I maybe didn’t find this book as terrifying as I’d hoped (though I find the imagery from the film startling even all these yeaActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I maybe didn’t find this book as terrifying as I’d hoped (though I find the imagery from the film startling even all these years later) but it definitely has some disturbing scenes. I wasn’t a massive fan of the soliloquizing about the human condition as I found it quite dry in places & it seemed as though the author really wanted the reader to take him seriously. Scenes involving the actual possession were much more interesting to me & I enjoyed the ending! ...more
Well here I am I’m finally caught up with the saga of Uhtred of Bebbanburg! This installment was actually really enjoyable & the whole series has becoWell here I am I’m finally caught up with the saga of Uhtred of Bebbanburg! This installment was actually really enjoyable & the whole series has become a bit of a comfort read for me over the last two years. I’m sad there isn’t more waiting for me but I’ll do my best to be patient while Mr. Cornwell writes more about my dude & his crazy adventures!...more
I felt more inclined to round up for this book as there are some gratifying developments & some of the tricks & twists in thisActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I felt more inclined to round up for this book as there are some gratifying developments & some of the tricks & twists in this book harken back to the earlier books & made me feel very nostalgic for Uhtred’s past....more
It’s taken me like 6 months but I’ve really enjoyed this book! I’ve been forced to read it on my Kindle as Roy Dotrice is justActual Rating: 4.5 Stars
It’s taken me like 6 months but I’ve really enjoyed this book! I’ve been forced to read it on my Kindle as Roy Dotrice is just a horrible narrator in my opinion & I don’t think I’d be able to fully immerse with this story in audio format. But, given I’m such an abhorrently slow physical reader, maybe by the time I finish all 5 books we’ll have a release date for Winds of Winter!?
Hey, a girl can dream (of spring)... lol
Pre-Read Thoughts:
So here’s the deal. I watched & loved the show for 7 seasons & absolutely detested the final season with all of my heart & soul. I’ve always said I wouldn’t read these books until Martin showed some tangible progress toward releasing the next installment, but the truth is I just hate the sour taste left in my mouth by the final season of the show. I still want to be present in this world & with these characters. So I’ve rescinded my prior declaration to wait on these books.
I’m going in fully aware that I may never have a better end for these characters than the show provided, but I think the time spent with the characters & the world will be worth it. I wish Martin the best in his endeavor to finish telling this sprawling story, & if he never makes it there at least I’ll have the books he’s already written to enjoy....more
Well, it does feel rather weird to give such a well known & well loved book a low rating like this, but rereading this as an adult, I realize it’s verWell, it does feel rather weird to give such a well known & well loved book a low rating like this, but rereading this as an adult, I realize it’s very so so?
I’ve read books aimed at children and loved them, so my opinion has nothing to do with the target audience. And it just so happens I really enjoyed this book when I was a child, so in that way it has accomplished its goal.
But this story is very simplistic, so much so that it barely does anything to disguise its religious messages. It probably has a lot to do with my own relationship to Christianity, but seeing these messages made me unsettled.
One in particular that sticks out to me is when Father Christmas arrives & gifts Lucy & Susan with weapons but tells them they will not be a part of the war because “war is ugly when women fight” or something to that effect. To me, that’s a strange & uncomfortable message to portray through a magical figure many children look up to & respect.
Bottom line though? Even if this novel hadn’t been laced through with religious allegories, it still isn’t that interesting on the surface.
I toyed with the idea of reading this series through to the end since it’s so short, but given how much I didn’t enjoy my reread, I think I’ll cut my losses here & move on....more
This definitely isn’t a bad book but I did find some of the characters not quite as fleshed out as they should’ve been, and thActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
This definitely isn’t a bad book but I did find some of the characters not quite as fleshed out as they should’ve been, and the ones that were weren’t quite likable enough for me.
That’s not to say people can’t write unlikable characters, but I think this story requires a bit more sympathy than I was willing to extend. It’s absolutely well written, but in some areas it feels like ”How can I recreate the success of Evelyn Hugo again without writing the same story twice?”
Maybe that’s me projecting. I enjoyed it enough to say that if the premise interests you, give it a try! It’s very well suited to audio book format, as it’s been recorded by a full cast & sounds very much like an actual interview with the band members. ...more
Ok so I recently read (and loved) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier & so imagine my excitement to read another gothic romance/thriller she wroteI don’t...
Ok so I recently read (and loved) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier & so imagine my excitement to read another gothic romance/thriller she wrote. I had such high hopes for this, especially given the number of people who I’ve seen consider this somehow better than Rebecca.
I’ll be honest here. 1 Star, that’s kind of an extreme rating. But giving it a 2 Stars or even a 1.5 Stars just doesn’t feel like it genuinely represents how bad of a time I had while reading this. I’m struggling to find even one thing I liked about this???
Plot? Boring. Atmosphere? Boring. Characters? Double Dog Boring. Conclusion?? BORING & PREDICTABLE & DID I MENTION BORING? which honestly just put the shit cherry on top of this shit sundae.
Seriously I felt like I was just waiting & waiting for something even the slightest bit interesting to take place but I was disappointed right up to the very end.
I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of these characters but I especially did not give a rat’s ass about Philip Ashley. Wow what a dumb fuck?
I know like “young & stupid love” and “infatuation to the point of lunacy” are definitely themes here but watching Philip was like watching a kid break its own toy & then throw a crazy ass fit when realizing the toy is broken.
Alright I’m kidding there was one thing about this novel that wasn’t absolute garbage: the writing style! Of course Daphne du Maurier is wonderful at gothic English mansions & posh English dialogue. But even being written nicely wasn’t enough to keep me from groaning.
All the while I kept thinking that reading this novel felt like a reading assignment from high school that I was forced to slog through & pretend to like & pull some convoluted meanings out of my ass about. And you know what? A book that makes me feel that gross deserves a 1 Star.
If you’re struggling between Rebecca & My Cousin Rachel to begin your journey into Daphne du Maurier‘s work? It’s gonna be a Rebecca from me, folks....more
Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~
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Books:
year-2019
(50)
