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planetshannon's reviews
2807 reviews
Cirque Du Freak: Allies of the Night by Darren Shan
4.0
Really loved this one - I think its ingenious where they ended up going in terms of setting and a great way to realign Darren back to audience experientially. Brilliant. I really liked this one and I'm already really looking forward to the next one!
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
5.0
Wow, when I first started this in April it was just a challenge to get through it, so I put it aside... until last week when I picked it up again and simply adored the last half of the book. I'm not sure what it was about it that made it hard to get through earlier, perhaps reading a lot more this year helped. Hard to say. Anyhow, it's the last book in my 2010 book-to-film challenge and I'm thrilled I made it through all 20 books selected!
Jealousy by Lili St Crow
4.0
First book read of 2011 down! Woot!
Enjoyed this latest edition in the Strange Angels, featuring Dru again whose in all sorts of trouble yet again. I still feel like a lot of this world feels like "Supernatural" but with a singular girl daughter instead of Sam & Dean, but that is probably why I love it. I didn't quite remember all of how the world worked so some things took me a bit to 'get' and other things that felt like they were suppose to be surprizes felt really clear.
I thought this was going to be a trilogy, but it keeps going with a new book out in 2011. I'll keep reading, even though I kind of see where it's going. I love the characters, especially how tough Dru is, and enjoy the world so I'll be back for more. I might actually try and re-read 1-3 before the fourth comes out later this year.
Enjoyed this latest edition in the Strange Angels, featuring Dru again whose in all sorts of trouble yet again. I still feel like a lot of this world feels like "Supernatural" but with a singular girl daughter instead of Sam & Dean, but that is probably why I love it. I didn't quite remember all of how the world worked so some things took me a bit to 'get' and other things that felt like they were suppose to be surprizes felt really clear.
I thought this was going to be a trilogy, but it keeps going with a new book out in 2011. I'll keep reading, even though I kind of see where it's going. I love the characters, especially how tough Dru is, and enjoy the world so I'll be back for more. I might actually try and re-read 1-3 before the fourth comes out later this year.
The Hunter by Julia Leigh
3.0
Reason to read was because it was called a 'Tasmanian Gothic' and that piqued my interested, although I should have looked a bit closer (hm, like.. the title) as it's really about a hunter and that isn't really my thing. I actually wasn't even certain what it was about, or even certain that I didn't know what it was about until 1/2 way through but even considering that I was completely engaged while reading. It's pretty guy-ish but overall did enjoy it, it had an interesting perspective and pretty quick read.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
5.0
Reason to Read: February book selection for the Book to Film Club and it's 'one of those books you just have to read'.
I normally start a review with a contextual piece, but with Jane Eyre I'm at a bit of a loss. Part of this is because I had almost no points of reference for the book before reading it beyond specific women in my life who had read, and loved, the book. If this book was a film (and yes, it is being adapted which is the reason I read it), I would align it to a genre, but books run a bit different in that contest. Drama would be where I'd place it, or with the feel of a fictional biography that now feels historically set, but was current of the time. Oh - and it was according to Wikipedia, originally noted as a biography under a pen name.
What really struck me about the book was that I never knew where it was going, which is bizarre for such a fame and acclaimed book. But I loved that. I loved it! Afterwards I turned over the book and was really happy that I hadn't read the back, because it would have skewed the focus for me while reading. Not knowing where it was going, meant that as a reader I could decide for myself which of the themes, actions and characters I thought were the most important to the moment, or to the whole. I wasn't always 'right' per se, but it made for a much more engaged reading experience.
It would be simplest to say that it's about the character Jane Eyre, who is intelligent and strong-willed but not a person who has a lot of support. One of the most fascinating things about here character to me was how frank, practical and truthful but not unemotional. That's something I haven't often seen or read. But what I adored about the book was that it really was about her in every facet of her life. Again, that felt very unusual to me, I'm used to things being more hyper focused, but it was a welcome and refreshing change because it really felt like knowing her on such an intricate level.
I'm so happy that this book is one of the Book to Film Club selections, because I don't think I'd have read it otherwise. I got kind of scared off classics books after struggling through Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte last year, but I found Jane Eyre to be a delightful read which I savoured and was happy to read it throughout the entire month. I'd highly & widely recommend the book, and although I think that there will be a particular resonance with girls & women I think it's accessible and interesting for everyone.
I'm really looking forward to the film adaptation, although I will admit to being hesitantly optimistic for several reasons. First, it's a HUGE book to adapt, so I'm a little worried that many of my favourite moments and themes that are more personal-development focused might be pushed to the wayside. In terms of casting, I'm on board with the boys picked as both Michael Fassbender (Fish Tank) and Jamie Bell (The Eagle, Billy Elliot) are perfect for their respective parts, but it's really all about Jane. In the film Jane will be played by Mia Wasikowska, whom was in Alice in Wonderland, The Kids Are All Right and I was most impressed with as Sophie in Season 1 of "In Treatment", and I'm really hoping she will be great here. I've decided not to watch the trailer for the film but rather wait and be surprized, but from pictures and the poster it looks like the historical period and styling is down pat so I'll be curious to see what they decided to go with in terms of tone and focus.
I normally start a review with a contextual piece, but with Jane Eyre I'm at a bit of a loss. Part of this is because I had almost no points of reference for the book before reading it beyond specific women in my life who had read, and loved, the book. If this book was a film (and yes, it is being adapted which is the reason I read it), I would align it to a genre, but books run a bit different in that contest. Drama would be where I'd place it, or with the feel of a fictional biography that now feels historically set, but was current of the time. Oh - and it was according to Wikipedia, originally noted as a biography under a pen name.
What really struck me about the book was that I never knew where it was going, which is bizarre for such a fame and acclaimed book. But I loved that. I loved it! Afterwards I turned over the book and was really happy that I hadn't read the back, because it would have skewed the focus for me while reading. Not knowing where it was going, meant that as a reader I could decide for myself which of the themes, actions and characters I thought were the most important to the moment, or to the whole. I wasn't always 'right' per se, but it made for a much more engaged reading experience.
It would be simplest to say that it's about the character Jane Eyre, who is intelligent and strong-willed but not a person who has a lot of support. One of the most fascinating things about here character to me was how frank, practical and truthful but not unemotional. That's something I haven't often seen or read. But what I adored about the book was that it really was about her in every facet of her life. Again, that felt very unusual to me, I'm used to things being more hyper focused, but it was a welcome and refreshing change because it really felt like knowing her on such an intricate level.
I'm so happy that this book is one of the Book to Film Club selections, because I don't think I'd have read it otherwise. I got kind of scared off classics books after struggling through Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte last year, but I found Jane Eyre to be a delightful read which I savoured and was happy to read it throughout the entire month. I'd highly & widely recommend the book, and although I think that there will be a particular resonance with girls & women I think it's accessible and interesting for everyone.
I'm really looking forward to the film adaptation, although I will admit to being hesitantly optimistic for several reasons. First, it's a HUGE book to adapt, so I'm a little worried that many of my favourite moments and themes that are more personal-development focused might be pushed to the wayside. In terms of casting, I'm on board with the boys picked as both Michael Fassbender (Fish Tank) and Jamie Bell (The Eagle, Billy Elliot) are perfect for their respective parts, but it's really all about Jane. In the film Jane will be played by Mia Wasikowska, whom was in Alice in Wonderland, The Kids Are All Right and I was most impressed with as Sophie in Season 1 of "In Treatment", and I'm really hoping she will be great here. I've decided not to watch the trailer for the film but rather wait and be surprized, but from pictures and the poster it looks like the historical period and styling is down pat so I'll be curious to see what they decided to go with in terms of tone and focus.