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A Long Petal of the Sea
A Long Petal of the Sea
Isabel Allende | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
My first, and not my last, Isabel Allende book!
A Long Petal of the Sea is my first foray into the books of Isabel Allende, and after reading this, it most certainly wont be my last.

This is the sweeping historical story of the Dalmau family, their role in the Spanish Civil War, their escape in to France (which was horrific), and their journey to Chile as refugees on the ship ‘Winnipeg’ arranged by the poet Pablo Neruda.

It’s a devastating and yet heartwarming look at humanity and it’s ability to endure. I hadn’t known about the concentration-style camps that the French forced the Spanish refugees in to after Franco and his right wing party won the Civil War. It looks as though people have always been able to destroy one another in inhuman ways (this is no surprise to me, by the way). We see more of the use of concentration camps in Chile after the military coup.

The main characters, Victor and Roser Dalmau continue to see Chile as their home, over and above Spain. They show us that home is where your friends, family and community are - and that you can make this home anywhere.

This book really is a joy to read. I’ve learnt so much of the history of this time, as well as having the pleasure of just reading a great story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for my copy of this book to read.
  
    Lingoland

    Lingoland

    Education and Games

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Lingoland is the first real game that helps you learn Spanish. It takes the best out of both games...

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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Duolingo Spanish Podcast in Podcasts

Jan 4, 2018 (Updated Jan 4, 2018)  
Duolingo Spanish Podcast
Duolingo Spanish Podcast
Education
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Interesting and useful
@Duolingo is one of the most popular language learning apps on the market, so it was only a matter of time it explored other avenues. With its new Spanish podcast range, it has upped its game, as it feels much more useful and meaningful than learning sentences such as "I am a pretty duck".

The main topic of discussion is life experiences, from meeting heroes to rites of passage - it seems far more relevant than the content of the app. And the podcast is bilingual. However, it is for intermediate level which is perhaps why the content is a bit more interesting and varied. So far, so good.
  
Quarantine (2008)
Quarantine (2008)
2008 | Horror, Mystery
Decent Western remake for a change
A really great horror film, made apparently just months after the Spanish original @REC (2007) . What I don't understand is so many people saying this is not as good? It's almost the same film scene for scene, but with a different cast and set in LA. The only changes from the original are a few more attacks and the origin of the virus was changed slightly. The only real problem if you have seen the original first is you know what is coming and when viewing second time round it's not so scary. Otherwise almost a carbon copy of the original but in English. Watch out for Rec2!
  
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Dean (6927 KP) Jan 8, 2018

It's nearly identical for me. Yes Terminal it was ok but not quite as good as this, very low budget. Rec 2 was decent. Rec 3 started to go more horror comedy vibe.

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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) in Movies

Feb 10, 2019 (Updated Feb 10, 2019)  
The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)
The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)
1964 | Action, Drama, History
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Hammer swashbuckler is an odd mixture of the colourful and the stodgy; shipload of dodgy Spanish types fleeing the defeat of the Armada pitch up in Cornwall and try to persuade the isolated local villagers that their side won, so they can get help fixing their ship.

Christopher Lee and a bunch of other Hammer rep stalwarts go through the motions professionally enough, though this isn't strictly speaking a horror movie (much talk of floggings, hangings, and tongues being cut out, though) - the 'village under foreign occupation' theme gives it the feel of a Second World War movie, weirdly enough. Decent sword fights, quite good production values - in the end it passes the time agreeably enough.
  
TC
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Greg Rich and his parents are still stuck in 17th century France, and Spanish assassins have just targeted Greg and his friends, the Musketeers. This leads them to think that their old nemesis is plotting to overthrow the French government, so they take off to learn what kind of army is on the way. However, dissention in the group is making the trip hard. Can they keep it together to save the day? This is a fun mix of fantasy and historical fiction for kids. And adults. I certainly enjoyed it. It was another can't put down for me.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-last-musketeer-traitors.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
    Manga Rock

    Manga Rock

    Book and Entertainment

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    Manga Rock is the go-to app for all your manga reading needs! HUGE LIBRARY Read thousands of manga...

    My Blood Pressure Readings

    My Blood Pressure Readings

    Medical and Health & Fitness

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    App

    Nice and easy to use blood pressure tracker. User-friendly interface, no ads, and high-quality...