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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Ancient Fall in Books
Jun 28, 2019
Jaime Lee Mann continues to enchant readers in the seventh book in the Legend of Rhyme series.Ancient Fall begins with the characters in various states of confusion. Twins, Ariana and Asher, find themselves lost in an ice-covered land and their mentors have vanished into thin air. Other characters are desperately trying to return to the magical realm of Coraira, however, the land appears to have died. Not only has Coraira been destroyed, but the Earth is not faring much better.
The Ancients have failed to look after the world and the humans, under a dark curse, have been abusing the planet for centuries. Mother Earth has decided to fight back. If she wins, it will mean the end of human life. By removing the powerful Ancients, Mother Earth does not think anyone will be able to stop her, however, she underestimates the heirs of Elora and Larque who join together to attempt to lift the curse. The only problem is, they are running out of time.
In the previous books, the main goal has been to protect the twins - of which there is more than one set - because they have a vital role in the future of the land of Rhyme. The fight has always been between good and evil, however, things are different in this final(?) book. Most of the baddies have been defeated and it is Mother Earth that is the antagonist. But is Mother Earth really evil? For years, humans have been polluting the world beyond repair and destroying everything is the only way Mother Earth can end her pain.
Although Ancient Fall is a work of fiction, it strikes close to the truth of the current predicament our own world is facing. Unless we completely change our ways, we will destroy the Earth and everything on it. Unfortunately, unlike Ariana, Asher and friends, we do not have magic on our side.
Admittedly, the last few books of the series have felt a little tedious, the story being dragged out to involve more and more characters. Once reading the seventh installation, however, the importance of each character becomes clear as they join together in a battle against nature.
Until now, Jaime Lee Mann has subtly alluded to issues relating to pollution and climate change, however, now the references are obvious. Children (or adults) will be thinking about the planet whilst they read and enjoy the storyline. If only Ariana and Asher were real!
The Ancients have failed to look after the world and the humans, under a dark curse, have been abusing the planet for centuries. Mother Earth has decided to fight back. If she wins, it will mean the end of human life. By removing the powerful Ancients, Mother Earth does not think anyone will be able to stop her, however, she underestimates the heirs of Elora and Larque who join together to attempt to lift the curse. The only problem is, they are running out of time.
In the previous books, the main goal has been to protect the twins - of which there is more than one set - because they have a vital role in the future of the land of Rhyme. The fight has always been between good and evil, however, things are different in this final(?) book. Most of the baddies have been defeated and it is Mother Earth that is the antagonist. But is Mother Earth really evil? For years, humans have been polluting the world beyond repair and destroying everything is the only way Mother Earth can end her pain.
Although Ancient Fall is a work of fiction, it strikes close to the truth of the current predicament our own world is facing. Unless we completely change our ways, we will destroy the Earth and everything on it. Unfortunately, unlike Ariana, Asher and friends, we do not have magic on our side.
Admittedly, the last few books of the series have felt a little tedious, the story being dragged out to involve more and more characters. Once reading the seventh installation, however, the importance of each character becomes clear as they join together in a battle against nature.
Until now, Jaime Lee Mann has subtly alluded to issues relating to pollution and climate change, however, now the references are obvious. Children (or adults) will be thinking about the planet whilst they read and enjoy the storyline. If only Ariana and Asher were real!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Beats (2019) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
When this came up as an Unlimited Screening I shrugged my shoulders and booked my ticket. I didn't know anything about it and the very brief synopsis I read didn't really change that.
Johnno and Spanner are life long friends. Johnno is sensible and has a relatively stable family life while Spanner is suffering from living in his brother's criminal shadow.
When Spanner finds out that Johnno's mum is moving them up in the world to a new house with her policeman boyfriend he's devastated and steals money from his brother to fuel one last great night out for them both.
Firstly, I can't for the life of me work out why this was filmed in black and white, from personal recollections 1994 was pretty colourful, even in Scotland. The only reason I can conclude, as a viewer, is so that they could add a tie-dye electric nightmare at the rave to illustrate the drug-fuelled euphoria in a rather predictable visual way. Neither particularly added anything to the proceedings.
The highlight when it came to the acting in Beats was Lorn Macdonald as Spanner. The different sides of his character were shown so well. We get a peek at the person Johnno knows him to be and not the person he's perceived to be. Macdonald managed to bring a vulnerability to Spanner and reminded us that friends are the family you choose.
Johnno as a character confused me a bit, he was all over the place. Quiet and shy for the most part with the odd outburst that didn't feel like they fit the situation. Cristian Ortega wasn't bad in this part but the muddled character traits throughout left me cold to Johnno.
Beats obviously contains a lot of music and I was pleased that it wasn't always played a full volume. We open with the pair dancing to music and you expect it to be excessively loud. They kept it at a relatively low level but managed to give you the impression it was louder by the way everyone reacted to it. I can't work out whether that was a good or a bad way to start because I keep pondering on that point, being loud would have been accurate but I probably would have been grumbling about that fact right now.
The rave itself felt very accurate but it was tremendously difficult to watch. It really gave you the impression that you were in it, the only trouble with that is that when you are actually in it you're not trying to watch what's happening. Perhaps we could have cranked it up and had audience participation.
Beats is a story of friendship that happens to coincide with a time of change for the music scene in Scotland. There are touching moments in it, mainly around Spanner, but the rest of the film felt like it was trying to be too artistic. There's probably a very niche audience of music lovers out there for this but there were just too many moments that made me frown to give this a higher rating.
On the topic of ratings, as a final point... Beats was rated 18 and I would assume that this was for the drug use and domestic violence. This is me being numb to all things offensive I guess but it really didn't feel like it needed an 18.
What you should do
If you were/are partial to a rave then give this a go, but it's not something I'd generally recommend.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd love the energy to party like that... what a distant memory.
Johnno and Spanner are life long friends. Johnno is sensible and has a relatively stable family life while Spanner is suffering from living in his brother's criminal shadow.
When Spanner finds out that Johnno's mum is moving them up in the world to a new house with her policeman boyfriend he's devastated and steals money from his brother to fuel one last great night out for them both.
Firstly, I can't for the life of me work out why this was filmed in black and white, from personal recollections 1994 was pretty colourful, even in Scotland. The only reason I can conclude, as a viewer, is so that they could add a tie-dye electric nightmare at the rave to illustrate the drug-fuelled euphoria in a rather predictable visual way. Neither particularly added anything to the proceedings.
The highlight when it came to the acting in Beats was Lorn Macdonald as Spanner. The different sides of his character were shown so well. We get a peek at the person Johnno knows him to be and not the person he's perceived to be. Macdonald managed to bring a vulnerability to Spanner and reminded us that friends are the family you choose.
Johnno as a character confused me a bit, he was all over the place. Quiet and shy for the most part with the odd outburst that didn't feel like they fit the situation. Cristian Ortega wasn't bad in this part but the muddled character traits throughout left me cold to Johnno.
Beats obviously contains a lot of music and I was pleased that it wasn't always played a full volume. We open with the pair dancing to music and you expect it to be excessively loud. They kept it at a relatively low level but managed to give you the impression it was louder by the way everyone reacted to it. I can't work out whether that was a good or a bad way to start because I keep pondering on that point, being loud would have been accurate but I probably would have been grumbling about that fact right now.
The rave itself felt very accurate but it was tremendously difficult to watch. It really gave you the impression that you were in it, the only trouble with that is that when you are actually in it you're not trying to watch what's happening. Perhaps we could have cranked it up and had audience participation.
Beats is a story of friendship that happens to coincide with a time of change for the music scene in Scotland. There are touching moments in it, mainly around Spanner, but the rest of the film felt like it was trying to be too artistic. There's probably a very niche audience of music lovers out there for this but there were just too many moments that made me frown to give this a higher rating.
On the topic of ratings, as a final point... Beats was rated 18 and I would assume that this was for the drug use and domestic violence. This is me being numb to all things offensive I guess but it really didn't feel like it needed an 18.
What you should do
If you were/are partial to a rave then give this a go, but it's not something I'd generally recommend.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd love the energy to party like that... what a distant memory.
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Ali A (82 KP) rated Deathless Divide in Books
Mar 3, 2020
Epic Feminist Western with Zombies
After the fall of Kansas survivalist town Summerland, Jane McKeene, Katherine Deveraux, and their group set off to what they hope is a better opportunity at life. But of course, life is never easy, especially while surviving in 1880's America with the restless dead. On the road to a protected village called Nicodermus, the group suffers a loss. Then, what appears at first to be a safe haven, Nicodermus becomes filled with lies and mystery.
The group becomes separated and Jane soon finds herself on a path filled with darkness and blood while Katherine does everything she can to continue on. Katherine never expected to be friends with Jane McKeene, but after everything she's been through, she knows friends are hard to come by; her best friend, Jane, needs her now more than ever. When the duo reach a critical point, Katherine is the one who must keep hope alive so they can survive.
I enjoyed this book so much. My heart broke for Jane and all the hardship she had to go through, but I loved the badass fighter she became. The story arc she has through this novel kept me intrigued to see it to the end. Katherine however, really stole the show for me. Just having her be there as an ace character doing her thing and surviving - all while wearing a corset - is amazing. Also her love for stubborn and sometimes unflinching Jane is heartwarming; she's loyal to Jane no matter what, even when Jane tries to push her away. I respected Jane but I admired Katherine. Both girls are such badass characters for me and I love them both so much.
I'll try not to mention anything major about the story line, but it's pretty good to say the book splits between "Nicodermus" and "After Nicodermus." "After Nicodermus" leads in directions I would have never guessed and it had me turning page after page. It's intense. New, interesting characters are also introduced, many of whom were just as interesting as Jane and Katherine (I would have loved to see more of Carolina and Katherine's friendship).
Even with the back and forth between each chapter of Jane and Katherine's POVs in Deathless Divide, it has, just like Dread Nation, such an incredible, strong narrative. The way that Justina Ireland writes blows me away. Both characters give the reader so much to connect and hold onto.
I absolutely loved the ending of this book as well. I was so concerned in the last 75 pages or so that it wouldn't end well - not because I didn't want another one (at this point, I will read anything Justina Ireland writes I just love her writing so much), but because I was worried I was going to have to wait another two years before I found out after being left with a cliff hanger. Ireland was able to write the end perfectly that I was happy with the wrap-up of Jane's story.
Deathless Divide is a book I will now always recommend (of course after one reads Dread Nation). It has strong, independent, black, female, queer characters. It addresses issues of racism, sexism, mental health, and the meaning of surviving. The story is an easy and fast-paced read with characters that, as a reader, one can fall in love with.
The group becomes separated and Jane soon finds herself on a path filled with darkness and blood while Katherine does everything she can to continue on. Katherine never expected to be friends with Jane McKeene, but after everything she's been through, she knows friends are hard to come by; her best friend, Jane, needs her now more than ever. When the duo reach a critical point, Katherine is the one who must keep hope alive so they can survive.
I enjoyed this book so much. My heart broke for Jane and all the hardship she had to go through, but I loved the badass fighter she became. The story arc she has through this novel kept me intrigued to see it to the end. Katherine however, really stole the show for me. Just having her be there as an ace character doing her thing and surviving - all while wearing a corset - is amazing. Also her love for stubborn and sometimes unflinching Jane is heartwarming; she's loyal to Jane no matter what, even when Jane tries to push her away. I respected Jane but I admired Katherine. Both girls are such badass characters for me and I love them both so much.
I'll try not to mention anything major about the story line, but it's pretty good to say the book splits between "Nicodermus" and "After Nicodermus." "After Nicodermus" leads in directions I would have never guessed and it had me turning page after page. It's intense. New, interesting characters are also introduced, many of whom were just as interesting as Jane and Katherine (I would have loved to see more of Carolina and Katherine's friendship).
Even with the back and forth between each chapter of Jane and Katherine's POVs in Deathless Divide, it has, just like Dread Nation, such an incredible, strong narrative. The way that Justina Ireland writes blows me away. Both characters give the reader so much to connect and hold onto.
I absolutely loved the ending of this book as well. I was so concerned in the last 75 pages or so that it wouldn't end well - not because I didn't want another one (at this point, I will read anything Justina Ireland writes I just love her writing so much), but because I was worried I was going to have to wait another two years before I found out after being left with a cliff hanger. Ireland was able to write the end perfectly that I was happy with the wrap-up of Jane's story.
Deathless Divide is a book I will now always recommend (of course after one reads Dread Nation). It has strong, independent, black, female, queer characters. It addresses issues of racism, sexism, mental health, and the meaning of surviving. The story is an easy and fast-paced read with characters that, as a reader, one can fall in love with.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Look For Me in Books
Apr 9, 2019
DD Warren is trying to find out who has killed the Baez family. Mother, Justine; her boyfriend, Charlie; her youngest daughter, Lola; and her only son, Manny. But there is another child, Roxanna, as well as two dogs, Rosie and Blaze. Where are they? Did Roxanna do this to her family? If so, why? But Roxy was the protector of the family. Her mom is a recovering alcoholic and when she was drinking Roxy made sure her siblings ate and made it to school. When the state took the kids away from Justine for a year, this role for Roxy became more prominent. After that year, the girls were never the same. Did something happen during their year in foster care that could have warranted this kind of violence? Will DD be able to find the person or people responsible for this before more people are killed? Will her new CI, Flora Dane prove to be helpful or detrimental to this case?
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I made the request from NetGalley for this book, I was intrigued by the description and didn't know that this was the 9th book in the series. I don't think that I needed to read the entire series to get into this book, but I'm sure the background on some of the characters would have been helpful. So, I'm definitely going to go back now and read the rest of the series.
Can you imagine coming home and finding your whole family dead? Your younger sister clutching your brother in order to protect him from a crazy killer? How do you come back from that? Over the course of a few days Detective DD Warren is trying to find out who could do such a thing to this family. With the help of confidential informant, Flora Dane, will they be able to find the killer as well as find Roxana before it's too late. Who would want to hurt these people? What did they do? So many questions and the answers can't come fast enough, until they all do come crashing into one another in one fell swoop.
I can't wait to read more books in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I made the request from NetGalley for this book, I was intrigued by the description and didn't know that this was the 9th book in the series. I don't think that I needed to read the entire series to get into this book, but I'm sure the background on some of the characters would have been helpful. So, I'm definitely going to go back now and read the rest of the series.
Can you imagine coming home and finding your whole family dead? Your younger sister clutching your brother in order to protect him from a crazy killer? How do you come back from that? Over the course of a few days Detective DD Warren is trying to find out who could do such a thing to this family. With the help of confidential informant, Flora Dane, will they be able to find the killer as well as find Roxana before it's too late. Who would want to hurt these people? What did they do? So many questions and the answers can't come fast enough, until they all do come crashing into one another in one fell swoop.
I can't wait to read more books in this series.
Merissa (13770 KP) rated The Cryptic Prophecy (Etherya's Earth #6) in Books
Apr 7, 2022 (Updated Jun 26, 2023)
THE CRYPTIC PROPHECY is the sixth book in the Etherya's Earth series, but the first one that follows the children of our favourite characters! This time, it's Callie -- the daughter of Arderin and Darkrip, who is also the starring character in an Elven Prophecy that alienates her from her peers, leaving her wide open for being used by others.
Although other characters are in here, the focus is on Callie and Brecken, plus their families. No worries though, because that also includes Callie's parents (in case you were having Darkrip withdrawals!). He's a bit of a one here when he goes in 'I'm your father and I know what's best for you' mode, but Arderin and Callie soon shake that notion from him. Those scenes were so much fun to read!
Brecken is the sole male in his family, his father having died years before. He adores his mum and will do anything for his sisters, including writing the most beautiful love letters to Callie, on behalf of someone else! I don't want to talk about 'the other man' though - he doesn't deserve the page space!! Brecken is well-deserving of his nickname Shakespeare and made my heart melt with every letter!
Tatiana plays a bigger role and finally picks a side, which opens up the way the following books will go. I did wonder where we'd be going next, but now, I'm fully on board and (once again) can't wait to read more.
Callie and Brecken are steaming-hot, whilst also being caring, loving, and romantic enough to make anyone's cold, dead heart beat again. I have absolutely adored this series but I think Callie and Brecken are my new favourites.
Oh, and that prophecy? It's fulfilled but not in the way you suspect, and that's ALL I'm going to say. If you want to know more - read the book!!! Just remember to start at book one though, so you get the full experience. Trust me, you won't regret it.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 5, 2022
Although other characters are in here, the focus is on Callie and Brecken, plus their families. No worries though, because that also includes Callie's parents (in case you were having Darkrip withdrawals!). He's a bit of a one here when he goes in 'I'm your father and I know what's best for you' mode, but Arderin and Callie soon shake that notion from him. Those scenes were so much fun to read!
Brecken is the sole male in his family, his father having died years before. He adores his mum and will do anything for his sisters, including writing the most beautiful love letters to Callie, on behalf of someone else! I don't want to talk about 'the other man' though - he doesn't deserve the page space!! Brecken is well-deserving of his nickname Shakespeare and made my heart melt with every letter!
Tatiana plays a bigger role and finally picks a side, which opens up the way the following books will go. I did wonder where we'd be going next, but now, I'm fully on board and (once again) can't wait to read more.
Callie and Brecken are steaming-hot, whilst also being caring, loving, and romantic enough to make anyone's cold, dead heart beat again. I have absolutely adored this series but I think Callie and Brecken are my new favourites.
Oh, and that prophecy? It's fulfilled but not in the way you suspect, and that's ALL I'm going to say. If you want to know more - read the book!!! Just remember to start at book one though, so you get the full experience. Trust me, you won't regret it.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 5, 2022
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Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Trophy Wife (The Dumont Diaries, #0.5-5) in Books
Feb 8, 2018
MMM, this is a hard one, on the one hand, I very much enjoyed Trophy Wife and on the other, there was some real no no's that totally turn me off when it comes to erotic fiction.
This is the main reason I've marked it down in my ratings.
Now obviously what sinks my ship may float your boat and more, we are all different and you may find my reasons don't bother you at all.
Now there are gonna be some teeny spoilers ahead as It's major unavoidable if I am going to explain why I've marked this down.
My major hard limit
CHEATING!!!!!
and not only cheating, the fact that no one's really bothered and I know this may seem a bit boring, but I like my Lover & Lovee to save the honey for each other, no excuses, no we were on a break and definitely no contact of any kind whatsoever, no exceptions and that means kissing also.
Why you might ask.
BECAUSE THERE MEANT TO BE BLOODY IN LOVE!!!!!!
or getting there at least and I'm a die hard romantic like that.
So yes no bodily contact with others while still being as filthy as downright sin is the flavour I like to see in my reading.
So, of course, this is where Trophy Wife let me down a bit, I maybe could have overlooked this if either Nathan or Candy had got their knickers in a twist diva style or something to that effect, but no let's brush it under the carpet like it never happened, and yes it's still cheating in my book when he takes his ex-girlfriend back and sleeps with her while still being married to Candy.
So the poor boy needed to get his leg over with his ex to decide he's in love with his wife geez!!
What happened did a shag unlock his brain.
And I do know that Candy is not exactly innocent either, They both behaved like a pair of absolute bloody pillocks in my opinion.
The second thing I had an issue with was the car incident. I have nothing against voyeurism at all but when Nathan gets candy to perform a certain service for his business associate and calls her a derogatory name in front of him well this wasn't hot or sexy one iota I was cringing in shame for the poor girl, awful behaviour.
The third and final thing and it may seem a tad silly but it's the name CANDY!!!
I hate it, it sounds like a stereotypical strippers name, which I know Candy is, but couldn't the poor girl have had something more sophisticated than Candy.
Despite my above bugbears, I really did like the rest of this book. It was mucky as hell and hot hot hot.
The story flowed brilliantly and I especially loved seeing the inner thoughts of both Candy & Nathan.
I feel that we needed to see inside Nathan's head as well as if I hadn't I don't know if I could have warmed to him at all.
He was such a dominant man, his vulnerability was so well hidden that it was his musings inside is own head that showed he had a softer side.
Trophy Wife by Alessandra Torre gets a three & half from me a great read with some issues that for me are just personal preferences.
You they might not affect at all.
Trophy Wife is currently free on KU.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
This is the main reason I've marked it down in my ratings.
Now obviously what sinks my ship may float your boat and more, we are all different and you may find my reasons don't bother you at all.
Now there are gonna be some teeny spoilers ahead as It's major unavoidable if I am going to explain why I've marked this down.
My major hard limit
CHEATING!!!!!
and not only cheating, the fact that no one's really bothered and I know this may seem a bit boring, but I like my Lover & Lovee to save the honey for each other, no excuses, no we were on a break and definitely no contact of any kind whatsoever, no exceptions and that means kissing also.
Why you might ask.
BECAUSE THERE MEANT TO BE BLOODY IN LOVE!!!!!!
or getting there at least and I'm a die hard romantic like that.
So yes no bodily contact with others while still being as filthy as downright sin is the flavour I like to see in my reading.
So, of course, this is where Trophy Wife let me down a bit, I maybe could have overlooked this if either Nathan or Candy had got their knickers in a twist diva style or something to that effect, but no let's brush it under the carpet like it never happened, and yes it's still cheating in my book when he takes his ex-girlfriend back and sleeps with her while still being married to Candy.
So the poor boy needed to get his leg over with his ex to decide he's in love with his wife geez!!
What happened did a shag unlock his brain.
And I do know that Candy is not exactly innocent either, They both behaved like a pair of absolute bloody pillocks in my opinion.
The second thing I had an issue with was the car incident. I have nothing against voyeurism at all but when Nathan gets candy to perform a certain service for his business associate and calls her a derogatory name in front of him well this wasn't hot or sexy one iota I was cringing in shame for the poor girl, awful behaviour.
The third and final thing and it may seem a tad silly but it's the name CANDY!!!
I hate it, it sounds like a stereotypical strippers name, which I know Candy is, but couldn't the poor girl have had something more sophisticated than Candy.
Despite my above bugbears, I really did like the rest of this book. It was mucky as hell and hot hot hot.
The story flowed brilliantly and I especially loved seeing the inner thoughts of both Candy & Nathan.
I feel that we needed to see inside Nathan's head as well as if I hadn't I don't know if I could have warmed to him at all.
He was such a dominant man, his vulnerability was so well hidden that it was his musings inside is own head that showed he had a softer side.
Trophy Wife by Alessandra Torre gets a three & half from me a great read with some issues that for me are just personal preferences.
You they might not affect at all.
Trophy Wife is currently free on KU.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
Janeeny (200 KP) rated Vesper Flights in Books
Sep 7, 2021
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Vesper Flights is Helen Macdonald’s latest book chronicling her relationship with nature. This is slightly different from her previous books in the respect it’s not a linear narrative but a collection of essays that also explores “The human relationship with nature”.
We are given more of an insight into Macdonald’s upbringing as she regales us with anecdotes of emotional journeys to her childhood home and dark episodes on a falcon breeding farm in Wales. Her passion for nature and the natural world comes across strongly, without sermonising. In one chapter she mentions Fox hunting and how she’s morally opposed to it, without admonishing those that do partake in it. A common thread throughout the essays is how we can be so involved with the conservation of nature yet still be so detached from it. Admittedly it’s something that I’ve never even thought about before, so I’ll be paying more attention to the way I interact with the world around me from now on.
.
One thing that seems to draw me in with Mcdonald’s writing is that there always seems to be an underlying sadness in the way she writes. Even when she’s partaking in a stunning bird-watching event, she never quite gives herself over to the joy and excitement of that moment. At one point after reading how she once covered herself in mud and twigs and stalked a herd of cows I just wanted to put my arms around her and ask if she’s ok. (Oddly enough in the same chapter there is a very dark incident with a dying Ostrich, but it was the incident with the cows that worried me most)
I’d be interested to read something Macdonald wrote before her father passed away. It is obvious that the death of her father did have a profound effect on her, and it would be curious to see if that is also what has influenced this mournful quality in her writing.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a critique in any way I like the way she can convey the melancholy of a murmuration. As a perpetually positive person, I do need to be prodded with the emotion stick every now and again.
There is a line in one of the essays “I shouldn’t do it also because pulling at your heart on purpose is a compulsion as particular and disconcerting as pressing on a healing bruise” so maybe she gets some cathartic pleasure from heartache. I’m envious; I lost both my parents within a few years of each other and I find it very hard to engage in any strong emotions regarding this. I miss them, but I think my innate ability to detach myself from unpleasant situations has worked a little too well here and I can’t articulate exactly how that makes me feel.
Woah, so that was a major digression, let’s put that brick back and summarise the review, shall we?
After reading Vesper Flights, even if you don’t like the whole book, I defy you not to have a favourite chapter. It’s close but I think I liked ‘Goats’ the best, as not only is it a funny story, but you can practically hear the little smile as Macdonald reminisces about her dad
Vesper Flights is Helen Macdonald’s latest book chronicling her relationship with nature. This is slightly different from her previous books in the respect it’s not a linear narrative but a collection of essays that also explores “The human relationship with nature”.
We are given more of an insight into Macdonald’s upbringing as she regales us with anecdotes of emotional journeys to her childhood home and dark episodes on a falcon breeding farm in Wales. Her passion for nature and the natural world comes across strongly, without sermonising. In one chapter she mentions Fox hunting and how she’s morally opposed to it, without admonishing those that do partake in it. A common thread throughout the essays is how we can be so involved with the conservation of nature yet still be so detached from it. Admittedly it’s something that I’ve never even thought about before, so I’ll be paying more attention to the way I interact with the world around me from now on.
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One thing that seems to draw me in with Mcdonald’s writing is that there always seems to be an underlying sadness in the way she writes. Even when she’s partaking in a stunning bird-watching event, she never quite gives herself over to the joy and excitement of that moment. At one point after reading how she once covered herself in mud and twigs and stalked a herd of cows I just wanted to put my arms around her and ask if she’s ok. (Oddly enough in the same chapter there is a very dark incident with a dying Ostrich, but it was the incident with the cows that worried me most)
I’d be interested to read something Macdonald wrote before her father passed away. It is obvious that the death of her father did have a profound effect on her, and it would be curious to see if that is also what has influenced this mournful quality in her writing.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a critique in any way I like the way she can convey the melancholy of a murmuration. As a perpetually positive person, I do need to be prodded with the emotion stick every now and again.
There is a line in one of the essays “I shouldn’t do it also because pulling at your heart on purpose is a compulsion as particular and disconcerting as pressing on a healing bruise” so maybe she gets some cathartic pleasure from heartache. I’m envious; I lost both my parents within a few years of each other and I find it very hard to engage in any strong emotions regarding this. I miss them, but I think my innate ability to detach myself from unpleasant situations has worked a little too well here and I can’t articulate exactly how that makes me feel.
Woah, so that was a major digression, let’s put that brick back and summarise the review, shall we?
After reading Vesper Flights, even if you don’t like the whole book, I defy you not to have a favourite chapter. It’s close but I think I liked ‘Goats’ the best, as not only is it a funny story, but you can practically hear the little smile as Macdonald reminisces about her dad