Happy Halloween!! And a Review From Kim
Happy Halloween! It is a Monday, so it’s a work day for Jessica, but we celebrated over the weekend watching scary movies! I love this time of year!!!! And we all know how much Kim loves it and seemingly celebrates year round with her collection of scary dolls!…..
In the spirit of the day, we bring you a review from Kim, this one a classic:
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury!
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Series: Green Town #2
Author: Ray Bradbury
Published: September 17, 1962
293 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4.5 stars
Book Description:
For those who still dream and remember, for those yet to experience the hypnotic power of its dark poetry, step inside. The show is about to begin. Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. A calliope’s shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. Two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes…and the stuff of nightmares.
Few novels have endured in the heart and memory as has Ray Bradbury’s unparalleled literary masterpiece Something Wicked This Way Comes. Scary and suspenseful, it is a timeless classic in the American canon.
Kim’s Review:
I just love Bradbury. He’s the true definition of a diverse author. So far we’ve seen sci-fi, political dystopia, and now soft horror.
While I admit that I didn’t get all the metaphors in this book, the plot and characters alone carry this book. They’re real and relatable and by the time you’re done, you want to live in Green Town every year at Halloween. Jim and Will are boys as boys should be. Their curiosity and courageous fear drive them through this story with reckless and responsible abandon. I know that sounds paradoxical, but isn’t that what little boys are?? And Mr. Halloway might be the most relatable character in literature. He works his way through reconciling his age with his position in life. And in the end, he is content. I really loved watching his journey and I love and respect him! I’ll admit that the carnival is where I get a little lost, but even without any complicated metaphors, the carousel is a terrifying prospect!!
Overall, this is a great Halloween read and I absolutely recommend it!!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Review: First Blood by David Morrell
First Blood
Series: Rambo: First Blood #1
Author: David Morrell
Published: 1972
320 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
First came the man: a young wanderer in a fatigue coat and long hair. Then came the legend, as John Rambo sprang from the pages of First Blood to take his place in the American cultural landscape. This remarkable novel pits a young Vietnam veteran against a small-town cop who doesn’t know whom he’s dealing with—or how far Rambo will take him into a life-and-death struggle through the woods, hills, and caves of rural Kentucky.
Kim’s Review:
I’ve been watching Rambo movies since I was a kid. Of course we had to watch the tv edited versions because they’re rated R, but honestly, they’re not much different! I re-watched the first three recently and I noticed that it said that First Blood was based on a novel, so of course, I bought and read the novel. And I was so disappointed! This is a rare case where the movie is absolutely better than the book! Stallone did an excellent job adapting it and improving on the original story. I did not like John Rambo in the book. I sympathized a little, he absolutely was not a victim. Everything the sheriff did, with the exception of a little bias initially, was appropriate and within the law. Everything was more extreme; Rambo killed everyone! And I don’t want to give away the ending, just in case anyone wants to read it. But it sucked!! If you want to know Rambo’s story; go watch the movies.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Graphic Novel Review: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
V for Vendetta
Author: Alan Moore
Illustrator: David Lloyd
First Published: March 1982
296 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
“Remember, remember the fifth of November…”
A frightening and powerful tale of the loss of freedom and identity in a chillingly believable totalitarian world, V for Vendetta stands as one of the highest achievements of the comics medium and a defining work for creators Alan Moore and David Lloyd.
Set in an imagined future England that has given itself over to fascism, this groundbreaking story captures both the suffocating nature of life in an authoritarian police state and the redemptive power of the human spirit which rebels against it. Crafted with sterling clarity and intelligence, V for Vendetta brings an unequaled depth of characterization and verisimilitude to its unflinching account of oppression and resistance.
Kim’s Review:
Considering how much I dislike the graphic novel style, this one I loved! I know we avoid politics on this page and I like it that way. But this is a political story and one that I think everyone should read. I actually went into thinking it would be biased because I had someone tell me that it was written as condemnation of one specific person. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Some issues were specific and easy to see who it would appeal to, however most of it was general enough that it was all about corruption and freedom. I, as someone many have called extreme, really appreciated the lessons and relevance. Plus, it’s just a great story with brilliant characters. This is one of only two graphic novels that I actually love!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
