9 Stars
Columbine
I first heard about this book on Metafilter when Susan Klebold, mother of one of the killers, had an article in O Magazine. Before that I had never been interested in the shooting. Not beyond the evils of rubber-necking at some one else’s tragedy. But the discussion there seemed to suggest that this was a well-thought out and reasoned look at the community surrounding the school, as well as the killers themselves. And the author, Cullen, believed that the popular myths about the shootings shouldn’t stand unchallenged.
Tagged: 373.7888, 9 Stars, Columbine, Dave Cullen, Dylan Klebold, Eric Harris, journalism, murder, non-fiction, psychopath, school shootings, suicide by cop, true crime
Wedlock
Mary Eleanor Bowes was born in 1749. Her father was extremely wealthy and, unusually for the time, had her well educated. A most eligible young woman, not least because she was the richest heiress in C18th Britain. Her first wedding was nothing unusual for the time. Pretty loveless and to an older man it wasn’t a romantic love match. Her second, to a dashing young soldier, was. Mary Eleanor probably hadn’t intended to marry Andrew Robinson Stoney, but upon hearing that he had fought a duel for her honour and was laying on his deathbed wishing for nothing but her hand in marriage… well, who could resist that romance!
Tagged: 9 Stars, 941.07092, biography, Britain - Georgian, domestic violence, England - 1700s, Mary Eleanor Bowes, non-fiction, politics - gender, rights of women, Wedlock, Wendy Moore
Alice in Wonderland
Ever since I saw the trailer for this with the wonderful character design I wanted to see it. Plus, Wonderland as seen through Tim Burton’s eyes! And Johnny Depp! And the fact that it is 3D. Of course with all those positives there was always the chance for expectations being far too high and the film itself being a disappointment.
This isn’t really an adaptation of Carroll’s book, instead we have a 19 year old Alice, and all the characters in Wonderland, or the Underland, are wondering if she is the right Alice, especially as she doesn’t seem to remember being there before. They need Alice to be their champion and fight the jabberwock and so defeat the Red Queen. But if she isn’t the Real Alice can she do it?
Tagged: 3d, 9 Stars, adaptation, Alan Rickman, Alice in Wonderland, Anne Hathaway, Barbara Windsor, based on book, Crispin Glover, Helena Bonham Carter, JDIFF, Johnny Depp, Lewis Carroll, Linda Woolverton, Matt Lucas, Mia Wasikowska, Michael Sheen, Paul Whitehouse, RPG, sff, Stephen Fry, Tim Burton, Timpthy Spall
A letter of Mary
The more I read of this series the more I come to love the characters, and indeed the whole set-up. Mary Russell is such a believable character, and King’s Holmes is just perfect.
The mystery at the heart of this novel concerns the death of Dorothy Ruskin. An archaeologist working in Jerusalem, she met up with Russell and Holmes when they travelled the area back in book one. In this book she comes to visit them, bringing with her an exquisite wooden box which contains a parchment on which is written a letter, from Mary of Magdala to her sister. Was it really written by the infamous Mary Magdalen? And was the car accident that killed her really an accident?
Tagged: 1923, 813.54, 9 Stars, A Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mystery, Britain - 1920s, crime, detective, first person narrator, historical fiction, intelligent fiction, Mary Russell, murder, politics - gender, Sherlock Holmes
Precious
Dir: Lee Daniels
Writ: Geoffrey Fletcher based on the book by Sapphire
Some films you go to see purely for light entertainment. To enjoy the pretty pictures and the mindless action. Precious is not one of those films. It one that you aren’t sure you actually want to see. You know it is going to make you feel uncomfortable, and that it’ll probably pray on your mind after you’ve watched it.
Tagged: 9 Stars, America - 1980s, Gabourey Sidibe, Geoffrey Fletcher, Harlam, Lee Daniels, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Precious, Precious: based on the novel Push by Sapphire, R15A, Sapphire, Sherry Shepherd
The Ask and the Answer
Author: Patrick Ness
Chaos Walking #2
Okay, so I loved and adored the first book in this series, even with its horrible cliff-hanger of an ending. Luckily enough I had this one waiting at work, so I didn’t have long to wait before I found out about what happened next. If you haven’t read the first book you shouldn’t read this one. Just don’t. Put the book down and go look for The Knife of Never Letting Go, you really won’t have a clue what is going on if you don’t.
Just a word of warning, there are *mild* spoilers in this review.
Tagged: 813.6, 9 Stars, Chaos Walking, Costa Children's Award, dystopian future, first person narrator, multiple narrators, Patrick Ness, politics - gender, series, sff, space colonists, telepathy, The Ask and the Answer, trust, ya
The Knife of Never Letting Go
Author: Patrick Ness
ISBN: 9781406310252 DDC: 813.6
LibraryThing ; Wikipedia[1]
Chaos Walking # 1
The first thing you find out when your dog learns to talk is that dogs don’t got nothing much to say.
I wasn’t too convinced that I was going to like this book when I first started reading it. The first chapter didn’t grab me and [...]
Tagged: 813.6, 9 Stars, books that made me cry, Carnegie Medal shortlist, Chaos Walking, dystopian future, first person narrator, gripping read, Guardian award winner, James Triptree Jr award winner, Patrick Ness, politics - gender, sci-fi, series, sff, space colonists, telepathy, The Knife of Never Letting Go, ya
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