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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Marriage Act in Books

Jan 22, 2023  
The Marriage Act
The Marriage Act
John Marrs | 2023 | Dystopia, Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Set in a time not too far away, this is a dark and rather creepy tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Would you 'upgrade' your marriage if it meant getting preferential treatment ... the best jobs, the best houses, better health care, education, etc., etc., etc.? But then what if that meant artificial intelligence was listening in to snap shots of your conversations and then analysing them to make sure you are keeping to the terms of your marriage? And if not, a scale of interventions would be put into action. Would you still do it? Well, The Marriage Act will probably make you think again!

Mr Marrs certainly gets you thinking and poses really interesting questions and dilemmas in this well plotted, perfectly paced book told from the viewpoints of his well created characters and with some great twists and turns.

Thoroughly enjoyable and quite an unsettling book that actually doesn't feel that far from becoming a reality! How many have an Alexa, Siri or similar digital voice assistant in the home or on your wrist that just sits there? I'm not a conspiracy theorist, however I imagine it wouldn't take much for a law to be passed in the name of improving the economy or society in some way, then a switch is flicked and the process would start ... definitely not beyond the realms of reality and very scary!

This is the second of Mr Marrs' books I have enjoyed and I will definitely read more in the future and thanks must go to Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Marriage Act.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2277 KP) rated City of Betrayal in Books

Dec 6, 2023  
City of Betrayal
City of Betrayal
Victoria Thompson | 2023 | Mystery
3
3.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Observing the War of the Roses
It's August of 1920, and the fight to ratify the nineteenth amendment giving women the right to vote has come down to Tennessee. Everyone thinks that, among the states that haven’t voted on it yet, the best chance to pass it will be here. Elizabeth Bates and her mother-in-law have been asked to go to Tennessee and help with the lobbying of state representatives to get it passed. Gideon joins them as well. When the three arrive, they quickly see the see of various color roses, those for and against ratification. But can they do anything to make a difference in the vote?

Normally, I love this author’s books, so I picked this book up without paying too much attention to what it was about. However, this one didn’t live up to her usual standards. I have a feeling she was so fascinated by the real life stuff she uncovered while doing research she tried to fit it all into a novel. The problem is the result reads more like a history book than a novel, and Elizabeth and the others get involved in mini episodes without having an overall plot to drive us other than will the amendment get passed or not. Several supporting characters show up for cameos, and even the three main characters feel flat. If you are a fan of the author, know what to expect going in. If you are new to her, don’t judge her by this book, but pick up some of her other books and you’ll get caught up in them.
  
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Sherlock Holmes (2009) in Movies

Jun 22, 2019  
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
2009 | Action, Drama, Mystery
8
7.4 (27 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) has developed a reputation for having one of the most brilliant crime solving minds of his time. Along with his partner, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), there is rarely ever a time when a case goes unsolved or a suspect is able to get the best of the two of them. However, that very well may be the case this time around. Holmes and Watson were able to apprehend Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), who is believed to be a master of black magic. Blackwood is hanged and that is thought to be the end of it until he returns from the grave. Somehow Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), an adversary of Holmes who he not only has feelings for but has gotten the best of him on more than one occasion, is wrapped up in all of this. Not to mention that the Blackwood case was supposed to be Watson's last as he settles down to get married. So Holmes takes the case to try and solve Blackwood's resurrection, figure out how Irene is involved, and convince Watson to stay on as his partner. What he doesn't count on is walking away from this case with an adversary that's just as cunning and brilliant as he is.

As a fan of the majority of Guy Ritchie's previous works (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla) and the incredible streak Robert Downey Jr has of impressive performances that have turned him into one of the most entertaining and profitable leading actors of today, you could say the anticipation and expectations for this film were fairly high. Other reviews for the film seemed to be mixed as a lot of them mentioned the writing for the film being lackluster and most complained that Sherlock Holmes wasn't an action star, but the film still brought in around $65 million its opening weekend. So is Ritchie's version of Sherlock Holmes worth seeing? If you're looking for one final film to make you laugh, have hard-hitting action, have a great cast, and have a fairly well-written story, then look no further than Sherlock Holmes.

The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law is the main reason to see this film. Robert Downey Jr puts in another top notch performance as Sherlock Holmes. Despite Holmes being a rather selfish individual, you can't help but find his antics entertaining. It became easier to sympathize with him as the film went on since how much Watson means to him as a friend and as his partner is revealed in the latter half of the film. As impressive as Robert Downey Jr was, Jude Law as just as entertaining. The way Holmes and Watson argue with each other and the way Watson thinks Holmes guilts him into coming along on each case is pure delight to the audience. That's partially due to the impeccable comedic timing the two have, but also due to the fact that they're both extremely talented actors at the top of their game in this film.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the way the film seemed to allow its viewers inside the mind of Sherlock Holmes at times. There's two occasions where Holmes is dissecting the moves he's about to make in a fight before he makes them as he announces each blow and the damage each blow does to his opponent. As he's narrating, the film plays in slow motion. When he's done, we jump back to the moment before he started narrating and see the entire situation play out in real time. There were other times, like the time in the restaurant when he's waiting to meet Watson's fiancé, Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), and when he's sitting in Blackwood's jail cell where it seemed like Holmes heard absolutely everything that was going on. It was as if he was aware of everything that was going on around him. Those parts of the film established just how adept Holmes really was.

The one flaw the film may have may be tucked away in the storyline somewhere. It felt convoluted at times. It may just need a repeat viewing or two to process everything rationally. So while just about everything is explained in full by Sherlock Holmes and everything is wrapped up by the time the credits roll (other than the open-ended finale that leaves it wide open for a sequel), it did seem like the writers were trying too hard or that they were reaching out too far for explanations or something.

Sherlock Holmes is Guy Ritchie's biggest box office success to date and it's safe to say that Robert Downey Jr has jumpstarted another successful and entertaining franchise. If you're familiar with Ritchie's previous works, then this film almost feels like the Sherlock Holmes character being thrown into the same world Ritchie established in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch if they took place in the late nineteenth century. The film centers on Holmes' anti-social behavior, is inspired heavily by the martial art Bartitsu mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes story from 1901 entitled The Adventure of the Empty House, and focuses on Holmes' brilliant analytical mind. Sherlock Holmes is full of high octane-fueled action, entertaining comedy, and witty dialogue.