tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36952448898667688542024-03-14T11:25:56.174+00:00Death, Books, and TeaReviews of theatre, YA, and adult fiction, across a range of genres. Because life's too short to miss out on good books. Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.comBlogger818125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-51564135895488006962020-11-16T17:00:00.008+00:002020-11-16T17:00:03.516+00:00Theatre review: Emilia by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBxtjIctaVfarf3J4yDSWwnvByCS2DJxz6ctLLTLeTSZ4LfdaZck5F87pQwF7V7ohxE1mls8G5WoWqFMdsULC1DtZtsvWIhdWYh5eJ8ssCMrcf5Ncr7qqEvdGRnXzghZXz1aZHYYGhrc/s600/Emilia+play.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBxtjIctaVfarf3J4yDSWwnvByCS2DJxz6ctLLTLeTSZ4LfdaZck5F87pQwF7V7ohxE1mls8G5WoWqFMdsULC1DtZtsvWIhdWYh5eJ8ssCMrcf5Ncr7qqEvdGRnXzghZXz1aZHYYGhrc/s320/Emilia+play.png" /></a></div>It's been a long year for everyone, but, in among lots of job applications, part time work, and stressing about both university and life, I have been able to see and read some things that I really want to share with you! First of all, here's my review of <i>Emilia </i>!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Title: Emilia<br />Writer: </b>Morgan Lloyd Malcolm<br /><b>Director:</b> Nicole Charles<br /><b>Featured Performers: </b>Saffron Coombs, Adelle Leonce, Clare Perkins<br /><b>Performed at: </b>The Vaudeville Theatre, London</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Seen: </b><a href="https://www.emilialive.com/" target="_blank">as a pay-what-you-want stream; available until 2nd December</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Review: </b>The early 1600s may be one of the primary flourishing periods of English Literature - William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson, John Fletcher- but do we remember any of the women? I certainly hadn't heard of Emilia Bassano, a writer living at the same time as Shakespeare. But writer Morgan Lloyd Malcolm had, and she used the story to write a play that places women at the forefront of the story, and encourages women on-stage and off-stage to take up space.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I missed this when it was on live, but thanks to lockdown, archive footage is available to stream until 24 November. I was looking forward to seeing this, as I enjoy seeing history on stage, particularly when elevating unheard stories. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The play skilfully mixes the Renaissance with the modern (music includes haunting choral arrangements and rap music, with choreography to match) and comedy (bawdiness and one-liners) and seriousness (men trying to tell Emilia where she should be, an older Lord Chamberlain offering a path to patronage if she comes to his chambers). This mix even comes simultaneously - for example, Emilia rejects some of William's suggested lines, crying out 'That's racist!' and Emilia's husband tells her 'Well done for not dying!' in childbirth. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The writing also mixes in lines from William's plays, and positions both that Emilia inspired and directly wrote some of the more famous parts. This lets us consider the themes of intellectual ownership, seduction and hidden meanings behind words, and who gets credit for what is said. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The play also considers class inequality - Emilia's anguish as her reputation is tarnished - 'Will this be how I am remembered?' - can be contrasted with the other ways the women of lower classes are violated, but female solidarity is the centrepiece of the play, as she teaches the other women to think for themselves, and the play is designed for all-female companies. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The triptych of actresses playing Emilia allow us to see her inner thoughts as well as her external expressions. The oldest Emilia, played by Clare Perkins, narrates the actions of her younger counterparts' actions (Saffron Coomber and Adelle Leonce), and the incarnation at the centre of the action is supported by the other two. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The costumes are beautifully detailed and colour-coded. Men wear the reds of violence and power; women wear the green of the court, the black of relative independence, and neutrals of anonymity. Another choice I liked was when Alfonso, Emilia's husband, played by Amanda Wilkin, removed his long smooth wig and revealed his natural hair underneath - another example of needing to suppress oneself to fit in to society. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>The play is full of passionate calls for equality and determination to get there - early on in the play, we have the line 'I demand my poems be published, and I will see that they are,' and the end of the play is an impassioned monologue calling on all women to burn harder and brighter than anything that tries to destroy them. In the time of coronavirus, as the arts industry is abandoned by the government, and protests for equality taking place throughout summer and beyond, this call for resilience sounds very loud indeed. </div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Strength 5 tea" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" style="text-align: left;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Warnings </b>for a suicide attempt , miscarriage child death, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse</span></div>Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-22167468742862608402017-08-14T16:57:00.000+01:002017-08-14T22:39:33.231+01:00Theatre Review- Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvaSI4OMIjLa4hPb-lHh6luLQFis6xVk8KD9c2x5LWxmbD4Ir72KBg4NTEsg8H_76DBAIr9twp0G6jSFne5uFQve9JPmNdxaUAFkjDsaJTppQTcIWSep7gLM8ED6_OGo-9E9n8HSTRjc/s1600/thrillme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvaSI4OMIjLa4hPb-lHh6luLQFis6xVk8KD9c2x5LWxmbD4Ir72KBg4NTEsg8H_76DBAIr9twp0G6jSFne5uFQve9JPmNdxaUAFkjDsaJTppQTcIWSep7gLM8ED6_OGo-9E9n8HSTRjc/s320/thrillme.jpg" width="225" /></a><b>Title: </b>Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Writer: </b>Stephen Dolginoff</div><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b>Director: </b>Guy Retallack<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Performers: </b>Ellis Dackombe, Harry Downes, and Kris Rawlinson<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Seen at: </b>C Too Edinburgh<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Review: </b>Nathan Leopold stands before a parole board for the fifth time, having been in prison for 33 years for murdering a fourteen year old boy. The parole board wants to know: why? Flashbacks detail the story of how Leopold and his lover Richard Loeb, progress from petty crime to murder, and where they went from there.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The musical is based upon the true story, with some changes to details. It is very effectively the story of Leopold and Loeb; nobody else appears on stage, not even their victim, Bobby Franklin. The parole board are disembodied voices. The characterisation is more simple than what I have inferred from a little research after watching the play; rather than both men participating in the crime equally, this Loeb is the ringmaster, continually manipulating Leopold and suggesting a victim and method, and Leopold is a lovestruck accomplice, who will do anything to keep Loeb in in his life. Sometimes the writing is odd - Leopold comes out with simple statements that seem out of place considering the more elevated language in other parts, and the high intelligence of his real-life counterpart- but overall it creates characters that are interesting, and compelling to watch. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The writing of the book and lyrics is nothing compared to the writing of the music, which is incredibly rich and complex, and reminds me of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Kris Rawlinson on the piano creates the perfect atmosphere, heavy and intense, in both the songs and scene transitions. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The two other performers, Ellis Dackombe playing Loeb and Harry Downes playing Leopold, both make an incredibly strong professional debut. If I had to choose, I’d say Dackombe was stronger, just because I still have the chills remembering his performance of “Roadster”, already creepy considering it sounds like a seduction and we know what is going to follow it, and made even more disturbing by Dacombe's delivery. However, Downes' <br />
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performance is also captivating, especially his pleading in “Thrill Me” and the way he performs Leopold’s revelation at the end. Together, they have great chemistry, both physically and vocally, and they clearly reflect dynamics of the relationship.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Just as the music and the focus on the characters is stripped back, the staging is equally minimalist. All black furniture, a few props on shelves, and very effective lighting work to create a variety of scenes, such as a burning warehouse, a police interrogation, and a car sitting in the dark on night of the murder. The venue is relatively small; the five rows means everyone is close, heightening the intimacy.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This show is definitely one to see if you want to see a show about manipulation and motivation, with three brilliant performers and an atmosphere that is thrilling and intense.<b> <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>-</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxchp0zgLqipax2rgbxrbLw37Mm8kLDPI9n8RqsdJVBRTLzHClUGkLmHQjyQ7AaCjRyhQABj1mOHCVKKRS3RrB5kXPFPjVqCaH_nyiWi6mIMyhRLXBlkScQjhs9UAosusLo5wuvu0gOY/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxchp0zgLqipax2rgbxrbLw37Mm8kLDPI9n8RqsdJVBRTLzHClUGkLmHQjyQ7AaCjRyhQABj1mOHCVKKRS3RrB5kXPFPjVqCaH_nyiWi6mIMyhRLXBlkScQjhs9UAosusLo5wuvu0gOY/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Links: <a href="http://www.thrillme-uk.com/"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Website</span></a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ThrillMeUK?"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Twitter</span></a><o:p></o:p></b></div></div>Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-20825761506528091542017-05-20T22:16:00.002+01:002017-08-14T17:21:07.091+01:00Theatre review - I Know You by Sam Moore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJCih3fCPoXcufwFagiMt8_y5oMMb650-YhSi-ITmsy-EY3FEa8kHQ97kQs1HyVGifwWFLtMsUxOeCSwXj11n6WWPUlxeGddluR3wxgT0KchuNJ7ecJRnhQdUuPgsUyJfm1lADTTu5l4/s1600/iknowyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJCih3fCPoXcufwFagiMt8_y5oMMb650-YhSi-ITmsy-EY3FEa8kHQ97kQs1HyVGifwWFLtMsUxOeCSwXj11n6WWPUlxeGddluR3wxgT0KchuNJ7ecJRnhQdUuPgsUyJfm1lADTTu5l4/s320/iknowyou.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Title: </b>I Know You<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Writer: </b>Sam Moore<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Directors: </b>Rosie Richards, Georgia Reddington<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Performed by: </b>Magpie Productions<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Seen at: </b>the Burton Taylor Studio<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cast: </b>Sammy Breen, Benjamin Ashton, Joshua Cathcart<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Review: </b>Two men stand on a street corner. One remarks that the other looks nice. The other replies that that’s not what he’s looking for. They return home and sleep together. Afterwards, they discuss other men and how similar they actually are and how well one knows the other.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This new writing by Sam Moore is described by directors Rosie Richards and Georgia Reddington as Pinter-esque, postmodern, and about “stigma, repression, mental health, and intimacy.” We see characters who have sex with and share lives with each other, but in other ways are detached. As an audience, we may watch characters having sex and panic attacks and we listen to them tell some of the most private stories about their lives, but we don’t ever learn their real names. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There were apprehensions from the cast about taking on roles so different to what they are used to, with backgrounds in musical theatre, and a lack of experience playing older characters. However, Sammy Breen (Kid), Benjamin Ashton (John), and Joshua Cathcart (Pumpkin) all embody the characters – the youngish sex worker who’s seen it all, the reserved, shy older man, the ex who comes back and tries to care as best as he can – really well. Learning about the characters is intriguing, and information is A week of characterisation workshops, the freedom to adapt and develop the script on their own and with Moore, the ability to put in as much of their own personality as they wished, and the challenge to not put too much of themselves into the play, have worked well to bring these characters to life. And how they did that in the full performance. Especially Breen in the breakdown scenes, and in the scenes when both John and Pumpkin are absent. It’s also in the smaller parts, like the transition scenes, as the way the characters look at each other tells you a lot about the relationship between them at the time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The writing is clever. In the scenes I saw for the preview, the words "I know you" were said, questioned, and disbelieved many times, with different contexts and meanings each time, and tracks the ways the characters reflect on themselves and each other. But will we ever really know them? Non-verbal language and implications, even from the first few seconds of the play, are also vital to the communication of and between characters. There’s a fair bit of humour, sometimes dirty, sometimes based on jokes, sometimes physical, always feeling appropriate to the situation. It’s an open-ended play, which isn’t really to my taste, but it does as the directors intended in showing how life goes on no matter what, and also shows again, how little we might know someone. The different experiences of depression were frank, nuanced, and hard hitting in places. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cathcart calls the play “voyeuristic”; I would totally agree. It sometimes felt too intimate to watch, especially when it was just me in the audience. This is not because of the sexual content, but because we see the characters in their everyday lives, including at their most vulnerable. The set represents both the street corner and the bedroom, emphasising both the public and private in the play, and transitions are very well executed. The lighting is mostly realistic, apart from some marine club lighting in some parts, which worked well, especially when it just faded to the naturalistic white light at the end, as real life just carries on. The depiction of mental illness, both the characters experiencing it but even more so the reaction from outsiders, is realistic. Overall, the cast and crew have developed a piece of theatre that feels incredibly close and genuine. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Another version of this review might appear in the Cherwell,</i></div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-89265676371903776202017-01-14T20:24:00.000+00:002017-08-14T17:21:37.991+01:00Book Review- Blue is the Warmest Colour by Julie Maroh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Title:<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> </b>Blue is the Warmest Colour / Le bleu est une couleur
chaud</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLafu7J9pCcHOB8DkxLf_W2qSUhSQPOn14e5I5HrSQYkxuq_KeYhWEIwdiSAaAdL2EmDky235Jy8Jcru3daRnRZyO7xJxMrm3eQI4b3lYuECai6WToKNRS67j3OZnuE4_SsS4vtrnx_M/s1600/blueisawarmestcolour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLafu7J9pCcHOB8DkxLf_W2qSUhSQPOn14e5I5HrSQYkxuq_KeYhWEIwdiSAaAdL2EmDky235Jy8Jcru3daRnRZyO7xJxMrm3eQI4b3lYuECai6WToKNRS67j3OZnuE4_SsS4vtrnx_M/s320/blueisawarmestcolour.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<b>Author: </b>Julie
Maroh<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Published: </b>April
2010 by Glenat<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Length: </b>157
pages<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Warnings: </b>graphic sex scenes<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Source: </b>library<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Other info: </b>This
got adapted into a film, La Vie d’Adele, which won the Palme d’Or.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary</b> :
Clementine is a junior in high school who seems average enough: she has
friends, family, and the romantic attention of the boys in her school. When her
openly gay best friend takes her out on the town, she wanders into a lesbian
bar where she encounters Emma: a punkish, confident girl with blue hair. Their
attraction is instant and electric, and Clementine find herself in a
relationship that will test her friends, parents, and her own ideas about
herself and her identity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Review</b>: Clementine,
age fifteen, sees a blue-haired girl in the street one day. Further meetings
with this girl, Emma, leads to
attraction, eventually love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I wanted to read this because a) it's a lesbian story that
got quite a bit of buzz, and b) I need to practise my French. I was a little
wary about reading this because I tried watching the film, got forty minutes
in, and got bored. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I knew I would not be bored by the graphic novel because we
are told in the first few pages that Clem dies, and that we'll be seeing the
story as narrated by her diary, being read by Emma. This structure immediately made it more
interesting, knowing it would come to an end, whether or not our characters
wanted it to. However even though you know Clem's death is coming, the
circumstances leading up and the way we
see it to it still build to make it heartbreaking when it happens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The bulk of the story follows Clem throughout her teenage
years. Watching her exploring her sexuality, all the milestones, are shown
tenderly. Although neither she nor Emma
are perfect, and don't always fit together, it seems realistic. There is a long
timeskip though, and thus while we see the events that leads to Clem's death,
the scene the sets it all of is very unexpected, after not seeing their relationship for about ten
years. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I love Maroh's use of colour. In the flashback scenes when
Clem is in love with Emma, it's greyscale, apart from highlights of blue. As
their relationship changes, other colours are used, the shades and intensities
appropriate to the scene. I can see why in my college library this got
categorised under art.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Overall: </b>Strength
4 tea to a tragic tender love story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b> </b><b>Links: <a href="http://amzn.to/2ioHHGM"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">Amazon </span></a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465574-blue-is-the-warmest-color"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">Goodreads </span></a>| <a href="http://www.juliemaroh.com/"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">Author
website</span></a> |</b></div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-29247774050517024602016-12-11T22:58:00.001+00:002016-12-11T22:59:40.590+00:00The Last Eight Weeks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhZw8S8iU1LBk5S1m_J73gvDZmuX3oXlwEU1i74sNqaS4Hf7x6QBYDNedRmJN-Tx3oNZ6RDzF8aLt98YXDwlqom78Y0dot8UGECpPq_CcSOW2axtzFeoEsNxcy6Z7QVQcWXaBH-HcPcM/s1600/IMG_20161007_203440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhZw8S8iU1LBk5S1m_J73gvDZmuX3oXlwEU1i74sNqaS4Hf7x6QBYDNedRmJN-Tx3oNZ6RDzF8aLt98YXDwlqom78Y0dot8UGECpPq_CcSOW2axtzFeoEsNxcy6Z7QVQcWXaBH-HcPcM/s320/IMG_20161007_203440.jpg" width="240" /></a>Technically this is about the last ten weeks, since the last decent post about this was before Fresher's week and we're also one week into the holiday, but uni term length has already got me seeing life in eight week blocks. My first time at university has been a hectic couple of months, but something I want to share.<br />
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University life</h4>
It's brilliant. The texts we're doing (read about them <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/what-im-taking-to-uni.html#more">here</a>) have all gotten better with studying, and all my tutors this term have been helpful. There's been a lot of socials and chances to meet some lovely people. My college full of people who are extremely friendly, and we have some beautiful surroundings- just look at my library!<br />
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Theatre</h4>
Oxford has a lot happening on stage,, way more than I could ever fit in! But the shows that I've been to see (The Nether, the Queer Cabaret, Much Ado About Nothing, Jealous of Herself, The Last Five Years, Trojan Women) have all been high quality, that I liked for different reasons. Also, I'm <a href="http://www.cherwell.org/author/nina-crisp/">writing for the Cherwe</a>ll from time to time- it's exciting to be writing for more of a community (I still love this little blog though!)<br />
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Reading</h4>
I took eight books up for fun with me thinking I could do one a week. Hahaha. I got about halfway through The Republic of Thieves, and a little way in to Frangine. The thing is, when most of your time is spent reading, the last thing for relaxing is more reading, especially when there's shows to go see and people to be around and the chance to not be solitary for once. So not much reading for the blog happened. Now it's the holidays, there is much more time for reading. So this will stay a book blog. Just not a busy one (though it hasn't been such for a long time).<br />
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Dancing</h4>
You may have noticed from my twitter that I really enjoy swing dance, and I knew when I went to uni I wanted to carry that on and maybe take up another style. Well, I trialled for the dancesport team which would do ballroom and latin, but I didn't get in. I also trialled for the rock and roll team, and I did get in! It's more energetic than I thought it'd be, and different in style, but there's also the chance to do acrobatics, which are a lot of fun, and competitions, which will happen in February. Me on an official sports team... never thought that would happen!<br />
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YA Salon - 7th December</h4>
I had a day in London last week, where I got to catch up with a lot of friends- two hadn't seen since starting university, and then, later in the evening, many bloggers and authors I hadn't seen in some time. It was my first time at a YA Salon, and at this one, the focus was the book I'll Be Home For Christmas, an anthology where £1 of each sale goes to Crisis. It was a fun evening, with a fiendish Christmas in literature quiz, and the trial of book blind dating, where a panel of authors answer questions, the person asking chooses one of them, and that author gets to tell us about their story). The addition of mince pies and mulled wine made the night even better.<br />
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What next?</h4>
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Well, now it's the Christmas holidays. I have catching up to do with my school friends, a trip to Devon with my dad's side of the family, a Christmas day with my mum's side, a lot of reading for both Latin and French before next term starts, and also need time to myself. But I'm still enjoying the little blogging I'm able to do, so I'll try and keep that up. If you particularly want to see my life and books and happenings, you'll find me on <a href="http://twitter.com/serifinaxxx">Twitter </a>or <a href="https://instagram.com/deathbooksandtea/">Instagram </a>though. Until then, enjoy the holidays, let's hope for a new year bringing good news for a change, and goodbye for now. </div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-79884812234068855822016-11-26T12:23:00.001+00:002016-11-26T12:25:33.769+00:00Theatre Review- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, performed by Poltergeist Theatre<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Title: </b>Much Ado About Nothing<b> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Director: </b>Jack Bradfield <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Performed by: </b>Poltergeist Theatre</div>
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<b>Seen at: </b>The Michael Pilch Studio<br />
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<b>Review: </b>Shakespeare’s tale of two schemes concerning lovers – one to get a couple together, one to tear another couple apart- could conceivably happen anywhere. Jack Bradfield sets the action in a house party at the turn of the millennium, when anything might happen.<br />
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Poltergeist Theatre’s production introduces new perspectives to the characters. I liked how Hero and Claudio, who are traditionally the couple who conform to society’s gendered expectations, are the ones whose genders are played with, keeping the genders and pronouns they have in the text, whilst being played by actors and wearing clothes coded to another gender. The editing of the play blends this all together, as Claudio’s rant at the alter focuses more on the infidelity he believes Hero to be guilty of, and is less directly misogynistic, which might have felt weird coming from someone in a skirt. In addition, I enjoyed the addition of a redemption arc for Margaret when she realises her complicity in the shaming of Hero. <br />
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The cast was very strong. Alice Moore’s Beatrice was sharp and had a wide range of comic facial expressions, and Adam Goodbody’s Benedick was the least cocky I have ever seen him, even vulnerable in his love at times, and together, they make a touching couple. Benedick’s other important relationship, his friendship with Claudio. Is also well played, from their camaraderie at the beginning to seeing the conflict of issuing or receiving the challenge to the duel. Georgia Figgis plays Claudio in many states-excited in love, drunk, angry, upset- and the sadness she brings makes you feel sympathy for him, at least until he very convincingly rages again. Another standout for me was Lillian Bornstein’s Don Pedro, who looked utterly heartbroken after Beatrice refuses his marriage proposal.<br />
Design wise, it’s tied together well. Both Georgia Bevan’s costumes and Adam Marshall’s lighting revolve around winter greens and rich purples, set against the white snow and plainer bases to the costumes. The transitions between scenes often resemble fast-forwarding in a video, keeping with the video theme in a stylised and polished way. Many a time a character is seen with drugs, a glass, or a bottle, which seems to motivate some of the more extreme reactions. The music, an original soundtrack by Alice Boyd, is melancholy, and the haunting rendition of Sign No More is particularly beautiful.<br />
One thing emphasised in the marketing was the use of live-streaming and television. The major use of the live feed is when policemen Dogberry and Verges, perform to a handheld video camera, which shows on screen. This is an inventive way of allowing their actors, Imo Allan and Marcus Knight-Adams, to double as villains Conrad and Borachio, but the scene where the constables capture the criminals, repeatedly passing the camera between them, did seem a little clumsy. The television is also used in other parts of the play, to be played with, or for comic effect or for exposition. Its use would be greatly improved by ensuring that the audience could always see what was happening on screen- either by having a second screen that the actors didn’t interact with, and was only there for the audience, or simply by having the actors moving around instead of sitting or standing still in front of it. <br />
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The other thing that was conveyed in the marketing was the edgy perspective they would take on the play- the “death” of Hero and Benedick’s challenge to Claudio are emphasised. I was expecting a darker tone than what I normally expect from a Much Ado-but this production went beyond my expectations. Yes, there are moments of pure comedy, such as the scene when Benedick is tricked into believing Beatrice loves him, and the unexpected audience participation, but it’s a lot darker than something often played as a rom-com is. The editing of the script focusses on the sad, angry, and tense moments, and even the very last line -drawing attention to the Prince’s failure to find a wife- leaves you with a sombre mood.<br />
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If you’re going hoping for a cheery, fun, or romantic night, this is play not for you. However, if you’re going for Shakespeare performed very differently, or something to play with your mood, or a uniquely brilliant interpretation of a classic, Poltergeist’s Much Ado is one to watch.<br />
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<b>Links: <a href="http://www.poltergeisttheatre.com/"> Company Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/674530252709410/">Facebook event for show</a></b></div>
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Another edition of this review may appear on the website of the Cherwell<br />
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-41624415849557852942016-10-22T13:38:00.003+01:002016-10-23T17:58:20.893+01:00Carnegie Medal Nominations 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
First, to anyone at YA Shot in Uxbridge today, have a great day! Second, if anyone here's going to be at the UKYA Blogging Awards at Uxbridge tonight, yay! I'll see you there. On with the post!<br />
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It seems to to come round quicker and quicker every year, Yesterday, the nominations for the CILIP Carnegie and the Kate Greenaway medals were released. Due to my being at uni now, I sadly don't have the brilliant booklet my school librarian produced which had all the blurbs of the books recommended, so this post is based upon a)the bits I've heard from social media over the year and b)when I googled the things with interesting titles. But here- a list of the books that I am glad to see on the list, and would totally bump up a reading pile if I had time to do any reading for pleasure right now.<br />
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<li>Crush by Eve Ainsworth. I've heard people say how well written Ainsworth's characters are in both this and 7 Days, so even with the heavy subject, it should be good.</li>
<li>Chasing the Stars by Malorie Blackman. Othello in space with a girl as the lead? I've had this on my pile at home for ages, but the concept of this is great and so is Blackman.</li>
<li>Twenty Questions for Gloria by Martyn Bedford. I like thrillers when I read them, I just haven't really read that many. I should though. </li>
<li>What's A Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne. I'm sorry, I haven't read any in this feminist trilogy/series (not sure which...) but so many people say good things about it.</li>
<li>Why I Went Back by James Clammer. Myth and magic and mystery? And maybe a better version of Skellig? </li>
<li>Monsters by Emerald Fennell. The atmosphere of an Enid Blyton story (which I loved when I was little) plus murder? Yep.</li>
<li>The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon. From the blurb, the story of a refugee in a detention centre, and a girl with a notebook of family history, it looks beautiful. </li>
<li>Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin. Alternate history and fantasy and a badass main character. Looking forwards to it.</li>
<li>Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. So many people have told me to read Oseman's work. Some day, hopefully.</li>
<li>Unboxed by Non Pratt. Loved Remix and Trouble, hoping for more good things. </li>
<li>Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Again, loved Between Shades of Grey, and hoping for another book of similar quality. </li>
<li>Jolly Foul Play by Robin Stevens. Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea were just fun reads-mystery, friendship, and a Chinese main character. I should catch up on this series.</li>
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And also, the things I have read and think totally deserve to be here!</div>
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<li>All Of The Above by Juno Dawson. About finding your identity, and with some pretty good poetry.</li>
<li>George by Alex Gino. A middle-grade story about a transgirl, which just left me feeling happy.</li>
<li>London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning. I read this book about my favourite city in on sitting and it's full of great characters and adventure. </li>
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That's not to say the other books are undeserving! There's <a href="http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/press.php?release=pres_2017_nominations_carnegie.html">114 of them</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/press.php?release=pres_2017_nominations_greenaway.html">93 nominated</a> for the Kate Greenaway award, and I applaud the judges who will read ALL of them. But even more applause goes to all the creators who made the books. Congratulations on the nomination, and good luck!</div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-18127641444123484472016-10-11T20:09:00.002+01:002017-08-14T17:24:53.119+01:00National Coming Out Day 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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National Coming Out Day is the celebration of people coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, an ally to the LGBTQ community, or something else-however you want to define yourself. In coming out, you can increase the representation of LGBTQ people in your community, reduce the silence which can help perpetuate negative stereotypes and hatred because there's no-one to speak out against them, or to remind perpetrators that queer people are real, and everywhere, and not some other alien concept. It can also help you just be happier with yourself and acknowledge who you are for you. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: trec_lit <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/77376038@N00/5920375162">MmmmmMmmm</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com/">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a></td></tr>
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For some people, due to their personality and their surroundings and other things, this is easy. For others, it's difficult. But there's books about it, both by showing characters who do so, or by helping you deal with it yourself. (I'm sorry this preface was not meant to be this serious in tone but it just happened that way).<br />
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Coming out isn't the be-all and end-all of a queer person's life. But it's also kind of a thing that happens whenever you meet new people and you need to judge whether they're going to accept you if the fact that you want a girlfriend ever comes into conversation, or (more likely) when you want to correct them about you getting married to a man.<br />
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I'm not especially a fan of books with coming out as the -only- plot line. I live in very liberal societies, where everyone I know of is accepting or at least tolerant, and I've come to expect more exciting things from my books. But then they can be necessary for those who aren't comfortable comfortable in their societies or to themselves, or who don't know how to go about doing so, or who want reassurance that it won't be awful. Also, they are useful to particularly focus on how different societies may treat people coming out. And like any story, they have the potential to be amazingly told, and </div>
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<b>Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli</b><br />
Will I ever write a post about lgbtq books that doesn't feature Simon? Probably. But today is not that that day. Cute, with some excellent points about coming out in the emails between Blue and Simon, and overall giver of happy feels.<br />
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<b>All of the Above by Juno Dawson </b><br />
This one proves that labels aren't always necessary, which is an important thing to note if you're trying some on for size. In addition, overall giver of intense feels, and a few pieces of brilliant poetry.<br />
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<b>Read Me Like a Book by Liz Kessler</b><br />
Featuring a few queer people in varying stages of outness to themselves and society, I liked following Ashleigh's journey, and the way it resolved. In addition, loved seeing other people's different issues in life, issues I don't see much in YA.<br />
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<b>This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson </b><br />
Non fiction, an advice guide, written in a fun friendly style not just about coming out, but about love, sex, friendship, discrimination, and other things for everyone.<br />
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This post was kind of a mix of everything and I know I missed off books at some point. Comment below- what books would you recommend with coming out as a theme?<br />
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Also, if you are coming out today, at all, or especially for the first time, remember only do so if you're safe and happy to do so- and may it all go well!<br />
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-47699106390646573002016-10-02T23:54:00.002+01:002016-10-03T00:16:00.360+01:00What I'm Taking to Uni<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So this past few months, many exciting things have been happening for me, which have been better documented on <a href="https://instagram.com/deathbooksandtea/">instagram </a>and <a href="http://twitter.com/serifinaxxx">twitter</a>. I had another packed Edinburgh Fringe, full of brilliant comedians, poets, and theatre pieces. I've had some great times with my friends, which is just as well because we're now scattered across the country and the continent, because we're all off to uni! I can't believe I was in Year 8 when I started this blog and I now I've got a place at my first choice university to study Classics and French, but hey, time flies!<br />
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Along the many bags of clothes and equipment I have packed before I move into the college tomorrow, obviously, I have books, and I thought I'd share what I'm taking. But first, exciting news... </div>
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I got nominated, alongside Sally of <a href="http://thedarkdictator.blogspot.co.uk/">The Dark Dictator</a>, and Andrew of <a href="http://thepewterwolf.blogspot.co.uk/">The Pewter Wolf</a>, in the UKYA Blogger Awards for Champion of Diversity! Thank you for everyone who nominated me, in despite of the fact that my championing of diverse books, at least this past couple of years, hasn't really been via my blog, more in person- see my TEDx Talk on why you should read diversely, which I might vlog some day seeing as I'm not sure what happened to the footage, the <a href="http://weneeddiversebooks.tumblr.com/post/100775901257/serifinaxxx-so-this-is-what-mindspiel-some">We Need Diverse Books board</a> we put up at my school that stayed in a main corridor for over a year, and anyone who has read <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/book-review-simon-vs-homo-sapiens.html">Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda </a>because they asked me for a recommendation and that's been my go to book to pass on. I hope to be able to step up both my blog and my promotion of a range of books in the future, and it's nice to have a little spur to do so. And congrats to everyone else who got nominated, in all categories! You can find a list of all categories and nominees <a href="https://twitter.com/UKYABA">here </a>(until it gets buried when they tweet other things).<br />
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The main post is under the cut- the books I'm taking-and hopefully keeping up there, if they fit on whatever shelving they give me!<br />
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My Course Books</h4>
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The books that I'll be studying. I've read all the required bits, so here's a summary of what they're about and what I thought of them.<br />
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<li>The Poems of Catullus, translated by James Minchie. My copy of this is falling apart, so I put it in a binder ring. I love most of Catullus' works-it's often funny or emotional or both- he crosses the line a lot though!</li>
<li>Juvenal's Satires, translated by Peter Green. Using anecdotes, it reads like a long list of complaints about Roman society, pointing out all the various moral failings that have come through.</li>
<li>En Attendant Godot (Waiting For Godot) by Samuel Beckett. It's a play of two men who are waiting for Godot. They contemplate life, meet a handful other people, and wonder why they do so. It feels like Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, a lot of talk, less things happening, good to study, probably boring to watch.</li>
<li>Supplement au Voyage de Bouganville (Supplement to Bougainville's Journey) by Denis Diderot, I liked the depiction of Tahitan society, and also the way it contrast Tahitian and European society and ideals.</li>
<li>The Poems of Propertius, translated by H. E. Butler, of which I read Book 1. Mostly love poetry, describing his relationship with Cynthia, but there's a couple of poems for friends too. </li>
<li>Essais (Essays), of which I read Des Cannibales by Michel de Montaigne, Again contrasting European society with another. I liked the challenge of reading the 16th century French.</li>
<li>The Satyricon by Petronius. A pair of lovers go wandering around the continent, meeting the weirdest of society. Ends abruptly, though probably due to losing the text, but the various episodes, satirising different figures in society, are...interesting.</li>
<li>Cicero's Defence Speeches, of which I read Pro Caelio. Here Cicero is trying to defend Caelius against charges of violence andmurder, which he does by presenting Caelius as a young man of outstanding virtue, even if he has made some mistakes, and by presenting Clodia Metelli, whose evidence would be important to the case, as a whore. It's funny in some places, misogynistic in many more, and is basically blaming a woman for anything a man does wrong.</li>
<li>The Aeneid by Virgil. Following Aeneas, a Trojan noble who flees Troy after its defeat, as he wanders, searching for a new place for his people to settle down. A fair bit of travelling gives way to some really graphically battles. I have a lot of love for Camilla, the warrior woman who's featured in book 11.</li>
<li>Phedre by Jean Racine. The mythological story of a queen who falls in love with her stepson and the husband/father's rashness is presented here in a play. I enjoyed the rhythm of this as I read this aloud, and I liked how it didn't completely villainise Phedre (ok, the blame all shifts on to the Nurse but I feel Phedre gets presented in a worse light in Euripedes' and Seneca's versions so it's nice she gets a little more sympathy here)</li>
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<h4>
Supplementary Books </h4>
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Books kind of relating to Classics and French, but not directly relevant (this term)- intended for when I want to do something different but also feel productive! </div>
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<li>Les Femmes Savantes by Moliere</li>
<li>Les Fleurs de Mal by Charles Baudelaire</li>
<li>Les Mains Sales by Jean Paul Sartre</li>
<li>World Mythology by Mark Daniels</li>
<li>Bisexuality in the Ancient World by Eve Cantarella</li>
<li>The Latin Love Poets by R.O.A.M. Lyne</li>
<li>Frangine by Marion Brunet (and then I can finally give this back to Caroline- sorry for keeping this so long!)</li>
<li>Goddesses, Whores, Wives, & Slaves by Sarah Pomeroy</li>
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<h4>
Fun Books</h4>
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The ones that will be for pleasure, for review, and for hopeful enjoyment!</div>
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<li>The Hypnotist by Laurence Anholt. Set in 1960s America, this historical thriller plus hypnotism looks intriguing.</li>
<li>Life: A User's Manuel by Georges Perec. I picked this up for the title. I'm hoping for good things from the many many characters.</li>
<li>The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. I haven't read Everything, Everything yet either, but I've heard lots of people enjoyed it.</li>
<li>Girl Trouble by Carol Dyhouse. A looking at how society perceives women and what they do throughout the 20th century.</li>
<li>Daughters of Time - A History Girls Anthology. I love how there's a range of time periods the women at the centre of each story is drawn from, and a range of things they do. </li>
<li>The Genius and the Goddess by Alduous Huxley. I got this as a surprise gift, so I don't know what to expect. I didn't mind Brave New World, and I'm hoping i like this as much as I did that, or more.</li>
<li>As I Descended by Robin Talley. This is the one book I've been waiting for all year, and I'm slightly scared to read it with such high expectations (lesbian contemporary Macbeth!). I'll get to it soon though.</li>
<li>Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Between Shades of Grey was such a beautiful book, I have high hopes for this one as well.</li>
<li>Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton. A mute girl falls for the new girl. I remember getting excited for this, but never getting round to it.</li>
<li>The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. I love this fantasy series with the detailed world building and the clever characters (especially the ship of lady pirates introduced in book 2). I also hear we get to meet the main character's lost love in this book, something I've been waiting for.</li>
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I know I'm being very overoptimistic with my for fun books here, considering I have eight weeks and a lot more reading I'll get once I'm there, but at least I won't be running out of things to get through! What books would you suggest I get through first? And what would you take from a packed to-read shelf to last you for a couple of months?</div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-25043739615540783152016-09-15T21:50:00.001+01:002016-12-11T18:45:50.209+00:00Theatre Review- Macbeth, performed by Act Three Theatre<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEyQjdo7kZfAHR2mjtf_btk0XJg6eFMs9U5mbvHcQtZbTv4WVmOVmGQkZFcpr-nzOoyftxKZeIgCNXgv3yPAVcpB5Flb5PP2Y6dKFNw0JpIK881nMuXtvzkxnQzuV1TC5-f0IqJbbbfA/s1600/Macbeth+EdFringe+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEyQjdo7kZfAHR2mjtf_btk0XJg6eFMs9U5mbvHcQtZbTv4WVmOVmGQkZFcpr-nzOoyftxKZeIgCNXgv3yPAVcpB5Flb5PP2Y6dKFNw0JpIK881nMuXtvzkxnQzuV1TC5-f0IqJbbbfA/s1600/Macbeth+EdFringe+Logo.jpg" /></a><b>Title: </b>Macbeth</div>
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<b>Writer: </b>William Shakespeare</div>
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<b>Performed by: </b>Act Three Theatre</div>
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<b>Major cast: </b>Josh Beecham, Ned Walkely, Simon Morgan</div>
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<b>Seen at: </b>Paradise in the Vault, Edinburgh Fringe<br />
<b>Summary: </b>An exciting new take on William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Using the original language but set in a young offenders’ prison, it is bold, fast-paced, and performed entirely with a cast of three.<br />
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<b>Review: </b> The story of Macbeth is performed by three actors and set in a modern young offender's prison. I wanted to see this show because Macbeth, multiroling, and a vastly different setting to its original-what more could I ask for?</div>
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We open with Macbeth holding a titlecard/ID card, presumably having a mugshot taken, then an opening physical sequence with some impressive stage fighting to set the scene. Then the play develops in its new setting, where guards are witches and kingship is represented by a dressing gown and a paper crown.</div>
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The setting works well for the most part, prison hierarchies being a good new setting for kingdoms, and the costumes suited the production, but I did wonder where is Malcolm going when he announces leaves for England, if he's meant to be locked up.</div>
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The cast are all really good. My favourite thing about it though was the doubling, because, while necessary with three characters, makes some good links between the characters- Simon Morgan playing both Duncan and Banquo, the two direct victims of Macbeth's ambition, Ned Wakely playing both Lady Macbeth and Banquo's murderer (I know they kept Macbeth's line "Be innocent of the knowledge", but it just got me thinking of how cool it might have been if they'd kept the implication that she killed Banquo), and also Josh Beecham saying the Doctor's words in the sleepwalking scene, while still (I think) being Macbeth, adding a different, kind of caring, spin on him.</div>
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I don't know if it was intentional, but the lighting in the "Is this a dagger I see" scene and the banquet scene made the actors' eyes look black, demonic, which went well with those scenes. </div>
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The editing of the script is amazing. I think we ended slightly before the advertised hour, but the major plot points were all conveyed. Also, so much love for the delivery of "Birnam" just before the attack on Macbeth. The twist and wordplay and cleverness of getting around the prophecy was just...yes.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>Strength 4 tea to a fast, intense version of Macbeth.</div>
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<b>Links:<a href="http://actthreetheatre.co.uk/"> Company</a></b></div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-87625357294454278142016-06-13T20:52:00.001+01:002017-08-14T17:24:53.645+01:00Theatre Review: This Much by John Fitzpatrick, performed by Moving Dust<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>I am aware that my timeliness is terrible. I saw this show eight months ago, I wrote this review eight months ago, I found it again tonight. </b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SUjjVbXQQrIS7eEqOhNI0AzHVcujxajKbN4mD7jmuJC0yq9hfD3h3kvN703P7uQqabPePIKKN3gcYtcxqmXW_6h0rzJvh70-U8uJ6alnnn4cFNzvn_tf2Viek9CmmMBBSKOLVntCga4/s1600/thismuch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SUjjVbXQQrIS7eEqOhNI0AzHVcujxajKbN4mD7jmuJC0yq9hfD3h3kvN703P7uQqabPePIKKN3gcYtcxqmXW_6h0rzJvh70-U8uJ6alnnn4cFNzvn_tf2Viek9CmmMBBSKOLVntCga4/s1600/thismuch.jpg" /></a><b>I saw it at Edinburgh, and it's now playing at Soho Theatre as part of the Pride festival. </b><br />
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<b>Title: </b>This Much (or A Act of Violence Towards The Institution of Marriage)<br />
<b>Writer: </b>John Fitzpatrick<br />
<b>Director: </b>Kate Sagovsky<br />
<b>Performed by: </b>Moving Dust<br />
<b>Cast: </b>Lewis Hart, Simon Carroll-Jones, and James Parris<br />
<b>Seen at: </b>Zoo City<br />
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<b>Review:</b>Gar is in a long term relationship with Antony, and they're thinking about marriage , but meets Albert on an app. This leads to a romantic drama exploring the meaning and importance of marriage.<br />
I saw this in the programme. I loved the title and the picture and thought maybe if I have time. I then saw this being promoted on the Royal Mile- three men in wedding dresses standing on plinths- and thought, yes, I have to see this. I didn't really know about the play though.<br />
The drama progresses well. Something's always happening, there's twists, tension and anger is mixed with lighter moments, and aside from the ending which seemed a little abrupt, it flows well.<br />
The actors work together well, and the deepness of relationships came through physically in interacting with each other.<br />
The direction and scene setting was brilliant. They use lightweight boxes which are stacked in various ways to create different scenes, and which hold the smaller props. I think everything there was used at least once, with varying degrees of creativity. The scene changes happen in full view, accompanied by disco music and carried out with the emotion present in the scene. I loved watching them as it added unspoken aspects to the personalities.<br />
There's only three or four lines of seating on three sides of the stage so it's a very intimate show. It's made more so by full nudity, (unexpected for me, expected for anyone who takes note of online warnings) but the close setting was good for really feeling the emotions coming off the play. And for those, wow. It cycles through a full range of feelings and situations you find in a relationship- the excitement of meeting someone new, the ease of living together, the hurt of a betrayal, what happens next- and the closeness of the venue means you see all the effects the events have on the characters, even the really subtle ones.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>Strength 4 tea to a very exposed realistic play.<br />
<b>Links: <a href="http://twitter.com/moving_dust">twitter </a>| <a href="http://t.co/WoeG808E">company </a>| <a href="http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/this-much/">Soho Theatre tickets</a></b><br />
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-39522494784624593912016-06-02T18:02:00.000+01:002016-12-11T18:46:15.959+00:00Giveaway(Over)- THE UNICORNE FILES by CHRIS D'LACEY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hey, it's been a long time since I had a giveaway for you...but here one is! To celebrate today's release of A Crown of Dragons, the last book in the series of The Unicorne Files by Chris d'Lacey, Laura from Chicken House has kindly offered the chance to win the whole trilogy!<br />
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A Dark Inheritance: When Michael Malone discovers his supernatural ability to alter reality, he is recruited by an organization dedicated to investigating strange and paranormal phenomena. He joins in hopes of finding his father, who mysteriously vanished three years earlier. Michael's first task is to solve the mystery of a dog he rescued from a precarious clifftop -- a mystery that leads him to a strange and sickly classmate and a young girl who was killed in a devastating accident. Stakes are high as Michael learns to harness his newfound ability and uncover the deadly truth about his father's disappearance.<br />
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Alexander's Army: After the success of his first assignment from the UNICORNE agency, fourteen-year-old Michael Malone is given another unexplained mystery to solve. When UNICORNE detect strange goings-on in a comic book shop, Michael is sent to investigate- a task which is made all the more difficult by allies he can no longer trust, and an enemy he can't actually see.<br />
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A Crown of Dragons: Michael, a special agent for the secretive UNICORNE agency, embarks on his most dangerous mission yet: investigating the artefact his father was researching before he disappeared. But the truth is darker than he could’ve imagined. His father is lost in an alternative reality, and Michael is the only one with the power to save him...<br />
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If you'd like to enter, use the Rafflecopter below. Entry is open to residents of the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and entry closes at 12am on Friday 10 June. Winner will be chosen some time on Friday.<br />
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Good luck!<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="71b0c2b918" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/71b0c2b918/" id="rcwidget_tsyjnhtx" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-30612779097550333222016-05-27T23:14:00.001+01:002016-12-11T18:45:39.338+00:00Theatre Review- Richard III and Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, performed by The Handlebards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Review written with input from two of my friends who saw it with me, Lottie and Amy. Their opinion is reflected here too. </b><br />
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<b>Title: "</b>Richard III" and "Much Ado About Nothing"</div>
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<b>Writer: </b>William Shakespeare</div>
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<b>Director: </b>Emma Sampson (Richard III), Nicola Samer (Much Ado)</div>
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<b>Performed by: </b>The Handlebards</div>
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<b>Major cast: </b>Liam Mansfield, Matt Maltby, Paul Hillar, and Stanton Plummer-Cambridge</div>
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<b>Seen at: </b>The Museum of the Order of St. John<br />
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<b>Review: </b>In Richard III, Richard, Duke of Gloucester murders his way to the throne and doesn't stop once he's there. In Much Ado About Nothing, plots to set up and break up pairs of lovers happen with varying degrees of success. The Handlebards, four actors who cycle with set, props and scenery to wherever they're going, are taking these shows on a tour.</div>
I was incredibly looking forwards to seeing these. The comedy of the Handlebards that I'd seen before, plus one of my favourite shows (Much Ado) plus one of the plays I knew had many murders (Richard III) all combined to make me think I must see these shows somehow.<br />
Both shows are imbued with the Handlebard style-brightly colour coding the actors, easy to remove and/or alter accessories, inventive ways of holding props to symbolise characters on stage when a scene needs more than four people on stage, audience participation, and epic levels of multiroling, energy, and enthusiasm.<br />
The four actors are all new to being part of the Handlebards, and work together well. Liam and Paul play lovers in both plays (Richard and Anne and Benedick and Beatrice) and in both play off each other well, especially in Much Ado when both believe the other to be in love with them. All four of them have an extensive range of physical movement and voices and facial expressions that differentiate the characters, which is necessary when most of them are learning about 20 characters each.<br />
The set is a backdrop and some popup tents. It's simple for practicality and when it does what it's meant to, it goes well with both plays (especially when it's being worn by Gainsby and Benedick).<br />
The music was good. In Richard III, Richard's theme music is overdone in part one of the play (the same music and choreography each time means it loses its effect), or maybe it seems that way due to the fact the theme was the only music in part one; part two had much more musical accompaniment (and occasional musical feature) so the recurrences seemed more integrated. It is especially performed well on a mop bass with jazz-style singing. Much Ado About Nothing has a lot more music, which is used throughout for scene transitions, comedy, and where the script calls for singing. They all sing and play their instruments well.<br />
On to each performance specifically. I only knew that Richard III was about a lot of murder to become king; and I was very pleased with how easy it was to follow. I think the multiroling helped with this a lot. With most Histories, I often see most the cast being men who are all named after parts of England and who all look the same and are very easy to mix up. but here, the huge differences between characterisation made it easy to tell what's happening. Despite all the murder, it's played pretty much as a full-scale comedy- timing, music, Richard's movements, the insistance that Richmond was French, the murder weapons.... oh and the ghosts. That was a most wonderful scene involving lots of bedclothes and wooooooing and the opposite of what you'd expect the souls of the dead haunting their murderer. The whole audience was laughing throughout this scene, and the whole play. It was a brilliant atmosphere and a great night.<br />
Much Ado about Nothing was sadly not as good as I was hoping. It may be because we all studied it and loved it and know it, that it was easy for us to notice little slips and where they cut or shortened some of our favourite bits, such as Beatrice's "double heart for his single one" line, and Benedick's listing of what he wants in a woman, which relates to his longer speech after his tricking scene. I am also used to seeing this performed at pretty much breakneck speed (like at their Richard III speed), and this felt comparatively slow in parts. I think what they had in mind would have been brilliant, but the fact that some things just didn't go as planned, such as scene changes and parts of the set starting to fall down, got in their way. They really did do their best at whatever the circumstances threw at them-Beatrice's temporary deafness being a highlight of their improv. In addition, the Watch scenes were good, I loved Stanton's ballet-dancing Claudio, Matt made an absolutely adorable Hero, and Liam's face of complete what the heck after being told to kill Claudio was a wonderful interpretation.I think as they perform more, they'll get used to what they want to do and they'll get quicker, and I'd like to see Much Ado later on in the run if I can.<br />
All this said, this is a great company. They're learning not only two plays, but multiple roles within the plays, plus cycling to wherever they need to go. Also, we did see them on the first public performances. The overall style of their acting, the huge comedy/comedic potential, the running gags both within plays and across plays, and the sheer amount of energy and connection they have with each other and the audience make the well worth coming to see.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>A high strength 4.5 tea to Richard III and a solid strength 3 tea to Much Ado About Nothing averages out to Strength 4 tea to a set of shows that you should catch if you can.</div>
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<b>Links: <a href="http://www.handlebards.com/boys/">Company Website</a></b><b><a href="http://www.handlebards.com/boys/"> </a></b></div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-23314647854139935882016-05-12T18:18:00.001+01:002016-05-12T18:18:58.333+01:00Book Review- This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKcWyXtScMuEZ0Y1-zo3D2hH4CYesFTzrIAwEnE2B6A2I4nL_AH7SNKl_3Wqim6iUr7h1kMDb5Be5TSyavWIY-NGXugq8XEDXMkRc3gGWnlOFku6e94MR_27oPIPAuxTi-vssWUVK4x0/s1600/thisisnotalovestory+kerendavid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKcWyXtScMuEZ0Y1-zo3D2hH4CYesFTzrIAwEnE2B6A2I4nL_AH7SNKl_3Wqim6iUr7h1kMDb5Be5TSyavWIY-NGXugq8XEDXMkRc3gGWnlOFku6e94MR_27oPIPAuxTi-vssWUVK4x0/s1600/thisisnotalovestory+kerendavid.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><b>Title: </b>This Is Not A Love Story</div>
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<b>Author: </b>Keren David</div>
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<b>Series: </b>N/A</div>
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<b>Published: </b>7 May 2015 by Atom</div>
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<b>Length: </b>352 pages</div>
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<b>Source: </b>library</div>
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<b>Other info: </b>Keren David has also written the When I Was Joe series (When I Was Joe, Almost True, and Another Life), Salvage, Lisa's Guide to Winning the Lottery, and Cuckoo. </div>
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<b>Summary : </b>Kitty dreams of a beautiful life, but that's impossible in suburban London where her family is haunted by her father's unexpected death. So when her mum suggests moving to Amsterdam to try a new life, Kitty doesn't take much persuading. Will this be her opportunity to make her life picture perfect?</div>
In Amsterdam she meets moody, unpredictable Ethan, and clever, troubled Theo. Two enigmatic boys, who each harbour their own secrets. In a beautiful city and far from home, Kitty finds herself falling in love for the first time.<br />
But will love be everything she expected? And will anyone's heart survive?<br />
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<b>Review: </b>Kitty and Theo have recently moved to Amsterdam. Kitty's mother's boyfriend's son is Ethan. The three of them must deal with falling in love, keeping secrets from each other, and getting through life.</div>
I wanted to read this because it kept getting flagged up in chats for featuring bisecusl boys, and I'd been meaning to read things by Keren for a long time. Keren reading short story from Ethan's viewpoint made me want to know more about him and therefore I started on this.<br />
It did seem a bit wandering regarding Kitty and Ethan's story, to start with (probably because I'm generally less interested in people working out who they like until there's bigger conflicts involved). I did like seeing the development of Theo's relationship with Sophie, which is told partially by flashback partially in the present too. I also liked seeing all the relationship strands between Kitty, Theo and Ethan converge and how that all panned out. The building and breakdown of relationships in this book are tumultuous, but good to read about.<br />
I really enjoyed reading about different cultures - Jewish and Dutch. I especially liked that Keren provided characters with different attitudes to aspects of their culture, offering a range of characters within such an under-represented group.<br />
The side characters made a good group. My favourite was Rachel, Kitty's sister, who was funny, and a good support for Kitty. <br />
There's a lot of things our main trio have to deal with. Family relationships, working out friendships, health issues, fitting in when moving abroad... A lot is happening here, and I quite liked seeing how Theo and Kitty fit in after the move.<br />
Part one is the climatic event, part two is before, part three is after. I liked this structure, as it catches your attention immediately, and establishes characters.<br />
I loved the ending. Kitty's discussion with her friends is good for reminding all of us of some lessons in life. Characters' justifications for the way they wanted things were realistic, especially Ethan's (last paragraphs of chapter 44) and while the strands unpacked within the novel are tied up, there's still an openendedness for the future.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b><br />
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Strength 4 tea to a story that is not about love, but is about relationships, romantic, familial, and friendshippy, and overall about life.<br />
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<b>Links:<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0349001405/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0349001405&linkCode=as2&tag=bloandboo-21"> Amazon |</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22838328-this-is-not-a-love-story">Goodreads </a>|<a href="http://kerendavid.com/">Author website</a> |</b></div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-4982188633512246802016-02-09T16:55:00.000+00:002016-02-09T16:56:00.095+00:00Theatre Review-A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed by the Arcola Queer Collective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Title: </b>A
Midsummer Night's Dream</div>
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<b>Writer: </b>William
Shakespeare and Patrick Cash and company</div>
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<b>Director: </b>Nick
Connaughton</div>
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<b>Performed by: </b>Arcola
Queer Directive</div>
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<b>Cast: </b>Sheena
Anyanwu, Diego Benzoni, Miss Cairo, Daniel Correia, Anthony
Cranfield, Vickie Dillon, Rudi Douglas, Camilla Harding, James
Hartley, Stuart Honey, Damien Hughes, Krishna Istha, Rubyyy Jones,
Damien Kileen, Bex Large, Phil Rhys Thomas.</div>
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<b>Seen at: </b>Arcola
Theatre</div>
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<b>Review:</b> Hermia
and Lysander are a happy couple, much to the protests of Hermia's
homophobic mother Egeus. Helena is a young man in love with
Demetrius, who pushes him away. The couples all get mixed up at a
nightclub, La Forêt, when the owner Oberon uses Puck to matchmake.
Meanwhile, Oberon's relationship to his wife Titania is breaking down
over the care of an abducted Irish musician, while the backstage team
of La Forêt prepare for their turn in the spotlight. Through
Shakespearean verse and contemporary additions, A Midsummer Night's
Dream is a tale of love, relationships, and how that all works out.</div>
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<br />
I was very excited for
this. Midsummer is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, and the
fact that they were making it to include queer characters and
modernised made me even more interested. <br />
I'm glad I knew it had
added monologues before going in. I wouldn't have hated it if I
hadn't, I would just have been puzzled to start with. The monologues
are good additions, and I'll come to them later. <br />
We're introduced
to the last night of La Forêt. Introducing Puck as the in house drug
dealer sets the tone. Then for the rest of the play, which happens
mostly as Shakespeare intended, with some flashback scenes and
speeches added in. </div>
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<br />
I like most of the new characterisations. The
Mechanicals have a weird love triangle/pining thing going on (Flute
loves Quince, Snug makes physical moves on Quince, I'm not sure
whether Quince reciprocates either of them. It's not really explored,
or maybe I didn't notice it ) but they do produce a good play by the
end of it. Theseus and Hippolyta were...bizarre. Were they high?
Their comments are amusing ("Hermia can go to a convent or die"
"That's a bit much." And "I will kiss the wall's hole"
"Shakespeare is a pervert") but I'm not sure where their
characters were going.<br />
Other characters get better development.
Puck is a cabaret, Doctor Frankenfurter like figure, introduced by a
monologue of how he ran away then got into this culture. Hermia talks
about her relationship with her mother. Helena's speech about porn
and falling for Demetrius is funny and makes you love him. Bottom
comes out of character and delivers a passionate speech, including
poetry, about their identity and society, which I thought was a
brilliant performance. </div>
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<br />
There are four characters that this
production of Midsummer changed my views on. First, Demetrius, who
from the Shakespeare is normally one of my lesser favourites due to
him being a bit of an asshole. Here, his speech about HIV gives him a
reason for pushing Helena away, despite his feelings for him, and
does not make him seem heartless.I also liked it because Oberon,
listening to this speech, now has a more valid reason to work to get
Helena and Demetrius together and finally yay bisexual visibility.
Then there's Oberon and Titania, who are again a warring couple, but
there's a confrontation scene at the start of the second half between
them that is distinctly modern and pulls up the issues in their lives
as they discuss the family and identity they left behind and how to
go forwards. We see more flaws in both their characters than from the
Shakespeare, and added new levels of manipulativeness, and I liked
the new take on the relationship. Finally, there's the kidnapped boy
they're fighting over-Irish here, as opposed to Indian, and given a
chance to talk about his new life and chemsex, as opposed to being
namedropped and maybe brought on with the fairies. He also provides
really good keyboard and singing. </div>
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<br />
The staging of this is good.
They stay mostly on the main stage but sometimes use the upper level,
where the Irish Boy and keyboard is stationed, and an aisle, for the
flashbacks.I also enjoyed the little bits of audience interaction which made it more inclusive, but not so much to intrude on the main action.</div>
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They
make full use of innuendo in the Pyramus and Thisbe scene, and the
Titania and Bottom seduction scene, providing adult physical comedy
that differs to the comedy I'm used to seeing from Midsummer (and the
comedy that others are used to too-the performance I was at saw a
group of old people leave for the interval and not come back).</div>
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The
comedy is less present in the lover's fight scene, when Lysander and
Demetrius are both artifically in love with Helena, while Hermia
looks on. I think it might be because it takes the bad situation for
Hermia (having both her suitors completely change tack and court her
best friend Hermia) and makes it worse because there's something a
little more heartwrenching as her girlfriend Lysander (who I think
might have been a lesbian?) starts wooing a gay boy, and the
friendship and romance falls apart. </div>
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<br />
I think the strength of this
performance is that they take the issues surrounding courtship and
marriage that are present in the Shakespeare, and look at the issues
surrounding courtship and marriage today, particularly within the
queer community. </div>
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<b>Overall: </b>Strength
4.5 tea to a play that easily weaves together Shakespearean and
modern stories to create a play that is both funny and serious, but entirely powerful.</div>
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<b>Links: <a href="http://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/a-midsummer-nights-dream/"> Company and play</a>| <a href="http://arcolatheatre.com/">Theatre</a></b></div>
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<b>Arcola Queer Collective is currently performing Le Petit Prince, between 8 -13 February. More information <a href="http://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/the-little-prince/2016-02-08/">here</a>.</b></div>
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Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-11793821166764739372016-01-05T18:43:00.003+00:002016-01-05T19:07:00.805+00:00Book Review- Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>First post of 2016! I'm starting as I hope to go on, with a review. Enjoy!</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsFl5darlbQfkjjofxvKMCueOX0D_K-VbT5RP9KEqFd2ef7gkpZZlbcRbGuDAfdaIJzCCQB7LRSvd6WExFSUvAV2JRiHek_sOft7QIMXaphNJLlmuxX9eqH9O31EM4_FPgrsKWLWR0W4/s1600/becauseyoullnevermeetme%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsFl5darlbQfkjjofxvKMCueOX0D_K-VbT5RP9KEqFd2ef7gkpZZlbcRbGuDAfdaIJzCCQB7LRSvd6WExFSUvAV2JRiHek_sOft7QIMXaphNJLlmuxX9eqH9O31EM4_FPgrsKWLWR0W4/s320/becauseyoullnevermeetme%2523.jpg" width="209" /></a><b>Title</b>: Because You'll Never Meet Me</div>
<b>Author</b>: Leah Thomas<br />
<b>Series</b>: N/A<br />
<b>Published</b>: Bloomsbury Children's Books<br />
<b>Length</b>: 344 pages<br />
<b>Source: </b>Publisher<br />
<b>Other info</b>: This is Leah Thomas's debut. A sequel, currently Nowhere Near You, should come in 2017.<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Ollie and Moritz are best friends, but they can never meet. Ollie is allergic to electricity. Contact with it causes debilitating seizures. Moritz’s weak heart is kept pumping by an electronic pacemaker. If they ever did meet, Ollie would seize. But Moritz would die without his pacemaker. Both hermits from society, the boys develop a fierce bond through letters that become a lifeline during dark times—as Ollie loses his only friend, Liz, to the normalcy of high school and Moritz deals with a bully set on destroying him.<br />
A story of impossible friendship and hope under strange circumstances, this debut is powerful, dark and humorous in equal measure. These extraordinary voices bring readers into the hearts and minds of two special boys who, like many teens, are just waiting for their moment to shine. <br />
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<b>Review</b>: Ollie is allergic to electricity-contact with devices means he'll have a seizure, or it will short out. Moritz was born without eyeballs and he has a pacemaker. And they live on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Still, they form a friendship, writing letters to each other, talking about their present and past.<br />
<br />
I got sent this by the publishers. I didn't know what to expect, but the blurb looked good.<br />
The story is told through the letters between Moritz and Ollie. Both write totally differently, reflecting their contrasting personalities. I think Ollie's style was more engaging, it is, for the most part, more enthusiastic, while Moritz is more controlled. However they're both styles that make you want to read on to learn about the characters, as they tell you about their struggles to interact with society, and their attempts to make it work.<br />
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Most of the book is telling us about the lives of the boys, separate from society for different reasons, but trying to interact. We meet friends like Liz, Fieke, and Owen, who help our main characters develop. I really liked watching Moritz and Ollie change, especially Ollie, as they both become more confident to do things on their own. Favourite moment- Moritz being taught how to read ink on paper.<br />
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When we do learn about their history, which seems quite late considering its focus in the blurb, for me, it's very out of the blue. I liked that we got a lot of coming of age and different stories, and this ending... I didn't see it coming, and it's a bit of a genre shift. Then again, I guess all the references to Daredevil does bring in some elements of it early... I still prefer the friendship/growing up differently element of this story. However, I did like the very ending, and the fact that you wonder about the stories of the other people who would be involved. I didn't see it coming, and There's a lot that could be written, in fanfic or by Thomas, or can be left open to your imagination. <br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>Overall</b>: Strength 4 tea to a story about an unusual friendship between two characters you love to watch. <br />
<br />
<b>Links: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/140886262X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=140886262X&linkCode=as2&tag=bloandboo-21">Amazon </a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20649195-because-you-ll-never-meet-me">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://tidd.ly/6a1ded5c">Foyles</a></b></div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-48713897956802211802015-12-31T17:40:00.001+00:002015-12-31T18:40:20.944+00:002015 Round Up and Bookish Survey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
amount I have blogged this year has been shockingly low.... I do aim
to have time to rectify that, because I love the community, but
school and doing everything is difficult. *sigh*
</div>
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Anyway,
like last year, I'll fill this out as best as I can! Thank you,<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2015/12/6th-annual-end-of-year-survey-2015-edition.html">
Jamie (The Perpetual Page Turner) </a></u></span></span>for
making and hosting this!</div>
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<br /></div>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<b>2015 Reading Stats</b></h2>
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<b>Number Of Books You
Read: </b>93</div>
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<b>Number of Re-Reads:
</b>4, I think: The Knife of Never
Letting Go, The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and Simon vs.
the Homo Sapiens Agenda<b><br />Genre You Read The Most From:
</b>...not sure. A bit of many
things. Not much historical. A fair bit of contemporary.
</div>
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<b>Best In Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Au5dZrdZeTubd92wlht4QMK8K2wiGzUiuH_XDUmHx8xpfvI-VY9St1XpJItv9JqhCrDuN9_1l3sY9_izLV77BVuMHuYjlM5aPIyROSbYhB3jk9TvnL3w6qDXFsnrYnX4xkUa0QBD4o/s1600/simon+vs+the+homo+sapiens+agenda+becky+albertalli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Au5dZrdZeTubd92wlht4QMK8K2wiGzUiuH_XDUmHx8xpfvI-VY9St1XpJItv9JqhCrDuN9_1l3sY9_izLV77BVuMHuYjlM5aPIyROSbYhB3jk9TvnL3w6qDXFsnrYnX4xkUa0QBD4o/s1600/simon+vs+the+homo+sapiens+agenda+becky+albertalli.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
</b></h2>
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<b>1. Best Book You
Read In 2015? </b>Simon vs. the
Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli- see my review <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/book-review-simon-vs-homo-sapiens.html">here</a>.</div>
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<b>2. Book You Were
Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
</b>The Honours by Tim Clare. I
love Clare's poetry, and was very excited for this, but it's not as
gripping as I hoped and it's just been sitting by my bed.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>3. Most
surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? </b>Fingersmith
by Sarah Waters. End Part One. Huge twist. Loved it. <b> </b>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGLBwm1EDldOC5YAis4SfODmeAQMS0L1vzPRfP9ZZzydp3d9pgv3W3LCMzdXntdCOAxqVlgpEVwuy1dJPLtW4lY-8n3qJDq3rKOGSCE9itgLvzwc3FNfGUwPcZJ0Ge60uKt_e9k0JcFE/s1600/theliesoflockelamora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGLBwm1EDldOC5YAis4SfODmeAQMS0L1vzPRfP9ZZzydp3d9pgv3W3LCMzdXntdCOAxqVlgpEVwuy1dJPLtW4lY-8n3qJDq3rKOGSCE9itgLvzwc3FNfGUwPcZJ0Ge60uKt_e9k0JcFE/s200/theliesoflockelamora.jpg" width="130" /></a> <b>4. Book You
“Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)? </b>Half
of my time as literacy prefect at school has been spent pushing Simon
vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Also,<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/book-review-undone-by-cat-clarke.html"> Cat Clarke's Undone </a>(three people
immediately wanted to read it after I featured it in an assembly,
which I call an immense success).</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>5. Best series
you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015? </b>
</div>
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The
Gentlemen Bastards/Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Fantasy, adventure,
sass. And the sequel- all that, plus lady pirates!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>6. Favorite
new author you discovered in 2015? </b>I'm choosing two (collaborating) authors -Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison, who wrote Lobsters - their book is good and in person they're absolutely lovely: Look what they wrote in my copy!</div>
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<b>7. Best book
from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
</b>Lobsters by Tom Ellen and Lucy
Ivison (contemporary, not LGBT focussed, romance) was light, funny,
and true.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>8. Most
action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year? </b>Flex
by Ferrett Steinmetz- fantasy, beautiful descriptions, and a really
unique take on magic.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>9. Book You
Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year? </b>Simon
vs, aka the hug in book form. Or King Lear by Shakespeare, because
that's for my English exam...
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1uatIba16NUih5tPnauf1fc6PI0sxPFX3BhT0VcIfWrn02nF5OPgFCzqz9dIfm4y2gYW7drAjHIk-viOeezrlhtc_j-IB5juHHHe1LbLmhiRRNwRhariNbPZw2K8YvwWOQoZroYYYkA/s1600/lieswetelloruselves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1uatIba16NUih5tPnauf1fc6PI0sxPFX3BhT0VcIfWrn02nF5OPgFCzqz9dIfm4y2gYW7drAjHIk-viOeezrlhtc_j-IB5juHHHe1LbLmhiRRNwRhariNbPZw2K8YvwWOQoZroYYYkA/s200/lieswetelloruselves.jpg" width="126" /></a><b>10. Favorite cover
of a book you read in 2015? </b>The
US cover of Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>11. Most memorable
character of 2015? </b>The Count
from The Snow Child, in The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. Anyone
who knows that story knows why. Anyone who doesn't know is probably
better off that way.</div>
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<b>12. Most
beautifully written book read in 2015? </b>Aristotle
and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire
Saenz. So much happiness. <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/book-review-aristotle-and-dante.html">Review here</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZPHiQwXGaue8tCBAECnFcteJlEx7iwA7JQjBNex29KniVmy9kwkOG3fH9AYTCD6OLyWV4Esn4BHJF70RsfT-VshyeWnjTf7uC08iaLJRsldsv5eRJES9v_Bc2iV04z1Q3oaD2gX08pU/s320/aristotleanddante.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZPHiQwXGaue8tCBAECnFcteJlEx7iwA7JQjBNex29KniVmy9kwkOG3fH9AYTCD6OLyWV4Esn4BHJF70RsfT-VshyeWnjTf7uC08iaLJRsldsv5eRJES9v_Bc2iV04z1Q3oaD2gX08pU/s200/aristotleanddante.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b>13. Most
Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015? </b>This
is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. So many perspectives, insights,
and emotions. <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/book-review-this-is-where-it-ends-by.html">Review here. </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlSm2Zgpeb33SOqqwJCidR_ZVRpIxjYo8NIzGqwbfzMDnF12QBcH9vely0R6105tcMquFEsAJLpYcr67roFlv32DLKWxZ8Mfh5qhV3Ba4mvCe7iuh0q8THTk7ptEaIpUL5KptAw-GcGg/s1600/howtorepairamechanicalheart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlSm2Zgpeb33SOqqwJCidR_ZVRpIxjYo8NIzGqwbfzMDnF12QBcH9vely0R6105tcMquFEsAJLpYcr67roFlv32DLKWxZ8Mfh5qhV3Ba4mvCe7iuh0q8THTk7ptEaIpUL5KptAw-GcGg/s200/howtorepairamechanicalheart.jpg" width="125" /></a> <b>14. Book you
can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read? </b><b> </b> How To Repair a Mechanical Heart by J.C. Lilis. Such an adorable story, aware of <br />
fandom, and happy and funny and lovely.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3sSppHMgZDVGZNroKRanb57PkSbqPHO24NBK4NPvg_br9AIQAMaJUpKQ2-tFnB-5iTJSNLzGtbdkT3d-hIhx3Yhy_jrStZCJfTKar3MNhHaED8JEZvKjSW5IJJFaBSdCpVnEuZy7A_U/s1600/9780586033883-uk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3sSppHMgZDVGZNroKRanb57PkSbqPHO24NBK4NPvg_br9AIQAMaJUpKQ2-tFnB-5iTJSNLzGtbdkT3d-hIhx3Yhy_jrStZCJfTKar3MNhHaED8JEZvKjSW5IJJFaBSdCpVnEuZy7A_U/s200/9780586033883-uk.jpg" width="122" /></a> <b>15. Favorite
Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015? </b>
I want to put something from the James Michie translation of
Catullus' poems, but I can't choose a favourite.</div>
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<b>16.Shortest &
Longest Book You Read In 2015? </b>Pub
Stuntman by Tim Clare, 67 pages. The Secret History by Donna Tart,
628 pages.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>17. Book That
Shocked You The Most </b>Fingersmith
by Sarah Waters, as detailed earlier.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>18. OTP OF THE YEAR
(you will go down with this ship!) </b>Aristotle
and Dante, as they discover the secrets of the Universe.</div>
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<b>(OTP = one true
pairing if you aren’t familiar) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>19. Favorite
Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year </b>The
epistolary friendship between Ollie and Moritz in Because You'll Never
Meet Me by Leah Thomas.</div>
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<b>20. Favorite Book
You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously </b>The
Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke – <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/book-review-and-giveaway-lost-and-found.html">review here</a>.</div>
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<b>21. Best Book You
Read In 2015That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From
Somebody Else/Peer Pressure: </b>I'll
Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, as a result of peer pressure. <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/book-review-ill-give-you-sun-by-jandy.html">My review here. </a>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>22. Newest fictional
crush from a book you read in 2015? </b>
Locke, Ezri and Zamira from Scott Lynch's works.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>23. Best 2015 debut
you read? </b>The Art of Being
Normal by Lisa Wiliamson - I<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/book-review-art-of-being-normal-by-lisa.html"> reviewed it here</a></div>
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<b>24. Best
Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year? </b>The
worlds in Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, and Otherbound by Corrinne
Duyvis</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>25. Book That Put A
Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read? </b>Prudence
by Gail Carriger.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>26. Book That Made
You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015? </b>This
is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp <br />
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and All of the Above by Juno
Dawson.</div>
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>27. Hidden Gem Of
The Year? </b>… I don't know</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>28. Book That
Crushed Your Soul? </b>This is
Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>29. Most Unique Book
You Read In 2015? </b>The Bees by
Laline Paull. Entire dystopian set in a beehive.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>30. Book That Made
You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)? </b>Can't decide.</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Your
Bookish/Blogging Life </b></h2>
</div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>1. New favorite book
blog you discovered in 2015</b> I can't think of one. I met lots of new people on twitter and real life, but I
can't call one a favourite!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>2. Favorite review
that you wrote in 2015? </b>Not of
a book, but a theatre review of S<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/theatre-review-secret-shakespeare-by.html">ecret Shakespeare with theHandlebards</a>.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>3. Best
discussion/non-review post you had on your blog? </b>Bisexual
characters for Bi-visibility day!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHrwx5sx9t7I3xK0j1MuLKLnpRfjkUrfkHZ3k6qO0u5FMzFgDCktR6wkOFA_QyIaW8r-myucZl7ks0V3jTcPOHjrzIAArf38M6QRU0yppWyaIC6PDpMbBZgYxNopt6_nsOyAuiIlNcKU/s320/IMG_20150703_180709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHrwx5sx9t7I3xK0j1MuLKLnpRfjkUrfkHZ3k6qO0u5FMzFgDCktR6wkOFA_QyIaW8r-myucZl7ks0V3jTcPOHjrzIAArf38M6QRU0yppWyaIC6PDpMbBZgYxNopt6_nsOyAuiIlNcKU/s320/IMG_20150703_180709.jpg" /></a><b>4. Best event that
you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events,
memes, etc.)? </b>Hmm.... attending YALC,
Love Hurts signing, and YAShot, hosting people like Lisa Williamson and Kim Curran for blog tours.... many brilliant things.... but I'll go
with TEDx! Non Pratt, Tom Pollock, Sarah Sky, and Faye (A Daydreamer's Thoughts) and Fionnula (Books for Birds) came, we had lots of talks, one by me (also, the editing people are very busy so the videos are going to be a long time coming... should I record as a vlog my talk on why you should read diversely? I was proud of it, and my ability to deliver it to 100 people without too many mistakes...)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>5. Best moment of
bookish/blogging life in 2015? </b>the
many excellent twitter chats with people. Or my first Drink YA- lots of awesome people, and book themed cocktails! </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>6. Most challenging
thing about blogging or your reading life this year? </b>Keeping
up with it all!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>7. Most Popular Post
This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)? </b>By view, according to Google Analytics, it's<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/does-ya-challenge-or-reinforce-gender.html"> my EPQ on whether YA reinforces or challenges gender stereotypes</a>...<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>8. Post You Wished
Got A Little More Love? </b>….do
any of them really deserve much love? eh... Not about a book, but my
review of<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/theatre-review-spring-awakening-by.html"> Spring Awakening performed by Renegade Theatre </a>was nearly
1,000 words and no-one commented on it...
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>9. Best bookish
discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)? </b>Thanks
to Jim (YA Yeah Yeah) and Stacey (The Pretty Books) , Judd Books! Second hand book store in London,
cheap, great non-fiction section. Yay!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>10. Did you
complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for
yourself at the beginning of this year? </b>Haha
probably not.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Looking Ahead</b></h2>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>1. One Book You
Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Suetonius'
Lives of the Twelve Caesars, for a research project which has become
neglected in the last few weeks.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>2. Book You Are Most
Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)? </b>Robin
Talley's As I Descended- I'm scared to read it because I've built it up to be mindblowing and I don't want to be disappointed but LESBIAN CONTEMPORARY MACBETH!!!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>3. 2016 Debut You
Are Most Anticipating? </b>Can't
think of any.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>4. Series
Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016? </b>Can't
think of any.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>5. One Thing You
Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2016? </b>Keep
up with reviews!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>6. A 2016 Release
You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone: </b>This
is Where it Ends.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Thank you for staying with me for another year of intermittent blogging and overenthusiastic tweeting! It's been a busy year for me, what with AS exams, starting work for A2, taking on a weekend job, applying for unis, and trying to gain some order with my life, and next year looks to be similar or busier... anyway, h</b><b>appy new year, everyone!</b></div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-83694030993099813212015-11-18T17:13:00.002+00:002015-11-18T17:13:57.200+00:00Book Review- The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUkEYIlEXLKwG8xuQI5WyMhykTiDSZG4WBbldHUNv6AcsgHptidttRXtemviixb4poz-_TWGByOooF-aQ7UGo11ZQWfw02rXMqclpUwb4uvKf8eaDSn0xcAbvIBWlaY_ZMV-XOkralyo/s1600/the+penelopiad+atwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUkEYIlEXLKwG8xuQI5WyMhykTiDSZG4WBbldHUNv6AcsgHptidttRXtemviixb4poz-_TWGByOooF-aQ7UGo11ZQWfw02rXMqclpUwb4uvKf8eaDSn0xcAbvIBWlaY_ZMV-XOkralyo/s320/the+penelopiad+atwood.jpg" width="206" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><b>Title:
</b>The Penelopiad</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Author: </b>Margaret
Atwood</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Series: </b>Canongate
Myths</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Published: </b>October
2005</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Length: </b>198
pages</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Source: </b>library</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Other info: </b>Atwood
has written many things, such as The Blind Assassin, The Handmaid's
Tale, and The Heart Goes Last. The Penelopiad was written as part of
the Canongate Myths series.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Summary</b> : For
Penelope, wife of Odysseus, maintaining a kingdom while her husband
was off fighting the Trojan war was not a simple business. Already
aggrieved that he had been lured away due to the shocking behaviour
of her beautiful cousin Helen, Penelope must bring up her wayward
son, face down scandalous rumours and keep over a hundred lustful,
greedy and bloodthirsty suitors at bay...And then, when Odysseus
finally returns and slaughters the murderous suitors, he brutally
hangs Penelope's twelve beloved maids. What were his motives? And
what was Penelope really up to? </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Review: </b>Since
her husband Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War, and then gets
caught up for ten years on the way back, Penelope has been left
running her household, and fighting off suitors who want to marry
her, and eat her out of house and home. Now that she's dead, she's
ready to tell her side of the tale, as are the twelve maids who were
hanged.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
According
to Goodreads, I read this a few years ago and gave it three stars,
but I don't remember doing that. Now I know the Odyssey a bit more,
and we're doing a feminist-orientated piece of English coursework, I
decided to pick this up, and now I understand things better, I loved
it.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There's
reinterpretations and challenges to the characters and stories.
Obviously, there's those against Odysseus, where there's the question
of whether the Cyclops he fought was a monster or a one-eyed
barkeeper, and whether his years with Circe and Calypso were spent in
brothels or nymphs and witches. But there's also a conversation with
Antinous, one of the suitors, explaining why they wanted to marry
Penelope so much, and the presentation of Helen as vain, proud, and
wanting to conquer men just because she can. Atwood has taken
inspiration from multiple sources, not just Homer's epic, but also
theories from Robert Graves (who used many writers to inform his
work) and Homeric hymns. I like the possibilities this gave Atwood
to work with, and the ways she used them.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Penelope's
voice often dryly comments on various parts of the stories, and I
enjoyed her different insights. What I liked most was the use of the
chorus, the twelve maids, whose chapters mostly alternate with
Penelope's and change styles each time. Poems, songs, plays, and a
transcript of a modern-day murder trial are some of the ways the
maids pass their story on in many ways. The writing is well crafted,
allowing each of the styles as well as Penelope's main narration to
work together to make a story that is intriguing and easy to read.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Overall: </b>Strength
5 tea to a book that makes you think about the different
interpretations a myth can have, and provides a new one.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Links: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1841957046/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1841957046&linkCode=as2&tag=bloandboo-21">Amazon </a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/561371.The_Penelopiad">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://margaretatwood.ca/">Author
website </a>| <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=1414&awinaffid=240585&clickref=&p=http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/the-penelopiad-the-myth-of-penelope,margaret-atwood-9781841957043">Foyles</a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-73780265811585922602015-10-23T07:30:00.000+01:002015-10-23T07:30:01.190+01:00YA Shot Tour- Interview with Lisa Williamson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9j7PsURzGteDfbofsVhKRSLlJ2JczMMAzhdrGDVWSW2aj7jyayTmgnR_VR1XhKxYvxmam3dBRFVRghyphenhyphenSHkB_OUM6nWw4DoydHoqSO0GxUqkgJuq_p8Feb9JvXxWymrodgc4NaUbAF-5k/s1600/Lisa+Williamson+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9j7PsURzGteDfbofsVhKRSLlJ2JczMMAzhdrGDVWSW2aj7jyayTmgnR_VR1XhKxYvxmam3dBRFVRghyphenhyphenSHkB_OUM6nWw4DoydHoqSO0GxUqkgJuq_p8Feb9JvXxWymrodgc4NaUbAF-5k/s320/Lisa+Williamson+.jpg" width="213" /></a><b>Today, I’m very
excited to welcome Lisa Williamson on the YA Shot tour! <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://yashot.co.uk/">YA Shot</a> is an event that
will take place in Uxbridge on 28
October, organised by Alexia Casale and many other people. Over 71 will be there, tickets are up-to £20, and
there’s a full day of panels and booky –MG and YA- things happening!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZvRt0avgND3B8MQdP1QnkMrTg3Rr9iZdtxLDVdoniXh2am2a2Zo2J08rDgjY4zcJHsjTatLFxTCSj9Ujtv9knKz4eEg3kyrBehVhQnPCSQD-D5kyLtcxomykJtoktrvS1A2RnFOJ9e4/s1600/yashot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZvRt0avgND3B8MQdP1QnkMrTg3Rr9iZdtxLDVdoniXh2am2a2Zo2J08rDgjY4zcJHsjTatLFxTCSj9Ujtv9knKz4eEg3kyrBehVhQnPCSQD-D5kyLtcxomykJtoktrvS1A2RnFOJ9e4/s200/yashot.png" width="200" /></a><b> Lisa Williamson is the
author of The Art of Being Normal, which I <a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/book-review-art-of-being-normal-by-lisa.html">reviewed
here</a> and really enjoyed. I got the chance to interview her, and I loved her
answers, and couldn’t wait to share!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Do you think reading
is important for teens today, and why?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I do! I'm convinced those who read fiction make
for kinder, more sensitive and empathetic people. Having said
that, not every teen is going to be reader and I think it's important we don't
ever make anyone feel bad or inadequate about not reading for pleasure.
What we should really be doing is finding a way of exposing reluctant
readers to the range and breadth of books out there in such a way
that doesn't feel enforced. I often meet young people who adore the Hunger
Games films but would never think of reading the books. Changing that mindset
without being preachy is hard! I often describe my personal experience
of reading the Hunger Games for the first time and try to communicate just
how intense that was, because instead of sitting in a cinema full of people
watching Katniss fight to the death, I was actually there with her,
in her head, just the two of us! For me growing up, books represented escape
and relaxation. I loved how private and personal my relationship with
a book felt, regardless of how many other people I knew had also read it.
Reading also helped me figure out who I was, or rather who
I wanted to be, and how to make sense of my place in the world. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Has reading ever done
anything for you that you wouldn't mind sharing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I mentioned, as a teenager, reading was an escape.
When I was thirteen, I was bullied for a short but intense period. Reading
made me feel safe and a bit less lonely. I've grown up with the feeling
that books are my friend. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Do you have any
stories of people saying how TAOBN has helped them?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7sLKZCi1NsuWC8-OmZY6jjcMEInTUtCFU69CbJtHKsrZytzzBn2WVO_a_J7D_sK0ymzs_1qm80PUPRrZXpppu0N2slK8Gc-kF5wRNj2UPcI6nLf4SnAl44JvLEo2AZcc3KzLU2HpJ2k/s1600/TAOBN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7sLKZCi1NsuWC8-OmZY6jjcMEInTUtCFU69CbJtHKsrZytzzBn2WVO_a_J7D_sK0ymzs_1qm80PUPRrZXpppu0N2slK8Gc-kF5wRNj2UPcI6nLf4SnAl44JvLEo2AZcc3KzLU2HpJ2k/s320/TAOBN.jpg" /></a>I do, and it's probably been the best part of being a
published author. TOABN is told from the point of view of a young
transgender person, and although I'd done masses of research and
endeavoured to be as authentic and sensitive as possible, I was mindful of my
responsibility as an author and, pre-publication, very fearful of 'getting
it wrong'. Since the book has been out, I've been overwhelmed by the
tweets and emails I've received. One young person said the book gave him the
courage to come out to his parents. Another said she'd given it to her friends
to help them understand what she's going through. Another said how happy she'd
been to see the book displayed proudly in a high street bookshop and how it
made her feel like she was no longer 'a freak'. All these messages have
moved me deeply and demonstrate just how vital diverse books
are! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Do you think books
can help people in ways that other media can't?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Books are an amazing tool for sparking discussion. It can be
daunting to have a conversation with your family about, for example,
gender identity, but if you use a fictional story as a stimulus, it can be a
much easier and safer way in. My boyfriend's mother died recently having
suffered from Alzheimer's for a number of years. There is a lot of
literature on the subject available online. However, I found the most useful
material for helping me understand the disease were fictional titles
(namely Still Alice, Elizabeth is Missing and Unbecoming). By inviting me
to step into the shoes of a dementia sufferer, my perceptions and understanding
were turned upside down and I feel I became more compassionate and
patient as a result. Emotions are so powerful and I think stories that tap
into this part of our brain have the power to change hearts and minds in a
way I just don't think a pamphlet or online article can. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What's your favourite
way of promoting books to teens?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Talking to them! I love talking to teenagers, not just about
books but pretty much anything that excites them. I did an event recently where
I ended up talking a lot about my personal experiences as a teenager. I was
really open about being bullied and being in an emotionally abusive
relationship and feeling scared about my future and afterwards several teens
came forward and opened up to me in return. I think there's a real expectation
that adults have their shit together and I wonder if we're doing teenagers a
disservice by not being more open about our thoughts and feelings, even if
they're in retrospect. I think it would have made a massive difference to me
growing up. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also love speaking at literary festivals. A
whole festival devoted to books? What's not to love? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How important do you
think compulsory reading eg for GCSEs is?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think it's very important, even if those young people
never go on to read a single book ever again. However, I definitely feel
it's time to shake up the reading list. Teenagers are reading the same
books I read at school twenty years ago and that's not right. For one, the
teachers need to feel passionate about what they're teaching and how can they
feel energised and motivated to teach a book when it's the tenth, twentieth,
maybe even thirtieth time they've shared it with a class? The books I remember
from school are often the ones I got the sense my teacher really got
a kick out of teaching us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wonder if it's at all practical to
introduce weekly or even daily 'story time' in schools? Every time I read
aloud in a school, the kids seem to really chill out and
actually listen. It made me think of how there's something
really relaxing and uniting about listening to a story in a big group.
Being read to at school would also mean young people who don't
usually read off their own backs would be exposed to stories they would
wouldn't be otherwise, and might, just might, be motivated enough by the
experience to seek out a book of their own. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>If you could give one
book to every teenager, what would it be and why?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yikes, that's tough! This is perhaps a more female-focussed
title (although I think boys should most definitely seek it out too!) but 'Am I
Normal Yet?' by Holly Bourne is an utter joy, celebrating female friendship in
a way that's not often seen in YA fiction. It's also funny and moving and
explores mental health in a way that's really accessible and real. I also
recently read 'Goodbye Stranger' by Rebecca Stead. It's for
slightly younger readers (the protagonist is twelve) and absolutely nails
the nature of adolescent friendships in a very beautiful and
understated way. I'm all about the friendship at the moment! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Reminder: you can
find Lisa on <a href="https://twitter.com/lisa_letters">Twitter here</a>, TAOBN on Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23058402-the-art-of-being-normal">here</a>,
and you can buy it in hardback from <a href="http://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Lisa-Williamson/The-Art-of-Being-Normal/16390047">Hive</a>
or from <a href="http://www.davidficklingbooks.com/shop/ItemDetails.php?pubID=82">David
Fickling</a>. If you’d like to wait for the paperback, it’ll be here on 7th
January 2016. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-38008599060634351492015-10-19T07:30:00.000+01:002015-12-31T19:35:11.327+00:00Theatre Review: Willy's Bitches<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJD1b04t0NBAZGzdSbxwZwalKZPNkHBSTrN88Blb0HTu4JN68So-CrWB2sDEbyWAYwJjrrpZmOMVlMZsp0OkRM9o88miHmF41RkwpQTaA3XNY2ROuzj1T6EfC9VxS01NrsZKtqmdryUA/s1600/willysbitches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJD1b04t0NBAZGzdSbxwZwalKZPNkHBSTrN88Blb0HTu4JN68So-CrWB2sDEbyWAYwJjrrpZmOMVlMZsp0OkRM9o88miHmF41RkwpQTaA3XNY2ROuzj1T6EfC9VxS01NrsZKtqmdryUA/s1600/willysbitches.jpg" /></a><o:p> <b>I'm sorry for taking so long to get this up! </b></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Title</b>: Willy’s
Bitches</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Written By:</b>
Shannon Thurstone</div>
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<b>Performed by: </b>Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland</div>
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<b>Director:</b> Philip
Howard </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Music:</b> Tamara
Saringer </div>
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<b>Seen at:</b> Assembly
Checkpoint, Edinburgh Fringe</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Review</b>: Willy’s
Bitches is a cabaret show featuring various women of Shakespeare. A variety of characters
are used, selected from tragedies, comedies, and histories, and they take you
on a journey of classical dialogue and modern music.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, there’s a joke in
my family that anything I read/watch is gay, feminist, murderous, or
Shakespeare. I was looking through the giant list of shows at Edinburgh and I
came across this, which promised to be three of these things...I had to go and
see it!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My favourites were Rachel Graham as a cold, distant, creepy Lady Macbeth, and Hannah Kerbes and Samantha Taylor Burnes as Beatrice and Kate,
drinking and singing a bawdy song. Jenny Douglas was a really strong Julia, who
is played with a lot more madness than a)I would have read from Two Gentleman
of Verona and b) than Brigid Shine’s sweet and vulnerable Ophelia. Melanie
Morton and Shannon Thurston make a great comic pair as Helena and Hermia
fighting, while Queen Mary (Ash Henning) was powerful and terrifying. I’m also in love with how they performed Lavinia’s part, with eerie
harmonising as she emerges following her mutilation, then Lauren Meyer sings a
powerful song about rape culture. </div>
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The music is really good- I wish they’d released a soundtrack.
The harmonies introducing Lavinia sounded brilliant, and every actress had a
voice that fit their song. There’s a small band on stage, which provides the
men for the women to interplay with, which I liked seeing (Lady Macbeth scaring
I think it was the clarinettist, while the guitarist takes the part of York). The
music varies between styles, which fit the plays being referenced.</div>
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The staging was simple, some chairs and a table, which got
moved around as and when needed. By costume, we saw each of the plays being set
in very different settings, mixing the canon time period with modern with 50s
fashion, and I liked the mixture of aesthetics.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I wasn’t expecting it to be in this format (being listed as
a musical, I was expecting all the women to interplay with each other a lot
more than they did, and it would have been nice if they had) but the
transitions from play to play worked, even if it did just end seemingly
randomly following Margaret’s section. I’d have also liked a bit more of the
speech to come through, and to get to know a bit more of the women’s stories
from what I saw on stage, rather than filling in gaps with research afterwards.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUioEsoaQtcb6cOhxtlk0cm_xQf0-pOmvEcyveNGqKOLAzZiP08hBUVip-J4KWoZu_THvuyMgB_gnVW26LBctYrwoTfQNOsvfB84g0dW2GJDuUu1nmxiYX3cc2aqcjJPO7BztO68hJyBE/s1600/41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUioEsoaQtcb6cOhxtlk0cm_xQf0-pOmvEcyveNGqKOLAzZiP08hBUVip-J4KWoZu_THvuyMgB_gnVW26LBctYrwoTfQNOsvfB84g0dW2GJDuUu1nmxiYX3cc2aqcjJPO7BztO68hJyBE/s1600/41.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Overall: </b>Strength
4 tea to a strong new take on Shakespeare<b><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Links</b>: <a href="http://rcsatthefringe.com/shows/willys-bitches/">Company</a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-40178105612821640232015-09-23T22:51:00.000+01:002015-09-23T22:51:01.092+01:00Happy Bisexual Visibility Day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, I'm still snowed under with work because fitting everything around a personal statement that needs to be in in two days, four hundred characters shorter than it currently is while still conveying everything I want it to, is making me lose the will to live. Still, I need a break, and I thought I'd do a little post. And it's Bisexual Visibility Day (at least for the next <strike>three</strike> <strike>two</strike> hour<strike>s</strike>-it took me a long time to write this). I could do a thoughtful post of what I want or don't want in bisexual representation in fiction/the media, or other analyses. But as I'm kind of tired, so here's a few of some of my favourite bisexual (using my definition of characters "has the ability to be attracted to 1)people of our own gender and 2)people of other genders") I've encountered in books.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Micah and Drystan from Pantomime by Laura Lam (<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/book-review-pantomime-by-laura-lam.html">my review here</a>)<br />
They're really intriguing people-we meet them in a circus, in book two, they're magicians, Drystan's funny, and Micah's genearlly awesome. Also, their relationship is adorable (if only Laura hadn't done -that- to Aenea!!!)<br />
<br />
Kitty and Delilah from Hollow Pike by James Dawson (<a href="http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/book-review-hollow-pike-by-james-dawson.html">my review here</a>)<br />
The last time I read Hollow Pike was a few years ago, and my memory is kind of hazy, but I remember loving how Kitty stands up for herself, while Delilah is eternally sweet, and they make a brilliant couple.<br />
<br />
Professor Lyall from The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger<br />
I think I remember Akeldama saying that Lyall was bi... If he is, he makes this list- werewolf beta who gained a professorship from studying sheep breeding, makes sarcastic remarks and<br />
<br />
Magnus Bane from the Infernal Devices/ Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare<br />
Once again, another character whose sarky comments make me love them. Also, his magic, his adventures, and his fashion sense.<br />
<br />
Olivia, Orsino, and Viola from Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare<br />
OK, it's not officially stated, but Orsino does fall for Viola while he believes she's a man, Viola's soliloquy never says she's rejecting Olivia, she just seems to be "argh we're all in love in a A loves B loves C thing", and I don't think Olivia would have minded too much to have married Viola (believing her to be a man), then later found her a woman, having already fallen in love.<br />
<br />
I've also read other books featuring bisexual characters- Far From You, Grasshopper Jungle, Adaptation... I can't make my mind think of them right now- but I wouldn't be putting them on this list because the characters weren't as memorable. And sorry for such a short post! I hope to be able to concentrate on blogging soon... *needs sleep first*<br />
<br />
</div>Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-89288755090596199302015-09-05T12:02:00.001+01:002015-09-05T12:02:30.660+01:00Book Review- This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Title:<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> </b>This is
Where It Ends</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgov2Z4oQzUznAaxd5xbrSCd04Yq_A1N_8_HYJlgWFIW3QzJrBM6EVgV3ab0Mfu4R2U5Ct0TdJ1_TXgqfPR8KwMULNn_qV3mH3iaa0ZSFEgpbJc50cNcgpSIs4211Cs8wOW5fJZhnq1ItQ/s1600/tiwie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgov2Z4oQzUznAaxd5xbrSCd04Yq_A1N_8_HYJlgWFIW3QzJrBM6EVgV3ab0Mfu4R2U5Ct0TdJ1_TXgqfPR8KwMULNn_qV3mH3iaa0ZSFEgpbJc50cNcgpSIs4211Cs8wOW5fJZhnq1ItQ/s320/tiwie.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Author: </b>Marieke
Nijkamp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Series: </b>N/A</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Published: </b>5<sup>th</sup> January 2016</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Length: </b>292
pages</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Source: </b>The
#TIWIEUKTour organised by <a href="https://lunaslittlelibrary.wordpress.com/">Luna
of Luna’s Little Library</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Summary : </b>10:00
a.m.<br />
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech,
welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to
excel and achieve.<br />
<br />
10:02 a.m.<br />
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.<br />
<br />
10:03<br />
The auditorium doors won't open.<br />
<br />
10:05<br />
Someone starts shooting.<br />
<br />
Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives,
terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game
of survival.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Review: </b>This is
the story of a school shooting, told as it happens from the perspectives of the
shooter's sister Autumn, Autumn's girlfriend Sylv, Sylv's brother Tomás, and
the shooter's ex-girlfriend, Claire. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wanted to read this because it's an amazing setup, and
Marieke is brilliant on Twitter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was a would-be-one-sitting-if-life-didnt-get-in-the-way
book. It starts normally, setting up
friendships and relationships (quite a few, and it’s a little confusing because there’s lots of people introduced at
the same time but you pick it up as you carry on) to start with it’s just a normal school day but after 10.05 it's full on until the end.
There's books where you can't stop reading, then there's this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I liked the multimedia approach, showing tweets, blogs, and
texts from those involved and on the outside. The helplessness of everyone on
the outside comes through, and I liked the way Marieke showed how tragedy
doesn’t just affect those there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Emotions. All the emotions for everyone. Particularly on
page 212 of the proof, where one character slips into the conditional and that’s
one of the most heartbreaking parts in the book (there's a few). But everywhere
you see characters you know and don't know and fear for them and need to know
what's going to happen. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think the biggest thing about this book for me is how
immediate it is. I’m someone who’s grown
up in the UK, where the last school shooting happened in 1996, before I was born,
and was followed by pressure groups and the banning of handguns. As a result, when
we hear of things like this happening, it’s horrifying and upsetting but you
still feel distanced because, despite knowing that this could happen anywhere,
living in the UK with its strict gun control laws makes it harder to imagine a society where there’s the
possibility of something like this happening and you practise what to do if it
does, despite knowing that this is some people’s reality.</div>
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TIWIE does one of the
things I like most about reading contemporary/realistic fiction: make different
situations real. The fully diverse cast of victims, survivors, and shooter is
developed, and we see their dreams, their experiences, and lives. We see the
people involved as people, not just names in a news report, which is, I think,
why TIWIE is so hard hitting. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Overall: </b><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 115%;">Strength 5 tea to
one of the most intense books I've ever read</span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Links: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/149262246X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=149262246X&linkCode=as2&tag=bloandboo-21">Amazon </a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24529123-this-is-where-it-ends">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.mariekenijkamp.com/">Author website</a> |<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-59992262960486607292015-08-26T06:30:00.000+01:002015-08-26T06:30:01.189+01:00Theatre Review: Secret Shakespeare by William Shakespeare and The Handlebards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>So, my Edinburgh
Fringe theatre reviews are ready to be posted! They’ll come as often as I can,
but I have a lot of school work to do, plus I’m doing work exp</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibw76xBfvTRw5Eb0zGttWVgjgwdmWS9rnNBeBHYerGLr-6emklMH_YhNy6fVW_Shoq6g5JHdALMsj44m_LPg4UqFGTxfVwHmIv9Ff5bsoFJYksyao-kBHAz83rRcfptnKi8IWGUXFeKb4/s1600/2015HANDLED_BD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibw76xBfvTRw5Eb0zGttWVgjgwdmWS9rnNBeBHYerGLr-6emklMH_YhNy6fVW_Shoq6g5JHdALMsj44m_LPg4UqFGTxfVwHmIv9Ff5bsoFJYksyao-kBHAz83rRcfptnKi8IWGUXFeKb4/s1600/2015HANDLED_BD.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<b>erience at a law
firm and ugh travelling is tiring. They’ll come though. And book reviews will
resume shortly, and maybe some other things. Thanks for sticking around! <o:p></o:p></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Title: </b>Secret
Shakespeare (A Shakespeare play, but I can't say which one)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Writer: </b>William
Shakespeare </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Director: </b>James
Farrell & Emma Sampson</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Performed by: </b>The
Handlebards</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Major cast: </b>Calum
Hughes Mcintosh, Callum Brodie, Tom
Dixon, Paul Moss</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Seen at: </b>...somewhere pretty.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Review: </b>The
Handlebards are four actors who have been cycling up from London to Edinburgh,
carrying their costumes and props, and stopping every so often to perform a
show. Secret Shakespeare is where the audience joins them to meet up in the
city centre, get given bikes, ride out about 5 miles-ish, and then enjoy the
show. I'm not allowed to tell you much about the play in specifics, due to the secret thing, but I'll
say what I can. <br />
The ride was easy, even for someone who hasn't ridden for years, and led by
professionals. We cycled through parts of the city I probably would never have
seen if I'd spent all my time in the centre, so that was nice.<br />
The location was beautiful. Beautiful behind the audience, beautiful behind the
stage, it was a great place to be. It's an open air show, with tents providing
the wings and gazebos for the audience to sit under. Oh, and the rain wasn't
too bad!<br />
When they said what play they were doing, I was very happy. I hadn't seen it
before, but I was familiar with the storyline.<br />
I love the puppetry. It's first used to illustrate the exposition speech, which
was very useful because it is a confusing set up. It's later used to represent
characters in some scenes where there's meant to be more than four characters
on stage. Other ways of getting around the "only four actors" thing
includes holding out key identifying costume pieces, audience participation,
and plates.<br />
The multiroling is superb. All four actors have to switch costumes and
characters very very quickly, sometimes speaking back to themselves. Costume, voice,
and movement changes make clearly defined characters. I really enjoyed the
characterisation, especially of the women. <br />
I did find it going a bit too fast in places, and I'm not sure if it's because
of the Handlebards format or the writing. Probably both. Despite this, I really
enjoyed the show.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKqLDnUxLoUyMO3Yh_i0EAX4SpJccXr5RYl-oidu9b50lE0Do94YktXieLgnBEVKbDU_wpR0q15Lci7RE4lGyneBN4S3-DTFnR22mmcFwm8J0CfWSf8-3ZoDZaEYKpNwEWdYcjKbIn-U/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: #FAFAFA; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Overall</b>: Strength
5 tea to an inventive take on an old play, and a great evening out.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Links: </b><a href="http://www.peculius.com/handlebards.html">Company</a></div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-70785650193295639732015-08-19T23:28:00.000+01:002015-08-19T23:28:00.666+01:00Edinburgh Fringe 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You may have noticed from Twitter and Instagram, I'm at Edinburgh Fringe!! I'm having a brilliant time and I've seen some wonderful shows. Now, I've promised reviews to all the plays I've seen, and they are being written. But formatting and dealing with pictures does not work on my phone, so I'll post the properly formatted theatre reviews when I'm back at home. In the meantime, my reviews are uploaded to the Fringe ticketing website, so you can look at them there. </div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695244889866768854.post-14457176089899662602015-07-31T10:29:00.001+01:002015-07-31T10:29:09.573+01:00Mini Reviews: Rainbow Boys and Shades of Grey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTalKO6gkZLyvi8Z5OG6ucKo0wNfmDbWRgIhL-325XE5xEKR-VVGz0n-iDq6bu9g6pXcLwCVSHl1p0iW5s4HEaAUykNM2-WcnUfxQJ1lBJY7Kp-4m-FO1Tb-9cq49PuwvdPdUtxqQhHY/s1600/94064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTalKO6gkZLyvi8Z5OG6ucKo0wNfmDbWRgIhL-325XE5xEKR-VVGz0n-iDq6bu9g6pXcLwCVSHl1p0iW5s4HEaAUykNM2-WcnUfxQJ1lBJY7Kp-4m-FO1Tb-9cq49PuwvdPdUtxqQhHY/s320/94064.jpg" width="211" /></a><b>Title: </b>Rainbow
Boys</div>
<b>Author: </b>Alex
Sanchez<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Published: </b>October
2001 by Simon and Schuster</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Source: </b>Bought</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Review: </b>A look at
life for queer teens at the turn in the millenium. I like how some things, such
as pressures of coming out, falling in love, and dealing with bullying, are
themes that are still relevant today, but it really does seem firmly set in its
time place. I also like the fact it shows people in different stages of
accepting their sexuality, and various questions related to all of them.</div>
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It felt like a gentle
story of exploration. Our three main characters discover sexuality, new love,
and new experiences.I feel it was probably a great book when it was first
published, when the market of books featuring queer characters was very very
small. Reading it today, when we have a lot more representation, with a lot
more nuanced characters, I felt it was very very tropey- Nelson especially
seemed like the archetypal flamboyant gay, with not much else going for him. On
a much less serious note, “chartreuse” hair.... Then again, this was written in the early
2000s, so Rainbow Boys might be an originator of these tropes. Or maybe all
that could get sold at that time. I don’t know. Despite this, I did enjoy
following the characters and their emotions. I also like how it did bring up the issue of
safe sex well </div>
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My favourite thing is that whoever chose the models for the
cover I got does not appear to have read the book. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXktsH34_vQeaQqGg2Wyk7rMiZ8Lj0eG8gCfZXhmuGTD2qblNK8etWt1hJtgtiwPZXcacCZxr7j8d55MeNEEzmK0YZKuPcj0jHvQhv-a10SGIA7ZSIR_SbTRMU7EIV6E1VekOHWIatQjk/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXktsH34_vQeaQqGg2Wyk7rMiZ8Lj0eG8gCfZXhmuGTD2qblNK8etWt1hJtgtiwPZXcacCZxr7j8d55MeNEEzmK0YZKuPcj0jHvQhv-a10SGIA7ZSIR_SbTRMU7EIV6E1VekOHWIatQjk/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Overall: </b>Strength
3 tea to an early LGB YA novel.</div>
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<b>Links: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94064.Rainbow_Boys">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvpJTKeF1I_d_7lP1mSt5weAwg_YjvxqkyyGy0eY0r4XnMXSTc5nU_-fEpbFYJf2a3mnpvhn1uYaxNRLt82uQfSp2GJQ6tJZM0A1S3Iq8QdHRx0EzrTQO-ol-BPLNpegxRALOfjKllWg/s1600/shadesofgrety.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvpJTKeF1I_d_7lP1mSt5weAwg_YjvxqkyyGy0eY0r4XnMXSTc5nU_-fEpbFYJf2a3mnpvhn1uYaxNRLt82uQfSp2GJQ6tJZM0A1S3Iq8QdHRx0EzrTQO-ol-BPLNpegxRALOfjKllWg/s320/shadesofgrety.jpg" width="211" /></a><b>Title </b>: Shades of
Grey</div>
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<b>Author: </b>Jasper
Fforde</div>
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<b>Published: </b>December
2009 by Penguin</div>
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<b>Source: </b>Bought</div>
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<b>Review</b>: I picked
this up because of the cover, and bought it because a review said it was
"full of witticisms, wordplay, and puns", and was described as a
cross between Douglas Adams and George Orwell. For me, it didn’t live up to the
fun I expected from the comparison with Adams, but the Orwellian aspects were
strong.</div>
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I most enjoyed reading about this new society Fforde
created. Extracts from the Rulebook head every chapter, and we got a good look
at the workings of the society as we learnt bits about it gradually. The characters
were interesting, but I didn’t really connect. </div>
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I felt that plotwise, it took a long time to get going, and
when it did, it was often really confusing. It did clear up towards the end,
providing a clear set up for later books in the trilogy, but for this book, it
was quite late. There’s many different strands, with a murder mystery, marrying
to improve social status but maybe being in love with someone who you can’t marry,
finding out about the Something That Happened. Normally, I like mixes like
these, but for some reason, it felt really confusing here. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCeEve9dmuokHxvggHqrbE97QF_mlCXy7CDxJv5QT_81NdctcBu5PXGTl8l2MdNjGilUzkNFVOjkcd6rJ4h12Jmrt_HH1CaLJb0Ckd9IrrL-vTv13Yyt20zf_7y5geY04uWARBZlrhZQ/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCeEve9dmuokHxvggHqrbE97QF_mlCXy7CDxJv5QT_81NdctcBu5PXGTl8l2MdNjGilUzkNFVOjkcd6rJ4h12Jmrt_HH1CaLJb0Ckd9IrrL-vTv13Yyt20zf_7y5geY04uWARBZlrhZQ/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Overall: </b>Stregnth
2 tea to a book with a great concept, but was less fun to read. </div>
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<b>Links: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2113260.Shades_of_Grey?ac=1">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
</div>
Nina @ Death, Books, and Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09002356372335203320noreply@blogger.com0