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Awix (3310 KP) rated Detectorists in TV
Jan 31, 2020
Beautifully understated comedy (nearly a comedy-drama, really) about the lives and loves of a pair of middle-aged metal detecting enthusiasts. Brilliantly written, directed and performed. Part of the considerable charm of the series is that it is so charming and relaxing to watch: the countryside nearly always looks lovely, and the show is a definite slow burn. It takes its time to establish the characters, but the pay-offs, when they come, are superbly funny.
On the other hand, there is genuine tension in the more dramatic storylines, as the characters mess up important life decisions and struggle with their relationships. Very satisfying to watch; anyone who understands the appeal of pursuing an uncool hobby in the company of your best friends will find a lot that resonates here.
On the other hand, there is genuine tension in the more dramatic storylines, as the characters mess up important life decisions and struggle with their relationships. Very satisfying to watch; anyone who understands the appeal of pursuing an uncool hobby in the company of your best friends will find a lot that resonates here.
Sjon recommended The Taiga Syndrome in Books (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Wait for It in Books
Jan 11, 2021
Once again only four stars
This is only the 2nd out of five or six of the authors books that I've given four instead of five.
I loved young Louis and protective Josh, and Dallas, and seeing Trip and Luther and a few others from the authors previous books but once again something was missing for me.
Yet once again I can't quite pinpoint what it was. Maybe it was the slow burn that didn't really start to show into about the 40% mark, or maybe the fact that it didn't become truly a thing until long after that--about 70%. It wasn't obvious for a long time which guy Diana was going to end up with, which didn't help.
Nevertheless, I look forward to reading more of Mariana's books.
This is only the 2nd out of five or six of the authors books that I've given four instead of five.
I loved young Louis and protective Josh, and Dallas, and seeing Trip and Luther and a few others from the authors previous books but once again something was missing for me.
Yet once again I can't quite pinpoint what it was. Maybe it was the slow burn that didn't really start to show into about the 40% mark, or maybe the fact that it didn't become truly a thing until long after that--about 70%. It wasn't obvious for a long time which guy Diana was going to end up with, which didn't help.
Nevertheless, I look forward to reading more of Mariana's books.
The Crown Of Draga (Draga Court #2)
8.0
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Book
The Draga Galaxy is on the brink of war and Adelina will do everything she can to help, including...
4 stars space opera fantasy/sci-fi romance
The Everything Metabolism Diet Cookbook: Includes Vegetable-Packed Scrambled Eggs, Spicy Lentil Wraps, Lemon Spinach Artichoke Dip, Stuffed Filet Mignon, Ginger Mango Sorbet, and Hundreds More!
Book
Burn fat and lose weight with 300 easy recipes! With The Everything Metabolism Diet Cookbook, you'll...
KalJ95 (25 KP) rated Uncut Gems (2019) in Movies
Jan 12, 2020
The performance of Sandler's career. (2 more)
Nail biting, stressful viewing.
The resolution is worth the slow burn that climbs and climbs.
Sandler's gem.
Often throughout Uncut Gems, I found myself biting my nails to the nearest inch of my skin. At one point, closing in an hour, I realised I started to bleed from my index finger. The blood hadn't even occurred to me until the credits rolled, took a deep breath, and looked. The stressful nature of a character like Howard Ratner was difficult to understand, whether you sympathized with him or not. I neither routed for his destructive behaviour, nor wanted harm to come his way. Sitting on the fence didn't feel comfortable either. And this is why Uncut Gems is so special.
(No spoilers ahead.)
Howard's spiral towards more trouble is so nerve inducing it's hard to watch, even more hard to look away. His bad decision making creates a cause and effect chain, and often when you think his luck will turn around, he weasels and worms his way into even more trouble, all created by his constant addiction to make it big. Undeniably, this is all down to a masterclass from Adam Sandler.
The Safdie Brothers opened a can of worms, and Adam Sandler brought everything out. His slow burn decent towards losing it all is all the effective because he brings so many layers to the role. Ratner is a creep, a loser, a cheat, and a liar. He's also ambitious, outspoken, and sometimes even sympathetic. I never liked him as a person, but I did feel sorry for him.
I've seen some fine performances this year in cinema, and Sandler is most definitely up their with Joaquin Phoenix.
Uncut Gems is pulsatingly good, exhausting and draining, and one of the best thrillers you'll see in years. Adam Sandler, you're redeemed for Jack and Jill.
(No spoilers ahead.)
Howard's spiral towards more trouble is so nerve inducing it's hard to watch, even more hard to look away. His bad decision making creates a cause and effect chain, and often when you think his luck will turn around, he weasels and worms his way into even more trouble, all created by his constant addiction to make it big. Undeniably, this is all down to a masterclass from Adam Sandler.
The Safdie Brothers opened a can of worms, and Adam Sandler brought everything out. His slow burn decent towards losing it all is all the effective because he brings so many layers to the role. Ratner is a creep, a loser, a cheat, and a liar. He's also ambitious, outspoken, and sometimes even sympathetic. I never liked him as a person, but I did feel sorry for him.
I've seen some fine performances this year in cinema, and Sandler is most definitely up their with Joaquin Phoenix.
Uncut Gems is pulsatingly good, exhausting and draining, and one of the best thrillers you'll see in years. Adam Sandler, you're redeemed for Jack and Jill.
Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Love in Mission City #3)
10.0
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Book
Ryan The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I wasn't a soldier, and...
Seasonal Contemporary MM Romance Small Town Romance Hurt/Comfort
Cooking with Coconut Oil: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Recipes for Good Living
Book
Why coconut? Sales of coconut oil are skyrocketing as health-conscious people everywhere are...
Debbiereadsbook (1585 KP) rated The Amphitheater of Souls in Books
Aug 9, 2024
A step out my comfort zone but a very good one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Cian is sent on a journey to find out who or what is causing all the deaths in his village.
I really enjoyed this! It's a step out my comfort zone, and a very good one at that.
I'd class it as high fantasy. Very Tolkien-esque, with an epic journey, lives at stake, elves, dwarves, centsaurs, sea serpents on the rampage and a madman, messing with dark blood magic.
Throw in a slow burn sweet romance, between Cian and his guide, Thanyon, and you've got a near perfect book!
Only Cian gets a say, though, and at points, he had a lot to say.
But a fabulous read.
4 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Cian is sent on a journey to find out who or what is causing all the deaths in his village.
I really enjoyed this! It's a step out my comfort zone, and a very good one at that.
I'd class it as high fantasy. Very Tolkien-esque, with an epic journey, lives at stake, elves, dwarves, centsaurs, sea serpents on the rampage and a madman, messing with dark blood magic.
Throw in a slow burn sweet romance, between Cian and his guide, Thanyon, and you've got a near perfect book!
Only Cian gets a say, though, and at points, he had a lot to say.
But a fabulous read.
4 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Jamie (131 KP) rated The Haunting of Hill House in Books
Jul 30, 2017
Extremely clever (2 more)
Slow-burn terror
Ambiguous and open to interpretation
Indirect and slow plot (1 more)
Dense with metaphor
Is Hill House haunted or is it madness?
Hill House is suffocating in its isolation–the house is buried in hills far away from the nearest town. The house’s architecture is imperfect, the crookedness throwing one’s balance just a little bit off. The urban legends of the house’s tragic history are dark and ripe for a haunted house story. But is the house actually haunted? Is there some supernatural force that drives the inhabitants to madness? Or perhaps the hauntings are the product of a disturbed mind?
This book is absolutely brilliant in its ambiguity. I loved that things aren’t very direct, leaving the reader to decide how to interpret the story for themselves. A reader’s imagination is a writer’s best tool.
One of the first things that struck me was the unusual dialogue between characters, particularly Eleanor. At times it felt like characters were talking at the other person rather than with them. This behavior is a sign of a person that is unable to relate or empathize with other people.
It becomes clear not long after this that there’s something not quite right about Eleanor. She’s lonely and depressed, she lies constantly about her life and desperately seeks approval. She reassures herself constantly that she belongs at Hill House with the other people there and struggles with her attempts to make connections with the other guests. As the story goes on Eleanor perceives everyone else as being both loving and cruel. She sneers at Theo for trying to steal attention away from her out of some conceived notion of jealousy. Eleanor can only view relationships as being built on dependency, she is a textbook definition of an unreliable narrator.
I won’t go into too much more of my thoughts because I don’t want to spoil the plot. It’s definitely not an average ghost story and those looking for more visceral horror will probably be disappointed. The plot is thick with metaphor and the slow-burn while it worked for me may be too slow for others. Regardless, I loved this book and completely understand why it is held in such high regard and the more I think about it, the more my love for it grows. There were points where my gut was in knots with anxiety and anticipation and I just have to admire Jackson’s master craft with her prose.
This book is absolutely brilliant in its ambiguity. I loved that things aren’t very direct, leaving the reader to decide how to interpret the story for themselves. A reader’s imagination is a writer’s best tool.
One of the first things that struck me was the unusual dialogue between characters, particularly Eleanor. At times it felt like characters were talking at the other person rather than with them. This behavior is a sign of a person that is unable to relate or empathize with other people.
It becomes clear not long after this that there’s something not quite right about Eleanor. She’s lonely and depressed, she lies constantly about her life and desperately seeks approval. She reassures herself constantly that she belongs at Hill House with the other people there and struggles with her attempts to make connections with the other guests. As the story goes on Eleanor perceives everyone else as being both loving and cruel. She sneers at Theo for trying to steal attention away from her out of some conceived notion of jealousy. Eleanor can only view relationships as being built on dependency, she is a textbook definition of an unreliable narrator.
I won’t go into too much more of my thoughts because I don’t want to spoil the plot. It’s definitely not an average ghost story and those looking for more visceral horror will probably be disappointed. The plot is thick with metaphor and the slow-burn while it worked for me may be too slow for others. Regardless, I loved this book and completely understand why it is held in such high regard and the more I think about it, the more my love for it grows. There were points where my gut was in knots with anxiety and anticipation and I just have to admire Jackson’s master craft with her prose.