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Cumberland (1142 KP) rated And We Stay in Books
Apr 1, 2019
Powerful
This book follows the story of Emily Beam, a girl who has just transferred to a boarding school. This transfer takes place after her boyfriend threatens her with a gun then takes his own life.
Emily is a really interesting character. She is a mess, and spends the book trying to pull herself together. It takes a while for her to open up to other, and come to terms with everything that has happened.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is that Emily uses poetry to help express herself. Each chapter ends with a poem she has written. She feels connected to Emily Dickinson and that connect is explored throughout the book.
The one negative aspect of this book is that at times Emily's parents made decisions for her. This is in part because of her age. It may have also been that she was an unreliable narrator, so she was blaming her parents for some of the things that took place. I could never really decide which of these were the case.
Emily is a really interesting character. She is a mess, and spends the book trying to pull herself together. It takes a while for her to open up to other, and come to terms with everything that has happened.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is that Emily uses poetry to help express herself. Each chapter ends with a poem she has written. She feels connected to Emily Dickinson and that connect is explored throughout the book.
The one negative aspect of this book is that at times Emily's parents made decisions for her. This is in part because of her age. It may have also been that she was an unreliable narrator, so she was blaming her parents for some of the things that took place. I could never really decide which of these were the case.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Never Let Me Go in Books
Mar 6, 2018
Grim reading, but completely unexpected
For readers of Kazuo Ishiguro's other books, this will come as another surprise. While Remains of the Day is a period drama, and the Buried Giant is folklore, this novel reads as a dystopian fiction. What this shows is the author's incredible versatility at writing different themes, each as good as the other.
The story follows Kathy H., a carer to dying patients, and her mysterious upbringing alongside her charges at a secluded boarding school. From the beginning, we are introduced to the concept of 'donors', and it only becomes apparent after some time what it truly means. As a child, her and her fellow classmates were urged to be overly health-conscious with a special focus on artwork, which is said to be taken away to a gallery if exceptional. But when the students begin to question about its necessity, they understand that not all is what it seems.
From cloning to transplants, this book is both daring and alarming - and perhaps one of my favourite Ishiguro novels so far.
The story follows Kathy H., a carer to dying patients, and her mysterious upbringing alongside her charges at a secluded boarding school. From the beginning, we are introduced to the concept of 'donors', and it only becomes apparent after some time what it truly means. As a child, her and her fellow classmates were urged to be overly health-conscious with a special focus on artwork, which is said to be taken away to a gallery if exceptional. But when the students begin to question about its necessity, they understand that not all is what it seems.
From cloning to transplants, this book is both daring and alarming - and perhaps one of my favourite Ishiguro novels so far.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Lust for a Vampire (1971) in Movies
Feb 17, 2018 (Updated Feb 17, 2018)
I Was A Teenage Lesbian Vampire in a Girl's Boarding School
Largely risible Hammer vampire movie. After the censors objected to all the not-very-subtly-implied lesbianism in The Vampire Lovers, the studio replaced that with a story about a schoolteacher becoming infatuated with one of his pupils and starting a torrid romance with her, which apparently was seen as less problematic (it was the 70s, I suppose).
Initially conceived as another vehicle for Ingrid Pitt and Peter Cushing, to be directed by Terence Fisher; in the end Pitt did Countess Dracula instead, Cushing passed due to family problems, and Fisher was replaced by Jimmy Sangster. The result is a prurient melodrama largely untroubled by subtlety, style, or acting talent (Ralph Bates is not too bad in the role earmarked for Cushing). The sex and nudity which is essentially the film's sine qua non feels very tame by modern standards; the pop song on the soundtrack will make discriminating viewers want to rip their own ears off.
Initially conceived as another vehicle for Ingrid Pitt and Peter Cushing, to be directed by Terence Fisher; in the end Pitt did Countess Dracula instead, Cushing passed due to family problems, and Fisher was replaced by Jimmy Sangster. The result is a prurient melodrama largely untroubled by subtlety, style, or acting talent (Ralph Bates is not too bad in the role earmarked for Cushing). The sex and nudity which is essentially the film's sine qua non feels very tame by modern standards; the pop song on the soundtrack will make discriminating viewers want to rip their own ears off.
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition in Video Games
Feb 10, 2021
Visuals (5 more)
Story
Plot
Characters
Missions
Educational
No sequel (as of yet) (1 more)
Tried to re-educate me
Canis canem edit / Dog eats dog
Bully is an action-adventure video game set in a fictional boarding school, Bullworth Academy.
In stereotypical fashion the students are divided into groups, nerds, preppies, jocks etc
The game follows newcomer Jimmy Hopkins, an aggravated teenager with an attitude problem who's about to discover what its like to be on the receiving end.
Filled with errands from both teachers and students & classes to pass like maths, geography, science & Gym and a GTA style gameplay and control system, bully has overtook its original canis canem edit pre gen console release with new characters and additional missions, with an array of costumes & weapons aswell as a perfectly annoying antagonist named Gary and a beautiful ending.
Bully created a gaming cult.
developed by Rockstar Vancouver and published by Rockstar Games
released on 17 October 2006 on PS2
Developer: Rockstar Vancouver
Composer: Shawn Lee
Writer(s): Dan Houser; Jacob Krarup
Platforms: Android, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Microsoft Windows
In stereotypical fashion the students are divided into groups, nerds, preppies, jocks etc
The game follows newcomer Jimmy Hopkins, an aggravated teenager with an attitude problem who's about to discover what its like to be on the receiving end.
Filled with errands from both teachers and students & classes to pass like maths, geography, science & Gym and a GTA style gameplay and control system, bully has overtook its original canis canem edit pre gen console release with new characters and additional missions, with an array of costumes & weapons aswell as a perfectly annoying antagonist named Gary and a beautiful ending.
Bully created a gaming cult.
developed by Rockstar Vancouver and published by Rockstar Games
released on 17 October 2006 on PS2
Developer: Rockstar Vancouver
Composer: Shawn Lee
Writer(s): Dan Houser; Jacob Krarup
Platforms: Android, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Microsoft Windows
David McK (3233 KP) rated The Imitation Game (2014) in Movies
Feb 26, 2022
Drama based on the life and times of Alan Turing, the so-called father of modern computing, who worked in Bletchley Park during World War 2 to break the hitherto-believed-unbreakable enigma machine that the German high command were using to send radio messages to their fleets.
This flits back and forth between three timelines: the 1950s (just before Turing committed society, after being found guilty of Homosexual behaviour, which was outlawed at the time), the late 30s/early 40s (his work at Bletchley) and the 1920s (his childhood at a public boarding school, where he was bullied).
Cumberbatch manages to bring a different aura to his portrayal of Turing than he did previously to Sherlock - even though both are geniuses who struggle with a low EQ (Emotional Quotient) - while Kiera Knightley does her period piece acting as his fellow (perhaps even smarter) codebreaker Joan, who has to also put up with the misogynistic attitudes of the time.
And yes, the Imitation Game of the title is a real philosophical conundrum (which is described during the movie itself).
This flits back and forth between three timelines: the 1950s (just before Turing committed society, after being found guilty of Homosexual behaviour, which was outlawed at the time), the late 30s/early 40s (his work at Bletchley) and the 1920s (his childhood at a public boarding school, where he was bullied).
Cumberbatch manages to bring a different aura to his portrayal of Turing than he did previously to Sherlock - even though both are geniuses who struggle with a low EQ (Emotional Quotient) - while Kiera Knightley does her period piece acting as his fellow (perhaps even smarter) codebreaker Joan, who has to also put up with the misogynistic attitudes of the time.
And yes, the Imitation Game of the title is a real philosophical conundrum (which is described during the movie itself).
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The first thing that I found curious was that the author does not begin with when Sophie first discovers who she is, but instead begins with what incident propels her to switch to the paranormal-reject-filled boarding school, Hecate Hall - also affectionately known as "Hex Hall." The incident shows the softer side of Sophie, so it is easy to predict the choices she makes throughout the rest of the book.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Madam in Books
Jul 1, 2021
The protagonist in this novel is Rose, and this story is told from her perspective. Rose is a very well educated Latin teacher that comes to a new, well-known school, but being a child of a very active feminist, stuck in a school that has very old and very strange traditions drives her “crazy”. I could not connect to Rose, I respected her thoughts, but she had no idea what she got herself into, and that made her look stupid. I missed student’s perspectives in this book. I think a student protagonist would have made this book way more interesting and absorbing, they definitely have a lot to tell.
I found the narrative of this book mysterious and very enjoyable. Rose is trying to find out more about the events happening in this school, but everything is so secretive, she gets only bits of information. I am not surprised she feels so frustrated. All of that creates a perfect mystery and suspense because I was so keen to find out, what was actually happening there. This book has plenty of issues to be discussed. It portrays only Rose’s perspective, she is from a lower class and has no idea how rich and influential people operate. So what seems outrageous to her, might seem very normal to rich people. I really enjoyed the ancient mythology that was in this novel, I loved the stories of powerful women from the past. The topics discussed in this book are arranged marriages, suicide, mental health issues, ignorance, friendships, homosexuality, teenage manipulations, lack of feminism, various secrets, and many, many more. This novel really highlights a very wide variety of topics.
The whole story is set in 1993, so it does show the struggles people had during those days, especially when it comes to technologies and communication. I enjoyed the writing style of this book, it was very atmospheric and dark. I really can see this novel as a film, it would be brilliant! The chapters of this book have medium length and it had me very engrossed in this story. I don’t really know what I think of the ending, it rounds up the story nicely, but for some reason, it didn’t really leave me satisfied.
So, to conclude, it is a very gloomy and dark novel, filled with unique characters and a plot filled with secrets and mystery. This book is perfect for discussions, it has a very wide variety of topics. I think it would be great for reading groups or readalongs. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic novels, or books set in strange boarding schools.
I found the narrative of this book mysterious and very enjoyable. Rose is trying to find out more about the events happening in this school, but everything is so secretive, she gets only bits of information. I am not surprised she feels so frustrated. All of that creates a perfect mystery and suspense because I was so keen to find out, what was actually happening there. This book has plenty of issues to be discussed. It portrays only Rose’s perspective, she is from a lower class and has no idea how rich and influential people operate. So what seems outrageous to her, might seem very normal to rich people. I really enjoyed the ancient mythology that was in this novel, I loved the stories of powerful women from the past. The topics discussed in this book are arranged marriages, suicide, mental health issues, ignorance, friendships, homosexuality, teenage manipulations, lack of feminism, various secrets, and many, many more. This novel really highlights a very wide variety of topics.
The whole story is set in 1993, so it does show the struggles people had during those days, especially when it comes to technologies and communication. I enjoyed the writing style of this book, it was very atmospheric and dark. I really can see this novel as a film, it would be brilliant! The chapters of this book have medium length and it had me very engrossed in this story. I don’t really know what I think of the ending, it rounds up the story nicely, but for some reason, it didn’t really leave me satisfied.
So, to conclude, it is a very gloomy and dark novel, filled with unique characters and a plot filled with secrets and mystery. This book is perfect for discussions, it has a very wide variety of topics. I think it would be great for reading groups or readalongs. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic novels, or books set in strange boarding schools.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Sea of Lost Girls in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Tessa has started her life over at Haywood, an elite boarding school in coastal Maine. She teaches English there and is married to a well-respected fellow professor, Harmon. Her seventeen-year-old son, Rudy, while troubled in the past, seems to be doing well. This is much in part to his girlfriend, Lila Zeller, a smart and focused teen. But then Tessa gets an early morning text from Rudy, asking her to pick him up. He and Lila had a fight, and Tessa finds him wet and shivering. Later that morning they receive the devastating news that Lila's dead body was found on the beach, not far from where Tessa picked Rudy up. Soon there are whispers of murder surrounding Lila's death, and both Tessa's husband and son find themselves under investigation. And the more she delves into Haywood's past, the more she realizes she isn't the only one keeping secrets.
"When we landed here in this pretty harbor town with its sailboats and white clapboard houses I'd thought we'd come to a place where we'd always be safe. But Rudy has always had a nose for darkness."
I love Carol Goodman's books, and I'm always into a good boarding school book, so picking up this one was a no-brainer. She doesn't disappoint. This is a quick, captivating story that keeps you guessing the entire time. While Tessa isn't always the most likeable character, I was certainly invested in her story.
Goodman deftly weaves two storylines together--the present, featuring Tessa's family and Lila's death and the past, which revolves around the titular lost girls, whom tie back to Haywood in its earlier days. We also learn more about Tessa's past and her long-hidden secrets, many of which also link into Haywood itself. Somehow all of this works together. It's a mysterious, sometimes dark story, and one that keeps you wondering. I changed my mind several times about who could have harmed Lila. I love a book that keeps me on my toes. I also enjoyed the story of the lost girls and the school's eerie stories.
Goodman is a master storyteller, and this book flies by. She brings in links such as "The Crucible," which the Haywood students are performing, and ties to the #metoo movement. They all augment this strong story about the power of lies and hidden secrets. The parallels between the past and present are expertly woven together. 4 stars.
"When we landed here in this pretty harbor town with its sailboats and white clapboard houses I'd thought we'd come to a place where we'd always be safe. But Rudy has always had a nose for darkness."
I love Carol Goodman's books, and I'm always into a good boarding school book, so picking up this one was a no-brainer. She doesn't disappoint. This is a quick, captivating story that keeps you guessing the entire time. While Tessa isn't always the most likeable character, I was certainly invested in her story.
Goodman deftly weaves two storylines together--the present, featuring Tessa's family and Lila's death and the past, which revolves around the titular lost girls, whom tie back to Haywood in its earlier days. We also learn more about Tessa's past and her long-hidden secrets, many of which also link into Haywood itself. Somehow all of this works together. It's a mysterious, sometimes dark story, and one that keeps you wondering. I changed my mind several times about who could have harmed Lila. I love a book that keeps me on my toes. I also enjoyed the story of the lost girls and the school's eerie stories.
Goodman is a master storyteller, and this book flies by. She brings in links such as "The Crucible," which the Haywood students are performing, and ties to the #metoo movement. They all augment this strong story about the power of lies and hidden secrets. The parallels between the past and present are expertly woven together. 4 stars.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Year After You in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this story is Cara, a seventeen-year-old girl from California, who was sent to a boarding school in the Swiss mountains. She has lost her friend in a car accident, and she was the one who was driving. Cara is a very interesting character, her life is full of guilt and grief. This book taught me a very valuable lesson, that different people deal with grief very differently. Some people find it easier and some harder to deal with someone’s death. Cara is very emotionally intriguing, she feels so much self-loath, and it is very interesting to see how she communicates with people around her. I loved this great variety of characters chosen for this book, I loved all Cara’s friends in Switzerland, they are truly amazing. My favourite character in this book was Hector, he is absolutely charming! He reminds me of Edward from The Twilight Saga, whom I truly adored. 😀
The narrative is not very exciting at the beginning, but slowly the author brings in little adventures, quite a bit of romance and plenty of Cara’s thoughts. I really loved the boarding school itself, it sounded a little like Hogwarts, surrounded by mountains, and it feels like a happy place, where people actually want to return to. I really liked that the plot was set in different locations, it felt livelier and more indulging.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I can not understand how the author portrayed the grief, its effects through a confused teenager, so masterfully. The language used in this novel is easy to understand and it was a very enjoyable read. The chapters have a very decent length and it didn’t get boring, because every chapter brought in something new. I loved the ending of this book, it rounded up the story very nicely.
To conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, even though it is filled with grief and emotions, the other characters make it quite an entertaining and pleasant read. I loved the diversity and wide variety of true personalities. I do strongly recommend this book if you know someone who has difficulty of dealing with loss, it will help you to understand them in some way. (I know it helped me) 🙂 And of course, don’t forget to enjoy this amazing Cara’s story.
The narrative is not very exciting at the beginning, but slowly the author brings in little adventures, quite a bit of romance and plenty of Cara’s thoughts. I really loved the boarding school itself, it sounded a little like Hogwarts, surrounded by mountains, and it feels like a happy place, where people actually want to return to. I really liked that the plot was set in different locations, it felt livelier and more indulging.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I can not understand how the author portrayed the grief, its effects through a confused teenager, so masterfully. The language used in this novel is easy to understand and it was a very enjoyable read. The chapters have a very decent length and it didn’t get boring, because every chapter brought in something new. I loved the ending of this book, it rounded up the story very nicely.
To conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, even though it is filled with grief and emotions, the other characters make it quite an entertaining and pleasant read. I loved the diversity and wide variety of true personalities. I do strongly recommend this book if you know someone who has difficulty of dealing with loss, it will help you to understand them in some way. (I know it helped me) 🙂 And of course, don’t forget to enjoy this amazing Cara’s story.
Chelsea (166 KP) rated The Broken Girls in Books
May 2, 2018
The story goes back and forth between the past through the eyes of four roommates at Idlewild Hall, a creepy boarding school for outcast girls, and the present through a journalist named Fiona Sheridan. Fiona’s sister was murdered and found in the Idlewild Hall grounds, which had been long abandoned, and something never sat quite right with her. As Idlewild is bought and renovations begin, Fiona is drawn to it by her journalist instincts as well as the prospect of finding out what really happened to her sister.
This was a quick read. I loved the different narratives and learning about each of the Idlewild girls, as well as present-day Fiona and her desire to truly close her sister’s case. There was a big supernatural part that I didn’t expect, but it really worked. There were also some historical aspects that I enjoyed. The suspense and fear were so real in this book and kept me turning page after page because I had to find out what was going on! The stories you learn from all the different perspectives come together quite nicely and all questions are answered in a satisfying ending.
This was a quick read. I loved the different narratives and learning about each of the Idlewild girls, as well as present-day Fiona and her desire to truly close her sister’s case. There was a big supernatural part that I didn’t expect, but it really worked. There were also some historical aspects that I enjoyed. The suspense and fear were so real in this book and kept me turning page after page because I had to find out what was going on! The stories you learn from all the different perspectives come together quite nicely and all questions are answered in a satisfying ending.