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    Pearson eText Global

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Merissa (12929 KP) rated In the Eye of the Storm (Full Circle #1) in Books

Dec 8, 2021  
In the Eye of the Storm (Full Circle #1)
In the Eye of the Storm (Full Circle #1)
H.M. Wolfe | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM is the first book in the Full Circle series BUT it is a follow-on series from The Base, which I haven't read. I'm afraid this DID affect my enjoyment of the book as there were plenty of characters and situations referred to that I had absolutely no idea about.

This is a dark, fast-paced story that delves into the world of child sex trafficking, trying to rescue said children, and helping them live their best lives after dealing with the trauma involved.

The characters were mostly heart-warming. I wasn't able to feel the full effect of the big bad as I feel he probably made more of an impact in the original series. It is told from multiple perspectives so sometimes it seemed to flit across the surface, rather than give any depth to the feelings and emotions.

It has an ending that leaves it wide open for further stories. The writing itself was good, I just had trouble connecting with the story or the characters.

** 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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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Ash in Books

Feb 11, 2019  
Ash
Ash
Malinda Lo | 2011 | Children
4
6.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The main character Aisling ages from a little girl to a young woman, but mentally she does not seem to change or mature in any way. She feels completely emotionless from start to finish, as if the story were being narrated by a computer, and not a flesh-and-blood human girl. Sidhean was quite fascinating, if overly mysterious, and the step-family were all quite distinct in their different roles. The young Huntress Kaisa seemed to resemble her predecessor, but only a little, and of course Aisling was unlike anyone else, even though I felt no connection with her. Loose ends are left wide open all over the place. We are told nothing about what happens to Aisling's step-family or what Sidhean does after she leaves him. The ending is completely contradictory to the framework built up throughout the text with the use of the fairy tales. In addition to Aisling breaking her own rules, we have a gap of time at the end with almost no explanation as to why that is. The background setting is reminescent of Regency England, but the fact that lesbianism is an accepted part of this world that the author has created is completely contradictory to the propriety and decorum of the proposed setting. Every time there is the possibility of the setting getting in the way of the plot, the author claims "artistic license" to break her own rules of world-building. Even if I ignore the acceptance of homosexuality in the text, which I do not support, it still suffers from major flaws of character, background, and plot that I can not ignore. Aisling is cold and emotionless, the ending is contradictory and breaks the rules, and multiple loose ends are left hanging. I would not recommend this book.
  
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Steph Freeman (26 KP) rated The Shape of Water (2017) in Movies

Mar 5, 2018  
The Shape of Water (2017)
The Shape of Water (2017)
2017 | Drama, Fantasy
8
7.6 (107 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Cinematography was excellent. (1 more)
Character development was perfect, not a lot of detail but enough to fall into their lives.
Tried a little too hard to be unique. (0 more)
The Shape of Water - Visually Stunning
The Shape of Water, as discussed in other reviews, follows Eliza Esposito through a snapshot of her life. She has a clear love of water from the beginning, bordering on a fetish, and she connects with few people due to her mutism. The people around her are flawed. Her neighbor is fighting through a new advertising world that no longer values true artwork, her coworker Zelda has a painful home life with a husband that won't participate. Even the characters that are not part of Eliza's life have their struggles depicted within this movie. We see snapshots, just enough to understand these people are flawed, their lives are flawed, their relationships are flawed. Everyone in this movie is struggling towards a goal, though Eliza is the clear focus.

The cinematography reflects the 60's, from the lighting, to the sets and even how the cameras move with the characters. It's a world that engulfs the viewer, suspension of disbelief is a guarantee. The majority of the film is shot in drab, dark colors to reflect the loneliness of the characters, and the fear of the era. It's extremely effective at creating the unspoken sense of unease the country would have felt during the height of the communist scare.


As the movie moves towards the conclusion it becomes more fairy tale than reality. It was still beautiful, and the story still riveting, however, the transition to the more fantastic style was abrupt and could have been handled with more grace. I did appreciate the open ended conclusion, it's rare in American cinema to see, as most American film-goers prefer the ending tied up in a pretty bow.