of the novel her personality was developed more and she became a little more human.
There were many other characters in the book, but Prince Brigand or Hannah were definitely my favourites. They made the story more enjoyable and I loved the scenes that they were in. Hannah was fiesty and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in, even though she wasn't quite six yet. Prince Brigand loved his brother's Kingdom and did what he must to protect it, even if it would put his life at risk.
The world building was good overall, the characters developed slightly over the course of the story and the pacing was generally decent although there were a few inclusions to the story that significantly slowed the pacing down. My biggest concern/problem with the book was the character I mentioned from the prologue's inclusion into the story later on. He didn't fit in with the story initially and his re-introduction just completely threw off the plot. Our characters went off on this side storyline that didn't add anything to the plot and reinforces for me that his inclusion wasn't necessary. I understand that he was the only aspect that binds the two books together, but his inclusion detracts from the otherwise enjoyable story.
In the end, his inclusion and the small details thrown in throughout the story took away from the world of the Dells that was very enjoyable. The book would have certainly been rated more favourably by me if those aspects were removed. Overall though, I really enjoyed reading the book and can't wait to finish the series (although it is also another jump in time and space, so be prepared for some confusion initially.)
The book starts with an extensive prol0gue which introduces us to a character that only re-emerges in the story for a short time near the conclusion. While I understand his inclusion, as it is the only thing that ties Graceling and Fire together I don't see its purpose in the story. It was not particularly interesting to read and didn't give me a better sense of who the character was. Personally, I would have rather the prologue not have been included in the story as it certainly made my interest in the book wane.
The prologue set a slow and unengaging pace for the start of the book that did not remedy itself for some time. Although the start of the book was enjoyable enough, it didn't really really intriguing until the second half. That is when I really fell in love with the characters and the plot. In Fire, we are introduced to Monsters rather than Gracelings. Human Monsters have special abilities, although there aren't many of them in the Dells. Instead, most of the Monsters are animals with abilities beyond their average non-Monster kin. I don't feel like the Monster idea is well explained in the books and I wish the author had developed that aspect of the world building more.
When we first meet Fire, she is not a very likeable character (at least in my opinion). Her Monster abilities make her so beautiful that people can't control themselves around her and usually either want to possess her or kill her so no one else can have her. Harsh. She also has the ability to get inside people's heads and manipulate their thoughts. Scary. Those combined made it difficult to relate to her character, although over the course of the novel her personality was developed more and she became a little more human.
There were many other characters in the book, but Prince Brigand or Hannah were definitely my favourites. They made the story more enjoyable and I loved the scenes that they were in. Hannah was fiesty and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in, even though she wasn't quite six yet. Prince Brigand loved his brother's Kingdom and did what he must to protect it, even if it would put his life at risk.
The world building was good overall, the characters developed slightly over the course of the story and the pacing was generally decent although there were a few inclusions to the story that significantly slowed the pacing down. My biggest concern/problem with the book was the character I mentioned from the prologue's inclusion into the story later on. He didn't fit in with the story initially and his re-introduction just completely threw off the plot. Our characters went off on this side storyline that didn't add anything to the plot and reinforces for me that his inclusion wasn't necessary. I understand that he was the only aspect that binds the two books together, but his inclusion detracts from the otherwise enjoyable story.
In the end, his inclusion and the small details thrown in throughout the story took away from the world of the Dells that was very enjoyable. The book would have certainly been rated more favourably by me if those aspects were removed. Overall though, I really enjoyed reading the book and can't wait to finish the series (although it is also another jump in time and space, so be prepared for some confusion initially.)