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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Mob Sitters in Tabletop Games
Sep 17, 2019
I feel like everyone at some point in their lives has been a babysitter. Either for younger (or maybe even older?) siblings, or for the entire neighborhood – it kind of seems like a rite of passage. I definitely had my share of babysitting gigs growing up, but none as exciting and high-energy as the one presented in Mob Sitters!
Disclaimer: This preview is based upon a preview copy of the game. The final components, rules, and gameplay may differ from those described in this review! -L
In Mob Sitters, you take on the role of a babysitter working for the mob. Just because crime pays the bills doesn’t mean these mobsters don’t have families! You’re no ordinary babysitter though, otherwise you wouldn’t be mixed up with the mob. You’ve got plans of your own – whether it’s stealing from your boss, ratting out your rivals to the cops, or actually just some innocent babysitting, there’s money to be made here!
Mob Sitters is played over six rounds in which you take turns playing cards (some hidden and some not), targeting or reacting to your opponents, and collecting that sweet sweet money. Let’s break it down. To start the game, each player receives a player mat and deck of cards for their chosen character. There will be 8 characters in the final game, but only 6 are present in the preview copy. The different characters do not have any special powers or abilities, they just have different artwork on their cards! Shuffle your decks, draw a hand of 6 cards, determine a starting player, and you’re ready to go.
Each player’s turn consists of 6 steps (Steps 1-3 are not applicable in round 1, and Steps 4-6 are not applicable in the final round). Step 1 is to earn money – any cards with a monetary value that are in your play area are moved to your Safe and will count towards end-game scoring. It is important to note that cards that earn you money (Steal and Job cards) must be played face-up into your play area. Step 2 is to reveal and resolve any Accusation cards in your play area that you want to. Accusation cards allow you to target an opponent’s Job/Steal card currently in play, in an attempt to discard it to their Cops/Boss piles, respectively, to count against that player in end-game scoring. The targeted player does not have to sit idly by and watch their money go down the drain, however. If the targeted player has a Reaction card face-down in their play area, they may reveal it to deflect the blame to yet another player! If you successfully deflect the blame, that money will not count against you, but will instead count against the next player blamed who is unable to react to and shift blame to someone else. To play a Reaction card, it must already be in your play area – you cannot play one directly from your hand! The next step, Step 3, is to discard any remaining face down cards in your play area. In Step 4, you choose 3 cards from your hand and play them into your play area. Job/Steal cards must be played face-up, but Accusation and Reaction cards can be played face-down. During Step 5, you resolve any face-up accusation cards you may have played in Step 4. The final step, Step 6, of your turn is to draw 3 cards, bringing your hand back up to 6 cards. Play then moves on to the next player, who then will perform their 6 steps, and so on. After 6 rounds, the game ends. Scoring varies depending on how many players there are, but ultimately the winner is the player with the most money in their safe!
I know that sounds like quite a lot going on, but believe me when I say the game plays pretty well (and pretty quickly) once you’ve gotten the hang of the turns. On paper, the sheer number of steps per turn seems excessive and like it would bog down the gameplay, but in actuality, the actions performed in each step are simple and fast. Perhaps if the number of steps were condensed from 6 down to maybe 3-4, the gameplay would seem a little less daunting. There is some slight ambiguity between the types of cards and into which stacks they go – the rules call cards Job and Steal cards, but the player mat refers to Boss and Cop cards. Fortunately the cards have symbols that correspond to the different stacks, so when in doubt, check the corner of the card!
Let’s talk components. This is first and foremost a card game, and the cards I received are of good quality! They shuffle well, and feel sturdy enough to withstand many plays. The art on the cards is pretty cute, the colors really pop, and there are some fun puns to be found on several Steal/Job cards. As for the player mats, this is only a preview copy of the game so I just printed them out (apologies for my lack of access to a color printer!), but their text is clear and helpful for remembering turn steps. The components may change throughout the Kickstarter campaign, but so far they’re off to a good start!
So how does it play? For the most part, Mob Sitters plays pretty quickly and is engaging for all players. There’s a good amount of strategy involved, as well as some luck and a whole lotta take that. All players receive identical decks of cards, which are then shuffled, so although you know what cards are available to your opponents, you never know what they currently have in their hand. You’ve got to be watchful of which cards your opponents play, to see if you can deduce which cards they have remaining. Are they taking the offensive approach and accusing everyone? Or are they being more subtle and taking a defensive stance, deflecting all accusations onto others? You have to decide when is the right time to play your cards to ensure that you aren’t targeted by too many opponents. Your strategy is ever-changing to adapt to the cards currently in your hand, and that’s what takes Mob Sitters to the next level for me.
Mob Sitters is a quick, easy, and fun game for any sized group. Hilarity ensues when accusations result in all players pointing fingers and trying to deflect blame. Although it can be played with 3, I think this game is better suited for 4+ players. With a smaller group, some of the aspects of ‘take that’ can feel personal and lead to tension between players. But a larger group can eliminate some of the animosity caused by always being targeted by the same person the entire game. Overall though, I enjoyed getting to play Mob Sitters! It has a unique theme and simple, yet strategic, gameplay that will keep all players on their toes. In my communications with the designer, I have learned that the retail version of the game will include “Hidden Agenda” cards to provide each player with a secret objective. There is also an expansion already in the works – The Heavy Mob Deck – that will add more cards and more complexity for experienced gamers!
If you enjoy games of hidden information, take that, and a little bit of bluffing, definitely check Mob Sitters out! It’s more than the standard party game, but still fits the categories of light, fast, and easy to learn games for all players. I look forward to following this upcoming campaign, and I definitely will be playing my copy again!
Disclaimer: This preview is based upon a preview copy of the game. The final components, rules, and gameplay may differ from those described in this review! -L
In Mob Sitters, you take on the role of a babysitter working for the mob. Just because crime pays the bills doesn’t mean these mobsters don’t have families! You’re no ordinary babysitter though, otherwise you wouldn’t be mixed up with the mob. You’ve got plans of your own – whether it’s stealing from your boss, ratting out your rivals to the cops, or actually just some innocent babysitting, there’s money to be made here!
Mob Sitters is played over six rounds in which you take turns playing cards (some hidden and some not), targeting or reacting to your opponents, and collecting that sweet sweet money. Let’s break it down. To start the game, each player receives a player mat and deck of cards for their chosen character. There will be 8 characters in the final game, but only 6 are present in the preview copy. The different characters do not have any special powers or abilities, they just have different artwork on their cards! Shuffle your decks, draw a hand of 6 cards, determine a starting player, and you’re ready to go.
Each player’s turn consists of 6 steps (Steps 1-3 are not applicable in round 1, and Steps 4-6 are not applicable in the final round). Step 1 is to earn money – any cards with a monetary value that are in your play area are moved to your Safe and will count towards end-game scoring. It is important to note that cards that earn you money (Steal and Job cards) must be played face-up into your play area. Step 2 is to reveal and resolve any Accusation cards in your play area that you want to. Accusation cards allow you to target an opponent’s Job/Steal card currently in play, in an attempt to discard it to their Cops/Boss piles, respectively, to count against that player in end-game scoring. The targeted player does not have to sit idly by and watch their money go down the drain, however. If the targeted player has a Reaction card face-down in their play area, they may reveal it to deflect the blame to yet another player! If you successfully deflect the blame, that money will not count against you, but will instead count against the next player blamed who is unable to react to and shift blame to someone else. To play a Reaction card, it must already be in your play area – you cannot play one directly from your hand! The next step, Step 3, is to discard any remaining face down cards in your play area. In Step 4, you choose 3 cards from your hand and play them into your play area. Job/Steal cards must be played face-up, but Accusation and Reaction cards can be played face-down. During Step 5, you resolve any face-up accusation cards you may have played in Step 4. The final step, Step 6, of your turn is to draw 3 cards, bringing your hand back up to 6 cards. Play then moves on to the next player, who then will perform their 6 steps, and so on. After 6 rounds, the game ends. Scoring varies depending on how many players there are, but ultimately the winner is the player with the most money in their safe!
I know that sounds like quite a lot going on, but believe me when I say the game plays pretty well (and pretty quickly) once you’ve gotten the hang of the turns. On paper, the sheer number of steps per turn seems excessive and like it would bog down the gameplay, but in actuality, the actions performed in each step are simple and fast. Perhaps if the number of steps were condensed from 6 down to maybe 3-4, the gameplay would seem a little less daunting. There is some slight ambiguity between the types of cards and into which stacks they go – the rules call cards Job and Steal cards, but the player mat refers to Boss and Cop cards. Fortunately the cards have symbols that correspond to the different stacks, so when in doubt, check the corner of the card!
Let’s talk components. This is first and foremost a card game, and the cards I received are of good quality! They shuffle well, and feel sturdy enough to withstand many plays. The art on the cards is pretty cute, the colors really pop, and there are some fun puns to be found on several Steal/Job cards. As for the player mats, this is only a preview copy of the game so I just printed them out (apologies for my lack of access to a color printer!), but their text is clear and helpful for remembering turn steps. The components may change throughout the Kickstarter campaign, but so far they’re off to a good start!
So how does it play? For the most part, Mob Sitters plays pretty quickly and is engaging for all players. There’s a good amount of strategy involved, as well as some luck and a whole lotta take that. All players receive identical decks of cards, which are then shuffled, so although you know what cards are available to your opponents, you never know what they currently have in their hand. You’ve got to be watchful of which cards your opponents play, to see if you can deduce which cards they have remaining. Are they taking the offensive approach and accusing everyone? Or are they being more subtle and taking a defensive stance, deflecting all accusations onto others? You have to decide when is the right time to play your cards to ensure that you aren’t targeted by too many opponents. Your strategy is ever-changing to adapt to the cards currently in your hand, and that’s what takes Mob Sitters to the next level for me.
Mob Sitters is a quick, easy, and fun game for any sized group. Hilarity ensues when accusations result in all players pointing fingers and trying to deflect blame. Although it can be played with 3, I think this game is better suited for 4+ players. With a smaller group, some of the aspects of ‘take that’ can feel personal and lead to tension between players. But a larger group can eliminate some of the animosity caused by always being targeted by the same person the entire game. Overall though, I enjoyed getting to play Mob Sitters! It has a unique theme and simple, yet strategic, gameplay that will keep all players on their toes. In my communications with the designer, I have learned that the retail version of the game will include “Hidden Agenda” cards to provide each player with a secret objective. There is also an expansion already in the works – The Heavy Mob Deck – that will add more cards and more complexity for experienced gamers!
If you enjoy games of hidden information, take that, and a little bit of bluffing, definitely check Mob Sitters out! It’s more than the standard party game, but still fits the categories of light, fast, and easy to learn games for all players. I look forward to following this upcoming campaign, and I definitely will be playing my copy again!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Mysterium in Tabletop Games
Jul 6, 2019
Murder! A poor soul has been murdered in this house, and the homeowner has hired a group of mediums to solve the crime and give the spirit peace. One problem – the ghost can’t remember for sure who did it! Through a seance, the ghost sends visions to the mediums to lead them to potential suspects, crime scenes, and murder weapons. It is up to the mediums to work together and decipher the visions, narrow down the field, and find the criminal! Time is limited however – unless the culprit is caught in 7 hours, the magic of the seance will run out and the crime will remain a mystery!
DISCLAIMER: There are several expansions to this game, but we are not reviewing them at this time. Should we review them in the future we will either update this review or post a link to the new material here. -T
Mysterium is a cooperative game of deduction in which players take on the roles of mediums trying to solve the murder, and one player takes on the role of the ghost who is haunting the estate. Every turn, the ghost sends Visions (in the form of illustrated cards) to each medium in an attempt to guide them to investigate different suspects, locations, and potential murder weapons. The visions are not always clear, however, so the mediums must use their imaginations and deduction skills to decipher any hidden hints or clues contained in the visions. If all mediums are able to identify their suspects/locations/weapons before the 7th hour has passed, the ghost then sends one final Vision to all mediums to guide them to the true culprit. After receiving and deciphering this final Vision, the mediums must all vote on whom they believe the culprit to be. If the majority of the mediums select the correct culprit, the mystery has been solved and the ghost can be laid to rest! If not, however, the mystery remains and the ghost must wait an entire year before the magic ritual can be performed again…
I love Mysterium. I seriously think it’s a great game. One reason why I love it is because it’s a deduction game that is cooperative. Most of the deduction games I’ve played before are competitive or involve some form of bluffing. And I’m pretty terrible at lying, so I never really do well in those. What I like about Mysterium is that you’re still trying to figure out your own cards, but you’re allowed (and encouraged!) to ask your fellow mediums for their thoughts. It’s cool to see how everyone interprets the Vision cards because someone might notice or see something on your Vision card in a way you didn’t think of on your own. Your friends may be able to provide insight to help you through the game, just as you can help them decipher their clues. Especially since the game can’t be won unless everyone has found their cards, it really is in your best interest to cooperate and help everyone out.
Another thing I love about Mysterium is that it can be played with up to 7 players. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I have 4 siblings, and sometimes finding engaging games for 5+ people can be pretty hard. Not an issue at all with Mysterium. It’s actually a favorite of my siblings to play, so I always bring it with me for holidays and family gatherings! I personally think Mysterium works better at higher player counts, so that really bodes well for me and my family!
One final thing I really like about Mysterium is the dynamic created between the mediums and the ghost player. The ghost is allowed to communicate with the mediums through visions only – no verbal communication at all! That means that as the ghost player, you’re trying to anticipate how each medium will interpret different visions so you can give them the one that will guide them to their specific card. When you’re a medium, you’re trying to think how the ghost player thinks – why did they give me this card and what did they want me to notice? In either role, you’re trying to get in the mind of your counterpart, and that just adds a fun little bonus twist for me.
I think Mysterium is a great game. Deduction drives the game and it keeps you constantly engaged, questioning every card you see. It’s an entertaining and lighthearted cooperative game for any player count, and it thrives with great non-confrontational player interaction. Mysterium was one of the first games in my collection – I was in my FLGS, picked it up off the shelf, and having done no research on it at all, I bought it. And boy oh boy am I glad I did. Definitely give Mysterium a try – it’s a good blend of mystery and fun! Purple Phoenix Games gives it an ethereal 11 / 12.
DISCLAIMER: There are several expansions to this game, but we are not reviewing them at this time. Should we review them in the future we will either update this review or post a link to the new material here. -T
Mysterium is a cooperative game of deduction in which players take on the roles of mediums trying to solve the murder, and one player takes on the role of the ghost who is haunting the estate. Every turn, the ghost sends Visions (in the form of illustrated cards) to each medium in an attempt to guide them to investigate different suspects, locations, and potential murder weapons. The visions are not always clear, however, so the mediums must use their imaginations and deduction skills to decipher any hidden hints or clues contained in the visions. If all mediums are able to identify their suspects/locations/weapons before the 7th hour has passed, the ghost then sends one final Vision to all mediums to guide them to the true culprit. After receiving and deciphering this final Vision, the mediums must all vote on whom they believe the culprit to be. If the majority of the mediums select the correct culprit, the mystery has been solved and the ghost can be laid to rest! If not, however, the mystery remains and the ghost must wait an entire year before the magic ritual can be performed again…
I love Mysterium. I seriously think it’s a great game. One reason why I love it is because it’s a deduction game that is cooperative. Most of the deduction games I’ve played before are competitive or involve some form of bluffing. And I’m pretty terrible at lying, so I never really do well in those. What I like about Mysterium is that you’re still trying to figure out your own cards, but you’re allowed (and encouraged!) to ask your fellow mediums for their thoughts. It’s cool to see how everyone interprets the Vision cards because someone might notice or see something on your Vision card in a way you didn’t think of on your own. Your friends may be able to provide insight to help you through the game, just as you can help them decipher their clues. Especially since the game can’t be won unless everyone has found their cards, it really is in your best interest to cooperate and help everyone out.
Another thing I love about Mysterium is that it can be played with up to 7 players. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I have 4 siblings, and sometimes finding engaging games for 5+ people can be pretty hard. Not an issue at all with Mysterium. It’s actually a favorite of my siblings to play, so I always bring it with me for holidays and family gatherings! I personally think Mysterium works better at higher player counts, so that really bodes well for me and my family!
One final thing I really like about Mysterium is the dynamic created between the mediums and the ghost player. The ghost is allowed to communicate with the mediums through visions only – no verbal communication at all! That means that as the ghost player, you’re trying to anticipate how each medium will interpret different visions so you can give them the one that will guide them to their specific card. When you’re a medium, you’re trying to think how the ghost player thinks – why did they give me this card and what did they want me to notice? In either role, you’re trying to get in the mind of your counterpart, and that just adds a fun little bonus twist for me.
I think Mysterium is a great game. Deduction drives the game and it keeps you constantly engaged, questioning every card you see. It’s an entertaining and lighthearted cooperative game for any player count, and it thrives with great non-confrontational player interaction. Mysterium was one of the first games in my collection – I was in my FLGS, picked it up off the shelf, and having done no research on it at all, I bought it. And boy oh boy am I glad I did. Definitely give Mysterium a try – it’s a good blend of mystery and fun! Purple Phoenix Games gives it an ethereal 11 / 12.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Born of Persuasion (Price of Privilege, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Our leading lady, Julia Elliston, is the daughter of the famed Atheist William Elliston. She is young and naïve, her mother tried to protect her and shield her from the world outside. She has much to learn about the world and is in a delicate emotional state. Her entire life has begun to crumble, starting with the death of her mother. She soon learns that everything she thought she knew is a lie. How did her mother die exactly? And who is this mysterious guardian who wishes to remain anonymous? Her childhood sweetheart has betrayed her, yet is there hope for reconciliation? As we follow Julia’s journey of discovery we encounter a few other key players. Edward and Henry Auburn, brothers who fell in love with Julia and her best friend Elizabeth Windham as children. They made plans of their future together and were secretly betrothed. But now, all their hopes and dreams are threatened. Elizabeth’s mother, Mrs. Windham has taken it upon herself to find a husband for “poor Julia”. Lady Foxworth is intent upon playing matchmaker as well. Little does Julia know the vast change in life that could take place if she concedes to marry Mr. Macy. A man with extraordinary wealth that has promised to care for and protect Julia. But can he be trusted? When laws cannot protect Julia, will her life come to ruin? And will she take a step of faith towards the only One who remains constant in an ever changing world?
To be completely honest, I didn’t know what to think of this book most of the time I was reading it. Now that I have finished I will say that while I wasn’t 100% impressed with particulars of the content, it was a very well written book. I love the descriptive way Jessica Dotta drew me into the story. So much so, that I could imagine standing in the room with Julia. The language and style is one of my favorites for reading. The entire book is narrated by Julia who is looking back on her life much later, after the events have taken place. She hints at other mysteries in the story, but doesn’t give away too much. I was not impressed with the scenes between Mr. Macy and Julia where he was supposedly “courting” her. Although Julia remains a maiden by the end of the book, she allowed Macy’s advancements premature. It made me feel uncomfortable. Other than that, I really did enjoy Born of Persuasion. I am starting the second book Mark of Distinction, today.
To be completely honest, I didn’t know what to think of this book most of the time I was reading it. Now that I have finished I will say that while I wasn’t 100% impressed with particulars of the content, it was a very well written book. I love the descriptive way Jessica Dotta drew me into the story. So much so, that I could imagine standing in the room with Julia. The language and style is one of my favorites for reading. The entire book is narrated by Julia who is looking back on her life much later, after the events have taken place. She hints at other mysteries in the story, but doesn’t give away too much. I was not impressed with the scenes between Mr. Macy and Julia where he was supposedly “courting” her. Although Julia remains a maiden by the end of the book, she allowed Macy’s advancements premature. It made me feel uncomfortable. Other than that, I really did enjoy Born of Persuasion. I am starting the second book Mark of Distinction, today.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Dice Town: Cowboys in Tabletop Games
Jun 25, 2021
In the expansion review series, we take a look at a game expansion to discuss whether it is a necessary purchase/addition to one’s collection.
This breakdown is for the push-your-luck dice and take-that game Dice Town’s expansion Cowboys.
This expansion adds a new board overlay to placed between Town Hall and Doc Badluck, 21 cow minis, some General Store cards to be shuffled with the base game, 12 Cowboy card, and four Rodeo cards. The Rodeo cards are 10 VP cards that are earned once a player owns a Cowboy card in each suit. Cowboy cards are recruited by the player who rolls the most Aces. They have the choice of recruiting a Cowboy or Stealing Cows (first from the new Prairie Board overlay, but if empty, then from other players). Cowboy cards can offer various abilities to be used or can be saved to earn a Rodeo VP card. Cow minis can be kept in a loose herd in front of the player or can be added on top of a Deed card in order to keep the Deed card and cows from being stolen by other players. If a Deed card shows, for example, a value of 4 then four cows will need to be added to the Deed card. Once the Deed card has its herd of cows upon it, the card is now worth an extra VP. Also at game end the player with the largest herd of cows will earn 10 additional bonus VP. Yee haw!
So here’s the thing: I love Dice Town as is. But adding in this expansion just adds another layer of strategic complexity and increases the enjoyment for me by tons. Having little cows in my play area and using them to graze upon my land deeds is quite satisfying. Being able to sprinkle in some of the Cowboy cards and hopefully earn a Rodeo card as well just boosts the ol’ final score by a significant amount. So the addition of this expansion is all about those VP gainz.
Official recommendation: I think any gamer who owns and enjoys Dice Town should definitely pick up the Cowboys expansion. It adds very important components to the base game and offers more choices for great rolls. And what gamer doesn’t appreciate more choices? This is a definite must-buy for me, but I wouldn’t turn down a chance to play just the base game either.
This breakdown is for the push-your-luck dice and take-that game Dice Town’s expansion Cowboys.
This expansion adds a new board overlay to placed between Town Hall and Doc Badluck, 21 cow minis, some General Store cards to be shuffled with the base game, 12 Cowboy card, and four Rodeo cards. The Rodeo cards are 10 VP cards that are earned once a player owns a Cowboy card in each suit. Cowboy cards are recruited by the player who rolls the most Aces. They have the choice of recruiting a Cowboy or Stealing Cows (first from the new Prairie Board overlay, but if empty, then from other players). Cowboy cards can offer various abilities to be used or can be saved to earn a Rodeo VP card. Cow minis can be kept in a loose herd in front of the player or can be added on top of a Deed card in order to keep the Deed card and cows from being stolen by other players. If a Deed card shows, for example, a value of 4 then four cows will need to be added to the Deed card. Once the Deed card has its herd of cows upon it, the card is now worth an extra VP. Also at game end the player with the largest herd of cows will earn 10 additional bonus VP. Yee haw!
So here’s the thing: I love Dice Town as is. But adding in this expansion just adds another layer of strategic complexity and increases the enjoyment for me by tons. Having little cows in my play area and using them to graze upon my land deeds is quite satisfying. Being able to sprinkle in some of the Cowboy cards and hopefully earn a Rodeo card as well just boosts the ol’ final score by a significant amount. So the addition of this expansion is all about those VP gainz.
Official recommendation: I think any gamer who owns and enjoys Dice Town should definitely pick up the Cowboys expansion. It adds very important components to the base game and offers more choices for great rolls. And what gamer doesn’t appreciate more choices? This is a definite must-buy for me, but I wouldn’t turn down a chance to play just the base game either.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Red Sparrow (2018) in Movies
Mar 26, 2018
Better Than I Hoped
Red Sparrow is one of those films where I respectfully disagree with the overall opinion of the critics. It's not perfect but it gets a lot of things right and is definitely worth your time if you're thinking of checking it out. After Dominika Egrova (Jennifer Lawrence) takes a career-ending fall during a ballet routine, she has to turn to seedier means of keeping her family afloat.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Red Sparrow doesn't take long to take off, giving you just enough to keep you intrigued. You're introduced to Dominika who is just trying to do what she needs to do to take care of her mom. You see the world through her eyes and you feel her struggle.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
A lot of moving parts succeed as a whole to keep the film's hooks in you. You're trying to piece together just what the hell is happening and you can't turn away in fear you might miss something. The action won't overwhelm you with its frequency, but there is an underlying intensity from the stakes and the possibilities of what could happen.
Genre: 6
As a dramatic film, I've seen better, but I've also seen a lot worse. If I'm comparing this to other films, movies like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo come to mind. Dragon Tattoo would get the nod for me because of a stronger, cohesive story. I didn't leave saying it was the best drama I had ever seen, but it was pretty solid nonetheless.
Memorability: 10
There is a gritty realism about this film that will probably keep a lot of its images in my head for a long time to come. Its sensual in an unsettling, predatory kind of way. The twists will leave you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you've got something figured out, you're hit from another angle.
Pace: 9
The only time the film really trips over itself is when it starts to overthink things and get too confusing. Those brief moments created a pace slowdown that took me out of the enjoying the film for a bit. For the most part, the film moves at a consistent, solid pace.
Plot: 6
One of the weaker aspects of the film from an entirety standpoint. Not saying there were holes, but certain parts made it hard to figure out what was currently happening. Sure, I figured it out eventually but not before thinking of the number of different ways they could have presented the same information in an easier fashion.
Resolution: 5
Loved the ending. Hated it at the same time. Hard to explain without spoiling it so I won't go into too much detail here, but I'll just say that it connects to tying up loose ends. I felt that, compared to the rest of the film, the ending could have served to be a little less sloppy.
Overall: 86
Red Sparrow currently sits at a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes right now. While it's not the perfect film, there are solid moments of action and intrigue that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Thumbs up in my book.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Red Sparrow doesn't take long to take off, giving you just enough to keep you intrigued. You're introduced to Dominika who is just trying to do what she needs to do to take care of her mom. You see the world through her eyes and you feel her struggle.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
A lot of moving parts succeed as a whole to keep the film's hooks in you. You're trying to piece together just what the hell is happening and you can't turn away in fear you might miss something. The action won't overwhelm you with its frequency, but there is an underlying intensity from the stakes and the possibilities of what could happen.
Genre: 6
As a dramatic film, I've seen better, but I've also seen a lot worse. If I'm comparing this to other films, movies like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo come to mind. Dragon Tattoo would get the nod for me because of a stronger, cohesive story. I didn't leave saying it was the best drama I had ever seen, but it was pretty solid nonetheless.
Memorability: 10
There is a gritty realism about this film that will probably keep a lot of its images in my head for a long time to come. Its sensual in an unsettling, predatory kind of way. The twists will leave you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you've got something figured out, you're hit from another angle.
Pace: 9
The only time the film really trips over itself is when it starts to overthink things and get too confusing. Those brief moments created a pace slowdown that took me out of the enjoying the film for a bit. For the most part, the film moves at a consistent, solid pace.
Plot: 6
One of the weaker aspects of the film from an entirety standpoint. Not saying there were holes, but certain parts made it hard to figure out what was currently happening. Sure, I figured it out eventually but not before thinking of the number of different ways they could have presented the same information in an easier fashion.
Resolution: 5
Loved the ending. Hated it at the same time. Hard to explain without spoiling it so I won't go into too much detail here, but I'll just say that it connects to tying up loose ends. I felt that, compared to the rest of the film, the ending could have served to be a little less sloppy.
Overall: 86
Red Sparrow currently sits at a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes right now. While it's not the perfect film, there are solid moments of action and intrigue that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Thumbs up in my book.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Princess of Aenya in Books
Jul 20, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Princess Radia is struggling to rule Aenya, a once-mighty kingdom now all but cut off from the rest of the world. But her adopted brother, Zaibos, leader of Aenya’s army, rebels against her until she’s forced to go into hiding while he rules as a sadistic tyrant. Now Radia and her bodyguard Demacharon have to hide until they can take back Tyrnael. But Radia isn’t all that she seems. She might possess power greater than anything she or her allies imagined.
The Princess of Aenya by Nick Alimonos was a good book, but I think I would enjoy it more reading it a second time. From the beginning, there’s an onslaught of action and story coming from multiple characters at once. The main storyline follows Radia and Demacharon as they fight to survive. But Hugo and Esse, a soldier and a servant, are introduced, as well as Ugh, a Bogren, and Eros, an assassin hired to kill Radia.
Through alternating chapters, the reader has to follow all of these storylines before they eventually intertwine in the end of the book and, for me at least, this was difficult. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the individual storylines and characters.
Hugo and Esse deserve their own book. I would love for a companion novel to be made about them leading the rebellion in Tyrnael while Radia had to be in hiding. Esse was bred to be a servant, someone designed to not stand out or aspire to anything more than serving others. But she fought against that lifelong training to lead a rebellion against a sadistic tyrant. Before Zaibos, Tyrnael was at peace for a thousand years. No one had any experience protesting or rebelling because there wasn’t a need. But Esse stepped up and started to lead! Honestly, her story is just as fascinating as Radia’s, and a lot more relatable. I love stories about people who take their fate into their own hands so Esse’s story would be a great one.
I really liked Eros as well. He represents the dark side of Tyrnael. Just because there was peace doesn’t mean everyone was happy. Sexual intercourse is forbidden in Tyrnael. Eros was born from sexual intercourse so he and his mother were branded and ostracized. He was forced to become an assassin to support and protect his mother. Honestly, I wanted him to fail and succeed at the same time because succeeding meant killing Radia but it also meant the brand getting lifted from his mother.
However, while I enjoyed the characters and could follow and enjoy the plot overall, there’s still a lot I’m confused about. There are five storylines to juggle, six if you count Demarchon’s flashbacks. Not only are we following Radia, but we are also following Eros, Ugh, Esse, and Zaibos through their stories. It’s a lot to take in and keep straight.
The Princess of Aenya was an enjoyable read and the ending was satisfying. However, I would get a lot more out of the story if I reread it.
Get The Princess of Aenya on Amazon.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Princess Radia is struggling to rule Aenya, a once-mighty kingdom now all but cut off from the rest of the world. But her adopted brother, Zaibos, leader of Aenya’s army, rebels against her until she’s forced to go into hiding while he rules as a sadistic tyrant. Now Radia and her bodyguard Demacharon have to hide until they can take back Tyrnael. But Radia isn’t all that she seems. She might possess power greater than anything she or her allies imagined.
The Princess of Aenya by Nick Alimonos was a good book, but I think I would enjoy it more reading it a second time. From the beginning, there’s an onslaught of action and story coming from multiple characters at once. The main storyline follows Radia and Demacharon as they fight to survive. But Hugo and Esse, a soldier and a servant, are introduced, as well as Ugh, a Bogren, and Eros, an assassin hired to kill Radia.
Through alternating chapters, the reader has to follow all of these storylines before they eventually intertwine in the end of the book and, for me at least, this was difficult. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the individual storylines and characters.
Hugo and Esse deserve their own book. I would love for a companion novel to be made about them leading the rebellion in Tyrnael while Radia had to be in hiding. Esse was bred to be a servant, someone designed to not stand out or aspire to anything more than serving others. But she fought against that lifelong training to lead a rebellion against a sadistic tyrant. Before Zaibos, Tyrnael was at peace for a thousand years. No one had any experience protesting or rebelling because there wasn’t a need. But Esse stepped up and started to lead! Honestly, her story is just as fascinating as Radia’s, and a lot more relatable. I love stories about people who take their fate into their own hands so Esse’s story would be a great one.
I really liked Eros as well. He represents the dark side of Tyrnael. Just because there was peace doesn’t mean everyone was happy. Sexual intercourse is forbidden in Tyrnael. Eros was born from sexual intercourse so he and his mother were branded and ostracized. He was forced to become an assassin to support and protect his mother. Honestly, I wanted him to fail and succeed at the same time because succeeding meant killing Radia but it also meant the brand getting lifted from his mother.
However, while I enjoyed the characters and could follow and enjoy the plot overall, there’s still a lot I’m confused about. There are five storylines to juggle, six if you count Demarchon’s flashbacks. Not only are we following Radia, but we are also following Eros, Ugh, Esse, and Zaibos through their stories. It’s a lot to take in and keep straight.
The Princess of Aenya was an enjoyable read and the ending was satisfying. However, I would get a lot more out of the story if I reread it.
Get The Princess of Aenya on Amazon.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Scream 2 (1997) in Movies
Oct 31, 2019
Characters – Sidney is back studying a college and over the events of the first film, she has moved on with a new boyfriend and new friends, that is until the ‘Stab’ movie is released. Sidney becomes the primary target of the killer and must use the experience with surviving a massacre before to make it out alive. Dewey still suffering the effects of his injuries in the first film, he is no longer a cop and with the events occurring he arrives back in Sidney’s life to try and help before the killer can get near her. Gale wrote the book on the murders, the one that the movie is based on, she is still trying to get a story, but does start to learn the errors in her way when she deals with other reporters. Cotton Weary does have a bigger part this time, as he is trying to piece his life back together after the wrongful accusations. Randy returns to give us the rules needed to make a sequel which an important part of the original. Of our new characters we get the new boyfriend in Derek who seems to be the best part of Sidney’s new life. Cici is the best friend at the college that is the more popular one at the college. This movie does have a larger cast than the first film which doesn’t always give the characters enough screen time.
Performances – Neve Campbell is still good in her role, she does make us believe she is the everyday student that is being tormented by the killer. Courteney Cox and David Arquette continue their good work in the supporting roles, where this film struggles to get the best of the of the supporting cast is by introducing too many characters, with Sarah Michelle Gellar seemingly filling the Drew Barrymore type role, where we expect to see her more in the film.
Story – The story picks up in a universe following the events of the first film where Hollywood makes movies on massacres, with this release we get to see the darker side of Hollywood taking advantage of real-life murders and how the innocent victims and survivor can be painted differently to cinematic purposes, well that seems to be the message I picked up on in this one. when it comes to the slasher side of things we get to watch the victims getting picked off by the killer, this does feel the same as before, while the references through this film focus on the idea of the sequels that Hollywood makes, and how they always story to improve on the last, though we do step away from the horror discussion this time.
Horror/Mystery – The horror side of the film comes from the ideas that people can take advantage of tragic stories for a bigger story, reflecting the events of the film, the mystery can keep us guessing to just who could be behind it this time around with plenty of potential suspects.
Settings – This time the film is set in a college that show us just where Sidney is now in her life which is important as she has moved on, but the event will always be part of her life.
Special Effects – The effects in the film once again show us how blood and gore can be achieved without going over the top.
Scene of the Movie – The showdown.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many supporting characters this time around.
Final Thoughts – This is a sequel that is well worth the watch, it shows progression in the horror genre with a sequel that does make sense to how an everyday person would be moving on with their life after the events in the first one, while still having the tragedy on their shoulder.
Overall: Good fun sequel.
Performances – Neve Campbell is still good in her role, she does make us believe she is the everyday student that is being tormented by the killer. Courteney Cox and David Arquette continue their good work in the supporting roles, where this film struggles to get the best of the of the supporting cast is by introducing too many characters, with Sarah Michelle Gellar seemingly filling the Drew Barrymore type role, where we expect to see her more in the film.
Story – The story picks up in a universe following the events of the first film where Hollywood makes movies on massacres, with this release we get to see the darker side of Hollywood taking advantage of real-life murders and how the innocent victims and survivor can be painted differently to cinematic purposes, well that seems to be the message I picked up on in this one. when it comes to the slasher side of things we get to watch the victims getting picked off by the killer, this does feel the same as before, while the references through this film focus on the idea of the sequels that Hollywood makes, and how they always story to improve on the last, though we do step away from the horror discussion this time.
Horror/Mystery – The horror side of the film comes from the ideas that people can take advantage of tragic stories for a bigger story, reflecting the events of the film, the mystery can keep us guessing to just who could be behind it this time around with plenty of potential suspects.
Settings – This time the film is set in a college that show us just where Sidney is now in her life which is important as she has moved on, but the event will always be part of her life.
Special Effects – The effects in the film once again show us how blood and gore can be achieved without going over the top.
Scene of the Movie – The showdown.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many supporting characters this time around.
Final Thoughts – This is a sequel that is well worth the watch, it shows progression in the horror genre with a sequel that does make sense to how an everyday person would be moving on with their life after the events in the first one, while still having the tragedy on their shoulder.
Overall: Good fun sequel.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Samurai Spirit in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
One of the best parts of the board gaming experience is finding a fun group of people with whom to play! Sometimes, though, coordinating a game night is easier said than done. We all must occasionally forego the group experience and face the world as the Lonely Only. But fear not! The world of solo-play is a vast and exciting realm! What follows is a chronicle of my journey into the solo-playing world – notes on gameplay, mechanics, rules, difficulty, and overall experience with solo variations of commonly multiplayer games! I hope this will provide some insight as you continue to grow your collection, or explore your already owned games!
As a Samurai, you spend your life traveling across the land to help those in need. Most recently, you and a handful of other Samurai have been contracted by a small village to defend them against a clan of invading raiders. Only by working together, and by using your extensive training, will you succeed in keeping this village safe!
Samurai Spirit is a cooperative game of press-your-luck. Players take on the role of a Samurai, each with a unique power, and take turns drawing cards and fighting off the invaders or offering support to your fellow Samurai. Invaders can have recurring negative effects, so strategize wisely on how best to combat them and see how far you can push your luck each round. If you are able to survive through 3 rounds (waves) of invaders with at least one surviving farmstead and family, the Samurai are victorious and the village is saved! If any of the Samurai are killed, or the village has been completely destroyed by invaders, then the game is lost. As a solo game, Samurai Spirit plays essentially the same as in group play, with only 2 main differences – the solo player controls 2 Samurai instead of 1, and the support tokens from the unused Samurai are each available for use once during the game.
For such a neat theme, this game falls short for me. It seems simple enough, but there are areas of ambiguity in the rules that lead to some confusion. For starters, the text size is so small that I am not able to find any information at a quick glance! The text itself is not always clear either – like when, at the end of a round, the rules say to collect all cards used this round, does that include cards that have been discarded due to Samurai abilities? How about the cards of the Intruder stack that are presumably discarded after being revealed? The rulebook offers no clarification, and I honestly still don’t know the right answer.
The order/layout of the rules feels mismatched too – relevant information is not always grouped together, and I find myself flipping between several pages at a time trying to figure out one single thing. For example, in the ‘Fight’ action description, it says that if you reach your Kiai value exactly, you can activate your Kiai ability. You have to turn the page to a different section to see exactly what activating that ability means, and then you have to flip an additional 2 more pages to see what each individual Kiai ability is! Why not just put them all in one place? It would certainly be easier to understand if all relevant information was grouped together.
The prominent mechanic of Samurai Spirit is press-your-luck, and I would definitely say that this game is very luck-based. When setting up the game, the initial deck of cards is randomly selected and that can impact whether or not you are able to complete certain requirements each round – if there aren’t enough hat/farm/doll cards for each Samurai, you are guaranteed to incur a penalty at the end of every round. Actual gameplay is very luck-based too, and for me it feels like there are no good ways to strategize – your choices are all dependent on the luck of the draw. You can push your luck to draw more cards and use special abilities, but since you are suffering from recurring penalties each turn, it feels futile to keep going at a certain point.
For me, Samurai Spirit is repetitive and kind of boring – suffer penalty, draw card, and repeat until you eventually pass or the deck runs out. It’s like a too-complicated version of blackjack in which the deck is stacked against you. It’s such a bummer because the theme and artwork are neat, and the gameplay (in theory, at least) should be effective. But the actual execution is too reliant on luck to be successful.
I do quite a bit of solo gaming, but this game is never one that I willingly decide to play. I honestly only broke it out recently as a refresher for this review. Perhaps it is better at higher player counts, but since that is not where most of my gaming occurs, Samurai Spirit is a dud for me.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/06/solo-chronicles-samurai-spirit/
As a Samurai, you spend your life traveling across the land to help those in need. Most recently, you and a handful of other Samurai have been contracted by a small village to defend them against a clan of invading raiders. Only by working together, and by using your extensive training, will you succeed in keeping this village safe!
Samurai Spirit is a cooperative game of press-your-luck. Players take on the role of a Samurai, each with a unique power, and take turns drawing cards and fighting off the invaders or offering support to your fellow Samurai. Invaders can have recurring negative effects, so strategize wisely on how best to combat them and see how far you can push your luck each round. If you are able to survive through 3 rounds (waves) of invaders with at least one surviving farmstead and family, the Samurai are victorious and the village is saved! If any of the Samurai are killed, or the village has been completely destroyed by invaders, then the game is lost. As a solo game, Samurai Spirit plays essentially the same as in group play, with only 2 main differences – the solo player controls 2 Samurai instead of 1, and the support tokens from the unused Samurai are each available for use once during the game.
For such a neat theme, this game falls short for me. It seems simple enough, but there are areas of ambiguity in the rules that lead to some confusion. For starters, the text size is so small that I am not able to find any information at a quick glance! The text itself is not always clear either – like when, at the end of a round, the rules say to collect all cards used this round, does that include cards that have been discarded due to Samurai abilities? How about the cards of the Intruder stack that are presumably discarded after being revealed? The rulebook offers no clarification, and I honestly still don’t know the right answer.
The order/layout of the rules feels mismatched too – relevant information is not always grouped together, and I find myself flipping between several pages at a time trying to figure out one single thing. For example, in the ‘Fight’ action description, it says that if you reach your Kiai value exactly, you can activate your Kiai ability. You have to turn the page to a different section to see exactly what activating that ability means, and then you have to flip an additional 2 more pages to see what each individual Kiai ability is! Why not just put them all in one place? It would certainly be easier to understand if all relevant information was grouped together.
The prominent mechanic of Samurai Spirit is press-your-luck, and I would definitely say that this game is very luck-based. When setting up the game, the initial deck of cards is randomly selected and that can impact whether or not you are able to complete certain requirements each round – if there aren’t enough hat/farm/doll cards for each Samurai, you are guaranteed to incur a penalty at the end of every round. Actual gameplay is very luck-based too, and for me it feels like there are no good ways to strategize – your choices are all dependent on the luck of the draw. You can push your luck to draw more cards and use special abilities, but since you are suffering from recurring penalties each turn, it feels futile to keep going at a certain point.
For me, Samurai Spirit is repetitive and kind of boring – suffer penalty, draw card, and repeat until you eventually pass or the deck runs out. It’s like a too-complicated version of blackjack in which the deck is stacked against you. It’s such a bummer because the theme and artwork are neat, and the gameplay (in theory, at least) should be effective. But the actual execution is too reliant on luck to be successful.
I do quite a bit of solo gaming, but this game is never one that I willingly decide to play. I honestly only broke it out recently as a refresher for this review. Perhaps it is better at higher player counts, but since that is not where most of my gaming occurs, Samurai Spirit is a dud for me.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/06/solo-chronicles-samurai-spirit/
Curtis Sittenfeld's engaging novel looks at Hillary Rodham's life through this prism: what if she hadn't married Bill Clinton? In 1971, as Hillary Rodham graduates from Wellesley, she delivers a commencement speech that gains national prominence. She heads to Yale Law school--an intelligent woman, filled with the desire to help those in need. It is there she meets Bill Clinton, a fellow law student. The connection between the two is instant--for the first time, Hillary feels she has found someone who appreciates her both emotionally and physically. In real life, Hillary and Bill head to Arkansas. He proposes three times, and she finally accepts, becoming Hillary Rodham Clinton.
"The first time I saw him, I thought he looked like a lion."
But here, in this imaginative and powerful novel, Hillary does not accept Bill's third proposal. Devastated, she leaves Arkansas and embarks on a different life. The pair's paths cross again (and again) in the years ahead, causing Hillary to sometimes doubt her decision.
I found this to be such an interesting read and oddly hopeful somehow, as if Sittenfeld read my brain and created the world I dreamed of--what a great book to read during these dismal times. It takes a little time to get into the flow of the writing: the first-person narrative certainly places you in the action, but I needed to adjust to switching back and forth between time periods (Hillary's past and present). And, funnily enough, you have to remember that this is and isn't Hillary--the first quarter of the book or so loosely follows Hillary's real life, so sometimes you have to recall who is truly speaking. I am not actually reading a Hillary memoir.
I loved how this book rewrites history--and with zero apologies. Bill Clinton does not always come off looking good here, though the love and chemistry between the two is clearly palpable. You find a variety of other characters from real life, so to speak, who sometimes play their actual roles, or re-imagined versions, and it's so fun. And, why yes, even Donald Trump has a place here. What a wonderful place it is, too. If you love politics, or political satire, there's a lot to love here.
"'If Bill Clinton was my boyfriend, I'd keep an eye on him too.'"
The Hillary of Sittenfeld's world is so real, so true, and so vulnerable and lovable. (And whoa, are there sex scenes, guys.) Even better, Sittenfeld doesn't make her perfect by any stretch; she's flawed and fallible, too. It doesn't take long to see history's actual Hillary taking this path, and sometimes, oh sometimes, I longed for her to do so. Sittenfeld excels at telling a tale from another person's perspective, somehow putting herself in their shoes. I got so caught up in this Hillary's world that I read the last half of the book in one take, desperate to know what happened to her. She felt real to me, and I needed to know how her life turned out. Please, Hillary, let it all work out this time.
This book is different, yes. It might not be for everyone, politically. But I found it fascinating to think about such a thing--how the choices we make in life affect so much. Not just saying yes to a marriage proposal, but all the other actions we take on any given day. This is a smartly written book, cementing Sittenfeld as a brilliant writer and storyteller. 4 stars.
"The first time I saw him, I thought he looked like a lion."
But here, in this imaginative and powerful novel, Hillary does not accept Bill's third proposal. Devastated, she leaves Arkansas and embarks on a different life. The pair's paths cross again (and again) in the years ahead, causing Hillary to sometimes doubt her decision.
I found this to be such an interesting read and oddly hopeful somehow, as if Sittenfeld read my brain and created the world I dreamed of--what a great book to read during these dismal times. It takes a little time to get into the flow of the writing: the first-person narrative certainly places you in the action, but I needed to adjust to switching back and forth between time periods (Hillary's past and present). And, funnily enough, you have to remember that this is and isn't Hillary--the first quarter of the book or so loosely follows Hillary's real life, so sometimes you have to recall who is truly speaking. I am not actually reading a Hillary memoir.
I loved how this book rewrites history--and with zero apologies. Bill Clinton does not always come off looking good here, though the love and chemistry between the two is clearly palpable. You find a variety of other characters from real life, so to speak, who sometimes play their actual roles, or re-imagined versions, and it's so fun. And, why yes, even Donald Trump has a place here. What a wonderful place it is, too. If you love politics, or political satire, there's a lot to love here.
"'If Bill Clinton was my boyfriend, I'd keep an eye on him too.'"
The Hillary of Sittenfeld's world is so real, so true, and so vulnerable and lovable. (And whoa, are there sex scenes, guys.) Even better, Sittenfeld doesn't make her perfect by any stretch; she's flawed and fallible, too. It doesn't take long to see history's actual Hillary taking this path, and sometimes, oh sometimes, I longed for her to do so. Sittenfeld excels at telling a tale from another person's perspective, somehow putting herself in their shoes. I got so caught up in this Hillary's world that I read the last half of the book in one take, desperate to know what happened to her. She felt real to me, and I needed to know how her life turned out. Please, Hillary, let it all work out this time.
This book is different, yes. It might not be for everyone, politically. But I found it fascinating to think about such a thing--how the choices we make in life affect so much. Not just saying yes to a marriage proposal, but all the other actions we take on any given day. This is a smartly written book, cementing Sittenfeld as a brilliant writer and storyteller. 4 stars.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Chosen Ones in Books
Jul 21, 2021
Writing (3 more)
Inconsistencies
Constantly stopping the story
Stereo-typical character
What usually draws readers into a hero versus villain story is to see the hero's fight to victory. The struggle, the refusal to back down - - - we usually put ourselves into this character and root for them to win at any cost. But the Chosen Ones starts us off after our heroes are victorious in the battle against the villain. The heroes are trying to cope with every day life after achieving the most important thing they would ever accomplish, but memories of the war against the Dark One keep them from returning to that normal life.
Sloane is our main character - - - one of the five heroes that was picked by a prophecy years ago to take down the Dark One. One of the effects of battling the villain for her is she now endures PTSD-induced nightmares. We meet her in the midst of one of these nightmares, where she nearly stabs her boyfriend, Matt (also one of the five heroes), with a kitchen knife. And this isn't the first time this has happened: it happens enough that Sloane was put on medication to help with her PTSD, as well as going to therapy.
But with the ten year anniversary of the Dark One's defeat looming ahead, life seems to be getting even harder for the heroes. All the heroes want is to move on and forget the war had ever happened - - - but then something happens that causes them to relive the Dark One's fight all over again.
The heroes end up on a magic-using world called Genetrix where a man going by the name the Resurrectionist is causing the same destruction as the Dark One did on their world. Disoriented and curious, the heroes have no choice but to believe the two main magic users who brought them there, Aelia and Nero. The two seem to be the ones in charge of finding the chosen one to take down the Resurrectionist. But soon after the heroes agree to take down this world's Dark One, they begin to believe that Aelia and Nero are hiding information from them.
The heroes decide to focus on learning to use magic, so they can defend themselves on this world. With the help of siphons, the heroes are able to begin practicing magic for their fight with the Resurrectionist. . . but for Sloane, she is unable to get her siphon to work, instead, she contains an ability that came from a cursed object from their world, a cursed object that wants her back.
This book contains a lot of the problems that went on during 2020, possibly too many of them. Unlike most books released last year, Chosen Ones didn't do a well enough job of hiding reality in plain sight. Chosen Ones also made the mistake of cutting up the story with intermissions of newspaper articles and government reports. Divergent author Veronica Roth disrupted the flow of the story by doing such that it felt like the story continuously came to a stand still.
Chosen Ones also plays up the Young Adult genre tropes. The relationship between Sloane and Mox happens so quickly that it isn't believable to the reader, and the result is awkward to the point of embarrassing. Also, the friendship between the heroes is very flat, so much so that when conflict arises, I was left believing that no one cared if the other one died.
But it was the idea of the story that hooked me as a reader - - - movies, television shows, and other novels normally focus on the heroes during the great fight with the villain, allowing readers to live the war and pick the fighter they want to win. In this novel, the connection with the heroes is severely lacking, especially when the only character development happens to Sloane. Very reminiscent of Mira Grant's 'Feed,' I couldn't bring myself to like the main character. Sloane tries too hard to be a strong and independent woman, she comes off as a teenager trapped in an adult woman's body, even Ines, one of the other female heroes, is a more well-put together character than Sloane is. This is the trope that is killing lead female characters in the Young Adult genre, but I suppose it's better than having the stereo-typical ditzy female lead characters most adult novels have.
Although the synopsis caused me to buy this book, I was really disappointed with the path in which Roth took it down. The biggest issue was how much of 2020's problems were shoved into one book because it took away from what this story could have been. The heroes are blatantly fighting Donald Trump aka the Dark One, and this subject has been done to-death so much that I couldn't get fully immersed into the story. They also fight against people who can do magic, including people who are apparently Wiccans - - - but Roth labels them as 'evil. ' Having known actually Wiccans in my life, I know that they believe in harming none. Roth's stereo-typing of anyone who is not her heroes shows a shallowness that is becoming more prevalent, unfortunately, in female writers.
Chosen Ones could have been so much more than what it was because it just ends up being another empty story that takes on today's problems just to sell a book. With inconsistencies and bad writing throughout, I can't recommend this book to anyone, but if you love YA tropes, then you'll love this one.
Sloane is our main character - - - one of the five heroes that was picked by a prophecy years ago to take down the Dark One. One of the effects of battling the villain for her is she now endures PTSD-induced nightmares. We meet her in the midst of one of these nightmares, where she nearly stabs her boyfriend, Matt (also one of the five heroes), with a kitchen knife. And this isn't the first time this has happened: it happens enough that Sloane was put on medication to help with her PTSD, as well as going to therapy.
But with the ten year anniversary of the Dark One's defeat looming ahead, life seems to be getting even harder for the heroes. All the heroes want is to move on and forget the war had ever happened - - - but then something happens that causes them to relive the Dark One's fight all over again.
The heroes end up on a magic-using world called Genetrix where a man going by the name the Resurrectionist is causing the same destruction as the Dark One did on their world. Disoriented and curious, the heroes have no choice but to believe the two main magic users who brought them there, Aelia and Nero. The two seem to be the ones in charge of finding the chosen one to take down the Resurrectionist. But soon after the heroes agree to take down this world's Dark One, they begin to believe that Aelia and Nero are hiding information from them.
The heroes decide to focus on learning to use magic, so they can defend themselves on this world. With the help of siphons, the heroes are able to begin practicing magic for their fight with the Resurrectionist. . . but for Sloane, she is unable to get her siphon to work, instead, she contains an ability that came from a cursed object from their world, a cursed object that wants her back.
This book contains a lot of the problems that went on during 2020, possibly too many of them. Unlike most books released last year, Chosen Ones didn't do a well enough job of hiding reality in plain sight. Chosen Ones also made the mistake of cutting up the story with intermissions of newspaper articles and government reports. Divergent author Veronica Roth disrupted the flow of the story by doing such that it felt like the story continuously came to a stand still.
Chosen Ones also plays up the Young Adult genre tropes. The relationship between Sloane and Mox happens so quickly that it isn't believable to the reader, and the result is awkward to the point of embarrassing. Also, the friendship between the heroes is very flat, so much so that when conflict arises, I was left believing that no one cared if the other one died.
But it was the idea of the story that hooked me as a reader - - - movies, television shows, and other novels normally focus on the heroes during the great fight with the villain, allowing readers to live the war and pick the fighter they want to win. In this novel, the connection with the heroes is severely lacking, especially when the only character development happens to Sloane. Very reminiscent of Mira Grant's 'Feed,' I couldn't bring myself to like the main character. Sloane tries too hard to be a strong and independent woman, she comes off as a teenager trapped in an adult woman's body, even Ines, one of the other female heroes, is a more well-put together character than Sloane is. This is the trope that is killing lead female characters in the Young Adult genre, but I suppose it's better than having the stereo-typical ditzy female lead characters most adult novels have.
Although the synopsis caused me to buy this book, I was really disappointed with the path in which Roth took it down. The biggest issue was how much of 2020's problems were shoved into one book because it took away from what this story could have been. The heroes are blatantly fighting Donald Trump aka the Dark One, and this subject has been done to-death so much that I couldn't get fully immersed into the story. They also fight against people who can do magic, including people who are apparently Wiccans - - - but Roth labels them as 'evil. ' Having known actually Wiccans in my life, I know that they believe in harming none. Roth's stereo-typing of anyone who is not her heroes shows a shallowness that is becoming more prevalent, unfortunately, in female writers.
Chosen Ones could have been so much more than what it was because it just ends up being another empty story that takes on today's problems just to sell a book. With inconsistencies and bad writing throughout, I can't recommend this book to anyone, but if you love YA tropes, then you'll love this one.