Tag: WWII

Categories
Books

#Review : Code Name Verity #YA #spy #book

Goodreads

Title:  Code Name Verity

Series: Code Name Verity #1

Author: Elizabeth Wein

Genre: Historical Fiction (WWII)

Pages: 441

Reading Level: YA

Content: PG-13 (war action and violence, intense emotion, mature themes)

This book was part of a new audio promotion, so I received it free from the distributor. I had no idea what it was about and was thoroughly pleased with what I discovered.

The story is about two female friends trying to make a place for themselves in a world dominated by men during WWII. Maddie is a pilot and the other girl has too many names for me to stick with just one, so we’ll call her Verity. Most of the story is told from Verity’s perspective as she writes to save, or at least prolong, her life once captured by the enemy. I want to say more, but I don’t want to give too much away. I’ve read a lot of books, and watched even more movies; this book, with all its twists and turns, caught me off guard and totally surprised me.

Not to give the wrong impression about this book, but it almost made me cry and not because the two main characters are female. This story feels so real that the sense of loss, which multiple characters experience throughout the story, feels all too real. To be a prisoner of war and have the choice of standing strong and die or give in and live one more day isn’t as easy as you might hope, but Verity is tougher than you ever imagine she’ll be at the beginning. In the end, though, it’s Maddie you’ll feel for the most.

Anyone, even men, who appreciate gritty stories of WWII will appreciate this book, but I think it’ll also be a crowd pleaser with women’s groups and historical clubs. I don’t know if it was written for adults, but I don’t think it really matters. These characters are so young, as are many who go off to fight wars. I would totally recommend this to my teenage nieces and nephews. After all the flying, fighting, lying, and surviving there is a strong gut-wrenching message about true friendship which should appeal to anyone.

I give this book a 5.

LoveIt

This review has been posted to GoodReads. If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link: Amazon

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Movies

The Others #Review – Mock Squid Soup No.14 #cinephiles #film #paranormal

Wikipedia

If anyone is interested in my experience of watching The Others, click here to see my notes.

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability.

1. What is this film about?

It seems pretty straight forward at first. A lonely and fatigued housewife, era WWII, takes in new servants to help her take care of her sick children, who are allergic to sunlight. Doors must be closed and locked and all curtains must remain closed. Then all of a sudden, sunlight starts finding its way in.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I’m not really into ghost stories on the surface. I find that I like them about 50% of the time. When I first heard of this movie, it gave one impression to which I was glad contradicted the actual plot of the movie. I thought the title and poster were pleasantly misleading, but accurate.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

The servants are the best part of the movie hands down, but Kidman is typically first class in this role. I honestly don’t know how other actresses get cast in period films with her around.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

I didn’t give much thought to direction and cinematography while watching this, but anytime you direct children and it comes off genuine, you know someone did something right.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

Most of the music in this film is quite beautiful, but of course, there are a few haunting tracks that enhance certain scenes.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

I like that the movie seemed to be a guide on “how to discover the afterlife” that isn’t cut and dry, heaven or hell.

7. What did I not like about the story?

I didn’t like the way parts of the movie seemed to be anti-Christian. I’m used to seeing movies that are anti-organized religion, in general, but this was different. With that being said, I’d hardly call this propaganda. It’s just something that got to me.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

Sure, why not.

9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?

I don’t consider this movie to be the typical ghost story. It has an amazing setting and cast with a complex and somewhat original back story. Movie lovers, in general, should appreciate this film.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 4 reels.

MLikeIt

 

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

Despite what people often assume they know about my beliefs compared to the fiction I write, I often write about spirits and ghosts. My “In the Window” short story is a ghost story without any religious ties while my Eternal Curse Series contains many paranormal elements that don’t fit the genre perfectly but are examples easily associated with the genre.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Looking for something bookish to do, try the #BooktagsBlogHop.

Mock Squid Soup – Film Society

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MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to movie reviews. We invite others to participate and post their reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Books

Review: Mr. Churchill’s Secretary

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary (Maggie Hope Mystery #1) by Susan Elia MacNeal

I give this book a 3.

Okay

First thing I want to admit is that I’m just now becoming acquainted with historical fiction in books. In the cinema it has always been one of my favorite genres, but I’ve never stopped to read any of it. With that being said, I’m starting to have an appreciation that is still very new and maturing.

Maggie is a very smart, almost genius, young mathematician, who is supposed to be flattered by an unexpected opportunity to be one of Mr. Churchill’s secretaries. WWII is just beginning to take its toll on London as the Nazis and the IRA take turns dropping or planting bombs in the city where Maggie and her friends struggle to just get by and make it through.

Of course, not all is quite as it seems. For one, a man Maggie is sure can’t stand her begins to look out for her well-being, then friends begin to act strange and she’s not sure if it’s a coincidence or not, and on top of everything else not mentioned, one of the parents she thought died years ago might still be around.

I think my problem with this book is that I really enjoyed the historical aspects of the story, but had difficulty reconciling the fiction aspects and the development of the characters. All the characters are well-developed, but I just don’t know if I relate to them. As a woman, still in an age facing the glass ceiling, it was easy to relate to Maggie, but the rest of the characters are a puzzle to me.

I feel as if the emotional aspect of the story could have been more involved. I get it, Maggie is this strong-willed woman who rises above her struggles, but what about everyone else. I just feel like that emotion was put to the side because there was a war on, as it should be, but it didn’t feel real to me.

The suspense and espionage was great and kept me interested in times when I was not emotionally attached, and as much as I hate to say it, I wish Maggie had more romance in her life (I’m not a traditional romance, chik-lit kind of girl).

[A slight tangent here-I encounter more and more stories every day with homosexual characters in them, in the same manner as is on TV and in the movies so that is no big surprise, but I wonder if there is a trend involving the “special aunt”. I’ve seen this general character quite a bit now.]  Trend or not, I like the aunt. She’s one of the few characters I felt really expressed good emotion and she did it in a letter, without interacting with any of the other characters.

All in all, this was a very entertaining story and an easy read/listen. I’d recommend this for adults with a love of history, spy thrillers, and or WWII, though it does seem to be geared toward women and may not be welcomed by conservative readers.

This review has been posted to GoodReads. If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords