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Lee (2222 KP) rated Saint Maud (2020) in Movies
Oct 6, 2020
Saint Maud is a psychological horror about a young nurse (Morfydd Clark) who, following ‘an incident’ while working for the NHS, something horrific that is alluded to in the opening scene, now finds herself working in palliative care.
Maud is a lonely, isolated, and very religious young woman, and as she sits in her sparse little bedsit, she prays to God in the hopes that he will guide her as she begins her new role. That new role sees her taking over as carer for Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), an ex-dancer whose body is now succumbing to terminal cancer. As Maud feeds, bathes and generally does everything for Amanda, her obsession with her faith and religion begins to send her into a downward spiral, becoming increasingly convinced that her personal mission from God is to save Amanda's soul. Amanda’s lifestyle choices and love-life are often at odds with Maud’s beliefs, eventually resulting in tensions between them.
'In my head, she's very much this person who has felt really alienated her entire life and has always found it really difficult to connect with other people,' explains British director Rose Glass about the lead character of her feature-length debut. Morfydd Clark fills that role brilliantly, with her calm and innocent voice narrating much of the film through her prayers, and we experience her failed attempts at connecting with others while on a rather heavy and eventful night out on the town. An ominous score also helps to set the tone, along with a rather gloomy colour palette, and there is a general feeling of dread throughout.
Aside from that, it’s fair to say that Saint Maud really didn’t work for me at all. I was fully invested in the character of Maud, how faith was shaping her, and how her relationship with Amanda was affected. But two thirds into this slow-burn character study of a young woman essentially going through a breakdown, I was bored and desperate for something to happen. Considering the runtime is only 84 minutes long, that’s not good.
A last-minute burst of chaos and horror provided a glimmer of hope but was very short-lived. And an attempt to deliver powerfully, memorable imagery only resulted in laughs from my cinema audience the likes of which I haven’t experienced since the ending of Hereditary.
Maud is a lonely, isolated, and very religious young woman, and as she sits in her sparse little bedsit, she prays to God in the hopes that he will guide her as she begins her new role. That new role sees her taking over as carer for Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), an ex-dancer whose body is now succumbing to terminal cancer. As Maud feeds, bathes and generally does everything for Amanda, her obsession with her faith and religion begins to send her into a downward spiral, becoming increasingly convinced that her personal mission from God is to save Amanda's soul. Amanda’s lifestyle choices and love-life are often at odds with Maud’s beliefs, eventually resulting in tensions between them.
'In my head, she's very much this person who has felt really alienated her entire life and has always found it really difficult to connect with other people,' explains British director Rose Glass about the lead character of her feature-length debut. Morfydd Clark fills that role brilliantly, with her calm and innocent voice narrating much of the film through her prayers, and we experience her failed attempts at connecting with others while on a rather heavy and eventful night out on the town. An ominous score also helps to set the tone, along with a rather gloomy colour palette, and there is a general feeling of dread throughout.
Aside from that, it’s fair to say that Saint Maud really didn’t work for me at all. I was fully invested in the character of Maud, how faith was shaping her, and how her relationship with Amanda was affected. But two thirds into this slow-burn character study of a young woman essentially going through a breakdown, I was bored and desperate for something to happen. Considering the runtime is only 84 minutes long, that’s not good.
A last-minute burst of chaos and horror provided a glimmer of hope but was very short-lived. And an attempt to deliver powerfully, memorable imagery only resulted in laughs from my cinema audience the likes of which I haven’t experienced since the ending of Hereditary.
Sophie Wink (11 KP) rated Granite Grit (Fighting's in the Blood #1) in Books
Jun 26, 2019
"When your toughest opponent is you."
Your not kidding! A very true statement in more ways than one throughout the novel, for the main character Joe and the reader's themselves. What a fantastic debut novel.
The storyline is brilliant, easy to follow and written in quite a unique style jumping from past to present in the space of a couple lines with ease. It is truly fascinating, coming from someone who is clueless when it comes to boxing of any kind I managed to understand everything, it all made sense. I loved the twists and turns the story itself took, unwinding the spiral of destruction the main character created for himself, it's powerful yet sad and overall really moving creating the important hook.
The themes of the story are simple and conveyed with the utmost professionalism, the love between man and women, between parents and children, between man and the art of boxing. The relationships between the characters throughout the novel are wonderfully portrayed whether they come to a complete halt or blossom in times of tragedy. I think the theme of abuse is conveyed beautifully considering the sensitive, powerful and hard-hitting nature of the theme as a whole tying in well with a further theme of family which seems to be one of Joe's fatal flaws. Which leads me on to the character Joe whom I love, hate and support, the character development of Joe is remarkably controlled and really well done. At first, I really loved and sympathised with the man trying to keep his family afloat, then his downwards spiral left me hating him yet supporting him, wanting him to do well and wanting him to win the fight with not only himself but his opponents.
Personally, the fight scenes were my favourite due to the descriptive manner of which they were told, I felt like I was in the crowd onlooking the entire scene feeling the tension and fear in the atmosphere. Although it may not seem like it due to the boxing element the novel is very relatable considering family loyalty, the struggle for money and even the determination Joe has to prove himself. I even found myself laughing out loud at some of the comments Joe made.
Overall, this is truly an amazing book and I couldn't recommend it more.
Your not kidding! A very true statement in more ways than one throughout the novel, for the main character Joe and the reader's themselves. What a fantastic debut novel.
The storyline is brilliant, easy to follow and written in quite a unique style jumping from past to present in the space of a couple lines with ease. It is truly fascinating, coming from someone who is clueless when it comes to boxing of any kind I managed to understand everything, it all made sense. I loved the twists and turns the story itself took, unwinding the spiral of destruction the main character created for himself, it's powerful yet sad and overall really moving creating the important hook.
The themes of the story are simple and conveyed with the utmost professionalism, the love between man and women, between parents and children, between man and the art of boxing. The relationships between the characters throughout the novel are wonderfully portrayed whether they come to a complete halt or blossom in times of tragedy. I think the theme of abuse is conveyed beautifully considering the sensitive, powerful and hard-hitting nature of the theme as a whole tying in well with a further theme of family which seems to be one of Joe's fatal flaws. Which leads me on to the character Joe whom I love, hate and support, the character development of Joe is remarkably controlled and really well done. At first, I really loved and sympathised with the man trying to keep his family afloat, then his downwards spiral left me hating him yet supporting him, wanting him to do well and wanting him to win the fight with not only himself but his opponents.
Personally, the fight scenes were my favourite due to the descriptive manner of which they were told, I felt like I was in the crowd onlooking the entire scene feeling the tension and fear in the atmosphere. Although it may not seem like it due to the boxing element the novel is very relatable considering family loyalty, the struggle for money and even the determination Joe has to prove himself. I even found myself laughing out loud at some of the comments Joe made.
Overall, this is truly an amazing book and I couldn't recommend it more.
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Merissa (11877 KP) rated Improper Mage in Books
Mar 8, 2022
IMPROPER MAGE is the first book in a new series by a new author, Taylor Westwood.
In a world similar to our own, Liana lives in Triaedian - a land where shifters, vampires, and mages all live in harmony?! As a female, she doesn't have many options, and the only magic she is supposed to know is how to help with her household. Luckily for us, Liana is not content with that and learns as much as she can by herself, being a strong and proficient mage, even if she can never show it.
One night she meets Damien, the King of Triaedian, who is fascinated by her. He has ruled alone for some time but, maybe, it is time for him to find his Queen. Liana is flattered until she finds out he has expressed interest in two others as well. Then she feels betrayed and played.
The interaction between these two is brilliant. Liana is seen as an 'odd' one in that she doesn't abide by society's rules for what a woman should do. Damien sees this and doesn't seem to want to change her, delighting in who she is. The attraction is hot and immediate but, once again due to society's rules, they are forbidden to act upon it until they are married. They do push the boundaries and have one particularly steamy moment, but will he marry her or one of the others?
I found the world-building to be brilliant, giving me enough information to see how the world worked without overloading me all at once. I also adored the hidden depths of others characters that sneaked through every so often. There is an overall story arc here so don't expect a HEA ending. What you do get is a fantastic ending that will definitely leave you wanting more.
I immediately went onto the author's website to see if there was any indication of when the next book was due out. For a debut book, this was amazing and I loved every word. Highly recommended by me!!
ps - and if you find out when Improper Queen is due out before me, please let me know! I need it!!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
In a world similar to our own, Liana lives in Triaedian - a land where shifters, vampires, and mages all live in harmony?! As a female, she doesn't have many options, and the only magic she is supposed to know is how to help with her household. Luckily for us, Liana is not content with that and learns as much as she can by herself, being a strong and proficient mage, even if she can never show it.
One night she meets Damien, the King of Triaedian, who is fascinated by her. He has ruled alone for some time but, maybe, it is time for him to find his Queen. Liana is flattered until she finds out he has expressed interest in two others as well. Then she feels betrayed and played.
The interaction between these two is brilliant. Liana is seen as an 'odd' one in that she doesn't abide by society's rules for what a woman should do. Damien sees this and doesn't seem to want to change her, delighting in who she is. The attraction is hot and immediate but, once again due to society's rules, they are forbidden to act upon it until they are married. They do push the boundaries and have one particularly steamy moment, but will he marry her or one of the others?
I found the world-building to be brilliant, giving me enough information to see how the world worked without overloading me all at once. I also adored the hidden depths of others characters that sneaked through every so often. There is an overall story arc here so don't expect a HEA ending. What you do get is a fantastic ending that will definitely leave you wanting more.
I immediately went onto the author's website to see if there was any indication of when the next book was due out. For a debut book, this was amazing and I loved every word. Highly recommended by me!!
ps - and if you find out when Improper Queen is due out before me, please let me know! I need it!!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Ella Mai by Ella Mai in Music
Jun 7, 2019 (Updated Jun 7, 2019)
Ella Mai is a talented R&B/Soul singer from London, England. Not too long ago, she released her deliciously impressive self-titled debut studio album, which uses her name as an acronym to communicate its message.
Ella Mai – “Good Bad”
‘Good Bad’ tells the story of a moody woman who’s not perfect. One day, she has a pleasant personality, and another, an attitude. If she was single, her behavior might go unnoticed, but the thing is she isn’t single.
She’s in an up-and-down relationship with a guy she desires. And oftentimes, he thinks she’s mad at him whenever she gets in one of her bad moods. Also, she knows her good side is the reason why he doesn’t get up and leave. But in a weird way, he likes her bad side.
‘Good Bad’ contains a relatable storyline, soul vocals, and a groovy neo-soul instrumentation produced by Nana Rogues.
Ella Mai – “Dangerous”
‘Dangerous’ tells the tale of a woman who’s in a loving relationship with a guy she’s deeply in love with. She cooks breakfast for him because he shows he deserves her love. But the danger comes in play when she risks it all by putting her all in their relationship, which has no guarantee.
‘Dangerous’ contains a romantic narrative, r&b/soul vocals, and a spunky Bryan-Michael Cox-produced instrumentation oozing with a poppin’ neo-dance flavor.
Ella Mai – “Sauce”
‘Sauce’ tells the tale of an attractive female with a confident, stylish nature. She’s in a new relationship with a guy who’s already head-over-heels in love with her. But the thing is they haven’t been together that long. Either he’s trippin’ or addicted to her sauce.
‘Sauce’ contains a relevant storyline, r&b/soul vocals, and bouncy instrumentation produced by Quintin Gulledge and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Whatchamacallit” feat. Chris Brown
‘Whatchamacallit’ tells a tale of a guy and a girl who’s in a secret relationship with each other. The woman has a boyfriend and the man has a girlfriend but that doesn’t stop them from committing a romantic crime. They know their sensual action is wrong, but it feels so right that they override their conscience.
‘Whatchamacallit’ contains an exciting storyline, wonderful soul vocals, and charismatic instrumentation produced by J Holt and DJ Mustard.
“Cheap Shot”
‘Cheap Shot’ tells the tale of a woman who has a dude who loves her, but she didn’t know beforehand how he felt until now. The term ‘cheap shop’ indicates that he takes advantage of her when she’s at her weakest point in life. A time when she just needs to chill instead of going through the emotions of love all over again.
‘Cheap Shots’ contains a relatable storyline, r&b soul vocals, and lush instrumentation produced by Harmony Samuels.
Ella Mai – “Shot Clock”
‘Shot Clock’ tells the tale of a woman who’s been dating a guy for five years. She thinks he’s playing games about commitment, therefore, she gives him 24-seconds to make a decision. But if the shot clock winds down to zero, he might find his babe in the arms of another man.
‘Shot Clock’ contains a relatable storyline, r&b/soul vocals, and charismatic instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up”
The video finds Ella and her man riding Go Karts inside an amusement area with several friends. The newly-formed couple is happy and boo’d up in public.
‘Boo’d Up’ is a contemporary love song that finds Ella reminiscing about a past lover. Although their relationship is over, she finds it hard getting over that special person who makes her heartbeat bounce abnormally.
‘Boo’d Up’ contains a relatable narrative, gorgeous soul vocals, and ear-welcoming instrumentation oozing with classic neo-soul elements. The track was produced by Larrance Dopson and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Everything” feat. John Legend
‘Everything’ tells a sweet tale of a woman who appreciates the guy she’s with. Both of them are giving their all to keep their relationship healthy. According to the woman, they have everything they want.
‘Everything’ contains a relatable storyline, soul-pop vocals, and lovely instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard, Dayyon Alexander, and Jeff Alexander.
“Own It”
‘Own It’ tells an erotic tale of a woman who’s ready to get down and dirty with her significant other. She has on a T-shirt and panties and he’s on his knees servicing her body. Fluids are dripping and they are talkin’ naughty to each other while making love all night long.
‘Own It’ contains a sexy narrative, soul vocals, and slow-grinding instrumentation produced by Kosine and Miykal Snoddy.
“Run My Mouth”
‘Run My Mouth’ tells a tale of a woman who’s in love with a guy she’s in a relationship with. She’s addicted to making love to him, and every time they make love she runs her mouth in a good way because the sex is good.
‘Run My Mouth’ contains a sexy storyline, charismatic vocals, and melodic-trap instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
“Gut Feeling” feat. H.E.R.
‘Gut Feeling’ tells the tale of a young woman; her intuition tells her that the guy she’s in love with is guilty of something. She searches his phone looking for clues of his infidelity but finds nothing. Later that day, she asks him to come clean if he’s doing something wrong such as cheating, etc.
‘Gut Feeling’ contains a relatable storyline, charming soul vocals, and lovely instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Trip”
‘Trip’ tells the tale of a woman who’s addicted to making good love with her significant other. But when she doesn’t get it, she overreacts or gets bent out of shape.
‘Trip’ contains a relatable storyline, soothing soul vocals, and piano-laden instrumentation produced by Keys and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Close”
‘Close’ tells the tale of a woman who appreciates the man she’s in love with. All day every day she thinks about him. Apparently, she’s not an easy person to be with, but somehow, his easygoingness balances her nature when they are close in each other’s arms.
‘Close’ contains a sensual storyline, charming melodies, and charismatic instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Easy”
‘Easy’ tells the tale of a woman who’s in a new relationship with a guy she desires. Apparently, he’s a little uneasy about commitment. She reassures him that he should let his guard down and not worry. Therefore, she makes it easy for him to fall in love with her.
‘Easy’ contains an evergreen narrative, soul vocals, and ear-welcoming instrumentation produced by Lido and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Naked” (Bonus Track)
‘Naked’ tells the tale of a woman who’s looking for a guy who will love her unconditionally. Someone who will look past her flaws. Someone who will say she’s beautiful even when she doesn’t look the part.
‘Naked’ contains a relatable storyline, wonderful soul vocals, and sexy instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
“Ella Mai”
Ella Mai
In conclusion, Ella Mai’s self-titled debut studio album is a wonderful work of art. We totally enjoyed listening to each song from beginning to end.
Also, her voice sets a gorgeous tone while projecting an appealing and relatable narrative mostly focused on the up-side of romantic relationships, which contributes to the album’s feel-good vibe.
Mai’s first full-length offering is deliciously impressive and solidifies the London songstress at the helm of the contemporary R&B market.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/ella-mai-debut-album/
Ella Mai – “Good Bad”
‘Good Bad’ tells the story of a moody woman who’s not perfect. One day, she has a pleasant personality, and another, an attitude. If she was single, her behavior might go unnoticed, but the thing is she isn’t single.
She’s in an up-and-down relationship with a guy she desires. And oftentimes, he thinks she’s mad at him whenever she gets in one of her bad moods. Also, she knows her good side is the reason why he doesn’t get up and leave. But in a weird way, he likes her bad side.
‘Good Bad’ contains a relatable storyline, soul vocals, and a groovy neo-soul instrumentation produced by Nana Rogues.
Ella Mai – “Dangerous”
‘Dangerous’ tells the tale of a woman who’s in a loving relationship with a guy she’s deeply in love with. She cooks breakfast for him because he shows he deserves her love. But the danger comes in play when she risks it all by putting her all in their relationship, which has no guarantee.
‘Dangerous’ contains a romantic narrative, r&b/soul vocals, and a spunky Bryan-Michael Cox-produced instrumentation oozing with a poppin’ neo-dance flavor.
Ella Mai – “Sauce”
‘Sauce’ tells the tale of an attractive female with a confident, stylish nature. She’s in a new relationship with a guy who’s already head-over-heels in love with her. But the thing is they haven’t been together that long. Either he’s trippin’ or addicted to her sauce.
‘Sauce’ contains a relevant storyline, r&b/soul vocals, and bouncy instrumentation produced by Quintin Gulledge and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Whatchamacallit” feat. Chris Brown
‘Whatchamacallit’ tells a tale of a guy and a girl who’s in a secret relationship with each other. The woman has a boyfriend and the man has a girlfriend but that doesn’t stop them from committing a romantic crime. They know their sensual action is wrong, but it feels so right that they override their conscience.
‘Whatchamacallit’ contains an exciting storyline, wonderful soul vocals, and charismatic instrumentation produced by J Holt and DJ Mustard.
“Cheap Shot”
‘Cheap Shot’ tells the tale of a woman who has a dude who loves her, but she didn’t know beforehand how he felt until now. The term ‘cheap shop’ indicates that he takes advantage of her when she’s at her weakest point in life. A time when she just needs to chill instead of going through the emotions of love all over again.
‘Cheap Shots’ contains a relatable storyline, r&b soul vocals, and lush instrumentation produced by Harmony Samuels.
Ella Mai – “Shot Clock”
‘Shot Clock’ tells the tale of a woman who’s been dating a guy for five years. She thinks he’s playing games about commitment, therefore, she gives him 24-seconds to make a decision. But if the shot clock winds down to zero, he might find his babe in the arms of another man.
‘Shot Clock’ contains a relatable storyline, r&b/soul vocals, and charismatic instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up”
The video finds Ella and her man riding Go Karts inside an amusement area with several friends. The newly-formed couple is happy and boo’d up in public.
‘Boo’d Up’ is a contemporary love song that finds Ella reminiscing about a past lover. Although their relationship is over, she finds it hard getting over that special person who makes her heartbeat bounce abnormally.
‘Boo’d Up’ contains a relatable narrative, gorgeous soul vocals, and ear-welcoming instrumentation oozing with classic neo-soul elements. The track was produced by Larrance Dopson and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Everything” feat. John Legend
‘Everything’ tells a sweet tale of a woman who appreciates the guy she’s with. Both of them are giving their all to keep their relationship healthy. According to the woman, they have everything they want.
‘Everything’ contains a relatable storyline, soul-pop vocals, and lovely instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard, Dayyon Alexander, and Jeff Alexander.
“Own It”
‘Own It’ tells an erotic tale of a woman who’s ready to get down and dirty with her significant other. She has on a T-shirt and panties and he’s on his knees servicing her body. Fluids are dripping and they are talkin’ naughty to each other while making love all night long.
‘Own It’ contains a sexy narrative, soul vocals, and slow-grinding instrumentation produced by Kosine and Miykal Snoddy.
“Run My Mouth”
‘Run My Mouth’ tells a tale of a woman who’s in love with a guy she’s in a relationship with. She’s addicted to making love to him, and every time they make love she runs her mouth in a good way because the sex is good.
‘Run My Mouth’ contains a sexy storyline, charismatic vocals, and melodic-trap instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
“Gut Feeling” feat. H.E.R.
‘Gut Feeling’ tells the tale of a young woman; her intuition tells her that the guy she’s in love with is guilty of something. She searches his phone looking for clues of his infidelity but finds nothing. Later that day, she asks him to come clean if he’s doing something wrong such as cheating, etc.
‘Gut Feeling’ contains a relatable storyline, charming soul vocals, and lovely instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Trip”
‘Trip’ tells the tale of a woman who’s addicted to making good love with her significant other. But when she doesn’t get it, she overreacts or gets bent out of shape.
‘Trip’ contains a relatable storyline, soothing soul vocals, and piano-laden instrumentation produced by Keys and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Close”
‘Close’ tells the tale of a woman who appreciates the man she’s in love with. All day every day she thinks about him. Apparently, she’s not an easy person to be with, but somehow, his easygoingness balances her nature when they are close in each other’s arms.
‘Close’ contains a sensual storyline, charming melodies, and charismatic instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Easy”
‘Easy’ tells the tale of a woman who’s in a new relationship with a guy she desires. Apparently, he’s a little uneasy about commitment. She reassures him that he should let his guard down and not worry. Therefore, she makes it easy for him to fall in love with her.
‘Easy’ contains an evergreen narrative, soul vocals, and ear-welcoming instrumentation produced by Lido and DJ Mustard.
Ella Mai – “Naked” (Bonus Track)
‘Naked’ tells the tale of a woman who’s looking for a guy who will love her unconditionally. Someone who will look past her flaws. Someone who will say she’s beautiful even when she doesn’t look the part.
‘Naked’ contains a relatable storyline, wonderful soul vocals, and sexy instrumentation produced by DJ Mustard.
“Ella Mai”
Ella Mai
In conclusion, Ella Mai’s self-titled debut studio album is a wonderful work of art. We totally enjoyed listening to each song from beginning to end.
Also, her voice sets a gorgeous tone while projecting an appealing and relatable narrative mostly focused on the up-side of romantic relationships, which contributes to the album’s feel-good vibe.
Mai’s first full-length offering is deliciously impressive and solidifies the London songstress at the helm of the contemporary R&B market.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/ella-mai-debut-album/
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated In The Silence in Books
Jun 5, 2019
In The Silence has a blurb so enticing, I just had to read it, and author M. R. Mackenzie did not disappoint.
Anna Scovalini has finally come home; a place she avoided for several years only to find herself involved in a murder case, up close and personal. At first she doesn’t mean to get involved, but when she feels the police aren’t taking things seriously enough curiosity gets the better of her and once she has a poke around for answers she uncovers much more than she bargained for, and inadvertently puts herself into trouble, too.
Throughout this story I found myself intrigued by some of the serious issues discussed, from femicide, rape to gang mentality, and this was all played out by some great characterisation and an exciting plot, where the more I read the quicker the pace sped up until it reached the final reveal of who the killer actually was!
I found the unravelling of the secret surrounding the reason why people were getting killed really enjoyable. Mix this with those paragraphs where there’s a hooded figure tracking people down that literally sent shivers down my spine and made my blood run cold. Is that corny? Maybe. But true!
A word on the dialect. For an East Anglian, born and bred, I thought the Scottish dialect was actually quite fun to read. When I tried the words out loud I actually could do a very good impression of a Glaswegian! On one hand I always find this a little distracting as it does take you out of the story as you’re experimenting with how the words sound on your tongue, but on the other hand it was not full-on throughout the book, and I quickly got used to it.
Returning to characterisation, I loved how Anna (now a criminology lecturer living in Rome) and her best friend Zoe, (who like me has never left her home county) seem to have lives which are worlds apart, and when they get back together they’re instantly best pals again. But under the stress of the investigation even Anna has to think twice about Zoe.
What happened back in the past, that caused so many people in one town to have so many secrets? For me, uncovering the truth made this story for me. For a debut book, I’m exited to see what this author writes next!
An intriguing, fast read that had me guessing who the killer was throughout, with a satisfying, final conclusion.
Anna Scovalini has finally come home; a place she avoided for several years only to find herself involved in a murder case, up close and personal. At first she doesn’t mean to get involved, but when she feels the police aren’t taking things seriously enough curiosity gets the better of her and once she has a poke around for answers she uncovers much more than she bargained for, and inadvertently puts herself into trouble, too.
Throughout this story I found myself intrigued by some of the serious issues discussed, from femicide, rape to gang mentality, and this was all played out by some great characterisation and an exciting plot, where the more I read the quicker the pace sped up until it reached the final reveal of who the killer actually was!
I found the unravelling of the secret surrounding the reason why people were getting killed really enjoyable. Mix this with those paragraphs where there’s a hooded figure tracking people down that literally sent shivers down my spine and made my blood run cold. Is that corny? Maybe. But true!
A word on the dialect. For an East Anglian, born and bred, I thought the Scottish dialect was actually quite fun to read. When I tried the words out loud I actually could do a very good impression of a Glaswegian! On one hand I always find this a little distracting as it does take you out of the story as you’re experimenting with how the words sound on your tongue, but on the other hand it was not full-on throughout the book, and I quickly got used to it.
Returning to characterisation, I loved how Anna (now a criminology lecturer living in Rome) and her best friend Zoe, (who like me has never left her home county) seem to have lives which are worlds apart, and when they get back together they’re instantly best pals again. But under the stress of the investigation even Anna has to think twice about Zoe.
What happened back in the past, that caused so many people in one town to have so many secrets? For me, uncovering the truth made this story for me. For a debut book, I’m exited to see what this author writes next!
An intriguing, fast read that had me guessing who the killer was throughout, with a satisfying, final conclusion.