The Sign of One (Book #1) - Eugene Lambert [Review]

Book: The Sign of One

Author: Eugene Lambert

Published: 7th April 2016

Publisher: Egmont UK

Pages: 400
Source: eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Going into this book, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I hadn't heard a lot about it, but it was advertised as a science-fiction type thriller, although I would say to me it reads more as a dystopian novel, but I'm okay with that.

The premise of the book was very interesting. As a twin myself (hi, Mel!), I found the narrative concerning the 'evil' twins to be intriguing and it was definitely what held my attention for the first part of the novel. These 'evil' twins are branded, separated and eventually executed as part of the Annual Peace Fair (ironic name, am I right?). But the big draw is that our main protagonist finds out he's one of these 'evil' twins - eghad!

The characters are definitely interesting. Kyle is a little naive, but strong-willed and you can really understand his sense of struggle as his world turns upside down and he is forced to question everything he has ever known. However, the crown Jewel of this novel is Sky, the female protagonist. Billed as a rebel pilot (reminds me of Rey from The Force Awakens) with a hidden agenda, she was definitely my favourite character in the book. So rare is it to find a strong female protagonist that I get super excited whenever one actually appears.

The writing throughout is suitably engaging, and I never found myself bored or flicking through pages, which has been known to happen before. The novel delves into deeper issues of prejudice and segregation, which allows for a thought-provoking read.

Despite a littering of typically dystopian themes, this is definitely more than just another YA dystopia/sci-fi read. Consider me suitably intrigued for the sequel.

Zootropolis (2016) Review

"Life's a little bit messy. We all make mistakes.
No matter what type of animal you are, change starts with you."

Following on from the elephantine success of Frozen and Big Hero 6, Walt Disney Animation Studios are back to bring you Zootropolis (or Zootopia, depending on your regional location), a family friendly feature full of, well, fur. This mammal movie takes place after all species of animals have had a biological evolution, no longer needing to attack each other, choosing to instead live in a haven together in Zootropolis.

So, in this animal utopian buddy-cop animation, who is our unlikely hero? Officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) – a small town bunny from Bunnyburrow who dreams of helping the world at the Z.P.D. When Judy’s chance comes up, she packs her bags and sets off for Zootropolis, leaving her many rabbit relatives behind. Once in the big city, life isn’t quite how she imagined, and she is quickly relegated to parking meter duty by Cape buffalo Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), a significant step down from what she envisioned. Determined to battle prejudice amongst her fellow officers, and after a chance encounter with an otter, she rallies to be put on a missing person’s case, and quickly things descend out of control as the predator mystery unravels. Along for the ride is her reluctant ‘team-member’, a con artist fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who Hopps hustles into helping her.

Goodwin (Once Upon A Time, He’s Just Not That Into You) embodies every characteristic of her plucky bunny in her performance, showing that you can be small and still make a difference. In an unlikely pairing, Goodwin’s Hopps finds a friend in Bateman’s (Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses) Wilde, a street-smart but somewhat disenchanted fox. Goodwin and Bateman are electric on screen together, and the voice acting is some of the best to have graced the screen in recent years.

If you are expecting some utterly vibrant animation considering the Disney name, you will not be disappointed. Every image is a triumphant creation, and the vast landscapes of this world are displayed in breath-taking hues; from the hustle and bustle of Savanna Central, to the frosty fisheries of Tundratown, every environment is thoughtfully developed to create maximum immersion for viewers. As Judy rides the main train to the city, you really feel as if you are right there with her, watching the illustrious storms of the Rainforest district overhead.

Zootropolis is an enlightening celebration of multiculturalism amongst animals which has thought-provoking relatability to our everyday lives. It seems unlikely that an animated film could be as resounding and potentially influential as more traditional media in changing ideas and viewpoints, but it is actually well positioned to promote fully its messages of tolerance, unity, and acceptance. Along with its rebellion against stereotypes and seeming social commentary on police bias, the film will hopefully not only resonate in children’s minds as this is a movie that appeals to all generations. Disney seems to have timed this release perfectly, especially considering current cultural and political climates; Zootropolis may well indeed be the reminder that we all need to be accepting of those around us, and to always keep trying to be better versions of ourselves (insert Gazelle’s catchy pop anthem here).

Filled with genuine heart and imaginative characters, Zootropolis is every bit inspirational as it is enjoyable, giving hope that perhaps there is a Zootropolis/topia out there for us all to bask in one day. 

(All images are copyright Disney.) 

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire #1) - C. J. Redwine [Review]

Book: The Shadow Queen

Author: C. J. Redwine

Published: 3rd March 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 390

Rating: 4/5 stars 

I love fairy-tale retellings. However, it can be hard to find good ones. The Shadow Queen is definitely a good one. This loose retelling of Snow White has gripping action, creepy villains and lovable heroes, which ensure a thrilling read.

Firstly, the writing of Redwine is superb. She really delivers a page-turning read. Never did I feel bored, or like I was just skimming pages. I really felt immersed in the story, and it still felt original, even though it was a retelling. 

This book had some truly dark and creepy moments, but provided the perfect balance for me as I love the slightly more sinister touches like the use of blackened apples and the enchantment of vines (reminded me of Maleficent, another story I love). 

The characters were all interesting, and I liked the heroine Lorelai. She is both brave and smart; she's kind and sincere but isn't naive about the task ahead of her and the threat that the main villain, Irina, poses (something I appreciated). 

Kol, the other ~main character~ really goes through a significant character journey, which I enjoyed reading. He's funny and honorable and noble and honestly a little sassy, which is great. He is the perfect companion character to Lorelai's sometimes more serious nature (she's facing death, totally understandable), and I loved their story together.

There IS romance, which sometimes I'm adverse to if it's done poorly, however there is no insta-love here, and the relationship blossoms over time and trials etc. etc. which is exactly what I'm looking for in a book. 

Overall, this is a really satisfying take on the story of Snow White and definitely worth a read. I'm excited for other additions to the series, however I'm hoping they will be companion novels, set within the same universe but with different characters, as the story to this book was wrapped up quite nicely, to be honest. 

Half Lost (Half Bad #3) - Sally Green [Review]

Book: Half Lost

Author: Sally Green

Published: 31st March 2016

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars 

I'll temper this review by firstly stating that I loved the second book in this trilogy. Like, loved it. It's one of my favourite books from 2015. And I was set to love this book. Up until the last 50 or so pages, I did love it. But then everything went to shit. Like, seriously, I'll get on to that in a minute. The ending of this book will REALLY polarise fans of the series. 

Now, I'm not saying don't read it, or don't start the series, because you might just love it, everybody likes different books and that's great. I'm all for diversity of tastes. However, I'm writing this review to express my specific opinion of the last book in the series. Whereas I gave the first and second books solid 4 and 5 star ratings respectively, I'm awarding this book 3 stars. And that's pretty much only because I liked the other books. If I hadn't enjoyed the first two books so much, this would be getting a 2 star rating. 

Why the strong opinion, you might ask? Well, I feel it is impossible to review this book properly without giving away some particularly spoiler heavy details, so if you prefer to read the book without encountering spoilers, I would suggest you look away now.

Seriously, I'm basically going to spoil the end of the series, if that's not cool with you, go read the books first. 

...

Okay, now onto the juicy stuff. I would normally stage this review by talking about my thoughts on the characters, the plot, the setting, the writing etc. But all of that is unnecessary in this review, because there are (only) 3 key things I strongly disliked about this book, and they all happen within the last 50 pages or so.

Picture the scene. Me, happily reading the conclusion to one of my (previously) favourite series, excited to see how the characters end up, hoping that Nathan (our protagonist) will have a happy life after his previous unfortunate years. Then BAM it hits. The ending. This is it. What will happen? Who will die? Who will live? How will Green wrap up this exciting series?

Oh. Is this it? This is a joke, right?

(1) Firstly, she kills off Gabriel. YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT FOLKS. The main draw of this series was the *unusual* decision by Green to make the main character (Nathan) bisexual, and introduce a love interest in the form of gay best-friend type Gabriel. Gabriel was great. He was kind, handsome, and an altogether good guy who gave Nathan some of his happiest memories. They *officially* got together in this book and were set to live by the river together somewhere peaceful. Or they would have done, had Gabriel not been quickly killed off (rather randomly) in the last few pages. 

Which left me screaming to the heavens - WHYYYYYYY???

(2) Secondly, after Gabriel has departed this world (RIP Gabe), it is revealed that Nathan has a son (say waaa?), and Annalise is the mother.

Yup folks, previous father-murderer Annalise who we all wanted to kill ourselves at the end of the second book has apparently given birth to a baby in secret and it was kept from her whilst she was imprisoned etc. Oh yeah and she doesn't die in this book either. No, she gets to live in New York with her new fain husband and son (I guess??) while Gabriel is dead and Nathan is miserable. Exactly the ending I wanted - NOT.

(3) Nathan, miserable and distraught, goes off to live in the woods, by himself. For several pages. He is eventually joined by his brother Arran and Adele who give him a few gifts and continue to stop by occasionally to check on him. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, we are introduced to the ludicrous idea that because Nathan can transform himself into living animals, he can now adopt the shape of plants and trees (because they're living, I guess?). ERM WHAT. At this point, I think to myself, if he turns into a tree I'm so fucking done.

...

Yes, you guessed it. The novel ends with him becoming a tree. A literal tree. He watches over Gabriel's corpse. It would be poetic if it wasn't so FUCKING RIDICULOUS. Like, who at Penguin thought this was a remotely satisfying ending? (At least this explains the cover art, I suppose...)

As I say, some people will love this book and find it meaningful and poetic but I am not one of those people. I wanted to hurl my copy of the book out of the window as soon as I finished reading.

At the end of this book all I'm left with for my emotional investment, time and money is another dead gay kid (surprises there), a redundant child, and the adventures of tree-boy.

You couldn't make this shit up. Oh no wait, someone did and now it's a published book. Go figure. 

The Night Manager [Review] - Spy Sensation

Strike a pose.

How to introduce The Night Manager? That might be a bit tricky; one look at its impressive cast would probably send you into a fanatical, wheezing fit, if you’re a fan of great British TV. Fortunately, in this daring drama Tom Hiddleston is available on hand as the enigmatic hotelier-turned-spy to resuscitate you…maybe.

Hello? {from the outside} 

Based on the John le Carré novel of the same name, this adaptation of The Night Manager has been updated to suit current day situations and events, moving from the setting of the Cold War to the Arab Spring. The production budget has clearly been set quite high, as the camera blissfully sweeps across luscious oceans, capturing every intricate and scenic detail of gorgeous mountain tops and stunning villas: a true testament to the drama’s grandiose nature. It’s certainly an incredibly cinematic and artistic TV drama, and it knows it. Full of riveting drama, sex, and mystery, the series may as well be a prolonged TV film for its careful construction of every artistic element of its production and editing, but you’d expect nothing less, considering the magnitude of its actors.

They see me rollin', they hatin'.

Television is perhaps a more suitable medium for an adaption of a le Carré novel, and the six part mini-series has plenty of time to fully explore the elements of the thrilling espionage plot. This therefore guarantees a better chance at success, and for the most part, the first palpable taste of The Night Manager is satisfying and offers up a juicy and easily digestible piece of television gold.

Jonathan, I think you have lupus ~it's never lupus~

Tom Hiddleston stars as the notorious ‘Night Manager’, Jonathan Pine, who is recruited quite suddenly by Angela Burr (Olivia Colman), an intelligence operative who has made it her life’s mission to take down arms dealer and ‘worst man in the world’, Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). In order to do this he must assimilate himself into Roper’s world through unconventional methods, whilst also trying not to be uncovered by any of Roper’s group, including his girlfriend Jed (Elizabeth Debicki), and suspicious associate Major Corcoran (Tom Hollander). As suspected, Hiddleston is utterly convincing in his role, able to show the darker, more committed side to his character that comes with his need to infiltrate big business, whilst also switching between the smart and more faux-courteous side of the role.

#jine4eva

Laurie also flexes his villainous side, proving he doesn’t always have to be the good guy. Laurie manages to embody every characteristic of the ruthless Roper, despite not being on screen for more than a few minutes at a time, which is quite a feat for even a seasoned actor. There is something utterly commanding about his screen presence that is captivating if only for every few fleeting seconds before he saunters off no doubt to orchestrate another crime or two.

Did I leave the stove on?

If you want to read more about my thoughts on Olivia Colman's impressive performance, and the Laurie/Hiddleston play-off then you can do, here.