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ellemnope's Reviews (2.4k)
4.5 stars.
This is one of my favorite movies (pre-Kevin Spacey fallout) and one of the rare instances where I've watched the movie before I read the book. I have to say, it stays pretty true to form. This reads like a novel, despite being (slightly artistically styled) nonfiction. The characters are quirky and colorful with a great atmosphere and fantastically wild interactions. The entire thing plays like a crazy acid trip, but it's magnificent...especially when you stop to realize that these people actually exist(ed).
I will admit that the ending in the book is not as powerful as the one in the movie...but hey...that's movie magic. Still...life is stranger than fiction my friends. And this is a doozy. Now...I need to plan a trip to Savannah.
This is one of my favorite movies (pre-Kevin Spacey fallout) and one of the rare instances where I've watched the movie before I read the book. I have to say, it stays pretty true to form. This reads like a novel, despite being (slightly artistically styled) nonfiction. The characters are quirky and colorful with a great atmosphere and fantastically wild interactions. The entire thing plays like a crazy acid trip, but it's magnificent...especially when you stop to realize that these people actually exist(ed).
I will admit that the ending in the book is not as powerful as the one in the movie...but hey...that's movie magic. Still...life is stranger than fiction my friends. And this is a doozy. Now...I need to plan a trip to Savannah.
What a cute middle grade read. A very fast paced retelling of sorts and the start of a series based on a Fairy Tale Reform School operated by Cinderella's stepmother, who has seen the error of her ways.
The setting is super cute and really done well. The writing is age-appropriate, but not overly cutesy. It's fairly short and sweet and sets the scene for what should be a fun series. It does read like a bit of a younger middle grade, so there is a little less intensity and plot development than some retellings, but I still thought it was a fun time.
The setting is super cute and really done well. The writing is age-appropriate, but not overly cutesy. It's fairly short and sweet and sets the scene for what should be a fun series. It does read like a bit of a younger middle grade, so there is a little less intensity and plot development than some retellings, but I still thought it was a fun time.
2.5 stars.
Ugh. Classics are always hit or miss for me and this one was a hard miss. Sure, it's creative in terms of the monster creation, but the execution bored me to tears. Usually I enjoy an epistolary style novel, but not this one. The pacing was incredibly slow and the narration just did not do it for me. I could care less about the characters. I honestly would have DNF'd if this book was not a classic and even now I'm kind of kicking myself that I slogged through it. Life is too short.
Ugh. Classics are always hit or miss for me and this one was a hard miss. Sure, it's creative in terms of the monster creation, but the execution bored me to tears. Usually I enjoy an epistolary style novel, but not this one. The pacing was incredibly slow and the narration just did not do it for me. I could care less about the characters. I honestly would have DNF'd if this book was not a classic and even now I'm kind of kicking myself that I slogged through it. Life is too short.
Aside from Matilda, this might be my favorite Roald Dahl read so far. It's creative and fast moving with fun characters and a pretty good middle grade high-stakes situation. This reads a lot like a short story since it is centered mostly on one short period of time, but I still had a great time reading it. I can certainly see it being scary for younger readers, but older middle grade readers will probably enjoy the whimsy. A good start for lovers of dark reads.
4.5 stars.
This was a cute and really imaginative middle grade read that took me on quite a ride. The beginning was a little bit of a slow start for me, but once the story gained some speed it became a book I didn't want to put down.
The characters are cute and I loved the little twists and turns with touches of evil. There is a great sense of mystery throughout the narrative and the atmosphere of the world is a lot of fun. There is a lot of action packed into this little story and it was just a great time. I'll be picking up the sequel for sure.
This was a cute and really imaginative middle grade read that took me on quite a ride. The beginning was a little bit of a slow start for me, but once the story gained some speed it became a book I didn't want to put down.
The characters are cute and I loved the little twists and turns with touches of evil. There is a great sense of mystery throughout the narrative and the atmosphere of the world is a lot of fun. There is a lot of action packed into this little story and it was just a great time. I'll be picking up the sequel for sure.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier has been one of my favorite gothic novels for a very long time, yet I somehow kept putting off reading Jamaica Inn. Another gothic mystery, this one didn't have quite the same punch, but still gave those same fantastic atmospheric vibes. The setting is perfect...come on, when were the moors not great for a literary setting?...and everything is very gray and murky, even the circumstances of the happenings at Jamaica Inn.
I enjoyed du Maurier's clever writing and the way she really brings her characters to life. Joss is a terrible person who I hated right off the bat, but he is incredibly tangible in the writing, which just makes him a character who stands super firmly. Mary is a great female protagonist and I loved her fighting spirit. If you enjoy Austen's brazen heroines, then Mary is the right girl for you.
The plot wasn't quite as much as I expected, but I think that's just because I was in the mood for some extra spooky reads at the time. It is still well-written and follows a logical train of thought. The suspense is high and I truly wasn't sure what to expect. A nice dark, gothic read...perfect for a cold & dreary day or cozy night.
I enjoyed du Maurier's clever writing and the way she really brings her characters to life. Joss is a terrible person who I hated right off the bat, but he is incredibly tangible in the writing, which just makes him a character who stands super firmly. Mary is a great female protagonist and I loved her fighting spirit. If you enjoy Austen's brazen heroines, then Mary is the right girl for you.
The plot wasn't quite as much as I expected, but I think that's just because I was in the mood for some extra spooky reads at the time. It is still well-written and follows a logical train of thought. The suspense is high and I truly wasn't sure what to expect. A nice dark, gothic read...perfect for a cold & dreary day or cozy night.
3.5 stars.
My rating of this book is both helped by and suffers from my previous viewing of the Disney adaptation. It was helped because I already more or less knew the progression of the plot, so all of the weirdness didn't hit quite as hard as it otherwise would have. Because to be honest, this baby is ALL over the place. There isn't a whole lot that makes sense in terms of a normal movement of the plot...it's all crazy fever dream stuff. I forgave a lot of that because I more or less already expected it. However, already knowing the plot hurt my enjoyment as well because I knew what was coming and the shock of the craziness didn't hit as hard as it would have otherwise. So...while the craziness wouldn't have made a whole lot of sense, I did lose the suspense portion of the novel and so my interest in the plot dwindled some.
Knowing that this book was originally written as a serial helps it to make the weirdness a little more understandable. There needed to be some serious shock factor to keep the readers coming back for every new installment. And oh boy did this baby deliver on the crazy.
It's a bit of a dark tale, heavy on the morality lessons. It's a bit repetitive in that manner, so it did have a little bit of slog to it, but it's a short enough story that getting through wasn't too much trouble. Probably not entirely worth the read since I'd already seen the movie, but what are you going to do...
My rating of this book is both helped by and suffers from my previous viewing of the Disney adaptation. It was helped because I already more or less knew the progression of the plot, so all of the weirdness didn't hit quite as hard as it otherwise would have. Because to be honest, this baby is ALL over the place. There isn't a whole lot that makes sense in terms of a normal movement of the plot...it's all crazy fever dream stuff. I forgave a lot of that because I more or less already expected it. However, already knowing the plot hurt my enjoyment as well because I knew what was coming and the shock of the craziness didn't hit as hard as it would have otherwise. So...while the craziness wouldn't have made a whole lot of sense, I did lose the suspense portion of the novel and so my interest in the plot dwindled some.
Knowing that this book was originally written as a serial helps it to make the weirdness a little more understandable. There needed to be some serious shock factor to keep the readers coming back for every new installment. And oh boy did this baby deliver on the crazy.
It's a bit of a dark tale, heavy on the morality lessons. It's a bit repetitive in that manner, so it did have a little bit of slog to it, but it's a short enough story that getting through wasn't too much trouble. Probably not entirely worth the read since I'd already seen the movie, but what are you going to do...
