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ClareR (6129 KP) rated Limberlost in Books
Oct 22, 2023
Limberlost is yet another beautiful novel from Robbie Arnott. There’s less of the magical realism in this, yet there’s still the beauty and magic of the natural world.
Limberlost is a place. It’s the orchard belonging to Ned West’s family; but all Ned can think about is sailing in a boat of his own, far from life in Limberlost.
The story moves back and forth between Ned’s childhood and his adulthood. Ned’s older brothers go away to fight in WW2, and he lives with his father and older sister. Their lives revolve around worry for the brothers and the apple crop. Ned is struggling as the brother left behind, so he decides to trap rabbits and sell their fur in order to buy his own boat. When he accidentally traps a quoll, only he and Callie (who lives on the next farm and is his best friend Jackbirds sister) know. He decides to nurse it back to health.
Ned’s childhood is seen through three significant moments: the capture of the quoll, the rebuilding of a Huon pine boat, and years before when his father borrowed a boat and took his children out to look at the whales.
Many years later, Ned still remembers these moments.
It was interesting (and sobering) to read about mans, and Neds, impact on the land: how his crop spraying may have been the cause of his wife’s cancer, and how colonisation was the reason why the orchard was his and not the native people’s anymore.
This is such a gentle, gorgeously written novel, and utterly devastating in parts. Even the description of Ned sanding his boat was told with such tenderness - the reader is there, inhaling the scent of pine.
This is yet another utterly entrancing novel from Robbie Arnott. I’m most definitely a fan.
Limberlost is a place. It’s the orchard belonging to Ned West’s family; but all Ned can think about is sailing in a boat of his own, far from life in Limberlost.
The story moves back and forth between Ned’s childhood and his adulthood. Ned’s older brothers go away to fight in WW2, and he lives with his father and older sister. Their lives revolve around worry for the brothers and the apple crop. Ned is struggling as the brother left behind, so he decides to trap rabbits and sell their fur in order to buy his own boat. When he accidentally traps a quoll, only he and Callie (who lives on the next farm and is his best friend Jackbirds sister) know. He decides to nurse it back to health.
Ned’s childhood is seen through three significant moments: the capture of the quoll, the rebuilding of a Huon pine boat, and years before when his father borrowed a boat and took his children out to look at the whales.
Many years later, Ned still remembers these moments.
It was interesting (and sobering) to read about mans, and Neds, impact on the land: how his crop spraying may have been the cause of his wife’s cancer, and how colonisation was the reason why the orchard was his and not the native people’s anymore.
This is such a gentle, gorgeously written novel, and utterly devastating in parts. Even the description of Ned sanding his boat was told with such tenderness - the reader is there, inhaling the scent of pine.
This is yet another utterly entrancing novel from Robbie Arnott. I’m most definitely a fan.
Riving-Ton-Ton-Ton: The Letty Vargas Story
Book
Riving-Ton-Ton-Ton tells the story of Leticia “Letty” Cruz, a New Yorker who was born into a...
Biography
ClareR (6129 KP) rated Hard By A Great Forest in Books
Mar 10, 2024
I turned the last page of Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili, and felt like my heart had been well and truly put through the wringer. This is going to be one of those books - you know the ones: this book has broken my heart and destroyed me - here! You MUST read it!
Saba, his brother and father escaped the conflict in post-Communist Georgia when he was a child, leaving behind their mother because they couldn’t afford the bribes. Saba’s father never recovers from having to leave her behind, and when things in Georgia start to settle down more, he returns there. However he goes missing, Saba’s brother goes to look for him and he goes missing too. So Saba goes to look for them both.
Saba’s head is full of the voices of his past, people who are no longer living and stories that his mother used to tell him. His brother leaves Saba a paper trail of clues, including the play that their father wrote, and parts of fairy stories and Shakespeare quotations from their childhood.
This is an emotional novel. There’s the constant feeling of being watched, danger is around every corner. The police are corrupt, and you don’t know if friends are really friends or working for the police.
Saba’s journey is both cathartic and dangerous. It takes him and his friend into the danger zone through a military blockade. It was so tense. Throughout, Saba has to deal with the trauma of his childhood and it’s impact on his adult life. He may have survived the war, but will he survive the trauma and the quest to find his father?
I loved this. I was rooting for Saba throughout, and I feel that I learnt a lot about what has happened in Georgia (considering I knew nothing beforehand). It’s wonderful book.
Saba, his brother and father escaped the conflict in post-Communist Georgia when he was a child, leaving behind their mother because they couldn’t afford the bribes. Saba’s father never recovers from having to leave her behind, and when things in Georgia start to settle down more, he returns there. However he goes missing, Saba’s brother goes to look for him and he goes missing too. So Saba goes to look for them both.
Saba’s head is full of the voices of his past, people who are no longer living and stories that his mother used to tell him. His brother leaves Saba a paper trail of clues, including the play that their father wrote, and parts of fairy stories and Shakespeare quotations from their childhood.
This is an emotional novel. There’s the constant feeling of being watched, danger is around every corner. The police are corrupt, and you don’t know if friends are really friends or working for the police.
Saba’s journey is both cathartic and dangerous. It takes him and his friend into the danger zone through a military blockade. It was so tense. Throughout, Saba has to deal with the trauma of his childhood and it’s impact on his adult life. He may have survived the war, but will he survive the trauma and the quest to find his father?
I loved this. I was rooting for Saba throughout, and I feel that I learnt a lot about what has happened in Georgia (considering I knew nothing beforehand). It’s wonderful book.
Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon (Six Tudor Queens)
Book
Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon. Born in the glittering courts of Castile and Aragon and forged...
Biographical Historical Fiction Tudor Fiction Historical Fiction
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) in Movies
Apr 30, 2019
Jet Li v Jackie Chan ...well for one scene at least. This is a great martial arts, fantasy film that seemed to not get a cinema release?! I find that very strange considering this is the first film to feature Chan and Li together. It has the same fight choreographer from The Matrix, Kill Bill and Crouching Tiger! The fights are truly awesome. Add some humour, a little adventure, good SFX and an all round good cast, makes for a great film. The start reminds me of some of the great fantasy films of my childhood like Never ending story. It's no coincidence that the old martial arts series Monkey is on the TV towards the start, as this film has a similar feel to it as that. So if you like the sound of any of that check this out.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Almost Moon in Books
Feb 8, 2018
I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to ignore the (bad) hype and enjoy it, I really did. I really enjoyed "The Lovely Bones," and I'd like to think I went in to the story with an open mind, despite all the bad press. But I just couldn't do it... it wasn't even the subject matter, as much as the fact that I just didn't like it. I didn't like the story and I had no empathy for the main character. I know we were supposed to read about her childhood and feel sorry for her, but I didn't. I couldn't identify with her, I didn't like her, and I just couldn't get into the story she was telling. I only finished the book because it was like a train wreck... I just couldn't turn away.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2528 KP) rated Bloom and Doom (Bridal Bouquet Shop Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Audrey Bloom and her cousin Liz are co-owners of a flower shop that specializes in bridal bouquets. Their latest client is Jenny, a childhood friend of Audrey's, who is marring the most eligible bachelor in the county. However, the morning after Jenny breaks off her engagement to Derek, Derek is found dead in his car with Jenny as the only suspect. Did she do it?
I loved the characters. They were charming and engaging right from the start, and I couldn't wait to read more. The plot did slow down a bit in the middle, but it picked up again for the ending. Tidbits on the meaning of flowers and some humor just added to the fun.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-review-bloom-and-doom-by-beverly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I loved the characters. They were charming and engaging right from the start, and I couldn't wait to read more. The plot did slow down a bit in the middle, but it picked up again for the ending. Tidbits on the meaning of flowers and some humor just added to the fun.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-review-bloom-and-doom-by-beverly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Lindsay (1807 KP) rated Out from the Underworld in Books
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
The story starts out by having Heather with her daughter and visiting her father. Heather starts the story of her childhood from when her mother left them. The story is painful but intruding at the same time.
We get the authors view of things through her eyes. We also learn about how she and her sister Jazz needs to deal with grieving. We learn about her life in foster care with her brother and sister. Heather has a hard time with her mother's loss.
We see what happens when their father has to make his decision. The siblings have a bond together. We also learn about their father background and the family history. I learned that the siblings had a strong bond with each other. They can not seem to understand why their father does not want to escape the basement.
We get the authors view of things through her eyes. We also learn about how she and her sister Jazz needs to deal with grieving. We learn about her life in foster care with her brother and sister. Heather has a hard time with her mother's loss.
We see what happens when their father has to make his decision. The siblings have a bond together. We also learn about their father background and the family history. I learned that the siblings had a strong bond with each other. They can not seem to understand why their father does not want to escape the basement.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Fables & Fairy Tales to Cross Stitch in Books
Jun 18, 2018
Fables & Fairy Tales to Cross Stitch Véronique Enginger is a wonderful collection of fairy tale themed projects with stitching charts and finishing suggestions. It's perfect for those with knowledge of cross stitching and those interested in stitching up their favorite classic fairy tales.
The book is easy to use, organized from which are the fables section and the fairy tales section of the book. Every project is in a visual format. A very straightforward and simple guidance, very nice visual patterns book, which you can easily follow and copy the design exactly. I love the designs and think the author did a great job reviving the fables and fairy tales of many others and my own childhood with these beautiful cross stitch patterns.
I received an ARC from Schiffer Publishing Ltd. via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is easy to use, organized from which are the fables section and the fairy tales section of the book. Every project is in a visual format. A very straightforward and simple guidance, very nice visual patterns book, which you can easily follow and copy the design exactly. I love the designs and think the author did a great job reviving the fables and fairy tales of many others and my own childhood with these beautiful cross stitch patterns.
I received an ARC from Schiffer Publishing Ltd. via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Thanos Rising in Books
Oct 24, 2018
Decent short backstory for the big screen super-baddie
This 5 issue collection gives a backstory to Thanos and adds some explanation for why he is the way he is. Certain elements of this fit in with the Jim Starlin Infinity Gauntlet/War books but add an interesting few viewpoints and aspects of his persona.
Around half of the story deals with Thanos' childhood, growing up different on the perfect Titan and how this started to warp his mind, and then leads in to him travelling the universe exploring as a pacifist and siring numerous children (this section fitting in nicely with the Jonathan Hickman Infinity epic), finishing with his final arrival at Mad Tyrant Central.
Strong artwork throughout and a decent story make this a good attempt at putting some meat on the bones of Thanos' backstory.
Around half of the story deals with Thanos' childhood, growing up different on the perfect Titan and how this started to warp his mind, and then leads in to him travelling the universe exploring as a pacifist and siring numerous children (this section fitting in nicely with the Jonathan Hickman Infinity epic), finishing with his final arrival at Mad Tyrant Central.
Strong artwork throughout and a decent story make this a good attempt at putting some meat on the bones of Thanos' backstory.