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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker in Books

Feb 13, 2018

Luke Grayson's life turns upside when he's sent to Ashland, Tennessee his senior year of high school to live with his father and stepmother. Luke's mother no longer wants to deal with his trouble-making ways and thinks his father, a Baptist preacher who has never played a role in Luke's life, can help straighten him out. But Luke's reputation comes with him to Ashland, where he stands out as the new kid from the big city. He's too progressive for this rural Tennessee town and rapidly becomes the target of the high school's golden boy, Grant Parker, who singles Luke out and makes his life miserable. But things change quickly after a confrontation between Luke and Grant goes awry and suddenly, overnight, life in Ashland changes dramatically for Luke.

I wanted to like this book, but I just never connected with it, or Luke. Having grown up and lived in small towns, I understand how truly small and exclusive they can be. But this novel just fell flat for me. I was immediately bothered by the fact that Luke's mother shipped him off for his senior year to his extremely rigid (and awful) father, despite the fact that the his greatest transgressions seemed to be a couple of silly (and harmless) pranks at his old school. I never felt any sort of connection to Luke as a character, and truly, at points, I found reading his story a little painful and thought "blah blah blah" at huge sections of text. He's a passive character, without a lot of depth to him. In fact, the only character with any true depth to her was Luke's friend, Delilah and her storyline is the only one that seems to have any heft. But she often gets lost in the shuffle.

Overall this one was just too much eye-rolling (on my part) and a little "too YA" for me. While it should be a nuanced commentary on the perils of high school and small town living, I just wanted it be over.

Kudos

Rachel Maria Berney (114 KP) rated Under the Dome in Books

Dec 4, 2018

Under the Dome

Stephen King | 2010 | Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.1

(26 Ratings)

Book Rating

Characters (0 more)

It wins hands down against The Stand

The title says it all. Once I picked this up, I couldn't put it down. As always, Stephen King creates a world inside your head and 3 dimensional characters you feel like you could reach out and touch.
This book leads you by the hand through a small town cut off from the outside world, straight to a finale that is a satisfying end. King does not disappoint.
Kings telltale show don't tell writing is on display here, whilst critics condemn him, as a reader this is what brings the story to life.
If are on the fence about King, pick this up, stick with it, he will delight and surprise you.

Kudos

Andy K (10827 KP) rated Our Souls at Night (2017) in Movies

Jan 2, 2019

Heartwarming... but kind of pointless

Of course always love seeing screen legends together again; however, they really didn't have much to do in this film.

When an aging woman decides to spice up her life by asking her neighborhood infamous fellow senior to come spend the night at her house, they become the talk of the small town. Both reveal intimate details of their lives to each other as their friendship grows. Soon, her grandson comes to live with her and the three of them enjoy each other's company.

I was never bored while watching this film, but afterwards I kind of felt it was missing a point. If you enjoy slice of life films you will love this one.

Kudos

Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Tell It to the Bees (2019) in Movies

Jul 23, 2019

Tell It to the Bees (2019)

2019 | Drama, Romance

6.5

(2 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Acting, especially by Holliday Grainger (1 more)

Sense of time and feel of the movie

Scottish accent in dialogue made it difficult to hear the lines in places (0 more)

A Bee Movie with a sting in the tale

It’s 1952 . Many married men have come back from the war forever changed. Life is financially tough for most families. In particular, attitudes to multi-racial relationships and (particularly) homosexuality are appalling, and never more so than in the small Scottish mill town where the film is set. The film charts a love story of two women thrown together due to a family break-up.

Full review is on One Mann's movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/07/16/one-manns-movies-film-review-tell-it-to-the-bees-2019/