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Vamping the Stage: Female Voices of Asian Modernities
Andrew N. Weintraub, Bart Barendregt, Christine Reiko Yano and Yifen Tsau Beus
Book
The emergence of modernity has typically focused on Western male actors and privileged politics and...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Revealed in Books
Sep 6, 2019
4.5 stars
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just love the cover of this! Dont you agree it just grabs the attention?
Im a big fan of dystopia stories and this sounded different, so I thought, Why not?
The USA has been mostly destroyed with only a few states remaining. Lily is the daughter of a politician running for President, along with another man, Roderick Westerfield, who Lilys family used to be close to. Roderick has a son, Kai, a year older than Lily and someone she used to be close to until the politics got in the way.
Lily has been marked to be taken by the Revealeda group of people with abilitiessince her 18th birthday and like every other 18 year old in the city is being kept at home until they reach their 19th and are safe from being taken. Truly believing theyll come for her despite all the precautions she just wants to live life to the fullest until then.
I really liked the concept. It was dystopia but had a very different take on it, it wasnt all deserted and every man for themselves or strict dictatorship, it was like now, only with billions less people populating the planet and with a need to bring the world back into some semblance of working order.
Now to the characters. Lily is our main character and we see her struggle to do what she wants while being a member of such an influential family and the effect her actions have on them. Then theres Kai. I wasnt sure about him to start with but he grew on me a lot. Then Rory, Lilys best friend, shes pretty awesome.
The story was pretty much continuous action, there was always something happeningwhich stops boredom from creeping inand it kept me reading, and wanting to read it when I was busy. It was politics and supernatural and romance. I cant really say much else without spoiling the plot but it was right up my street and I really enjoyed it!
If youre looking for something dystopian and a little different then you should try this. If youre looking for a new name to read, then this is a good story.
Id definitely recommend this book/series! Its a great start.
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just love the cover of this! Dont you agree it just grabs the attention?
Im a big fan of dystopia stories and this sounded different, so I thought, Why not?
The USA has been mostly destroyed with only a few states remaining. Lily is the daughter of a politician running for President, along with another man, Roderick Westerfield, who Lilys family used to be close to. Roderick has a son, Kai, a year older than Lily and someone she used to be close to until the politics got in the way.
Lily has been marked to be taken by the Revealeda group of people with abilitiessince her 18th birthday and like every other 18 year old in the city is being kept at home until they reach their 19th and are safe from being taken. Truly believing theyll come for her despite all the precautions she just wants to live life to the fullest until then.
I really liked the concept. It was dystopia but had a very different take on it, it wasnt all deserted and every man for themselves or strict dictatorship, it was like now, only with billions less people populating the planet and with a need to bring the world back into some semblance of working order.
Now to the characters. Lily is our main character and we see her struggle to do what she wants while being a member of such an influential family and the effect her actions have on them. Then theres Kai. I wasnt sure about him to start with but he grew on me a lot. Then Rory, Lilys best friend, shes pretty awesome.
The story was pretty much continuous action, there was always something happeningwhich stops boredom from creeping inand it kept me reading, and wanting to read it when I was busy. It was politics and supernatural and romance. I cant really say much else without spoiling the plot but it was right up my street and I really enjoyed it!
If youre looking for something dystopian and a little different then you should try this. If youre looking for a new name to read, then this is a good story.
Id definitely recommend this book/series! Its a great start.
Debbie (52 KP) rated Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds To Hillbilly Elegy in Books
Mar 28, 2019
Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds To Hillbilly Elegy
Edited By: Anthony Harkins and Meredith McCarroll
West Virginia University Press
NonFiction (Adult) Politics
Pub. Date 1 March 2019
Pages 432
#Appalachianreckoning#NetGalley
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/23cda8f5b390052c84bafb486921760c8733c9f5"; width="80" height="80" alt="10 Book Reviews" title="10 Book Reviews"/>
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
I am not sure how to go about reviewing this book. This is actually the first book I have ever DNFed.
I decided to do this at 40%. I had a hard time reading this book because all it did was bashed Vance about his Memoirs. I have read Hillbilly Elegy and I never thought of things these editors are talking about. I have a hard time of people bashing someone memoirs. Memoirs are how people feel and from their point of view. I know by looking at the ratings on Good Reads I am the only one who feels this way. I really don't want to bash these editors so I will leave it at this. Sorry but I just couldn't continue.
Edited By: Anthony Harkins and Meredith McCarroll
West Virginia University Press
NonFiction (Adult) Politics
Pub. Date 1 March 2019
Pages 432
#Appalachianreckoning#NetGalley
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/23cda8f5b390052c84bafb486921760c8733c9f5"; width="80" height="80" alt="10 Book Reviews" title="10 Book Reviews"/>
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
I am not sure how to go about reviewing this book. This is actually the first book I have ever DNFed.
I decided to do this at 40%. I had a hard time reading this book because all it did was bashed Vance about his Memoirs. I have read Hillbilly Elegy and I never thought of things these editors are talking about. I have a hard time of people bashing someone memoirs. Memoirs are how people feel and from their point of view. I know by looking at the ratings on Good Reads I am the only one who feels this way. I really don't want to bash these editors so I will leave it at this. Sorry but I just couldn't continue.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999) in Movies
May 3, 2019
Sprawling, episodic historical drama which brought the Hollywood career of Luc Besson to a firm stop. 15th century France is invaded by the English, but leading the resistance is a teenage girl who believes she can hear the voice of God. She may be able to defeat the invaders, but can she survive the snake pit of court and church politics?
So: Joan of Arc, an iconic, legendary, complex figure, is brought to the screen by Milla Jovovich, whose performance mostly consists of her rolling her eyes a lot and squeaking. No matter how distinguished the rest of the cast, or how well staged the various massed battle scenes, this is a problem which any film would struggle to overcome. Some other odd creative choices don't help much (Dustin Hoffman turns up as the embodiment of Joan's self-doubt). Still, there is a genuine sense of the medieval grotesque, and Besson is very much in his comfort zone during the battles. Certainly a brave and imaginative take on history, but the end result is too close to Monty Python and the Holy Grail for comfort.
So: Joan of Arc, an iconic, legendary, complex figure, is brought to the screen by Milla Jovovich, whose performance mostly consists of her rolling her eyes a lot and squeaking. No matter how distinguished the rest of the cast, or how well staged the various massed battle scenes, this is a problem which any film would struggle to overcome. Some other odd creative choices don't help much (Dustin Hoffman turns up as the embodiment of Joan's self-doubt). Still, there is a genuine sense of the medieval grotesque, and Besson is very much in his comfort zone during the battles. Certainly a brave and imaginative take on history, but the end result is too close to Monty Python and the Holy Grail for comfort.
Deborah (162 KP) rated The Beau Monde: Fashionable Society in Georgian London in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Greig's book takes a look at the Beau Monde - the fashionable elite - ranging from the 'Glorious Revolution' up to the early part of the 19th century. The Beau Monde and The Season were instigated by the more important role of parliament following the deposition of James II by his daughter and her husband - William III & Mary II. The peerage would spend a good deal of their time in London attending parliament, and so so social 'Season' was born. It was interesting to see the extent to which politics permeated the fashionable society and the importance of 'gossip' and 'chit chat' which letters from wives to husbands can be full of. The book covers jewellery and dress, exile from the Beau Monde and fraudulent claims to membership, court attendance and much more. Particularly with the clothing and jewellery, I think this would really have been enhanced with coloured plates, but sadly all the illustrations are black and white.
In her introduction, Greig states that this book has grown out of her doctoral thesis on the subject. It is a quite a scholarly read, but not completely inaccessible to the general reader.
In her introduction, Greig states that this book has grown out of her doctoral thesis on the subject. It is a quite a scholarly read, but not completely inaccessible to the general reader.
Nick Beaty (70 KP) rated Chernobyl in TV
Nov 24, 2019 (Updated Dec 21, 2019)
Incredible attention to detail...
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first set eyes on Chernobyl but I have to say I was hooked from the very beginning. It is the incredible attention to even the smallest detail that sets Chernobyl apart from many other TV shows. It is brilliantly written which makes for some very tense, dramatic and heartbreaking scenes. The whole cast give a near perfect performance to add to the story and must be applauded for that.
Chernobyl is a tale of two stories, the first is a gritty, scarily realistic take on the aftermath of a disastrous event that could have had changed the face of the planet as we know it, if it weren't for the bravery and subsequent sacrifice of the men and women who tried to contain it. The second is a tale of the corruption and politics surrounding the disaster. A courtroom drama set out to reveal the truth to what really happened on that fateful day in April, 1986.
To sum it up Chernobyl was pretty close to perfect for me and for that reason I score it a 10 out of 10.
Chernobyl is a tale of two stories, the first is a gritty, scarily realistic take on the aftermath of a disastrous event that could have had changed the face of the planet as we know it, if it weren't for the bravery and subsequent sacrifice of the men and women who tried to contain it. The second is a tale of the corruption and politics surrounding the disaster. A courtroom drama set out to reveal the truth to what really happened on that fateful day in April, 1986.
To sum it up Chernobyl was pretty close to perfect for me and for that reason I score it a 10 out of 10.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Naked Jungle (1954) in Movies
Jan 29, 2020
Nothing to do with Keith Chegwin, thank God. Slightly stodgy romance as plantation owner Charlton Heston sorts himself out with a mail-order bride and gets more than he bargained for in the form of Eleanor Parker. He is very stern and formal and calls her 'Madam' a lot; she is self-willed and feisty; sexual tension hangs in the air like the pong from a backed-up toilet but they seem stuck in an impasse until ferocious marabunta ants start swarming through the neighbourhood. (The ants only appear in the final act of the movie; one could wish they'd turn up sooner.)
Hard to say which is more awkward to watch nowadays, the depiction of the locals or the gender politics, but there is a certain camp fun to be had once the army ants finally show up: there are various scenes of people watching the ants through binoculars, while Heston's aargh-I'm-being-eaten-alive acting is as earnestly stoic as you might expect. Just about succeeds at what it sets out to do, and the structure of the story is solid, but very old-fashioned and corny.
Hard to say which is more awkward to watch nowadays, the depiction of the locals or the gender politics, but there is a certain camp fun to be had once the army ants finally show up: there are various scenes of people watching the ants through binoculars, while Heston's aargh-I'm-being-eaten-alive acting is as earnestly stoic as you might expect. Just about succeeds at what it sets out to do, and the structure of the story is solid, but very old-fashioned and corny.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies
Jan 7, 2020
Not my usual kind of movie, but I turn up for anything with Greta Gerwig or Florence Pugh involved in it. Happily this proved not to be the leaden piece of post-MeToo agitprop some of the advertising suggested, but a sensitive and subtle adaptation of a classic piece of literature (it says here). During and after the American Civil War, four sisters (Meg, Amy, Little Jo and Hoss) grow up and come of age, under the steely gaze of their Aunt Ben Cartwright (Meryl Streep). (I may be getting this mixed up with something else.)
Strong performances, especially from Ronan and Pugh, and a generally classy movie in most respects. This is mainly due to a very smart script and evocative direction, both from Gerwig, which finds clever resonances between events at different points in the narrative (the story is told somewhat out of chronological order) and creates just the right kind of atmosphere. There is inevitably a little bit of gender politics, but also a scene where a character suggests that there's nothing wrong with wanting to get married and have children, either. Engaging, likeable, and even quite moving in places.
Strong performances, especially from Ronan and Pugh, and a generally classy movie in most respects. This is mainly due to a very smart script and evocative direction, both from Gerwig, which finds clever resonances between events at different points in the narrative (the story is told somewhat out of chronological order) and creates just the right kind of atmosphere. There is inevitably a little bit of gender politics, but also a scene where a character suggests that there's nothing wrong with wanting to get married and have children, either. Engaging, likeable, and even quite moving in places.
The Diplomat
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The Diplomat is the premier current affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific. This monthly publication...
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
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The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro is a riveting and timeless account of power, politics and the...