4 stars
Nothing that begins with copious use of strobe lighting can be good. If you're starting by blinding the audience and inducing a headache they can't shake for the rest of the film, you're off to a bad start, right?
The Amityville Horror (Or, The Amityville Mildly Creepy Film About A House)
Sunday, 29 January 2017
Dexter is rated 18+ for a reason. While it is a fantastic show, if you're under 18 please watch with caution or ask a parent's permission. It's heavy on murder, blood, swearing, and much more. Know your limits.
Friday, 27 January 2017
I'm speaking from my experience with cats, but I'm sure the feelings are the same for dogs, rabbits, hamsters, and all other pets.
People are often very quick to offer their solutions when you open up about mental health - most being along the lines of trying yoga or getting professional help. While these two things can be extremely helpful, they don't work for everyone.
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.
Sea Spell by Jennifer Donnelly
Monday, 23 January 2017
Cindy Mezni
Genre(s): Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Published: December 26th 2016
Pages: 463
Rating: 3 stars
“Athens was once the cradle of civilization. Now it's slowly but surely becoming the tomb of humanity.
The Red Plague, a violent virus which had run rampant decades ago, left its imprint on the planet and the flesh of men. All that remains of the modern world is an endless wasteland of ruins—Erebos—and two cities—Elysion, the obscure island of the Non-Infecteds about which no one knows a thing, and, Tartaros, the crumbling town of the Infecteds where despair, hatred, violence and poverty are the operative words.
And at the heart of this universe lives Irisya, a sixteen-year-old Non-Infected girl, staying recluse in her home to be safe and relying on her brother, Memphis, for everything.
But then, one day, he disappears without a trace.
Irisya has no choice. To save him, to survive, she will have to brave all the dangers of the outside world.”
What would you do for the person you're closest to? Irisya, the main character in Poisoned Iris, is willing to sacrifice herself and her safety in order to find her brother, heading out into the world of the Infecteds with next to no knowledge on how to defend herself.
We join her on her adventure almost immediately - there are very few chapters spent explaining the new world before Irisya leaves on the hunt for Memphis. I really appreciated this fast pace, as it meant nothing dragged and we could get right into things, while still having the essential information about Tartaros. (I also really liked how this was set in what would have been Greece before the Red Plague, as I'm a sucker for the mythology.)
While I liked Irisya as a character, I didn't really care for Memphis. The way he treated her at the start of the book put me off him, and I never really came around. His sister, however, interested me from the get go, as she starts off as quite a timid, unsure person but soon grows stronger and learns a lot as she journey's through Tartaros. Gem and Cillian are also intriguing from the moment we meet them - they're fierce and loyal to each other but have distinctly contrasting attitudes when it comes to helping Irisya.
The writing was nice - not too slow, not confusing or overly complex - but I did feel like it was a little... off. Some word choices, and the phrasing of certain things were odd and could have benefitted from some refinement and heavy editing to get rid of mistakes. Gem, especially, made me question the writing style, as she doesn't speak in complete sentences. However, this is more of a stylistic choice and we learn why as the story progresses. Overall, though, it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story for what it was.
The plot was a little on the meandering side as the story progressed, jumping from place to place and taking time in providing the answers you need. It wasn't necessarily bad, but I would have preferred it to be a bit faster as it did take me some time to get through it and it became less enjoyable to read. There were certain parts that stood out to me - like Mount Thanatos - but there were others that I didn't care for at all.
My biggest problem, however, was Cillian. I just... didn't like him. He constantly flip flopped between angsty and brooding to sweet and hurt, and I didn't like his moments of vulnerability as they felt fake and just down right odd coming from him. I also didn't like how he was used to withhold information; telling Irisya that now wasn't the right time for her to know things, meaning we were kept in 'suspense' for far too long. It did more to irritate me than compel me to keep reading.
Things do get back on track towards the end, but by that point it's a little too late. Which is a shame as I love the ideas behind this and felt that it had so much potential. That being said, it's not a bad book by any means and if you're intrigued by it, definitely give it a go.
Cindy Mezni and her work can be found at...
Website
Goodreads
Wattpad
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Sunday, 22 January 2017
This Netflix Original series kicks off with a fantastic opening theme that manages to capture the mysterious steampunk vibe of the books and previous film. From the glimpse we get from the title credits, the casting looks outstandingly close to the first set of actors, and the aesthetic appears almost identical.
Friday, 20 January 2017
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
If you're after something a little more thrilling and easier to read than, say, Wuthering Heights, you need look no further than this modern classic. Following Merricat, her sister Constance, and their Uncle Julian as they survive in a town that hates them, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is full of ups and downs, unreliable narrators, and mystery. It's hard to say much more without giving away the essence of the plot, but trust me in that this will not disappoint.
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
There's a reason why A Streetcar Named Desire is cited as one of the best plays from the last century. Despite being so short, you're instantly transported to 1940s New Orleans with Blanche, a character you can't help but feel pity for while simultaneously wanting to shake some sense into her. Powerful, raw, and deeply concerned with family and mental illness, Williams will leave you thinking long after you've walked away.
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
A little darker than the others on this list, but no less gripping. Again concerning women and mental illness, this short horror story is both an excellent introduction to classic horror and Penguin's little black classics. A snippet of classical literature that will not bore you or become a chore to read - definitely worth the 80p.