Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by bookwyrmemma
The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro, Daniel Kraus
4.0
Read: Feb 17-29, 2020
Official Summary:
“It is 1962, and Elisa Esposito—mute her whole life, orphaned as a child—is struggling with her humdrum existence as a janitor working the graveyard shift at Baltimore’s Occam Aerospace Research Center. Were it not for Zelda, a protective coworker, and Giles, her loving neighbor, she doesn’t know how she’d make it through the day.
Then, one fateful night, she sees something she was never meant to see, the Center’s most sensitive asset ever: an amphibious man, captured in the Amazon, to be studied for Cold War advancements. The creature is terrifying but also magnificent, capable of language and of understanding emotions…and Elisa can’t keep away. Using sign language, the two learn to communicate. Soon, affection turns into love, and the creature becomes Elisa’s sole reason to live.
But outside forces are pressing in. Richard Strickland, the obsessed soldier who tracked the asset through the Amazon, wants nothing more than to dissect it before the Russians get a chance to steal it. Elisa has no choice but to risk everything to save her beloved. With the help of Zelda and Giles, Elisa hatches a plan to break out the creature. But Strickland is on to them. And the Russians are, indeed, coming.”
My Thoughts:
Ever since I saw the trailer for this movie, I have been intrigued by the storyline. I have read Reylo fanfics featuring this theme and I knew I wanted to give this book a try before I watch the movie. I really liked how the story was written; how it had different sections written from different characters and their POV. The setting of the story was in the sixties in Baltimore; I really felt like I was in that time period, especially when one of the character’s purchases a Cadillac. Watching that same character slowly descend into madness during the story was fascinating to me as well.
Rated: 4.0/5.0—Overall, a wonderful and entertaining read. I really liked the storyline and the main characters; I can’t wait to see how it all evolves on the big screen compared to the book.
Official Summary:
“It is 1962, and Elisa Esposito—mute her whole life, orphaned as a child—is struggling with her humdrum existence as a janitor working the graveyard shift at Baltimore’s Occam Aerospace Research Center. Were it not for Zelda, a protective coworker, and Giles, her loving neighbor, she doesn’t know how she’d make it through the day.
Then, one fateful night, she sees something she was never meant to see, the Center’s most sensitive asset ever: an amphibious man, captured in the Amazon, to be studied for Cold War advancements. The creature is terrifying but also magnificent, capable of language and of understanding emotions…and Elisa can’t keep away. Using sign language, the two learn to communicate. Soon, affection turns into love, and the creature becomes Elisa’s sole reason to live.
But outside forces are pressing in. Richard Strickland, the obsessed soldier who tracked the asset through the Amazon, wants nothing more than to dissect it before the Russians get a chance to steal it. Elisa has no choice but to risk everything to save her beloved. With the help of Zelda and Giles, Elisa hatches a plan to break out the creature. But Strickland is on to them. And the Russians are, indeed, coming.”
My Thoughts:
Ever since I saw the trailer for this movie, I have been intrigued by the storyline. I have read Reylo fanfics featuring this theme and I knew I wanted to give this book a try before I watch the movie. I really liked how the story was written; how it had different sections written from different characters and their POV. The setting of the story was in the sixties in Baltimore; I really felt like I was in that time period, especially when one of the character’s purchases a Cadillac. Watching that same character slowly descend into madness during the story was fascinating to me as well.
Rated: 4.0/5.0—Overall, a wonderful and entertaining read. I really liked the storyline and the main characters; I can’t wait to see how it all evolves on the big screen compared to the book.