A QUARTET OF CRIME NOVELS.

Given that I shall be sharing my thoughts on not one but four novels today I shall not be sharing the Back Cover Blurbs, the First Sentence nor my Memorable Moment. For the synopsis please click on the book title.

TENNISON by LYNDA LA PLANTE.

The first book in the Tennison series. Tennison tells the back story of DCI Jane Tennison who featured in the TV programme Prime Suspect. 

With murdered teenagers in the first part and a bank robbery in the second (both tenuously connected), though fairly average as far as police procedurals go, Tennison proved an enjoyable enough read. For me however, perhaps the most interesting (if slightly predictable) thing about the book was the insight it gave into how difficult it was for women to rise through the male dominated ranks of the police force at that time (1973) and the amount of, juvenile pranks sexism that went on; that the author reiterated this time and time again however did become a bit tiresome. That it also gave a glimpse into the fashions, music and price of everything from a bacon buttie to a packet of cigarettes (both of which the young Jane Tennison was of course expected to fetch for her male colleagues) provided an amusing historical aspect. 

NOW YOU SEE ME by SHARON BOLTON.

The first book in the Lacey Flint series. With a Jack the Ripper aspect to the book I fully expected to enjoy Now You See Me, however ...

I found Lacey unrealistic as a police officer; like the archetypical school boy who pulls the hair of the girl he actually likes, so Lacey is rude to/shows distaste of a fellow officer until, yeah, it turns out she actually loves him. As for the crimes and motives? Daft is the first word that comes to mind. And as for the Gay, beautiful Tulloch ... talk about stereotypical; that he is 'not entirely white' ... (shaking head incredulously) What!!!

THE CUTTING CREW by STEVE MOSBY.

If ever there was a book in which there were two principle characters The Cutting Crew is it. Nothing original about that you might be thinking but what if I were to tell you that, the narrative dominated by these two factors, the two principle characters were main protagonist, Martin, and the city (a city split into districts, each named after an animal no less), its geography and history? 

A slow starter, without a doubt. Confusing, yes. A poor internal dialogue to action ratio with way too much of the former and not enough of the latter for my liking, most definitely. Weird/offbeat, certainly. And yet, quirky and intriguing with more of what I thought a futuristic vibe than a Sci-fi one, oddly enough, I did kind of enjoy it.

THE LAST PRECINCT by PATRICIA CORNWELL.

What turned out to be the 11th book in the Kay Scarpetta series. It could be said that these are books best read in order and, yes, there is something in that as though able to be read as a standalone novel, there is obviously some back story lost in joining a well established story so far in though in all honesty I did feel there was sufficient that this wasn't a huge problem.

OK so strong in forensic and pathological detail, I'll give the author that, BUT ...

With the first half of the book given over to a therapy session, whilst I'm up for character's baring their deepest, darkest thoughts and fears, dear me, this was something else. That everyone seems to fall into one of two groups; those that adore Kaye, thinking her, well, the best thing since sliced bread, OR those who hate her mainly because they are jealous of her knowledge or good looks or both. Then there were all those descriptions (Oh! Those never ending descriptions) that seemed to serve no other purpose other than to fill up pages/make up the word count. And that just wasn't the descriptions either for much the same could be said of the endless pages of conversation between only two characters.

Whilst I can't say I'll never pick up another book in the series/another of the author's books if this is a prime example of her writing I can't say I'm impressed.

THE LAST DRAGONSLAYER SERIES (BOOKS 1-3)

Having watched the 2016 film starring Ellise Chappell as the main character, Jennifer Strange over the Christmas holiday last year (don't ask me anything about it, it obviously wasn't anything that special/too awful as I have no lasting memory of it, the book and not the Christmas holiday that is), I simply had to have the book which as it turned out was in fact a trilogy of books with a fourth, Humans V Trolls, planned for next year. 

Written by Jasper Fforde, all synopsis can be found by clicking on the book title.

THE LAST DRAGON SLAYER.

'Hello,' he said, 'Kazam Mystical Arts Mangement, can I help you?'

There was a pause.

'No, I'm sorry, madam, we can't turn people into toads. Its usually permanent and highly unethical ... no, not even for cash. Thank you.' ... Memorable Moment, Page 110

MY THOUGHTS ... A series that, as with the Harry Potter books, I'm sure adults will enjoy just as much as its intended market which the generally consensus seems to have at 10-15/12-16 years old. 

Hmm! For myself personally there are several things about The Last Dragonslayer that makes me think that adults might just appreciate it that bit more; there are certainly aspects of it (notably its satirical nods to bureaucracy, corporate greed, big business and its attacks on politics, insta fame etc) that I'm guessing may well pretty much go over the heads of many of its younger readers.

Undeniably a fun read (as with the Harry Potter books before it  I can see any number of adults reading copies of this hidden in between the pages of their newspapers) and with the tendency to be very silly ... a dragon named Colin, I ask you! Its just as a well the other dragon, Feldspar Axiom Firebreath IV, has an altogether more dragon like name.

A great introduction to the Ununited Kingdoms and any number of its citizens; that so much time was spent doing so, come the end of the novel, I felt that I had never really got to know any of the characters (its main character, Jennifer Strange, included) and, even more disappointingly, so many potentially amazing characters were given only a cursory glance. 

THE SONG OF THE QUARKBEAST.

Every single pore of her skin, every wrinkle, every eyelash was perfectly rendered in the finest alabaster I had seen. It felt odd being in close proximity to Lady Mawgon, even if she was now a four-hundred-pound block of stone, and although getting turned to stone was bad news, it might have been worse. ... Memorable Moment, Page 79 (Slight spoiler included, please scroll over to read the full text)

MY THOUGHTS ... Though its not written in stone (sorry, that's me having a flash back to part one when one of the characters finds themselves turned to stone), even if there are enough nods to previous events that it is not a necessity, I would suggest that this is a series best read from the beginning in order to get the best out of it. 

That I read the books back to back meant the writing at times felt a bit repetitive; to leave that bit of time between the reading of one book in the series and the next really is best 

Probably my favourite book in the series. Less weightier than its predecessor and therefore reading more like a children's book (not something that will sit well with all of its 'older' audience I'm sure) and yet at the same time, less disjointed, the pacing better; overall I felt The Song Of The Quarkbeast certainly had more to it ... 

And then of course there's more of the Quarkbeast. More adorable than he sounds; an intelligent and loyal companion - Honest, Cross my heart. Its just a shame there isn't more of him but then the author doesn't come across as being really big on mythical characters.

THE EYE OF ZOLTAR.

'No one is curtsying me,' she said in a kind of wonderment as we walked unobserved down a bustling corridor in the palace. 'Is that what being common is like?'

'it's a small part of what being common is like,' I told her.

'Do you think that horrible servant will get my body pregnant?' she asked as we trotted down the steps. 'I've heard about girl orphans having no morals and having babies for fun and selling them to buy bicycles and fashion accessories and onions and stuff.' ... Memorable Moment, Page 49

MY THOUGHTS ... Having read all three of the books back to back I wish I could say its just a case of too much of a good thing but, rated **s 'It was OK' as opposed to the ***s 'Liked it' of the previous books, there was just something about The Eye Of Zoltar  that simply didn't do it for me.  

As humorous as ever but ...

Left feeling altogether a bit Meh!. A bit like when several characters died in Harry Potter ... only worse as this sees the death of several major characters all within the one book. 

Then there's the world building; Pufff! Much of it gone when the UnUnited Kingdoms ... There'll be no spoilers here, you'll have to read the book for yourself in order to find out). 

Essentially my problem with the book however lies in the fact that, Ooh! much as it pains me to say it, much of my problem with the book lies in the fact that at times it truly feels as if its main purpose is to serve as a set up for the fourth book. That there is to be a fourth book a good thing as otherwise, this one landing of the cliff-hanger it does, I'd have been bitterly disappointed.

FIRST SEEN MOVIES: 2020/1

Featuring the films Mr T and myself have watched for the first time whether they be at the cinema, on the telly, online, or on DVD. 

WHISKY GALORE ... 

The 2016 remake of the 1949 film of the same name which Mr T, a big fan, has on DVD. The original being a film I am familiar with but not to the degree that if they were to change anything I would necessarily notice. What felt more like a film you'd settle down to watch of a gloomy Sunday afternoon (which is what we did) rather than cinematic fare.  Inoffensive, gentle humour, I'm not too sure this had quite the charm of the original though.  FGT

2016 Remake of one of my favourite Ealing Comedies(1949)was thereby approached with some trepidation. Worries were not realised fortunately as this new version remained close enough to the original story-line and script to be almost indistinguishable. 

Gregor Fisher (aka Rab C. Nesbitt)takes on the role of Macroon, master of the island post office and telecoms, his daughters romantic interests being the sub-plot; the wartime ration of whisky preventing the necessary ritual of the quaich. 

Based on the historical events,the 1941 wreck of the SS Politician in 1941 off the isle of Eriskay, it is told that even to today, bottles of stashed whisky still occasionally wash up on the beaches of the island such was the ingenuity of the islanders in hiding the whisky they (ahem) liberated from the stricken vessel.  This film is a monument to that ingenuity, and the confounding of the authorities embodied in the person of Captain Wagget, Eddie Izzard, oddly, less manic than his 1949 counterpart Basil Radford. Yet both films maintain their essential humour and charm and I will happily watch either and or both at any time. NJT

BOY SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE ... 

A film I actually watched by myself which is unusual but hey-ho it was late; a school night so Mr T was fast asleep and I, well, I wasn't. Not too gory, not too crude, its humour, some of it puerile for sure but for the most part what I'd describe as stupidly funny; either way, full of laugh out loud moments (how Mr T slept through my chortling away is anyone's guess) including one of those of the type that not really all that funny, blink and you'd have missed it involving spoiler ahead >>> a zombie trundling past in their mobility scooter >>> end of spoiler. Do I think Mr T would enjoy? You bet I do. FGT

ROTTEN HISTORIES: THE MOVIE - ROTTEN ROMANS ...

Whilst familiar with the concept, I can't say I've ever read any of the books by Terry Deary nor watched any of the UK television series of the same name. The humour, Hmm! Not as funny as I'd expected though as always British comedian Lee Mack (in his first big screen role) was hugely entertaining. Much of the humour visual 'toilet humour' (the public toilet scene being particularly memorable ... sadly) which, if the film had been much longer, I'm sure would have worn thin very quickly (at least for me, I can't vouch for Mr T who tends to revert to his seven year old - or thereabout - self when it comes to bodily function jokes). The 'violence' essentially slapstick and, as with the humour, obviously written with the securing of a PG certificate in mind. It was however interesting how much actual history they'd woven into the script though once again this tended to be geared towards the gross factor. FGT

Always been a fan of the Horrible Histories, how I wish history had been taught to me with such humour whilst at school. Originally created by a local author Terry Deary (lovely man, met him a few times through work) he has inspired a whole generation of young people to think again about history by teaching from the bottom up, the everyday and largely mundane of the common people taken up in larger events and always with a direct reference to the lavatorial somewhere along the way. The Roman public toilet scene in this one is of note!) 

A feast of British comedic talent carries through the cast, a particular favourite from me Lee Mack in his first film as Centurion Decimus constantly longing to be released from Britannia to return to his beloved Rome 'ah... Rome...'. Derek Jacobi satirically revisits his far more serious TV Drama role of Claudius with great affection, albeit briefly. Nick Frost, Rupert Graves, Warwick Davies, Alexander Armstrong, Sanjeev Bhaskar... Here's the castlist. The historical is interpreted and honestly and sometimes very literally but is not taken liberties with and is quite simply a good fun romp with education on the side. NJT

  

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER.

ISBN 978-1844087198

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER edited by HELENA WHITBREAD.

Anne Lister (1791 - 1840) defied the role of early nineteenth-century womanhood; she was bold. fiercely independent, a landowner, industrialist and traveller who lived openly as a lesbian. She kept intimate diaries of her life and loves, much of which were written in code.

- Back Cover Blurb

You descend to Buxtondown a very steep narrow road with an ill-fenced off precipice (the case in many other parts of the road) on your right.

- First Sentence, 1816

Had mourning sent over from Farrar's & bought for our own 2 women servants 17 1/4yds (the cook being so big takes 9 1/4yds) at 4/6 & twill'd stuff at 1/8, it being very good & there being no better.

- Memorable Moment, Page 32.

MY THOUGHTS ... Like many others Anne Lister only came to my attention when I watched last year's BBC's Gentleman Jack, a series based on these diaries.

Apparently not only written in minute hand writing but also in code, the diaries (deciphered by Helena Whitbread who offers the occasional explanation/aside) offer a fascinating insight into not just the life of an exceptional woman but the life of a woman of a certain class living in mid/late eighteen hundred England. 

Amongst the chronicling of routine life as lived by Anne, perhaps most interesting for me were the   entries in which she explored her sexual identity/attraction to women; her primary struggle being nothing to do with her religion as you might expect (a church goer for social rather than religious reasons though she often details her praying, asking for forgiveness for what she herself describes as her sin) but rather the gossip she must endure because of it. Mind you, a close second, came the descriptions of some of the 'medical' procedures of the time - leeches for toothache, the bathing of wounds in urine, need I continue?

As you may expect, different to the BBC dramatisation. I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed that though this set of diary entries (1816-1824) (subtitled as volume 1: 'I Know My Own Heart') did include Anne's feelings for/'dalliances' with several other women it didn't really include her romance with Miss Walker ... something I'm presuming that actually happened later in her life and as such will be included in the second volume of her diaries, 'No Priest But Love'.

For me, whilst an astute piece of social (some would sayLGBT+) history, not quite as interesting as I was maybe hoping. Yes, there is a great accounting of Anne's comings and goings BUT, largely straight forward, the entries tend to be lacking in description ... something that was probably only to be expected given that they were never written with a view to them being published. 

SUMMED UP IN A SENTENCE ... Interesting if  what some would consider mundane; for the most part the diaries are an account of the minutiae of upper-class 18th century daily life as lived in a provincial town, anyone expecting a risque account of Anne's life will be sorely disappointed as there is nothing titillating about the entries.

THE YORKSHIRE SHEPHERDESS.

THE YORKSHIRE SHEPHERDESS by AMANDA OWEN.

Amanda has been eagerly watched by millions of viewers of ITV's The Dales living and working at Ravenseat, a hill farm of 2,000 acres which she shares with 900 sheep, seven children, 4 dogs and one husband. Not to mention chickens, cows, horses, an uncontrollable goat and a vole who has taken up residence in the sitting room. It's a far cry from her childhood in industrial Huddersfield ...

In this delightful memoir she reveals how she achieved her dream of becoming a shepherdess and how she and husband Clive have dealt with the ups and downs of farming life - from the tragedy of foot and mouth disease to the joy of breeding a champion tup*, and from the pleasures of living in tune with the changing seasons to the challenges of raising children in such a remote location.

- Back Cover Blurb

'Will you take the trailer and fetch a tup* from a mate of mine? ...'

- First Sentence; Introduction

I was married in my riding boots, as I was unable to prise them off in time. I was sure no one wouldspot this, but when I was kneeling at the altar they were on show to the congregation behind me.

- Memorable moment; Page 105/6

SOURCE ... Received as a gift from a friend, thanks Aspen.

READ FOR A CHALLENGE? ... No.

MY THOUGHTS ... I first came across Amanda Owen whilst watching The Dales, a TV series featuring her and her family. Intrigued to find out more about what made her tick (as someone who has lived all her life in the suburbs I soooo wanted to understand what informed the choices she made) you can imagine how disappointed I was to find much of the book perfunctory with too many long anecdotes rather than anything substantial. 

Chatty and friendly in style (for those familiar with the TV series Amanda writes pretty much as she speaks); you'd be hard-pressed to be other than inspired by the sheer stamina, hard work and dedication that it takes to run such a farm (to say nothing of a family of what was then seven children) and the author's passion, warmth and sense of fun shines through. However ... 

Whilst I do like this chatty style of writing, I struggled with the liberal use of all the broad Yorkshire. OK so arguably its quirky and it made the book all that more authentic but on the other hand when you are having to re-read passages it does get kind of tiring after a while.

Essentially an OK read, not particularly well structured with a tendency to be repetitive but OK. However in the future when I want a bit of 'country life' I'll be reaching for my much read copies of James Herriot's All Creatures Great & Small series.

* A male sheep/ram.

RUMPOLE AT CHRISTMAS & PADDINGTON AND THE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE.

Not one but two books both of which feature somewhat iconic English characters ...

RUMPOLE AT CHRISTMAS by JOHN MORTIMER.

BACK COVER BLURB ... Please clink on book title above. (Please note: A collection of short stories thus I won't be sharing a First Sentence or Memorable Moment. TT)

SOURCE ... A charity shop buy.

READ FOR A CHALENGE? Yes.

• Book 6 read for the 2018 Christmas Spirit Challenge; Christmas Tree level achieved.

MY THOUGHTS ... Though I haven't previously read any of the Rumpole stories and have only the vaguest recollection of the TV series, Rumpole of The Bailey, Rumpole is one of those quintessential English characters that most people of my age (and older) would be hard-pressed to not know about.

A series of seven yuletide short stories previously published in various newspapers and/or magazines. 

Alas slight (even for short stories), formulaic and, well, repetitive; something that was probably made all the more noticeable by the fact that here they were presented all in one publication rather than as a series as was originally intended. But then again it could be argued how many of us read the book not so much for the stories but rather the grumpy and larger than life barrister whose personality and foibles prevail throughout?

PADDINGTON AND THE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE by MICHAEL BOND.

When the Browns take Paddington to the Christmas Grotto at the local department store, their journey through the Winter Wonderland is full of unexpected surprises. But the nicest and biggest surprise of all is Paddington's present from Santa. After all, who else would find the perfect present for a bear like Paddington?

- Back Cover Blurb

One Christmas Padington announced he was taking the Brown family to Barkridge store to see Santa Claus.

- First Sentence; Page unnumbered

"How about this one, then?" continued Mr Brown, as they turned corner. "It's the stable where Santa keeps his reindeer."

Paddington didn't say anything. From where he was sitting it looked more like a dog kennel and the only reindeer he could see was a plastic one that had fallen over in the snow.

- Memorable Moment; Page unnumbered

SOURCE ... Given to me by a friend.

READ FOR A CHALLENGE? ... Yes.

• Visions of Sugar Plums level achieved in the Christmas Spirit Challenge.

MY THOUGHTS ... A bear even more loved by me than Winnie The Pooh. Whilst I was already aware of this story having read it in an omnibus edition of Paddington stories how could I resist this special 50th year edition produced for retailers Marks & Spencer?

Beautifully illustrated certainly BUT to my mind, lacking a certain charm, not one of the better stories. 

Putting on my Teaching Assistant head; I think I might have had a lot of confused (and possibly upset) children on my hands as Paddington and the Brown's visit a Winter Wonderland in which, hardly magical and full of broken props and toys, the family at first fail to meet Santa.

Still, as always the bear in the duffle-coat is on hand to save the day and, well, lets just say that all's well that ends well.

Other books read for the challenge ...
Candy Cane Level (1 book read)
1. Saviours Day
Mistletoe Level (2 to 4 books read)
2. Murder on Christmas Eve
3. Angels At Christmas
4. On Strike For Christmas
Christmas Tree Level (5 to 6 or more books read)
5. It Must have Been The Mistletoe

(JOCASTA HUGHES MYSTERIES: BOOKS 1 & 2): DEAD PRETTY & BODY HEAT.

DEAD PRETTY.

Dr. Jocasta Hughes, thirty-two years old, a willowy blonde with a wicked sense of humour and an unsatisfactory love life, works part-time as a GP in Hastings, a small English fishing town, and is on call as a Forensic Medical Practioner for the local police. When it becomes clear that there is a vicious serial killer on the loose, Jo finds herself increasingly at risk.

- Back Cover Blurb

She lies there, on the dishevelled bed, mocking him.

- First Sentence; Prologue

She was to become the latest victim, strangled with a urinary catheter wielded by a necrophiliac mortuary attendant. What a way to go.

- Memorable Moment; Page 315 (Contains major spoiler; scroll over to highlight text TT)

BODY HEAT.

The second in the Dr Jocasta Hughes sees the Hastings Forensic Medical Practitioner faced with a gruesome series of murders which leave the remains of the victims twisted and charred. The hunt heats up for the arsonist, and so does Jo’s relationship with the exasperating DI Miller. A chilling mystery with lead characters you will want to spend more time with, and a murderer you would definitely want to avoid.

- Back Cover Blurb

He was driving carefully, making sure he didn't attract attention, although he hardly saw another car once he had left the town.

- First Sentence; Prologue.

The forensic tent glowed eerily in the half-light, but the blue-clad figures seemed slightly faded as they searched the immediate area around the tent now that dawn was beginning to break.

- Memorable Moment; Page 129

SOURCE ... I was honoured to have received both copies from the author, CANDY DENMAN.

READ FOR A CHALLENGE? ... No.

MY THOUGHTS ... Well! What a great start to what promises to be a fascinating and, I'm guessing, long running, series. 

Having now read both of the first books, I can safely say that, as with most books of this genre, both Dead Pretty and, its sequel, Body Heat, CAN be read as stand-alone novels as each deals with its own separate case. However, to get the best out of them, I'd strongly suggest you begin at the beginning as both stories are much more than a crime novel.

As with many crime stories that feature amateur sleuths a certain amount of suspending your disbelief is needed as Jocasta (AKA Jo) not only carries out her own investigations but is paramount in actually solving the cases in Hastings, a small fishing village, that, not unlike Cabot Cove (home of Jessica Fletcher; Murder, She Wrote), seemingly has one of the highest murder ratios of anywhere in America. That said ...

Jo's life; Forensic Medical Practitioner, General Practitioner, daughter and friend is perfectly depicted ...

Jo's relationship with her family (her mother and father make for great secondary characters; outside of the murders it is her rapport with them that most interested me) and the author's social commentary (much of it about the state of the health service) making for great sub-plots. It's the will-they-won't-they relationship between Jo and DI Miller that I could well do without but then that's me.

Full of chills (dramatically added to by the author giving the murderer their own voice from time to time, {sigh} if only there had been a tad more of these insights) and thrills as the author piles red herring upon red herring in novels that, though (on more than one occasion as it turns out) you are absolutely/ positively/without a shadow of a doubt convinced you know whodunit, actually keep you doubting right up until the end. ...

As for the characters? Hmm! A fan of good, feisty female characters. Whilst without a doubt Jo is not without courage (some if it ill-advised but nevertheless courageous), its just I'm afraid I once again found myself disappointed that so much more was made of her and her fellow female characters physical (or lack of them) attributes than there were the male characters. 

A small gripe in what were otherwise hugely compelling reads that kept me gripped from beginning to end.

FILMS 2018 #1.

Given that we made the decision to opt out of our contract with LoveFilm in favour of Amazon Prime; what with Mr T's work load, his Ordination, his studying for his second degree; the fact that we chose to spend Mr T's time off work, recovering from surgery, re-watching the full five seasons/63 episodes of Six Feet Under, a series we'd first watched on tv way back when HBO was in its infancy (at least here in the UK), we haven't watched many films. 

BUT that's about to change. 

Not that there will be a monthly post as before but hopefully there will be one once in every while, starting with, not a film, but the afore mentioned ...

SIX FEET UNDER ...

Essentially the goings on of the somewhat dysfunctional Fisher family who run a funeral parlour. Not something you'd maybe expect to be high on laughs but, darkly funny, it has its moments -  with every episode beginning with a death, just ask Mr T about the woman with a frying pan.

What surprises me though is just how much I'd invested in these characters. With the world outside proving to be just as challenging, I laughed; I cried (Oh my goodness! The last ever episode); I raged with/at brothers Nate and David; their sister, Claire; their mother, Ruth ... the whole entourage.

My only gripe? Some of it relevant, some of it not; much of it fast-forwarded through the further we got into the series there were too many sex scenes for my liking. TT 

NJT - Very biased on this one so not much of a review, more a paean of praise. Death and its rituals have always been a subject of interest for me and possibly more so now engaged in the delivery of funerals. This box set has been watched several times over and bits of it feature regularly in training and lectures. The struggle for meaning and purpose, nothing less is the theme here, set around the stories of one family whose business is a funeral home. 'tis a gritty one that doesn't pull its punches and not for the delicate of language or those put off by sex scenes. Not that this is gratuitous in anyway but I know some who find it a bit much. Totally engaging life stories of rich characters whom you will love in one episode and detest in the next as you follow the roller coaster of their life and loves. A favourite element of the show for me is that each episode opens with a brief scene of a death, the deceased turning up in the mortuary basement of the house and frequently joining in the conversations... if only the dead could talk, and here they do. Some of them bitter deaths, some are tear-jerkers and others are, well, Darwin Awards readers will appreciate, very, very funny... as well as episode mentioned above the episode beginning with The Rapture is pretty impressive.


PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES ... 

A book both Mr T and I enjoyed (him more so than me if memory serves but then he had read the original novel). The film started off well with laughs aplenty. However, it soon became, well, well, 
somewhat ... meh. TT

NJT - Having left school with a passionate hatred of the English classic and swearing never to look at Austen, Dickens, Bronte ever again, I of course had to take a butchers at this cultural melange. The book a better read than the film... (I sent my copy to an Austen loving friend in Louisiana!) the film sticks pretty rigidly to the story and extends Austen comedy of Englishness, manners and stiff upper lips into the zombie genre with good grace on the whole. Good settings and scenery, costume its worth a watch but not one to go back to I don't think.


THE MARTIAN ...

Having read (and not enjoyed) the book and this, being on a terrestrial channel with adverts, ten minutes short of three hours long, I decided against watching it. TT

NJT - Yes worth a viewing, it certainly has more to commend it than Apollo 13 in my opinion. As a technical malfunction and a failed transmitter leave the astronaut stranded a long way from home it follows his struggle with loneliness and eking out an existence with what he has to hand. Back on earth meanwhile the error is discovered and the rescue plan put in place. A bit long perhaps and I would have shaved a good 20 minutes out of it at least, but an entertaining enough piece.


VICTORIA AND ABDUL ...

One of the best film I have seen in a long while. Highly watchable; funny and charming, a poignant portrait of the human connection, the sense of grandeur palatable; the cinematography beautiful. Its not afraid to have a few digs at racism and snobbery, its illustrating the palace's games for power, fascinating; the use of poetic licence both impeccable and exquisite.  

A far better film than Mrs Brown (for one thing Victoria's companion; her 'Munshi', Abdul Karim played beautifully by Ali Fazal, is so much more pleasing to the eye than Billy Connoly), this sees Judi Dench return to her role as the now 68 year old monarch.

I don't see it as my 'job' to recommend films; only to record my thoughts on them, BUT if I were to do so I'd say ... watch this. TT

NJT - Thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours tracing this later relationship in Queen Victoria's (Judi Dench) life which was kept very hush and hush and only revealed in the discovery of Abdul's (Ali Fazal) personal journals years after he died. Chance as chance is, unpredictable, he finds himself plucked from Agra to be one of a pair presenting a ceremonial medal to Queen Victoria in England. The chance develops into something wonderful as the two find a mutual liking and she appoints him her 'Munshi'.  The establishment is scandalised of course and fails to see the delight and happiness that the Queen gains from this and the forces gather to see it ended. Not least of these is in Bertie, her eldest son, who played by Eddie Izzard is reprehensible and displays nothing but contempt for the man. Dench is superb as the crabbitty had enough of this lark queen, and Fazal plays a delightful, honest devotion that is compelling, their conversations touching on meaning and purpose in life and the constraints that we face in discovering it. 

Inspired by Kelly's One Sentence Movie Reviews, you can catch up on what she has been watching here.

HANS MY HEDGEHOG ...

HANS MY HEDGEHOG: A TALE FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM retold by KATE COOMBS (With illustrations by JOHN NICKLE.

Meet Hans.

Half hedgehog, half boy.

One lonely soul with a magical fiddle.

Add two promises, two princesses,

and a herd of loyal pigs.

The final ingredient?

One true love who will change

everything. 

- Inner Front Cover Blurb

Once upon a time in a village just past yonder, there lived a prosperous farmer and his wife.

- First Sentence, Page Unnumbered

They upset the cooks and muddied the king's bedclothes and frightened the princess.

- Memorable Moment, Page Unnumbered

SOURCE ... A Christmas gift.

READ FOR A CHALLENGE? ... No.

MY THOUGHTS ... A story, well known from the  Brothers Grimm collection of stories I read last year and, before this, one of my teenage self's all-time tv programmes, The Storyteller as created by Jim Henson. To be honest this isn't one of my favourite folk stories and probably isn't a book I would have chosen if it wasn't for my collection of hedgehog themed books.

Here retold by Kate Coombs and aimed at (according to several website) those aged five to eight years old. 

Hmm! Five to eight?

Perhaps not if this had been the original telling of the story which is altogether darker but there has been tweaking aplenty to make it more sanitised for a younger (and arguably more delicate) audience. That said, like many other tales similar in nature, read enough into it and its still rife with misogyny and objectification but then that's not necessarily something that will be picked up by your average five to eight year old who doubtlessly will view it as just another story (albeit perhaps that little bit weird) with colourful and fun illustrations.

For myself (putting the original version aside and judging this retelling on its own merits), from something of a hideous oddity to a spirited protagonist, here portrayed as a contemporary character in the ilk of Beauty and the Beast, Hans is an OK read. The illustrations, whether in vibrant colour or done as silhouettes, humorous and with something new to be found every time you look at them, for me they are the main attraction of the book.

(BAD MEMORIES #2): ASYLUM

ASYLUM by DOUGLAS SANDLER.

BACK COVER BLURB: Doctor Peter Alexander is hired to be doctor at the Middleton Home for the Mentally Retarded in Jonesville, Florida and he finds out his training and reality conflict.

Set in 1957-1968 Florida he must survive a cruel nurse, patients and staff who are more same than sane.

Will Doctor Alexander survive? Will he maintain his sanity?

FIRST SENTENCE {INTRODUCTION}: The events in this novelette, set in a fictional town in Florida, are based on the historical records of physical and mental abuse that occurred at Penhurst Asylum in Pennsylvania, Letchworth Village in Rockland County, New York and Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {PAGE 21}: At 7pm Doctor Alexander opened the rusted solid metal door to the basement of building B with a squeal of rust his heart jumped a beat  as the door slammed shut. He looked down the dark corridor and he sees a light coming from under a black door.

SOURCE: Received from the author.

READ FOR: Not applicable.

MY THOUGHTS: Not particularly the best written of books and in need of an edit and yet Asylum is one of those books in which the author obviously has a real ardor for the subject - that of institutional abuse - at the heart of the book.

With a nurse that makes One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest's Nurse Ratched look like a pussy cat and and an ending that, though I kind of knew it was coming, still saw me covered in goosebumps, essentially the stuff of nightmares ... for those of us Brits of a certain age it put me in mind of one of those dramas that formed Tales Of The Unexpected (the British anthology series  featuring tales of horror, mystery and suspense) that saw the teenage me watching the television from between my fingers.

For myself personally a tad too short. I'd be interested to know if there are plans to bring the Bad Memories series (which so far consists of two novelettes) together in one edition of horror, mystery and suspense.