Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 184
February 21, 2023
‘The Last’ by Hanna Jameson – Book Review
‘The Last’ by Hanna Jameson is sort of like ‘The Walking Dead’ meets ‘Station Eleven’ – a bunch of people try to survive the end of the world in a hotel after nuclear warfare takes out most cities. They might just be the last few people still alive on earth, but they don’t want to risk finding out the actual truth.
The story is told through Jon’s perspective, an American professor Jon who was visiting Switzerland for a conference. Jon meticulously maintains a daily log of what is happening in the hotel and interviews the guests/staff who chose to stay back, instead of running away in a panic in the hopes of finding their way back home. While the inhabitants of the hotel manage to live normally for a while, things get tensed when a minor girl’s body is found in a water tank. Not only is there a murderer amongst them, but they also must face the challenges of dwindling supplies and low morale.
This novel was my companion in a 28-hour long train journey, and most of it passed by in a blink. I had to save the last 100 pages for the next day, so that I would have something to look forward to. Hanna Jameson cleverly weaves a tight psychological thriller set in a large old hotel in the wild. For most parts, Jon and inhabitants don’t ever go beyond the premises of the secluded hotel, which limits the scope of the story but at the same time offers a razor-sharp focus on a few characters without every getting confusing for the reader. Due to the diary-style narration, the descriptions are concise, vivid enough for the readers to be transported to Jon’s worldview.
The author slowly introduces a few principal characters in the tale, making the reader postulate their own theories as to who the killer might be. ‘The Last’ isn’t exactly a nail-biting whodunnit, especially because the characters have more pressing things to worry about than a dead girl whose identity is a question mark. Instead, like most intriguing post-apocalyptic novels, Hanna Jameson explores the fragility of social order and human morals in the face of impeding death. I really liked how all the characters are quite grey, even though Jon is probably the most ‘goody two shoes’ of them all.
Geopolitics, religion, drugs, gender roles, superstitions, mental health…. Hanna Jameson tries to touch upon many themes through the book, but she portrays friendship and paranoia the best. It’s a 4 on 5 from me.
February 20, 2023
‘The Hating Game’ Review – Cheesy Cute
Two attractive people sit across from each other in an office, the man copying the young woman’s each move in a clear attempt to irritate her. There’s obviously a little bit of sexual tension in the air, even though they claim they ‘hate’ each other. Will they be able to put their professional rivalry aside and find love?
Directed by Peter Hutchings, 2021 movie ‘The Hating Game’ is based on a novel of the same name by Sally Thorne and is a standard but cute romantic comedy. Lucy Hale and Austin Stonewall play leads Lucy and Joshua respectively, co-workers at a publishing company vying for the same promotion. There’s a surface ‘opposites attract’ trope, Joshua is the organized cold-hearted, while Lucy is the messy sweet one. One of them has some serious issues, so the other is obviously portrayed as someone who can ‘fix’ their problems.
The story unfolds largely during the Holiday season, so the cinematography is colourful, festive, and pleasing to the eye. Lucy Hale and Austin Stonewall make an adorable onscreen pair, viewers could’ve used more romantic moments between the two, instead of the extended juvenile bickering sequences throughout the runtime. None of the other actors make an impression, because they are all half-baked characters reduced to forgettable accessories meant to just be around the leads.
The two twists in the story were very predictable, but since it’s not a thriller/mystery, there’s no point complaining about the threadbare plot. I did like how characters try to talk things out between them, even though the writer does resort to an exaggerated and staged ‘miscommunication’ trope for the climactic conflict.
Well, regardless, despite its minor flaws, ‘The Hating Game’ is a fun enough pick to watch if you are in mood for a silly sweet romantic flick.
It’s a 6/10 from me. Stream it on Prime Video.
February 18, 2023
‘Chef’s Kiss’ Graphic Novel Review
Four friends move to a new flat together, two of them have new jobs, one is attending college and Ben Cook the protagonist has a bunch of interviews lined up so that he can start off a career in writing. Written by Jarrett Melendez and illustrated by Danica Brine, ‘Chef’s Kiss’ engagingly captures the difficulties of finding one’s feet in the working world with a dash of romance.
I loved how the creators start off this cute graphic novel with the frustrations of job-hunting and the crippling effect of rejections. Ben Cook is a 22-year-old literature grad who reads obsessively and hopes to find employment in a relevant field. But nobody is interested in hiring a fresher without any experience. Reminds you of the countless memes and videos on the crazy conundrum of how freshers are expected to have professional experience to get jobs, but to gather that experience you need to get a job. Lol.
Anyway, the plot is pretty fun – Ben finds it hard to get a job and things come to point where he is ready to just take up anything as long as it saves him the embarrassment of moving back to his parent’s place. So, when he finds a sign at a restaurant that reads ‘NOW HIRING. APPLY WITHIN. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY’, he pounces on the opportunity and meet the friendly, handsome sous chef Liam. Ben is hired on a trial basis and must pass a series of cooking challenges set forth by the strict owner of the restaurant to become a permanent employee. Food is obviously a big theme, and there are plenty of pages filled with ingredients and cooking that might make some readers hungry.
The illustrations by Danica Brine are fantastic and are made livelier by Hank Jones’ colouring. While traditional black-and-white graphic novels have their own charm, colourful comics like ‘Chef’s Kiss’ are just a lot more entertaining and visually pleasing to the eye. I finished the book in one sitting, so it’s definitely binge-worthy for those who instantly take a shine to the artwork.
Ben is probably the most well thought out character in ‘Chef’s Kiss’, the others are just support cast that don’t leave a lasting impression. In fact, after Ben, my favourite character was Watson – the head chef’s pet pig – who has a hilarious role to himself. The story does get a tad bit dramatic and cliched in the second half, but otherwise it’s a quick breezy fun read.
It’s a 4/5 from me. The e-book is available to borrow on Kindle Unlimited.
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February 17, 2023
Blue Lock Episode 18 Review
Finally the segment I wasn’t looking forward to – Barou’s childhood flashback and how he anointed himself as the king of soccer. Considering how ‘Blue Lock’ has been progressing as a series so far, most fans were probably expecting his back-story in the last edition itself, but the creators saved it to start episode 18 with. However, it was short and helps the viewer understand why he is so self-centred and stuck up.
(Read ‘Blue Lock’ Episode 1 Review if you have no idea what the show is about)
Aptly named ‘The Protagonist’s Seat’, episode 18 continues with the nail-biting ‘three versus three’ match. With Barou refusing to play like he is part of a team, Isagi and Nagi decide it’s up to them to survive this round. With Chigiri’s speed on their side, Reo and Kunigami have their own strategy in place to turn the tide in their favour. Things move at a satisfactory pace and all players level up individually in the stressful game which throws up plenty of surprises.
Team Isagi versus Team Reo has probably been one of the most interesting matches in ‘Blue Lock’ so far or rather the most anticipated one. Ego also makes a cameo and is himself quite taken aback and pleased with the way things are turning out in the facility. He is pretty sure Japan’s next best player is among his ‘diamonds in the rough’.
The episode ends with a good cliff-hanger – who gets picked from the losing side by the winners?
Stream the series on Netflix.
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‘Kleo’ Series Review – Unreal and Entertaining!
Kleo from ‘Kleo’ is akin to the hero from ‘Mission Impossible’ – a secret agent who changes hairstyles instead of faces and is obviously almost invincible. Created by Hanno Hackfort, Bob Konrad and Richard Kropf, the 2022 Netflix series is set in the 1980s. Jella Hasse plays the titular lead, a former spy who goes on a killing spree after she is released from prison as amnesty due to the fall of the Berlin wall.
But ‘Kleo’ isn’t just a violent action revenge drama, it’s also a quirky thriller about Kleo trying to piece together why she was betrayed by her closes confidantes and solve the mystery surrounding a red suitcase which belonged to the man she was ordered to eliminate. Jella Hasse won me over as the cold-blooded assassin who can make grown men wet their pants, at the same time she brings to the character a certain subtle vulnerability that makes her extremely likable. The other stand-out performance in this series was by Dimitrij Shaad, who plays Sven Petzold, an enthusiastic officer who carries out his own private investigation against Kleo in the hopes of a promotion. Julius Feldmeier had the most random but hilarious role as stoner/hippie Thilo who claims he is from another planet and somehow becomes Kleo’s only friend.
Those who’ve lived in Germany when the Berlin wall was still standing would know how historically accurate the settings and political scenarios are; however as a foreign viewer I was delighted with the retro styles and costumes of a bygone era. The show also has a great background score which makes things and situation appear grander than they are. The music by Johnny Klimek is an interesting blend of modern tunes with classical flourishes. A track called ‘Wen Der Wind Von Osten Whet’ (translation – when the wind blows from the west) is sprinkled through the series and is beautifully nostalgic.
Since ‘Kleo’ an action-thriller in essence, there’s plenty of fighting, shooting, poisoning, killing, burning and some burying. Kleo gets clean opportunities to get rid of her enemies, some are far too exaggerated but entertaining nonetheless. The climax was bittersweet, akin to a tragicomedy, where the protagonist doesn’t necessarily get the end most viewers would expect. All eight episodes keep a firm grip on the plot, typically series like these tend to end in disappointing cliches, but Hanno Hackfort and team deliver a pretty killer curtain call.
It’s a 8/10 from me.
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February 16, 2023
‘Mamo’ Review – The Artwork is Dazzling
Wow. The artwork in ‘Mamo’ a five part comic-book series by Sas Milledge are so stunning that I couldn’t give all my attention to the plot and was happily lost in its bright and dreamy illustrations!
The story follows Jo Manalo whose mother is being troubled by an evil spirit, so she seeks out the only witch in Haresdan, who turns out to be a young free-spirited Orla. In an interesting twist, it’s Orla’s grandmother – Mamo – who is causing disturbances in the town she once protected. Can the two young girls figure out how to stop Mamo’s spirit from wreaking havoc in their little sleepy town?
I don’t really read fantasy series like this and thought the story was cutesy, but the artwork was G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S! Even at the cost of repeating myself, I cannot emphasize that enough. Sas Milledge brings the sun and breeze of Haresdan into your palms, her bold bright strokes are filled with playful life and sometimes the pages feel like they are almost moving, making you wish you could land into the green-blue landscape of the town. The trees, the birds, the sea, and the sun-kissed protagonists… I loved everything about Sas Milledge’s artwork in this series. It isn’t very different from her work in ‘The Lost Carnival’ for DC, but while it was mostly monochromatic, ‘Mamo’ is a beautiful burst of colors.
Jo and Orla didn’t make a very lasting impression as lead characters, while Jo is mostly just concerned about saving her mother, Orla is a bit of a stereotypical rebel who just wants to get out of her small town and travel around the world. One is a keeper, the other is a seeker. The romance was too swift and perhaps this should’ve gotten a few more issues. Regardless, read ‘Mamo’ for its dazzling drawings.
It’s a 4 on 5 from me.
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February 14, 2023
The Least We Can Do Issue #6 Review
By Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Issue 6 of the comic series ‘The Least We Can Do’ by Iolanda Zanfardino and Eliza Romboli is definitely my favorite so far! The first few pages were absolute chaos, but in a good way – there’s a lot of fighting as the Eclipse Rebels go all out against the bad guys. At first glance it felt like the creators try to squeeze in too much and that maybe it will be a messy read but it turned out to be riveting. Action fans won’t be able to stop turning pages until the end.
(Read: ‘The Least We Can Do’ – Issue #1 Review for plot overview)
Readers finally get a full-fledged look at Cherub, the villain who can control medium stones even when they are wielded by other users. The character design is gloriously Grecian, and she briefly reminded me of Hela (the antagonist in Thor Ragnaraok), except that Cherub’s headgear covers half her face, adding a extra layer of intimidating aura to her persona. Team spirit is a key theme in the series and the camaraderie coupled with their cheery demeanor makes the Eclipse Rebels worth rooting for. And even though there’s a lot of violence, blood and explosions, those who had been hoping for some romantic scenes will be thrilled.
Eliza Romboli has done some stunning illustrations for this issue, especially with panels that involves the awakening of Uriel’s latent powers. There are plenty of “woah” moments and I wondered if the series is ending with this issue because the last few pages were befitting of a climactic chapter – a perfect blend of action, humor and romance. But there was a ‘to be continued’ in the end, so there’s going to be a season two. Follow this series if you are looking for a fiery dystopian action-fantasy comic.
It’s a 4.5 on 5 from me!
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‘609 Bedtime Story’ Review – Bland Confused Mess
Fluke Natouch Siripongthon is such a talented actor, it’s unfortunate how he ends up starring in terribly written scripts, his last series ‘Oh! My Sunshine Night’ was uninteresting enough, but ‘609 Bedtime Story’ manages to be even more bland.
Director Golf Tanwarin Sukkhapisit had previously helmed ‘The Eclipse’, a pretty interesting high-school themed mystery/romance, so my hopes were a little high with ‘609 Bedtime Story’ which stars Ohm Thitiwat Ritprasert opposite Fluke. The plot follows Mum (Ohm), a popular singer at a local club who he dreams of spending the night with a young man called Dew who gets murdered by an unknown assailant in front of his eyes. Turns out it wasn’t a dream but an alternate universe and Mum decides to solve the murder mystery and hopefully prevent it altogether.
How do you save someone that’s already dead? That’s where the complicated time-travel and alternate universe comes in. Mum starts to wake up every night in Dew’s world but the days work in reverse. For example, if Mum meets Dew for the first time on 14th Feb Tuesday night, the next night when he wakes up in Dew’s world the day is 13th Feb Monday. So even though Dew remembers Mum less and less with every meet, it buys Mum more time to figure out who the killer is. Unfortunately, the murder mystery angle is the dumbest thing about this show. And there is a useless romantic sub-plot involving Mum’s sister Mint (Amy Thasorn Klinnium) – she is hopelessly in love with Dew in both universes and keeps asking him out after multiple rejections. Her persistence to chase Dew are outright creepy, troubling, but made to seem sweet only because it’s the girl who is after a guy. Mum doesn’t even know the same Dew exists in his world too.
Look, if what I am writing is confusing you, imagine how idiotic the show actually is. For example, the moment everybody finds out Mint is mad about a boy, they are excited to see who he is, but despite being quite close to his clingy sister, Mum has no idea what her best-friend/crush looks like. L-O-L. Towards the end, the creators pretty much forget about half the characters, they even forget the damn murder mystery and give viewers a ridiculous happy ending. Fluke needs to be cast in a better series and must fight for a better hair stylist.
It’s a 3/10 from me.
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February 13, 2023
‘The Doll’ by Ismail Kadare – Book Review
Ismail Kadare seems to be everybody’s ‘go to’ author when it comes to reading literature from Albania. For 2023 I decided I’d read more writers more around the world and obviously chose to go by the alphabet like millions of other bookworms. Kadare is Albania’s most reputed literary name and I got ‘The Doll’ only because it was the most affordable paperback title by the author. It helped that the cover picture looked pretty – a young woman holding a bright red hibiscus flower against her face.
On the surface, ‘The Doll’ seems like it is about Kadare’s relationship with his mother, he even declares that in as many words at the beginning of the novel. The author begins the book by recalling how his parents were married and then takes readers through a quick lesson on how his mother’s side was very different from the Kadare clan. But as the novel reaches the second half, you realize the book is a dual tale about Kadare’s ties with both his mother and motherland – Albania.
In an interesting parallel, the feelings of the author’s mother regarding her martial home can be mirrored with the author’s ties with his homeland. The new bride feels stifled in her new home, like it’s eating her up. Similarly, Kadare feels the need to leave Albania for greener pastures, his home country too small for his big literary ambitions. Just like he doesn’t understand a lot about his mother, thinks her too simple yet loves her dearly, the author has similar feelings for his country.
‘The Doll’ is written in a fluid manner, making it a breezy read, but despite understanding that it isn’t simply a story about a woman, I wanted to know more about Kadare’s mother, whose name isn’t ever mentioned throughout the text, she is just referred to as ‘the doll’ or as his mom. The Kadare house has more personality and back-story than the protagonist, with vivid descriptions of its rooms, void and domestic feuds fought within its walls. While this is definitely a witty enjoyable novel, readers would only be able to appreciate it more if they’ve read other books by Mr Ismail.
It’s a 3 on 5 from me.
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‘Fursat’ Has Time On Its Side, Not Pace
‘Shot on iPhone 14 Pro | Fursat – A Vishal Bhardwaj film’
If a 30 minute short film compels you to hit the fast-forward button, should you be watching it at all? Shot completely on the Apple iPhone 14 Pro as the movie title declares, ‘Fursat’ stars Ishaan Khattar and Wamiqa Gabbi as leads Nishant and Diya whose relationship is challenged due to Nishant’s obsession with a device that lets him see the future.
The basic theme of the story how a man’s obsession with the future blinds him to the things he should be thankful for in the present. Nishant constantly attempts to tamper with the past after he sees the future but it doesn’t always lead to better outcomes. While the cinematography is undoubtedly captivating, for a 30-minute-musical the songs were uninspiring and sounded like a rehash of tracks we’ve already heard umpteen times in the past. If the point of the film was to serves as a long cinematic ad for the iPhone 14 Pro camera, they should’ve just made a 5-6 minute music video.
Ishan Khattar is a stunning dancer, he is graceful, fluid, captivating and one can only hope he gets a more interesting musical in the future to showcase his moves.
It’s a 5 on 10 from me. Watch it on YouTube.
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Listen to ‘Your Place or Mine’ Movie Review – RomCom Abomination
