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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Station Eleven in Books
May 30, 2017
Horrifyingly Plausible
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The dystopian idea of a virus wiping out most of the world’s human inhabitants is not a new concept. It has be done and retold over and over again. Emily St. John Mandel’s invention of the Georgian Flu is no different from these. Brought to Canada and the USA by a passenger on a plane from Russia, the highly contagious virus spreads quickly from person to person, town to town, and once caught you are dead within forty-eight hours.
The difference between Station Eleven and other novels of apocalyptic themes is that the story takes place primarily in two time periods – pre-Georgian Flu and twenty years post-Georgian flu – rather than during the outbreak and the immediate days after (although there are a few scenes written within that timeframe). It is difficult to explain the storyline without giving too much away. Although the death of millions of people is a vital feature, it is the lives of the characters that are important. All the significant characters are in some way linked to one man, Arthur Leander, and, particularly in the case of one individual, a graphic novel titled Station Eleven.
The book opens in Toronto with Arthur, a Hollywood actor, starring in a stage production of King Lear. Despite the quick reaction of trainee paramedic Jeevan, Arthur dies of a heart attack after suddenly collapsing during the forth act. Then suddenly, that same night, the Georgian flu makes its first appearance in Canada. Despite this occurring right at the beginning, it is not the last the reader sees of Arthur. Throughout the story the author returns to Arthur, recounting scenes of his life from acting career to his three ex-wives and only child.
Twenty years after the Georgian flu, Kirsten Raymonde, who starred as a child in the same production of King Lear, is part of the Traveling Symphony: a group of actors and musicians walking from decaying-town-to-town performing a number of Shakespeare plays as they go. With her she carries two Station Eleven comics that Arthur gave her before he died – incidentally written and drawn by his first wife. Most people that the Symphony encounter are accommodating and are trying their best to live in a world of no electricity or health care, but then they meet a man who calls himself the Prophet. Believing that he has been given a duty by God to repopulate the world he preaches to the people telling them that everything happens for a reason, likening the epidemic to Noah’s flood in the Bible. However it soon becomes clear that he is a dangerous character.
In a way it is heartening to imagine that high culture (such as Shakespeare and orchestral music) survives in a world that has been destroyed. Shakespeare was born in a time before all the modern inventions relied upon today, and now, in this novel, it is once again an electricity-less era yet these historical things live on.
One problem with Station Eleven is that it is hard to pinpoint the exact plot line. There is the life story of Arthur Leander, his wives and a close friend. Then there is Kirsten living a completely different life. Nonetheless it is still an incredibly fascinating book. Although it flits between time periods it is thankfully not as confusing as some may imagine it would be.
Even though dystopian novels of this nature have been done before, Station Eleven is definitely a book to read; and through it all it poses the question of how you, the reader, would survive in such a world.
The dystopian idea of a virus wiping out most of the world’s human inhabitants is not a new concept. It has be done and retold over and over again. Emily St. John Mandel’s invention of the Georgian Flu is no different from these. Brought to Canada and the USA by a passenger on a plane from Russia, the highly contagious virus spreads quickly from person to person, town to town, and once caught you are dead within forty-eight hours.
The difference between Station Eleven and other novels of apocalyptic themes is that the story takes place primarily in two time periods – pre-Georgian Flu and twenty years post-Georgian flu – rather than during the outbreak and the immediate days after (although there are a few scenes written within that timeframe). It is difficult to explain the storyline without giving too much away. Although the death of millions of people is a vital feature, it is the lives of the characters that are important. All the significant characters are in some way linked to one man, Arthur Leander, and, particularly in the case of one individual, a graphic novel titled Station Eleven.
The book opens in Toronto with Arthur, a Hollywood actor, starring in a stage production of King Lear. Despite the quick reaction of trainee paramedic Jeevan, Arthur dies of a heart attack after suddenly collapsing during the forth act. Then suddenly, that same night, the Georgian flu makes its first appearance in Canada. Despite this occurring right at the beginning, it is not the last the reader sees of Arthur. Throughout the story the author returns to Arthur, recounting scenes of his life from acting career to his three ex-wives and only child.
Twenty years after the Georgian flu, Kirsten Raymonde, who starred as a child in the same production of King Lear, is part of the Traveling Symphony: a group of actors and musicians walking from decaying-town-to-town performing a number of Shakespeare plays as they go. With her she carries two Station Eleven comics that Arthur gave her before he died – incidentally written and drawn by his first wife. Most people that the Symphony encounter are accommodating and are trying their best to live in a world of no electricity or health care, but then they meet a man who calls himself the Prophet. Believing that he has been given a duty by God to repopulate the world he preaches to the people telling them that everything happens for a reason, likening the epidemic to Noah’s flood in the Bible. However it soon becomes clear that he is a dangerous character.
In a way it is heartening to imagine that high culture (such as Shakespeare and orchestral music) survives in a world that has been destroyed. Shakespeare was born in a time before all the modern inventions relied upon today, and now, in this novel, it is once again an electricity-less era yet these historical things live on.
One problem with Station Eleven is that it is hard to pinpoint the exact plot line. There is the life story of Arthur Leander, his wives and a close friend. Then there is Kirsten living a completely different life. Nonetheless it is still an incredibly fascinating book. Although it flits between time periods it is thankfully not as confusing as some may imagine it would be.
Even though dystopian novels of this nature have been done before, Station Eleven is definitely a book to read; and through it all it poses the question of how you, the reader, would survive in such a world.
Although Fire is listed as the second book in the Graceling Realm series, it is really a prequel and generally unrelated to the first book. The events of Fire take place some 30+ years before the events of Graceling and in a different land. Although the two are somehow magically connected by a series of mountain tunnels, they don't know about one another. I didn't realize this when I started reading the book and was quite confused for a while.
The book starts with an extensive prol0gue which introduces us to a character that only re-emerges in the story for a short time near the conclusion. While I understand his inclusion, as it is the only thing that ties Graceling and Fire together I don't see its purpose in the story. It was not particularly interesting to read and didn't give me a better sense of who the character was. Personally, I would have rather the prologue not have been included in the story as it certainly made my interest in the book wane.
The prologue set a slow and unengaging pace for the start of the book that did not remedy itself for some time. Although the start of the book was enjoyable enough, it didn't really really intriguing until the second half. That is when I really fell in love with the characters and the plot. In Fire, we are introduced to Monsters rather than Gracelings. Human Monsters have special abilities, although there aren't many of them in the Dells. Instead, most of the Monsters are animals with abilities beyond their average non-Monster kin. I don't feel like the Monster idea is well explained in the books and I wish the author had developed that aspect of the world building more.
When we first meet Fire, she is not a very likeable character (at least in my opinion). Her Monster abilities make her so beautiful that people can't control themselves around her and usually either want to possess her or kill her so no one else can have her. Harsh. She also has the ability to get inside people's heads and manipulate their thoughts. Scary. Those combined made it difficult to relate to her character, although over the course of the novel her personality was developed more and she became a little more human.
There were many other characters in the book, but Prince Brigand or Hannah were definitely my favourites. They made the story more enjoyable and I loved the scenes that they were in. Hannah was fiesty and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in, even though she wasn't quite six yet. Prince Brigand loved his brother's Kingdom and did what he must to protect it, even if it would put his life at risk.
The world building was good overall, the characters developed slightly over the course of the story and the pacing was generally decent although there were a few inclusions to the story that significantly slowed the pacing down. My biggest concern/problem with the book was the character I mentioned from the prologue's inclusion into the story later on. He didn't fit in with the story initially and his re-introduction just completely threw off the plot. Our characters went off on this side storyline that didn't add anything to the plot and reinforces for me that his inclusion wasn't necessary. I understand that he was the only aspect that binds the two books together, but his inclusion detracts from the otherwise enjoyable story.
In the end, his inclusion and the small details thrown in throughout the story took away from the world of the Dells that was very enjoyable. The book would have certainly been rated more favourably by me if those aspects were removed. Overall though, I really enjoyed reading the book and can't wait to finish the series (although it is also another jump in time and space, so be prepared for some confusion initially.)
The book starts with an extensive prol0gue which introduces us to a character that only re-emerges in the story for a short time near the conclusion. While I understand his inclusion, as it is the only thing that ties Graceling and Fire together I don't see its purpose in the story. It was not particularly interesting to read and didn't give me a better sense of who the character was. Personally, I would have rather the prologue not have been included in the story as it certainly made my interest in the book wane.
The prologue set a slow and unengaging pace for the start of the book that did not remedy itself for some time. Although the start of the book was enjoyable enough, it didn't really really intriguing until the second half. That is when I really fell in love with the characters and the plot. In Fire, we are introduced to Monsters rather than Gracelings. Human Monsters have special abilities, although there aren't many of them in the Dells. Instead, most of the Monsters are animals with abilities beyond their average non-Monster kin. I don't feel like the Monster idea is well explained in the books and I wish the author had developed that aspect of the world building more.
When we first meet Fire, she is not a very likeable character (at least in my opinion). Her Monster abilities make her so beautiful that people can't control themselves around her and usually either want to possess her or kill her so no one else can have her. Harsh. She also has the ability to get inside people's heads and manipulate their thoughts. Scary. Those combined made it difficult to relate to her character, although over the course of the novel her personality was developed more and she became a little more human.
There were many other characters in the book, but Prince Brigand or Hannah were definitely my favourites. They made the story more enjoyable and I loved the scenes that they were in. Hannah was fiesty and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in, even though she wasn't quite six yet. Prince Brigand loved his brother's Kingdom and did what he must to protect it, even if it would put his life at risk.
The world building was good overall, the characters developed slightly over the course of the story and the pacing was generally decent although there were a few inclusions to the story that significantly slowed the pacing down. My biggest concern/problem with the book was the character I mentioned from the prologue's inclusion into the story later on. He didn't fit in with the story initially and his re-introduction just completely threw off the plot. Our characters went off on this side storyline that didn't add anything to the plot and reinforces for me that his inclusion wasn't necessary. I understand that he was the only aspect that binds the two books together, but his inclusion detracts from the otherwise enjoyable story.
In the end, his inclusion and the small details thrown in throughout the story took away from the world of the Dells that was very enjoyable. The book would have certainly been rated more favourably by me if those aspects were removed. Overall though, I really enjoyed reading the book and can't wait to finish the series (although it is also another jump in time and space, so be prepared for some confusion initially.)
Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Bats In The Belfry in Books
Feb 26, 2018 (Updated Feb 27, 2018)
A Cosy Crime sleeper worthy of resurrection
I’m a huge fan of Cosy Crime, I cut my grown-up reading teeth on Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, so it should be no surprise that I’m a big fan of the British Library’s inspired decision to republish lost Golden Age novels.
Fifty-one re-issues in and I’m still stunned at the number of authors who had stellar careers as crime writers, were fully inducted members of the Detection Club, and had publication lists to rival Christie’s but who, within a few years of their deaths, had just vanished from the pantheon classic crime novelists.
Such a writer was E.C.R.Lorac, author of Bats In The Belfry. In his introduction Martin Edwards describes the pseudonymous Lorac (real name Edith Caroline Rivett) as enjoying a “low-key career spanning more than a quarter of a century.” It also produced a catalogue of over seventy novels, yet, cosy crime fan that I am I had never heard of her until her book turned up on my work intranet.
Bats, British Library’s inaugural Crime Classic for 2018, is also the first of Lorac’s novels to be given the British Library treatment. It couldn’t have happened to a better book! One of the dangers of republishing books that have disappeared in the mists of time, at least if you are republishing them for the mass market, is that some of them will prove to have been ‘lost’ with good cause. Not that the writing need be poor or the plotting weak, but there are social aspects that can be critical to the development or fundamental premise of the story that change over the course of half a century. When that happens there is a danger that the reader will at best be disgruntled with a puzzle they were unlikely to be able to solve because they didn’t understand the clues they were being given, or, at worst, that the whole premise will seem beyond ludicrous to modern readers. Of the twenty or so BLCC’s I have read only one has fallen into the latter category, and whilst there have been one or two which were a bit plodding thanks to such issues they have largely been a pleasure to read, and I have been able to joyfully pit my wits against the authors’ intrinsic challenge to solve the mystery before the denouement.
Bats in the Belfry most definitely falls into this class of Crime Classic, so much so that it’s a surprise to find from Edwards that it was a bit of a non-starter when it was first published in 1937.
A failing writer, his actress wife, his ward and a selection of friends are collected one evening following the funeral of the writer’s cousin. Shortly thereafter the writer himself has vanished, his suitcase and passport left in a darkly sinister studio known variously as The Belfry, and The Morgue. The story is as dark and twisty as any you could hope for from a member of the Detection Club, and it plays nicely on themes of the time. Broken marriages, financially emasculated men, and the requisite ‘strange foreign man’ all appear, and even aarchaeology gets a look in. As the main characters sit and incautiously discuss ways to bump off someone and hide the body there is brief verbal tussle over the usefulness – and even existence of – dene holes, ancient subterranean storage areas that provided writers of the time with endless possibilities, most notably in Sayers’ The Nine Tailors. Lorac’s plotting is flawless and deceptively simplistic, and she leads you back and forth from suspect to suspect. She is brutally unsympathetic to her characters, and her writing bundles you along until you finally reach the conclusion, to discover how good you are at detecting. Or not.
Fifty-one re-issues in and I’m still stunned at the number of authors who had stellar careers as crime writers, were fully inducted members of the Detection Club, and had publication lists to rival Christie’s but who, within a few years of their deaths, had just vanished from the pantheon classic crime novelists.
Such a writer was E.C.R.Lorac, author of Bats In The Belfry. In his introduction Martin Edwards describes the pseudonymous Lorac (real name Edith Caroline Rivett) as enjoying a “low-key career spanning more than a quarter of a century.” It also produced a catalogue of over seventy novels, yet, cosy crime fan that I am I had never heard of her until her book turned up on my work intranet.
Bats, British Library’s inaugural Crime Classic for 2018, is also the first of Lorac’s novels to be given the British Library treatment. It couldn’t have happened to a better book! One of the dangers of republishing books that have disappeared in the mists of time, at least if you are republishing them for the mass market, is that some of them will prove to have been ‘lost’ with good cause. Not that the writing need be poor or the plotting weak, but there are social aspects that can be critical to the development or fundamental premise of the story that change over the course of half a century. When that happens there is a danger that the reader will at best be disgruntled with a puzzle they were unlikely to be able to solve because they didn’t understand the clues they were being given, or, at worst, that the whole premise will seem beyond ludicrous to modern readers. Of the twenty or so BLCC’s I have read only one has fallen into the latter category, and whilst there have been one or two which were a bit plodding thanks to such issues they have largely been a pleasure to read, and I have been able to joyfully pit my wits against the authors’ intrinsic challenge to solve the mystery before the denouement.
Bats in the Belfry most definitely falls into this class of Crime Classic, so much so that it’s a surprise to find from Edwards that it was a bit of a non-starter when it was first published in 1937.
A failing writer, his actress wife, his ward and a selection of friends are collected one evening following the funeral of the writer’s cousin. Shortly thereafter the writer himself has vanished, his suitcase and passport left in a darkly sinister studio known variously as The Belfry, and The Morgue. The story is as dark and twisty as any you could hope for from a member of the Detection Club, and it plays nicely on themes of the time. Broken marriages, financially emasculated men, and the requisite ‘strange foreign man’ all appear, and even aarchaeology gets a look in. As the main characters sit and incautiously discuss ways to bump off someone and hide the body there is brief verbal tussle over the usefulness – and even existence of – dene holes, ancient subterranean storage areas that provided writers of the time with endless possibilities, most notably in Sayers’ The Nine Tailors. Lorac’s plotting is flawless and deceptively simplistic, and she leads you back and forth from suspect to suspect. She is brutally unsympathetic to her characters, and her writing bundles you along until you finally reach the conclusion, to discover how good you are at detecting. Or not.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Station Eleven in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
The dystopian idea of a virus wiping out most of the world’s human inhabitants is not a new concept. It has be done and retold over and over again. Emily St. John Mandel’s invention of the Georgian Flu is no different from these. Brought to Canada and the USA by a passenger on a plane from Russia, the highly contagious virus spreads quickly from person to person, town to town, and once caught you are dead within forty-eight hours.
The difference between <i>Station Eleven</i> and other novels of apocalyptic themes is that the story takes place primarily in two time periods – pre-Georgian Flu and twenty years post-Georgian flu – rather than during the outbreak and the immediate days after (although there are a few scenes written within that timeframe). It is difficult to explain the storyline without giving too much away. Although the death of millions of people is a vital feature, it is the lives of the characters that are important. All the significant characters are in some way linked to one man, Arthur Leander, and, particularly in the case of one individual, a graphic novel titled <i>Station Eleven</i>.
The book opens in Toronto with Arthur, a Hollywood actor, starring in a stage production of <i>King Lear</i>. Despite the quick reaction of trainee paramedic Jeevan, Arthur dies of a heart attack after suddenly collapsing during the forth act. Then suddenly, that same night, the Georgian flu makes its first appearance in Canada. Despite this occurring right at the beginning, it is not the last the reader sees of Arthur. Throughout the story the author returns to Arthur, recounting scenes of his life from acting career to his three ex-wives and only child.
Twenty years after the Georgian flu, Kirsten Raymonde, who starred as a child in the same production of <i>King Lear</i>, is part of the Traveling Symphony: a group of actors and musicians walking from decaying-town-to-town performing a number of Shakespeare plays as they go. With her she carries two <i>Station Eleven</i> comics that Arthur gave her before he died – incidentally written and drawn by his first wife. Most people that the Symphony encounter are accommodating and are trying their best to live in a world of no electricity or health care, but then they meet a man who calls himself the Prophet. Believing that he has been given a duty by God to repopulate the world he preaches to the people telling them that everything happens for a reason, likening the epidemic to Noah’s flood in the Bible. However it soon becomes clear that he is a dangerous character.
In a way it is heartening to imagine that high culture (such as Shakespeare and orchestral music) survives in a world that has been destroyed. Shakespeare was born in a time before all the modern inventions relied upon today, and now, in this novel, it is once again an electricity-less era yet these historical things live on.
One problem with <i>Station Eleven</i> is that it is hard to pinpoint the exact plot line. There is the life story of Arthur Leander, his wives and a close friend. Then there is Kirsten living a completely different life. Nonetheless it is still an incredibly fascinating book. Although it flits between time periods it is thankfully not as confusing as some may imagine it would be.
Even though dystopian novels of this nature have been done before, <i>Station Eleven</i> is definitely a book to read; and through it all it poses the question of how you, the reader, would survive in such a world.
The dystopian idea of a virus wiping out most of the world’s human inhabitants is not a new concept. It has be done and retold over and over again. Emily St. John Mandel’s invention of the Georgian Flu is no different from these. Brought to Canada and the USA by a passenger on a plane from Russia, the highly contagious virus spreads quickly from person to person, town to town, and once caught you are dead within forty-eight hours.
The difference between <i>Station Eleven</i> and other novels of apocalyptic themes is that the story takes place primarily in two time periods – pre-Georgian Flu and twenty years post-Georgian flu – rather than during the outbreak and the immediate days after (although there are a few scenes written within that timeframe). It is difficult to explain the storyline without giving too much away. Although the death of millions of people is a vital feature, it is the lives of the characters that are important. All the significant characters are in some way linked to one man, Arthur Leander, and, particularly in the case of one individual, a graphic novel titled <i>Station Eleven</i>.
The book opens in Toronto with Arthur, a Hollywood actor, starring in a stage production of <i>King Lear</i>. Despite the quick reaction of trainee paramedic Jeevan, Arthur dies of a heart attack after suddenly collapsing during the forth act. Then suddenly, that same night, the Georgian flu makes its first appearance in Canada. Despite this occurring right at the beginning, it is not the last the reader sees of Arthur. Throughout the story the author returns to Arthur, recounting scenes of his life from acting career to his three ex-wives and only child.
Twenty years after the Georgian flu, Kirsten Raymonde, who starred as a child in the same production of <i>King Lear</i>, is part of the Traveling Symphony: a group of actors and musicians walking from decaying-town-to-town performing a number of Shakespeare plays as they go. With her she carries two <i>Station Eleven</i> comics that Arthur gave her before he died – incidentally written and drawn by his first wife. Most people that the Symphony encounter are accommodating and are trying their best to live in a world of no electricity or health care, but then they meet a man who calls himself the Prophet. Believing that he has been given a duty by God to repopulate the world he preaches to the people telling them that everything happens for a reason, likening the epidemic to Noah’s flood in the Bible. However it soon becomes clear that he is a dangerous character.
In a way it is heartening to imagine that high culture (such as Shakespeare and orchestral music) survives in a world that has been destroyed. Shakespeare was born in a time before all the modern inventions relied upon today, and now, in this novel, it is once again an electricity-less era yet these historical things live on.
One problem with <i>Station Eleven</i> is that it is hard to pinpoint the exact plot line. There is the life story of Arthur Leander, his wives and a close friend. Then there is Kirsten living a completely different life. Nonetheless it is still an incredibly fascinating book. Although it flits between time periods it is thankfully not as confusing as some may imagine it would be.
Even though dystopian novels of this nature have been done before, <i>Station Eleven</i> is definitely a book to read; and through it all it poses the question of how you, the reader, would survive in such a world.
I first learned about you, Joe, when I sat one Sunday morning on Netflix and I could not keep my eyes off of the promo for this show about you fixating on a blonde woman. Naturally, I was intrigued and I had to learn about you, Joe, and how exactly you could see stalking as a way of getting close to someone and love them. I do wish you hadn't been a manager at a bookstore, Joe. I'm a booknerd, it was difficult to not like you, most of the time.
I watched your story and then I listened to your story. Joe, there are quite a few differences between the BookJoe and the NetflixJoe. Either way, Joe, I judge you harshly at each passing moment when you follow this girl, Guinevere Beck (can we just laugh at the irony that her name is Guinevere? If you haven't read King Author, you should) or stalk her using her old phone that she believed lost.
Just a little nit pick on my part, Netflix, Android and Apple DO NOT use the same cloud! They are ENTIRELY different companies with entirely different hardware. There was no way, NetflixJoe, that you could have seen the woman's emails or texts from an Android phone when she got a new phone that is an Apple. Rant over, now back to you, Joe.
BookJoe is more wordy and more story telling. Perhaps your warped mind may have believed Guinevere (Beck in both stories) might have flirted with you. This begs the question, what made her stand out from any other WOMAN who doesn't wear a bra (and don't state that you can't tell because you point that out about Beck every chance you got)? It couldn't have been the books she purchased as how you mentally made fun of the fact that she bought a certain book because the author was a relative of a celebrity.
I'll give you credit, NetflixJoe, while NetflixBeck was still a bit off with her procrastination and her obsessiveness with a crack head and drinking, she still grew some character and made for someone with potential. BookBeck, on the other hand, BookJoe, you really could have picked a much better person to stalk.
BookBeck is highly ditzy, a pushover, loves to drink (a lot!), and prefers casual encounters (which you found that out by going through her email) with other men, except you! She claims she wants to write, yet spends little if any time doing it, and while you do somewhat encourage her, it doesn't work. She just wants to say she wants to write, but not do it. And when she does write, and BookJoe you have stated this a little annoyance before, it's pure pornography.
BookJoe, I often pitied you because you are highly intelligent yet so stupid. BookBeck was all wrong for you and you spent all this time trying to make her right and doing it all the wrong way. Oh, Joe, you just couldn't take it. And you couldn't see it. So stupid, Joe.
Okay, as fun as that was, here's the remainder of the review without me talking to Joe. The show on Netflix was so hard to turn off because it was that intense. No, I DO NOT ship Beck and Joe. HE IS STILL A STALKER!! The show really showed that even the people who seem all nice and laid back CAN BE THE PERSON THAT IS DANGEROUS! The book does the same thing as well.
In the book, it's all told in Joe's point of view, and he could very well be not a very reliable narrator. All of it is told from what he sees and sometimes what he wishes he could see. At least on Netflix, though Joe narrates mostly, you're able to see the evidence instead of going off by his word. He also gives off of how delusional he really is when it comes to Beck. He makes himself BELIEVE that Beck is just suffering from daddy issues with all these men and he can help her and make her only want him.
The story itself was really well put together. The book will definitely not give you the shipping feels like Netflix seems to do for some people. Most of the time, I do just say out loud how stupid Joe really is and how he maybe he should move on. I wasn't lying when I said BookBeck was all those things. She really was. I actually did not like her character at all. To me, there wasn't much growth except for small things here and there, but for the most part, she just remained this person who had daddy issues and tried to do everything she could to NOT write. I'll give her credit for finding out about Joe and trying to figure out how to get away, but that's about it.
The show is a great watch cause the story is pretty good. If you want to see everything and not go by Joe, watch the show first. If you are curious as to how BookJoe started and became NetflixJoe, read this book first. Do you think he's a reliable narrator?
I have to point out the similarities with these characters that of King Arthur, however. I mentioned that earlier because Beck's first name is Guinevere. Think about it (if you've read King Arthur when you were in school).
Joe is Arthur - he manages a bookstore and reads. He fixates himself on a woman who apparently is so enchanting that he must have her no matter what.
Benji in retrospect is Merlin - He may be hooked on drugs and a total douche, but he WARNS Joe about Beck and that she is indeed crazy and not faithful. Joe does NOT listen.
Dr. Nicky is Lancelot - he is a therapist to both Joe and Beck (separately and without the other knowing) and he tries to guide Joe through his therapy, but in the end, he falls for Beck and they have an affair.
Beck IS GUINEVERE - Not at all the person she appears to be for Joe and winds up being entirely unfaithful and suffers for it.
**I haven't figured out Peach, but she's just crazy**
It is a two part series - I need a break from Joe before I think about reading the second book.
I watched your story and then I listened to your story. Joe, there are quite a few differences between the BookJoe and the NetflixJoe. Either way, Joe, I judge you harshly at each passing moment when you follow this girl, Guinevere Beck (can we just laugh at the irony that her name is Guinevere? If you haven't read King Author, you should) or stalk her using her old phone that she believed lost.
Just a little nit pick on my part, Netflix, Android and Apple DO NOT use the same cloud! They are ENTIRELY different companies with entirely different hardware. There was no way, NetflixJoe, that you could have seen the woman's emails or texts from an Android phone when she got a new phone that is an Apple. Rant over, now back to you, Joe.
BookJoe is more wordy and more story telling. Perhaps your warped mind may have believed Guinevere (Beck in both stories) might have flirted with you. This begs the question, what made her stand out from any other WOMAN who doesn't wear a bra (and don't state that you can't tell because you point that out about Beck every chance you got)? It couldn't have been the books she purchased as how you mentally made fun of the fact that she bought a certain book because the author was a relative of a celebrity.
I'll give you credit, NetflixJoe, while NetflixBeck was still a bit off with her procrastination and her obsessiveness with a crack head and drinking, she still grew some character and made for someone with potential. BookBeck, on the other hand, BookJoe, you really could have picked a much better person to stalk.
BookBeck is highly ditzy, a pushover, loves to drink (a lot!), and prefers casual encounters (which you found that out by going through her email) with other men, except you! She claims she wants to write, yet spends little if any time doing it, and while you do somewhat encourage her, it doesn't work. She just wants to say she wants to write, but not do it. And when she does write, and BookJoe you have stated this a little annoyance before, it's pure pornography.
BookJoe, I often pitied you because you are highly intelligent yet so stupid. BookBeck was all wrong for you and you spent all this time trying to make her right and doing it all the wrong way. Oh, Joe, you just couldn't take it. And you couldn't see it. So stupid, Joe.
Okay, as fun as that was, here's the remainder of the review without me talking to Joe. The show on Netflix was so hard to turn off because it was that intense. No, I DO NOT ship Beck and Joe. HE IS STILL A STALKER!! The show really showed that even the people who seem all nice and laid back CAN BE THE PERSON THAT IS DANGEROUS! The book does the same thing as well.
In the book, it's all told in Joe's point of view, and he could very well be not a very reliable narrator. All of it is told from what he sees and sometimes what he wishes he could see. At least on Netflix, though Joe narrates mostly, you're able to see the evidence instead of going off by his word. He also gives off of how delusional he really is when it comes to Beck. He makes himself BELIEVE that Beck is just suffering from daddy issues with all these men and he can help her and make her only want him.
The story itself was really well put together. The book will definitely not give you the shipping feels like Netflix seems to do for some people. Most of the time, I do just say out loud how stupid Joe really is and how he maybe he should move on. I wasn't lying when I said BookBeck was all those things. She really was. I actually did not like her character at all. To me, there wasn't much growth except for small things here and there, but for the most part, she just remained this person who had daddy issues and tried to do everything she could to NOT write. I'll give her credit for finding out about Joe and trying to figure out how to get away, but that's about it.
The show is a great watch cause the story is pretty good. If you want to see everything and not go by Joe, watch the show first. If you are curious as to how BookJoe started and became NetflixJoe, read this book first. Do you think he's a reliable narrator?
I have to point out the similarities with these characters that of King Arthur, however. I mentioned that earlier because Beck's first name is Guinevere. Think about it (if you've read King Arthur when you were in school).
Joe is Arthur - he manages a bookstore and reads. He fixates himself on a woman who apparently is so enchanting that he must have her no matter what.
Benji in retrospect is Merlin - He may be hooked on drugs and a total douche, but he WARNS Joe about Beck and that she is indeed crazy and not faithful. Joe does NOT listen.
Dr. Nicky is Lancelot - he is a therapist to both Joe and Beck (separately and without the other knowing) and he tries to guide Joe through his therapy, but in the end, he falls for Beck and they have an affair.
Beck IS GUINEVERE - Not at all the person she appears to be for Joe and winds up being entirely unfaithful and suffers for it.
**I haven't figured out Peach, but she's just crazy**
It is a two part series - I need a break from Joe before I think about reading the second book.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
I’ve always been a fan of Stephen King movies, even some of those that were not particularly good or well received. For someone who is a fan you think that would inspire me to pick up at least one of his books to get a feel for what the author truly intended over the stripped down,
“Hollywood-ised” versions. I can’t put my finger on why I haven’t, it’s not because the size of many of his novels are daunting, it’s more that as a reader I’m just not a horror book fan. So when it comes to sitting in on a Stephen king movie I have to rely on the story by it’s modified merits then to compare and contrast what IT does well (or not).
Like many before me, my first movie experience of IT was the classic mini-series featuring an incredibly creepy (and non-CGI’d version) of Pennywise portrayed by the extremely talented Tim Curry.
I even went out and purchased the mini-series before I went to see the first chapter of the remake of IT, just to see how those two compared. IT: Chapter One introduced us in great depth to the teens of the original losers club. A group of misfits, who went on their own personal crusade to attack and kill the nefarious clown while saving one of their own. A strong pact was formed and an oath sworn that if IT ever returned to Derry that the group would once again join together to put a stop to IT for good.
IT: Chapter Two picks up 27 years later, the group has moved on with their lives, all except Mike (Isaiah Mustafa as an adult and Chosen Jacobs as a younger version) who has felt a sense of responsibility to watch over the town and research how to kill IT if IT were to ever return. A horrific killing of an adult at the fair and subsequent disappearances of children alert Mike that the plague that has befallen Derry for generations has returned to feed. Mike reaches out to each of the losers reminding them that something they have all feared has come to pass.
Each when notified experience a fear that is indescribable yet for some reason the groups memories of the past have become clouded.
The now adult losers (with several flashbacks featuring the original cast) come together to remind themselves of the past, and the pact they made to protect the future. Featuring a star studded cast, Mike, Bill (James McAvoy/Jaeden Martell), Beverly (Jessica Chastain/Sophia Lillis), Ben (Jay Ryan/Jeremy Ray Taylor), Richie (Bill Hader/Finn Wolfhard), Eddie (James Ransone/Jack Dylan Grazer) and Stanley (Andy Bean/Wyatt Oleff), must battle their lost memories, their fears and the very real danger if they are to save Derry and themselves.
IT: Chapter 2 continues the incredible character building that Chapter 1 began. Where each of the young actors were perfectly cast as their book counterparts, their adult versions could easily be mistaken for the grown-up versions. This is the area where IT shines the most, the story of the losers who have grown and moved away, yet still share the unescapable bond of friendship. While an older Bill struggles (much like Stephen King himself) to come up with good endings to his stories it’s what he writes at the end of IT: Chapter 2 that really sums up the movie as a whole. To summarize, there are no good friends or bad friends, there are only friends, and chapter 2 is an example of how you take a band of misfits and turn them into heroes.
Sadly, for all the things IT does from a character side, it tends to drag on and over CGI its monster side. Pennywise the clown (portrayed brilliantly by Bill Skarsgård) brings with him all the creepiness and fear that the movie needs, even posters of his maniacal self is promoting lawsuits in other countries due to his ability to scare small children. So, it seems a bit disheartening that the studio felt it was necessary to go overboard with their CGI budgets. Many scenes go from being creepy and scary to simply being silly when our favorite clown is turned into a giant naked hag like figure. This is where I felt the mini-series did a far better job, due to its limited budget and shorter time requirements it allowed for the viewers to imagine the evil and not see it thrown out for the world to see.
IT: Chapter 2 also drags out far longer than it needed to. Make sure you get your bathroom breaks in, because the film, not counting previews, is just about 10 minutes shy of being three hours. I’m normally not one to complain about the length of a movie, as I’d rather they tell the story they want instead of trying to compress it into a shorter run time. However, in this case, it seemed entirely wasted on an overabundance of clown mutations and an extremely drawn out final battle. It’s unfortunate, because one of the most unused (and potentially interesting characters) Henry Bowers (Teach Grant/Nicholas Hamilton) is given only a few minutes of screen time and ultimately adds nothing to the movie as a whole. As I stated earlier, I haven’t read the novel, but I have to assume that he played a far bigger role in the book.
As it stands in the movie, his character is both unnecessary and completely ineffective at whatever he was attempting to do. I think some of the time taken away from the battle scenes to flesh out his (or other supporting characters) would have be time better spent.
IT: Chapter 2 is a good movie, that with some reduced special effects and better time management is just shy of being a great movie. The story of the kids, now grown up, is one of forgiveness, bravery and love. It shows how true friendship can overcome distance and time and that those things never truly vanish, even if the particulars of what separated you in the first place is a bit fuzzy. Horror movies with outrageous budgets tend to lose the spirit of what makes a true horror movie scary…it’s rarely about the effects, and more about the imagination.
That’s what makes the books typically so much better than the movies, after all, each one of us imagines our own version of what truly scares us (although clowns tend to be scary regardless of how they are portrayed). IT: Chapter 2 provides a satisfying ending to a story that began a few years ago, it suffers a bit from its budget and its use of CGI effects, but it’s still a story of what all of us losers can accomplish if we band together.
“Hollywood-ised” versions. I can’t put my finger on why I haven’t, it’s not because the size of many of his novels are daunting, it’s more that as a reader I’m just not a horror book fan. So when it comes to sitting in on a Stephen king movie I have to rely on the story by it’s modified merits then to compare and contrast what IT does well (or not).
Like many before me, my first movie experience of IT was the classic mini-series featuring an incredibly creepy (and non-CGI’d version) of Pennywise portrayed by the extremely talented Tim Curry.
I even went out and purchased the mini-series before I went to see the first chapter of the remake of IT, just to see how those two compared. IT: Chapter One introduced us in great depth to the teens of the original losers club. A group of misfits, who went on their own personal crusade to attack and kill the nefarious clown while saving one of their own. A strong pact was formed and an oath sworn that if IT ever returned to Derry that the group would once again join together to put a stop to IT for good.
IT: Chapter Two picks up 27 years later, the group has moved on with their lives, all except Mike (Isaiah Mustafa as an adult and Chosen Jacobs as a younger version) who has felt a sense of responsibility to watch over the town and research how to kill IT if IT were to ever return. A horrific killing of an adult at the fair and subsequent disappearances of children alert Mike that the plague that has befallen Derry for generations has returned to feed. Mike reaches out to each of the losers reminding them that something they have all feared has come to pass.
Each when notified experience a fear that is indescribable yet for some reason the groups memories of the past have become clouded.
The now adult losers (with several flashbacks featuring the original cast) come together to remind themselves of the past, and the pact they made to protect the future. Featuring a star studded cast, Mike, Bill (James McAvoy/Jaeden Martell), Beverly (Jessica Chastain/Sophia Lillis), Ben (Jay Ryan/Jeremy Ray Taylor), Richie (Bill Hader/Finn Wolfhard), Eddie (James Ransone/Jack Dylan Grazer) and Stanley (Andy Bean/Wyatt Oleff), must battle their lost memories, their fears and the very real danger if they are to save Derry and themselves.
IT: Chapter 2 continues the incredible character building that Chapter 1 began. Where each of the young actors were perfectly cast as their book counterparts, their adult versions could easily be mistaken for the grown-up versions. This is the area where IT shines the most, the story of the losers who have grown and moved away, yet still share the unescapable bond of friendship. While an older Bill struggles (much like Stephen King himself) to come up with good endings to his stories it’s what he writes at the end of IT: Chapter 2 that really sums up the movie as a whole. To summarize, there are no good friends or bad friends, there are only friends, and chapter 2 is an example of how you take a band of misfits and turn them into heroes.
Sadly, for all the things IT does from a character side, it tends to drag on and over CGI its monster side. Pennywise the clown (portrayed brilliantly by Bill Skarsgård) brings with him all the creepiness and fear that the movie needs, even posters of his maniacal self is promoting lawsuits in other countries due to his ability to scare small children. So, it seems a bit disheartening that the studio felt it was necessary to go overboard with their CGI budgets. Many scenes go from being creepy and scary to simply being silly when our favorite clown is turned into a giant naked hag like figure. This is where I felt the mini-series did a far better job, due to its limited budget and shorter time requirements it allowed for the viewers to imagine the evil and not see it thrown out for the world to see.
IT: Chapter 2 also drags out far longer than it needed to. Make sure you get your bathroom breaks in, because the film, not counting previews, is just about 10 minutes shy of being three hours. I’m normally not one to complain about the length of a movie, as I’d rather they tell the story they want instead of trying to compress it into a shorter run time. However, in this case, it seemed entirely wasted on an overabundance of clown mutations and an extremely drawn out final battle. It’s unfortunate, because one of the most unused (and potentially interesting characters) Henry Bowers (Teach Grant/Nicholas Hamilton) is given only a few minutes of screen time and ultimately adds nothing to the movie as a whole. As I stated earlier, I haven’t read the novel, but I have to assume that he played a far bigger role in the book.
As it stands in the movie, his character is both unnecessary and completely ineffective at whatever he was attempting to do. I think some of the time taken away from the battle scenes to flesh out his (or other supporting characters) would have be time better spent.
IT: Chapter 2 is a good movie, that with some reduced special effects and better time management is just shy of being a great movie. The story of the kids, now grown up, is one of forgiveness, bravery and love. It shows how true friendship can overcome distance and time and that those things never truly vanish, even if the particulars of what separated you in the first place is a bit fuzzy. Horror movies with outrageous budgets tend to lose the spirit of what makes a true horror movie scary…it’s rarely about the effects, and more about the imagination.
That’s what makes the books typically so much better than the movies, after all, each one of us imagines our own version of what truly scares us (although clowns tend to be scary regardless of how they are portrayed). IT: Chapter 2 provides a satisfying ending to a story that began a few years ago, it suffers a bit from its budget and its use of CGI effects, but it’s still a story of what all of us losers can accomplish if we band together.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated What If... in Books
Jan 10, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
What If… by Corrina Joy is one woman’s story as she explores her ‘what if..’. A word of warning though, this book is full of both happiness and heartbreak. Depending on the reader’s current emotional state and lifestyle this book could be very depressing or uplifting.
Joy Chambers feels like there is something missing in her life. Her husband is a hardworking man but puts money and sports above caring about her. He doesn't pay attention to her or her needs and lets her take care of the house and children alone. The crushing loneliness of her marriage mixed with her longing to feel true love and joy again propels her to take a half-hour break at the beach. This is so that she can emotionally let go before returning to her daily chores. A random wave knocks her into the water where she hits her head and comes across her “magical little relic”.
Upon twisting this relic Joy gets transported to a different dimension where her life is significantly different. There is one common theme in each dimension that she visits, Jerry. Unconditionally but was unable to be with him in her original dimension. For some reason on another each one of Joy’s visits is cut short and so is her time with Jerry. How Joy’s story ends is completely up to the reader thanks to two very clever options for endings by the author. Both of the endings are extremely different but as the book says “Her destiny is in your hands...”
What I liked best was all the different dimensions that Joy visited while trying to find what was missing from her life. I did notice one thing that may or may not have been true. It seemed to me that each ‘dimension’ was really just a different time period in the same dimension or the world. As if Joy only changed dimension once and visited important points in that dimension. What I did not like was in the first chapter Joy explains her life to the reader. She talks of just existing, not living, and an unnamed husband who does not seem to care for her or emotionally support her, and their children. After she finds her magical little relic they are not mentioned again. I can not help but wonder about Joy’s feelings about leaving them behind, especially her kids. What becomes of them?
This book is directed more towards adults. Specifically, those who find themselves wondering what their lives might be like if they had done things differently. At the same time, this book is just as enjoyable for everyone else. I rate this book 4 out of 4. This book was beautiful. Over its 188 pages, Joy finds what element in her life she needs in order to feel whole. The final twelve pages or so consist of two alternate endings (an amazing and unusual concept) so the reader can decide exactly how Joy’s life turns out.
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Joy Chambers feels like there is something missing in her life. Her husband is a hardworking man but puts money and sports above caring about her. He doesn't pay attention to her or her needs and lets her take care of the house and children alone. The crushing loneliness of her marriage mixed with her longing to feel true love and joy again propels her to take a half-hour break at the beach. This is so that she can emotionally let go before returning to her daily chores. A random wave knocks her into the water where she hits her head and comes across her “magical little relic”.
Upon twisting this relic Joy gets transported to a different dimension where her life is significantly different. There is one common theme in each dimension that she visits, Jerry. Unconditionally but was unable to be with him in her original dimension. For some reason on another each one of Joy’s visits is cut short and so is her time with Jerry. How Joy’s story ends is completely up to the reader thanks to two very clever options for endings by the author. Both of the endings are extremely different but as the book says “Her destiny is in your hands...”
What I liked best was all the different dimensions that Joy visited while trying to find what was missing from her life. I did notice one thing that may or may not have been true. It seemed to me that each ‘dimension’ was really just a different time period in the same dimension or the world. As if Joy only changed dimension once and visited important points in that dimension. What I did not like was in the first chapter Joy explains her life to the reader. She talks of just existing, not living, and an unnamed husband who does not seem to care for her or emotionally support her, and their children. After she finds her magical little relic they are not mentioned again. I can not help but wonder about Joy’s feelings about leaving them behind, especially her kids. What becomes of them?
This book is directed more towards adults. Specifically, those who find themselves wondering what their lives might be like if they had done things differently. At the same time, this book is just as enjoyable for everyone else. I rate this book 4 out of 4. This book was beautiful. Over its 188 pages, Joy finds what element in her life she needs in order to feel whole. The final twelve pages or so consist of two alternate endings (an amazing and unusual concept) so the reader can decide exactly how Joy’s life turns out.
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I was treated to this as an Unlimited Screening at Cineworld, mixing it up with a Saturday night viewing. Just a pre-warning, there is a very minor spoiler below, it's really more of a notice to watch out for something in the film, but if you want to avoid it then you can go over to Letterboxd (link can be found in the left hand menu) and read the review with that omitted.
We have been needing this film for quite some time. It is everything a classic rom-com should be and it feels like we haven't had one of this caliber in quite a while. It has all the ups and downs you want, the emotion and the humour, the serious and the down right ridiculous.
I did wonder if I would feel slightly more disconnected from the film because of the cultural differences... which at the time was mainly because I hadn't really heard much about the film... but the story is that eternal struggle of love that you can just connect with straight away.
The only reason this didn't get the fill five is because of the wacky Goh family. I'm not particularly a fan of Awkwafina or Ken Jeong's characters in it. While funny, I feel that their jokes/situations went on a bit too long taking it from funny to a little irritating.
Despite my issues with the way some of the characters went there's no denying that all of the cast did an amazing job. I particularly loved Gemma Chan as Astrid. The pinnacle of understated grace and kindness but with the side that no one sees apart from Rachel. Her performance was excellent a always and one of the most heartbreaking parts of the movie.
There are so many things to enjoy in this movie. I particularly liked the flashback at the beginning, so well done and really amusing. My second pick of highlights goes to a scene that I'm only partially sure happened. All the way through the film the audience and I seemed to be on the same wave length, laughing and reacting at the same time... but then... I laughed and no one else did. Was I the only one that saw it?! On the boat during the bachelor party when Bernard fires the rocket launcher... did no one else see that model go flying backwards?! Like seriously... why was no one else laughing??
What should you do?
You should definitely go and see this one. Great for a girls night out, and good for a date night too.
You should also probably read the book, it's the first in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy by Kevin Kwan. Kwan was on board with the film so if the author approves you know you won't be finding massive differences between the two.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Difficult to say what I'd want from this one. There were some lovely cars, but I think I'd still be happier with an Eleanor over any of these ones. It's probably got to be one of the lavish apartments with the stunning views instead.
We have been needing this film for quite some time. It is everything a classic rom-com should be and it feels like we haven't had one of this caliber in quite a while. It has all the ups and downs you want, the emotion and the humour, the serious and the down right ridiculous.
I did wonder if I would feel slightly more disconnected from the film because of the cultural differences... which at the time was mainly because I hadn't really heard much about the film... but the story is that eternal struggle of love that you can just connect with straight away.
The only reason this didn't get the fill five is because of the wacky Goh family. I'm not particularly a fan of Awkwafina or Ken Jeong's characters in it. While funny, I feel that their jokes/situations went on a bit too long taking it from funny to a little irritating.
Despite my issues with the way some of the characters went there's no denying that all of the cast did an amazing job. I particularly loved Gemma Chan as Astrid. The pinnacle of understated grace and kindness but with the side that no one sees apart from Rachel. Her performance was excellent a always and one of the most heartbreaking parts of the movie.
There are so many things to enjoy in this movie. I particularly liked the flashback at the beginning, so well done and really amusing. My second pick of highlights goes to a scene that I'm only partially sure happened. All the way through the film the audience and I seemed to be on the same wave length, laughing and reacting at the same time... but then... I laughed and no one else did. Was I the only one that saw it?! On the boat during the bachelor party when Bernard fires the rocket launcher... did no one else see that model go flying backwards?! Like seriously... why was no one else laughing??
What should you do?
You should definitely go and see this one. Great for a girls night out, and good for a date night too.
You should also probably read the book, it's the first in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy by Kevin Kwan. Kwan was on board with the film so if the author approves you know you won't be finding massive differences between the two.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Difficult to say what I'd want from this one. There were some lovely cars, but I think I'd still be happier with an Eleanor over any of these ones. It's probably got to be one of the lavish apartments with the stunning views instead.
