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King Solomon's Mines

H. Rider Haggard

6.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

King Solomon's Mines tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers...

Hazel (1853 KP) rated This Shining Life in Books

Feb 15, 2021

This Shining Life

Harriet Kline | 2021 | Contemporary

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Ollie's Dad died. Richard had an incurable brain tumour, and before he passed away, he sent everyone a special present. He also told Ollie that "being alive was like a puzzle and it was all falling into place." Ollie is autistic. He thinks his father left him a puzzle to solve. Could it involve the gifts? Why won't anyone help him solve the puzzle?

This Shining Life by Harriet Kline is a heartbreaking tale about a family coming to terms with death. Told from several people's point of view, Kline explores different portrayals of grief. Ollie's mum wants to stay in bed; his aunt wants life to carry on; his maternal grandmother tries to exert control; his paternal grandmother wishes she could understand her grandson; and his grandfather has no idea what is going on. No one has time for Ollie and his obsession with his puzzle.

Before Richard's death, Ollie dominated family life. Ollie had a strict routine, always had a few spare pairs of socks with him because he hated dirty ones, and had meltdowns if his parents used the "wrong" tone of voice. Without his familiar habits, Ollie's life was a mass of confusion - an apt metaphor for the grief the rest of the family experienced.

With a contemporary novel such as This Shining Life, there is no "happy ever after". People do not come back from the dead. There is no answer to the meaning of life. Grief is a long process and different for everyone. It causes depression, anger and confusion, but hidden under all these negative feelings is love.

Harriet Kline takes death and grief seriously but adds a touch of humour to the narrative for the reader's benefit. It is not a light read, nor is it markedly profound. Instead, This Shining Life is painfully honest, and for that reason, it is beautiful.

Kudos

Darren Fisher (2454 KP) rated Killer's Moon (1978) in Movies

Dec 11, 2020 (Updated Dec 11, 2020)

Killer's Moon (1978)

1978 | Horror

8.0

(2 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Classic low budget British horror

I love my bonkers films and this demented British horror from Alan Birkinshaw certainly is up there. Four lunatics escape from a cottage (yep, not even a mental institution) whilst dosed up on LSD provided by the psychiatrists (it's a experiment in which said nutters think they are only dreaming - so whatever they do whilst tripping holds no consequence). Meanwhile, in the middle of nowhere, a bus full of schoolgirls brakes down. With no other choice the bus driver goes lookin for help whilst the teachers and girls seek refuge in a desolate hotel. As the escaped lunatics make their murderous way across country they come across the hotel. Once inside they begin tormenting, raping and decimating the cast. It's grimy, sleazy and very non-politically correct. I certainly can't imagine it getting made in todays times. The infrequent gore scenes are more 'Carry On...' style than gruesome, the special effects are amateur, accompanied with goofy sound effects. What carries the film along is the dialogue. Co-written with the directors sister Fay Weldon, the script is jaw droppingly unbelievable, unintentionally hilarious and mind-bogglingly bizarre. The most infamous quote comes after one school girl has been raped by one of the lunatics and pretty much sets the tone of what you are watching...

"Look, you were only raped, as long as you don't tell anyone about it you'll be alright. You pretend it never happened, I pretend I never saw it and if we ever get out of this alive, well, maybe we'll both live to be wives and mothers"

Just one of many delicious quotes from the film I hasten to add. Guaranteed trash gold. Highly recommended.

Kudos

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Written in Red (The Others, #1) in Books

Aug 26, 2019 (Updated Sep 3, 2019)

Written in Red (The Others, #1)

Anne Bishop | 2013 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.5

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

Well I thought this one started on a bit of intrigue. Where had Meg come from? What were these scars she had? How had she so new to...life?

I found this really hard to put down, if I'm honest, the story really pulled me in and despite there not being much of a romance, I'll admit I was hooked. I loved the innocence of Meg and her just being really nice to everyone, which equally confused them and made them want to protect her. It was nice seeing them turn from scary "other" beings to almost friendly. Especially with Meg. She became one of them. Part of their family.

Despite its lack of romance--I can't decide if something may happen between Meg and Simon in the future--I enjoyed this. It had a few elements of horror style things in--at the beginning and towards the end some trespassers are eaten alive and then some detailed snow related deaths towards the end--but although I didn't enjoy that bit so much, I forgot about it quickly enough.

I loved how every species of other in the Courtyard had their own little traits. The Crows with the "shiny". The wolves with their "arroooo" greetings. Tess with her living hair. The Hawks and their love of rats and mice. The elementals and their horses.

It was really well thought out and though it was almost 500 kindle pages long, I didn't lose interest once.

I'm interested enough in this group of characters to carry on the series. I even read the excerpt for the next book and it HAS given me hope for something more between Meg and Simon so I will be buying the next book at some point in the future.