David M. Brown's Blog, page 85
October 22, 2012
Book Review: The Coral Island – R.M. Ballantyne
[image error] When the three sailor lads, Ralph, Jack and Peterkin are cast ashore after the storm, their first task is to find out whether the island is inhabited. Their next task is to find a way of staying alive. They go hunting and learn to fish, explore underwater caves and build boats – but then their island paradise is rudely disturbed by the arrival of pirates.
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Review: The Coral Island
I’ve always wanted to write a story to do with a shipwreck and a desert island. A tried and tested formula you would argue and I would agree with you. I still harbour thoughts of this type of story but not until I’ve come up with something a bit different which may never happen. R M Ballantyne’s The Coral Island is your traditional shipwrecked sailors on a remote island with many exciting adventures thrown into the mix.
The novel focuses on three teenagers – Ralph Rover, Jack Martin and Peterkin Gay – who are the only survivors following a shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean. Ralph is our narrator and he recounts some extraordinary adventures as the teenagers become accustomed to life on their remote coral island. What begins as a paradise idyll soon becomes a harsh reality as the boys encounter both pirates and Polynesian tribes. The question is can the boys survive and will they ever get home?
Ballantyne’s story gets going very quickly. Ralph briefly describes his home in Scotland but all too soon he’s on board a ship and setting out to sea for many months. After their ship is wrecked on a coral reef, the boys come to an uninhabited island and soon settle into a comfortable life. They find ample fruit and wild animals, which they successfully hunt, build a shelter for themselves and even a boat. Ballantyne describes every young boy’s dream of carefree adventure and though the teenagers do long to be home they are certainly in no rush while they await rescue.
Things change when the boys realise they are not alone on the remote island and they start to get frequent visitors. Warring Polynesian tribes that commit appalling atrocities against each other are the first concern but these are superseded by the arrival of bloodthirsty pirates. By this point the boys have located an underwater cave which makes for a great hiding place though they have the problem of Peterkin who is not overly fond of being underwater! The story develops further as Ralph is captured by the pirates and whisked away from the coral island leaving Jack and Peterkin behind. How will Ralph get out of this one?
The Coral Island is a pleasant and enjoyable read full of adventure in the early stages but then addressing some more serious issues such as the warring Polynesian tribes and later the work of missionaries in their efforts to bring Christianity to the rest of the world. Conflict plays a big part whether its tribal rows, pirates against the native tribes, or even religious divisions. Of course, it all works out well in the end but it’s a good read all the same.
The Coral Island is a fun read full of adventure in distant lands, a seemingly island paradise but one tainted by local warfare. There are some surprisingly dark elements to the story which ground it in welcome realism but it’s not detrimental to the great adventure the three teenagers enjoy.
Verdict: 4/5
(Book source: reviewer’s own copy)
Book Review: The Coral Island – R.M. Ballantyne | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 21, 2012
Book Review: Milligan and Murphy – Jim Murdoch
[image error] There are no reasons for unreasonable things. So the protagonists of this novel are told having found themselves setting out on an adventure that they really didn’t plan. Like many people, Murdoch has always had a great affection for the two lead characters in Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Have you ever wondered what Didi and Gogo were like when they were young and what led them to end up waiting for a man who would most likely never turn up? That’s basically the premise Murdoch set out to explore in Milligan and Murphy but that was not the question he finally answered.
Milligan and Murphy are not Didi and Gogo, nor are they Mercier and Camier, Beckett’s less-well-known “pseudo-couple”—they are very much themselves—but after an unexpected encounter on the road out of the town with an old man who has decided that searching for someone that will never be found is better than waiting for someone who will never turn up, they suddenly find themselves with big questions to answer and they’re not very good with questions, big or small.
On their journey they meet a variety of eccentric characters: a priest who in a former life was a Roman centurion, an artist who now walks with a limp after venturing into the ring with a boxing kangaroo, a former inmate of the local asylum and a bartender who might well be Old Nick himself. The question is, whereas Beckett’s characters walk round and round in circles and get nowhere, will Milligan and Murphy escape or be dragged back home by the mysterious man who has been cycling after them?
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Review: Milligan and Murphy
The title may make you think of some crime fighting duo like Holmes and Watson or Starsky and Hutch, but Milligan and Murphy is something completely different. Jim Murdoch takes two middle aged brothers living somewhat meaningless lives before they set out on an insightful journey.
Milligan and Murphy are half-brothers that live with their mother in the town of Lissoy. They do not work but enjoy drinking, women and general idleness. One day their mother sends them to O’Connor’s farm for some work. Though reluctant, the brothers do as they are told but instead of stopping off at the farm they continue on without reason and keep on going from town to town, meeting a variety of characters along the way.
Milligan and Murphy are not the most likable characters but they are harmless enough. Having reached middle age they are pondering marriage but the choice of women in Lissoy is minimal and the brothers have lived the same existence for so long that they don’t know where to begin when it comes to changing and progressing with their futures. Their mother orders them to get out of the house and find work at a local farm and the brothers comply but when they set out on their walk something changes in them. They pass the farm and keep going, never turning back, though they feel bad for their mother.
There is no purpose behind the journey in the early stages of the book. Milligan and Murphy simply avoid work that is waiting for them at the farm and continue onto the next town and then the one after that, eventually deciding they want to reach the sea. Survival is a tricky affair with the brothers having to resort to finding vegetables and killing what they can out in the wild. The brothers meet some unusual characters including a poet, a priest, a mad old woman and a tramp. Each offers their perspective on life and what it means to them but Milligan and Murphy decide they want to find their own meaning. This is a journey of self-discovery and the brothers are almost like lost children as they traverse unfamiliar towns. They contemplate going home but with the knowledge that emptiness is back in Lissoy they continue ever onwards in search of answers.
Milligan and Murphy is a well written story with interesting characters conveying their insight to our naive brothers as they continue on their journey. There is a lot of realism to the story and no miracle revelations or insights. Looking for answers and meaning in life is no easy task and this is the same for Milligan and Murphy. From such a simple event they begin this fascinating journey of discovery.
Milligan and Murphy is an absorbing read from start to finish. The brothers are interesting protagonists with nothing spectacular about them in appearance or skills. They are just two ordinary men that have lived the same empty existence for so many years they know nothing else. They could so easily have worked at the farm and stayed home with little change but instead they step away from their familiar realities in search of ultimate answers.
Verdict: 4/5
(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)
Book Review: Milligan and Murphy – Jim Murdoch | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Tweedlers’ Jukebox Song of the Week: Dude (Looks Like a Lady)
This classic rock song from Aerosmith caused the Tweedlers the most amusement this week and was an easy pick for our song of the week. In between reading books and blogging we found that the song is easy to spoof with your own random lyrics about cats, road traffic or even shopping bags. These are just a selection of the examples that we came up with. We’re easily amused, you see.
The song was released in 1987 and the title pretty much tells us what it’s all about. I’ve read more than one story behind the song but they all seemed to involve Aerosmith encountering Motley Crue though the song isn’t directly referring to them! It’s one of those songs that is instantly familiar and has appeared in films such as Mrs Doubtfire (well, obviously!), but strangely enough lead singer, Steve Tyler, is not said to be keen on performing it live. Are you mad, Steve?
It is a pity this didn’t chart higher but like all great songs it has endured and the Tweedlers are more than happy to showcase it today.
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Tweedlers’ Jukebox Song of the Week: Dude (Looks Like a Lady) | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 18, 2012
#FlashFiveFriday – House
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #FlashFiveFriday run by The Indie Exchange.
#FlashFiveFriday is a weekly flash fiction / flash blogging prompt.
The rules are very simple if you’d like to take part:
1) Write for no longer than five minutes
2) No upper or lower word limits
3) You must write something new
4) You can prepare your post ahead of time but the 5 minute limit still applies
5) If you add your blog post to the weekly linky you must visit five other blogs that week too to show your support
This week’s #FlashFiveFriday post
#FlashFiveFriday – House
Dave
The house I’m currently in with Mrs B is the first home I have owned. I’d like to say it’s a nice home but truth be told it does have some issues. We currently have holes in the roof which only some nifty work my father-in-law has managed to assuage down to just a few drops of water, carefully caught in a bucket we have stashed in the loft. We love that bucket. He’s a real nice guy is that bucket.
Prior to the roof debacle we had issues with our boiler last year. It simply stopped working and due to financial constraints we could not afford to get it repaired. We faced the prospect of winter with just an electric heater to see us through the cold. It wasn’t pretty but we were blessed with an unusually mild winter in the UK so it could have been much worse.
I remember first moving into our little house and savouring how much space there was compared to the flat I had lived alone in. When we opened the doors to six cats the domestic idyll gave way to six rampaging felines who have now put paid to the curtains, the wallpaper and even taken up some of the carpet too. One set of curtains are only still up because one half of the curtain pole is still firmly nailed into the wall. The cats being Tarzan have yanked the other side almost clean out of the wall, which is held in by a solitary nail and not convincingly I might add.
We may do this house up if and when our fortunes change but if we are to move to a new home in future it won’t have wallpaper, carpets, curtains or any kind of furniture, I can promise you that. Cat proof it must be. My sanity can’t take it otherwise!
Donna
Like Mr B admits, our house is not without its failings and increasingly we’ve begun to ask ourselves why there seems such a British obsession with home ownership. From the moment you begin working, you know you are working towards buying a home. Renting is considered ‘wasted’ money and ‘getting on to the property ladder’ is considered vital.
When we encountered the boiler issues and then the holes in the roof, we were asked the same question by American friends on Facebook: “Why can’t the landlord help?”
I have no desire to move from property to property and the stability of knowing you own a home is reassuring. Kind of. But I’ve known people lose their home due to repossession and others face that very real possibility along with sleepless nights at 3 a.m. Need help with your mortgage if you’ve lost your job? You’ll be waiting at least three months before you can get any support.
It’s nice to own a house but here in the UK we need to get over this idea that it’s the only way forward. There are more options than the property ladder and all its daunting responsibilities.
#FlashFiveFriday – House | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 17, 2012
Guest Post: Behind The Delphi Bloodline: Questions about ESP – Donna Del Oro
We’re delighted to welcome Donna Del Oro, author of The Delphi Bloodline, who is currently on tour with Heartfelt Promos. Donna joins us today to discuss psychic awareness and how she utilised one of the theories in her book.
Behind The Delphi Bloodline: Questions about ESP
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Sixty percent of Americans, according to parapsychology studies cited in the book, Psychic Awareness, claim to have had experiences they would call psychic. Those experiences might be: Hunches about your or someone else’s future; physical clues that alert you to danger or wrong decisions; intuitive feelings that guide you correctly through life; and/or receiving information through physical sensations, thoughts, visions or emotions. It could be a prickly sensation at the back of your neck about a particular person, place or thing. Or a warm feeling at the thought of a good decision. If you’ve experienced any of the above, then you’re in touch with your psychic abilities.
My heroine, Athena Butler in The Delphi Bloodline, has already moved beyond the “I know but I don’t know how I know” psychic awareness, where most of us are at. Through her gifted mother’s instruction and guidance, Athena—the modern-day descendant of an ancient, psychically powerful bloodline of women—knows HOW and WHY she knows. She’s a talented clairvoyant who sees visions and is able to access information simply by touching a person. This clairvoyance might take the form of reading that person’s thoughts or by seeing into that person’s past.
While this ability of hers has caused her to lose boyfriends—who resent her intrusion into their privacy—her clairvoyance also alerts her to danger. When a handsome stranger approaches her in a Reno hotel gallery, where she is painting dead celebrities like Elvis and Frank Sinatra, Athena shakes his hand. Immediately, visions of his dark, violent past assail her, warning her that he is an impostor and even worse, that he means her harm.
Thus begins a threat that forces Athena to flee for her life. With the help of Kas Skoros, a tall, dark-haired man who claims to be a Guardian of the Delphi bloodline, they begin a journey of running, hiding and finally fighting back. As more psychics all over the country continue to disappear, the FBI is stymied. What’s happening to these psychics? Why are they disappearing? Who’s kidnapping them? Athena’s mother believes the mastermind has something to do with a White House dinner she attended months before.
The three remaining descendants of the bloodline—Athena, her mother and Kas’s mother—are the only ones who can uncover the truth behind these kidnappings.
So what’s the origin of such psychic abilities? Are these talents truly genetic, do they run in families, as I suggest in my novel? Do they originate from an all-seeing God, as Athena’s mother believes? Do they come from an omniscient spirit world? Another dimension of energy as yet unexplored by man, as Athena believes? Or are they simply physical, biochemical reactions in the brain, as some neuroscientists suggest? Do brain waves play a role, as some parapsychologists have studied?
Sorry to disappoint you, but experts have no definitive answers to those questions. Theories abound and what I put forth in The Delphi Bloodline is just one theory. There are many theories about psychic abilities, but no scientific proof.
Not yet, anyway.
What the scientific experiments (and I include some of these experiments in my novel) do prove is that these abilities exist in varying degrees among all of us. These are human abilities, like innate skills in art and music. Some of us can strum a few chords on a ukelele; others among us can write symphonies, like Beethoven and Gershwin. Some of us can paint by numbers; others become Titian, Michaelangelo and Da Vinci.
The true psychics among us—not the charlatans—exercise and develop their skills quietly and without fanfare or greed. For they know their gifts come with cautionary tales.
Like the cautionary tale in The Delphi Bloodline.
About The Delphi Bloodline (2012)
[image error] Present day descendants of the ancient, psychically powerful Delphi bloodline face the threat of extinction when an evil tycoon hunts them for his own nefarious intent, a global spy network.
When artist Athena Butler, the modern-day descendant of a powerful, ancient bloodline of psychic women, realizes she’s the target of mysterious and dangerous kidnappers, she gets help from strange sources—the spirit of an ancient ancestor and a handsome man who claims to be one of her bloodline’s Guardians. Her mental powers and his brawny skills keep them one step ahead of the mastermind behind these kidnappers. Until the time when an FBI task force decides to use Athena as bait.
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About Donna Del Oro
[image error]My pen name is Donna Del Oro and I live in Northern California near the Sierra Nevada foothills and Folsom Lake. After retiring from high school teaching, I decided life was too short to waste. Thus, began a journey doing what I’d been wanting to do for many years–write fiction. I sold my first novel, Operation Familia, right away and this book went on to win an award for the Best 2010 Latino Books into Movies Award. Following that first sale, I published three more women’s fiction books, then branched out into writing my first love, romantic thrillers. This year, 2012, saw the launch of A Bodyguard of Lies and The Delphi Bloodline, both ebooks and available on Kindle, Nook, Apple, and elsewhere. If you have read any of my books, I welcome your input. Leave me a review on Amazon and your name goes into a pile for a $50 gift card at B&N, my favorite bookstore. You can email me. Thanks for dropping by!”
Guest Post: Behind The Delphi Bloodline: Questions about ESP – Donna Del Oro | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 16, 2012
Guest Post: A Rabbit Named Trevor: The Story of a Discarded Character – Katie Christine
We’re delighted to welcome Katie Christine, author of Impeccable Petunia. Katie joins us today to share her experience of discarding a much-loved character.
A Rabbit Named Trevor: The Story of a Discarded Character – Katie Christine
When I started writing Impeccable Petunia, the first friend for my titular character, Petunia, the chicken, outside of the hen yard was a rabbit named Trevor.
Now I loved Trevor—he was fat, fluffy and did not care that most other animals considered him food. He was to be Petunia’s companion during her time inside the human house and I was very excited to have him in my story.
Trevor, however, did not make it out of the first draft. There were too many logistical problems to solve due to the physical limitations of a rabbit. As much as talking animals require a suspension of disbelief, Trevor pushed that concept to the extreme.
Petunia was experiencing a world outside of her hen flock and she needed someone who could help her see and live within a new paradigm. The more I wrote, the more I realized I was having trouble finding anything for poor Trevor to do. Often he would just sit in a scene until I remembered I’d forgotten about him.
On one particularly frustrating day of writing, I found myself in a war of wills with my very stubborn cat, Frankenstein, who from across the room had decided to try and liberate the window from behind the wooden blind.
I remembered my husband’s encouragement to think about adding a feline character to the story as I stared at Frankie.
Ignoring my verbal reprimands, he knew he’d spent his bad behavior allowance and as I rose to my feet, he shot me one last petulant gaze.
Macy, the resident cat in Petunia’s life, was born.
A cat could easily shift between worlds, indoors and out with nothing more than a cursory explanation. Macy readily entered any scene and I was never at a loss to explain his presence. He became Petunia’s perfect foil, complementing her in every way. Where she was naive, he was worldly and where she was limited, he was agile. Things that upset her, amused him and where he was insensitive, she was astute.
Though difficult at first to cut my dear, fuzzy rabbit, I soon realized it was for the best and Macy took on a life of his own. And while he started from Frankie, who lays beside me sleeping on his back like a snoring walrus as I write this, Macy, as a character has come from many places, people and experiences in my life. He is equal parts impulsive and destructive as he his noble and erudite and he has easily become one of my favorite characters.
Learning when to let go and when to keep tinkering until I get something that flows has easily been one of my most ardent struggles as a writer. Trevor, the rabbit, was my first lesson in the former. Though I was attached to him and his absence left quite a hole in my plans for the future of the story I was writing, letting him go was the right decision and out of that difficulty came a character that I may, if pressed to admit, enjoy even more.
About Impeccable Petunia (2012)
Follow Petunia, the backyard hen, through a hazardous world as she discovers hidden talents, a mischievous cat named Macy and encounters all things feathered and furious.
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About Katie Christine
From a young age Katie’s parents instilled in her a love of animals and art. She has many fond childhood memories of long summer afternoons spent curled up in a quiet corner of the local library. She lives in beautiful Seattle, Washington with her husband/illustrator Jonathan Edward, their Super-Sheltie, Niles and cats, Frankenstein and Penelope.
Katie Christine holds degrees from UCLA and USC, enjoys the outdoors, gardening, reading, and discovering new music.
| Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 15, 2012
Guest Post: Why I Chose to be a Children’s Book Writer – Karen Pokras Toz
The Tweedlers are thrilled to welcome Karen Pokras Toz to the blog! Karen is the author of Nate Rocks the World and Nate Rocks the Boat and is with her exciting new release Millicent Marie Is NOT My Name.
Why I Chose to be a Children’s Book Writer – Karen Pokras Toz
Whenever I am asked this question, I always respond: Well, I didn’t actually choose to be a children’s book author, children’s books sort of chose me. Let me explain.
I have always loved to read. I remember one childhood book in particular called, “The Best Loved Doll,” written by the wonderful Rebecca Caudill. In this book, Betsey, like so many other little girls, had a collection of dolls. Some were very old, some did things when you wound them up, some had beautiful clothes, and some were just well loved. The book had an important message: Beauty is within. I would read this book over and over throughout my childhood and could not wait to purchase a copy for my own daughter.
As I moved on to chapter books, I fell in love with Judy Blume’s stories. The wonderful thing about her books was that they spoke about important and relevant topics that kids such as myself were dealing with, yet she did it in such a relatable and easy to understand way. Whether I realized it or not, every book had a message that stayed with me. I speak in the past, because that was when I read them, but truth be told, they are timeless. In fact, my own children have read and enjoyed many of her books.
So where does that leave me? Well, even though I loved to read as a child (and still do), I never liked to write. In fact, I hated it. But a story popped into my head (for adults) a while back, and I decided to give it a go. It was awful; I’m not going to lie. But, within my adult story, were flashback scenes to my main character’s childhood. These mini stories were so enjoyable to create. I loved writing in a child’s voice. I could be light, and funny, and I could send a message.
It was during this period of experimentation, that I realized writing for children was in my future. I am now working on my fourth book. Each follows that same model as the books I loved as a child – they are fun to read, yet have an important message. Nobody was more surprised than I was of this career path . . . well except for perhaps every English teacher I ever had who tried to get me to enjoy writing!
They say it’s important to follow your dreams, but sometimes letting your dreams find you works equally as well.
About Millicent Marie Is Not My Name (2012)
Twelve-year-old Millicent Marie does not like her name. After all, she was named for a woman who died more than fifty years ago and was not the most loveable member of the Harris family. Her friends call her Millie, but when she writes in her diary she refers to herself as Amanda – the name she always wished she had.
When Millie’s younger brother finds her diary on her computer, he decides to publish it as a blog for the entire world to see, including the boy Millie has a crush on. In the midst of all the mayhem, Millie/Amanda discovers she is suddenly Springside Elementary’s most sought after sixth-grade mystery gossip and advice columnist.
But not all is fun and games, as Millie quickly learns, once she realizes feelings are at stake. Nobody, least of all Millie, expects things to turn out as they do in this tale of friendship and respect.
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About Karen Pokras Toz
Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Connecticut and currently lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. In June 2011, Karen published her first middle grade children’s novel for 7-12 year olds called Nate Rocks the World, which won First Place for Children’s Chapter Books and the Grand Prize Overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. In 2012, Karen published the second in the Nate Rocks series, Nate Rocks the Boat, followed by middle grade novel, Millicent Marie Is Not My Name. Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).
Related articles (external)
Kid Reads: Nate Rocks the World
Kick Off for the Millicent Marie Tour!
Kid Who Reads: Nate Rocks the Boat
Guest Post: Why I Chose to be a Children’s Book Writer – Karen Pokras Toz | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: Sarah’s Key
[image error] Julia Jarmond (Kristin Scott Thomas), an American journalist married to a Frenchman, is commissioned to write an article about the notorious Vel d’Hiv round up, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah. Julia learns that the apartment she and her husband Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand’s family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers – especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive – the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family, about France and, finally, herself.
Sarah’s Key is based on the book by Tatiana de Rosnay.
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Niels Arestrup, Melusine Mayance, Frederic Pierrot, Aidan Quinn
Directed by: Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Runtime: 111 minutes
Studio: The Weinstein Company
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Review: Sarah’s Key
Every few years it seems there is a new film or book that addresses the Holocaust. This dark chapter in world history is so cruel it’s hard to believe that it was real. One of the most recent takes on this painful subject is Gilles Paquet-Brenner’s Sarah’s Key which tells the story of a Jewish family living in France in the 1940s and of a journalist in the present day who is learning about their story.
The film focuses on 1942 where 10 year old Sarah Starzynski (Melusine Mayance) hides her brother Michel (Paul Mercier) in a clandestine closet and locks it, retaining the key. Sarah is taken along with her parents to the Velodrome d’Hiver where all Jewish families are being kept by the Paris Police and French Secret Service before deportation to camps. Sarah is firstly separated from her father (Arben Bajraktaraj) and then her mother (Natasha Mashkevich), all the time desperate to get home and release her brother from the closet but can she get back to him in time? The film also picks up in 2009 where journalist Julia (Kristin Scott Thomas) begins to unravel the story of Sarah’s family as her husband (Frederic Pierrot) inherits an apartment from his grandfather, which came into his parent’s ownership around the same time as the Jews were being rounded up in 1942! Can Julia unravel the story and will we find out what became of Sarah?
It’s clear from the start that this is not going to be the easiest of films to watch. Sarah and her family are forced out of their home at the outset and taken to the Velodrome d’Hiver where grateful French families looking on soon cannot leave their windows open because of the smell! The Jewish families are left with no access to toilets, while they await deportation to the camps. The horrifying twist to the story is that the French are the ones rounding the Jews up and not the Nazis as you might expect. Sarah’s father is horrified when she tells him her brother is locked in a closet back home but Sarah’s seemingly foolishness is meant with the best of intentions. She genuinely believes her family will soon be home but when they are taken to the camps it is clear she has to escape quickly to save her brother. Sarah’s is a heart-rending journey, separated from her parents, becoming friends with another girl in the camp, finding compassion on more than one occasion from one camp guard and preying on the mercy of an elderly French couple that initially close their doors to the two girls even though they appear to be starving and in need of help. Whether Sarah saves her brother and what happens to her in the aftermath is something that slowly unfolds in the present day when Julia picks up the story.
Julia is curious about the apartment her husband inherits and having previously written an article about the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup she digs deep and finds that her new home is the apartment that Sarah and her family once lived in! Julia becomes determined to trace Sarah’s whereabouts and this is where the film becomes ever more poignant than its opening half. Julia’s search takes her beyond Franc e and onto America and even Italy where the truth about Sarah waits. Given the subject of the film, it’s hardly surprising that happy endings are in scant supply but this is such a compelling story that you’ll be satisfied and moved at the same time.
Sarah’s Key is a haunting tale with the title being very apt given how central it is to the overall narrative. Everything hinges on that one moment when Sarah decides to protect her brother by locking him away from the French authorities. Thomas is very good in the lead but you’ll most likely be drawn to Mayance who delivers a moving performance as the young Sarah. Though there is some hope at the end of the film, it is still a sad tale and some people will need to have those tissues on standby.
Sarah’s Key is a moving tale set during the time of the Holocaust that conveys the brutality suffered by one Jewish family that continues to impact in the present more than sixty years later. The film is another good reminder of this appalling period of history but it is one to be savoured when remembering those that somehow lived through it, while many others were sadly not so fortunate. This is well worth seeing.
Verdict: 5/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Sarah’s Key | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 14, 2012
Book Review: Banshee Charmer – Tiffany Allee
[image error] When she’s sent to a crime scene and finds her second dead woman in as many weeks, half-banshee detective Kiera “Mac” McLoughlin is convinced a serial killer is on the loose. Incubi are extinct, her boss insists. But what else can kill a woman in the throes of pleasure? When her partner is murdered after using witchcraft to locate the killer and Mac is thrown off the case, her frustration turns to desperation.
Certain the killer is an incubus, Mac works behind her department’s back to chase down slim, sometimes perilous leads. While the killer eludes her, she does discover handsome Aidan Byrne, an investigative counterpart from the enigmatic Otherworld Enforcement Agency. Mac typically runs her investigations fast and hard, but with Aidan at her side, she’s running this one “hot” as well. But Aiden knows more than he’s letting on—something that could shatter their blazing romance and add Mac to the killer’s growing body count…
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Review: Banshee Charmer
When I think of banshees I imagine unpleasant looking creatures with deafening screams. In Tiffany Allee’s Banshee Charmer we have a half-woman, half-banshee as our protagonist, some nasty murders to solve and even time for a spot of romance. Kiera McLoughlin is a half-banshee detective who is investigating some peculiar murders at the outset of the novel. Working with her partner Amanda who is an amateur witch, the murders remain something of a mystery until Amanda becomes the latest victim. Kiera is thrown off the case but continues to investigate aided by Aidan Byrne from the OWEA (Otherworlder Enforcement Agency). Kiera suspects an incubus may be behind the murders but with her peers unwilling to even consider this it is down to Kiera and Aidan to solve the case, if they can keep their hands off each other that is!
As our protagonist, Kiera is a decent enough detective but she is very naive at times, especially when she comes home one day and finds Aidan Byrne in her home. There is an immediate attraction and Kiera has a tough time keeping her mind on the murder cases. When Amanda is killed, having used witchcraft to locate the killer, Kiera becomes more focused for a time. The murder victims themselves are all women and the killer is believed to be some form of otherworlder with a vampire initially suspected but quickly dismissed. Kiera’s belief is that the killer could be an incubus but such is their rarity that her theory is dismissed.
The romance between Kiera and Aidan is very quick in developing and they take time out from the investigation for some steamy sex. However,there is something about Aidan that just doesn’t seem right. Kiera is too in the midst of her passion to really question her new lover but he has some secrets which pose a big threat to their future together. As for Keira, she keeps quiet that she is a half-banshee and doesn’t reveal just how dangerous a scream of hers can be.
This was an interesting world where the likes of vampires and demons are an everyday occurrence. You just have special branches in the police force to deal with them. Some elements of the book were predictable and the romance between Keira and Aidan seemed a bit too easy, but there is at least a reason for this. Keira seems too naive to be a detective at times, especially when the revelations about the killer come to the fore towards the end.
This is the start of a series of books and it’s a solid enough opening with potential for investigations into the activities of other bizarre creatures. A few minor tweaks with the next instalment and this series could have some very good potential.
Verdict: 3/5
(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)
Book Review: Banshee Charmer – Tiffany Allee | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
October 13, 2012
Film Review: The King’s Speech
[image error] After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, “The King’s Speech” follows the Royal Monarch’s quest to find his voice.
Starring: Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Guy Pearce
Directed by: Tom Hooper
Runtime: 119 minutes
Studio: The Weinstein Company and Anchor Bay Entertainment
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The King’s Speech (2010)
Colin Firth melted millions of hearts in 1995 with his portrayal of Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice. An undoubtedly good actor, Firth achieved the ultimate accolade by winning an Oscar for The King’s Speech. I’d wanted to see this one at the cinema but never seemed to get the time to go. I’m glad I now finally have seen it.
The story focuses on Prince Albert “Bertie”, Duke of York (Colin Firth), who has suffered with a severe stammer for most of his life. Opening in1925 we watch the prince struggle through a speech at Wembley Stadium prompting his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) to find treatment for her husband. After several unsuccessful attempts to help the prince, the Royal couple turn to Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist who has settled in London. The film traces Logue’s work with the prince who not only has to face the prospect of future public addresses but the sudden and unexpected elevation as King of England.
Bertie’s opening speech is painful to watch, his wife visibly distraught for him while the crowds in the stadium are more appalled than sympathetic that their prince cannot even deliver a few words to them. When Elizabeth finds Lionel Logue she is discreet in revealing who her husband is and it is something of a shock when Lionel and Bertie meet. Lionel will not go to visit the Royals, insisting his sessions be conducted in his home and that titles and fancy names be left at the door. He calls the prince Bertie and insists on being called Lionel in return. Bertie is unsure of Lionel, sceptical of a cure for his stammer after so many years of suffering with it. In a wonderful opening moment Lionel has Bertie read Shakespeare and watches as the prince struggles. He then has him deliver the passage again but this time while listening to music. Although the prince leaves frustrated, Bertie reveals he read the piece beautifully when the music was there to distract him. Later hearing the recording of himself speaking perfectly, Bertie returns to Lionel and their work begins.
The film covers many years, beginning in 1925 then taking us to 1934 where King George V (Michael Gambon) is pressuring Bertie about public speaking and being rid of his stammer. All is not well in the Royall Family. When George V dies in 1936, David, Prince of Wales (Guy Pearce), becomes King Edward VIII. However, his future is under scrutiny when he wishes to marry Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), who is already divorced and by law the union would not be permitted. Though loyal to his brother, Bertie questions David’s relationship with Simpson only to be accused of trying to usurp the throne. Bertie’s past is a harrowing one to hear about including being teased by all of his family for his stammer, not being fed properly by a nanny for three years and living in fear of his father and brother. By the end of 1936 Edward VIII has abdicated and Bertie becomes King George VI. Lionel remains as the king’s therapist but the pressure is increasing. Not only will the king have to face a lot of public speaking such as a Christmas speech there is a growing problem across the English Channel. With Hitler steering Germany towards World War II and Britain declaring war in 1939, the nation looks to the king to deliver a historic speech to his people. The question is can Lionel help Bertie through it in time?
The King’s Speech is worth all the praise. Firth is superb as the stammering and unsure king while Rush is equally wonderful as Lionel who faces a lot of resistance from his patient but the two men become very close. The end credits that reveal the extent of their friendship are moving to say the least. The supporting cast are all good with Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth and Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill being notable ones. There is always an inevitability about these kind of films but that doesn’t make it any less rewarding for watching an individual, for so long inferior and subdued, overcome extreme adversity and thriving.
The King’s Speech is a well-acted and moving drama which shows the human side of the British monarchy and the pressure that they are under as public figures. Bertie’s story is an inspirational one and anyone that overcomes such a constraint as a speech difficulty, whether a monarch or an everyday man or woman, deserves great praise.
Verdict: 5/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: The King’s Speech | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
