Search
Search results
Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Reference and Education
App
Winner, Innovation in Learner Resources, British Council ELTon Awards 2015 Awarded “BEST OF 2016...
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 4th ed.
Reference and Education
App
FREE PREVIEW Full wordlist and sample entries are available to preview the dictionary content and...
That Reminds Me
9.0
Rate It
Book
WINNER OF THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE 2020 ___________________________________ 'A dreamy,...
ClareR (5911 KP) rated The East Indian in Books
Jul 13, 2023
I loved The East Indian by Brinda Charry, but boy did it make me mad!
“Tony” (so named because a British man couldn’t pronounce his real name, and we never find out what that is) comes from the Coromandel coast. He travels to London with a white man in order to be his servant, but the man dies on the voyage. In London, Tony has to fend for himself, a child alone in a big city that takes advantage of the vulnerable. Unsurprisingly, Tony is kidnapped, transported to America, and becomes an indentured servant. It looks as though his dreams of becoming a medicine man will never come to pass. But he does make friends with some of the boys on the voyage. When he arrives in America, he is mistaken for a native Indian - he isn’t as black as the Africans - and he’s often referred to as a ‘Moor’.
There’s little wonder that Tony has so many friends, he’s a likeable boy. He hates to see the maltreatment of his fellow indentured servants and slaves.
This book illustrates the lives of indentured servants and the beginning of slavery under British rule in the colonies. It’s not a nice way to live; seen through the eyes of a child it’s both less and more horrific. Tony doesn’t necessarily see how bad things are, because he has no comparison until he starts to get older.
The most infuriating part for me (it’s a long list!), was how Tony and the Africans were ‘othered’ by the white man: they weren’t to be trusted, their ways of life were seen as primitive, they were seen as a belonging or little better than animals.
This book predates slavery as it was to become, but you can see the beginnings of it. As an indentured servant, you belonged to your master.
Jamestown is described so well (sights, sounds and smells) as are the wilder areas: the forests, mountains and rivers. It sounded beautiful, kept that way by Native Americans who were already being driven from their homeland.
It’s a sobering, beautiful story, and I’m so glad that I got the chance to read it - thanks Pigeonhole!
“Tony” (so named because a British man couldn’t pronounce his real name, and we never find out what that is) comes from the Coromandel coast. He travels to London with a white man in order to be his servant, but the man dies on the voyage. In London, Tony has to fend for himself, a child alone in a big city that takes advantage of the vulnerable. Unsurprisingly, Tony is kidnapped, transported to America, and becomes an indentured servant. It looks as though his dreams of becoming a medicine man will never come to pass. But he does make friends with some of the boys on the voyage. When he arrives in America, he is mistaken for a native Indian - he isn’t as black as the Africans - and he’s often referred to as a ‘Moor’.
There’s little wonder that Tony has so many friends, he’s a likeable boy. He hates to see the maltreatment of his fellow indentured servants and slaves.
This book illustrates the lives of indentured servants and the beginning of slavery under British rule in the colonies. It’s not a nice way to live; seen through the eyes of a child it’s both less and more horrific. Tony doesn’t necessarily see how bad things are, because he has no comparison until he starts to get older.
The most infuriating part for me (it’s a long list!), was how Tony and the Africans were ‘othered’ by the white man: they weren’t to be trusted, their ways of life were seen as primitive, they were seen as a belonging or little better than animals.
This book predates slavery as it was to become, but you can see the beginnings of it. As an indentured servant, you belonged to your master.
Jamestown is described so well (sights, sounds and smells) as are the wilder areas: the forests, mountains and rivers. It sounded beautiful, kept that way by Native Americans who were already being driven from their homeland.
It’s a sobering, beautiful story, and I’m so glad that I got the chance to read it - thanks Pigeonhole!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Heartless in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This book is devastating.
first of all, listening to the audio, it was a bit silly. The accent switched between American and British, and it was weird. The story itself was bonkers (which is to be expected, this is Hearts we're talking about).
What killed me is there's no way for this story to turn out happy. And I am 100% sure of it, so I quit right after the meadow scene. I'll let it work itself out happily in my head. Because I don't feel like having to explain to my boss why I'm crying about a YA novel.
So in my head, Jest took Cath to the Hatter, who made her a hat to make her brave. She marries the king, kills him, kills the jabberwock, and partners with the white queen in Chess to save their kingdom. And she marries Jest and becomes the happiest girl in the world.
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND THAT'S NOT IT. Here, Marissa Meyer, just take my heart and stomp on it already.
first of all, listening to the audio, it was a bit silly. The accent switched between American and British, and it was weird. The story itself was bonkers (which is to be expected, this is Hearts we're talking about).
What killed me is there's no way for this story to turn out happy. And I am 100% sure of it, so I quit right after the meadow scene. I'll let it work itself out happily in my head. Because I don't feel like having to explain to my boss why I'm crying about a YA novel.
So in my head, Jest took Cath to the Hatter, who made her a hat to make her brave. She marries the king, kills him, kills the jabberwock, and partners with the white queen in Chess to save their kingdom. And she marries Jest and becomes the happiest girl in the world.
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND THAT'S NOT IT. Here, Marissa Meyer, just take my heart and stomp on it already.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Witchfinder General (1968) in Movies
May 10, 2018
Famously nasty cult horror movie looks a bit like another Poe-Corman-Price adaptation (and was marketed as such in the States) but is really the work of a much darker sensibility. No actual supernatural elements, just people being sadistic to each other in the middle of a vicious civil war.
The story is a pretty standard revenge melodrama, made distinctive by the sheer bleakness of tone throughout the movie. At a time when pretty much every Hammer movie concluded with the defeat of the forces of evil (at least until the next sequel) the sheer amoral nihilism of Witchfinder General is distinctive.
Notable for the closest thing to a completely straight performance you will ever find Vincent Price contributing as the star of a horror movie, and also for the censor-troubling levels of violence and general grisliness. As is standard for British horror films of this period, fun is also to be had spotting youthful appearances by people who went on to have rather distinguished appearances in less extreme material.
The story is a pretty standard revenge melodrama, made distinctive by the sheer bleakness of tone throughout the movie. At a time when pretty much every Hammer movie concluded with the defeat of the forces of evil (at least until the next sequel) the sheer amoral nihilism of Witchfinder General is distinctive.
Notable for the closest thing to a completely straight performance you will ever find Vincent Price contributing as the star of a horror movie, and also for the censor-troubling levels of violence and general grisliness. As is standard for British horror films of this period, fun is also to be had spotting youthful appearances by people who went on to have rather distinguished appearances in less extreme material.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Sliding Doors (1998) in Movies
Mar 30, 2019
An enjoyable romcom
I’m ashamed to admit that despite this film coming out in 1997, I’ve never seen it until now. Probably with good reason, as it had me bawling my eyes out by the end. This is your typical British romcom, with a lot of heart, humour and some seriously sad moments. It has a great cast, I adore John Hannah and it’s always good to see him in a lead role in a romcom, especially as he isn’t your typical leading man. But who can resist a charming, funny Scot? I also realised that I've not really seen many Gwyneth Paltrow films and she’s actually a lovely and very engaging lead, even though her English accent is a little dodgy at times.
The plot itself isn’t that of your usual typical romcom and I love the unique way of telling two versions of the same story, set apart simply by the small act of missing a train. It’s a great heartwarming and smart film, even if it is sadly showing it’s age now!
The plot itself isn’t that of your usual typical romcom and I love the unique way of telling two versions of the same story, set apart simply by the small act of missing a train. It’s a great heartwarming and smart film, even if it is sadly showing it’s age now!
Lindsay (1771 KP) rated The Last Plane out of Paris in Books
Apr 9, 2019
This story starts out slow at first. Though once things get going it non stop action. It felt like what going to happen to these two agents. Though it was something. British Airmen have a mission to do but we are not told until they reach the France Resistance Though though out the whole thing they spect one person and they hold the spies with them think it the other person.
Things to got from bad to worse but how are the German getting the information Though things are getting more execting has the book goes on. Their original mission is failed though they get a new mission. The new mission is to save a person that is to land in England. I am so in to this book for it give you sence of what happening before the United States enter the WWII.
I am looking forward to find out more about this even though it part fiction and part fact. I am waitting to see if there another book to follow.
Things to got from bad to worse but how are the German getting the information Though things are getting more execting has the book goes on. Their original mission is failed though they get a new mission. The new mission is to save a person that is to land in England. I am so in to this book for it give you sence of what happening before the United States enter the WWII.
I am looking forward to find out more about this even though it part fiction and part fact. I am waitting to see if there another book to follow.
drapedindarkness (1 KP) rated Hellraiser (1987) in Movies
Jan 20, 2018
Classic British Horror with a deviant slant
We'll tear your soul apart. With these words my mind was made up.
Move over Freddy, stand aside Jason because there is a new literal hellraiser and he cannot stand to see such a waste of good suffering.
Despite a very limited screentime, the Cenobites with their defacto leader Pinhead are at once both utterly terrifying and completely entrancing, they defy you to look away or even dislike them, they are beyond good and evil and are neither villain nor hero, what they are is absolutely right, you cannot cheat them or escape them.
I don't need to summarise the plot or detail anything about the other characters, they are really only there as window dressing for the real draw, the Cenobites, Chatterer, She, Butterball and Pinhead invite you to join them and you must not say no!
Move over Freddy, stand aside Jason because there is a new literal hellraiser and he cannot stand to see such a waste of good suffering.
Despite a very limited screentime, the Cenobites with their defacto leader Pinhead are at once both utterly terrifying and completely entrancing, they defy you to look away or even dislike them, they are beyond good and evil and are neither villain nor hero, what they are is absolutely right, you cannot cheat them or escape them.
I don't need to summarise the plot or detail anything about the other characters, they are really only there as window dressing for the real draw, the Cenobites, Chatterer, She, Butterball and Pinhead invite you to join them and you must not say no!