Exit (2019)

Welcome to Anna and Irene's (really only Irene's) entry into the Disaster Blogathon, hosted by The Midnite Drive-In and Dubsism!!! Everyone loves a good disaster film (especially me) and I have one to review that I think might win for most unique disaster film. I'm not sure, but I suspect. Without further ado, here is Irene's (and maybe some tips thrown in by Anna) review of the 2019 Korean adventure/comedy/disaster movie 'Exit'!

Yong-nam is a deadbeat son. Unable to keep a job, and tragically friend-zoned by presumably the only girl he ever loved, our hero starts out as very much of an anti-hero. Not even an anti-hero. He doesn't have enough traits for that. Just a lame guy.

This is our hero at the beginning of the movie... Not exactly impressive.

Yong-nam used to be an expert rock climber (this will come in handy later in the movie), and although he still practices his exercises daily, his heart is not in it, as his lost love had also been an enthusiast of the hobby and now that she's gone he has no gumption to continue the sport. But on the night of his mother's 70th birthday, Yong-nam's listless life takes a serious turn. While at the birthday venue he rented (where his lost love just happens to work), just before the last of Yong-nam's family leave, a serious catastrophe takes place. A mad scientist, on the lookout for revenge, releases a poisonous gas into the thickly-inhabited city where Yong-nam's mother's birthday party is taking place. People come running down the streets, hoping to escape. Those who do not may be lucky enough to leave the gas with only severely burned skin and difficulty breathing. The unlucky die.

And so we have the set-up of one random as heck disaster movie. The birthday gathering on one of the top floors of the venue must work together to escape the quickly rising gas. Honestly though, the only ones who do anything are Yong-nam and his crush, Eui-joo.

Yong-nam's sister on the gurney. She was injured by the gas.

This movie never takes itself too seriously, but even so, the character growth in Yong-nam is quite impressive. He really was one lame guy at the start of this movie. He even lied to Eui-joo saying he had some big, enviable position at a fancy company, when he really was living off his parents' income. He did this to impress her, as he never has quite given up hope of winning her back... Even though he never had her in the first place.

As the situation at the venue quickly begins to elevate into a catastrophe, Yong-nam realizes that he is the only person capable of taking control of the situation. He does this quite ably, managing to keep his moderately idiotic relatives from panicking too much. As I said before, his and Eui-joo's past history of rock-climbing comes in quite handy, as they, hand in hand, must climb buildings and skyscrapers in a desperate attempt to escape from the poisonous cloud. It is quite exciting, and I was always guessing what tactic or strategy our heroes were going to think of next. That's one thing I like about disaster films. The ongoing rush to think of new and unique ideas quickly. 

If you are unfamiliar with Korean humor and culture, this movie may seem a little strange at first (not helped by the atrociously grammared subtitles), but it honestly is extremely entertaining and exciting. And although as an adventure and comedy movie, Exit won't win any awards for deepness of thought, it does have a surprisingly profound message. Inside everyone, including oneself, there is a hero just waiting to be let out by the occurrence of some catastrophe in which the very best of the individual is required. Maybe kinda cliche, but profound nonetheless. Yong-nam was a grown man sitting around at his parents' home, pining over his lost love, accomplishing nothing. By the end of the movie, he's saved the lives of himself, his unrequited (or IS she???) love, his family, and even complete strangers. A lovely character arc in every way. He's no superman, but at least he's striving to be. Ignoring the whole mad scientist unleashing poisonous gas into the city thing, and everything else that is crazy and unlikely, this movie is realistic enough to be believable. At least, I thought it was.

If you can find Exit, I recommend you watch it. It's really so fun, and a wonderful example of the disaster genre. A very lighthearted one. If you feel like watching death and disaster, but not too much, this movie is for you.

And, as an added bonus, there is no objectionable content, excluding a few swear words.

This has been Horseback to Byzantium's blog entry into the Disaster Blogathon. We hope you enjoyed. Annyeong for now :D

Sunshine Blogger Award Tag

 

 Thank you so much to Hamlette from Hamlette's Soliloquy for nominating us for our first ever award! WE'RE FAMOUS! Before we answer all of her fun questions we are required to list the deets:

• List the award’s official rules (duh!)
• Display the award somewhere on your blog (hope this counts!)
• Thank the person who nominated you (thank you, Hamlette!)
• Provide a link to your nominator’s blog (did and done)
• Answer your nominator’s questions (will do!)
• Nominate up to 11 bloggers (Sorry, no can do)
• Ask your nominees 11 questions (wish we could!)
• Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts (again, wish we could but we don't know 11 bloggers)

The questions!:

1.  What movie house would you like to live in?

    - Swiss Family Robison! YESSSSSS!!! 1960 version, of course. Coolest DIY house EVER! We've wanted to live in that house since the first time we saw that movie, which was a very long time ago.

2.  What movie pet would you like to own?

    - Anna chooses Gwin from Inkheart who is the coolest looking ferret with two little spikes on his head and he does everything Dustfinger tells him to! He's so cool and adorable <3 Irene chooses Dog from Big Jake. Yes, his name is Dog. He's also super cool and really well trained. He takes out the bad guys!

3.  What book do you wish your favorite actor or actress could have starred in an adaptation of?

    - Hans Gudegast in the movie adaptation of Hilda Van Stockum's The Borrowed House as...Guess who!...DEITRICH! Baron Deitrich, that is. 

4.  Are there any movies you like better than the book they were based on?

    - This was a hard question because we couldn't really think of any. However, the characterization of Agatha Christie's Poirot is much better in the movies than in the books.
 

5.  What's your favorite movie that's set in the decade you were born in?

    - Sahara! (The 2005 version) That is one fantabulous action movie.

6.  Do you collect movie memorabilia of any sort?

    - Uh, no. We collect the movies, not the memorabilia. Except for the Lord of the Rings. If we could get our hands on memorabilia from that, we definitely would.

7.  What actor and actress have never made a movie together, but you wish would have?

    - Well, William Powell and Myrna Loy were already in a bunch of movies together, so...

 

8.  What director would you like to have direct a movie based on your life?

    - Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Peter Jackson would be great if our lives were exciting, but unfortunately, that is not the case, so's we think Powell and Pressburger would do a better job with our boringness. Elia Kazan would be great too.

9.  Do you ever like a remake better than the original film?

   - Nope. At least, it hasn't happened yet.
 

10. What's your least-favorite movie genre?

    - Horror is from the Devil... Literally, so none of that in this house. We try to avoid romance generally, although there are a couple that melt one's heart, so yeah
 

11.  Are there any movies in your least-favorite genre that you do like?

     - 'I Know Where I'm Going' (1945) is technically a romance, so there's that. Ooh, 'And Now Tomorrow' (1944) is absolutely lovely!

Irene's Top Ten Favorite Kingston Trio Songs

                         My Favorite Kingston Trio Songs

Um, I like the Kingston Trio. That is the reason for this post. What other reasons do I need? 

But honestly, they are really good. It annoys me to no end that many singing groups that have three or more members often don't even harmonize. At all. Harmonizing is awesome! Harmonizing is the reasons singing group exist! Why would you waste this opportunity? But the Kingston Trio does NOT waste this opportunity, and that's why I like them. Starting in the late 50's and going until the late 60's, the three California-dwelling singers Dave Guard (later replaced by John Stewart), Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds started a revival of American folk music that really took off. The sixties was full of folk music groups, including Peter, Paul and Mary, The Seekers, and, um.... I know there were more, but I am blanking right now. Needless to say, the Kingston Trio was very popular. It really isn't hard to say why. None of the three members have what I would called spectacular voices, but when together their harmonies are vibratingly beautiful and they all sing with real feeling. Their style is very earthy. Very down to earth. I don't know, they just sound authentic and unpretentious. I like them very much. So without further ado, here are my top ten favorite Kingston Trio songs.

10. Weeping Willow

This one is a beautiful love song/lament. His love is untrue, she'll bring him to ruin. But unfortunately, like so many other lovers in songs, he just can't bring himself to stop loving her. *Sighhhh* It has a lovely, dreamy melody and the harmony on the chorus is too beautiful. 

'Bury me beneath the willow, 'neath the weeping willow tree.

When she hears that I am sleeping, maybe then, she'll think of me.'

9. My Lord What A Mornin'

This is an awesome worship song. I've heard a couple different versions of it, but the Kingston Trio version is my favorite. They start with just one voice singing 'My Lord, what a mornin'' and then another voice is added and then they all sing together. The intensity builds throughout the whole song, so by the end of it you might want to have your hand on the volume. Again, the harmony is wonderful, and the song is a happy and triumphant one.

'I can hear the Christians singing.

When the stars begin to fall.'

8. Run The Ridges

I'm not even sure what this song is about. It's about Tennessee, I know that much. When I listen to it, I envision a western movie. Every single time. It tells a story, but like I said, I don't really know it. I probably don't listen well enough. The Trio switches between singing the chorus quickly and without harmony, to slowly WITH harmony. It adds flavor to the song and the story in the song. I love the quick and intense guitar music throughout. An altogether enjoyable song!

'And we will run the ridges of our green land Tennessee,

And we we will hide for forty years if that's what's meant to be, meant to be, meant to be.'

7. One More Town

Ahhh, this one. The ultimate wandering aimlessly, nostalgic song. The man in this song is always moving, moving on from one town to the next. Does he know where he's going? Nope. He just know he must keep on movin' on. This is song reminds me of a tumbleweed being blown across the prairies by a gentle wind. I know there are rarely gentle winds on the prairie, but this song feels like that. It's a sad song, but beautiful in its own way.

'If there's one more song I'll be singin'

I'm always goin' but I don't know where.'

6. Seasons In The Sun

This is definitely NOT the most famous version of this song, but it my favorite (sorry Larry Jacks). It might seem a little fast for those not used to it, but the first time I heard the chorus it just gave me flashbacks of good times on the beach with my friends. This song (originally a French tune) is about a man who is dying (presumably) and is saying goodbye to his best friend, his father, and his wife. I like the variations with the fast and slow choruses and the quickly strumming guitar. I really do imagine sunny days on the beach, basking under palm trees, even though I've never basked under a palm tree in my life. Seasons in the Sun is quite an apt name for this song, in my opinion.

'All our lives we had fun, we had seasons in the sun,

But the stars we could reach were just starfish on the beach.'

5. Chilly Winds

Okay, THIS is the ultimate nostalgic Kingston Trio song. It's so pretty!!! Starting with a lovely, delicate, and chilly sounding guitar opening, the song enters into a melancholic song about wandering and unrequited love. And just so you know, I liked this song much better after listening to it a couple of times. It grew on me immensely after several listens.  Each verse is surprisingly beautiful, albeit simple. It makes one ache in the chest. 

'I'm leavin' in the springtime, won't be back till fall.

If I can forget you, I might not come back at all,

Our where them chilly winds don't blow.'

4. Tom Dooley

Based on the real life story of Tom Dula, the Tom Dooley folk song, sung by the Kingston Trio, made famous the tragic story of the Confederate soldier who was convicted of the murder of Laura Foster. It think that Dooley killed Miss Foster on accident, but I can't remember at the moment. The song itself is solemn and straightforward. Not too melancholic at all, it is rather told from a distant point of view. The singers tell Tom Dooley to 'Hang down his head and cry' as he is about to be hung. It's a great song.

'Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry.

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,

Poor boy, you're bound to die.'

3. Greenback Dollar

Dangggg, this song is so cool! The beginning guitar chords sound surprisingly modern, like something you might find in a current rock song. Be warned that Greenback Dollar does contain the d-word in the chorus. You have been warned. So basically, the guy in this song travels here and there, does what he wants, sings what must be song, and doesn't give a darn about a greenback dollar. Good for him, I say. Money is the root of all evil, after all. But honestly, this song is one of the rock songs of the folk world. It's amazingly legit.

'Some people say I'm a no-count,

Others say I'm no good,

But I'm just a natural-born travellin' man,

Doin' what I think I should, oh yeah, doin' what I think I should.'

2. 500 Miles 

I have heard many, many versions of this beautiful song and the Kingston Trio version is still my favorite. John Stewart (who sings the verses) has such a yearning and melancholic voice, and that works perfectly for this song. The guitar solo is enchanting. The premise of a traveler farm from home who just can't go home because of the sorry state he is in is heartbreaking. I first heard this song while driving across the wide open space of Eastern Washington, and it was incredible. Talk about nostalgic. 

'If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone,

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.'

 

1. I'm Going Home

As the winner of first place, I'm sure you all can tell that I'm Going Home has a special place in my heart. Just like 500 Miles, Chilly Winds, and One More Town, I'm Going Home is about roaming hear and there, near and far, everywhere but home. But unlike all those other songs, this one has a feeling of anticipation. A feeling that no matter how far you stray, you can always find the road back home. It is introduced by a single banjo playing a fast melody that makes you wanna get in that car and drive! It has a rousing chorus and beautiful words. I really love this song.

'Folks who know me call me a drifter. They don't know I'll stop my ramblin'.

They don't know that someday, somewhere somebody's gonna make me settle down!

I'm going home Lord, I'm going home. I'm going home Lord, I'm going home.'

  

~Irene

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

The first book in Agatha Christie's 'Tommy and Tuppence' mysteries is so much fun, it's hard to handle. After World War I, Prudence Cowley (Tuppence) happens to bump into her childhood friend, Thomas Beresford (Tommy), and as they are both hard-up on money, they decide to create 'The Young Adventurers, Ltd.,' a rather unconventional private and unofficial detective agency. Tommy and Tuppence put an advertisement in the newspaper stating that they are two young adventurers willing to do anything or go anywhere... No unreasonable offer refused. Their ad is answered more promptly than anticipated. Spunky Tuppence and steadfast Tommy find themselves absolutely in over their heads in a plot to find a missing young American named Jane Finn and a secret document. If the documents falls into the wrong hands it could plunge England into revolution, and then anarchy. The problem is, the only one who knows where the document is to be found is the missing American. Tommy and Tuppence resourcefully attempt to uncover the location of Jane Finn and the document, as well as discover the true identity of the mysterious man who goes only by the name 'Mr. Brown.' Mr. Brown is the head of a desperate group of anarchists who kidnap, kill, and maim lightly enough. But despite the anarchists ruthless nature, even they live in constant fear of the elusive Mr. Brown... The Secret Adversary.

 

My friend gave me this book for my birthday and I am ever so grateful that she did. Once I started reading, I zipped straight through it. It's so darn entertaining! Tommy and Tuppence are such fun characters. When reading the Poirot mysteries, I sometimes wish that Ms. Christie took more time in fleshing out her characters and less time on the plot, although I do love her plots. I just like when writers put effort into their characters to make them realistic and believable. Both Tommy and Tuppence never lacked for personality, that's for sure! They act and converse like real friends. It's a joy to read their conversations. They literally sparkle when together. The whole book is very witty and full of those plot twists that set Agatha Christie a couple notches above most mystery writers. Also, if you like a little romance, Tommy and Tuppence are not a married couple in this first book, so some delightful jealousy ensues. It's always cute when characters like each other, but won't admit it until one or the other has an admirer. I also like that in these books the guy isn't a complete idiot. I know, idiot males weren't really trending in the '20s, but it was still refreshing to see Tommy being the intellectual rock of the partnership. Tuppence is very clever and has an uncanny intuition, but she often jumps into things before thinking them out. Tommy always thinks things through, which sometimes annoys Tuppence, but often leads her to thank him later. They complete each other wonderfully. There are some good side characters in this book (Albert being my favorite), and the villains are wonderful, but it is undoubtedly Tommy and Tuppence that steal the show. All in all, this book is a masterpiece of light and fun entertainment. You can read it anytime and it'll give you a lift. It's one of my favorite Agatha Christie's I've read so far.

                                                    

This is from a t.v. series that wasn't that great, but I like the picture.

The dialogue is just too good in this book, so I thought I'd share a couple lines with you :D

~ "I should have a great objection to dying" ~
-
~ "... I always help old ladies over crossings, and pick up parcels for old gentlemen, in case they should turn out to be eccentric millionaires..." ~
-
~ "The moral guilt," Tuppence pointed out, "would be theirs - not mine. You must admit that there's a difference between stealing a diamond necklace for yourself and being hired to steal it."
"There wouldn't be the least difference if you were caught!"
"Perhaps not. But I shouldn't get caught. I'm so clever."
"Modesty always was your besetting sin," remarked Tommy.
-
~ "Nothing," said Tommy "could be plainer than your words - unless it was your face." ~

*
And there are lots of other wonderful lines, which you can find if you read the book yourself. And now, until next time old bean, Cheerio!

                                                                            ~ Irene
 
                                                                   

I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)

~ Ever since she was a child, Joan Webster has known where she is going. That is to say, she is a rather stubborn and independent woman. As she has always desired to be wealthy, the young Englishwoman jumps on the chance to marry the rich (and insanely old) owner of a successful chemicals company. Joan's Intended lives on an island in the remote Scottish Hebrides, so her wedding is scheduled to take place on the island of Kiloren (her fiancee's remote island), but adverse weather conditions cause her to be stranded on the nearby Isle of Mull. Every day Joan prays that the weather shall improve and that a boat shall come to take her to her wedding, and every day Joan grows more and more attached to the people and way of life of the Isle of Mull, as well as developing a growing attachment to one person in particular ~

Sound like a romance to you? You're right. Sound like one of those cliched stories where a spoiled woman meets honest and hard-working peasants and falls in love with one peasant in particular and learns what life is really all about (*cough cough* It Happened One Night)? You're (kinda) right again. Sound like a movie that's okay but you probably wouldn't enjoy? You're wrong! This movie is wonderful and I strongly doubt anyone would NOT enjoy it (except maybe my dad).

'I know where I'm going!' was filmed on location in Scotland, and when you put that fact together with the talents of two excellent filmmakers -Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger- let me tell you, magic is made! I have recently watched quite a few movies by Powell and Pressburger (who's productions were formally known as 'The Archers' productions) and while it is quite hard to choose, I think this one might be my favorite so far. The cinematography is gorgeous, the scenery is gorgeous, the two main actors have great chemistry together, and the story-line is just too romantic and magical. There is also a great deal of Scottish folk lore and tradition contained in this film, which is an added bonus to anyone who loves Scotland and its traditions, such as myself.

When Joan Webster first realizes that she will not be taken by boat to the island of Kiloren, she is forced to stay at a large house, currently used as a boarding house for weary travelers. There she meets Torquill MacNeil, a Scottish native of the Isle of Mull and currently on an eight-day leave from the navy. This movie was filmed during the last year of World War II. Fog is the fiend that keeps Joan from her Beloved (or maybe not so beloved???) fiancee, and while I have all the sympathy in the world for dear old Joan, I don't regret the fog, cause man alive does it give us some epic shots!

Joan's host and Torquill's good friend, Katrina, returning from a hunt with the hounds.

Joan's first night spent on the little Isle of Mull has her saying a prayer to God that the fog will lift from the waters, so's she may be be wedded as soon as possible to her Beloved (or IS he????). Needless to say, God has a sense of humor. The fog certainly lifts, but in its place God leaves a bevy of gale-force winds. It is impossible to leave for Kiloren. Mr. MacNeil, whom Joan is not yet well acquainted with, offers to take her to a little shack a few miles away where an old woman owns a wireless set. There she may call her Beloved (I'm still not convinced). On their travels there and back, Joan is at first a little stuck up as MacNeil chats with the natives, who happen to be making fun of the 'rich man who lives on Kiloren'. I bet you can't guess who that is.

Joan and Torquill together on the bus.

But Joan softens and can't help liking MacNeil as she tours the countryside with him, getting to know the people of the Isle and learning the ancient folklore of the Hebrides. 

One of the best parts of this movie is when Torquill takes Joan to a local Ceilidh. The two of them watch most of the festivities from outside, which include dancing, singing, and lots of bagpipes, but eventually are pulled into the lively Scottish dancing themselves. The singing is really good, as is the dancing. I love Scotland!!!!!

Joan and Torquill watching the festivities... Well, at least one of them is.

Although Joan is having a perfectly lovely time with Master MacNeil, she grows more and more desperate with each passing day for the winds to die down so that she may travel to Kiloren. Why? you may ask. Well, Miss Webster is a bit of an idiot. All her life she has wanted to be rich, and since she is ambitious and independent, she thinks (or thought) she had accomplished this ambition by hooking up with ol' Consolidated Chemical Industries, even though she doesn't really love him. But hey, money is what counts, right? Well, that's what Joan always thought, but something is happening to make her change her mind, and our headstrong heroine is desperate to leave the Isle of Mull before all her long-thought over hopes of wealth vanish in the mist. In fact, she is so desperate to run away from her feelings, that she may go so far as to risk her own and others' lives in the process.

That is all I want to spoil so I'll leave you to watch the movie to find out what happens to Joan and her ambitions. This really is a lovely movie, and I'm sure you won't regret watching it. It's cozy and warm, and leaves one with a very satisfied feeling. I'll just leave you with this and a few other screenshots and then I'll be going.

#smoothestwaytoputyourarmsaroundagirlever

~ Haste ye back~

                                      

                                                - Irene

Cloaked by Rachel Kovaciny

 

Once Upon A Western......

Reading blogs, one finds so many wonderful hidden book and movies. Sometimes by the blog writers themselves! So it was when I was reading Hamlette's Soliloquy (a very lovely blog) that I discovered that Rachel Kovaciny, Hamlette herself, had written and published not just a fairy tale retelling, but a western fairy tale retelling. I thought to myself "What could be better? I should definitely read this!" but didn't get around to it until a couple of days ago. I think I took so long because I was subconsciously worried it wouldn't be that great and then I might have to write a negative review and that would be awkward, and yeah.... But *Spoiler Alert* I had nothing to fear. After all, if I loved a blog written by one person, why would their writing talents suddenly disappear when they penned a book? No idea why. Anyway, on to the review →

We all know the tale of Little Red Riding Hood (at least I hope we do), but Cloaked puts its own twisty twist on it (not a twisted twist, don't worry) and a whole helpin' of western flair! Mary Rose O'Brien (she likes to be called 'Mary Rose') leaves her stuffy home in Illinois to visit her grandmother, whom she's never seen, out in Wyoming Territory. Jubilee O'Brien owns a ranch out in the country and Mary Rose is thrilled to be able to spend her summer in the much fabled 'Wild West'. While on the stagecoach ride to her grandmother's ranch, Mary Rose meets the handsome but strangly unsettling Mr. Connor Linden. It turns out that Mr. Linden is going to stay at Jubilee O'Brien's ranch himself, as he is her new financial adviser. As time progresses on the ranch, Mary Rose enjoys herself immensely as she learns to ride a horse, becomes friends with a real live Indian (well, half German, half Cherokee, but still pretty cool) and meets a very charming, tall and sweet deputy sheriff. Mary Rose should be having the time of her life, and she would be, if it weren't for the uncomfortable presence of Mr. Linden. He seems to follow her everywhere she goes, his sharp eyes watchful as a wolf's. What does he want? Is he as charming as he makes out to be? Or is there a vicious presence lurking under his smartly tailored sheep's clothing?

***

Before I tell you what I liked/loved about this book, I suppose I should get the worst over first. That's right, there are cons. Here we go.

Con #1. A slightly favorable view of Regency England. Although I myself enjoy watching a little Pride and Prejudice as much as the next person, I don't care if men kissed ladies hands and were polite to people they didn't even like, I still hate Regency (and Victorian for that matter) England society. So stifling!!!

Con #2 Like Grandma Jubilee's hair, this book is too short! LOL I wanted more!

And yeah, that's pretty much the only negative things I have to say about this story. Pretty lame, I know. On to the pros! →

I read this book in two short days, but I wouldn't be surprise if you read it faster. It's exciting the whole way through! The true meaning of the word 'page-turner'. I'm always wondering what's gonna happen next, and since it's based on a familiar fairy tale, it's always fun trying to figure out what the western parallels are to the original story. 

Another important thing to note is that all the characters (excluding Mr. Linden. His name is under 'creep' in the dictionary) are charming and fun to be around. At least, I imagine they would be fun to be around if they were not just on a page. Depressing thought, I know. Mary Rose is a realistic teenager ( which probably explains why she's not my favorite character 😄), but she's kind and has plenty of grit. I like her grandmother a lot, and of course Mr. Hauer is too cool. And let's be honest here, Deputy Small is a guy we'd all like to meet. 

A neat thing I noticed in this book is that near the end Mary Rose reflects on how when she's in her most terrible trials and tribulations, her faraway parents' words come back to her and comfort her, despite the fact that they never did get along. Parents aren't just annoying figures to get in the way of your independent dreams and desires, they're actually pretty cool and have feelings too. Who knew. 

Disclaimer: This illustration is not in Cloaked, it's just to add to the vibes of this blog post.

And yet another admirable aspect to note is that Mrs. Kovaciny manages to add some meaningful content about God without being preachy. Two thumbs up on that feat.
One last thing I want to mention is that I was utterly delighted when I took it into my head to look up what the name Connor's true meaning was. This was after I had read two-thirds of the book and realized that Mr. Hauer was the woodsman who killed the wolf in the original fairy tale. Like, it told us in the first chapter that he was chopping down trees for Grandma O'Brien. You think I would've made the connection, but I didn't. Anyway, I thought it was kinda cool that Linden was a kind of tree and Mr. Hauer cut him down, in a manner of speaking. Don't worry, it's not as gruesome as it sounds. So I got to thinking and I looked up Connor and it means hound or wolf lover! I love Easter eggs! And get this: Hauer means hewer or cutter in German! I should've known this, since Mama's German, but I didn't. So cool.

And there you have it. My review of the western fairy tale 'Cloaked'. I encourage you to go out and buy this, and then read it (duh). It really was super enjoyable. I look forward to reading more of Rachel Kovaciny's westerns (like Dancing and Doughnuts) and I hope more are forthcoming. Audios til next time!

                                                                                  ~ Irene

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Nicholas Nickleby

When one thinks of Charles Dickens, one thinks of 'A Tale of Two Cities' or 'Great Expectations' or the classic Christmas tale 'A Christmas Carol'. I don't know about you, but I had never heard of Nicholas Nickleby until I was searching for a Charles Dickens movie to watch and I found a 2001 mini-series based on this book. By the way, the mini-series is not bad at all, and I believe you can watch it on Youtube. But this little review is not about the mini-series, it's about the book.

Don't take this the wrong way, but there's a reason that 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'A Christmas Carol' and all the others are mentioned over this novel. I feel as though, overall, this book is a little scattered, not compact enough to be a really engrossing novel. Like, it's not as well put together as ATOTC or 'Great Expectations', but I am not blaming Dickens for that, as Nicholas Nickleby was only his third novel. Anywho, despite moments of hilarious wit, and passages of philosophical beauty, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone just delving into the world of classics. It might well be too overwhelming for a beginner. Trust me, I should know, as I am sadly lacking in my knowledge of the classics. I haven't read too many. This book is pretty darn wordy and the uninitiated of Victorian language could easily get lost in some of Dickens' descriptions of things that I personally don't think really matter. I also think this book is maybe just a little too long, but it was originally published weekly or monthly (I can't recall which) in a newspaper, so it's lengthiness is understandable. But really, enough with the negative points. This book has much to recommend it as well.  

James D'Arcy as Nicholas Nickleby in the 2001 mini-series.... I love his hair.

Charles Dickens nobly unveils the horrors and evil that took place at the notorious Yorkshire 'Schools' in 1800's England. Having spent time as a child laborer (*cough* slave) himself, Dickens understood what it was like to work day and night with barely enough food to live by and live in a loveless environment (I hate the that word in that kind of sentence but I couldn't think of anything else). He may have had his problems, but at least he didn't shrink from the task of attempting to rid England of terrible establishments much like the fictitious Dotheboy's Hall depicted in Nicholas Nickleby. A supremely epic part in this book is when Nicholas himself, who was employed at the Hall as a teacher/assistant, stops the evil Wackword Squeers (owner and schoolmaster of Dotheboys Hall for Boys) from beating a little boy. Modern day curses and abuses pale in comparison to old-fashioned insults. I mean, Nicholas totally REKTS Squeers. It really is epic! A fight ensues and Nicholas crushes the nasty schoolmaster, after having figuratively done so in speech. I absolutely love it. That is one of the things that I like about Nicholas. He doesn't just sit around worrying when he sees wrongdoings taking place. He actually does something!

I also like his sister Kate a great deal. She is a kind and strong character, although I would've admitted that dear old uncle Ralph is a monster faaaaaar earlier than she did, but I guess that's just because she's a nice person and didn't want to think that her only uncle was a complete jerkface. #kindofunderstandable

A few more good characters include Mr. Linkinwater, Miss La Creevy (SPOILER: The two aforementioned characters get married and it's the cutest thing ever), Mr. John Browdie, Newman Noggs, and we mustn't forget the crippled Smike, a supposed orphan whom Nicholas 'kidnaps' from Dotheboys Hall and becomes a provider and dear best friend to. There are soooo many other good characters (Dickens was always good at characters), but those are just a few of my favorites. Be prepared to be disgusted when you meet Mr. Arthur Gride. I have one word for you: Ew. Like, he's so gross it's not even funny.

Anyway, there you go. A short little review of *big inhale* 'The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, containing a Faithful Account of the Fortunes, Misfortunes, Uprisings, Downfallings and Complete Career of the Nickleby Family'. 

That is literally the full title. It's also why I didn't have to write a summary, so I'm not complaining.

If you enjoy classics or are looking for a book to expand your collection of already read classics, I would recommend this. If you're just looking for a light read and this story looks interesting to you, I recommend watching the film series instead of reading the entire book. That's all for today folks. May the bright stars of the night shine their brightest throughout all your days and may the misfortune and darkness of the starless night never befall you. Ciao.

~Irene

Kate and her hubby in the movie.