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ClareR (5561 KP) rated Luckenbooth in Books
Feb 14, 2021
I love a book that takes me by surprise and is a bit off centre; something a bit different from books found on the bestseller lists (which is where I would hope this will end up!!), or the supermarket shelves. Luckenbooth is one of those books.
Luckenbooth piqued my interest as soon as I saw the cover photo - and then I read the synopsis. How could it possibly NOT appeal to me? I mean, the devils daughter rows to Edinburgh in a coffin to work for the Minister of Culture. I was hooked. It’s not all about her though. The book is split into three sections, each section revolving around three different characters, and we see glimpses in to their lives. There are people from all walks of life: strippers, spies, maids, a black human rights lawyer with a bone mermaid, drug addicts, poets, a medium. These are all people who live on the edge of society (within No. 10 Luckenbooth Close, anyway!), people who have little - and they live in a tenement that has been cursed by the devils daughter.
The stories seem not to be linked to one another, and their only link is the fact that they all live in the same tenement building. I really enjoyed these snapshots, any one of them could have been longer and I would have enjoyed them just as much. This fed my love of short stories though, and I really liked how reality was mixed with the more supernatural elements.
I will have to dig out my copies of Fagans books The Sunlight Pilgrims and The Panopticon, languishing in my Kindle library - this has really made me want to read her other books.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book through NetGalley.
Luckenbooth piqued my interest as soon as I saw the cover photo - and then I read the synopsis. How could it possibly NOT appeal to me? I mean, the devils daughter rows to Edinburgh in a coffin to work for the Minister of Culture. I was hooked. It’s not all about her though. The book is split into three sections, each section revolving around three different characters, and we see glimpses in to their lives. There are people from all walks of life: strippers, spies, maids, a black human rights lawyer with a bone mermaid, drug addicts, poets, a medium. These are all people who live on the edge of society (within No. 10 Luckenbooth Close, anyway!), people who have little - and they live in a tenement that has been cursed by the devils daughter.
The stories seem not to be linked to one another, and their only link is the fact that they all live in the same tenement building. I really enjoyed these snapshots, any one of them could have been longer and I would have enjoyed them just as much. This fed my love of short stories though, and I really liked how reality was mixed with the more supernatural elements.
I will have to dig out my copies of Fagans books The Sunlight Pilgrims and The Panopticon, languishing in my Kindle library - this has really made me want to read her other books.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book through NetGalley.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires (Half-Moon Hollow, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
I've always been drawn to this book - series, really - so when I saw it at 99p a while back I couldn't resist buying it.
This starts with Iris in the supermarket buying items for her vampire clients to make their lives easier, sorting out their wants and needs while they sleep during the day so she never actually comes face to face with them. She heads over to leave a welcome basket for her newest client, Cal, when she ends up falling over his body in his kitchen. He's been poisoned and they negotiate for him to come stay with her while he recovers and tries to find out who's behind his poisoning
This was equal parts fun and quirky, intriguing and romantic. Fun and quirky because it's full of snark and some strangely funny vampire related conversations. Intriguing with trying to figure out who's behind Cal's poisoning. And romantic because Iris and Cal have some really cute and some really hot scenes together. There was a really sort of cute bit with Cal and Gigi - Iris's younger sister - where he gets really protective of her seeing guys and buys her a bubble-gum pink taser so she can protect herself.
I was not expecting the bad guy to be who it was. That took me by surprise, so well done for that. I was convinced it was someone else for most of the book.
I did like the romance between our main characters. As I mentioned above it was really cute at times and that end bit where he pretty much re-staged their initial meeting with him laid out on the floor so she can fall over him. What else can I say but CUTE.
This was just a fun all round read and I cannot wait to read more of this series.
This starts with Iris in the supermarket buying items for her vampire clients to make their lives easier, sorting out their wants and needs while they sleep during the day so she never actually comes face to face with them. She heads over to leave a welcome basket for her newest client, Cal, when she ends up falling over his body in his kitchen. He's been poisoned and they negotiate for him to come stay with her while he recovers and tries to find out who's behind his poisoning
This was equal parts fun and quirky, intriguing and romantic. Fun and quirky because it's full of snark and some strangely funny vampire related conversations. Intriguing with trying to figure out who's behind Cal's poisoning. And romantic because Iris and Cal have some really cute and some really hot scenes together. There was a really sort of cute bit with Cal and Gigi - Iris's younger sister - where he gets really protective of her seeing guys and buys her a bubble-gum pink taser so she can protect herself.
I was not expecting the bad guy to be who it was. That took me by surprise, so well done for that. I was convinced it was someone else for most of the book.
I did like the romance between our main characters. As I mentioned above it was really cute at times and that end bit where he pretty much re-staged their initial meeting with him laid out on the floor so she can fall over him. What else can I say but CUTE.
This was just a fun all round read and I cannot wait to read more of this series.
Lee (2222 KP) rated I Feel Pretty (2018) in Movies
May 21, 2018
Pretty Average
Renee Bennett (Amy Schumer) feels average, and anything but pretty in this world. Clothing store workers sneer at her choice of fashion, suggesting that she should instead venture in the direction of the plus size clothing. Supermarket customers mistake her as just a downtrodden employee, focusing instead on the 'perfect' girl standing beside her. In busy bars, workers favour the pretty girls ordering drinks over her, and in her exercise class she's made to feel uncomfortable at her larger than average footwear needs. She's also part of a small group of 3 friends, who all struggle to attract dates in this superficial world, and wish they were prettier.
Then one day, Renee falls off her exercise bike and bangs her head. When she comes round, she believes that magic has made her beautiful, and she thinks that all her friends are seeing someone completely different. Only they're not, they're seeing exactly the same person as before.
This perceived change gives Renee a new found confidence. She believes that men are trying to hit on her, and in one of the movies funnier moments, she believes she can win a bikini competition. She also pursues her dream of becoming receptionist for the large cosmetics company she works for, moving from the dull, dark office of their online division all the way up to their big shiny head office where all the beautiful people work. And where her idol and boss, Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams) works. Eventually, another bang to the head reverses the 'spell' and Renee has to try and deal with the sudden realisation that beauty really is only skin deep.
With Amy Schumer onboard for this, I guess I was expecting it to be a lot funnier than it actually is. While I didn't not like it, I've got to say I was pretty disappointed overall. There's obviously a strong message to this movie, but it gradually becomes muddled as the movie progresses and isn't effectively executed, which is a real shame considering. I wondered if being a man, I was maybe missing the message and failing to appreciate it as much as a woman might, but my wife actually felt the same way.
Then one day, Renee falls off her exercise bike and bangs her head. When she comes round, she believes that magic has made her beautiful, and she thinks that all her friends are seeing someone completely different. Only they're not, they're seeing exactly the same person as before.
This perceived change gives Renee a new found confidence. She believes that men are trying to hit on her, and in one of the movies funnier moments, she believes she can win a bikini competition. She also pursues her dream of becoming receptionist for the large cosmetics company she works for, moving from the dull, dark office of their online division all the way up to their big shiny head office where all the beautiful people work. And where her idol and boss, Avery LeClaire (Michelle Williams) works. Eventually, another bang to the head reverses the 'spell' and Renee has to try and deal with the sudden realisation that beauty really is only skin deep.
With Amy Schumer onboard for this, I guess I was expecting it to be a lot funnier than it actually is. While I didn't not like it, I've got to say I was pretty disappointed overall. There's obviously a strong message to this movie, but it gradually becomes muddled as the movie progresses and isn't effectively executed, which is a real shame considering. I wondered if being a man, I was maybe missing the message and failing to appreciate it as much as a woman might, but my wife actually felt the same way.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) in Movies
Jul 3, 2018
Not quite as good as the original
Before watching Sicario 2, I really wanted to try and watch the original movie again, but never got a chance. I remember it being brutal and intense, with outstanding performances from Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro. I remember it gripping me from beginning to end. But, strangely, I couldn't remember very much about it at all other than basic plot details. I know I would recommend it in a heartbeat though, so I was excited for what the sequel would bring.
In Sicario: Day of the Solado (or just Sicario 2: Soldado here in the UK...), the brutal intensity is introduced right from the start. A suicide bomber blows himself up at the U.S. - Mexican border. Then, in a Kansas supermarket, terrorists enter and detonate two bombs, followed by a third which is detonated while a woman and child plead to be set free. It's shocking, upsetting, and sticks with you uncomfortably for a while, serving as a push to get you behind federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) as he's brought in to start a war between the Mexican drug cartels. The plan has something to do with securing the border from terrorists, which kind of doesn't make much sense, but after the events in the opening scenes, you just want somebody to get out there and kick some ass. And with the promise that he's allowed to play things "dirty", you know that Josh Brolin is more than capable. He locates and recruits Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to help him out, with the promise of getting revenge against the family responsible for the death of his own family. They kidnap the daughter of a top gang boss, and attempt to blame it on a rival gang. But things don't go according to plan.
Like the original, there are plenty of intense, well executed scenes, but this just didn't grip me in the same way as the first movie did. Benicio Del Toro is just brilliant, but the lack of Emily Blunt was noticeable. Still a very enjoyable movie though.
In Sicario: Day of the Solado (or just Sicario 2: Soldado here in the UK...), the brutal intensity is introduced right from the start. A suicide bomber blows himself up at the U.S. - Mexican border. Then, in a Kansas supermarket, terrorists enter and detonate two bombs, followed by a third which is detonated while a woman and child plead to be set free. It's shocking, upsetting, and sticks with you uncomfortably for a while, serving as a push to get you behind federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) as he's brought in to start a war between the Mexican drug cartels. The plan has something to do with securing the border from terrorists, which kind of doesn't make much sense, but after the events in the opening scenes, you just want somebody to get out there and kick some ass. And with the promise that he's allowed to play things "dirty", you know that Josh Brolin is more than capable. He locates and recruits Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to help him out, with the promise of getting revenge against the family responsible for the death of his own family. They kidnap the daughter of a top gang boss, and attempt to blame it on a rival gang. But things don't go according to plan.
Like the original, there are plenty of intense, well executed scenes, but this just didn't grip me in the same way as the first movie did. Benicio Del Toro is just brilliant, but the lack of Emily Blunt was noticeable. Still a very enjoyable movie though.
ClareR (5561 KP) rated The Talk of Pram Town in Books
Jun 10, 2021
The Talk of Pram Town was a bit of a walk down memory lane for me, as someone who was born in the early 1970’s: playing out with my friends, arranging to meet by speaking face to face with them, no mobile phones. I can remember watching Charles and Diana’s wedding, whilst holding commemorative coins bought by my Nan and commemorative mugs that would never be drunk out of (I still have mine somewhere!). But that’s where the similarities in my life, compared to that of 11 year old Sadie and her mum Connie, end.
Sadie and Connie live in Leeds, and don’t appear to have any other family. Connie wants to hit the big time as a singer, but instead sings at local working men’s clubs, and works at the local supermarket. Sadie certainly lives the first 11 years of her life in a much different way to many other people. This house in Leeds seems to be the most stable and ‘normal’ way of life that she has had so far.
So when Sadie is forced to go and live with the grandparents she has never met, her introduction to Essex suburbia is quite a shock to her system!
I loved this book. It has a real sense of time and place, making me feel so nostalgic for my childhood. I really enjoyed Sadie's grandparents: Jean, her grandmother, especially. It’s clear from the beginning that she has her own secrets, secrets that have embittered her over the years. I felt that the slow reveal of her younger life, and how she deals with Sadie as well as her feelings for Connie and Bernard, were fascinating.
But Sadie really is the most wonderful part of this novel. The way that she approaches her new life with such stoicism, her intelligence and curiosity of the new world that she has to grow to at least like, really made me want to read more.
I can’t wait to see what Joanna Nadin writes next - I’ve loved both this and her last novel (The Queen of Bloody Everything), both of which look at mother-daughter relationships.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this - it’s a joy to read.
Sadie and Connie live in Leeds, and don’t appear to have any other family. Connie wants to hit the big time as a singer, but instead sings at local working men’s clubs, and works at the local supermarket. Sadie certainly lives the first 11 years of her life in a much different way to many other people. This house in Leeds seems to be the most stable and ‘normal’ way of life that she has had so far.
So when Sadie is forced to go and live with the grandparents she has never met, her introduction to Essex suburbia is quite a shock to her system!
I loved this book. It has a real sense of time and place, making me feel so nostalgic for my childhood. I really enjoyed Sadie's grandparents: Jean, her grandmother, especially. It’s clear from the beginning that she has her own secrets, secrets that have embittered her over the years. I felt that the slow reveal of her younger life, and how she deals with Sadie as well as her feelings for Connie and Bernard, were fascinating.
But Sadie really is the most wonderful part of this novel. The way that she approaches her new life with such stoicism, her intelligence and curiosity of the new world that she has to grow to at least like, really made me want to read more.
I can’t wait to see what Joanna Nadin writes next - I’ve loved both this and her last novel (The Queen of Bloody Everything), both of which look at mother-daughter relationships.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this - it’s a joy to read.
ClareR (5561 KP) rated Call Me Mummy in Books
Feb 19, 2021
Call Me Mummy had me on tenterhooks from the first page. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally invested in a book for a while. I read it on The Pigeonhole app, so it was serialised over 10 days - and the wait for each stave seemed interminable! Thank goodness I read it during the half term holidays so that I could get stuck in every morning!
Mummy abducts five year old Tonya from a supermarket when her mother, Kim, is preoccupied on er phone. Kim, in Mummy’s eyes is not the epitome of outstanding motherhood. In fact to Mummy, she’s the exact opposite: poor, working class, eternally pregnant, children from different fathers - common. So in Mummy’s mind, she’s rescuing Tonya from a life of want and neglect.
Except there are two sides to this story. Whilst Kim may have had a terrible upbringing and a bad start in life, she loves her daughter fiercely and in the months that follow, the loss of her daughter nearly breaks her.
To be honest, Mummy is hardly a leading example of motherhood. She’s mentally unstable, has also had a devastating childhood and drinks to excess. Not the best idea when you hardly eat anything.
Interspersed with short chapters alternating between Mummy and Kim, are the glimpses into the murky world of social media, where the terrible judgements would be terrible for Kim to read - if she read them, that is. But Kim takes a rather defensive view of herself and her family. She won’t play nice to the media or her community. But we as the reader get to see what’s going on in Kim’s head, and frankly, it broke my heart. Prepare yourself for that, by the way, because this book will have you swinging manically between heartbreak (fro Kim and Tonya) and murderous rage (for Mummy).
I’m not going to say any more. You’ll just have to read this book. I loved it, and the ending was perfect - my favourite kind of ending, in fact!
Thanks to Pigeonhole for serialising this, and so much thanks to Tina Baker for joining in with her comments and interactions with us Pigeonholers in the margins! I think I’m safe in saying that we all had the best time reading this!
Mummy abducts five year old Tonya from a supermarket when her mother, Kim, is preoccupied on er phone. Kim, in Mummy’s eyes is not the epitome of outstanding motherhood. In fact to Mummy, she’s the exact opposite: poor, working class, eternally pregnant, children from different fathers - common. So in Mummy’s mind, she’s rescuing Tonya from a life of want and neglect.
Except there are two sides to this story. Whilst Kim may have had a terrible upbringing and a bad start in life, she loves her daughter fiercely and in the months that follow, the loss of her daughter nearly breaks her.
To be honest, Mummy is hardly a leading example of motherhood. She’s mentally unstable, has also had a devastating childhood and drinks to excess. Not the best idea when you hardly eat anything.
Interspersed with short chapters alternating between Mummy and Kim, are the glimpses into the murky world of social media, where the terrible judgements would be terrible for Kim to read - if she read them, that is. But Kim takes a rather defensive view of herself and her family. She won’t play nice to the media or her community. But we as the reader get to see what’s going on in Kim’s head, and frankly, it broke my heart. Prepare yourself for that, by the way, because this book will have you swinging manically between heartbreak (fro Kim and Tonya) and murderous rage (for Mummy).
I’m not going to say any more. You’ll just have to read this book. I loved it, and the ending was perfect - my favourite kind of ending, in fact!
Thanks to Pigeonhole for serialising this, and so much thanks to Tina Baker for joining in with her comments and interactions with us Pigeonholers in the margins! I think I’m safe in saying that we all had the best time reading this!
Becs (244 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
ClareR (5561 KP) rated Dominicana in Books
Sep 8, 2020
Dominicana is the story of 15 year old Ana. Her parents forcibly (well, they don’t give her the option NOT to) marry her off to a much older man, Juan, and they move to New York where she knows no-one else and doesn’t speak any English. I can’t imagine how isolated this child must feel. Ana grows up during this coming of age story. She must learn how to ‘manage’ her husband, who hits her on more than one occasion. She is completely at his mercy, living in a run down flat, told not to let anyone in unless they have an appointment to buy knock-off suits (I tried to think of a better phrase for these suits, but this is all I’ve got!), not to go anywhere except the supermarket by herself, and she’s given no opportunity to learn English - isolating her further.
Probably the best thing that happens to her is when Juan returns to the Dominican Republic to see his brother and sort out family money and properties. Juan’s younger brother, Cesar, stays to look after her and encourages her independence. I wish this part could have been longer. She starts to learn English, makes her own money, and probably unwisely forms an attachment to Cesar. She finds out she’s pregnant just before Juan goes to the Dominican Republic, and seems reluctant to tell him. And I can’t blame her. He really has no place marrying a 15 year old child, least of all making her pregnant.
I liked the way that this story was set against real historical events: Malcolm Xs assassination, the US troops going into Vietnam, the immigration bill where Hispanic people began to migrate to the US in greater numbers, and even more pop-culture events like The Beatles playing for the first time in New York and Dominican players in baseball. These events really helped to paint a fuller picture of Ana’s life. It’s easy for me to sit at home reading a book in 2020, saying that a 14/15 year old should never be able to marry a man much older than she is and be taken to a foreign country, but this book is set in 1965-66. It was a different world then (although I should say that this does still happen in some countries). This is what makes Dominicana such an enthralling read.
Many thanks to the publisher, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for my copy of this book.
Probably the best thing that happens to her is when Juan returns to the Dominican Republic to see his brother and sort out family money and properties. Juan’s younger brother, Cesar, stays to look after her and encourages her independence. I wish this part could have been longer. She starts to learn English, makes her own money, and probably unwisely forms an attachment to Cesar. She finds out she’s pregnant just before Juan goes to the Dominican Republic, and seems reluctant to tell him. And I can’t blame her. He really has no place marrying a 15 year old child, least of all making her pregnant.
I liked the way that this story was set against real historical events: Malcolm Xs assassination, the US troops going into Vietnam, the immigration bill where Hispanic people began to migrate to the US in greater numbers, and even more pop-culture events like The Beatles playing for the first time in New York and Dominican players in baseball. These events really helped to paint a fuller picture of Ana’s life. It’s easy for me to sit at home reading a book in 2020, saying that a 14/15 year old should never be able to marry a man much older than she is and be taken to a foreign country, but this book is set in 1965-66. It was a different world then (although I should say that this does still happen in some countries). This is what makes Dominicana such an enthralling read.
Many thanks to the publisher, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for my copy of this book.
TheBookMother (105 KP) rated Christine in Books
May 26, 2019
Think classic slasher come Top Gear.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Like alot of my recent reads I picked up a very well loved copy from a supermarket fundraising bookcase.
Now, I do feel quite conflicted in critiquing the master that is Stephen King especially as it's not all positive. It's probably the same feeling if you kicked your Nan or when you've hidden your son's favourite toy that drives you crazy and watch him scour the house for it for days on end.
It started off in true King fashion. I've read a few of his repertoire including the classics. I have come to recognise his tone and the way he sets the scene.
We begin by meeting Dennis who is recalling past events which include his friend Arnie and his obsession with his new car Christine. We soon find out Christine is a bit more than your average first car and anyone who seems to cross Arnie will feel her very gory and murderous wrath. We learn that her previous owner LeBay begins to possess Arnie. Dennis sets out to try and save his friend from the evil clutch(es) (I had to sorry!) of Christine and stop her once and for all.
Tense, descriptive with an air of paranormal/ supernatural you generally know what you're getting with King and you know there will tend to be a twist or scare along the way.
However, I did find this abit of a slow burner and not what expected it to be.
I think it could be because this is 20+ years old and I am probably desensitised by slashers it did feel quite cliché in places.
I did at times feel slightly confused as we were introduced to Christine the possessed car but then we learn it's all to do with Lebay taking over and even ageing Arnie. It did remind me abit of Ghost Rider.
I enjoyed the music lyrics at the beginning of each chapter and throughout as it really did help set scene and help with showing the difference between Arnie and Lebay's ages.
I have to admit I was distracted alot and do put it down frequently but I did pick up and finish it eventually.
I normally finish a book in 2-3 days (children, work and life permitting!) But this took a while longer. Perhaps, as I felt it was a tad stagnant in places.
It was never the less an okay read, it's a good slasher come supernatural story but one I did think I would have enjoyed alot more.
Now, I do feel quite conflicted in critiquing the master that is Stephen King especially as it's not all positive. It's probably the same feeling if you kicked your Nan or when you've hidden your son's favourite toy that drives you crazy and watch him scour the house for it for days on end.
It started off in true King fashion. I've read a few of his repertoire including the classics. I have come to recognise his tone and the way he sets the scene.
We begin by meeting Dennis who is recalling past events which include his friend Arnie and his obsession with his new car Christine. We soon find out Christine is a bit more than your average first car and anyone who seems to cross Arnie will feel her very gory and murderous wrath. We learn that her previous owner LeBay begins to possess Arnie. Dennis sets out to try and save his friend from the evil clutch(es) (I had to sorry!) of Christine and stop her once and for all.
Tense, descriptive with an air of paranormal/ supernatural you generally know what you're getting with King and you know there will tend to be a twist or scare along the way.
However, I did find this abit of a slow burner and not what expected it to be.
I think it could be because this is 20+ years old and I am probably desensitised by slashers it did feel quite cliché in places.
I did at times feel slightly confused as we were introduced to Christine the possessed car but then we learn it's all to do with Lebay taking over and even ageing Arnie. It did remind me abit of Ghost Rider.
I enjoyed the music lyrics at the beginning of each chapter and throughout as it really did help set scene and help with showing the difference between Arnie and Lebay's ages.
I have to admit I was distracted alot and do put it down frequently but I did pick up and finish it eventually.
I normally finish a book in 2-3 days (children, work and life permitting!) But this took a while longer. Perhaps, as I felt it was a tad stagnant in places.
It was never the less an okay read, it's a good slasher come supernatural story but one I did think I would have enjoyed alot more.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Dec 26, 2018
It's easy to draw comparisons between Bird Box and one of this years biggest hits, A Quiet Place. As Malorie (Sandra Bullock), guides two young children towards a boat, all three of them blindfolded and terrified of the consequences should they remove them, the similarities with the post apocalyptic themes of A Quiet Place are clear. In that movie, you couldn't make a sound for fear of drawing the attentions of the ominous killers, while in this one you're unable to use your eyes to look at the world around you.
But Bird Box does what AQP didn't, by going back in time 5 years to see how the apocalypse all came about. A pregnant Malorie is visiting the hospital for a scan, along with sister Jessica (Sarah Paulson), while news reports detail events unfolding throughout the world. Something is causing thousands of people to suddenly commit suicide, and it has found its way to American shores. As Malorie and Jessica leave the hospital, everything around them descends into panic, chaos and destruction. Cars crash, people throw themselves in front of oncoming cars and thousands of others are running to escape from who knows what. As her sister meets an untimely death, the heavily pregnant Malorie is helped into a nearby house where a large number of people have already found refuge.
We manage to catch our breath for a short while, while the survivors piece together what has happened, offering their theories. As one of them explains - "Humanity has been judged and we've been found wanting. They go by different names. You got world religion and mythology that's full of mentions of demons or spirit creatures. People who’ve seen these creatures almost always describe their encounter as with an entity who takes on the form of your worst fears, your deepest sadness or your greatest loss. It’s not bullshit. It’s real talk, it’s facts."
Life continues in the house for a while, with all the windows covered to prevent anyone from seeing something that might lead to their death. There's a tense trip to the supermarket for supplies, driving a car with blacked out windows and only a satnav to guide them, along with various dramas between the group. Every so often, we rejoin the future timeline, as Malorie and the children (referred to only as boy and girl) make their way along the river.
Bird Box is more of a slow burn than A Quiet Place, and we never actually see what is responsible for causing the suicides either, but I still found much to enjoy with it. And as we become fully immersed in the present timeline, following the blindfolded journey, things build to a tense and satisfying climax.
But Bird Box does what AQP didn't, by going back in time 5 years to see how the apocalypse all came about. A pregnant Malorie is visiting the hospital for a scan, along with sister Jessica (Sarah Paulson), while news reports detail events unfolding throughout the world. Something is causing thousands of people to suddenly commit suicide, and it has found its way to American shores. As Malorie and Jessica leave the hospital, everything around them descends into panic, chaos and destruction. Cars crash, people throw themselves in front of oncoming cars and thousands of others are running to escape from who knows what. As her sister meets an untimely death, the heavily pregnant Malorie is helped into a nearby house where a large number of people have already found refuge.
We manage to catch our breath for a short while, while the survivors piece together what has happened, offering their theories. As one of them explains - "Humanity has been judged and we've been found wanting. They go by different names. You got world religion and mythology that's full of mentions of demons or spirit creatures. People who’ve seen these creatures almost always describe their encounter as with an entity who takes on the form of your worst fears, your deepest sadness or your greatest loss. It’s not bullshit. It’s real talk, it’s facts."
Life continues in the house for a while, with all the windows covered to prevent anyone from seeing something that might lead to their death. There's a tense trip to the supermarket for supplies, driving a car with blacked out windows and only a satnav to guide them, along with various dramas between the group. Every so often, we rejoin the future timeline, as Malorie and the children (referred to only as boy and girl) make their way along the river.
Bird Box is more of a slow burn than A Quiet Place, and we never actually see what is responsible for causing the suicides either, but I still found much to enjoy with it. And as we become fully immersed in the present timeline, following the blindfolded journey, things build to a tense and satisfying climax.
