#Lois Duncan

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Lois Duncan - I Know What You Did Last Summer - Pocket - 1975

[90smovies]

[brokehorrorfan]

I Know What You Did Last Summer will be released on Steelbook Blu-ray on February 26 via Mill Creek Entertainment exclusively at Walmart. Pre-orders for the 1997 slasher are up for $25.

Jim Gillespie (D-Tox) directs from a script by Kevin Williamson (Scream), based on Lois Duncan’s 1973 novel. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. star with Johnny Galecki, Bridgette Wilson, Anne Heche, and Muse Watson.

The film is presented in high definition with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound. No special features are included, but it comes with a semi-transparent slipcover. Read on for the full Steelbook layout.

After a fatal accident, four teens dump their victim's body into the sea. One year later, the dead man returns seeking more than an apology.

Pre-order I Know What You Did Last Summer.

[whilereadingandwalking]

Teenage favorites—Fruits Basket & Lois Duncan & Christopher Pike & Deltora Quest—on my bookshelves back home.

[saint-starflicker]

About the options: These are all Dark Academia but with girls, or related to that. (My definition of Dark Academia because really anything gets tagged that: as a genre fiction piece it must be dark and it must be academic. Dark, meaning involving death or themes of oppression or evil in the human heart; Academic meaning there is a focus of study, recurring reference to a subject of study, or more simply that most of the story takes place at a campus or schoolhouse of some sort.)

Wide Sargasso Sea is—apparently—a 1960's feminist and postcolonial retelling of boarding-school-girl-turned-governess Jane Eyre, but this time told from the point of view of Bertha Antoinette. (I have just finished reading Jane Eyre and wondered about what other works with which this book is already in a sort of literary "conversation". I have not read this book.)

Down a Dark Hall is a 1974 young adult gothic story about—judging from the movie—five girls sent to an exclusive boarding school where supernatural experiments in ghost possession are done on them. (I recently watched the movie and have not yet read the book.)

Picnic at Hanging Rock is a 1967 historical fiction story that takes place in the year 1900 in southeast Australia, also has mystery and—it seems, depending on how many chapters in the edition—science fiction elements. (I recently watched the 1975 movie and the 2018 miniseries, and have not yet read the book.)

Cracks by Sheila Kohler is a 1999 novel that takes place in a girls' boarding school in 1960s South Africa. (I only watched the movie, which set the story in Britain in the 1930s instead and eliminated the 1990's flashfoward. I have not yet read the book.)

I have already both read The Moth Diaries by Rachel Klein and watched the 2011 movie adaptation, and I recommend both if you like Dark Academia that's about girls—even though, be warned, The Moth Diaries contains a lot more blood and death and intensely feelbad themes than the average Dark Academia book or movie.

[mediamatinees]

The Importance of Using Your Brain in "Don’t Look Behind You"

Remember the use your head and check out my review of "Don't Look Behind You."

Content Warning: Don’t Look Behind You contains mentions of violence and murder, tense situations, manipulative behavior, references to alcoholism, and selfish teenagers. Reader discretion is advised. Spoilers for Don’t Look Behind You ahead! My earliest memory of Lois Duncan is from middle school. One of my classes offered A Gift of Magic as an option for that year’s summer reading assignment.…

[silenttapestry]

Ophelia's Final Song (from Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan)

Where the daisies laugh and blow, Where the willow leaves hang down, Nonny, nonny, I will go There to weave my lord a crown.

Willow, willow, by the brook, Trailing fingers green and long, I will read my lord a book, I will sing my love a song.

Though he turn his face away, Nonny, nonny, I will sing, Ditties of a heart gone gray And a hand that bears no ring.

Water, water cold and deep, Hold me fast that I may sleep. Death with you is hardly more Than the little deaths before.

[danielstalter]

Stanger with My Face was more or less exactly what I expected from Lois Duncan. I really appreciate the way that she writes characters. All but one of the characters felt really well-developed. The story itself was a slow burn. There was a really creepy concept at the core of this book. All of these are things I typically love, but I still found myself struggling with this one at times. I was never bored or disengaged, but the slow pacing did become tedious after awhile. I should point out that this book is notably longer than your typical Fear Street or Point Horror. The small print at 240 pages would probably run close to 400 if printed like a typical YA book today. So when you take that into consideration alongside the pacing, you can see how someone who is used to breezing through these books might get a bit frustrated. Then there was the one character I took issue with, whom I will refrain from naming due to spoilers. This character had the unfortunate effect of making the main character seem more naive and oblivious than was necessary for the plot. It also made it way too easy for me to figure out what was really going on. I may not have guessed the specifics, but I accurately called a certain villain’s true motives very early on. Having a main character that doesn’t even have suspicions about the obvious was almost enough to take me out of the story. What kept me in was Lois Duncan’s attention to detail, the richness of the minor characters, and the excellent use of the setting to create isolation. Isolation is the key to great horror and she really nails that one. Overall, I liked it more than I didn’t. Even with all of the issues I had, Stranger with My Face was a solid read. Score: 3.5 For my snark-filled, spoiler-laced, deep-dive review; check out my blog: https://www.danstalter.com/stranger-with-my-face/

[the-final-sentence]

It was clear and transparent as window glass.

Lois Duncan, from Gallows Hill

[booksc8pes]

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Lois Duncan is known for her young adult literature, and most notably, her novel I Know What You Did Last Summer, which upon first glance would appeal to those interested in the slasher film of the same name. The book is much different from this, but that does not mean horror fans will leave unsatisfied. The main draw in IKWYDLS is its suspense, something prominent in its slasher counterpart, but deeply present throughout the novel. The central group of teens are responsible for a hit-and-run, where they killed a small boy when driving home from a party in the mountains. Each character copes differently. Ray packs his things and moves across the country, Barry flings himself into the college lifestyle, much to the dismay of Helen, who moves out of home to fully pursue her dream of being on television. Julie tries to move on as best she can by preparing for college, but it all comes crashing down when she receives a letter with the titular phrase written on it. The mystery begins here: who wrote the letter, and how much do they know?

Originally set in the 70s, the story has been revamped for a more modern audience, complete with cell phones and up-to-date historical references (for example, a character who originally fought in Vietnam now served in Afghanistan). While the updated version tries to adapt to the current reader base, the technology aspect of the story falls flat and does not seem integrated into the plot well. In my opinion, the original setting of the novel is far less disconnected, and would appeal to readers who enjoy shows such as Stranger Things or I Am Not Okay With This. While most of the draw for Summer comes from the thriller, the book genre subverts this expectation while still managing to be a darker story, something that stands apart from the oversaturated high fantasy enemies-to-lovers plots. 

My song choices in this playlist attempt to combine the old and new versions of the text, and focus more on the tension between the characters rather than trying to conform to a specific genre of music. While not lyrically relatable to the plot, Phanta by Le Tigre captures the feeling of not knowing the next steps to take in a crisis, and Christmas Kids by Roar could act as a stand-in for the traditional Villain Monologue readers are treated to at the end of the novel. (I may have added some puns in here as well- see Cop Car, Rubberneckers, and Shut Up And Drive.)

Listen to this playlist to travel back in time, or check out this board for a look into the night that changed everything. 

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Lois Duncan - A Gift Of Magic - Archway/Pocket - 1972 (illustrated by Arvis Stewart)

[90smovies]

[brokehorrorfan]

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer will be released on 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray and Digital) on September 26 via Sony. The 1998 slasher sequel is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Danny Cannon (Judge Dredd) directs from a script by Trey Callaway (CSI: NY). Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy, Mekhi Phifer, Muse Watson, Bill Cobbs, Matthew Settle, Jennifer Esposito, Jeffrey Combs, and Jack Black star.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer has been newly scanned in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision, approved by Cannon, with new Dolby Atmos audio plus 5.1 sound. Extras are listed below.

Disc 1 - 4K Ultra HD:

Audio commentary by director Danny Cannon (new)

Interview with actor Muse Watson

Disc 2 - Blu-ray:

Making-of Featurette

“How Do I Deal” music video by Jennifer Love Hewitt

Theatrical trailer

Haunted by the brutal murders of her friends, Julie James is struggling to lead a normal life as a college freshman in Boston. Despite her best efforts, she still can't shake the feeling that homicidal fisherman Ben Willis is stalking her. Teetering on the brink of a nervous breakdown, Julie gratefully accepts her roommate Karla's invitation to join her and friends on an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas. Their tropical getaway turns deadly, however, when Willis apparently returns from the grave to once again torment Julie and her friends.

Pre-order I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

[cultfaction]

Summer of Fear aka Stranger in Our House (1978)

Wes Craven, a master of horror cinema, left an indelible mark on the genre with his unique storytelling and chilling visuals. One of his lesser-known works, Summer of Fear aka Stranger in Our House, showcases Craven’s mastery of suspense and psychological terror. It was based on the novel Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan. Released in 1978, the film delivers a thrilling plot filled with supernatural…

[famousborntoday]

Lois Duncan Steinmetz, known as Lois Duncan, was an American writer, novelist, poet, and journalist. She is best known for her young-adult novels, and has been...

Link: Lois Duncan

[queering-the-classics]

I Know What You Did Last Summer Book Review

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As a fan of Young Adult literature, I personally think there is a fine line when it comes to representing the "thriller" genre for Young Adult audiences. Sometimes an author tends to lean into the violence, horror, and mystery aspects of the story too much, and it loses touch with the adolescent audience it was originally meant for. This being said, Lois Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer is a perfect example of an author that took on this challenge and absolutely killed it (pun intended). I Know What You Did Last Summer flawlessly combined the highs and lows of teen life and relationships with the nail-biting tension and edge-of-your-seat excitement of a thriller. Her use of multiple perspectives throughout the book offered glimpses not only into the personal lives of our teen protagonists, but also several puzzle pieces and clues for the reader to put together to try to solve the mystery as well. Overall, I thought this was a fantastic book, and I guarantee you that your jaw will hit the floor when you reach the ending.  

While Duncan does a fantastic job of building suspense for the reader, I think that her novel offers some important commentary on some of the issues of everyday life for teenagers—regardless of the era. The story focuses around four main characters—Julie, Ray, Helen, and Barry—as they each try to cope with the unfortunate incident that happened the summer before while also juggling school, work, and their tense (and occasionally toxic) romantic relationships. While any reader could easily fall for the rekindling romance between Julie and Ray, I think that Duncan's depiction of the not-so-picture-perfect couple Helen and Barry not only shines a light on our own perceptions of our relationships, but also the heteronormative pressures that society places on teens from a young age.  

Now, I know what you are thinking: what does heteronormativity have to do with LGBTQ+  relationships? The answer: nearly everything. Heteronormativity is the concept that heterosexuality and straight relationships is the "norm" of sexual orientation. Not only that, but it also looks at gender as something that is binary, and that the correct sexual or marital relationship is one involving people of the opposite genders (specifically a man/male and a woman/female). The relationship between Helen and Barry could be considered the prime example of heteronormative relationships—built upon traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity. Helen is the beauty queen, the super star, the model—while she is living independently on her own, her career is based entirely on her good looks. Meanwhile, Barry is the football star, the frat bro, the golden child—he believes that a man should provide for his woman (and have as many women as he liked on the side).  

Thanks to Duncan's choice to tell I Know What You Did Last Summer from multiple perspectives (including Helen and Barry's), the reader can see just how flawed this relationship is. From Helen's point of view, Barry "loves her" and the two were "going to get married" after Barry graduated from college (Duncan, 66). However, to Barry, Helen was "a dime a dozen, and [he happened] to have a pocket full of dimes" (136). This is not to say that all heterosexual relationships between cisgendered individuals are just like Helen and Barry's. Instead, this relationship displays how societal pressures and gender norms shape the way young people look at and enter relationships. Queer individuals experience the same pressures from a young age, and without the proper education and support, they will either need to figure things out on their own, or risk falling into the same relationship dynamic as Helen and Barry.  

My Overall Rating: 9 / 10 (this is an almost perfect novel! my only critique would be how abruptly it ended— Duncan really makes you wish for one chapter more!)

Audience Age Range: 15+ Years Old (there are definitely some violent scenes and suggestive / explicit language, but nothing too heavy)

Other Recommendations: Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin & Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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