Book/Movie Recs as of 8/17/12
Friday, August 17th, 2012 01:00 pmIn Books:
Embassytown, by China Mieville: Mieville has so many ideas in his books that I sometimes worry that the story is going to explode in a metaphorical spring-snake-out-of-a-can-of-"party-nuts" surprise ending. The plot in this book wasn't like that, exactly, but I began to feel like all the fabulous ideas came at the expense of something else. ( Read more here... )
Spindle's End, by Robin McKinley: A birthday present from![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
orichalcum, and well chosen. I like McKinley's matter-of-fact, wry authorial tone, and I like the way the characters grow and thrive in her words. I did find that a lot of the suspense was suddenly deflated at a particular plot point, and after that, it didn't build again in the same way, but that's neither here nor there, and more a fault of the story she's retelling than this book.
The Prisoner of Heaven, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: I adore the previous two books (The Shadow of the Wind & The Angel's Game) in this loosely affiliated trilogy, but I'm sorry to say that this one fell a bit short. The A-Plot, set in the story's present, feels oddly weak when held up against the B-Plot, a Count of Monte Cristo-esque prison escape story featuring someone who's ostensibly not the main character of the book... except that he is, and the A-Plot main character's motivations (other than being the best friend in the whole damned world, apparently) are unclear for the bulk of the story. I still recommend the first two whole heartedly, and maybe this one would read more strongly if I'd just read the first ones... huh. I may try that sometime and see if my opinion changes.
Polterguys, Volume 1, bypsychoe: It's no secret that this work is done by a friend of mine, the afore-tagged Laur/psychoe. I'm pleased to report that this first installment of her manga work is just spectacular, from both the art and storytelling standpoint. ( I'm not saying this just because I'm her friend, but because it really is that good! )
On DVD:
Jiro Dreams of Sushi: This was an excellent movie, although perhaps just a tad overlong. No matter: the food porn in it was beyond compare, and the people being profiled were open and honest. If you like sushi at all, you need to see this film. If I weren't sick, I'd be out eating sushi right now because of it.
Embassytown, by China Mieville: Mieville has so many ideas in his books that I sometimes worry that the story is going to explode in a metaphorical spring-snake-out-of-a-can-of-"party-nuts" surprise ending. The plot in this book wasn't like that, exactly, but I began to feel like all the fabulous ideas came at the expense of something else. ( Read more here... )
Spindle's End, by Robin McKinley: A birthday present from
orichalcum, and well chosen. I like McKinley's matter-of-fact, wry authorial tone, and I like the way the characters grow and thrive in her words. I did find that a lot of the suspense was suddenly deflated at a particular plot point, and after that, it didn't build again in the same way, but that's neither here nor there, and more a fault of the story she's retelling than this book.The Prisoner of Heaven, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: I adore the previous two books (The Shadow of the Wind & The Angel's Game) in this loosely affiliated trilogy, but I'm sorry to say that this one fell a bit short. The A-Plot, set in the story's present, feels oddly weak when held up against the B-Plot, a Count of Monte Cristo-esque prison escape story featuring someone who's ostensibly not the main character of the book... except that he is, and the A-Plot main character's motivations (other than being the best friend in the whole damned world, apparently) are unclear for the bulk of the story. I still recommend the first two whole heartedly, and maybe this one would read more strongly if I'd just read the first ones... huh. I may try that sometime and see if my opinion changes.
Polterguys, Volume 1, by
psychoe: It's no secret that this work is done by a friend of mine, the afore-tagged Laur/psychoe. I'm pleased to report that this first installment of her manga work is just spectacular, from both the art and storytelling standpoint. ( I'm not saying this just because I'm her friend, but because it really is that good! )On DVD:
Jiro Dreams of Sushi: This was an excellent movie, although perhaps just a tad overlong. No matter: the food porn in it was beyond compare, and the people being profiled were open and honest. If you like sushi at all, you need to see this film. If I weren't sick, I'd be out eating sushi right now because of it.
