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ClareR (6157 KP) rated The Figurine in Books

Nov 20, 2023  
The Figurine
The Figurine
Victoria Hislop | 2023 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I do love Victoria Hislop books, and in The Figurine I was transported back to Greece in the 1960’s with dictators ruling and a young girl, Helena, visiting her affluent grandparents on her own. Her grandfather is authoritarian, aloof, and never really connects with his granddaughter, but her grandmother clearly adores her. Through these summer visits, Helena grows to love Greece, even if she never manages to form a relationship with her grandfather.

As she gets older, Helena goes to university, meets a man who convinces her to go on archaeological digs on Greek Islands, and she then discovers antiques in her grandparents flat after their deaths - antiques that should not be owned by a private collector at all. These antiques are not acquired under legitimate means, and just how they were acquired soon becomes very clear to Helena. With the help of some Greek friends she is able to start the process of returning the valuable antiques to their rightful owners - the Greek people.

There is still the matter of a dodgy, antique smuggling boyfriend to deal with, and to do so involves the help of friends in London. So this story goes between London and Greece - and believe me when I say that Greece is painted in a much more favourable light than London. Everything seems grey and cold in London, and Greece is all sunshine and warmth. I know where I would rather be.

I love how Hislop writes about Greece: she’s clearly a Hellenophile, and why wouldn’t she be?! It’s a beautiful country. And when the matter of an ancient figurine comes up (that of the title of the book), we see how important even the smallest piece of Greece’s history is to the country as a whole.

Another gorgeous book from Victoria Hislop - a good one to read during the dull winter months that we have coming our way!

Read on The Pigeonhole.
  
Alpha (Blood Moon, Texas Shifters #4)
Alpha (Blood Moon, Texas Shifters #4)
Kat Kinney | 2022 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
ALPHA is the fourth book in the Blood Moon, Texas Shifters series and London and Brody get their time to shine. I definitely recommend you read this in order as the overall story arc goes from book one and I feel you would miss out on some of the finer details if you don't.

Brody and London are both Alphas of their packs, and an archaic law says two alphas can't be mated. So both of them act as though it's just a bit of fun when everyone else knows it's not. As their relationship as friends and lovers is already long established, you don't get a lot in the way of their relationship changing or growing.

The overall arc moves along at a fair rate of knots in this edition, almost overshadowing the story between Brody and London in places. All of it was important and relevant, mind you. I just felt as though Brody and London's personal connection got lost in the mix even though they were the key players in the story.

A great addition to the series and I definitely recommend it, on the proviso that you read the others first!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Mortal Engines (2018) in Movies

Feb 24, 2020 (Updated Feb 24, 2020)  
Mortal Engines (2018)
Mortal Engines (2018)
2018 | Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Little Engine Go
So i found this movie really intresting. I like the sci-fi future post apocalyptic setting, it was really intresting. Im not sure why alot of people didnt like this movie, cause it was really good.

The plot: Hundreds of years after a cataclysmic event destroyed civilization, mysterious young Hester Shaw emerges as the only one who can stop the city of London -- now a giant predator on wheels -- from devouring everything in its path. Feral and fiercely driven by the memory of her mother, Hester joins forces with Tom Natsworthy, an outcast from London, and Anna Fang, a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head.

Peter Jackson produced it and he also wrote the screenplay. It feels like a peter jackson film. I feel like he should of directed it.

Anyways its a really great post apocalyptic movie that has sci-fi, action, adventure and is in the future.
  
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Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) Feb 27, 2020

Definitely an underappreciated gem.