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lost-harts · 9 months

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10 Characters, 10 Fandoms, 10 Tags

Basic rules: choose 10 fandoms that you are part of/support, and choose a favorite character from each of those. Then, tag ten folks!

Tagged by: @briar-ffxiv

Tagging: @tidepoolarchive @mossycattail @moss-opossum @assortedinsanities @bunnyboybosom and anyone else who wants a go (I don't know 10 people Nate regularly interacts with)

Having OSDD can mean some strange things happen sometimes and currently Nate, the owner of this blog is not fronting so I, Gabe, another part, am currently fronting. Plus, Nate hasn't watched, read or played much, hart tends to front on walks in nature or when crafting. So here's all of our choices below

Death from Discworld

Terry Pratchett's Death is just an amazing character, he is caring even though he isn't supposed to be, he's hilarious without intending to be and Terry Pratchett just wrote him in the best way. There's so much to love about Discworld but to me it's made perfect by Death.

Honourable Mentions: Luggage, Susan, Rincewind, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Imp Y Celyn

Samwise from Lord of the Rings

Sam is so warm hearted and caring, but he's not afraid to express his feelings and thoughts, even when they may cause a divide. He's honestly a role model and 'goal' of the host part of the system.

Honourable Mentions: Gandalf and Aragorn

Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation

We were diagnosed as autistic at a very young age and were told all the stereotypes of autism were us. Our parents mourned our lack of empathy and bizarre habits constantly. Saiph even remembers being called 'soul less'. However, the host at the time, Saiph, loved sci-fi and found a refuge in re-aired episodes of Star Trek TNG. Data healed us in being all the things he wasn't meant to be according to his construction but still straddling the world of human and non-human. Data is very important to us as a character. Yes, its true our empathy isn't really there and some of our habits are strange, but we still have compassion for others and we don't hurt anyone being our weird selves.

Honourable Mentions: Worf and Picard

Yato from Noragami

I admit we're a bit behind with the manga so no spoilers for anything thanks! But with the manga and anime that we have watched and read I can say we really love Yato's cheeky-bordering-on-idiotic charm and wit. Noragami was also just a really important show for the host while they were studying at college (UK 16-18 college) and got very depressed. Noragami helped out a lot in keeping the host going.

Honourable Mention: Yukine

Merlin from Merlin

From about age 5, I was an Arthurian legend nerd so Saiph adored Merlin when it came out, watching every single episode as it aired. We didn't use social media until we were 18 but if we had, Saiph would have had a merlin themed tumblr blog for sure. Saiph loves Merlin's humour, dry wit, bluntness and fun he has with his destiny.

Honourable Mentions: Morgana, Gawain, Gaius and Arthur

Hercule Poirot from Poirot

If Poirot was real I would love to be his friend so badly. Sure this might mean I get involved in several murder cases and he would tut at my untidiness but we could be very autistic together and enjoy good food together too. He's clever, particular in his style and likes but most of all very caring.

Honourable Mention: Miss Lemon

Vlad from Young Dracula

So first of all this actor before we even full realised we were trans gave us trans guy vibes and made us feel safe. As far as I know, no, the actor is not trans but the vibes are there (the first series the actor was like eleven). But then oh my gosh the story of being forced to be something you don't want to be and the way Vlad desperately tries to stick to his morals throughout the series is so compelling. Vlad's constant and seemingly futile but unwavering fight, grapple against the darkness inside him was the great drama of my childhood/teenhood.

Guillermo from What We Do In The Shadows

I can't seem to get the newest series here in the UK so no spoilers thanks! But yes, Guillermo is such a sweetheart. He knows what he wants, he works for it, he even asks for it, its the dickhead vampires in his life that mean he can't get his wish. Also, he's such a cool fighter while being gentle and kind. Love him. You won't have him, Nandor? I'll have him!

Honourable Mentions: Nandor and Lazlo

Thomas from Ghosts

Truth is I am an extremely melodramatic person who has a problem with using long words that I'm not entirely sure the meaning of. That is a universal truth with all the system parts. Also Thomas is silly and very funny. His death is so sad and unnecessary too, it breaks my heart that events could work towards that end. I love a lot of the Ghosts' characters really but I had to choose one so Thomas is it!

Honourable Mentions: Captain, Kitty, Robin, Mary, Humphrey and Pat

Thomas from Downton Abbey

(I did not intend to put both Thomases in a row but I didn't plan properly) So we all agree to ignore the second film, right? It butchers everyone. Right? Good. Eagle-eyed people might spot that Nate sort of lifted Neely's (one of our favourite DnD characters) surname 'Osbarrow' from Thomas Barrow. That is how much we love this guy. Thomas starts as a villain, that you love to see act out his plans. He's compelling just as that. But then you see him soften and a great protector of others, using his bile and poison to spit in the right direction as it were and you love him. But with the years of being horrible and cruel for cruel sake, no one will take his kindness for kindness, looking for the hidden agenda. It is genuinely heartbreaking to Saiph and the host who are the main fans of this show. A great study in how to do character arcs in my opinion too.

Honourable Mentions: Mary, Sybil, Violet and Mrs Patmore

There's lots more characters from lots more shows, films and books we enjoy but ten is all we had so these are the top ten!

Some more characters who didn't quite make the top ten:

Chihaya from Chihayafuru

Cat from Cat of Dury Lane books

Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Twig from The Edge Chronicles

Miss Marple from Miss Marple

#adventurecore #book characters #tv characters #film characters #tag game

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bryndeavour · 4 years

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#poirot #agatha christie's poirot #hercule poirot #captain hastings #arthur hastings #david suchet #hugh fraser #my gifs #this is one of my favorite episodes #its gorgeous #their wardrobe is fantastic #there's a fake ghost #and miss lemon acts like a psychic #how could it get better?#look at their faces #soft

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claudia1829things · 2 years

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"THE A.B.C. MURDERS" (1992) Review

"THE A.B.C. MURDERS" (1992) Review As I had pointed out in my REVIEW of the 2018 adaptation of "THE A.B.C. MURDERS", the 1936 book upon which it is based is one of my favorites written by Agatha Christie. And as I had pointed out, there have been at least four adaptations. In this review, I have decided to focus on the 1992 television adaptation from the "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" series.

Starring David Suchet as the Belgian-born detective, Hercule Poirot, "THE A.B.C. MURDERS" begin with Poirot welcoming his old friend Captain Arthur Hastings, who has traveled from his Argentina ranch for a visit to Britain. Poirot reveals a letter he had recently received from a possible serial killer named "A.B.C.", who declares his or her intention to murder a citizen of Andover, whose name starts with an "A". Following the death of one Alice Ascher in Andover, Chief Inspector Japp and Scotland Yard becomes involved when Poirot receives a second letter from the killer, who needles the detective with his/her intent to kill a second victim in a seaside town called Bexhill-on-the-Sea. After the murderer kills a third victim, an elderly millionaire from Churston; Poirot recruits the victims' relations and loved ones to assist him and Hastings in the hunt for the killer. And unbeknownst to Poirot and the police, a non-descript, middle-aged stockings salesman named Alexander Bonaparte Cust found himself present at the locations of each victim. As much as I liked the 2018 adaptation of Christie's 1936 novel, I must admit that I prefer this version over it. Unlike the former, this television movie managed to adhere a lot closer to Christie's novel. Unlike many, I would not consider the latter as a requisite for a good adaptation. I can think of a few first-rate Christie adaptations that were not that faithful to the original source. But in the case of "THE A.B.C. MURDERS", I believe Clive Exton was wise to be as faithful as possible to Christie's 1936 novel. Why? I believe it is one of her best creations and it is a personal favorite of mine. It seemed very rare for mystery writers - especially those like Christie - to create a story about a possible serial killer. The only other time I can recall Christie creating something similar was her 1939 novel, "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE". Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the sense of urgency in Poirot and the police's hunt for "ABC" after the second murder had been committed. This was especially apparent in Exton and director Andrew Grieve's use of fast-paced moments of newspaper headlines, newsreel narrations and close-up shots of A.B.C. railway guides. And thanks to Grieves' direction, along with performances by David Suchet and Donald Sumpter, the television movie included an excellent scene that featured Poirot's interview with the arrested Cust. Although "THE A.B.C. MURDERS" is a favorite of mine, it is not perfect. Once again, the series brought in Scotland Yard's Chief Inspector Japp to serve as the main police investigator in this story. I have always enjoyed Poirot and Hastings' interactions with Japp, but I do get weary of the series using Japp as the main police investigator in nearly every episode or television movie. Especially since none of the murders in this story were committed within Scotland Yard's jurisdiction. Arthur Hastings appeared in the form of two problems for me. One, I was not a fan of the running joke involving the dead Amazon Cayman that Hastings had shot and brought with him from South America. I did not find it funny or amusing. And two - as much as I have enjoyed Hugh Fraser's performances as Hastings over the years, I found Exeter's portrayal of him as this idiot rather excessive. Although I consider this adaptation superior to the 2018 miniseries, I must admit that the latter seemed to more style and punch in its production. This movie's first half had style. But after the fourth victim, I had to struggle to stay awake, due to the second half's more plodding style . . . at least until Poirot's revelation of the killer. I have a complaint about the casting, but I will bring it up later. But I do have one last complaint. The movie featured one of those scenes in which involved the police chasing the murderer after Poirot exposes the latter. God, I hate them. The "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S MISS MARPLE" with Joan Hickson was the first to utilize this trope. And unfortunately, "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" continued it every now and then. The performances in "THE A.B.C. MURDERS" struck me as first-rate. David Suchet gave his usual fine performance as the Belgian-born private detective, Hercule Poirot. As stated earlier, I was especially impressed by his performance in a scene in which Poirot interviews the major suspect. Although I had an issue of how Captain Arthur Hastings was written for this TV movie, I cannot deny that actor Hugh Fraser gave his usual excellent performance as Poirot's companion and best friend. Philip Jackson was excellent as usual as the tart-tongued Chief Inspector Japp. There were two other performances that stood out for me. One came from Pippa Guard, who gave an excellent performance as Megan Barnard, the blunt and tart-tongued sister of the second victim, Betty Barnard. But the one stand-out performance came from Donald Sumpter, who portrayed the stocking salesman, Alexander Bonaparte Cust. Sumpter did a superb job in making such a non-descript personality so interesting and slightly creepy. The rest of the cast provided first-rate support - including Nicholas Farrell, Cathryn Bradshaw, Nina Marc, David McAlister, Ann Windsor, Peter Penry-Jones, Vivienne Burgess and Donald Douglas. Speaking of the latter - he had been cast as Franklin Clarke, the younger brother of the killer's third victim, Sir Carmichael Clarke. I have been aware of Douglas ever since I was a kid and have always regarded him as a first-rate actor. But I believe he had been miscast as Franklin Clarke, who had been described as a handsome, charming and charismatic man in his early-to-mid 40s. Although attractive, Douglas had been in his late 50s when he portrayed Franklin. Also, he seemed to come across more like some hale and hearty Englishman than what Christie had described the character in her novel. I have no problems with the television movie's production values. In all honestly, I would rate the movie's production as solid. There was nothing mind boggling about it. Rob Harris' re-creation of London and other parts of Great Britain struck me as solid. Only his discovery of the De La Warr Pavilion in Essex struck me as a godsend. I found Christopher Gunning's score solid, but not memorable, along with Peter Wenham's art direction. However, I must admit that Carlotta Barrow's set decorations; especially in scenes that featured Alice Ascher's store, the De La Warr Pavilion, Cust's apartment and various hotel rooms, and Poirot's own apartment; struck me as above par and worthy of notice. But I have to give kudos to Barbara Kronig, whom I believe did a superb job of re-creating the 1936 fashions for characters from various backgrounds and personalities. Anyone with common sense would know or realize there is no such thing as a perfect movie or television production. This certainly applies to "THE A.B.C. MURDERS", the 1992 television adaptation to Agatha Christie's1936 novel. The pacing for the movie's second half had threatened to bog down during a small period of time. The joke surrounding Arthur Hastings' dead cayman had become tiresome and never-ending. And I believe one of the characters had been miscast. However, these flaws seemed trifling in compared to the movie's virtues. The cast led by David Suchet struck me as first-rate. Most of the television movie possessed an energy and style, thanks to Andrew Grieve's direction. And screenwriter Clive Exton had written a first-rate adaptation. I believe he did this after recognizing the excellent quality of the source material. "THE A.B.C. MURDERS" is one Agatha Christie novel I will enjoy for years to come.

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dangermousie · 5 years

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2019 END OF YEAR KDrama Post

Wow, I haven’t made one in years. This is going to involve only dramas that came out in 2019 because I watched a hell of a lot dramas made prior to that and trying to figure out which ones will give me a headache.

DRAMAS WATCHED (In order of liking from most to least as opposed to pure quality; I am including if I’ve seen at least two eps AND feel it was enough to make up my mind; yes I realize that’s inaccurate, but that’s my list)

Extraordinary You - A philosophy and religion course AND a love story, and perfect at both.

My Country - a brutal, passionate, intense masterpiece of a sageuk. This is how they should be.

Crash Landing On You - the two eps that have aired brought my joy in watching kdramas back to me so vividly. This is everything.

Encounter - the perfect noona romance of the year for me. It seems to have little plot (powerful older woman, idealistic younger man) but the characters made me love them with an unhealthy amount of attachment and the mood is just perfect.

Haechi - smart traditional sageuk with a heart. This one will make you love it but also respect it in the morning :)

Queen: Love and War - Period, romance, mystery, helpless king and feisty heroine. It’s everything I love in one package.

Chocolate - if, like me, you like slow old-school melo with genuine grown-ups, this one is for you. Ha Ji Won and Yoon Kye Sang are both incandescent in this.

One Spring Night - a rare slice of life that worked for me so so much. I rooted for the main OTP like crazy (I did skip all the sister stuff though because boring to me.) It’s just a breath of fresh air.

The Tale of Nokdu - a rare funny youth sageuk that worked for me (except, ironically, for when they tried to be politics-heavy and serious about it.) Wonderful OTP, funny situations and just generally a delight.

Memories of the Alhambra - I can hear people screaming that I put this so high, but this is a faves ranking, not objective one, and I loved the unusual premise (it ultimately fell apart but it tried), and Hyun Bin’s performance was out of this world and the aaaaagnst and I enjoyed waiting for it each week until almost the end. That ending though!!!!!

Psychopath Diary - this is black comedy at its best and hysterical and smart and somehow got me invested in the hapless protagonist.

Hotel del Luna - clever and funny and smart. Hong Sisters largely back to form. I found the sageuk parts more engaging than modern ones, but what else is new.

Search WWW - some parts of it worked for me more than others, but it had solid writing and cool characters and some interesting OTP(s).

Love is Beautiful Life is Wonderful - has the weekend drama slowness but it lovely and fun.

When the Camellia Blooms - it was well made and the OTP was great and the acting top notch, I just don’t tend to go gaga for slice of life dramas, especially ones involving market ladies, much.

Flower Crew Joseon Marriage Agency - competently done, pretty period piece about nothing. It was enjoyable and forgettable at once.

Catch the Ghost - I put it as high as I did because the OTP really did have lovely chemistry but the story was a complete mess, the police work made no sense and the heroine’s character was like nails on a chalkboard for me.

Joseon Survival - I got about four episodes in and liked it a lot but then Kang Ji Hwan turned out to be a convicted rapist, they replaced the lead and I didn’t go back. I kind of want to because I liked what I saw and I am madly curious as to whether they changed the main character or just said he had a different face now, no explanation.

The Last Empress - pure inconsistent trash but so entertaining!

Vagabond - I made it eight episodes in before I realized that I would have as much fun staring at traffic. It’s a competently done actioner but without more, actioners never work for me, so this was a viewer/drama mismatch.

Arthdal Chronicles - incoherent, visually odd and boring, this is arguably the worst drama this year but I am giving it higher place because the cast really tries (even if it tends to fail because it has nothing to work with) and because it attempted something different even if it failed spectacularly. SO BAD.

Melting Me Softly - yes, my brain was fully melted by this soulless, charmless waste of Ji Chang Wook and my limited free time.

VIP - Any drama that makes the main mystery and thrust of the story who the husband cheated on his wife with is BORING. Seriously, this is not exactly Hercule Poirot. They wasted their cast - I have NO idea why Lee Sang Yoon agreed to be in this as a one note character and Jang Nara is playing a second scorned wife in a row but without even the entertainment value of her previous outing.

Abyss - aptly named. The best thing I can say about it is it didn’t offend me but oh boy was it dull.

Absolute Boyfriend - I loved the manga but it’s time to accept this can never be adapted well. They wasted the cast and that ending was just an insult on top of a trash heap.

The Lies Within - you cast that cast and deliberately have no romance. You are dead to me.

Woman of 9.9 Billion - competently made, but it’s everything I dislike - dour unpleasant bored people behaving as if they are in a particularly dreary art-house French movie but without any nuance or interest the latter came provide.

Love with Flaws - shrill, dumb, neither acted nor written by anyone trying at all.

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung - objectively, it’s not the worst drama on the list, but it’s everything I hate in one package - willfully ahistorical but not cleverly so, male lead incapable of acting, the characters so one-dimensional they disappear, this purports to be a period drama but about as period as a space ship. God, I loathed this.

FAVORITE DRAMA

Extraordinary You - smart (so mind-bendingly smart) and moving and totally unpredictable and with so many things to say about free will and religion and self and nature of memory and narrative, this had an insane impossible premise and yet somehow managed to do it full justice and stick the landing.

WORST DRAMA

People with Flaws - this is different from least favorite because even if I loathed e.g., Rookie Historian or Woman of 9.9 Billion, I recognized some positive features; it’s just certain things really rubbed me the wrong way due to personal preferences. But this shrill hot mess of a drama is really everything that’s wrong with dramaworld.

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER

Prince Yeoning, Haechi - fiercely smart, strong, tormented by the duality of his birth (royal father, servant mother) but not letting this distract him from his purpose, loyal to the bone, and with integrity nothing can shake but where you can feel that it’s not easy and that it costs him.

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER

Eun Dan Oh, Extraordinary You - a go-getter who remakes the world (literally); smart, cheerful, strong, beautifully human. She feels so real and yet is larger than anything around her.

NEEDS TO BE MURDERED

Yi Seung Gye, My Country - a sociopath destroying lives in his quest for power and control, even the destruction of his own family barely gives him anything but momentary pause. He is the reason for the tragedy of MC.

FAVORITE SHIP

Eun Dan Oh x Haru, Extraordinary You - their love is literally universe and god-defying. They have loved each other as different people in three separate worlds (and counting), and have defied loss of memory and even loss of self as well as death, the end of worlds, and their god and the narrative and literally anything and everything, to be together.

Runner Up: Soo Hyun x Jin Hyuk, Encounter: tender and decent and his bringing her back to vivid life and the way they love and support and compliment each other.

Probably gonna be on list if doesn’t go haywire: Crash Landing on You: she is a SK heiress, he’s a NK officer, they have mad chemistry and so much potential.

NOTP:

Tae Mi x Morgan, Search WWW - love the actors, love the chemistry, love the characters in terms of the way they are written, but they are absolutely wrong for each other and there is no future of any sort but misery ahead. None of their issues are resolved but are swept under the rug. It’s a cautionary tale, not a romance. I did a long rant before so not repeating.

BEST SECONDARY OTP

Scarlett x Ji Hwan, Search WWW - they stole the shippiness in the drama for me. Cooky and adorable and noona romance done right.

FAVORITE SCENE

Haru’s final disappearance, Extraordinary You - the lights start to go out, the world literally dissolving, Eun Oh and Haru clinging to each other, with his telling her she was his beginning and the end. His name, the one she gave him, is the last thing he hears. In a drama full of amazing scenes the very gist of which was defying the very creator and universe and meaning of existence, this was the one that stayed with me the most.

BIGGEST CRUSH

Seo Hwi, My Country - I have a thing for deeply honorable, deeply tortured period badasses with long hair and a death wish (see Choi Young in Faith etc.)

BEST SCENE STEALER CHARACTER

Yi Bang Won, My Country - he started out as an antihero and ended up as arguably a tragic villain (or maybe still an anti-hero) but oh boy, was he magnetic and fascinating and sucking out all the oxygen whenever he was in the scene.

NEEDS A SEQUEL

Memories of the Alhambra - WTF ending was that?! All that misery and no real resolution?! Dammit!

TROPE THAT NEEDS TO DIE

Youth Sageuk - I hate most of them! They are anachronistic and dumb and honestly, what is the point of having fully modern people in period clothes? Just make a modern show and call it a day.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Melting Me Softly - Ji Chang Wook’s first project back from the military was an unfunny, unmoving, pointless mess with not an ounce of genuine enjoyment despite the excellent pedigree of everyone involved in front and behind the camera.

Arthdal Chronicles - the makers made excellent Queen Seon Duk, Tree with Deep Roots and Six Flying Dragons. The cast was uniformly A grade. The result was an open-ended, boring, incoherent mess that looks like a bad sort of a drug trip and made about as much sense.

BIGGEST GOOD SURPRISE

Extraordinary You - I had zero interest in yet another high school drama with no actors I recognized. By the end, EY was an emotional brainy twister of a marvel that became my favorite drama of all time. I’ve been watching dramas for over 13 years so that’s saying something.

2019 DRAMAS I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT I MOST WANT TO WATCH

The Crowned Clown - I love sageuks and cast and it looks so smart and emotional

Angel’s Last Mission: Love - my next contemporary - I watched a little and loved what I saw

Fates and Furies - I saw a few eps and classic melo is so up my alley.

Clean with a Passion for Now - I like the cast and it’s a year of falling for hot weird bosses apparently.

Graceful Family - I love makjang and Im Soo Jung.

The Secret Life of My Secretary - downmarket Beauty Inside and I loved BI.

Love Affairs in the Afternoon - artsy adultery FTW

Item - I don’t like crime stuff but I am here for Joo Ji Hoon.

My Strange Hero - seems a little cooky but I am fond of Yoo Seung Ho.

MOST ANTICIPATED IN 2020

King: the Eternal Monarch - Lee Min Ho and Woo Do Hwan and parallel worlds and written by Kim Eun Suk. Yes Please.

I should probably make one for cdramas too though that one would be rather shorter.

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mr-craig · 3 years

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For the bookish asks: 8, 12, 17?

8. What’s your favorite “elusive” series? (i.e., the series that most people haven’t heard of) I tend to read mostly standalone books - a series often feels too much like an obligation to me, unless it’s a pretty loose, episodic series like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot. I can’t think of any sufficiently obscure series to recommend, so instead I’ll mention a single book I don’t see many people raving about: Trafalgar, by Angélica Gorodischer. It’s a short story collection from the late ‘70s, bizarre and amusing sci-fi stories told by the titular Trafalgar over black coffee and cigarettes.

12. A book you want to see made into a TV show/movie (or, if its already been adapted but you didn’t like it, what you’d do differently) Dirk Gently has been adapted twice for the screen already, and neither version worked for me. I think that ship has sailed now, but I would love to see those stories adapted more faithfully. For starters, the book version of Dirk Gently is fat and wears garish clothes, goddammit! He’s not David Tennant or Matt Smith’s Doctor, he’s Colin Baker in all his technicolour splendour.

17. What is the oldest book you own? The Library Shakspeare Vol. III (containing four history plays), published by William Mackenzie circa 1880. It was a very thoughtful gift from my lovely friend @jeangable.

(Answering these asks.)

#reading #books #asks #shimyereh #replies

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toughbookie · 4 years

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7 Books in 7 Days

I Stumbled across a few YouTube videos about this “7 Books in 7 Days” challenge going on on the internet.

I got curious and after absolutely no research or further preparation, I decided to do that as well; I would have read seven books in a week.

Aaaaand here’s pretty much how it went.

DAY 1: The book I couldn’t find in English

Title: Storia di una balena bianca raccontata da lei stessa

Author: Luis Sepúlveda

Pages: 107

Rate: 5/5

Having started in the early evening, I had to pick a book that was short enough for me to finish on the same day. The choice fell on this tiny masterpiece by Sepúlveda, whose literature I wasn’t familiar with (boy, will that change during this reading challenge) aside from The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly, read years and years and year and years ago.

What I thought I was going forward was a nice, cute little novel.

Was.

Wrong.

This actually kind of broke me.

Based on the story of Moby Dick - which in turn is based on the true story of the Essex, a whaler that left the island of Nantucket in 1819 only to be destroyed by the giant sperm whale the crew was after to acquire the oil to power lamps… Look, life sucked before we got electricity - this book is narrated by the giant white whale in the flesh. As you might have guessed by now, we’re not talking about the happiest story ever.

What starts as an observation from the young whale’s eyes of the resourcefulness and curiosity of mankind, quickly transforms into a condemnation of its cruelty and disrespect for nature.

Beautifully written, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves angst and can speak Italian or Spanish (I couldn’t find an English version).

I really had a good time with it. And also a good cry. I’m fragile.

DAY 2: The book about a murder

Title: The body in the library

Author: Agatha Christie

Pages: 215

Rate: 4/5

For the second day of this challenge, I’ve decided to throw myself into a novel featuring Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple.

In this crime novel, the body of a young woman is found in the library of Mr. and Mrs. Bantry’s house. The problem: nobody knows this girl or how she got in there. It’s going to be up to the police and, naturally, to Miss Marple, to find the truth.

I have discovered Agatha Christie only recently but it’s undeniable that she deserves all my love. It’s been fun to read this book and develop theories to find out who the murderer was and how and why they acted. It was like piecing a puzzle together. This is my first reading featuring Miss Marple, and I found her quite impressive. Unlike her “colleague”, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple is not a detective, she’s just people smart, and it’s delightful to follow her around on her adventures.

Unfortunately the finale didn’t satisfy me that much, but it was still pretty good. Definitely recommended.

DAY 3: The long one

Title: The temptation to be happy

Author: Lorenzo Marone

Pages: 268

Rate: 3.5/5

Note: The more I think about this book, the more I feel like it doesn’t fully deserve its 3.5 rating. Consider it as an “almost 4”, please and thank you.

On the third day, I faced the longest book of the ones I had chosen. And, since life happened and I had other things to do around, I risked not finishing it on time (no worries, I managed).

The story is one of a cynical 77 years old widow: Cesare Annunziata. He doesn’t really care much about the people around him, except his daughter and son whom he loves even though of course he doesn’t know how to show it. Up until here, it’s honestly pretty standard and it has its cliches.

Everything changes when Cesare realizes that his new neighbor, Emma, is a victim of domestic abuse and lives in fear of her husband. The old man and the woman form an improbable friendship aaaaand I don’t want to get into spoiler territory, even tho the story is actually quite simple and sometimes predictable.

The best part about this, however, is not the story. The characters are what really brings the book to life, with a perfect balance of goofy and more serious personalities. It’s people we could meet every day, and that’s what really makes it good. Not full of plot twist, but it’s not meant to be.

Reading Lorenzo Marone was a pretty nice way to spend the day.

DAY 4: The other book about the murder

Title: A Caribbean mystery

Author: Agatha Christie

Pages: 230

Rate: 4/5

Another day, another Agatha Christie’s novel. In this sunny and colorful environment, new murders have happened and new assassins have to be found.

Miss Marple, on holidays in the Caribbean, is having quite a good time, except not much is going on around here. Lucky for her - and honestly, only for her… I mean, good for you that you have a hobby but you should really not enjoy dead people so much - old Major Palgrave is found dead in his room. What looks like a natural death to most is actually a deeper mystery, and it’s up to Miss Marple to dig up the truth and save the day before the assassin strikes again.

Again, making up theories and analyzing the characters is a lot of fun, and I actually found out who the assassin was, which is pretty rare because I’m dumb at mysteries.

At the end of this book I started to feel a bit tired and I got a bit of a headache. I loved reading it, but with work I never really have the time for long, intensive sessions that go on for multiple days in a row.

Still, the pleasure of reading this book made everything more bearable.

DAY 5: The big fail

Title: Loving sabotage

Author: Amélie Nothomb

Pages: 62 out of 124

Rate: 1/5

God, I hated this book. Pretentious, boring, just bad. It didn’t even seem like there was a plot or the author was talking about anything in particular, just words put down one after the other without any true purpose.

Really felt like a waste of time. It was awful to get though. So I didn’t. Which, given my holiday was over and I had to go back to work, gave me a bit of a time problem.

DAY 5: Sepúlveda strikes back

Title: Patagonia Express

Author: Luis Sepúlveda

Pages: 127

Rate: 5/5

To save the day at the last minute, came Luis Sepúlveda with this short account of his travels in Patagonia.

Starting in Spain and exploring the very edge of the world, this collection is filled with wild characters and hilarious episodes that made me enjoy every single page.

That is, after getting past that one chapter about lamb castration.

That was a weird one.

I’ve never liked this particular literary genre much, but Luis Sepúlveda gives an incredible description of the places he visited, the people he met and their own stories, which are particularly bizarre and told with incredible talent. It’s a pretty short book, so I don’t want to spoil anything, but you get the drill.

Possibly my favorite book out of this challenge, Patagonia Express is a delightful quick escape from the ordinary.

DAY 6: Guess who’s back

Title: The old man who read love stories

Author: Luis Sepúlveda

Pages: 135

Rate: 3/5

So, Sepúlveda wasn’t originally supposed to stick around for so long, but here we go again.

As for The old man who read love stories, it’s possibly the book I liked the least from Sepúlveda. Which isn’t saying much, I still like his work a lot.

The story is one of old Antonio José Bolívar Proaño, and guess what: he likes to read love stories.

That makes two of us, buddy.

He’s also an expert of the forest nearby the small town of El Idilio, and forced to hunt down a female of ocelot, along with a group of men from the town.

Through some flashbacks we also find out the story of his life and how he became to know the forest so well. That’s my favorite part of the novel, by the way.

While the book started well, it felt like it got lost somewhere around the second half, which was supposed to be the important, life-lessons-packed part. You know, the part you don’t want to get lost at.

By the last pages I was almost falling asleep, and thinking back a couple of days later I don’t really remember much of the story as a whole.

In total honesty, a lot of it might have been because it was the sixth book in as many days, and my three brain cells had been up to a lot more than they can usually stand. Plus, long work hours got in the way.

DAY 7: Because it’s Christmas

Title: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas

Author: Agatha Christie

Pages: 209

Rate: 3.5/5

A millionaire asshole. His children and their wives. A nephew and a family friend. A murder on Christmas night.

It would have been offensive to read so much Agatha Christie without any Hercule Poirot, and so here comes my dear detective, ready for the grand finale.

Also, it’s Christmas!! Christmas book!! Christmas spirit!! Quite literally I mean someone got killed -

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is an interesting novel, full of well done characters and mystery. I had a good time reading it, as I always do with this kind of novels.

But I do have to say - it’s probably just me and other readers liked it fine - the finale really ruined it for me. It feels pulled out of nowhere at the last minute, and even though it was certainly a big surprise, it felt added like a second thought just to make an even bigger plot twist than what could have been.

Aside from that, it’s a good book and given the settings I dare say it’s the perfect reading for when it’s cold outside, maybe snowing, and you’re cuddling under a blanket with a nice warm cup of tea.

Or hot chocolate.

Pick your favorite, I won’t judge.

Conclusions:

So finally we’re at the end of this 7 Books in 7 days Challenge. It was very enjoyable, but also towards the end it got pretty draining and sometimes stressful to keep up with the reading schedule while squeezing into the day everything else life throws at you.

Doing that on a week of holidays instead three days, when I could have focused only on the books, it would have probably gone differently, maybe even attempting to tackle longer novels. But you know, we’re talking about reading 1139 pages in a week, which is not something I thought I was capable of doing.

So overall I’m proud of how I did.

Not sure if I’ll repeat this but I’m glad I’ve done it, at least this once, and I honestly recommend it.

Also I don’t want to read anything else until 2022.

Bookie, signing out.

#7 books in 7 days #books #reading challenge #agatha christie #luis sepúlveda #lorenzo marone #hercule poirot #miss marple #bookblogging #reading #the body in the library #a caribbean mystery #la tentazione di essere felici #novel #hercule poirot christmas #book review #i'm so tired #worth it

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twentiethcenturymoviesandtv · 4 years

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Murder, She Wrote: Final Thoughts

Murder, She Wrote is one of the television shows I’ve been exposed to the most, especially over the last few years. My mother is a huge mystery fan, and my youngest sister is close behind her. As a result, I’ve seen a lot of Murder, She Wrote (and Poirot, and various incarnations of Sherlock Holmes). We own nearly the entire show on DVD, and it’s a regular when the family wants to watch something short.

Considering how much I end up watching it, it’s a good thing I like it.

While I’m not the mystery nut that other members of my family are, I do enjoy a good murder mystery now and then. The stories are interesting, and the twists are good and make sense, instead of being wild surprises designed to throw off the audience. Simple, but not too simple, Murder, She Wrote is kind of the perfect show to test your own observation skills. But that’s not really the reason I enjoy the show the way I do.

It all comes back to character. I do love Jessica Fletcher. I can’t imagine anyone not liking her. It’s not even just Jessica, I also love a lot of the supporting characters in her life, such as Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger. The characters match the upbeat tone of the show very well, making for a consistent show that holds up really well for all twelve years of its runtime.

Thanks to its relatively tame look at the murders Jessica solves, the show is suitable for family audiences, though it’s demographic tends to lean a little more towards the middle-age spectrum, even now. Despite this, it’s pretty popular among people of all ages, deservedly so. Murder, She Wrote has remained a beloved show since it began in 1984 for a reason: it’s an extremely charming, enjoyable show, and for that, I think, it will continue to be remembered for quite some time.

Personal Stats:

Favorite Character: Jessica Fletcher! (Naturally!) My favorite of the supporting cast has gotta be Seth Hazlitt, though.

Favorite Episode: Magnum on Ice, hands down. A crossover with one of my favorite television shows of all time can’t go wrong, with a good mystery and fun interactions between characters. However, my favorite episode of pure Murder, She Wrote is probably Jessica Behind Bars, the episode set in the women’s prison.

Ranking: Objective 7/10. Subjective 8/10. We own so much of it, I’d gladly buy the remaining few seasons at a reasonable price.

Thank you so much for sticking with our study of Murder, She Wrote! I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any thoughts, questions, comments or suggestions, don’t forget to leave them in the always-open ask box! I hope to see you in the next article.

July 5th, 2019 8:25am Murder She Wrote TV Television TV-PG Mystery Crime Drama 80s Angela Lansbury

#Murder She Wrote #TV #Television #TV-PG #Mystery #Crime #Drama #80s #Angela Lansbury

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elizabeth-karenina · 4 years

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Hey homies, I’m here ‘cause I was tagged again

This time by my dear, darling friend, Jojo @themoonoversoho! I hope you’re doing well!

List which 5 10 TV shows make you feel better then tag 10 other blogs (this isn't in order or anything)

Now, you guys know that it’s extremely hard for me to whittle down ANY of my favorite things, and that was the case with this meme. Instead of 5, I chose 10 of my favorite TV shows that make me feel better, no matter what my mood is.

1. Hey Arnold! - This show was probably my favorite when I was a kid. Everything about it was so iconic, from the surprisingly adult-themed episode plots, crazy characters with a huge range of appearances and personalities, and even some of the creepiest ghost stories I’ve ever seen. Not to mention, this show is also hilarious af. The nostalgia hits me hard when I watch this show, but in a good way. I just love it.

2. Avatar The Last Airbender - The 90′s/00′s were The Golden Age of children’s movies and TV shows, and I’m so glad I was a part of it. Because along with Hey Arnold, Avatar was probably the best show to come out of that era. This show (there really is no other word for it) is beautiful. Again, a HUGE range of characters and personalities as well as crazy story lines. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and sometimes the animation even makes your mouth drop in awe. And of course, love and happiness win the day.

3. Stranger Things - There’s nothing I love more than spooks, conspiracies, and just overall wacky happenings in Small Town America (keep it classy, Indiana). Even though this show can get VERY dark and creepy (and, in the third season, outright disgusting), The Party is what really makes this show so dear to me. They’re not perfect, but God damn do they love and care for each other. I’m a cheesy mofo who lives for friendship and love, with an epic 80′s soundtrack to top it off.

4. Derry Girls - How could you resist a bunch of misfit/just your average weird teenagers doing and saying stupid shit? Despite the fact that this show takes place in 1990′s Northern Ireland, you can’t help but see glimmers of yourself or your friends in this group of dorks. It really shows that aspects of Teenagerdom are universal, no matter where you are in the world. There’s something comforting in that. Also, again, the soundtrack to this show is popping.

5. Law and Order franchise - THE MOST BINGE-ABLE SHOW AND FRANCHISE EVER!!! I have memories of being in high school and community college where during weekends, holiday breaks, and summer vacations, I would waste entire afternoons watching either Criminal Intent or Special Victims Unit (ah, the days before you could sign up for Netflix on your TV). My Sherlock Holmes/Poirot loving ass had already discovered that stories of murders and crime were surprisingly interesting, and Law and Order filled that need. You’ll end up bingeing it because of how well-written most of the episodes are; they suck you in right away, and do it in such a way that you feel compelled to stay until the end.

6. N.C.I.S - To this day, I am forever grateful to USA Network for giving me so many amazing TV shows to binge when I was bored at home (like Psych, Monk, and White Collar), but N.C.I.S. really took the cake. Although way more light-hearted and funny than Law and Order, N.C.I.S. stands for Naval Crime Investigative Service, and follows a very tight-knit group of agents solving crimes in the navy during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s got EVERYTHING early and mid-00′s, particularly the amazing Goth representation in the form of Abby. Even though there have been lots of spin-offs of this show, the original version of it will always be my preferred choice. And like most of my feel-good shows, N.C.I.S evokes a lot of good nostalgia for me.

7. Turn: Washington’s Spies - As you can see, a lot of my favorite shows usualy center around 3 things: sci-fi/fantasy, crime detection, or historical time periods. This show FIRMLY falls into the historical category, as it centers around a spy ring that operates in the New York region during the American Revolution. Almost every person in the cast was a real person, from the very famous to the very ordinary and obscure, and that’s one of the main reasons I love the show. But my absolute favorite part of this show is the whole premise of it; no one had ever decided to show the Revolutionary War through the eyes of spies before, and it reawakened my love for the 18th century.

8. Downton Abbey - Yet another historical show, this time based in early 20th century Yorkshire. It tells the story of one noble family and the servants who live in the Big House of Downton, and all the trials, tribulations, and triumphs they experience through the years. There’s something....I don’t know, cathartic and fun about immersing yourself into someone else’s family or friend drama, even if they don’t really exist. The writing in this show can seesaw from good to bad, but it’s the characters themselves that make you stay till the end. At its core, it’s a very beautiful, sweet show.

9. The Office (American version) - Besides Law and Order, The Office takes second place as the The Most Binge-able Show of All Time. The storyline of the show is extremely simple: a bunch of employees working for a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I could probably say this about a lot of the TV shows on my list, but The Office really feels like you’re among old and dearly loved friends. The absolute bullshit these people put up with; the stupid, inane things they say and do; the friendships that are formed and even the romances that occur; all of it is worth it. It’s a gem of a show, and my go-to for a real, true belly-laugh. Even after all these years, the jokes are still funny as hell.

10. Parks and Recreation - I spoke too soon. I think this show is tied with The Office for Most Binge-able Show of All Time. Now, don’t be fooled by the lackluster 1st season; once you get past season one, the show is just MAGNIFICENT. Like many of my favorite shows, the cast is filled with people of different races, experiences, and personalities, and chronicles the hilarious and ridiculous shit they get into at the local recreation department in--yet again--small town Indiana. THE JOKES. THE MEMES. So many things came out of this show influenced the Internet so much, that the Internet would’ve been way more boring without Parks and Rec. Like The Office, you come to see the characters almost like real people, and even regard them as dear friends. And also like The Office, the jokes and the memes are still really freaking funny.

#i like to ramble and explain things #suffer my long posts assholes #this freaking show #Elizabeth responds to things

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icameheretowinry · 4 years

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5 Shows and Some Questions

Rules: Pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions. Don’t cheat. Tag 10 (or however many) people.

I was tagged by @jessthebooklover on my main, but I’ll answer here instead. Thanks for thinking of me!

I also tried to mix up anime with other shows I like. It’s gonna get weird, kids.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 2. M*A*S*H 3. Agatha Christie’s Poirot 4. Over the Garden Wall 5. Castlevania

Who is your favorite character in 2? Hawkeye Pierce. He’s the main character, a sarcastic wise-cracking army doctor with a massive drinking problem and a heart of pure gold. I’ve been in love with him since I was 6.

Who is your least favorite character in 1? Probably Father. He’s a really boring villain in my opinion. Average at best.

What is your favorite episode of 4? The Unknown. The final episode, yeah, but seeing everything come together was just *chef’s kiss*.

What is your favorite season of 5? Season 2! It got really weird in the second to last episode but I binged the entire thing in one night so that’s saying something.

Who is your favorite couple in 3? There isn’t one. But Hastings and Poirot are the brotp.

Who is your favorite couple in 2? Again, don’t really have one. BJ and Hawkeye are the brotp though.

What is your favorite episode of 1? I can’t remember the episode number, but the recap episode with Hohenheim. I haven’t rewatched fmab in awhile, but I will stream that episode on occasion. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know.

What is your favorite episode of 5? Last episode of season 2. It melted my brain.

What is your favorite season of 2? You can’t make me pick. I love all 11.

How long have you watched 1? First watched it in late 2016.

How did you become interested in 3? My bestie @hagane-no-heart rec’d it to me! We watch it together.

Who is your favorite actor in 4? Elijah Wood as Wirt. It’s PERFECT.

Which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5? 1 and 2. Both have too much sentimental value in my heart to pick between them. MASH I watched with my grandparents who passed away when I was young, and fmab has such an amazing community of fans here where I’ve made some amazing friends. I declare no contest.

Which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3 1. I’ve seen all of fmab and maybe 8 episodes of 3. (To be fair they’re literally movie length.)

If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be? I am basically Wirt irl so I guess?

Would a crossover between 3 and 4 work? Not at all lmaoooo

Pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple? Roy and Olivier. It’s the dramione of fmab.

Overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5? 5 is less linear in its writing, but each episode usually has great storylines. 3 (Castlevania) has a WACK storyline, but the characters, religious references, and philosophy hold it together for me. I guess 3 then??

Which has better theme music, 2 or 4? Probably 4, but 2′s intro is freaking iconic.

Tagging: @hagane-no-heart, @criis55, @edxwin-elric, @kittykatz009, @bornadreamer if y’all interested!

#got tagged #nikki speaks

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malcolm-tuckah · 4 years

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Thank you @puddlejumper72-blog-blog (x) for tagging me:)

My favorite fandoms

The Terror

The Strain

The Thick of It

I tag @chipsandcoffee @monkeysystem @w1zardcore @just4xu

I don’t usually get actively involved in fandoms, hence the short list (but there are bunch of other shows that I enjoy in a more indirect, casual way... I made a list under the cut).

My current fixations are The Thick of It and Peter Capaldi (whose filmography I’m still going through as we speak:)*** which means that the other two shows took a back seat, and are more likes exes that I remember fondly;)

***Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask... @puddlejumper72-blog-blog @omnishambolichologram ...I’d like to jump into the Doctor Who fandom (the reason being...PCap, who else), I haven't seen any episodes yet, and I was wondering where to start... I understand that the show is super old and has several seasons. Do I need to watch earlier episodes (pre-Twelve ones) to get the jist? If so, which ones? And when does Twelve appear? Help me start my initiation, please:)

British comedies

Monty Python

Black Adder

Fawlty Towers

Little Britain

Alan Partridge (and its many spin offs. This show, like The Thick of It, was created by Armando Ianucci, and I can't recommend it enough! I first started watching it 10 years ago and I still catch myself quoting it/rewatching it, it’s so good)

Father Ted (well, technically Irish, but...)

Black Books

The It Crowd

(... there’s probably a few I forgot to mention)

Shows I'm currently watching:

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Larry David is just brilliant. ..I love his nit-picky, observational style of humor)

Tim and Eric (some very crude but at the same time weirdly wholesome skits)

Kingdom (a Korean drama set in the middle ages ft. a zombie epidemic... so kinda relevant... if you exclude the zombie bit;)

@puddlejumper72-blog-blog

Good Omens: I adore David Tennant (loved him in Broadchurch) and Michael Sheen (cinnamon roll), so I’m thinking of giving this a watch

Black Mirror: I'm always looking forward to its new episodes! I love dystopian scifi

Star Trek: A few years ago I binge watched TOS and TNG (I especially loved the episodes with Q!)

Dracula: I've been meaning to watch this, but the fingernail scene in the trailer sorta put me off... I'm generally pretty good at tolerating gore.. but that nail bit...*shudders* It’s not all like that, is it?

@omnishambolichologram

“It all sort of started from Blackadder really. I am in the process of creative a chart showing how most of the shows I love end up linked back to Blackadder, it’s crazy.“

Agreed! Looking forward to that chart;)

Poirot: This is one of those classics that I keep going back to. I usually watch it with my parents. The same goes for Columbo.

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readingraebow · 4 years

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A Study in Scarlet

Part 1: Chapters 1-Part 2: Chapter 7

1. Have you ever read this book or any other Sherlock Holmes novels before? Have you ever seen any of the film or TV adaptations? I own most of the books in this series (this is ironically the only one I didn't own, haha) but this will be my first time reading one! (Though. I did read an abridged board books version when I was a kid; it was just a few of the stories but I remember exactly nothing about it.) But I really love Holmes from the adaptations I've seen! I absolutely love the BBC show and the Robert Downey Jr films. I've also seen a few episodes of that really old tv series which are also super fun!! But my absolute, all time favorite adaptation is Young Sherlock Holmes. I was OBSESSED with it when I was younger and used to watch it all the time!! .... And now I want to rewatch it, haha.

2. How does Dr. Watson come to meet and live with Sherlock Holmes? Watson runs into an old friend who asks what he's doing and Watson says that he's looking for lodgings. The friend says it's the strangest thing but Watson is the second person who has said that to him that day. So Stamford, the friend, introduces Watson to the first, Holmes. Holmes has already found the lodgings, he's just looking for a roommate and after a brief interview, Watson takes him up on the offer.

3. What did Sherlock discover about the woman who came to claim the lost ring when he followed her? So this ~woman comes to pick up the ring. She says that the ring belongs to her daughter and she came to pick it up for her. Well, Holmes followed her when she left. She hailed a cab and Holmes hailed one as well and followed her. Except when they reached the destination, her cab was empty???? The destination house belonged to none of the names she had given. So Holmes comes to the conclusion that that wasn't an old woman but a young man in a very impressive disguise.

4. What is Gregson convinced happened in the case after talking to Drebbers landlady? Drebber and his secretary were renting rooms from Mrs. Charpentier. But Drebber was less than the ideal tenant. He drank a lot and one night he tried to convince (and force) Charpentier's daughter Alice to run away with him. Well, Charpentier's son, Arthur, came to her rescue. Okay so both Drebbers and Arthur left. But only Arthur returned. So Gregson is convinced that Arthur followed Drebbers and another altercation happened between them, this time resulting in Drebbers death. He then believes Arthur dragged the body of Drebbers into the empty house. And all the other "clues" were just there to send the police on the wrong trail.

5. Who is Thomas Ferrier and how do he and Lucy get themselves into trouble with the Mormon church? So Thomas Ferrier was with this group of people who were traveling and they ended up, like, lost in the desert??? And they ran out of water and everyone but Thomas and Lucy died of thirst. So Thomas carried Lucy off in search of water. They fell asleep and were found by a group of Mormon travelers. Lucy's mom had died with the others and she wasn't related to Thomas but he basically adopted her and raised her. Well, the Mormon's saved them and took them back to their compound and gave them a home. Except. When Lucy comes of age, she's expected to marry one of the men on the compound. But she falls in love with a non-Mormon. Well, the Mormon's basically start threatening the Ferriers and trying to scare them into marrying her off to one of them. (Who already have multiple wives??? She's supposed to be an additional wife, as a reward for one of the better of men.) Well Ferriers and Lucy's non-Mormon fiance try to take her and escape the compound. And they think they've made it away and are safe. Except the Mormons end up killing Ferrier. And Jefferson, Lucy's non-Mormon fiance, learns she was married to Drebber, one of the Mormons fighting to obtain her hand. Cool.

6. How and why were Drebber and his secretary murdered? So. Lucy ended up dying within a month of her marriage, either from a broken heart from losing her father or from entering into a terrible marriage. And her once fiance, Jefferson Hope, vowed to get his revenge on the two men who had caused her death and fought to marry her: Debber and Stangerson. He followed them and tried for many years to kill them but they always evaded him. The two men eventually parted ways with the Mormon church and began to travel, with Stangerson eventually becoming Drebber's secretary. Hope following them to Europe and just as he was closing in to kill them, he lost them again. England is where he finally managed to track them down and finish the job. He got a job as a cabbie and began to follow them both, hoping to catch them alone. But they went everywhere together. Until one night, Drebber said he had some business to attend to and went off alone. Hope followed him until finally Drebber hailed his cab. Then he took him to the empty house, asked if he remembered him and when Drebber did, Hope made him choose one of the poisoned capsules and watched Drebber die. Stangerson was a little trickier since he was cautious after the death of Drebber. Hope waited outside his hotel but he never emerged so Hope climbed up to his window and woke him early one morning, telling him exactly how Drebber had died and then gave him the same choice of one of the poisoned pills. But Stangerson tried to attack Hope and, in self defense, he stabbed him in the heart. And so with that, Drebber and Stangerson had met their ends and Hope's mission of revenge is at its end. And now Hope can die too since he has a heart condition that has been threatening to kill him for years.

7. How did Sherlock figure it out? Holmes did what Gregson had neglected to do: he looked into the past of Drebber and telegraphed the Cleveland police to inquire into the circumstances connected with the marriage of Drebber. The answer told him that Drebber had applied for protection of the law from Jefferson Hope. He then also learned that Hope had also been present in Europe and had followed Drebber.

8. What did you think of this book? So. I thought this book was okay. I really did like meeting Holmes in print for the first time and I thought that was all really fascinating. But I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style?? This book was really dry and I ended up struggling with it. There were times when I would literally get lost in what I was reading and have to go back and reread. Holmes isn't your quirky detective like Poirot. He's very methodical and, well, dry. So reading his super long descriptions of deductions was honestly kind of a chore?

Reading Journal

So I read this book in the month we were supposed to read it. (April.....? I want to say....? How does time work again????) And I’m just now getting around to actually posting this. Whoops. So since it’s been a hot minute since I read it, hopefully all the answers are actually correct. I did flip through and try to find the answers but sometimes also struggled a little because details. (And I just have a lot going on right now so BRAIN FOG EXTREME, haha.)

Well, anyway. Overall, I did enjoy this. I liked meeting Holmes and Watson in the books for the first time and this was a really fun case. But I also think I do prefer the screen adaptations more than the books, at this point. The writing style in these is rather dry and I struggled a little with staying focused.

Plus. WHAT IS THAT GIANT LONG TANGENT ABOUT MORMONS?!? I literally thought I was reading the wrong book for a second. I don’t think that entire section was necessary at all? It felt like all of that couldn’t been shortened to, like, a page??? Not, like, 30??? That honestly felt like a Hugo tangent. And it definitely diminished my enjoyment of this book.

So. Overall it was a ~fairly enjoyable reading experience? I’ll definitely be reading more of the books. But I just feel like this story wasn’t exactly what I was expecting? That wasn’t necessarily bad. I just wish that tangent hadn’t been there....? Because other than that, the case was good and interesting!

Anyway. This was a lot of fun! I can’t wait to read the next book on our list!

#trcbooks #color: a study in scarlet #the color challenge

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dreamerinasmallworld · 5 years

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Top five books!

Ooh that’s hard to decide (I read so many). Fair warning: this isn’t in any particular order since deciding what my top five are is hard enough, and ranking them would be harder.

The Princess Bride. If you thought the movie was funny, the book is even more hilarious. I especially recommend trying to get a 25th anniversary edition because the author adds in some really wacky parts (and apparently there’s a sequel? I need to do more research into that).

Six of Crows. A surprisingly good YA novel with a steampunk fantasy aesthetic with an unlikely crew pulling off a ridiculously impossible heist. Warning: some of the characters have really tragic backstories that will make you cry. Also, the author (Leigh Bardugo) has it set in this fantasy universe where she’s written a series before, I don’t like that first series as much but some of the characters from that story do make a cameo in the book’s sequel Crooked Kingdom, though if you haven’t read the first series before reading it you won’t be left in the dark.

Because You Love to Hate Me. Hey, do you like villains? Well, here’s a collab of authors writing short stories that twist traditional villains and portray them in a different light. My favorite one would probably be the Medusa story, though I haven’t read it in a while so I’d have to reread it probably.

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie. While others may say Sherlock Holmes is the superior detective, I prefer Hercule Poirot (fight me). Christie’s Poirot books beautifully write the suspense of a wonderful detective thriller with an interesting focus on the psychology and motives of the suspects. This book is an exceptionally beautiful story with an ending to make you cry. Also, if you’re more of a TV person there used to be a tv show with David Suchet as Poirot that adapted each of the books into an episode. If you could find it definitely watch it (and let me know where you can find it online! They took it off of Netflix a while ago) as the episodes are wonderfully directed and its episode of the Murder on the Orient Express has a better ending than the book imo (again, fight me) and is definitely better than the movie Sir Kenneth Branaugh made (sorry, but it’s true).

Much Ado About Nothing. Yes, I know it’s a Shakespeare play. However, this is one of my go-to books for reading if I’m traveling or going to a summer camp. It has witty banter, a B plot that is way more enjoyable than the main plot (which is still good, just not as good), and characters that are very likeable and funny. I recommend getting the No Fear Shakespeare version by Sparknotes as it has the original words side by side with a modern translation for those not as well versed in old English (plus, I think it might be available to read online). Also, while Kenneth Branaugh may not have done so well on his Orient Express movie, he is a king at directing Shakespeare and his Much Ado movie is wonderful (I had a class where we analyzed it and that was probably my favorite unit ever. If anyone wants to hear me rant about the movie let me know because my soul is willing to share its magnificence).

Feel free to ask me any other questions!

#the princess bride #six of crows #because you love to hate me #five little pigs #hercule poirot #much ado about nothing #shakespeare #my post #batvillonz

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claudia1829things · 5 years

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"THE A.B.C. MURDERS" (2018) Review

"THE A.B.C. MURDERS" (2008) Review Years ago, I had once compiled a list of my favorite novels written by Agatha Christie. One of those novels was her 1936 mystery, "The A.B.C. Murders". The novel led to a movie adaptation, a radio adaptation and two television adaptations. One of the latter was the three-part miniseries that was adapted by Sarah Phelps for the BBC.

"THE A.B.C. MURDERS" is a rare tale from Christie. In it, Belgian-born sleuth Hercule Poirot helps Scotland Yard investigate a possible serial killer named "A.B.C.". The killer uses this moniker in the letters sent to Poirot before committing a murder; and leaves an ABC railway guide beside each victim. Although there are several mysteries written by Christie that features more than one victim, "THE A.B.C. MURDERS" marked the first of two times in which the victims have nothing in common whatsoever. Phelps made some significant changes to Christie's novel. One, this version omitted Captain Arthur Hastings from the plot. I found this incredible, considering Hastings had served as the first-person narrator for the 1936 novel. Chief Inspector Japp made an appearance, but his character was killed off via a heart attack in the miniseries' first episode and Poirot found himself working solely with Inspector Chrome, who was also in the novel. The Mary Drower character, who was related to the first victim, Alice Ascher, was also eliminated. Phelps made changes to the Donald Fraser and Thora Grey characters. Phelps included more detail than Christie in the story's Doncaster murder and added a fifth murder (at Embsay) to the story. She also added a romance for the Alexander Bonaparte Cust character in the form of his landlady's daughter. Phelps explored and changed Poirot's World War I backstory. She also made sure that the first three murder locations had some relevance to Poirot. He had helped deliver a baby aboard a refugee train that stopped in Andover. He had visited the Bexhill café where the second victim, Betty Barnard, would later work. And he had once attended a party at the home of Sir Carmichael Clarke, the third victim. I was surprised at how beautiful the miniseries' production looked. Although the novel was first published in 1936, Phelps had decided to set her adaptation in 1933. I thought Jeff Tessler's production designs did a superb job in re-creating 1933 England. A beautiful job. And his work was supported by Joel Devlin's excellent photography, which struck me as colorful and sharp; along with Andrew Lavin and Karen Roch's excellent art direction. Another aspect of "THE A.B.C. MURDERS"that impressed me were Lindsay Pugh's costume designs. I thought she did an excellent job in creating costumes for characters that varied in both class and gender in 1933 Britain. This also included costumes for characters that were impacted by the Great Depression, regardless of class. When it comes to Sarah Phelps' adaptations of Agatha Christie novels, I have mixed views. I really enjoyed her 2015 adaptation of Christie's 1939 novel, "And Then There Were None". I cannot say the same about her adaptation of the author's two other stories, "Witness For the Prosecution" and Ordeal By Innocence". How did I feel about "THE A.B.C. MURDERS"? I am very grateful that Phelps had basically stuck to Christie's main narrative from the 1936 novel. Unlike "ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE", she did not completely revise the narrative by changing the murderer's identity or motive. And unlike "WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION", she did not change the fate of the story's main protagonist. However, there were a few changes that I liked. One, she included more detail into the story's fourth murder at Doncaster . . . at least more detail than Christie did. In doing so, she prevented this part of the narrative from being irrelevant. And two, she included a fifth murder. Phelps did not have to do this, but I thought it filled the narrative rather nicely. I noticed that the movie went out of its way to get rid of both Arthur Hastings and Chief Inspector Japp. I thought I would be upset about this, but . . . I was not. Their lack of presence did not harm the narrative. More importantly, it allowed Poirot's relationship with Japp's replacement, the slightly xenophobic Inspector Crome to develop from a conflict to a working relationship with a hint of a possible friendship. This did not bother me since Poirot had to deal with a hostile Crome in the novel. And I feel that Phelps' portrayal of their relationship was better handled in this miniseries. Unfortunately, Phelps used minor changes in the story to continue her campaign to make her Christie adaptations more edgy and angst-filled. These minor changes included transforming the Donald Fraser character into this publicity hound trying to profit from the death of his fiancée, Betty Barnard. What was the purpose of this change? To criticize those who try to profit from the death of others via publicity? I found this irrelevant and unnecessary to the story. The miniseries also featured a potential romance between stocking salesman Alexander Bonaparte Cust and his landlady's daughter, Lily Marbury. In the novel, Lily was Cust's friend and nothing more. For some reason, Phelps thought it was necessary to create a romance in order to convey the idea of Lily walking on his back in heels as a means to release some psycho-sexual need to remove his pain. What was the point of this? To make Cust more interesting? What really irritated me was how Phelps changed the character of one of the supporting character by making that person knowledgeable of the killer's identity long before Poirot . . . and an accessory. Why? To make that character more interesting perhaps? It made me realize that this change made it easier for viewers to identify the killer before Poirot's revelation. The movie made one last change that I disliked . . . Poirot's personal background. Christie had indicated in many of her novels and short stories that before becoming a private detective, Poirot was a police officer in Belgium. For reasons that still astound me, Phelps had changed Poirot's background from former police detective to Catholic priest. Worse, she had created this mystery surrounding some major trauma during World War I that led him to leave the Church and become a crime fighter. What on earth? The problem with this character arc is that it had nothing to do with the main narrative. It played no role in Poirot's discovery and revelation of the actual killer. I will say this about "THE A.B.C. MURDERS". It did feature some excellent performances, save for one. John Malkovich was the second American actor to portray Hercule Poirot, the first being Tony Randall in 1965. I found his Gallic accent slightly questionable. But I still admire his portrayal of the Belgian-born detective and found it refreshingly subtle without any theatrics or histronics. Many have complained about Malkovich portraying the most dour Poirot on screen. I do not agree. The actor did an excellent job of conveying Poirot's grief over Japp's death, his weariness from the never ending encounters of British xenophobia and his personal ghosts from World War I. But I never regarded his Poirot as "dour". Frankly, I found David Suchet's portrayal of Poirot in the 2010 television movie, "MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS"rather depressing. I thought Rupert Grint gave the second best performance as the slightly xenophobic Inspector Crome of Scotland Yard. I have a confession. I have always been impressed by Grint as an actor and at times, thought the HARRY POTTER franchise did not provide any real opportunities for him to convey his skills, aside from one particular movie. But I was really impressed by how he had conveyed Crome's journey from an angry and narrow-minded police officer to someone more open-minded, less angry and more willing to trust Poirot. There were other performances from "THE A.B.C. MURDERS" that impressed me. Eamon Farren gave a first-rate performance as the beleaguered Alexander Bonaparte Cust, a bedraggled traveling salesman who seemed to suffer from epileptic seizures. Anya Chalotra struck me as equally impressive in her portrayal of Lily Marbury, the daughter of Cust's landlady, who has been forced by the latter to prostitute herself for extra money. Tara Fitzgerald gave a very emotional performance as Lady Hermione Clarke, the ailing widow of the killer's third victim, Sir Carmichael Clarke. I could also say the same about Bronwyn James' portrayal of Megan Barnard, the sister of the second victim, Betty Barnard. James did an excellent job of conveying Megan's initial infatuation of Betty's fiancé, Donald Fraser and her jealousy. I found Eve Austin's portrayal of the shallow yet flirtatious Betty rather skillful and memorable. Freya Mayor gave an interesting and complex performance as Sir Carmichael's ambitious secretary Thora Grey. And Andrew Buchan seemed to be the personification of the literary Franklin Clarke, the sexually charming, yet eager younger brother of Sir Carmichael. The miniseries also featured first-rate performances from Jack Farthing as Donald Fraser, Michael Shaeffer as Sergeant Yelland, Lizzy McInnerny as Betty's mother, Mrs. Barnard, Christopher Villiers as Sir Carmichael Clarke and Kevin R. McNally as Japp. If I could name one performance that I found unsatisfying, it would Shirley Henderson's portrayal of Cust's landlady, Rose Marbury. I found her performance rather theatrical and filled with too many exaggerated mannerisms. I did not dislike "THE A.B.C. MURDERS", but I did not love it. There are aspects of it that I admired, including the production's visual style, writer-producer Sarah Phelps' adherence to the story's main narrative and an excellent cast led by John Malkovich. But I also feel that Phelps had added too many unnecessary minor changes to some of the characters and the story. And I suspect that she did this in another attempt to relive the glory of 2015's "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE". The 1939 novel was a rare creation of Christie's. If Phelps wants to write and produce another mystery on that level, I suggest she consider adapting a novel from another writer . . . perhaps P.D. James. Or she should consider creating her own mystery.

#agatha christie #sarah phelps #the a.b.c. murders #the a.b.c. murders 2018 #hercule poirot #john malkovich #rupert grint #andrew buchan #bronwyn james #christopher villiers #eamon farren #freya mavor #gregor fisher #henry goodman #jack farthing #kevin r. mcnally #shirley henderson #tara fitzgerald #terenia edwards

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anelementofsurprise · 7 years

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Thanks for the tag @cathawayinspace!! Hope you’re having a fab week! ❤

name: Rachel nickname: N/A gender: Female orientation: Straight ethnicity: English/British star sign: Gemini height: 5′3′’ time right now: 21:40 last thing i googled: Poirot episode guide. favorite bands: The Beatles & ELO favorite solo artists: George Harrison. Neil Hannon. song stuck in your head: Baby I Love You - The Ramones last movie i watched: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban what kind of stuff do you post: Fandom posts that catch my eye. Things going on in my life, so my followers can get to know me. That’s mostly it 😊 when did your blog reach its peak: Ooh probably around the time of the Hastings Monday Anniversary. do you have any other blogs: Yep a positivity blog - @whisper-loving-words which had been a bit quiet lately unlike my recently set up aesthetic blog @the-musing-munchkin do you get asks regularly: Whenever I reblog an ‘ask me post’ I tend to get a fair welcome few. why you chose your url: It was the first thing that popped into my head when I’d finally had enough of the username I’d been going by since I was about 14. hogwarts house: Hufflepuff pokémon team: When I set up a Pokemon Go account during the mad craze I randomly clicked on a team and I think it might have been Mystic. The blue one. favorite colors: Faded soft tones average hours of sleep: 7-8 lucky numbers: Favourite number 7 favorite manga characters: I don’t have any how many blankets do you sleep with: None at the moment, too warm! dream job: Prop sourcer favorite book: Alice in Wonderland what i’m wearing at the moment: Pyjama bottoms and a bra. I’m in my room, it’s acceptable 😂

relationship status: Single, would like that to change. favorite color: Burgundy. lipstick or chapstick: Chapstick. last song i listened to: Baby I Love You - The Ramones. last movie i watched: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban top 3 tv shows: Poirot, Endeavour and Doctor Who. top 3 characters: The Doctor, Captain Hastings and Endeavour Morse top 3 ships: I don’t really ship to be honest, not in a big way anyway. books im currently reading: The Man in the High Castle

a - age: 20 b - birthplace: Sheffield c - current time: 21:44 d - drink you had last: Tea e - easiest person to talk to: Probably my Mum. f - favorite song: Give Me Love (Give me Peace on Earth) g - grossest memory: Nah. h - horror yes or no: No!!!! i - in love? No.

j - jealous of people ? Mildly jealous of people’s relationships. I’m lonely.

k - killed someone ? Nah. l - love at first sight or should i walk past again ? Impression at first sight. Love at second sight. m - middle name ? Elisabeth with an s. n - number of siblings: 1 brother. I’m not in touch with him. o - one wish: Contentment. p - person i called last: My Mum. q - question you’re always asked: Are you really from....? / Where are you from? r - reason to smile: Dogs. Always. s - song you last sang: Break on Through (To the Other Side) - The Doors t - time you woke up: 8:30 u - underwear color: Black (I’ve got silky underwear on for a change Ooh-ar!) v - vacation: Lake district, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall. Can’t wait for my holiday in just over five weeks! Going camping to Dorset. w - worst habit: Low self-esteem. x - x rays: N/A. y - your favorite food: Takeaway...Chinese. Prawn crackers. Yum! z - zodiac sign: Gemini.

Tagging anyone who wants to do either of these or both!

#tagged #cathawayinspace

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kelofmindelan · 8 years

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Rules: answer the questions in a new post and tag 20 blogs you would like to get to know better. REPOST! Do not reblog. I was tagged by @alas--pringles

Nickname: Lins

Star Sign: Leo (close to the Cancer Cusp)

Height: 5′1″

Favorite Music Artist: Going with the way I answered this for a thing I had to do recently

Alexandre Desplat, Hans Zimmer, and Howard Shore for film soundtracks

Yellowcard, We the Kings, and Muse for music groups with lyrics.

Last TV show you watched: A Series of Unfortunate Events is the newest TV show I watched, but I’m also in the process of rewatching all the Poirot episodes on Netflix, so that was technically last.

What kind of stuff do you post: Mostly a lot of fandom stuff - Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Marvel, A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Raven Cycle, and Tamora Pierce. Occasionally mythology and dragons will drift into it, and some political and identity politics posts.

Do you have any other blogs:

I do a lot of rping, so if you’re interested in that, feel free to message me

@evanescencerps is my writing blog, although its dormant at the moment because this quarter is insane

I have a few other blogs that are not active, tho maybe if I have time I’ll revive them, but the urls are still there

Why did you choose your url: I really wanted a url without any dashes that represented my fandom interest and to sort of act as a ‘brand’. And I really wanted to acknowledge the light of my life, Keladry of Mindelan from Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small quartet. So it is mine and I love it.

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff pride!!!!!

Pokémon Team: No idea, I haven’t looked into this

Favorite Color: Purple and red

Lucky numbers: idk if these count as lucky, but I really like 5 and 7

How many blankets do you sleep with: 2 generally, but right now it is cold so I have 3

Dream Job: Right now, I think I’d really like to work as some sort of academic advisor at the higher education level who also works as part of student advocacy and making sure that college requirements are easy to understand and access. We’ll see.

Following: 74

Followers: 403

Tagging: @starrattlerofprydain @chasertiff @captainayrika @newtnoble @accioallthebutts @deathbyfluteconcerto @shooty-mcbang @silkspectre @agtbarton @daceymormonts @bookwyrm-of-the-emerald-star @transientfashion and anyone else who is interested in this

#Lindsay is amused by life #tagged things

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