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Hazel (2934 KP) rated How I Lost You in Books

Jun 20, 2020  
How I Lost You
How I Lost You
Jenny Blackhurst | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oooooo ... this was good and I am annoyed with myself for not reading it earlier when it first came out in 2015 but better late than never I always say!

The book starts with a letter written by convicted child killer Susan Webster to the Parole Board seeking early release from her prison sentence that was handed down following her conviction for the murder of her 3 month old son, Dylan ... a murder she has absolutely no recollection of but had to admit she committed the crime because everyone was telling her she did. On release, Susan, now called Emma, is making attempts to rebuild her life however when she receives a picture of a toddler called Dylan, she starts to ask questions and so begins Susan/Emma's search for the truth of what actually happened on that fateful day.

Written mainly from the perspective of Susan/Emma with flashbacks of other characters, it's told at a good pace with good tension and twists. The characters are excellent and well developed but if I have one gripe, it's that Susan/Emma is a little naive and quick to trust despite her situation of having to live under a new identity to protect herself which I found a little odd.

Overall, I found this a gripping story that had me captivated until the end and I will most definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to Headline via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unedited review and I can only apologise that it has taken me so long to get round to reading it.
  
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Soul (2020) in Movies

Jan 1, 2021  
Soul (2020)
Soul (2020)
2020 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
9
7.7 (37 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
The second Pixar effort of 2020 is nothing short of excellent. Soul is a wonderful experience from start to finish, dealing with abstract ideas in a touching way, and boasting some of the finest animation out there.
When compared to older Pixar efforts, it's easy to see just how far this sort of thing has come. Soul manages to look photo realistic, despite the cartoony designs of the human characters. It has matured in other ways too - where these films used to be kid friendly adventures with a message lurking within, that's not quite the case anymore. The themes in Soul are very much for an older audience, and sure, there are talking cats and colourful visuals in The Great Before to keep younger viewers involved, but the narrative here focuses on how one can feel like their life is wasted sometimes, how it's easy to feel lost in such a big world, and the acceptance of death. With heavy subject matters at the forefront, the frequently heart-warming and funny screenplay results in an story that is expertly crafted to hit all the right emotional buttons, whilst still being fun, and full of awesome jazz.

Director Pete Docter is of course the man behind Up, Inside Out and Monsters Inc. so it's no surprise that his fourth Pixar feature is one that can stand tall next to those greats. A fantastic voice cast including Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Richard Ayoade, Anglea Bassett, Phylicia Rashad, and Rachel House among others, adds the remaining ingredients to ensure that Soul is another magnificent string in Pixar's bow, and is an essential watch.