Merissa (13619 KP) rated Ripping Off the Mask in Books
Oct 16, 2018
I liked Coop and Wes when they weren't talking. In fact, I liked ALL the characters when they weren't talking. The minute they opened their mouths, I lost interest. The conversations and comments made came across as very stilted and forced, with lots of repetition between what they thought and what they said.
Some of the situations in the book just didn't seem realistic - and yes, I know this is fiction, but I still like to be able to pretend it's real! There is a paranormal element to this book that you will either like or loathe. Personally, I liked it, but that's just me. The premise of this book is a good one, and has all the elements there that I normally like. However, although I still liked the book, it didn't really get to me. There are plenty of themes in this book, from the twins separated at birth, to ghosts/angels, to the big bad with a rough childhood. This is a long book, so there is plenty of time for everything to play out.
I think if you can get to grips with the pacing and style of writing, then you will probably enjoy this book.
* 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. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
JT (287 KP) rated Hereafter (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Having worked with Damon on Invictus Eastwood brought him in for this, as George Lonegan a man with the gift of being able to talk to people that have passed to the other side. The opening half an hour is an intense watch as we watch De France’s reporter get caught up in a terrible Tsunami while holidaying with her boyfriend. It’s a well shot natural disaster which Roland Emmerich himself would have been proud.
Damon himself battling not to use his ‘gift’ despite the ongoing pressures from his brother, chooses of all things a cooking class as a method of escapism. There he meets Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) and the two form a bond, to which George ruins by accepting to perfrom a reading which doesn’t go as well as hoped.
I wanted to see her come back at some point during the film, but alas she doesn’t which was a disappointment as Howard was one of the few shining lights. The third part of the story, all of which interlock into each other, follow British twins Marcus and Jason. Two of the worst child actors I think I have ever seen, one can imagine that is from lack of experience.
With one of the boys dying in a freak accident the lone brother goes on a journey of his own, of which brings him closer to eventual contact with George. The film tries to be deep and meaningful about what happens to people who suffer death experiences, but its way off Eastwood’s sharp and cool direction – a shame when it started so brightly.
Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith
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ClareR (6054 KP) rated The Vanishing Half in Books
Jul 8, 2020
It’s a story about secrets, lies and reinvention - the sacrifices someone has to make in order to get the life they want. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Stella and Desirée Vignes are identical twin sisters, brought up in a small southern town, where all the inhabitants are black people who could pass for white people if they wanted to (which a very dangerous thing to try and do at the time the story is set).
The twins escape together, and then Stella leaves Desirée. Stella discovers that she can pass as white, and marries a wealthy white man, who knows nothing of her origins. Desirée marries a black man who beats her, and so she escapes back to her mother with her dark skinned daughter, Jude. Jude is never accepted in Desirée’s home town of Mallard, and so she leaves to go to university as soon as she is able to.
This is where Jude’s life unwittingly intersects with that of Stella’s daughter, and secrets that have been kept for so long, are brought out into the open.
I loved everything about this book. The characters and their motivations, the storyline, the way the book was written - everything! I could see why Stella did what she did, and how she felt trapped by her choices, and it’s a great example of how prejudice and racism works in the USA - and potentially here in the UK as well.
I really do highly recommend this book. It’s such a great story that kept me engaged from start to finish. I have to admit to reading it slower to make it last longer - it’s a book that I’ll be recommending to my friends, that’s for sure!
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