Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn: You can take all the things, the boxes and rings

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Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn

I am one of those people who tend to dislike something automatically if it becomes too popular or trendy. Too much hype about something drives me crazy and makes me want to avoid it just out of spite. (I have still not read The Hunger Games because of this.) The band fun. is a perfect example: I think they are extremely overhyped, and I hate that lowercase F and the period at the end of their name! But at the same time, their songs are catchy, and I can’t help liking them despite myself! So for this week’s Tune in Tuesday, here is fun. with “All the Pretty Girls”:

Top Ten Tuesday: Never judge a book by its movie

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Top 10 TuesdayThis week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is perfect for me, since I love movies almost as much as I love books! The task is to list 10 great film adaptations, 10 terrible ones, or mix and match. I’m going to take the latter approach and give you five excellent movie adaptations followed by five (ahem) less successful ones. Links go to the movie trailers, if you’re interested!

BEST

1. “Much Ado About Nothing” (Kenneth Branagh, 1993) — Much Ado is my favorite Shakespeare play, and this is one of my absolute favorite movies. It’s got an amazing cast; everyone handles the dialogue magnificently, and even Keanu Reeves is funny (though perhaps in his case it’s unintentional…). It’s romantic and exuberant and really does justice to this classic play. Of course, I also have to mention Joss Whedon’s recent version, which is wonderful in a different way (and it’s still playing in theaters, so go see it!)!

2. “High Fidelity” (Stephen Frears, 2000) — This adaptation stays very faithful to the novel by Nick Hornby, except for moving the setting from London to Chicago. I’ve always had a soft spot for John Cusack, at least in his earlier stuff, and he’s really the perfect guy to play the sad-sack, music-obsessed Rob. The soundtrack is very cool, as is appropriate for a movie about music, and the deadpan humor is a perfect way to lighten the somewhat depressing plot.

3. “The Thin Man” (W.S. Van Dyke, 1934) — I have to admit, I think I enjoyed the movie even more than Dashiell Hammett’s book! William Powell and Myrna Loy are so great together, and it’s sheer joy to watch them banter back and forth. The mystery plot is intriguing (as is the mystery of how everybody can drink so much without falling down drunk!), and there are plenty of wacky secondary characters to enjoy.

4. “The Princess Bride” (Rob Reiner, 1987) — I mean, obviously. The movie actually isn’t quite faithful to the book, and it leaves out a lot of cool stuff (Zoo of Death, anyone?). But it 100% deserves its classic status, and I can’t even find words to describe how much I love it! So I’ll simply say: “Mawwiage…mawwiage is what bwings us togevah today.”

5. “Clueless” (Amy Heckerling, 1995) — This is flat-out one of the best Austen adaptations I’ve ever seen. (It’s based on Emma, if you didn’t happen to know.) Since I’m a child of the ’90s, it also has great nostalgia value for me; there’s even a cameo by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones! Alicia Silverstone is perfect as the vapid yet ultimately likable Cher, and Paul Rudd is Paul Rudd, so enough said.

WORST

6. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Ron Howard, 2000) — Dr. Seuss’ beloved children’s book had already been made into a charming 30-minute cartoon narrated by Boris Karloff. (I love it. I have it on DVD. I watch it every year at Christmas!) So I guess my question for Ron Howard is: Why did this live action monstrosity need to happen?!?! There’s an entirely fabricated story about how the Whos used to be shallow and materialistic, as well as a love story (!) for the Grinch.

7. “The Count of Monte Cristo” (David Greene, 1975 AND Kevin Reynolds, 2002) — I have seen two adaptations of Dumas’ classic novel, and they are both awful. To be fair, I don’t remember much about the 2002 movie — I actually saw it in theaters! — but I do remember that it completely changed the ending. As in, NOTHING was the same! As for the  1975 version (starring Richard Chamberlain), which I recently watched with my mom, it was just hilariously bad. If you don’t believe me, watch the trailer — at least until [0:35], where Mercedes screams “Edmoooooooond!” It’s actually so hideous that it’s kind of fun to watch!

8. “Ella Enchanted” (Tommy O’Haver, 2004) — This movie is based on a charming little book by Gail Carson Levine, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the film changed the plot so much that it’s almost unrecognizable! Also — and this is just a personal thing — I don’t like Anne Hathaway, so I wasn’t all that invested in her problems. (Young Hugh Dancy was totally cute, though!) I have to admit that I did kind of enjoy this movie, but that was mostly for the spontaneous musical rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” It certainly doesn’t do justice to the book!

9. “Pride and Prejudice” (Robert Z. Leonard, 1940) — I love P&P and collect all the movie adaptations I can get my hands on, but this particular version is shockingly unfaithful to the book. Darcy calls Elizabeth “Lizzy,” Lady Catherine is a kind old broad at heart, and Colonel Fitzwilliam wears a kilt! In the drawing room! I must say I enjoy watching the movie, though; it’s campy and fun, and the women’s sleeves alone make it worth watching!

10. “The Age of Innocence” (Martin Scorsese, 1993) — How can this movie be so bad when Edith Wharton’s novel is so good? I blame the absolutely horrendous casting. To be fair, I’m not a huge fan of any of the three main actors (Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder). Maybe you’d like the movie better if you like them; but personal preferences aside, nobody seems to be a good fit for his/her role. The dialogue is wooden and the acting robotic. In sum, the thing is just bad.

Phew, that list was hard to compile…and now I’ve just thought of about 10 more movies I could have included! Oh well, I’ll just have to save them for the next time this topic comes around!

Top Ten Tuesday: Intimidation

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Top 10 Tuesday

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is books that scare or intimidate you. Specifically, intimidation could be about “size, content, that everyone loves it but you are sure you won’t, etc.” I’m not sure how many books I’ll come up with, but here is my stab at ten books I find intimidating:

1. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace — It’s huge, it’s Russian, and Anna Karenina pretty much took everything I had to give in that department. I do plan to read it someday, but so far it’s been very easy to put it off!

2. James Joyce, Ulysses — This one is notoriously difficult, and based on what I know of Joyce’s character and style, I’m 99% sure I would hate it. It’s a “classic,” so part of me feels obligated to try it…but eh, maybe not.

3. William Faulkner, Absalom, Absalom! — I’ve had this book on my TBR list for ages because of the title and because it’s Faulkner, one of Those Who Should Be Read. But the thing is, I really hate Faulkner! I’ve tried several of his other novels, and we just do not get along.

4. Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews — I bought a used copy of this years ago after reading Tom Jones in high school and thinking it was funny. It’s been about 10 years, and I still haven’t read the thing yet. Now it just sits on my bookshelf glaring balefully at me.

5. George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones — OK, I’ve wanted to read this series for years, and now that the TV series is out, I’m more eager than ever. Except that these books are freakin’ long, OK? And so many people love them, but what if I don’t? The internet can be a cruel and unforgiving place!

6. Diana Gabaldon, Voyager — I read Outlander several years ago and really enjoyed it. A couple years after that, I read Dragonfly in Amber and thought it was still pretty good. But when I look at the rest of the series and see how long all those books are, my heart fails me.

7. Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth — Somehow I missed out on reading this as a kid, and everyone is telling me it was their favorite childhood book. So I bought a copy, and I’m planning to read it next year, but I’m nervous! What if I don’t love this book as much as everyone else? What if there’s no magic in reading it for the first time as an adult? In other words, what if I’ve missed the window?

8. Anything by Stephen King — I have always, always avoided horror novels. But Stephen King is kind of a big deal, so maybe I should read something of his. But what if it’s too scary? And also, what if it’s too long? A lot of his books look pretty bloated…but I’m guessing it’s hard to edit a best-selling juggernaut like this guy.

9. Tim Tharp, The Spectacular Now — I just heard about this book recently and looked at the preview on Amazon.com, and it looks really good. But of course, now I’m afraid that the rest of the book won’t measure up! Nothing like having your high expectations crushed.

10. Robin McKinley, Shadows — As you may know, I am a diehard fan of Robin McKinley. I loved her fantasy novels in my tween and teen years, and they still have a very special place in my heart. This is her latest book, coming out in the fall, and my concern is that it won’t be as good as her other books. Or maybe I only love her other books so much because I read them at an important time in my own development as a reader. What if I retroactively discover that one of my favorite authors isn’t all that great? That would be pretty tough to take!

Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn: I could lift you up

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Tune in Tuesday with KatelynDespite my love of music, I don’t listen to the radio all that often, so I’m woefully ignorant of what songs are popular hits these days. Seriously, it’s embarrassing…I feel like an old lady most of the time! (Those darn kids with their baggy jeans and their rock-‘n’-roll music.) But I’ve been hearing this song on the radio lately, and I’m kind of digging it! I like the disco beat and old-school trumpet line. And, frankly, it makes me want to dance! So for this week’s Tune in Tuesday, I give you “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities:

Review: A Practical Wedding

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A Practical WeddingMeg Keene, A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration

Meg Keene, creator of the blog A Practical Wedding, here sets forth her philosophy of weddings, which basically boils down to a few simple principles: (1) It’s not the greatest day of your life — or at least it shouldn’t be! (2) The only requirement for a perfect wedding is that you end up married at the end of it. And (3) it doesn’t have to cost your entire life’s savings! This book discusses wedding planning in light of these principles, from the engagement to the big day to the marriage that follows. It doesn’t delve too deeply into the details; for example, you’re not going to find a list of inexpensive-yet-chic venues or bakeries or stationery vendors here. Rather, this book takes a big-picture look at some of the most common wedding-related stressors and offers common-sense advice on how to rise above them.

Lately I’ve been very into wedding-related things. I watch all those bridal shows on TLC — “Say Yes to the Dress,” “Four Weddings,” “I Found the Gown,” etc. I’d like to blame some sort of external pressure, but I’m afraid I just like romantic stories and pretty dresses! While I enjoy these shows, though, I often find myself thinking that the women on them must be insane. Spending thousands of dollars on a wedding dress? Throwing a fit because the bridesmaids’ dresses don’t perfectly match the table linens? It’s a strange world we live in, folks. Well, this book is a wonderful antidote for all the wedding craziness out there! It really puts the wedding celebration in perspective without underrating the importance of marriage. It also offers advice on how to deal with the inevitable problems, like financial constraints and meddlesome relatives. I’m not married or engaged right now, but if and when I do take the plunge, I’ll definitely be referring to this book again!

Review: A Death in the Small Hours

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A Death in the Small HoursCharles Finch, A Death in the Small Hours

Victorian gentleman and amateur detective Charles Lenox has largely given up sleuthing in the pursuit of other interests. A rising member of Parliament, he’s just been asked to give the opening speech for the next session — a very great honor that fills him with both pride and anxiety. But when his uncle, a well-to-do country squire, writes him a letter describing some recent acts of vandalism, Charles is tempted to return to his previous life of detection. He eventually accepts his uncle’s invitation, reasoning that a little time away from London will give him the peace and quiet necessary to work on his speech. When petty vandalism escalates to murder, however, Charles must use all his former skills to uncover the sinister secrets lurking within his uncle’s village.

I always enjoy the Charles Lenox mysteries, but I think this one is a bit of a weak link. My biggest complaint is that the mystery is very perfunctory and almost uninteresting. Although the solution was creative, with the appropriate number of red herrings and so forth, I just didn’t seem to care about it very much! To be fair, the main purpose of the book seems to be Charles’ internal development rather than the external mystery: he is beginning to learn that being a member of Parliament isn’t the dream career he thought it would be. I do love Charles’ character and am interested to see what will happen to him next; I was also very glad to see more of Dallington and would love to see him take a central role in upcoming books! Overall, I definitely plan to continue the series, but this is not one of the strongest installments.

Bookish Update: June 2013

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bookish updates june 2013

June is over, and so is half of 2013! I can’t quite believe it, but here we are. So far I have read 48 books, which is actually a very low number for me! When I was still in school, I read a ton, but it’s a bit harder now that I’m working full-time and have several evening commitments (not to mention the distraction of TV!). Still, here are my stats for this month:

Currently reading: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Books read in June:

  1. Robin LaFevers, Dark Triumph
  2. Ben Macintyre, Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory
  3. Samuel Park, This Burns My Heart
  4. Talia Vance, Spies and Prejudice
  5. Francesca Segal, The Innocents
  6. Rachel Aaron, Spirit’s End
  7. Charles Finch, A Death in the Small Hours
  8. Meg Keene, A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration

Favorite book of the month: Operation Mincemeat, for sure! It’s nonfiction but reads like a novel, and the story is absolutely fascinating!

Least favorite book of the month: Probably This Burns My Heart. It wasn’t terrible, but there was nothing I particularly loved about it.

Books acquired in June:

  1. Talia Vance, Spies and Prejudice
  2. Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls
  3. Ben Macintyre, Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies
  4. Jennifer Kloester, Georgette Heyer
  5. M.M. Kaye, Death in the Andamans
  6. Amy Patricia Meade, Million Dollar Baby

Review: Spirit’s End

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Spirit's EndRachel Aaron, Spirit’s End

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in this series!***

At the end of The Spirit War, the only thing that stood between the tiny island kingdom of Osera and total annihilation was Eli Monpress. To save his friends, Eli did the one thing he swore he’d never do: ask the Shepherdess for help. Now Eli is forced to live in the Shepherdess’ isolated realm and submit to her marks of favor while the world around him falls apart. Someone is stealing stars, the world’s strongest spirits, which is throwing the lesser spirits into a panic. Miranda is trapped in a power struggle with the Spirit Court, Josef is taking up the reins of kingship, and Nico is still fighting against the demon inside her. But this scattered group of allies must band together to face their biggest challenge yet, which just might be the end of the world.

As the convoluted summary should make clear, this is definitely not a stand-alone novel! Rather, this book is the conclusion to the Eli Monpress quintet, and it finally resolves the overarching plot elements of the series. It was nice to get some answers to the big questions raised in previous books about who is really running the universe and what the powers of Eli’s world are up against. That said, I was a little disappointed in this book; it felt bloated and unfocused, and it spent too much time on action sequences rather than character development. I absolutely loved the first three books in this series, and I think it’s because they were very tightly focused and had a clearly defined world. In the last two books, the story became a bit too epic, if that makes sense. The uniqueness of Eli and his world were sacrificed to the tired fantasy trope of a huge good-vs.-evil battle. Overall, I’m glad I read this book because it concluded the series, but I wish Aaron had taken things in a different direction.