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ClareR (5874 KP) rated The Country of Others in Books
Sep 19, 2021
This is a fascinating look at Leïla Slimani’s own family history.
Mathilde falls in love with, and marries, Amine Belhaj, a Moroccan stationed in Alsace. After the war, she sails to Morocco to live with Amine on his family farm. Life is so different to that in France, and Mathilde struggles to adapt. The French there shun her because of her husband, and Moroccans are suspicious of her because she’s French.
It’s a time of great upheaval in the 1950’s, as the Moroccans fight for independence from France, and life becomes increasingly dangerous for the Belhaj’s.
It’s a challenging life for Mathilde: she has to work hard, and Amine has a very fixed idea of a wife’s role. When she doesn’t stick to his rules, voices her opinions or disagrees, Amine beats her - he’s a violent man, scarred by the things that he saw and experienced in the war.
Mathilde does manage to insist that their daughter, Aicha, goes to a good French speaking school, and Aicha proves to be a good, diligent student - but the other girls at school are poisoned by their parents views: they’re very unkind and bully her.
There is a real feel for the heat and dust of Morocco. The contrasting cultures and religions of Christianity and Islam are shown, as well as the roles of women and how they are restricted in the light of their religions and it’s traditions. It looks at what it is to be a foreigner in a strange land; belonging, both in a country and a family; and the Moroccan struggle for independence from France.
This is going to be a trilogy, and I’m already fully invested in it - I can’t wait for the next book. Sam Taylor’s translation is perfect, and I hope that they’ll be translating the subsequent books as well.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for helping me (yet again!) with my NetGalley reading, and to Faber for my ebook copy through NetGalley.
Mathilde falls in love with, and marries, Amine Belhaj, a Moroccan stationed in Alsace. After the war, she sails to Morocco to live with Amine on his family farm. Life is so different to that in France, and Mathilde struggles to adapt. The French there shun her because of her husband, and Moroccans are suspicious of her because she’s French.
It’s a time of great upheaval in the 1950’s, as the Moroccans fight for independence from France, and life becomes increasingly dangerous for the Belhaj’s.
It’s a challenging life for Mathilde: she has to work hard, and Amine has a very fixed idea of a wife’s role. When she doesn’t stick to his rules, voices her opinions or disagrees, Amine beats her - he’s a violent man, scarred by the things that he saw and experienced in the war.
Mathilde does manage to insist that their daughter, Aicha, goes to a good French speaking school, and Aicha proves to be a good, diligent student - but the other girls at school are poisoned by their parents views: they’re very unkind and bully her.
There is a real feel for the heat and dust of Morocco. The contrasting cultures and religions of Christianity and Islam are shown, as well as the roles of women and how they are restricted in the light of their religions and it’s traditions. It looks at what it is to be a foreigner in a strange land; belonging, both in a country and a family; and the Moroccan struggle for independence from France.
This is going to be a trilogy, and I’m already fully invested in it - I can’t wait for the next book. Sam Taylor’s translation is perfect, and I hope that they’ll be translating the subsequent books as well.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for helping me (yet again!) with my NetGalley reading, and to Faber for my ebook copy through NetGalley.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Men (2022) (2022) in Movies
Jul 3, 2022
Men... am I right?
Harper takes some time away in the country, following the death of her husband. But the break isn't quite as restful as she'd hoped.
I had a lot of feelings about Men. The trouble was, every time I started thinking about it, my brain spiralled off into many debates.
With Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear, I was fairly certain that the performances would be solid. They didn't disappoint. Kinnear in particular showed immense dedication to his roles, especially considering some of the things he was having to do. But, despite the superb acting, the characters weren't all that easy to get along with... and yes, that's sort of the point, but never mind.
There seems to be a jumble of genres happening, the trailers for the film show some of its creepy horror-esque moments, and the dramatic portion is represented. In the middle of the film, where Harper suffers from phone issues, we get an odd flash of science fiction... it doesn't fit with the rest of the film, it could easily have been removed with no consequences and left us with something much more consistent.
According to writer and director, Alex Garland, the idea of Men is whatever the viewer takes away from it. I've heard plenty of opinions about the meaning behind the film, though mainly from a small demographic.
To me, it felt like a dive into the mind of a woman who had suffered psychological abuse, and how she deals with that trauma. There are certainly a lot of ways this could be taken, and Men could have been a bold statement, but not committing to an explanation was a bit of a cop out.
While I didn't dislike the experience of watching it on the big screen, I don't need to see it again. Ultimately, the inconsistencies left me wanting something more.
Originally posted on: emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/07/men-movie-review.html
Harper takes some time away in the country, following the death of her husband. But the break isn't quite as restful as she'd hoped.
I had a lot of feelings about Men. The trouble was, every time I started thinking about it, my brain spiralled off into many debates.
With Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear, I was fairly certain that the performances would be solid. They didn't disappoint. Kinnear in particular showed immense dedication to his roles, especially considering some of the things he was having to do. But, despite the superb acting, the characters weren't all that easy to get along with... and yes, that's sort of the point, but never mind.
There seems to be a jumble of genres happening, the trailers for the film show some of its creepy horror-esque moments, and the dramatic portion is represented. In the middle of the film, where Harper suffers from phone issues, we get an odd flash of science fiction... it doesn't fit with the rest of the film, it could easily have been removed with no consequences and left us with something much more consistent.
According to writer and director, Alex Garland, the idea of Men is whatever the viewer takes away from it. I've heard plenty of opinions about the meaning behind the film, though mainly from a small demographic.
To me, it felt like a dive into the mind of a woman who had suffered psychological abuse, and how she deals with that trauma. There are certainly a lot of ways this could be taken, and Men could have been a bold statement, but not committing to an explanation was a bit of a cop out.
While I didn't dislike the experience of watching it on the big screen, I don't need to see it again. Ultimately, the inconsistencies left me wanting something more.
Originally posted on: emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/07/men-movie-review.html
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Black Widow in Books
Apr 11, 2022
63 of 230
Book
The Black Widow
By Linda Calvey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Growing up after the war in the East End of London, Linda falls in with local gangsters including the Krays, Freddie Foreman and Ronnie Cook.
When the love of her life, Mickey Calvey, is gunned down on a job gone wrong, Linda resolves to carry on his work.
But in 1990, after years of living in fear of her lover Ronnie Cook, Linda finds herself accused of his murder alongside Danny Reece, in a trial that shocks the nation. Still, Linda sticks to her code of honour, refusing to confess. Until now...
After 18 years behind bars alongside notorious names including Rose West and Myra Hindley, she is released.
This is the final truth about her life and what happened the day Ronnie Cook was murdered.
This is a book that could go one way or the other. Some may say Linda Calvey is glamourising her life of crime that she’s name dropping and making herself more than what she is. Too a point I can see these opinions. I went into this book not knowing what to Expect I also went in with an open mind. In my opinion it seemed a very honest telling of her life but I only went by what I could read and and see between the lines. I saw a lot of regret especially when it came to her children. I also saw the lure of being offered a glamorous lifestyle. Do i like her or agree with her lifestyle? Not really she did the time for her crimes though! Do i believe her accounts about the murder of Roy? I’m not sure but I’m not a judge! I want to say I really enjoyed this book and sometimes I had to remember I wasn’t reading a Martina Cole novel 😂. Do I buy all the things she did? I do think maybe some embellishments occurred but overall it was definitely an interesting read.
Book
The Black Widow
By Linda Calvey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Growing up after the war in the East End of London, Linda falls in with local gangsters including the Krays, Freddie Foreman and Ronnie Cook.
When the love of her life, Mickey Calvey, is gunned down on a job gone wrong, Linda resolves to carry on his work.
But in 1990, after years of living in fear of her lover Ronnie Cook, Linda finds herself accused of his murder alongside Danny Reece, in a trial that shocks the nation. Still, Linda sticks to her code of honour, refusing to confess. Until now...
After 18 years behind bars alongside notorious names including Rose West and Myra Hindley, she is released.
This is the final truth about her life and what happened the day Ronnie Cook was murdered.
This is a book that could go one way or the other. Some may say Linda Calvey is glamourising her life of crime that she’s name dropping and making herself more than what she is. Too a point I can see these opinions. I went into this book not knowing what to Expect I also went in with an open mind. In my opinion it seemed a very honest telling of her life but I only went by what I could read and and see between the lines. I saw a lot of regret especially when it came to her children. I also saw the lure of being offered a glamorous lifestyle. Do i like her or agree with her lifestyle? Not really she did the time for her crimes though! Do i believe her accounts about the murder of Roy? I’m not sure but I’m not a judge! I want to say I really enjoyed this book and sometimes I had to remember I wasn’t reading a Martina Cole novel 😂. Do I buy all the things she did? I do think maybe some embellishments occurred but overall it was definitely an interesting read.
ClareR (5874 KP) rated The Sentence in Books
Nov 6, 2023 (Updated Nov 6, 2023)
Christina Dalcher really does write a good dystopian thriller! This time, the US government has decided that the way to end capital punishment is to make the prosecutors responsible for any miscarriages of justice pay with their own lives. So if an innocent person goes to the electric chair, the prosecutor will follow them - and all without a trial. That trial already happened when the wrong person was deemed guilty.
This is such a tense read! Justine Boucher had always campaigned against the death sentence, but when her husband is brutally murdered, she is given a case where the person on trial appears to be guilty without question. But as time goes on, and Justine asks more questions, it begins to look as though there is more to the ‘guilty’ mans case. The parts from Jake Milford’s (the prisoner waiting on death row) diary entries are heartbreaking.
This throws up the question of just who is this State Remedies Act for? It still satiates the need for blood, for someone to pay with their life for the life that’s been taken. Ok, in my opinion, this is why a death penalty will never work. How can we always be 100 percent sure that someone is guilty? Is it worth killing the majority if one innocent person slips through the safety net?
It was interesting to read how Justine had gone from being a member of Vita with her husband, campaigning for the abolishment of the death penalty, to making sure that the man she was prosecuting was killed. I think this proved that once you put a human with all of their emotions and opinions in to the equation, it will always be nigh-on impossible to have an impartial verdict.
This is a really tense read, and the fact that we never really know how it ends was the icing on the cake for me - frustrating, but oh so good. It certainly leaves the reader with a lot to think about.
This is such a tense read! Justine Boucher had always campaigned against the death sentence, but when her husband is brutally murdered, she is given a case where the person on trial appears to be guilty without question. But as time goes on, and Justine asks more questions, it begins to look as though there is more to the ‘guilty’ mans case. The parts from Jake Milford’s (the prisoner waiting on death row) diary entries are heartbreaking.
This throws up the question of just who is this State Remedies Act for? It still satiates the need for blood, for someone to pay with their life for the life that’s been taken. Ok, in my opinion, this is why a death penalty will never work. How can we always be 100 percent sure that someone is guilty? Is it worth killing the majority if one innocent person slips through the safety net?
It was interesting to read how Justine had gone from being a member of Vita with her husband, campaigning for the abolishment of the death penalty, to making sure that the man she was prosecuting was killed. I think this proved that once you put a human with all of their emotions and opinions in to the equation, it will always be nigh-on impossible to have an impartial verdict.
This is a really tense read, and the fact that we never really know how it ends was the icing on the cake for me - frustrating, but oh so good. It certainly leaves the reader with a lot to think about.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Notable Woman: The Romantic Journals of Jean Lucey Pratt in Books
May 25, 2017
Looooong
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Whilst researching a previous book, Simon Garfield came across the diaries of Jean Lucey Pratt amongst journals collected during the Second World War for Mass Observation. Intrigued by her observations and character, Garfield became determined to learn more about her. After eventually receiving permission from Jean’s niece, he was able to read all forty-five of her diaries, edit them, and produce this huge manuscript for publication: A Notable Woman.
Jean began writing her journals in the April of 1925 at the young age of fifteen. Although she did not write everyday, she continued putting down her thoughts and experiences up until her death in 1986. Jean Lucey Pratt was not a celebrity, although she did write an, unfortunately, unsuccessful book; nor did she achieve anything spectacular during her lifetime. What makes her diaries worth publishing is the fact that she was “ordinary,” a woman who wrote not to impress other people, but to honestly express her emotions and opinions.
For the majority of her life Jean lived on her own in Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, where she yearned for a husband. Her dreams of finding the perfect man yet only attracting a handful of lovers is both amusing and saddening. The most interesting part of her written records, however, has got to be the experiences of war. Unlike other diarist such as Anne Frank, who feared for their lives, or those that experienced the fighting up front, Jean provides the perspective of the average British citizen. She comments on the rationing, the blackout curtains as well as the political propaganda, providing her own opinions, which often changed as the war progressed. Jean amuses the reader by revealing she often slept through an air raid, only waking up at the sound of the All Clear.
The war ends midway through the book, thus delivering accounts of the latter half of her life, from career to ill health, incorporating in family events and, of course, her enormous horde of cats. Although a rather introverted, lonely individual, Jean’s relationship and love for her brother is often heartwarming. Separated by oceans and only seeing him every so many years, it is clear that the siblings are strongly supportive of each other. Jean often refers to her brother as Pooh (as in Winnie the Pooh), to which he responds by calling her Piglet.
Initially Jean did not intend to let anyone read her diaries but later began to imagine how other people would react to what she had written. She toyed with the idea of posthumous publication, but presumed only family and friends would read them – how wrong she was! Regardless of whether her diaries were to be viewed by outsiders or not, Jean usually referred to people by their initials. Whether she did this for a particular reason or merely to save time when writing remains debatable, however it does cause a bit of confusion when reading. Helpfully the editor, Garfield, has provided a character list that can be referred back to as needed.
Simon Garfield has done a magnificent job of compiling the diary entries together to produce an interesting, moving and occasionally amusing story about life during the 1900s. He has painstakingly sorted through handwritten entries, deciding what bits to omit and conducting further research in order to explain in footnotes the sections or references that would not make sense if left alone. Garfield has made the majority of Jean’s journals flow like a novel, only becoming erratic towards the end of her life when she would only write once every few months.
A Notable Woman gives a fantastic insight into the lives of ordinary people during an era of hardship and change. Readers are more likely to read an accurate description of the war and subsequent years in this book than in any emotionally detached textbook or biased account. Without a doubt this book is worth a read, although do not expect to be able to rush through it as some may do with a work of fiction. Garfield if highly praised for his efforts, and one hopes that Jean would be proud to finally have a writing success.
Whilst researching a previous book, Simon Garfield came across the diaries of Jean Lucey Pratt amongst journals collected during the Second World War for Mass Observation. Intrigued by her observations and character, Garfield became determined to learn more about her. After eventually receiving permission from Jean’s niece, he was able to read all forty-five of her diaries, edit them, and produce this huge manuscript for publication: A Notable Woman.
Jean began writing her journals in the April of 1925 at the young age of fifteen. Although she did not write everyday, she continued putting down her thoughts and experiences up until her death in 1986. Jean Lucey Pratt was not a celebrity, although she did write an, unfortunately, unsuccessful book; nor did she achieve anything spectacular during her lifetime. What makes her diaries worth publishing is the fact that she was “ordinary,” a woman who wrote not to impress other people, but to honestly express her emotions and opinions.
For the majority of her life Jean lived on her own in Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, where she yearned for a husband. Her dreams of finding the perfect man yet only attracting a handful of lovers is both amusing and saddening. The most interesting part of her written records, however, has got to be the experiences of war. Unlike other diarist such as Anne Frank, who feared for their lives, or those that experienced the fighting up front, Jean provides the perspective of the average British citizen. She comments on the rationing, the blackout curtains as well as the political propaganda, providing her own opinions, which often changed as the war progressed. Jean amuses the reader by revealing she often slept through an air raid, only waking up at the sound of the All Clear.
The war ends midway through the book, thus delivering accounts of the latter half of her life, from career to ill health, incorporating in family events and, of course, her enormous horde of cats. Although a rather introverted, lonely individual, Jean’s relationship and love for her brother is often heartwarming. Separated by oceans and only seeing him every so many years, it is clear that the siblings are strongly supportive of each other. Jean often refers to her brother as Pooh (as in Winnie the Pooh), to which he responds by calling her Piglet.
Initially Jean did not intend to let anyone read her diaries but later began to imagine how other people would react to what she had written. She toyed with the idea of posthumous publication, but presumed only family and friends would read them – how wrong she was! Regardless of whether her diaries were to be viewed by outsiders or not, Jean usually referred to people by their initials. Whether she did this for a particular reason or merely to save time when writing remains debatable, however it does cause a bit of confusion when reading. Helpfully the editor, Garfield, has provided a character list that can be referred back to as needed.
Simon Garfield has done a magnificent job of compiling the diary entries together to produce an interesting, moving and occasionally amusing story about life during the 1900s. He has painstakingly sorted through handwritten entries, deciding what bits to omit and conducting further research in order to explain in footnotes the sections or references that would not make sense if left alone. Garfield has made the majority of Jean’s journals flow like a novel, only becoming erratic towards the end of her life when she would only write once every few months.
A Notable Woman gives a fantastic insight into the lives of ordinary people during an era of hardship and change. Readers are more likely to read an accurate description of the war and subsequent years in this book than in any emotionally detached textbook or biased account. Without a doubt this book is worth a read, although do not expect to be able to rush through it as some may do with a work of fiction. Garfield if highly praised for his efforts, and one hopes that Jean would be proud to finally have a writing success.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Notable Woman: The Romantic Journals of Jean Lucey Pratt in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Whilst researching a previous book, Simon Garfield came across the diaries of Jean Lucey Pratt amongst journals collected during the Second World War for Mass Observation. Intrigued by her observations and character, Garfield became determined to learn more about her. After eventually receiving permission from Jean’s niece, he was able to read all forty-five of her diaries, edit them, and produce this huge manuscript for publication: <i>A Notable Woman</i>.
Jean began writing her journals in the April of 1925 at the young age of fifteen. Although she did not write everyday, she continued putting down her thoughts and experiences up until her death in 1986. Jean Lucey Pratt was not a celebrity, although she did write an, unfortunately, unsuccessful book; nor did she achieve anything spectacular during her lifetime. What makes her diaries worth publishing is the fact that she was “ordinary,” a woman who wrote not to impress other people, but to honestly express her emotions and opinions.
For the majority of her life Jean lived on her own in Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, where she yearned for a husband. Her dreams of finding the perfect man yet only attracting a handful of lovers is both amusing and saddening. The most interesting part of her written records, however, has got to be the experiences of war. Unlike other diarist such as Anne Frank, who feared for their lives, or those that experienced the fighting up front, Jean provides the perspective of the average British citizen. She comments on the rationing, the blackout curtains as well as the political propaganda, providing her own opinions, which often changed as the war progressed. Jean amuses the reader by revealing she often slept through an air raid, only waking up at the sound of the All Clear.
The war ends midway through the book, thus delivering accounts of the latter half of her life, from career to ill health, incorporating in family events and, of course, her enormous horde of cats. Although a rather introverted, lonely individual, Jean’s relationship and love for her brother is often heartwarming. Separated by oceans and only seeing him every so many years, it is clear that the siblings are strongly supportive of each other. Jean often refers to her brother as Pooh (as in <i>Winnie the Pooh</i>), to which he responds by calling her Piglet.
Initially Jean did not intend to let anyone read her diaries but later began to imagine how other people would react to what she had written. She toyed with the idea of posthumous publication, but presumed only family and friends would read them – how wrong she was! Regardless of whether her diaries were to be viewed by outsiders or not, Jean usually referred to people by their initials. Whether she did this for a particular reason or merely to save time when writing remains debatable, however it does cause a bit of confusion when reading. Helpfully the editor, Garfield, has provided a character list that can be referred back to as needed.
Simon Garfield has done a magnificent job of compiling the diary entries together to produce an interesting, moving and occasionally amusing story about life during the 1900s. He has painstakingly sorted through handwritten entries, deciding what bits to omit and conducting further research in order to explain in footnotes the sections or references that would not make sense if left alone. Garfield has made the majority of Jean’s journals flow like a novel, only becoming erratic towards the end of her life when she would only write once every few months.
<i>A Notable Woman</i> gives a fantastic insight into the lives of ordinary people during an era of hardship and change. Readers are more likely to read an accurate description of the war and subsequent years in this book than in any emotionally detached textbook or biased account. Without a doubt this book is worth a read, although do not expect to be able to rush through it as some may do with a work of fiction. Garfield if highly praised for his efforts, and one hopes that Jean would be proud to finally have a writing success.
Whilst researching a previous book, Simon Garfield came across the diaries of Jean Lucey Pratt amongst journals collected during the Second World War for Mass Observation. Intrigued by her observations and character, Garfield became determined to learn more about her. After eventually receiving permission from Jean’s niece, he was able to read all forty-five of her diaries, edit them, and produce this huge manuscript for publication: <i>A Notable Woman</i>.
Jean began writing her journals in the April of 1925 at the young age of fifteen. Although she did not write everyday, she continued putting down her thoughts and experiences up until her death in 1986. Jean Lucey Pratt was not a celebrity, although she did write an, unfortunately, unsuccessful book; nor did she achieve anything spectacular during her lifetime. What makes her diaries worth publishing is the fact that she was “ordinary,” a woman who wrote not to impress other people, but to honestly express her emotions and opinions.
For the majority of her life Jean lived on her own in Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, where she yearned for a husband. Her dreams of finding the perfect man yet only attracting a handful of lovers is both amusing and saddening. The most interesting part of her written records, however, has got to be the experiences of war. Unlike other diarist such as Anne Frank, who feared for their lives, or those that experienced the fighting up front, Jean provides the perspective of the average British citizen. She comments on the rationing, the blackout curtains as well as the political propaganda, providing her own opinions, which often changed as the war progressed. Jean amuses the reader by revealing she often slept through an air raid, only waking up at the sound of the All Clear.
The war ends midway through the book, thus delivering accounts of the latter half of her life, from career to ill health, incorporating in family events and, of course, her enormous horde of cats. Although a rather introverted, lonely individual, Jean’s relationship and love for her brother is often heartwarming. Separated by oceans and only seeing him every so many years, it is clear that the siblings are strongly supportive of each other. Jean often refers to her brother as Pooh (as in <i>Winnie the Pooh</i>), to which he responds by calling her Piglet.
Initially Jean did not intend to let anyone read her diaries but later began to imagine how other people would react to what she had written. She toyed with the idea of posthumous publication, but presumed only family and friends would read them – how wrong she was! Regardless of whether her diaries were to be viewed by outsiders or not, Jean usually referred to people by their initials. Whether she did this for a particular reason or merely to save time when writing remains debatable, however it does cause a bit of confusion when reading. Helpfully the editor, Garfield, has provided a character list that can be referred back to as needed.
Simon Garfield has done a magnificent job of compiling the diary entries together to produce an interesting, moving and occasionally amusing story about life during the 1900s. He has painstakingly sorted through handwritten entries, deciding what bits to omit and conducting further research in order to explain in footnotes the sections or references that would not make sense if left alone. Garfield has made the majority of Jean’s journals flow like a novel, only becoming erratic towards the end of her life when she would only write once every few months.
<i>A Notable Woman</i> gives a fantastic insight into the lives of ordinary people during an era of hardship and change. Readers are more likely to read an accurate description of the war and subsequent years in this book than in any emotionally detached textbook or biased account. Without a doubt this book is worth a read, although do not expect to be able to rush through it as some may do with a work of fiction. Garfield if highly praised for his efforts, and one hopes that Jean would be proud to finally have a writing success.