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    Witness

    Witness

    7.3 (3 Ratings) Rate It

    Tabletop Game

    Witness is set in the world of Blake and Mortimer, a Belgian comic series started in the 1940s by...

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Dean (6926 KP) rated The Power of the Dog (2021) in Movies

Apr 1, 2022 (Updated Apr 1, 2022)  
The Power of the Dog (2021)
The Power of the Dog (2021)
2021 | Drama, Romance, Western
Benedict Cumberbatch (1 more)
Cool cinematography
A slow burner that won't be to everyone's liking (0 more)
Don't underestimate..
Finally checked this out after all the Oscar wins and nominations. Spotted it on Netflix a while ago but the trailer didn't grab me.
While set as a Western, shot in an awesome location in New Zealand, it's more of a character piece. No gun blazing here. It's the end of the Wild West era 1925 with Horses giving way to cars. A rancher and his brother are on a cattle drive. They meet a window and her young awkward son. Soon she marries the gentlemanly brother and moves to the ranch. Where they are tormented by Benendict Cumberbatch's character. At his awesome best in a more different role for him as a complex bully, mancho man exterior with a hidden depth to him.
Definitely an intellectual film with many layers and aspects to it. A lot of questions hinted at for the viewer to fill in the blanks. By the end it's a simple story told very intricately. Some great actors and beautiful photography, this will hold up well to repeat viewings.
It is very slow going to the payoff at the end and isn't the sort of film that will appeal to everyone. If you appreciate good acting and storytelling though check it out.
  
The Truth about Kadenburg (The Kadenburg Shifters #1)
The Truth about Kadenburg (The Kadenburg Shifters #1)
T.E. Ridener | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Imagine going through 26 years of your life imagining you were human... because, honestly, why would you think anything else? But then you find out, at a time when you are at your most vulnerable, that you are something else indeed. And not only that but there are other 'things' out there that don't like you much!

This is what Presley has to contend with. She is flawed and knows it. She goes for a drink when she knows that she really shouldn't. But she is warm and likeable all the same. Lorcan isn't warm, he's totally hot! I had a soft spot for Bear Shifters before reading this and T. E. Ridener's way of storytelling just confirms that they are indeed honourable and gorgeous!

There are moments in this book that are heart-meltingly sweet and there are also funny bits too. The references to Goldilocks and the Three Bears made me smile.

One thing I will say is this book has one hell of a cliffhanger ending so consider yourself warned. It is very well written and has pace and depth throughout. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
* 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. *


August 12, 2016
  
While Paris Slept
While Paris Slept
Ruth Druart | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
While Paris Slept was really so much more than I expected. I didn’t expect to become so emotionally invested in all sides of this story, and I didn’t expect to cry quite as much as I did!

Jean Luc Beauchamp is put in an impossible situation as soon as the Nazis occupy France. He has a deformed hand, and if he shows any kind of weakness it could mean his death. But to stay working on the railways brands him as a collaborator. Someone who has facilitated the Holocaust.

So when a woman thrusts a tiny baby at him as she is put on a cattle truck, Jean Luc does the only thing he can do.

He and his girlfriend (and later, wife) begin a perilous journey , eventually settling in 1950’s California. In 1953, Jean Luc is questioned about his role in the war, and is told something that will change his life and that of his family forever.

We switch between the two timelines of wartime France and and the present day (1950’s) California and Paris.

It’s an unforgettable story of resilience, secrets and survival. All actions on both sides of the story were all for the love of a child. Oh, how I cried (this seems to be becoming more and more frequent lately!)!

Wonderful storytelling ❤️
  
Troy
Troy
Stephen Fry | 2020 | Education
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
39 of 230
Book
Troy (Mythos book 3)
By Stephen Fry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 
AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS.

'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales'OBSERVER

'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW
________

'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .'

When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.

Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.

Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.

And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .

In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.
________


I love Greek Mythology and Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people. All through this book his voice was in my head. Brilliant retellings and underlying humour. Brilliant!
  
Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown
Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown
Alison Weir | 2023 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really enjoy Alison Weir’s storytelling. I always know that I’m going to get a book that I can really sink my teeth into. I’m a big big book fan, through and through - how on earth can you write a short book about a monarch like Henry VIII?! Six wives, heads being chopped off, wars, reconciliations, breaking from the Catholic Church, hunting, sporting and womanising! I’m sure there’s more - and it’s all in the book!

It’s interesting to hear the story of his life from his own (fictionalised) point of view. We’ve seen what his wives think of him, and here we get to read what he thinks of himself. It’s a lot, by the way.

For the fact collectors (🙋🏼‍♀️) this is a real treat, and Weir has really done her research. There’s plenty of (Henry’s version of) romance - most chivalrous!

This kept me turning the pages throughout. I will admit, I listened to this at the same time on a NetGalley audiobook that came through as I started reading on The Pigeonhole. And it really added to the experience. The narrator, Elliot Fitzpatrick, was perfect. He brought Henry to life again, as well as the other characters. He was really “listenable” to (is that even a word?).

So, thanks to The Pigeonhole and Headline both - it was a really enjoyable experience!