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ClareR (5674 KP) rated Queen B in Books

Jul 25, 2024  
Queen B
Queen B
Juno Dawson | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really can’t get enough of this series. I did think that this was going to be a sequel to The Shadow Cabinet (a resurrected Anne Boleyn seemed like a very good idea to me!), but it’s a prequel to the series as a whole. The story of the one who started the idea of the HMRC. Although, it’s a slightly different story to the one we may know of Anne Boleyn.

We all know what happened to Anne Boleyn, and this book doesn’t change that OR the reasons. In fact she was called a witch in her own time. The HMRC series takes that one step further though, and Anne Boleyn really IS a witch. Her coven supports her, and after Henry VIII does his worst, they carry on her work.

This is a truly fabulous read - a reworking of history that gives women more muscle and autonomy.

And magic!

If I have any complaint, it’s that it was over far too quickly!

And now I must wait for the next book…
  
The Witch (2015)
The Witch (2015)
2015 | History, Horror
8
6.3 (28 Ratings)
Movie Rating
THE VVITCH

The full title is, The Witch: A New England Folktale. Like Grimm’s fairytales, American folklore has taken revisions over the centuries to become a palatable collection of juvenile life lessons. Anyone who has read the original versions of these stories knows how brutal, horrifying, and far removed they are from our current values. As much as I would not condone reading original classic witch tales to a small child, they do contain much deeper implications and ideas than the simple “Don’t tell lies” that are gleaned from modern revisions. What’s fascinating about The Witch is how familiar the setting and story is, without a single cliché or moment of prediction to speak of. The evil that was feared in 17th Century Puritan America has been so eclipsed by the human horrors of The Salem Witch Trials, that we have forgotten what it was to fear a witch.

We know these characters only by their Christian names. William removes his family from their Colonial settlement due to an incompatibility of faith. The colony of Puritans isn’t Christian enough. With his wife, Katherine, William takes his 4 children into the wilds of the Northeast. Airs of The Crucible envelope the setting. Common pronouns are replaced with “thines” and “thous”. Dialogue is delivered as if quoted from Shakespeare or the Bible itself. In the past, this oral dynamic has always sounded ardently rehearsed. Somehow, it’s natural here. Considering William’s rigorous faith, you might expect him to be an overbearingly shrewd father. He is in fact a loving and good man of his time; often a pushover. Katherine is the more fearsome parent, with a shrill voice and gaunt pointed face. While they do live in hardship, this is a good family. Once Fall deadens the colors and greys the skies, things begin to take a disturbing turn.

Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie play the parents without an exaggeration of the material. Remarkable still are the actors portraying their children. Harvey Scrimshaw plays William’s 10-year-old son, Caleb, as natural as can be imagined. The dramatic beats of a horror movie come with taxing climactic moments and Scrimshaw acts beyond his years. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the eldest daughter Thomasin; a doe-eyed blonde beauty who plays the most relatable character of the flock. The dynamic between Caleb and Thompsin has notes of innocent sexual tension. Their secluded life leaves a great deal of new feelings that can’t be addressed due to their customs. These feelings lead to foreign temptations that are preyed upon by the timeless evil beyond the trees.

The greatest achievement of this film is how faithful it is to its setting and story, while keeping enough behind the veil to become engrossing. The tale feels as old as any, drawing from universal fears and motivations. How it draws you in, keeping you tied to the victims and their perspective while keeping the evil at arm’s length, shows a discipline of craft that greatly compliments the material. Much like vampires, witches have been trivialized and diluted by film into something superficially attractive and entertainingly evil. As with Noseferatu, seeing a witch living a damnable existence of ugliness is much more appropriate. If they’re ever beautiful, they won’t be for long.
  
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AT (1676 KP) rated Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible in Books

Feb 14, 2019 (Updated Feb 14, 2019)  
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Robert Hack | 2016 | Comics & Graphic Novels
8
8.4 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
I held off on reading this for quite awhile, because I just didn't feel like I'd be into it. I watched Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, back whenever that was on TV. As silly and lighthearted as that was, I didn't think that it would work as a horror story. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a huge horror fan, but this has decent potential to work well as one. The story was written well, and I look forward to reading volume 2.
  
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AT (1676 KP) Feb 14, 2019

Ugh. That figures, after I FINALLY decide to read it. Lol

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Erika (17788 KP) Feb 14, 2019

I think there are 3 more issues of Chilling Adventures, you can definitely find them digitally (my library has them on their digital catalog). If you like the horror comics, Archie Comics released Chilling Adventures in Sorcery, that collects vintage creepy/retro horror comics.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
2014 | Action, Sci-Fi
Perfect cast great sci fi adventure (0 more)
Stunning
This movie was done awesomely from visualy to humor and. Colorful cast of. Characters.not ever knowing anything about it going in even though im a HUGE marvel fanboy growing. Up .i loved it from beginging to end witch is not the case nowadays most movies james gunne hits this outta the park.so beautifu ly colorful and great sound track and for vin deisel to play GROOT.actually all the. Actors were great and perfectly picked.
  
We Never Talk About My Brother
We Never Talk About My Brother
Peter S. Beagle | 2009 | Fiction & Poetry, Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (1 more)
Unique stories
I am bias in regards to Peter S. Beagle, however, it is warranted. His stories are both timeless and changing. I am ridiculously happy with the story spook Joe Farrell is my hero. Each world different and unique. I would enjoy this as an audiobook, it seemed that most of his stories should be spoken. Whether to be redeemed in a fantasy world or playing stickball with a witch in NYC this fantasy collection has a little something for everyone.
  
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Part One
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Part One
2018 | Fantasy, Horror
Characters (1 more)
New take
Sometimes the lighting makes it too dark to see (0 more)
Darker but intriquing
Totally different take on much loved characters from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Strangely enough, this version seems more realistic to me than the original. Plus it addresses issues that have developed since the first "nice" version. Love it so far. Sometimes the acting is not so great and the lighting can be dark which, while fitting, does make it hard to see what's going on.
  
    Beglitched

    Beglitched

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