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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Dragon Pearl in Books

Jan 23, 2020

Dragon Pearl

Yoon Ha Lee | 2019 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

I received this book for free from Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee is the latest in Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint under Disney that “highlights cultures and mythologies from around the world,” selected by author Rick Riordan. An #ownvoices novel based on Korean mythology and folklore, Lee’s novel follows a fox spirit named Min who runs off on a space adventure to find her missing brother and instead finds the highly sought-after Dragon Pearl to save the Thousand Worlds.

I found myself struggling with Dragon Pearl at times. There are moments the novel slows from the pace of the action, which could potentially drag the reader’s attention away from Min’s journey. Min’s quest to find her brother is easy, but it is expected as the novel is aimed at a middle-grade audience.

Ignore the slowness and the ease of the journey, however, and the story is a magical ride through the Thousand Worlds. I loved seeing Min encountering obstacles and working her way around them while figuring out her own magic. Most importantly, I enjoyed seeing how valuable her relationships are, both with her brother and with the developing friendships with the other cadets.

Fans of Rick Riordan’s novels who enjoy a journey through space with touches of mythology will love going on an adventure of their own with Min through Yoon Ha Lee’s Dragon Pearl.

<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/dragon-pearl-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>

Kudos

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Alpha (2018) in Movies

Apr 7, 2020

Alpha (2018)

2018 | Action, Drama, Thriller

6.6

(20 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

My Unpopular Opinion

Set in prehistoric times, a young man has to survive on his own after getting injured during a hunt. In the process of trying to stay alive, he ends up befriending a lone wolf. I was hoping to like this movie a lot more, but it seemed to drag in too many spots for me.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10

Characters: 3
Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wasn’t really cutting it for me as far as characters go. When you’re talking about one person to carry a movie, I was hoping for someone with a bit more charisma. The wolf was a cute addition, but the combo wasn’t quite enough to make me care more about the story.

Cinematography/Visuals: 8

Conflict: 4
There wasn’t a whole lot of action going on, at least not enough to keep me entertained. Yes, it’s a story around survival and that concept itself should be riveting enough, but, sadly, it wasn’t. There was too much of nothing happening for too long of stretches. I kept waiting for things to develop and, by the time I started to feel fireworks, it ended being a small fizzle.

Entertainment Value: 8

Memorability: 3

Pace: 3
Pretty slow as far as survival movies go. I kept waiting for it to pick up and, while it had a few shining moments here and there, it was pretty tame for the most part. Y’all, I tried, I really did. Just wasn’t working for me.

Plot: 6

Resolution: 8

Overall: 63
Don’t take my opinion as God when it comes to Alpha. There are plenty out there that adore this movie. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of them. It’s way too slow and uninteresting for me to recommend.