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I've read a couple of other historical novels by this author, which were quite enjoyable, but not great. I had to review this after finishing this morning as it was so much better and a really rewarding read.
The novel covers the reign of Henry VIII from the point of view of Will Somers, the man who becomes the king's jester or fool. This gives the book a totally different twist and insight from something concentrating on the usual courtly suspects. Will is in the thick of things, with a front row seat in the course of history, if you like, but he's not one of the players in the drama.
The novel is actually written in the first person, and it's very rarely that I like this because in the hands of most authors it is clunky, but here I had to go back and check that this was so, as it seemed so natural.
Obviously, hindsight is a wonderful thing in history and some of the points made are from the point of view of someone with historical hindsight, but there's also a lot of psychological truth in there and you can quite clearly see why characters act the way they do.
Now, my only problem is that MCB was not a writer of authorial afterwords, like many present authors. What I really want to know is how much of the story is true (within the bounds of fictional probability!) and what is fiction/surmise - and what happened to Will Somers next?!
The novel covers the reign of Henry VIII from the point of view of Will Somers, the man who becomes the king's jester or fool. This gives the book a totally different twist and insight from something concentrating on the usual courtly suspects. Will is in the thick of things, with a front row seat in the course of history, if you like, but he's not one of the players in the drama.
The novel is actually written in the first person, and it's very rarely that I like this because in the hands of most authors it is clunky, but here I had to go back and check that this was so, as it seemed so natural.
Obviously, hindsight is a wonderful thing in history and some of the points made are from the point of view of someone with historical hindsight, but there's also a lot of psychological truth in there and you can quite clearly see why characters act the way they do.
Now, my only problem is that MCB was not a writer of authorial afterwords, like many present authors. What I really want to know is how much of the story is true (within the bounds of fictional probability!) and what is fiction/surmise - and what happened to Will Somers next?!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Dead Space in Video Games
Oct 21, 2019
Rachel is Dead
Contains spoilers, click to show
This game, is so great. The plot, the setting, the psychological, the horror, the twist, the ending. Lets talk about it...
The Plot: it puts the player in control of an engineer named Isaac Clarke who fights Necromorphs, monstrous reanimated human corpses, aboard an interstellar mining ship, the USG Ishimura.
The player controls Isaac Clarke, a ship systems engineer who must fight his way through a mining starship infested with an alien scourge. The crew has been slaughtered, and their corpses reanimated into creatures known as "Necromorphs". Various types of Necromorphs appear throughout the game, each with different abilities and requiring different tactics to defeat.
The game has a strong science fiction atmosphere and is set in a spacecraft. It is also set way in the future.
Lets talk about the twist:
This was nothing more than another hallucination from Isaac. He’s gone mad, and in his mind, has somehow turned Nicole into one of them. The real Nicole is still dead.
Finally take the first letter from each mission to reveal a secret message… and it spells out Rachel is Dead, which is a intreating easter egg, that comes true. No one really thought about that, until years laters. To take the first letter from each mission and spell it out.
It is a great twist and when you find out, later on in the game, like close to the end, you are surpised.
I highly reccordmend this game, it is great and horrorfying.
The Plot: it puts the player in control of an engineer named Isaac Clarke who fights Necromorphs, monstrous reanimated human corpses, aboard an interstellar mining ship, the USG Ishimura.
The player controls Isaac Clarke, a ship systems engineer who must fight his way through a mining starship infested with an alien scourge. The crew has been slaughtered, and their corpses reanimated into creatures known as "Necromorphs". Various types of Necromorphs appear throughout the game, each with different abilities and requiring different tactics to defeat.
The game has a strong science fiction atmosphere and is set in a spacecraft. It is also set way in the future.
Lets talk about the twist:
This was nothing more than another hallucination from Isaac. He’s gone mad, and in his mind, has somehow turned Nicole into one of them. The real Nicole is still dead.
Finally take the first letter from each mission to reveal a secret message… and it spells out Rachel is Dead, which is a intreating easter egg, that comes true. No one really thought about that, until years laters. To take the first letter from each mission and spell it out.
It is a great twist and when you find out, later on in the game, like close to the end, you are surpised.
I highly reccordmend this game, it is great and horrorfying.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Lead Me Home in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Lead Me Home by C.S. Savage instantly reminded me of The Blind by A.F. Brady, The Binding Song by Elodie Harper, and The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst all of which also feature an overworked NHS psychiatrist struggling to cope with their demanding roles, who end up going beyond the call of duty in order to protect the most vulnerable.
In this book, Dr Clancy Mclean has her suspicions about a couple of her psychotic patients. One of which, Beth, is convinced she is being stalked and her health is declining rapidly. Feeling forced to take it upon herself to protect Beth, Clancy irresponsibly brings Beth home to stay with her and her daughter, Rowan. Er, not allowed!
But teenager Rowan is having troubles of her own, in the form of an abusive ex-boyfriend who will not leave her alone. When she meets her new boyfriend, an older and more mature man, she is so smitten she decides to keep him a secret to prevent her mother interfering ~ at least until she gets to know him better. After all, she met him online. Her mother would never approve.
Would you?
The story is narrated by four characters. Clancy, her daughter Rowan, Beth who is one of Clancy’s patients and an unknown, deranged psycho, who shares his murderous plans in great (and very gruesome) detail.
Reading ‘Lead Me Home’ was like watching an episode of ‘The Wire in the Blood’, based on Val McDermid’s book of the same name ~ tense, gripping and oh, so horrific I could hardly breathe as I raced through to the end.
In fact, this is such a fast-paced, well-written, creepy read, it’s without a doubt one of my favourite psychological thriller’s this year. The psycho’s scenes totally freaked me out and I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite as fast as this one!
When one person fell victim of the psycho, I felt absolutely, and emotionally, sucker-punched! Really, how could the author do that to me? Is this really C.S Savage’s debut novel, because I have to say I can hardly believe that is the case! I loved every minute of reading this. I’ll certainly be looking out for more by this author, and so should you!
Needless to say, I heartily recommend ‘Lead Me Home’, to other lovers of well-written crime fiction! Love creepy, psychological thrillers heavily steeped in horror? Then grab a copy of this book and prepare for a scare!
In this book, Dr Clancy Mclean has her suspicions about a couple of her psychotic patients. One of which, Beth, is convinced she is being stalked and her health is declining rapidly. Feeling forced to take it upon herself to protect Beth, Clancy irresponsibly brings Beth home to stay with her and her daughter, Rowan. Er, not allowed!
But teenager Rowan is having troubles of her own, in the form of an abusive ex-boyfriend who will not leave her alone. When she meets her new boyfriend, an older and more mature man, she is so smitten she decides to keep him a secret to prevent her mother interfering ~ at least until she gets to know him better. After all, she met him online. Her mother would never approve.
Would you?
The story is narrated by four characters. Clancy, her daughter Rowan, Beth who is one of Clancy’s patients and an unknown, deranged psycho, who shares his murderous plans in great (and very gruesome) detail.
Reading ‘Lead Me Home’ was like watching an episode of ‘The Wire in the Blood’, based on Val McDermid’s book of the same name ~ tense, gripping and oh, so horrific I could hardly breathe as I raced through to the end.
In fact, this is such a fast-paced, well-written, creepy read, it’s without a doubt one of my favourite psychological thriller’s this year. The psycho’s scenes totally freaked me out and I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite as fast as this one!
When one person fell victim of the psycho, I felt absolutely, and emotionally, sucker-punched! Really, how could the author do that to me? Is this really C.S Savage’s debut novel, because I have to say I can hardly believe that is the case! I loved every minute of reading this. I’ll certainly be looking out for more by this author, and so should you!
Needless to say, I heartily recommend ‘Lead Me Home’, to other lovers of well-written crime fiction! Love creepy, psychological thrillers heavily steeped in horror? Then grab a copy of this book and prepare for a scare!
This is a dark, psychological thriller about paranoia and disturbing secrets all told within an original plot and from 3 perspectives; Beth, the writer of The List and Ruby.
Beth is a loner with no friends or family to speak of apart from a seemingly ideal boyfriend. She seems to have the perfect life, aside from recurring horrific nightmares, but it soon becomes clear that she has a dark and disturbing past that she is keen to forget and put behind her.
The writer of The List is just that ... but why and what does she have to do with Beth and what are her intentions given that the first two people on The List are dead?
Ruby is a teenager in an institution placed there following her part in a totally heinous and horrific attack on a vulnerable child ... what does she have to do with Beth and the writer of the list?
This is a story that although is a work of fiction, is not beyond the realms of reality unfortunately which makes it a hard and emotional read in places. It's also a slow burner which builds in tension as the whole story emerges and Beth's life unravels and this is the only complaint I have, it wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked with a bit too much description which affected the flow for me but, having said that, I would still recommend to dark, thriller lovers who enjoy reading something a bit different for the norm.
Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest review.
Beth is a loner with no friends or family to speak of apart from a seemingly ideal boyfriend. She seems to have the perfect life, aside from recurring horrific nightmares, but it soon becomes clear that she has a dark and disturbing past that she is keen to forget and put behind her.
The writer of The List is just that ... but why and what does she have to do with Beth and what are her intentions given that the first two people on The List are dead?
Ruby is a teenager in an institution placed there following her part in a totally heinous and horrific attack on a vulnerable child ... what does she have to do with Beth and the writer of the list?
This is a story that although is a work of fiction, is not beyond the realms of reality unfortunately which makes it a hard and emotional read in places. It's also a slow burner which builds in tension as the whole story emerges and Beth's life unravels and this is the only complaint I have, it wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked with a bit too much description which affected the flow for me but, having said that, I would still recommend to dark, thriller lovers who enjoy reading something a bit different for the norm.
Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest review.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Perfect Remains: A Gripping Thriller That Will Leave You Breathless in Books
Aug 30, 2018 (Updated Aug 30, 2018)
Very good, gripping crime novel based in Edinburgh. Recently arrived French detective Luc Callanach finds himself at the wheel of the force's biggest crime, while still trying to find his feet in his new city.
As the reader is made aware of the "murderer"'s identity from very early on, this feels more like an early Mark Billingham book than an Ian Rankin or Ed James. Not a true whodunit, more of a case of watching the story unfold, which is thrilling and you get to see the criminal and the detective's view of the events, but may put others off.
While the story is very well crafted, the pacing is top notch and the action exciting, a few aspects irritated me at times. Luc Callanach seems to have coped very well with his change in circumstances, and at times it is almost like he (or the author) has forgotten he is French completely! And also the attitude and conclusions of what was supposed to be a very experienced psychological profiler just didn't feel plausible. And finally, as so often happens with "detective x crime series" books - if the main character didn't see it, it didn't happen. This means that Callanach has to abandon his massive case and oddly decide to go off with another detective in order to discuss something, purely as a plot device - i.e. he has to be involved in it for it to be an important part of the story. In places this worked, and got to the point, but at other times his actions just seemed so unusual as to be ludicrous, just to meet a plot point. Why the lesser characters can't have a PoV chapter is beyond me. It works perfectly well in fantasy fiction, why not in crime?!
However these were minor quibbles, an otherwise great book.
As the reader is made aware of the "murderer"'s identity from very early on, this feels more like an early Mark Billingham book than an Ian Rankin or Ed James. Not a true whodunit, more of a case of watching the story unfold, which is thrilling and you get to see the criminal and the detective's view of the events, but may put others off.
While the story is very well crafted, the pacing is top notch and the action exciting, a few aspects irritated me at times. Luc Callanach seems to have coped very well with his change in circumstances, and at times it is almost like he (or the author) has forgotten he is French completely! And also the attitude and conclusions of what was supposed to be a very experienced psychological profiler just didn't feel plausible. And finally, as so often happens with "detective x crime series" books - if the main character didn't see it, it didn't happen. This means that Callanach has to abandon his massive case and oddly decide to go off with another detective in order to discuss something, purely as a plot device - i.e. he has to be involved in it for it to be an important part of the story. In places this worked, and got to the point, but at other times his actions just seemed so unusual as to be ludicrous, just to meet a plot point. Why the lesser characters can't have a PoV chapter is beyond me. It works perfectly well in fantasy fiction, why not in crime?!
However these were minor quibbles, an otherwise great book.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated How to Walk Away in Books
May 22, 2018
Touching read that hooked me immediately
Margaret Jacobsen is working on the perfect life she's always dreamed of: ideal job; handsome fiance, Chip; beautiful condo; and more. But that all changes in the blink of an eye, and Margaret wakes up in the ICU. Once there, she realizes how bad things really are. She's assigned a physical therapist, Ian, that even the nurses do not want her to have. He's gruff and unpleasant and barely speaks a word--the exact opposite of Margaret. The crash also brings back her wayward older sister Kitty, who hasn't spoken to the family in three years. However, Margaret recognizes she needs all the help she can get to heal--physically and emotionally-and move on with her life.
This was a fascinating and fun book, despite its serious subject matter. It had the unique ability to draw me in, even when I knew where it would go and wind up from practically the beginning. It reminded me how much I enjoy women's fiction, which I feel like I have pushed to the wayside a bit lately for thrillers and psychological fiction, the "it" genre du jour.
Anyway, it took me some time to warm up to Margaret, whose outgoing and chatty self is the complete opposite of me. However, I could identify with her need for perfection in her life, her unwillingness to fail, and her desperate desire to please those around her, especially her parents. She was a very real character, with her ability and need to fantasize about ideal situations and coming out on top when she wasn't in the best position. She was funny at times, but also serious, and it was so easy to root for her.
The other characters in the novel were dynamic, especially Ian and Kitty, if not a bit polarizing. The mothers (Margaret's and Chip's) are just awful, to the point where I wanted to shake them at times. I know Margaret's probably meant well, but good grief! There's a lot of sideline drama with Margaret's family, most of which proves a good accompaniment to Margaret's issues. It's a very emotional read, making it easy to grow attached to the likeable characters (and to dislike the "bad" ones). I was definitely along for the ride and caught up in Margaret's life, health, and drama.
Overall, this was a touching read with interesting and fun characters that hooked me immediately, even if I could see where it was heading.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This was a fascinating and fun book, despite its serious subject matter. It had the unique ability to draw me in, even when I knew where it would go and wind up from practically the beginning. It reminded me how much I enjoy women's fiction, which I feel like I have pushed to the wayside a bit lately for thrillers and psychological fiction, the "it" genre du jour.
Anyway, it took me some time to warm up to Margaret, whose outgoing and chatty self is the complete opposite of me. However, I could identify with her need for perfection in her life, her unwillingness to fail, and her desperate desire to please those around her, especially her parents. She was a very real character, with her ability and need to fantasize about ideal situations and coming out on top when she wasn't in the best position. She was funny at times, but also serious, and it was so easy to root for her.
The other characters in the novel were dynamic, especially Ian and Kitty, if not a bit polarizing. The mothers (Margaret's and Chip's) are just awful, to the point where I wanted to shake them at times. I know Margaret's probably meant well, but good grief! There's a lot of sideline drama with Margaret's family, most of which proves a good accompaniment to Margaret's issues. It's a very emotional read, making it easy to grow attached to the likeable characters (and to dislike the "bad" ones). I was definitely along for the ride and caught up in Margaret's life, health, and drama.
Overall, this was a touching read with interesting and fun characters that hooked me immediately, even if I could see where it was heading.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Elizas in Books
Apr 12, 2018
Fun book-within-a-book psychological thriller
Eliza Fontaine heads to Palm Springs and finds herself at the bottom of the hotel pool. Eliza can't swim, and her family assumes this was yet another one of Eliza's failed suicide attempts, as she has a history of winding up at the bottom of swimming pools. But Eliza swears this time was different; yes, she was drinking that evening, but she's sure someone pushed her, even if she can't remember exactly how she wound up at the pool or even the hotel bar. The sole witness is the man who rescued her, so Eliza tracks him down. But as they attempt to figure out what happened, Eliza only grows more confused. She's about to get her first novel published, and it seems as if events from the novel are intertwining with her life. She thought her novel was fiction, but now she's bewildered, feeling followed, and wondering if she's finally losing her mind for good.
This was an odd little book and not at all what I was expecting. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, and the more I think about it, the more I should have realized that Sara Shepard is quite masterful at playing with our minds. This is actually almost two books in one: we get the novel itself; as well excerpts from The Dots, Eliza's debut novel, which is set to be published a few weeks after she's found in the pool. As we get deeper and deeper into The Dots, we're left to wonder how much its protagonist, Dot, is like Eliza--where does Eliza end and Dot begin?
It's really quite an ingenious setup and it's quite fun. I actually really liked the excerpts more at times. The novel revolves around the confusing question of identity, as Eliza struggles to figure out who she is and what she remembers about her life and past. My only struggle was that Eliza does a lot of thinking (aka talking or narrating) and I lost interest at some points when she talked on a bit. Still, most of the time, this was a pretty suspenseful book; it's certainly "trippy" and often confusing, as you work to puzzle out things alongside Eliza. I definitely didn't have everything figured out immediately, though I worked most things out as I went along.
Overall, this is a quick read (I read the entire thing during during two consecutive plane rides), and the book-within-a-book setup is fun and adds to the suspense. This isn't a read for those who love intricate, deeply plotted thrillers, but it's enjoyable and compelling and perfect for YA fans looking for a psychological thriller. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; more at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
This was an odd little book and not at all what I was expecting. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, and the more I think about it, the more I should have realized that Sara Shepard is quite masterful at playing with our minds. This is actually almost two books in one: we get the novel itself; as well excerpts from The Dots, Eliza's debut novel, which is set to be published a few weeks after she's found in the pool. As we get deeper and deeper into The Dots, we're left to wonder how much its protagonist, Dot, is like Eliza--where does Eliza end and Dot begin?
It's really quite an ingenious setup and it's quite fun. I actually really liked the excerpts more at times. The novel revolves around the confusing question of identity, as Eliza struggles to figure out who she is and what she remembers about her life and past. My only struggle was that Eliza does a lot of thinking (aka talking or narrating) and I lost interest at some points when she talked on a bit. Still, most of the time, this was a pretty suspenseful book; it's certainly "trippy" and often confusing, as you work to puzzle out things alongside Eliza. I definitely didn't have everything figured out immediately, though I worked most things out as I went along.
Overall, this is a quick read (I read the entire thing during during two consecutive plane rides), and the book-within-a-book setup is fun and adds to the suspense. This isn't a read for those who love intricate, deeply plotted thrillers, but it's enjoyable and compelling and perfect for YA fans looking for a psychological thriller. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; more at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Videodrome (1983) in Movies
Sep 8, 2020
First It Controls Your Mind Than It Destorys Your Body
Holy shit this movie is good. The effects, the psychological espect, the sci-fi, the horror, the suspense, the mystery and James Woods.
The Plot: As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend (Deborah Harry) auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.
Distributed by Universal Pictures, Videodrome was the first film by Cronenberg to gain backing from any major Hollywood studio. With the highest budget of any of his films to date, the film was a box-office bomb, recouping only $2.1 million from a $5.9 million budget.
Now considered a cult classic, the film has been cited as one of Cronenberg's best, and a key example of the body horror and science fiction horror genres.
The basis for the film came from David Cronenberg's childhood. Cronenberg used to pick up television signals from Buffalo, New York, late at night after Canadian stations had gone off the air, and worry he might see something disturbing not meant for public consumption.
After the box office success of Scanners, Cronenberg turned down the chance of directing Return of the Jedi, having had no desire to direct material produced by other filmmakers.
When it came to casting the character of Max Renn, Cronenberg chose James Woods, who was a fan of Rabid and Scanners and met with the actor in Beverly Hills to offer him the part, and liked the fact that Woods was very articulate in terms of delivery.
Its a excellent movie and a must see, same with david cronenberg's early horror films.
The Plot: As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend (Deborah Harry) auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.
Distributed by Universal Pictures, Videodrome was the first film by Cronenberg to gain backing from any major Hollywood studio. With the highest budget of any of his films to date, the film was a box-office bomb, recouping only $2.1 million from a $5.9 million budget.
Now considered a cult classic, the film has been cited as one of Cronenberg's best, and a key example of the body horror and science fiction horror genres.
The basis for the film came from David Cronenberg's childhood. Cronenberg used to pick up television signals from Buffalo, New York, late at night after Canadian stations had gone off the air, and worry he might see something disturbing not meant for public consumption.
After the box office success of Scanners, Cronenberg turned down the chance of directing Return of the Jedi, having had no desire to direct material produced by other filmmakers.
When it came to casting the character of Max Renn, Cronenberg chose James Woods, who was a fan of Rabid and Scanners and met with the actor in Beverly Hills to offer him the part, and liked the fact that Woods was very articulate in terms of delivery.
Its a excellent movie and a must see, same with david cronenberg's early horror films.
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
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated One True Loves in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Emma Blair and Jesse Lerner are high school sweethearts. They marry in their twenties, move to California, and leave their family and stifling Massachusetts hometown far behind. They travel the world together and seem destined for a long and happy life. But on their first wedding anniversary, Jesse's helicopter goes missing. Suddenly, Emma's happy life is torn apart. Jesse is gone, and she's not sure how to move on.
So Emma moves back home. To her parents, her sister, and all the expectations that comes with them. She eventually picks herself up and starts to live life without Jesse. One day she runs into an old high school, friend, and they fall in love, eventually becoming engaged. It seems as if Emma is getting a second chance at the happiness she so dearly wanted, albeit in a very different form. But then she gets a call-- out of the blue. It's Jesse. He's alive and he's been attempting all these years to get back to his beloved Emma: his wife. Emma's world is turned upside down yet again. She's faced with a huge decision: who is her true love?
I picked up this novel for a change of pace, and it was exactly that. It's not altogether light and fluffy: it deals with some deep themes, but it's no mystery or psychological women's fiction, either. It was an easy, fast read, which I read while on vacation, and it suited my needs to a tee. The plot was interesting, though completely far-fetched, and you just sort have to suspend disbelief going in if you want to enjoy it. Reid's writing is a little stilted (a lot of telling versus showing) but I grew to enjoy Emma, even if her dilemma was a bit insane. I won't spoil the plot, as basically the book revolves around Emma's choice, but it was certainly interesting and intriguing to watch Emma come to her conclusion. If you're looking for a quick read, say for a beach vacation or airplane diversion, this book is ideal.
I received a copy of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/07/2016.
So Emma moves back home. To her parents, her sister, and all the expectations that comes with them. She eventually picks herself up and starts to live life without Jesse. One day she runs into an old high school, friend, and they fall in love, eventually becoming engaged. It seems as if Emma is getting a second chance at the happiness she so dearly wanted, albeit in a very different form. But then she gets a call-- out of the blue. It's Jesse. He's alive and he's been attempting all these years to get back to his beloved Emma: his wife. Emma's world is turned upside down yet again. She's faced with a huge decision: who is her true love?
I picked up this novel for a change of pace, and it was exactly that. It's not altogether light and fluffy: it deals with some deep themes, but it's no mystery or psychological women's fiction, either. It was an easy, fast read, which I read while on vacation, and it suited my needs to a tee. The plot was interesting, though completely far-fetched, and you just sort have to suspend disbelief going in if you want to enjoy it. Reid's writing is a little stilted (a lot of telling versus showing) but I grew to enjoy Emma, even if her dilemma was a bit insane. I won't spoil the plot, as basically the book revolves around Emma's choice, but it was certainly interesting and intriguing to watch Emma come to her conclusion. If you're looking for a quick read, say for a beach vacation or airplane diversion, this book is ideal.
I received a copy of this novel from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/07/2016.