Search
Search results
Sara Cox (1845 KP) rated The Shape of Water in Books
May 28, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. Set in Sicily, there are a number of key players and just as many suspects. All the way through I was changing my mind as to who the killer could be. It is very well written. This is an Italian book that has been translated into English. It has a notes section in the back as there are some references that English readers may not understand and some humour is lost in translation (the chicken joke, for instance), this I think is invaluable for the reader in parts. If you like a mystery this is for you!
Ruth Frampton (577 KP) rated Clara in Books
Apr 10, 2018
A translated French graphic novel, Clara is a little girl whose life is turned upside down. Told from her point of view, the sense of confusion is real with the reader having to work out what has happened to the little girl's life along with her and that journey tugs on the heart-strings of even the most callous reader. The gift of the doll starts off this confusion, the reader will understand the significance of the gift from an adults perspective but be wrenched by Clara's reaction to it. A good read, a good thought provoking narrative, a story that is likely to stay with you for many years.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Fast & Furious (2009) in Movies
May 28, 2021
With all the ridiculous shit that happens in these movies, the most unrealistic part is how much Gal Gadot thirsts over Vin Diesel....
Nice to see (some of) the original cast back together, but Fast & Furious is unfortunately a forgettable entry into the series. There are of course some fun action scenes but the well portrayed sense of family and friendship from the first movie isn't translated too well here, and it's ultimately lost under a shambling plot with a boring villain.
Still enjoyed it mind, and it's low key hilarious how Vin Diesel's growly mumbling becomes a little more inaudible with each passing movie.
Nice to see (some of) the original cast back together, but Fast & Furious is unfortunately a forgettable entry into the series. There are of course some fun action scenes but the well portrayed sense of family and friendship from the first movie isn't translated too well here, and it's ultimately lost under a shambling plot with a boring villain.
Still enjoyed it mind, and it's low key hilarious how Vin Diesel's growly mumbling becomes a little more inaudible with each passing movie.
David McK (3369 KP) rated Predator's Gold (Mortal Engines #2) in Books
Oct 17, 2021
Hmmm ... bit of an odd one to rate, this.
Like it's predecessor (Mortal Engines), it's definitely steampunk.
The language, and general pace/outline/plot of the story also makes you think it's aimed at the younger reader.
Until you start getting more in depth into it, and realise just how nasty some of the events in this are: kidnappings, brutal beatings, dismemberment, death, torture and the more, shall we say, intimate family moments are all part and parcel of the story - enough, perhaps, to make you imagine that this would be at least a 15 (instead of the PG) rating the language used would lead you to believe if it was translated faithfully to the silver screen?
Like it's predecessor (Mortal Engines), it's definitely steampunk.
The language, and general pace/outline/plot of the story also makes you think it's aimed at the younger reader.
Until you start getting more in depth into it, and realise just how nasty some of the events in this are: kidnappings, brutal beatings, dismemberment, death, torture and the more, shall we say, intimate family moments are all part and parcel of the story - enough, perhaps, to make you imagine that this would be at least a 15 (instead of the PG) rating the language used would lead you to believe if it was translated faithfully to the silver screen?
David McK (3369 KP) rated The Last Wish in Books
Aug 4, 2019
Recently, I heard that Netflix were producing a series based on these novels, starring (the current) Superman himself, Henry Cavill.
I was also aware of the held-in-great-esteem computer game of the same name (or, rather, The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt), even though I'd never actually played it.
When I watched the Netflix teaser trailer, I decided to give the original tales a go.
Translated from Polish into English, this is actually a collection of short stories rather than a full-blown novel in its own right, introducing - or so I've heard - some of the key players in the later full-blown saga, aside from Geralt of Rivia himself.
I think I'll be working my way through more of these!
I was also aware of the held-in-great-esteem computer game of the same name (or, rather, The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt), even though I'd never actually played it.
When I watched the Netflix teaser trailer, I decided to give the original tales a go.
Translated from Polish into English, this is actually a collection of short stories rather than a full-blown novel in its own right, introducing - or so I've heard - some of the key players in the later full-blown saga, aside from Geralt of Rivia himself.
I think I'll be working my way through more of these!
ClareR (5674 KP) rated The Silver Road in Books
Mar 7, 2019
A wonderful debut
This is a novel of love and loss, guilt and grief, and of family in both the good and bad sense of the word. It has been translated so well from the Swedish by Susan Beard that I didn't actually occur to me that it had been translated at all.
Lille's daughter has been missing for three years, and he spends every night of the summer driving the Silver Road in an effort to find her. This has caused the breakdown of his marriage, and he has a tenuous grasp on his sanity: he drinks too much, he smokes too much, and he sleeps too little in the summer. His wife has left him, and he spends a lot of time alone with the ghost of the daughter he is searching for.
Enter Meja: her mother has mental health problems, and has decided to move in with a man she has only met online. Meja is used to being her mothers carer, and she's used to a series of men moving in and out of their lives. This is such an emotional novel. I became really invested in the characters of Lelle and Meja. There was a real atmosphere of sadness around both of them.
The peripheral characters were really well written as well: from the ex-wife to the local police officer, from the family of 'Preppers' to Meja's mother and her new boyfriend, Torbjorn.
I loved the atmosphere of this book: there was an air of 'something drastic is going to happen very soon', and the melancholy was palpable. Although the subject matter was very sad, it really was a joy to read.
Many thanks to Readers First, The Pigeonhole and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
Lille's daughter has been missing for three years, and he spends every night of the summer driving the Silver Road in an effort to find her. This has caused the breakdown of his marriage, and he has a tenuous grasp on his sanity: he drinks too much, he smokes too much, and he sleeps too little in the summer. His wife has left him, and he spends a lot of time alone with the ghost of the daughter he is searching for.
Enter Meja: her mother has mental health problems, and has decided to move in with a man she has only met online. Meja is used to being her mothers carer, and she's used to a series of men moving in and out of their lives. This is such an emotional novel. I became really invested in the characters of Lelle and Meja. There was a real atmosphere of sadness around both of them.
The peripheral characters were really well written as well: from the ex-wife to the local police officer, from the family of 'Preppers' to Meja's mother and her new boyfriend, Torbjorn.
I loved the atmosphere of this book: there was an air of 'something drastic is going to happen very soon', and the melancholy was palpable. Although the subject matter was very sad, it really was a joy to read.
Many thanks to Readers First, The Pigeonhole and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
BookishWoo (317 KP) rated Zodiac in Books
May 25, 2020 (Updated May 25, 2020)
Zodiac is the 2nd book of the Sergiu Manta Series and the first to be translated into English.
I was captivated by Zodiac right from the first page. Anamarie wrote this extremely well and in a way that you felt you were reading a script for a crime drama, scene by scene. This is slightly different to what I'm used to, but I found as long as I paced myself and didnt speed through it I could keep up with the scene jumps and found that I completely enjoyed her writing style. Although this is a fast paced thriller do not be fooled that being only 218 pages long you can speed through this quickly. This is a book to savour and enjoy.
I can honestly say that I fell in love with the main protagonaist Sergiu, he was an unpredicatable, motorbike riding, charming "Agency" man willing to do whatever it takes no matter what the cost.
His character was in stark contrast to Marius who was a typical police inspector and family man with a moral conscience. This worked well alongside Sergiu's character and didnt give you that typical good cop, bad cop feel. They complimented each other well.
The plot was fantastic, and just when I thought I had it all figured out the twist came along and surprised me completely!
I cant wait to read more of the series and hope that the first book gets translated so I can read this too!
If you are a fan of fast paced thrillers I highly recommend this!
Trigger Warnings: swearing, sexual themes, rape, murder, guns, violence
I received Zodiac by Amamaria Ionescu for free in exchange for an honest review from Love Book Tours and Corylus Books.
I was captivated by Zodiac right from the first page. Anamarie wrote this extremely well and in a way that you felt you were reading a script for a crime drama, scene by scene. This is slightly different to what I'm used to, but I found as long as I paced myself and didnt speed through it I could keep up with the scene jumps and found that I completely enjoyed her writing style. Although this is a fast paced thriller do not be fooled that being only 218 pages long you can speed through this quickly. This is a book to savour and enjoy.
I can honestly say that I fell in love with the main protagonaist Sergiu, he was an unpredicatable, motorbike riding, charming "Agency" man willing to do whatever it takes no matter what the cost.
His character was in stark contrast to Marius who was a typical police inspector and family man with a moral conscience. This worked well alongside Sergiu's character and didnt give you that typical good cop, bad cop feel. They complimented each other well.
The plot was fantastic, and just when I thought I had it all figured out the twist came along and surprised me completely!
I cant wait to read more of the series and hope that the first book gets translated so I can read this too!
If you are a fan of fast paced thrillers I highly recommend this!
Trigger Warnings: swearing, sexual themes, rape, murder, guns, violence
I received Zodiac by Amamaria Ionescu for free in exchange for an honest review from Love Book Tours and Corylus Books.
Ghost (30 KP) rated Sword Art Online: 1: Aincrad in Books
Jun 30, 2017
An epic adventure into the world of Virtual Reality gaming
This is the first instalment of the Sword Art Online series, originally written in Japanese but translated into English in the form of a light novel. The first book introduces you to the world and some of the players, the plots, side plots and the different factions that form. Most players team up to the defeat the game, but the main character decides to go it alone. Thousands of players die, thousands are still trapped but once the game has been completed you might be fooled into thinking that this is the end. This is not the case, so far I have read 17 of the books in the main series and a few other side stories. This is an epic world and an epic story.
HyruleBalverine (16 KP) rated Journey to the Centre of the Earth in Books
Feb 19, 2018
A classic tale that's written from a scientist's point of view
Contains spoilers, click to show
I'm not sure if it's the writing style of Jules Verne, how the book was translated, or just how the book was written (since the main character / narrator is supposed to be a scientist), but this story reads much like a text book to me. I don't mind so much that the story is slow (not much really happens until the half way point or later, and what does happen is fairly tame), but this writing style make it difficult for me to get into. The main characters don't really get to anything of real interest until nearly the end of the story, which they run away from rather than investigating, and then get an "ex machina" return to the surface.
