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ClareR (5874 KP) rated Unsheltered in Books

Nov 21, 2018

Unsheltered

Barbara Kingsolver | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry

7.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

I think that this is another ‘marmite book’ - you either love it or hate it. There is no in between. Well, I loved it. I like a meandering tale. Some people look at a really thick book and think “Oh no!” - I think “Let me at it!”. What’s more, I like a book that takes its time and is thoughtful. There’s a lot to think about here.
This book is set in two different eras: modern day Vineland, just before and after Trumps election, and 1870s Vineland, just after Darwin’s groundbreaking novel “Origin of the Species” was published.
Both families live in the same house, and both families are experiencing a house that is crumbling around them. The house seems to represent the political and environmental issues in the modern era, in my opinion, and in the past, a community that is failing.
I really enjoyed all of the family dynamics: an elderly Greek father-in-law who rails against the immigrants and blacks (not for one moment seeing the irony); a daughter who is an eco-warrior/ realist, a son whose wife dies, whilst he is left with their newborn; a wife and mother who becomes the primary caregiver to a tiny baby and her infirm father-in-law; and a father who struggled to retain a post as a university lecturer.
In the past, a modern thinking science teacher battles against a headteacher/ principle (principal?) who will not hear of evolution (angel bridges are mentioned - who knew they were a thing?!), and meets Mary Treat, a biologist who really existed and became well known. She exchanges letters and shares information with Darwin and other famous scientists of the time.
This story had so many layers - I loved it. I could feel the frustration of the characters in their respective times, as they had obstacles which seemed insurmountable to them. However, they weren’t, there were ways around their problems. The ‘getting there’ though, was quite a story!

Kudos

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Gifted (2017) in Movies

Jan 13, 2019

Gifted (2017)

2017 | Drama

8.6

(22 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Good Stuff

After the death of his sister, Frank (Chris Evans) opts to take in his extremely intelligent niece Mary (McKenna Grace) and raise her like he thought his sister would have wanted. His hope is to protect her from growing up too fast, particularly from ending up in the clutches of his mom Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) who would prefer to hole Mary up in a private institution.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10

Characters: 10
When I look at characters and how they impact a movie, it’s not just about how intriguing they are, but also about how real they are. I love characters that are flawed and you get that with Frank. He’s just trying to do the right thing by his sister and his niece while still trying to live his own life as well. There are oftentimes where he’s wondering if he’s making the right decision and you’re wondering right along with him. I really appreciate the relationship between him and Mary as it wasn’t all rainbows and lollipops. They’ve clearly had some disagreements, but they love each other through it.

The supporting characters helped to hold the movie up as well. Bonnie (Jenny Slate) was probably my personal favorite as the warm caring teacher who genuinely wants the best for Mary. Both encouraging and sweet, she is another character whose story you get to unpack more and more as the movie progresses.

Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Great imagery and shots of a sleepy town in coastal Florida. There isn’t much to blow you away in the way of cinematography, but I appreciate the consistency at the very least. They keep the scenery fresh throughout which was good enough for me.

Conflict: 8

Genre: 7

Memorability: 8

Pace: 10

Plot: 10

Resolution: 8

Overall: 88
I’ve seen Gifted quite a few times, whether all the way through or in bits and pieces. Everytime I watch it, I find someting different to appreciate it. Solid surprise of a movie.

Kudos

Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Eric & the Black Axes (The Sanctum Series #4) in Books

Nov 12, 2019

This is the fourth installment of the Sanctum series of books, squarely aimed at a pre-teen and young adult audience but a good read for adults too.

For anyone unfamiliar with the series, the Sanctum is a special school created by and run by rich philanthropist Avando. He rescues children from a life on the streets and gives them a second chance at the school where they have the opportunity to have a first class education. But Avando also picks the best of the pupils to help in a covert war against terrorism, using surrogate robot bodies to investigate suspect sites, including rival school Ernest College.

Despite his capture at the end of the previous book, Professor Eric Showden is again the villain of the piece. A former teacher at The Sanctum and pupil at Ernest College, he is aided by a company called The Black Axes to escape. This time both schools are in direct danger of attack and must cooperate to survive. But just how far can they trust each other?

This series is rapidly turning into a must-read cyber thriller. Both schools are now in direct conflict with the terrorists, having to defend against direct attack as well as try to stop their plans, all the time keeping one eye on the other and try to give as little information away as possible. There are some excellent set pieces and the way these are set up - essentially robots battling with martial arts - they are very different from the usual gun-toting fare.

Again the characters come to the fore - Jayden and his friends are once again the core for the Sanctum. Liam takes a very central role at Ernest college and his uncertainty as events unfold make a reassuring counterpoint to the main story line.

Once again I cannot recommend these books enough. I'm very much looking forward to the fifth book in the series and have no doubt it will be another excellent read.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2340 KP) rated A Time For Murder in Books

Nov 27, 2019

Jessica’s First Murder Mystery Comes Back to Haunt Her

When Jessica Fletcher sits down to be interviewed by a student from Cabot Cove High School, she is surprised to find the student bringing up Jessica’s first time solving a murder. No, it wasn’t at the launch party of her first book, but it was twenty-five years ago when she, her husband Frank, and their nephew Grady were living in Appleton, Maine. The principal where Jessica was a substitute English teacher was murdered, and Jessica helped solve the case. Jessica usually doesn’t talk about it, and she deflects again, but when she goes to apologize to the student later, she discovers that the woman who interviewed her wasn’t a student at the high school at all. Who interviewed her? What is her interest in the case?

Going into this book, I was concerned that this book was going to contradict things established in the pilot episode of the TV show, but it does a good job of explaining things so that this doesn’t happen. We do spend part of the book in the past, and all the transitions are easy to follow. I found both mysteries, past and present, to be very compelling, and I couldn’t put the book down until I reached the climax. Unfortunately, the climax is a bit over the top, which has happened in the books I’ve read in the series. Likewise, I did find that Jessica, Mort, and Seth spent more time sniping at each other than I remembered from most episodes of the show. On the other hand, Jessica has stopped swearing, which was a welcome return to normalcy for the character. This book is the fiftieth novel based on the show, and as a result manages to work in a few Easter Eggs that fans will enjoy. If you are a fan, you’ll enjoy this entry.