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AmyBee (4 KP) rated The Damnation Game in Books
Sep 6, 2018
This novel has to be one of, if not THE sickest, goriest horror novels I have ever read. For that reason, I LOVED it! The plot is strong, the characters are entertaining and the scare-factor is off the scale!
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Station Eleven in Books
Oct 15, 2018
Unique post - apocalyptic story
This book is clever both conceptually but also in how it is written. It's been ages since a book has been so thought provoking and made me reflect. I found it to be deep in terms of those previously mentioned aspects but also in terms of character development.
STATION ELEVEN is set around a pandemic that wipes out 99% of the population a day after getting the virus. The story arcs out from the build up to that day and to 20-30 years post-pandemic. I'm not always a fan of long and shifting timelines but I now realise I can be a fan of that if they're as well written as this one. The story jumps back and forth both past and present without losing any flow in the story.
The are multiple characters and povs that are so cleverly interwoven and when a thread was tied up, I went "ahhhh". Most of the story was unpredictable but I admit to guessing the prophet element.
I found this story of potential apocalypse so very realistic that I often reflected on my own mortality in this scenario (day one - I have asthma). I really enjoyed seeing a deconstructed civilisation and what that might look like. The promise of the future was also interesting.
I think Emily St John Mandel is an incredibly talented writer and I would recommend this book to many.
STATION ELEVEN is set around a pandemic that wipes out 99% of the population a day after getting the virus. The story arcs out from the build up to that day and to 20-30 years post-pandemic. I'm not always a fan of long and shifting timelines but I now realise I can be a fan of that if they're as well written as this one. The story jumps back and forth both past and present without losing any flow in the story.
The are multiple characters and povs that are so cleverly interwoven and when a thread was tied up, I went "ahhhh". Most of the story was unpredictable but I admit to guessing the prophet element.
I found this story of potential apocalypse so very realistic that I often reflected on my own mortality in this scenario (day one - I have asthma). I really enjoyed seeing a deconstructed civilisation and what that might look like. The promise of the future was also interesting.
I think Emily St John Mandel is an incredibly talented writer and I would recommend this book to many.
This book is best for young teens or preteens (this is my opinion only). I truthfully can't remember when I first read this book, I do still like it and did remember liking mostly because it is the why's and hows why was the breast cursed how did he live? The fact that this from the Beast's pov. He is a Persian prince who is Muslim. That the author peppered the book with many foreign languages. And except for a few (mostly the Latin) she says what it means in English. I find I dislike first person present tense (person opinion) and at times find it can be stilted, however, I do respect a writer that can attempt it and succeed. Most of the story about 3/4 of it tells about the before meeting of Belle. It is not a fast paced book. And the ending is kinda abrupt. Not a bad "summer" read besides the multiple languages it is not a difficult read. A very unique book about a devout Persian Muslim whose thick headedness and pride get him cursed and his faith that he might be forgiven.
"And I've forgotten my prayers. How can I expect the Merciful One to remember me if I forget Him? I go out side and perform the wudhu. Then I pray.
I hear horse hooves.
This is not the way prayers work."---Beast
"And I've forgotten my prayers. How can I expect the Merciful One to remember me if I forget Him? I go out side and perform the wudhu. Then I pray.
I hear horse hooves.
This is not the way prayers work."---Beast
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Elite (The Selection, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
The Selection has narrowed down to just six girls. Who will win the Prince and the crown?
**Please be aware of SPOILERS if you have not read The Selection**
Tensions rise as the selection is narrowed down. True motives are shown and more than one heart is broken. The intensity dramatically increases in The Elite. Rebel attacks become more frequent and violent. Passion is heightened and the stakes are higher than ever. Who will stay and who will be sent home?
"It wasn't like I made his world better. It was like I was his world. It wasn't some explosion; it wasn't fireworks. It was a fire, burning slowly from the inside out." - The Elite Page 298
I found The Elite even more engrossing than The Selection. An excellent continuation of the series. Kiera's writing improves with this book and I was very impressed. Little things in the dialogue from The Selection were ironed out in The Elite. As America's diplomatic training progresses, so does the writer evolve with her. Excellent!!! While the passion is slightly intensified, it remains "clean". Nothing goes farther than passionate kissing. Again, parents please use your own discretion for your kids. Already started The One...And I was smart this time...I also have The Heir in my possession. The Crown is the fifth and final book in the series, and is due to be released in May. I can NOT wait!!!
**Please be aware of SPOILERS if you have not read The Selection**
Tensions rise as the selection is narrowed down. True motives are shown and more than one heart is broken. The intensity dramatically increases in The Elite. Rebel attacks become more frequent and violent. Passion is heightened and the stakes are higher than ever. Who will stay and who will be sent home?
"It wasn't like I made his world better. It was like I was his world. It wasn't some explosion; it wasn't fireworks. It was a fire, burning slowly from the inside out." - The Elite Page 298
I found The Elite even more engrossing than The Selection. An excellent continuation of the series. Kiera's writing improves with this book and I was very impressed. Little things in the dialogue from The Selection were ironed out in The Elite. As America's diplomatic training progresses, so does the writer evolve with her. Excellent!!! While the passion is slightly intensified, it remains "clean". Nothing goes farther than passionate kissing. Again, parents please use your own discretion for your kids. Already started The One...And I was smart this time...I also have The Heir in my possession. The Crown is the fifth and final book in the series, and is due to be released in May. I can NOT wait!!!
This book was not for me
I want to say something positive about this book. Okay, it is a quick read, I actually wanted to continue reading it although I am not sure if my reasons for this were because of enjoyment. I chose this book as I am going to be writing a part memoir for my dissertation. I liked the synopsis because I enjoy a bit of humour. In the past I have read (and enjoyed) a book by Mike Gayle called 'Turning Thirty' which I thought, and hoped, this book would have been similar. WRONG!!!!
Edwards basically writes some (I believe) far fetched memoir but mingles it with self help bullshit that has been regurgitated from other peoples ideas. I am confused by the author's objectives. Whilst I appreciate any woman who is a good and opinionated feminist, I feel that Edward's 'Sisterhood' is cringey. The writer comes across as middle class and perhaps would have benefited from excluding her middle class status to seem less arrogant to working class readers.
I learned of a technique for essay writing in college (PEE) Point, Evidence and Evaluation. This is a formula that Edwards uses throughout her book and it makes the flow very artificial instead of conversational.
On the plus side, it was her first novel, and she managed to write it and publish it. It just wasn't for me.
Edwards basically writes some (I believe) far fetched memoir but mingles it with self help bullshit that has been regurgitated from other peoples ideas. I am confused by the author's objectives. Whilst I appreciate any woman who is a good and opinionated feminist, I feel that Edward's 'Sisterhood' is cringey. The writer comes across as middle class and perhaps would have benefited from excluding her middle class status to seem less arrogant to working class readers.
I learned of a technique for essay writing in college (PEE) Point, Evidence and Evaluation. This is a formula that Edwards uses throughout her book and it makes the flow very artificial instead of conversational.
On the plus side, it was her first novel, and she managed to write it and publish it. It just wasn't for me.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) in Movies
Nov 12, 2019
Was great just not as good as the last
Homecoming was so much fun that, in a way, "Far From Home" had an almost impossible task. In the 10000000th reboot of the comic hero favourite, Marvel got it spot on, having this Spiderman be a geeky kid on a journey of self discovery, awkward in his neediness and unsure of his capabilities. Its created a vulnerable Spiderman that everyone can relate to and love and most importantly root for.
Far From Home is post 'Endgame' and sees Spidey thrown into the unwanted position of being one of the few Avengers around. Now he has to take on a ew threat where things are not all they seem to be but no spoilers here.
What lets this film down compared to its predecessor is there is a lack of surprises and character growth for Tom Holland to play with. However its still a lot of fun as we see him become night monkey and fight the forces of darkness once again, this time through various locations in Europe (I'm sure the writer just put some European cities on their wish list and wrote a movie around it just so they could stay).
Its still a lot of fun and loveable. I just want a little more but there is no way this franchise is stopping yet.
Far From Home is post 'Endgame' and sees Spidey thrown into the unwanted position of being one of the few Avengers around. Now he has to take on a ew threat where things are not all they seem to be but no spoilers here.
What lets this film down compared to its predecessor is there is a lack of surprises and character growth for Tom Holland to play with. However its still a lot of fun as we see him become night monkey and fight the forces of darkness once again, this time through various locations in Europe (I'm sure the writer just put some European cities on their wish list and wrote a movie around it just so they could stay).
Its still a lot of fun and loveable. I just want a little more but there is no way this franchise is stopping yet.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales in Books
Apr 2, 2020
Another great collection of stories
I feel like I need to include a preface with all of my Stephen King reviews, or some form of disclaimer, to warn any readers that he is my favourite author so my review may not be as neutral as it could be. Either that or he really is a great writer 😆
Everything’s Eventual is a collection of short stories that I read well over a decade ago, and as short stories require a lot less brain power than a full on novel, I decided to give this a go as I couldn’t recall many of the stories. And overall this is a very good collection of short stories. They’re all well written with developed characters (as you’d expect with King I’m sure), and the stories themselves have all got very good plots and storylines. The stories are all well balanced and there are none in here that are either overly long or too short, they’re very well paced. There are some great stories in here, most notably for me the John Dillinger story ‘The Death of Jack Hamilton’ and the Dark Tower prequel ‘The Little Sisters of Eluria’, but all of the stories are entertaining and very enjoyable. I wouldn’t say there are any amazing standout ‘wow’ stories in this, which is possibly why I’ve marked it down a little from some of King’s other collections of short stories.
Everything’s Eventual is a collection of short stories that I read well over a decade ago, and as short stories require a lot less brain power than a full on novel, I decided to give this a go as I couldn’t recall many of the stories. And overall this is a very good collection of short stories. They’re all well written with developed characters (as you’d expect with King I’m sure), and the stories themselves have all got very good plots and storylines. The stories are all well balanced and there are none in here that are either overly long or too short, they’re very well paced. There are some great stories in here, most notably for me the John Dillinger story ‘The Death of Jack Hamilton’ and the Dark Tower prequel ‘The Little Sisters of Eluria’, but all of the stories are entertaining and very enjoyable. I wouldn’t say there are any amazing standout ‘wow’ stories in this, which is possibly why I’ve marked it down a little from some of King’s other collections of short stories.
Erika (17789 KP) rated The Starless Sea in Books
Apr 25, 2020
This book made me question as to whether or not Morgenstern's @The Night Circus was really as good as I remember.
This is the second novel by Morgenstern, and I was really excited to read it. The description sounds amazing. I liked how the book was organized, cutting to different stories, and all of the references to literature.
However, there was almost zero plot. The main character, Zach, was kind of... no, he was completely boring. Maribel was mysterious, which was alright, but there didn't seem to be a payoff behind the mystery. 'Dorian' was an ok character, but nothing to write home about.
I really liked the first half to 3/4ths of the book, and I thought it was coming to a close. I looked at how many hours were left of the audiobook...
THERE WERE FIVE FLIPPING HOURS LEFT. I was shocked. This book could have definitely been wrapped up sooner. It was just two long, and with a non-existent plot, it made it really hard to get through.
Sorry, this novel was just ok. I only rated it as high as I did because in the end, the beginning was good enough to outweigh the end. If you like literature, and want to slog through this book, go ahead and try. There's no doubting that Morgenstern is a fairly good writer, but but length and need to tighten up the story makes me question the judgment of her editor.
This is the second novel by Morgenstern, and I was really excited to read it. The description sounds amazing. I liked how the book was organized, cutting to different stories, and all of the references to literature.
However, there was almost zero plot. The main character, Zach, was kind of... no, he was completely boring. Maribel was mysterious, which was alright, but there didn't seem to be a payoff behind the mystery. 'Dorian' was an ok character, but nothing to write home about.
I really liked the first half to 3/4ths of the book, and I thought it was coming to a close. I looked at how many hours were left of the audiobook...
THERE WERE FIVE FLIPPING HOURS LEFT. I was shocked. This book could have definitely been wrapped up sooner. It was just two long, and with a non-existent plot, it made it really hard to get through.
Sorry, this novel was just ok. I only rated it as high as I did because in the end, the beginning was good enough to outweigh the end. If you like literature, and want to slog through this book, go ahead and try. There's no doubting that Morgenstern is a fairly good writer, but but length and need to tighten up the story makes me question the judgment of her editor.
The Life of Mr Richard Savage
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Winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography 2016 Frederick...