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Roxanne (13 KP) rated Night Shadows: Queer Horror in Books
Nov 14, 2018
I found this book whilst browsing the shelves at my local library, the front cover intrigued me and the genre even more so. I love horror novels and when I noticed that this had a LGBT theme I thought 'how brilliant!', I didn't hesitate to pick this up. Once I got the book home I decided to look up some reviews and noticed that the majority were 4 and 5 stars...I was excited as I thought I had found a gem. Well...I'm the minority.
Me whilst reading <i>Night Shadows</i>...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/qh14c.gif"; width="320" height="160"/>
I was so disappointed and really thought I must have missed something due to all of the glowing reviews but I only liked 4 out of the 14 stories. My favourite was definitely <i>'Ordinary Mayhem'</i> which was the longest story in the book. I thought it was gripping, gruesome and positively twisted. Unfortunately I couldn't give this book any more than 2 stars because as a collection this was pretty poor. I don't recommend purchasing this book. As far as I know <i>'Ordinary Mayhem'</i> is being released as a full length novel so I highly recommend just waiting for that (I wish I did).
I found the majority of the stories either confusing, repetitive, dry or just plain pointless to be honest...the ones that were a couple of pages in length just had me sighing in frustration.
This, for me, would not be a re-read.
Me whilst reading <i>Night Shadows</i>...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/qh14c.gif"; width="320" height="160"/>
I was so disappointed and really thought I must have missed something due to all of the glowing reviews but I only liked 4 out of the 14 stories. My favourite was definitely <i>'Ordinary Mayhem'</i> which was the longest story in the book. I thought it was gripping, gruesome and positively twisted. Unfortunately I couldn't give this book any more than 2 stars because as a collection this was pretty poor. I don't recommend purchasing this book. As far as I know <i>'Ordinary Mayhem'</i> is being released as a full length novel so I highly recommend just waiting for that (I wish I did).
I found the majority of the stories either confusing, repetitive, dry or just plain pointless to be honest...the ones that were a couple of pages in length just had me sighing in frustration.
This, for me, would not be a re-read.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Perfection (2019) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
Dumpster fire!
Can someone please, please tell me when Netflix is going to make a good movie? Every once in a while I read a lot of gushing reviews for a Netflix made film (which means the studios didn't want it) and I give it a try.
For the record, most of them are average or below average, like Bird Box, and everyone is talking about them I suppose because it is something new. I have seen a lot of movies in my life, so I guess I am somewhat jaded or expect more or the unusual to make me interested. I am not one of those people who says "they don't make them like they used to" since I do seem to find very good recent movies as well, but not this piece of shite that's for sure.
There were shades of Black Swan, Suspiria, Hostel and even I Spit on Your Grave in this film; however, the plot twists are so ridiculous here there were moments I gasped in aughter when I'm sure I was supposed to be disgusted.
Nothing extreme I can see in a movie bothers me anymore, so the gruesome bits weren't the problem. The horrid, contrite screenplay and bad over acting were.
If anyone seriously is considering watching this film please let me know and I will seriously give you 1000 other movies which you should watch instead.
I think I would say watching your TV turned off for 90 minutes would be more entertaining than watching The Perfection.
For the record, most of them are average or below average, like Bird Box, and everyone is talking about them I suppose because it is something new. I have seen a lot of movies in my life, so I guess I am somewhat jaded or expect more or the unusual to make me interested. I am not one of those people who says "they don't make them like they used to" since I do seem to find very good recent movies as well, but not this piece of shite that's for sure.
There were shades of Black Swan, Suspiria, Hostel and even I Spit on Your Grave in this film; however, the plot twists are so ridiculous here there were moments I gasped in aughter when I'm sure I was supposed to be disgusted.
Nothing extreme I can see in a movie bothers me anymore, so the gruesome bits weren't the problem. The horrid, contrite screenplay and bad over acting were.
If anyone seriously is considering watching this film please let me know and I will seriously give you 1000 other movies which you should watch instead.
I think I would say watching your TV turned off for 90 minutes would be more entertaining than watching The Perfection.
The Burgoyne Diaries: The First Winter at Ypres with the Royal Irish Rifles
Book
These are the diaries of Gerald Achilles Burgoyne, wrote from the trenches just south of Ypres while...
Reign of the Fallen
6.5
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Book
"This edgy fantasy doesn't just blur boundaries of genre, of gender, of past and present, life and...
young adult
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 2
8.0
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TV Season
The murder of a Police Chief leads Willows and Brown to Miami ("Cross Jurisdictions"), in the second...
Alice (117 KP) rated The Song of Achilles in Books
Mar 3, 2021
<blockquote>"I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world."</blockquote>
The vivid imagery encapsulates you inside it's pages and it is a true testament to the ten years that Madeline Miller spent writing this modern day retelling of one of the most famous stories ever told.
I had seen people praising this book for a long time and only now got round to finally seeing what all of the fuss was about and let me just say that it is well worth it. I can't remember the last time that a book made me feel like this, so beautiful in plot and in prose that it leaves you hanging on every last word. The intricacy and delicacy of the language makes even the most gruesome and explicit of scenes dance on the page and imprint themselves into your mind and will likely remain with you long after you've read the final page (which in my mind is one of the most beautiful parts of the whole book).
My emotions were stolen from me at every stage there's not one part which didn't have some sort of pull on my heartstrings although each very different.
In summary, I could be stabbed 700 times in the stomach and it still wouldn't be as painful as the song of achilles. Well done Madeline Miller, well done.
The vivid imagery encapsulates you inside it's pages and it is a true testament to the ten years that Madeline Miller spent writing this modern day retelling of one of the most famous stories ever told.
I had seen people praising this book for a long time and only now got round to finally seeing what all of the fuss was about and let me just say that it is well worth it. I can't remember the last time that a book made me feel like this, so beautiful in plot and in prose that it leaves you hanging on every last word. The intricacy and delicacy of the language makes even the most gruesome and explicit of scenes dance on the page and imprint themselves into your mind and will likely remain with you long after you've read the final page (which in my mind is one of the most beautiful parts of the whole book).
My emotions were stolen from me at every stage there's not one part which didn't have some sort of pull on my heartstrings although each very different.
In summary, I could be stabbed 700 times in the stomach and it still wouldn't be as painful as the song of achilles. Well done Madeline Miller, well done.
Gripping and creepy
I will start off by saying I might be biased when it comes to dramas like this. I love true crime, especially ones based here in the UK. It may be because of where I work or my educational background, or just because true crime is a fascinating subject. Whatever the reason, I've heard about Dennis Nilsen before and this short series is a truly excellent depiction of him and his crimes.
Right from the start this is a gripping and chilling watch. It has a slow pace but fortunately not enough that it ever drags too much. The soundtrack in this is often haunting and really enhances the tension and suspense, as well as giving you the creeps. And speaking of giving you the creeps, whilst the rest of the cast are very good, the standout is by far David Tennant as the ridiculously creepy Nilsen. He really gives you the chills and watching this you're almost in disbelief that Nilsen was this nonchalant and manipulative. But if you'd watched the "Real Des" documentary shown after this series finished, you'd see that this was actually have Nilsen was. And not only that, but Tennant embodies him perfectly - in looks, accent and general manner and behaviours. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing him so well.
This might not be a pleasant watch for many as whilst it's still a dramatisation, it does go into some gruesome and rather horrific detail on Nilsen's crimes. But it's worth watching for Tennant's stellar performance if nothing else.
Right from the start this is a gripping and chilling watch. It has a slow pace but fortunately not enough that it ever drags too much. The soundtrack in this is often haunting and really enhances the tension and suspense, as well as giving you the creeps. And speaking of giving you the creeps, whilst the rest of the cast are very good, the standout is by far David Tennant as the ridiculously creepy Nilsen. He really gives you the chills and watching this you're almost in disbelief that Nilsen was this nonchalant and manipulative. But if you'd watched the "Real Des" documentary shown after this series finished, you'd see that this was actually have Nilsen was. And not only that, but Tennant embodies him perfectly - in looks, accent and general manner and behaviours. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing him so well.
This might not be a pleasant watch for many as whilst it's still a dramatisation, it does go into some gruesome and rather horrific detail on Nilsen's crimes. But it's worth watching for Tennant's stellar performance if nothing else.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 16, 2020
Alchemy of Bones: Chicago's Luetgert Murder Case
5.0
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Book
On May 1, 1897, Louise Luetgert disappeared. Although no body was found, Chicago police arrested her...