Alan Bennett: Keeping on Keeping on: Diaries 2005-2014
Book
Alan Bennett reads the latest instalment of his diaries, as heard on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week....
Garfield Classics: Volume 21
Book
Garfield has long been considered a "classic" property because he has not only endured, but...
Soul Awakening Practice: Activating Personal and Social Transformation
Book
The Soul Awakening Practise is built around a 6 line mantra. A mantra is a sacred utterance....
Atlas of the Ancient Near East: From Prehistoric Times to the Roman Imperial Period
Trevor Bryce and Jessie Birkett-Rees
Book
This atlas provides students and scholars with a broad range of information on the development of...
Moses Boyd recommended Midnight Ravers by Bob Marley in Music (curated)
FC Bayern München
Sports
App
The FC Bayern app - the best way for fans to be closer to their team than ever before! The app...
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated Dread Nation in Books
Oct 1, 2018
I did like the analogous way Ireland tackled the race and social issues for the most part but the plot was basically a mess. It just didn't flow well from the events in Maryland to being sent out west and some parts felt more like random filler than relevant to the plot. I'm generally a fan of longer books but this one could have easily been 100 pages shorter without really losing anything, at least in my opinion.
The world building wasn't anything special. I felt like she had the chance to do something truly original here but instead it relies on preconceived notions of the old south and the wild west as depicted in old westerns, just with the addition of zombies.
With the exception of Jane, I didn't really think the characters were as well developed as they could have been. Jane's sass was great, I enjoyed how clearly her personality comes through in the writing but I did find her kind of 'know-it-all,' smarter than everyone around her type of attitude a bit grating at times. I was hoping to see something more than just the enemies to friends trope with Jane and Katherine as well.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with Dread Nation. I expected it to be so much more original than it turned out to be as far as a piece of spec fiction. As commentary on slavery, racism, and social injustice issues I thought it was done well.
I'll most likely pick up the sequel though, as I believe this series will continue to improve.
Imagining the Past: Historical Fiction in New Kingdom Egypt
Book
Five hundred years before Homer immortalized the Trojan Horse, the ancient Egyptians had already...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Perfect Mother in Books
May 10, 2018
This is a compelling and suspenseful novel that grabs you from the beginning, when we are told that it is a year later and a woman from the Mother's group is in prison due to Midas' disappearance. From there, the story rewinds, as told from the point-of-view of several women in the group, including Francie, Colette, Nell, and Winnie. It slowly unfolds with snippets from each and turns out to be incredibly suspenseful. The characters are all entwined a bit, and there are some excellent twists and turns as plot pieces unfold.
Even better, the novel offers some excellent commentary on how women are treated wrapped up in the mystery plot. Woven into the plot twists, we see some of the harsh realities of motherhood (in the U.S., especially) related to working mothers, breastfeeding, sleeplessness, and the overall pressure placed on new moms. As Winnie is increasingly tried in the media, Molloy does a good job of weaving in TV news and commentary on how mothers are expected to behave. It's well-done and I enjoyed the dual aspect of a well-done thriller but also the social commentary aspect, too.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was very exciting and very surprising. At times, there often seemed to be a frustrating character involved with something to hide and making bad decisions (secretly copying files, hacking into things, etc.), but I suppose that comes with the territory. And yes, I am a little tired of the multiple POV/surprise twist format, but it worked so well here that I'll forgive. In the end, this is a really enjoyable novel with a vast cast of characters, some excellent twists, and amazing insight into motherhood. I'm really excited that this will be turned into a movie with Kerry Washington.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Electronic Disclosure: Law and Practice
Michael Wheater and Charles Raffin
Book
Electronic disclosure of evidence is now an unavoidable aspect of litigation. With technology...