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A poignant story of family history.
Akin was such a lovely surprise of a book. It’s a touching story of an elderly widower, Noah, and his estranged 12 year old great-nephew Michael, going on holiday together to Noah’s birthplace in France. Noah hasn’t been back to Nice since he left as a four year old during WWII and wants to go there for his 80th birthday. Noah and his wife were both science professors at a New York university, and had decided not to have children so that they could concentrate on their careers. So when Michael is dropped in to Noah’s life, it’s something of a shock. Noah rises to the challenge, no matter how reluctantly, because Michaels mother is serving a five year prison sentence, his father (Noah’s nephew) is dead of an overdose, and his maternal grandmother has recently died. Noah is a good person, whether he realises it or not.
I loved how both of the characters were written: Noah is not some feeble old man, he’s fit, mentally sharp and has a great sense of humour - something that’s needed with a pre-teen! Michael puts on a front of being worldly wise, wise cracking and untouchable, whilst hiding the scared 12 year old that he is. I loved how the two of them bounced off one another. To be fair, Noah is incredibly patient with him, considering that he hasn’t had much experience with 12 year olds!
The mystery element was fascinating, too. Noah has found some photos in his deceased sisters belongings which came from their mother. They’re quite abstract: the backs of heads, legs, parts of a building, and Noah starts to find out things that he’s not sure that he likes about his mother’s war.
This search was really interesting, as were the details about Noah’s famous photographer grandfather, Père Sonne.
This is such a lovely story that looks at what it is to be family - warts and all. I would highly recommend it. It’s wonderful.
I loved how both of the characters were written: Noah is not some feeble old man, he’s fit, mentally sharp and has a great sense of humour - something that’s needed with a pre-teen! Michael puts on a front of being worldly wise, wise cracking and untouchable, whilst hiding the scared 12 year old that he is. I loved how the two of them bounced off one another. To be fair, Noah is incredibly patient with him, considering that he hasn’t had much experience with 12 year olds!
The mystery element was fascinating, too. Noah has found some photos in his deceased sisters belongings which came from their mother. They’re quite abstract: the backs of heads, legs, parts of a building, and Noah starts to find out things that he’s not sure that he likes about his mother’s war.
This search was really interesting, as were the details about Noah’s famous photographer grandfather, Père Sonne.
This is such a lovely story that looks at what it is to be family - warts and all. I would highly recommend it. It’s wonderful.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Fighter (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Based on a true story, The Fighter tells the tale of two brother boxers. Retired and addicted to drugs, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) lives life as the town hero while dreaming of a comeback career. Meanwhile his talented younger brother Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is reaching his fighting apex. That is, if he can choose to move past family ties that are holding him from success.
The surprising sibling chemistry of actors Bale and Wahlberg is the successful binding force in the The Fighter. The skill of these two brings relevance to the film for an audience that might otherwise step past a sports story by giving it heart.
Also leading the cast is Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming, a bartender and the love interest of Micky. Charlene threatens to challenge Micky’s already rocky relationship with his family and while this is not Adam’s most impressive role it does display a stretch from her previous body of work.
The supporting cast, consisting of the Micky and Dicky’s sisters and a number of coach and agent figures, adds a much-needed comedic element to a film. Yet it is the small character choices that create emotion in the story, from Micky’s beat-up low budget automobile to the numerous half intelligent one-liners delivered from an increasingly unstable Dicky. This instability combined with gritty shots, constantly moving camera angles, and drab colors provide the audience with a full view of the challenges faced by both brothers in the struggle to survive as boxers.
Unlike the majority of sports stories turned into film The Fighter tackles a much more realistic portrayal of both the sport and the human complexities of the characters involved. The Fighter is more a movie about being a boxer than one about the sport itself, resulting in much of the story occurring outside of the ring. However, there is no denying that The Fighter is a tried and true sports film that overcomes the overplayed story through compelling acting and quality plot.
The surprising sibling chemistry of actors Bale and Wahlberg is the successful binding force in the The Fighter. The skill of these two brings relevance to the film for an audience that might otherwise step past a sports story by giving it heart.
Also leading the cast is Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming, a bartender and the love interest of Micky. Charlene threatens to challenge Micky’s already rocky relationship with his family and while this is not Adam’s most impressive role it does display a stretch from her previous body of work.
The supporting cast, consisting of the Micky and Dicky’s sisters and a number of coach and agent figures, adds a much-needed comedic element to a film. Yet it is the small character choices that create emotion in the story, from Micky’s beat-up low budget automobile to the numerous half intelligent one-liners delivered from an increasingly unstable Dicky. This instability combined with gritty shots, constantly moving camera angles, and drab colors provide the audience with a full view of the challenges faced by both brothers in the struggle to survive as boxers.
Unlike the majority of sports stories turned into film The Fighter tackles a much more realistic portrayal of both the sport and the human complexities of the characters involved. The Fighter is more a movie about being a boxer than one about the sport itself, resulting in much of the story occurring outside of the ring. However, there is no denying that The Fighter is a tried and true sports film that overcomes the overplayed story through compelling acting and quality plot.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury, #1) in Books
Dec 19, 2018
I didn't actually have high hopes for this book - the description hits a lot of standard YA tropes. Sisterhood, switched roles, Royal/pauper juxtaposition...but WOW. No, this book blew me away.
In Serina and Nomi's world, women are second-class citizens, forbidden to read, have romantic relationships with each other, or have careers of their own. Serina plans to be a Grace, effectively a concubine to the Prince, with her sister as her handmaiden. But it is Nomi who catches the Prince's eye when she stumbles into him in a hallway, and Nomi that he picks. In a moment of weakness, Nomi's secret is discovered and thought to be Serina's, and rather than jeopardize Nomi's new position, Serina capitulates and takes the fall. She's sent to a volcanic island prison while Nomi struggles to tame her own rebellious nature long enough to gain enough influence to free her sister.
The book is about oppression and sisterhood, whether it be with those that share your blood or not. Along the way, we discover a different history of the nation than what is normally taught, and find a few men who sympathize with the women's plight. (And eventually step up to take action alongside the women.)
It's a quick read - the action starts on page one and never stops. Chapters alternate between Nomi in the palace and Serina on her island prison fighting for food, and both girls learn that what they saw as weakness in each other can be strengths in different circumstances.
The only downside to this book is that it ends with things unfinished. Not a cliffhanger, exactly, but the story is most definitely not done, and the sequel doesn't come out until July of 2019! I will be snapping that up as soon as it releases because I NEED to know how these two sisters overcome their trials.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
In Serina and Nomi's world, women are second-class citizens, forbidden to read, have romantic relationships with each other, or have careers of their own. Serina plans to be a Grace, effectively a concubine to the Prince, with her sister as her handmaiden. But it is Nomi who catches the Prince's eye when she stumbles into him in a hallway, and Nomi that he picks. In a moment of weakness, Nomi's secret is discovered and thought to be Serina's, and rather than jeopardize Nomi's new position, Serina capitulates and takes the fall. She's sent to a volcanic island prison while Nomi struggles to tame her own rebellious nature long enough to gain enough influence to free her sister.
The book is about oppression and sisterhood, whether it be with those that share your blood or not. Along the way, we discover a different history of the nation than what is normally taught, and find a few men who sympathize with the women's plight. (And eventually step up to take action alongside the women.)
It's a quick read - the action starts on page one and never stops. Chapters alternate between Nomi in the palace and Serina on her island prison fighting for food, and both girls learn that what they saw as weakness in each other can be strengths in different circumstances.
The only downside to this book is that it ends with things unfinished. Not a cliffhanger, exactly, but the story is most definitely not done, and the sequel doesn't come out until July of 2019! I will be snapping that up as soon as it releases because I NEED to know how these two sisters overcome their trials.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Ecstasy Unveiled (Demonica #4) in Books
Nov 18, 2019
I gave myself a break after the initial three brothers because Eidolon, Shade and Wraith had been with me for a long time by then and I really liked all three of them so the addition of a fourth brother put me off a little. Lore seemed to be some assassin for hire that came across as being way too cocky in those first few chapters we met him in in the last book. But he did come up good in the end.
In his book, Lore is tasked with doing his 100th job, his final kill before he can be set free from his master. The only issue is that he's sent to kill Kynan, a close friend of his brothers. They won't let him kill Kynan and neither will Kynan's angel protector, Idess.
Idess continually transports him away as he tries and after chaining him up for several days they get to know each other and the intense attraction between them gets stronger and stronger. Both are in a pickle, though, as Lore's sister will die if he doesn't kill Kynan and Idess now has both Kynan and Lore as her protectees so how can she save both of them?
It turns out that someone from each of their pasts have joined forces to bring about their ruination. And it almost works.
I actually grew to like Lore a heck of a lot. He was so...unselfish? Is that a word? He was trying to do everything for everyone else, but doing it silently. He didn't brag about being a good guy. He actually thought he was a bad guy. Which I think is stupid. Yeah, he's been forced to do bad things by his assassin master but you were doing it for your sister!
Since I've fallen back in love with this series, I'm going to read Sin Undone next, which is Lore's sisters story.
In his book, Lore is tasked with doing his 100th job, his final kill before he can be set free from his master. The only issue is that he's sent to kill Kynan, a close friend of his brothers. They won't let him kill Kynan and neither will Kynan's angel protector, Idess.
Idess continually transports him away as he tries and after chaining him up for several days they get to know each other and the intense attraction between them gets stronger and stronger. Both are in a pickle, though, as Lore's sister will die if he doesn't kill Kynan and Idess now has both Kynan and Lore as her protectees so how can she save both of them?
It turns out that someone from each of their pasts have joined forces to bring about their ruination. And it almost works.
I actually grew to like Lore a heck of a lot. He was so...unselfish? Is that a word? He was trying to do everything for everyone else, but doing it silently. He didn't brag about being a good guy. He actually thought he was a bad guy. Which I think is stupid. Yeah, he's been forced to do bad things by his assassin master but you were doing it for your sister!
Since I've fallen back in love with this series, I'm going to read Sin Undone next, which is Lore's sisters story.
Dreamland is set in 1911, the year of a heatwave in New York. Peggy Batternberg, a wealthy heiress, is forced to spend the summer at the exclusive Oriental Hotel on Coney Island. She would rather work at the Moonrise Bookstore and keep her distance from her controlling family. Even though she’s not allowed to go to the fairgrounds on Coney Island on her own, she does go there with her brother and male cousins. After an argument, they become separated, and Peggy is able to explore Dreamland (the fairground) alone. She meets a poor artist, Stefan, and falls in love with him and his art.
But when dead women start turning up and Stefan is under suspicion, Peggy realises that the culprit may be closer than she realises (and not Stefan!). She decides that she has to be the one to find out who has murdered these women. In doing so, she discovers the dark side of her family.
I really enjoyed this - the descriptions were so good, and really illustrated the vast difference between the exclusive, luxurious hotels and the fairgrounds, the wealth of Peggy’s family and the poverty of the fairground workers.
Henry Taul, Peggy’s sisters fiancé and her ex-boyfriend, really is an unpleasant piece of work, and his mother is awful - a great example of ‘new money’ and how they clearly don’t know how to conduct themselves (ok, I’m saying this with a little ‘tongue in cheek’). Unlike the more staid (on the surface) Batternbergs!
The descriptions of Coney Island so evocative, that I could have been there, and the photos that the author had taken and posted on The Pigeonhole really added to this.
I must have changed my mind about the identity of the murderer at least half a dozen times , and it really did take me until the end and the big reveal to be sure!
A thoroughly enjoyable serialisation by The Pigeonhole, made even better by the authors participation.
But when dead women start turning up and Stefan is under suspicion, Peggy realises that the culprit may be closer than she realises (and not Stefan!). She decides that she has to be the one to find out who has murdered these women. In doing so, she discovers the dark side of her family.
I really enjoyed this - the descriptions were so good, and really illustrated the vast difference between the exclusive, luxurious hotels and the fairgrounds, the wealth of Peggy’s family and the poverty of the fairground workers.
Henry Taul, Peggy’s sisters fiancé and her ex-boyfriend, really is an unpleasant piece of work, and his mother is awful - a great example of ‘new money’ and how they clearly don’t know how to conduct themselves (ok, I’m saying this with a little ‘tongue in cheek’). Unlike the more staid (on the surface) Batternbergs!
The descriptions of Coney Island so evocative, that I could have been there, and the photos that the author had taken and posted on The Pigeonhole really added to this.
I must have changed my mind about the identity of the murderer at least half a dozen times , and it really did take me until the end and the big reveal to be sure!
A thoroughly enjoyable serialisation by The Pigeonhole, made even better by the authors participation.
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