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White Stag (Permafrost, #1)
White Stag (Permafrost, #1)
Kara Barbieri | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
A compelling new story that takes the nuance of Cruel prince and the lore of Goblin King. Fans of strong characters and women who can take on the world will love this read.
Soren and Janneka make the perfect pair to take on the world. Their companionship and fight through the book is commendable. This permafrost world is so well developed that it takes a bit of time to understand the plot. The characters had their own fears and you developed warmth for the odd man out.

*Warning of slight trigger warning for rape is advised. There is no full discussion but alluded to and the scars it leaves behind are in the plot multiple times.
  
Goddess of Legend
Goddess of Legend
P.C. Cast | 2019
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The characters (0 more)
Inspiring
This was the 2nd book that I read in the Goddess series and it was just as good as the first one I read. I love how strong and thought out the female characters are, how they tend to be more mature women that are still finding themselves rather than the clichéd teen dramas, and the attention to detail that Cast puts into the world building.

This is a retelling of a sorts of the Legend of King Arthur and is simply brilliant. If you enjoy retellings of fairytales and myths then you really must read this series, please note that it isn't for younger readers as it has explicit content.
  
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure
FINALLY a female superhero that isn't a sex symbol, believable and sympathetic antagonist, a good twist, didn't just give fan service, (0 more)
Haters haters haters (0 more)
Representation goes higher, further, faster!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Captain Marvel wasn't the best Marvel movie to date, but was one of the better ones. Brie Larson was fantastic as Carol Danvers. She very well portrayed a woman who was told to suppress her emotions her entire life to fit within a patriarchal society. The big twist being that she didn't have to prove anything to the men in her life to be the strong powerful woman that she is. Probably does more for representation of women than WonderWoman. The Skrull also teach us that we cannot demonize sentients before understanding them. Excelltent! 9/10
  
40x40

Fayce McRobbie (19 KP) rated Out in Books

Aug 24, 2019  
Out
Out
10
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
An exciting read (1 more)
An insight into another culture
A strong writing style and gripping story
Even though the story itself may seem far fetched, Kirino writes in a way that captures the bleakness and monotony of the women's lives and makes everything they feel, say and do seem so relatable and real that you don't question their motives or seemingly unrealistic decisions.
One of my favourite things about this book was portrayal of uncomfortable family dynamics and the odd state of limbo these women lived in, professionally and personally - something like looking into a window on another culture and generation.
It's a story that manages to be shocking, gruesome, almost inhuman but still somehow so comparable to our own world.
  
The Keeping Room (2015)
The Keeping Room (2015)
2015 | Drama, Mystery, Western
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Story: The Keeping Room starts as during the civil war, Augusta (Marling), Louise (Steinfeld) and their slave Mad (Otaru) must work together to look after their family home together, while the men are out at war, they are getting by with Louise wanting to do more than just work around the house.

The women soon become targets for the rogue soldiers Moses (Worthington) and Henry (Soller), without the normal support they must defend their home before the war comes to them.

 

Thoughts on The Keeping Room

 

Characters – Augusta is the lady of the house, keeping Louise in line, while making it fair for everyone under the roof, no matter what their status is. She will be the one that will go for help and risk her life to protect the rest. Louise is the younger of the two women, she doesn’t like being forced into work believing the slave should do it all, her failure to follow instructions only makes it difficult for Augusta. Mad is the slave that has been welcomed as part of the family, joining in the defence of the home too. Moses is one of the soldiers that is leaving a path of destruction as they run away from the war. He targets the women’s home and the women to make his own for the time being.

Performances – Brit Marling is good in the leading role, we see strong performances from the three women if we are being honest, Hailee Steinfeld continues to show her ability, where as unknown Muna Otaru should be a name we pay more attention too. Sam Worthington does a fine job in the villainous role where we see him deliver lines in a disturbing manner.

Story – The story follows three women that must put their classes a side during the American Civil War to protect their home from rogue soldiers that only want to do unthinkable things to them. We get to see how the women do have their own problems to deal without the soldier adding to them, the unsure feeling about whether they will have the men in their lives returning to them. Once the soldiers arrive it does become a survival story which is good, it shows how difficult and risky it would be for either side just to attack they must focus on defending. The pacing of the story seems solid with giving away too much too early before leading to the night of the event.

Western – The film does use the western themes in the elements of the war time western not the wild west style it works well enough with the rogue soldiers trying to take a home.

Settings – The film uses the lone settings of the house in the middle of nowhere and the paths leading to it, to show us how isolated people would become during the war time.


Scene of the Movie – The night of the event.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Certain parts feel slow though.

Final Thoughts – This is a slow-moving western that shows the effects of the civil war on the women left behind that could face their own uncertain future as the men out at war. It has strong performances and a dark feeling about what could happen next.

 

Overall: darkly depressive look at the American Civil War.