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Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Bletchley Circle - Season 1 in TV
Feb 8, 2019 (Updated Feb 8, 2019)
This short series, set post world war II, follows the lives of four women who previously held very important yet highly classified and secret roles during the war.
Susan, the main protagonist, has the Daily Times each day to compete the crossword (a small way to keep get highly intelligent mind engaged) and realises there might be a link and pattern emerging during a couple recent murders of women. She notifies the police but they can't see the pattern themselves so she reconnects with some of her former colleagues from Bletchley to discover what has happened and they try and predict and prevent the next murder from happening.
They end up putting themselves in very dangerous positions and Susan's husband starts to get suspicious that his wife may be dabbling in an extramarital affair due to her recent absences and secrecy.
The characters are all very likable in their own ways and each brings different strengths to the table.
It's refreshing to see a group of women building each other up rather than belittling each other with cattiness. It's also refreshing to see such strong and intelligent women portrayed in this series.
I felt myself going along with this group of ladies, as a fellow investigator, figuring out the connection between the cases and predicting whodunit.
It kept me on the edge of my seat and I really felt the fear and energy the ladies went through as the uncovered the reality.
My only gripe is that the series wasn't long enough!
Susan, the main protagonist, has the Daily Times each day to compete the crossword (a small way to keep get highly intelligent mind engaged) and realises there might be a link and pattern emerging during a couple recent murders of women. She notifies the police but they can't see the pattern themselves so she reconnects with some of her former colleagues from Bletchley to discover what has happened and they try and predict and prevent the next murder from happening.
They end up putting themselves in very dangerous positions and Susan's husband starts to get suspicious that his wife may be dabbling in an extramarital affair due to her recent absences and secrecy.
The characters are all very likable in their own ways and each brings different strengths to the table.
It's refreshing to see a group of women building each other up rather than belittling each other with cattiness. It's also refreshing to see such strong and intelligent women portrayed in this series.
I felt myself going along with this group of ladies, as a fellow investigator, figuring out the connection between the cases and predicting whodunit.
It kept me on the edge of my seat and I really felt the fear and energy the ladies went through as the uncovered the reality.
My only gripe is that the series wasn't long enough!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Salt to the Sea in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
“We survivors are not the true witnesses. The true witnesses, those in possession of the unspeakable truth, are the drowned, the dead, the disappeared.” </i>– Primo Levi
World War Two has got to be the most well known and talked about period of history. Despite it not even being a century ago, it is already taught in schools around the globe. However a lot of events are omitted from our history books. A lot of people, including those alive at the time, have no idea of some of the situations Europeans found themselves in. Ruta Sepetys, despite having only previously written two novels, has become known for her stories about the lesser-known aspects of the Second World War. Her third book, <i>Salt to the Sea</i>, is no different.
In 1945 things were not looking great for the people living in Germany. Their greatest concern was the invading Russian army, resulting in thousands of Germans evacuating their hometowns. Four characters in their late teens/early twenties narrate <i>Salt to the Sea</i>: Joana, Florian, Emilia and Alfred. Their varied nationalities – Lithuanian, Prussian, Polish and German – help provide a range of opinions about the war, but regardless of who they believe to be the enemy, whether it be German or Russian or both, they are all figuratively in the same boat.
Joana, Emilia and Florian meet each other amongst a group of refugees trekking to freedom. A lot of trust is involved especially as no one is willing to reveal his or her true story. It is clear that each character is hiding something personal, something to do with the war, yet they all rely on and help each other to continue on their journey.
Naturally, being a war story there is masses of death and destruction. Set in January, the weather conditions are just as dangerous as the Russian soldiers. It is the end of the novel that contains the most shocking of events: a sinking of a ship that kills 9000 passengers. The most severe maritime disaster ever, yet it is doubtful that readers already know about it.
Despite being a work of fiction, Sepetys sticks to the facts in her heavily researched novel. She shocks the reader with the severity of the situation, and may even bring some to tears with the outcome. She has not sugar coated anything. Some storytellers save the innocents from harm, but this was not the case in <i>Salt to the Sea</i>. In war, no one can choose who lives and who dies. Millions of innocent people perish.
The short chapters keep the story flowing quickly. It is shocking, gripping and engaging. There is a brief notion of romance but this is not focused on and thus does not detract from the factual storyline. There was a hinted connection between characters in this novel and those in <i>Between Shades of Grey </i>– one of Sepetys’ earlier novels, however this is not a sequel or part of a series.
With the help of maps showing the difference between Europe now and Europe in 1945,<i> Salt to the Sea</i> is highly educational. Although aimed at young adults it is suitable for older generations as well. Whilst containing shocking content, you are certain to fall in love with Sepetys’ writing.
“We survivors are not the true witnesses. The true witnesses, those in possession of the unspeakable truth, are the drowned, the dead, the disappeared.” </i>– Primo Levi
World War Two has got to be the most well known and talked about period of history. Despite it not even being a century ago, it is already taught in schools around the globe. However a lot of events are omitted from our history books. A lot of people, including those alive at the time, have no idea of some of the situations Europeans found themselves in. Ruta Sepetys, despite having only previously written two novels, has become known for her stories about the lesser-known aspects of the Second World War. Her third book, <i>Salt to the Sea</i>, is no different.
In 1945 things were not looking great for the people living in Germany. Their greatest concern was the invading Russian army, resulting in thousands of Germans evacuating their hometowns. Four characters in their late teens/early twenties narrate <i>Salt to the Sea</i>: Joana, Florian, Emilia and Alfred. Their varied nationalities – Lithuanian, Prussian, Polish and German – help provide a range of opinions about the war, but regardless of who they believe to be the enemy, whether it be German or Russian or both, they are all figuratively in the same boat.
Joana, Emilia and Florian meet each other amongst a group of refugees trekking to freedom. A lot of trust is involved especially as no one is willing to reveal his or her true story. It is clear that each character is hiding something personal, something to do with the war, yet they all rely on and help each other to continue on their journey.
Naturally, being a war story there is masses of death and destruction. Set in January, the weather conditions are just as dangerous as the Russian soldiers. It is the end of the novel that contains the most shocking of events: a sinking of a ship that kills 9000 passengers. The most severe maritime disaster ever, yet it is doubtful that readers already know about it.
Despite being a work of fiction, Sepetys sticks to the facts in her heavily researched novel. She shocks the reader with the severity of the situation, and may even bring some to tears with the outcome. She has not sugar coated anything. Some storytellers save the innocents from harm, but this was not the case in <i>Salt to the Sea</i>. In war, no one can choose who lives and who dies. Millions of innocent people perish.
The short chapters keep the story flowing quickly. It is shocking, gripping and engaging. There is a brief notion of romance but this is not focused on and thus does not detract from the factual storyline. There was a hinted connection between characters in this novel and those in <i>Between Shades of Grey </i>– one of Sepetys’ earlier novels, however this is not a sequel or part of a series.
With the help of maps showing the difference between Europe now and Europe in 1945,<i> Salt to the Sea</i> is highly educational. Although aimed at young adults it is suitable for older generations as well. Whilst containing shocking content, you are certain to fall in love with Sepetys’ writing.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Voice of the Elders in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Voice of the Elders by Greg Ripley is a very well written book that anyone who has a strong connection with earth and nature would be drawn to right away. This is well received as the book puts a lot of focus on the harder topics of what we face with global warming and as a race if we do not start thinking about sustainability as a complete way of life. It also brings to light the idea that even if sustainability is the best for the planet as whole companies such as big oil and nuclear power may not be all that interested because it takes profit away from them, showing just how harmful human greed can be.
The book also mentions many aspects from different religions and cultures, along with their moral views. Christian theology is even mentioned in the same paragraph as the threefold version of the Golden Rule which many would attribute to the Pagans or more specifically the religion of Wicca. However, a lot of talk in the book revolves around Chinese Daoism and somewhat in-depth at that. This lost me at a few different places but not for long as the ideas were also explained fairly well. I believe the average reader should be able to at least the get gist of what is being said during the conversations.
The basic idea of the book is that the Earth is in major trouble. As humans, our greed and lack of concern for our environment is killing our planet as it is already too late to reverse these effects unless we do something big really quick. A meeting is being held at the United Nations to address these concerns and that is where the reader first meets the main character Rohini. It is also where the Elders are first introduced into the story. Without giving too much away to the interested reader I feel like I can safely say that the Elders tell the World Leaders about what can be done to save the Earth and propose a plan where the Earth will send ambassadors to the world of the Elders.
Rohini is chosen to be one of these ambassadors and is brought before the world on TV when all of those selected to be ambassadors are introduced. This is when trouble starts, those against the Elders and the sustainability programs launch their first direct attack and kill most of the ambassadors and the President forcing Rohini, her trainer Jane, and Jane’s friend Guangming into hiding as suspects while waiting for their names to be cleared.
Overall the book is very well written and I failed to find any major editorial flaws in it. Still, I rate this book to be 2 out of 4 stars. This is because while I loved seeing Rohini grow spiritually and increase her personal connection with the Earth I found the book lacking. The last five-chapter or so felt rushed like Greg Ripley got bored or wasn’t sure how to pull everything together. I guess more of what I am trying to say is with how amazingly detailed the rest of the book was the end felt haphazardly thrown together. Now if this were the first in a series I would change my rating to a 3 providing that a few things got explained better such as who exactly the “Others” are (not going to say anything more about them without risking a spoiler) and what happens with the Earth and the Elders.
The book also mentions many aspects from different religions and cultures, along with their moral views. Christian theology is even mentioned in the same paragraph as the threefold version of the Golden Rule which many would attribute to the Pagans or more specifically the religion of Wicca. However, a lot of talk in the book revolves around Chinese Daoism and somewhat in-depth at that. This lost me at a few different places but not for long as the ideas were also explained fairly well. I believe the average reader should be able to at least the get gist of what is being said during the conversations.
The basic idea of the book is that the Earth is in major trouble. As humans, our greed and lack of concern for our environment is killing our planet as it is already too late to reverse these effects unless we do something big really quick. A meeting is being held at the United Nations to address these concerns and that is where the reader first meets the main character Rohini. It is also where the Elders are first introduced into the story. Without giving too much away to the interested reader I feel like I can safely say that the Elders tell the World Leaders about what can be done to save the Earth and propose a plan where the Earth will send ambassadors to the world of the Elders.
Rohini is chosen to be one of these ambassadors and is brought before the world on TV when all of those selected to be ambassadors are introduced. This is when trouble starts, those against the Elders and the sustainability programs launch their first direct attack and kill most of the ambassadors and the President forcing Rohini, her trainer Jane, and Jane’s friend Guangming into hiding as suspects while waiting for their names to be cleared.
Overall the book is very well written and I failed to find any major editorial flaws in it. Still, I rate this book to be 2 out of 4 stars. This is because while I loved seeing Rohini grow spiritually and increase her personal connection with the Earth I found the book lacking. The last five-chapter or so felt rushed like Greg Ripley got bored or wasn’t sure how to pull everything together. I guess more of what I am trying to say is with how amazingly detailed the rest of the book was the end felt haphazardly thrown together. Now if this were the first in a series I would change my rating to a 3 providing that a few things got explained better such as who exactly the “Others” are (not going to say anything more about them without risking a spoiler) and what happens with the Earth and the Elders.
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