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Isabel Smith (34 KP) rated Our Kind of Cruelty: A Novel in Books
Jun 22, 2018
Our Kind of Cruelty is an engrossing, in-depth case study of the weirdly obsessive and detrimental love story between Mike Hayes and Verity Walton. Author Araminta Hall only provides readers with Mike’s point of view, so there are some limitations into what we can glean about Verity’s thoughts, motivations, and behaviors. Nevertheless, seeds of doubt are sown from the beginning of the story about both characters’ integrity and reliability.
Mike and Verity have been inseparable since meeting at university and starting up their one-of-a-kind relationship. During their early years they established a disturbing game which they referred to as the Crave, in which they always benefited at the expense of others. It is unclear who started the game, as Verity will say Mike did and vice versa. Similarly, a number of other relevant events in their tumultuous relationship are clouded with duplicity, right down to the moment when one of their so-called Crave victims ends up dead. What ensues is a riveting trial in which a jury (and readers) must navigate through the he-said/she-said testimonies and decide who the guilty party is.
In the ever-growing mound of psychological thrillers that have skyrocketed since the release of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, Araminta Hall’s latest work really stands out due to the fact that she’s changed up the ever popular unreliable narrator trope. In Our Kind of Cruelty, the central unreliable narrator is a male; typically readers have been treated to unpredictable and untrustworthy females. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this twist. I also really enjoyed the court procedural part of the book; reading the conflicting accounts between Mike and Verity was like watching a riveting tennis match where the ball is whacked mercilessly back and forth between both parties. Check this book out today if you’re in the mood for something dark yet intriguing, something that will leave you thinking and wondering long after you’ve finished the book.
Mike and Verity have been inseparable since meeting at university and starting up their one-of-a-kind relationship. During their early years they established a disturbing game which they referred to as the Crave, in which they always benefited at the expense of others. It is unclear who started the game, as Verity will say Mike did and vice versa. Similarly, a number of other relevant events in their tumultuous relationship are clouded with duplicity, right down to the moment when one of their so-called Crave victims ends up dead. What ensues is a riveting trial in which a jury (and readers) must navigate through the he-said/she-said testimonies and decide who the guilty party is.
In the ever-growing mound of psychological thrillers that have skyrocketed since the release of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, Araminta Hall’s latest work really stands out due to the fact that she’s changed up the ever popular unreliable narrator trope. In Our Kind of Cruelty, the central unreliable narrator is a male; typically readers have been treated to unpredictable and untrustworthy females. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this twist. I also really enjoyed the court procedural part of the book; reading the conflicting accounts between Mike and Verity was like watching a riveting tennis match where the ball is whacked mercilessly back and forth between both parties. Check this book out today if you’re in the mood for something dark yet intriguing, something that will leave you thinking and wondering long after you’ve finished the book.
ClareR (5991 KP) rated The Witch Elm: A Novel in Books
Oct 16, 2019 (Updated Oct 16, 2019)
A psychological thriller that had me guessing along with the main character!
After a night out with his friends in Dublin, Toby Hennessy walks home alone and goes to bed. He’s woken up in the early hours by two men burgling his flat and when he confronts them, they attack him viciously and leave him for dead. He doesn’t die, and after a long period of time in hospital, he returns to his flat, clearly suffering from PTSD and a brain injury. Luckily for him (but not so lucky for his uncle) his uncle, Hugo, is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. So Toby and his girlfriend Melissa move in to help keep him company, and ultimately to care for him.
They’re a close family, who meet every Sunday for dinner, and Toby and his cousins Leon and Susanna spent every summer at their Uncles house, living pretty much unchecked - every teenagers dream.
This idyllic life is brought abruptly to an end when a skeleton is found inside the trunk of one of the Wych elms in the back garden. It’s complicated further by the fact that Toby’s head injury from the burglary means that his memories are ropey, to say the least.
I really liked this book: I liked the slow build up and learning about the family and the relationship between the cousins. As for the skeleton, well that mystery had me guessing right up to the end.
Incidentally, this is sold as ‘The Wych Elm’ in the UK - ‘Wych’ is an alternative spelling in old English of ‘witch’, and it also means pliant or supple. The words ‘wicker’ and ‘weak’ come from this word too (yes, I looked it up, and this will join all of the terribly interesting, yet relatively useless, information that accumulates in my head 🤷🏼♀️).
This is my first Tana French novel, and based on this book, it won’t be my last.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of this book.
They’re a close family, who meet every Sunday for dinner, and Toby and his cousins Leon and Susanna spent every summer at their Uncles house, living pretty much unchecked - every teenagers dream.
This idyllic life is brought abruptly to an end when a skeleton is found inside the trunk of one of the Wych elms in the back garden. It’s complicated further by the fact that Toby’s head injury from the burglary means that his memories are ropey, to say the least.
I really liked this book: I liked the slow build up and learning about the family and the relationship between the cousins. As for the skeleton, well that mystery had me guessing right up to the end.
Incidentally, this is sold as ‘The Wych Elm’ in the UK - ‘Wych’ is an alternative spelling in old English of ‘witch’, and it also means pliant or supple. The words ‘wicker’ and ‘weak’ come from this word too (yes, I looked it up, and this will join all of the terribly interesting, yet relatively useless, information that accumulates in my head 🤷🏼♀️).
This is my first Tana French novel, and based on this book, it won’t be my last.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of this book.
ClareR (5991 KP) rated The Flower Girls in Books
Jan 17, 2019
A chilling psychological thriller
A child goes missing on New Years Eve from a hotel, and when the police are called in, it is discovered that one of the guests is one of the notorious Flower Girls. The Flower Girls were involved in the murder and mutilation of a toddler in 1997, when they themselves were only 10 and 6 years old. The 10 year old, Laurel, remains in prison nearly 20 years later. Rosie was found not to have participated in the murder and couldn't remember anything that happened at that time, such was her trauma. She and her remaining family were given new identities and relocated. Her rediscovery provokes a media frenzy. The missing child (Georgie) is found alive and hypothermic, but Rosie's new identity as Hazel is now known to everyone.
We see what happened 20 years ago in short flashbacks, which can have some disturbing moments (not gory, not of the original murder - at least not at the start), and we meet the aunt of Kirstie Swann (the toddler who was murdered), who has campaigned tirelessly to keep Laurel behind bars. We are also kept in the loop of the police investigation of Georgie's disappearance. There are a lot of characters to contend with in this book, but I think it was done well, and I didn't have any problem remembering who they were. I really enjoyed this, despite the rather macabre subject matter. The pace was just right, there was a good amount of skin-crawling moments, and an unresolved ending which really suited the rest of the story - and an unresolved ending? Well, that has to be one of my favourite things!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for the chance to read this book, and to Alice Clark-Platts for reading along and commenting on the story with the readers! If you haven't tried The Pigeonhole, it's well worth a go. I've found some really good books on this platform.
We see what happened 20 years ago in short flashbacks, which can have some disturbing moments (not gory, not of the original murder - at least not at the start), and we meet the aunt of Kirstie Swann (the toddler who was murdered), who has campaigned tirelessly to keep Laurel behind bars. We are also kept in the loop of the police investigation of Georgie's disappearance. There are a lot of characters to contend with in this book, but I think it was done well, and I didn't have any problem remembering who they were. I really enjoyed this, despite the rather macabre subject matter. The pace was just right, there was a good amount of skin-crawling moments, and an unresolved ending which really suited the rest of the story - and an unresolved ending? Well, that has to be one of my favourite things!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for the chance to read this book, and to Alice Clark-Platts for reading along and commenting on the story with the readers! If you haven't tried The Pigeonhole, it's well worth a go. I've found some really good books on this platform.
Merissa (13358 KP) rated The Artist's Love (Book 2 of The Artist's Touch Books) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
This is the second part of The Artist's Touch set - Rissa and Spence are a couple, they've found out some of the secrets that their families have been keeping from them, and they are being stalked.
This story - as a whole - is simply stunning. Spence is a character that I could easily fall in love with over and over again. From quiet and nerdy, to being in control and HOT, he ticks the boxes for me. Rissa is wonderful, she knows what she wants and isn't afraid to work to achieve it, whether that is going after Spence or making her work dream come true. Seriously, I wish this couple every happiness!
But there is, of course, the fly in the ointment and for Rissa and Spence, there are two. One is the secrets and the other is the stalker. This book brings about the culmination of both of those things, but not in a way that I was expecting. Layer upon layer of manipulation, deceit and murder need to be peeled back before Spence and Rissa can have their HEA, but they might not survive long enough to reach it.
With action, adventure, romance, and sorrow, this book was a delight to read. I will also say that I knew something was going to happen to one of the supporting characters, due to certain actions in book 1, but I never expected the outcome that S.H. Pratt gave us! I was not a happy bunny because my leaking eyes meant that I couldn't read as fast as I wanted to! And that is all I will say on the matter.
If you want a book that is steamy romance, coupled with psychological chills, then I can definitely recommend this set. Highly recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This story - as a whole - is simply stunning. Spence is a character that I could easily fall in love with over and over again. From quiet and nerdy, to being in control and HOT, he ticks the boxes for me. Rissa is wonderful, she knows what she wants and isn't afraid to work to achieve it, whether that is going after Spence or making her work dream come true. Seriously, I wish this couple every happiness!
But there is, of course, the fly in the ointment and for Rissa and Spence, there are two. One is the secrets and the other is the stalker. This book brings about the culmination of both of those things, but not in a way that I was expecting. Layer upon layer of manipulation, deceit and murder need to be peeled back before Spence and Rissa can have their HEA, but they might not survive long enough to reach it.
With action, adventure, romance, and sorrow, this book was a delight to read. I will also say that I knew something was going to happen to one of the supporting characters, due to certain actions in book 1, but I never expected the outcome that S.H. Pratt gave us! I was not a happy bunny because my leaking eyes meant that I couldn't read as fast as I wanted to! And that is all I will say on the matter.
If you want a book that is steamy romance, coupled with psychological chills, then I can definitely recommend this set. Highly recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Us (2019) in Movies
Feb 3, 2020 (Updated Feb 3, 2020)
The Upside Down
Us- is Jordan Peele's second film as a director. This film like Get Out, is excellent, phenomenal, horrorfying, suspenseful, terrorfying and overall great.
The Plot: Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, the family is horrified to learn that each attacker takes the appearance of one of them.
So like Get Out, this movie does have a theme. Lets talk about it...
"One of the central themes in Us is that we can do a good job collectively of ignoring the ramifications of privilege. I think it's the idea that what we feel like we deserve comes, you know, at the expense of someone else's freedom or joy. You know, the biggest disservice we can do as a faction with a collective privilege like the United States is to presume that we deserve it, and that it isn't luck that has us born where we're born. For us to have our privilege, someone suffers. That's where the Tethered connection, I think, resonates the most, is that those who suffer and those who prosper are two sides of the same coin. You can never forget that. We need to fight for the less fortunate." Jordan Peele.
So Once Jordan Peele does a excellent job on his theme. Like Get Out, Jordan Peele does a excellent of this theme, of the world that we live in today and his views on it.
Like Get Out, Us is a must watch film, and if you havent seen it, than you must. Its psychological twisted, horrorfying, twisted, suspenseful, great, phenomenal and excellent until the very end.
The Plot: Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, the family is horrified to learn that each attacker takes the appearance of one of them.
So like Get Out, this movie does have a theme. Lets talk about it...
"One of the central themes in Us is that we can do a good job collectively of ignoring the ramifications of privilege. I think it's the idea that what we feel like we deserve comes, you know, at the expense of someone else's freedom or joy. You know, the biggest disservice we can do as a faction with a collective privilege like the United States is to presume that we deserve it, and that it isn't luck that has us born where we're born. For us to have our privilege, someone suffers. That's where the Tethered connection, I think, resonates the most, is that those who suffer and those who prosper are two sides of the same coin. You can never forget that. We need to fight for the less fortunate." Jordan Peele.
So Once Jordan Peele does a excellent job on his theme. Like Get Out, Jordan Peele does a excellent of this theme, of the world that we live in today and his views on it.
Like Get Out, Us is a must watch film, and if you havent seen it, than you must. Its psychological twisted, horrorfying, twisted, suspenseful, great, phenomenal and excellent until the very end.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Gift (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The new film ‘The Gift’ will be the first movie released by the new company STX Entertainment.
It stars Jason Bateman as Simon, Joel Edgerton as Gordo, and Rebecca Hall as Robyn, Simons’ wife.
The story begins with Simon and Robyn just moving back to Los Angeles. He works in cyber security, and she is an interior designer trying to start her own business.
While out shopping for new home decor, Robyn is approached by a man she’s never seen, who says he is an old acquaintance of Simons.
Through a series of instances where Gordo delivers unasked for, and at least in Simons case, unwanted, gifts the story unravels into a twisty path of creepy stalking behavior with an undercurrent of as yet unrevealed plots for revenge.
While Robyn thinks that Gordo is just lonely and trying to make a friendly good impression, Simon insists that Gordo is ‘weird’ and that he has an ulterior motive due to his attraction to Robyn.
While not quite a ‘Fatal Attraction’ story as much as a ‘Revenge’ plot, this movie does keep you interested, invested and involved. It isn’t quite a ‘digging your nails into your palms’ kind of scary but more of a ‘what the HECK is he doing’, and ‘oh my gosh he can’t possibly be doing THAT’ story.
At least twice, the audience jumped and some of us yelped at at least one point.
The movie keeps you not quite sure who to feel most sorry for and not quite knowing who, if anyone, you are ‘rooting for’
The end is a twisted mess (in a good way) that had my jaw dropping and saying to myself ‘oh no no no no no no NO that’s not happening, it can’t be that way…..’, even though I had seen it coming.
I liked the movie and think people looking for a psychological thriller will really enjoy it.
I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.
It stars Jason Bateman as Simon, Joel Edgerton as Gordo, and Rebecca Hall as Robyn, Simons’ wife.
The story begins with Simon and Robyn just moving back to Los Angeles. He works in cyber security, and she is an interior designer trying to start her own business.
While out shopping for new home decor, Robyn is approached by a man she’s never seen, who says he is an old acquaintance of Simons.
Through a series of instances where Gordo delivers unasked for, and at least in Simons case, unwanted, gifts the story unravels into a twisty path of creepy stalking behavior with an undercurrent of as yet unrevealed plots for revenge.
While Robyn thinks that Gordo is just lonely and trying to make a friendly good impression, Simon insists that Gordo is ‘weird’ and that he has an ulterior motive due to his attraction to Robyn.
While not quite a ‘Fatal Attraction’ story as much as a ‘Revenge’ plot, this movie does keep you interested, invested and involved. It isn’t quite a ‘digging your nails into your palms’ kind of scary but more of a ‘what the HECK is he doing’, and ‘oh my gosh he can’t possibly be doing THAT’ story.
At least twice, the audience jumped and some of us yelped at at least one point.
The movie keeps you not quite sure who to feel most sorry for and not quite knowing who, if anyone, you are ‘rooting for’
The end is a twisted mess (in a good way) that had my jaw dropping and saying to myself ‘oh no no no no no no NO that’s not happening, it can’t be that way…..’, even though I had seen it coming.
I liked the movie and think people looking for a psychological thriller will really enjoy it.
I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Lawless (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Prohibition means profit to the bootlegging Bondurant brothers, until a new deputy appears wanting a cut of the action. When the family, led by oldest brother Forrest (Tom Hardy), refuses, it ignites a pattern of violent lawless retribution between the corrupt local authorities and the moonshine-selling brothers.
While adapted from the pages of a successful book, the plot of “Lawless” portrays a familiar story. A young romance slated against the challenges of a family who is literally and metaphorically, sticking to their guns. The brilliance of the film exists in the vivid set work, understated characterization, and graphic portrayals of unbridled yet historically accurate punishments.
There are bullet holes everywhere in this wild land of violence. The depictions of torture, while not the most graphically intensive in cinema, are characterized by psychological malice. The result is a film that manages to entirely pull the viewer into a different, much less civilized, time.
Led and narrated by seasoned actor, Shia LaBeouf, as the youngest brother, Jack Bondurant, the role is hardly a challenge. Yet his performances only stands out when supported by other cast members, such as the gangster Floyd Banner, played by Gary Oldman. And while LaBeouf’s performance is not a great as it could be, it shines next to his lackluster costar, Mia Wasikowska as Bertha Minnix the forbidden preacher’s daughter and object of young Jack’s eye.
The best performance in the film is not the lead, but that of his brother Forrest who dispenses well-timed wisdom or humor even in direst situations. Further helping in the films success are the supporting characters; the third Bondurant brother, Howard (Jason Clarke), mechanically gifted family friend, Cricket Pate (Dane DeHaan), and city wise beauty Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain).
While not as impressive as expected, the slow but steady story and complex visceral nature of “Lawless”, make it a film that is worth the price of a ticket, for anyone who can make it through the squeamish bits.
While adapted from the pages of a successful book, the plot of “Lawless” portrays a familiar story. A young romance slated against the challenges of a family who is literally and metaphorically, sticking to their guns. The brilliance of the film exists in the vivid set work, understated characterization, and graphic portrayals of unbridled yet historically accurate punishments.
There are bullet holes everywhere in this wild land of violence. The depictions of torture, while not the most graphically intensive in cinema, are characterized by psychological malice. The result is a film that manages to entirely pull the viewer into a different, much less civilized, time.
Led and narrated by seasoned actor, Shia LaBeouf, as the youngest brother, Jack Bondurant, the role is hardly a challenge. Yet his performances only stands out when supported by other cast members, such as the gangster Floyd Banner, played by Gary Oldman. And while LaBeouf’s performance is not a great as it could be, it shines next to his lackluster costar, Mia Wasikowska as Bertha Minnix the forbidden preacher’s daughter and object of young Jack’s eye.
The best performance in the film is not the lead, but that of his brother Forrest who dispenses well-timed wisdom or humor even in direst situations. Further helping in the films success are the supporting characters; the third Bondurant brother, Howard (Jason Clarke), mechanically gifted family friend, Cricket Pate (Dane DeHaan), and city wise beauty Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain).
While not as impressive as expected, the slow but steady story and complex visceral nature of “Lawless”, make it a film that is worth the price of a ticket, for anyone who can make it through the squeamish bits.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Straw Dogs (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Successful actress Amy Sumner (Kate Bosworth) is returning from her big city life to her southern hometown of Blackwater. Along with Amy is her well-educated and wealthy husband, David Sumner (James Marsdon). David quickly finds this vacation is filled with tension, particularly when it comes to Amy’s ex-boyfriend, Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård), who is not ready to be out of her life. So it is up to the weakling Harvard hero to protect his relationship, home, and way of life in a town he doesn’t quite understand.
A remake of the 1971 thriller classic of the same name, “Straw Dogs” has lost a lot of its appeal and logic with time. It still has gory moments and the plot is very similar to the original but many of the base thrills have been lost in the move to a present day setting.
This film asks the viewers to suspend disbelief, ignore a number of unfinished back-stories, and stand behind characters who are not engaging or believable. Details, both big and small miss the mark. James Marsdon is incorrectly suited as the shy bumbling academic. The house is a seeming fortress for no apparent reason. The side stories, interesting detractions from the overly built tension between the two leading males, are left unresolved.
Additionally, the themes are awkward and incomplete. There are literary throwbacks and some blatant social commentary but all of the film’s depth is lost on an audience who has no reason to care. Viewers will be preoccupied wondering what the point of the film is.
Sure, the story is engrossing and it does force self-analysis, but the modern adaptation would have benefitted from serious editorial cuts. Had the film been completed in a quarter of the time it might have actually managed to be thrilling!
Unbalanced, vapid, and pointless as a thriller “Straw Dogs” falls prey to the unnecessary remake trap. For a real psychological thrill it would be better to opt for the original.
A remake of the 1971 thriller classic of the same name, “Straw Dogs” has lost a lot of its appeal and logic with time. It still has gory moments and the plot is very similar to the original but many of the base thrills have been lost in the move to a present day setting.
This film asks the viewers to suspend disbelief, ignore a number of unfinished back-stories, and stand behind characters who are not engaging or believable. Details, both big and small miss the mark. James Marsdon is incorrectly suited as the shy bumbling academic. The house is a seeming fortress for no apparent reason. The side stories, interesting detractions from the overly built tension between the two leading males, are left unresolved.
Additionally, the themes are awkward and incomplete. There are literary throwbacks and some blatant social commentary but all of the film’s depth is lost on an audience who has no reason to care. Viewers will be preoccupied wondering what the point of the film is.
Sure, the story is engrossing and it does force self-analysis, but the modern adaptation would have benefitted from serious editorial cuts. Had the film been completed in a quarter of the time it might have actually managed to be thrilling!
Unbalanced, vapid, and pointless as a thriller “Straw Dogs” falls prey to the unnecessary remake trap. For a real psychological thrill it would be better to opt for the original.
Young Man with a Red Tie: A Memoir of Mandela and the Failed Revolution, 1960-63
Book
It is November 1963. The white police state has captured almost all the underground leaders of the...
ED
Events Design and Experience
Book
For the first time Events Design and Experience draws together the relationship between event design...