I listened to this on audiobook, mainly because I've always wanted to try out audiobooks and never really gotten around to it, but also because it is I listened to this on audiobook, mainly because I've always wanted to try out audiobooks and never really gotten around to it, but also because it is freely accesible on spotify. Huzzah for spotify.
However, I believe what I listened to was the abridged version, which is slightly upsetting but excites me also: more Chris Barrie doing Scouse and Cockney and every-other accent ever? Yes please.
My rating is partly for the book and partly for the audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed Chris Barrie: he is an absolutely spectacular character actor and you don't always see that in Red Dwarf. A few moments spring to mind, however: the mechanoid he gets turned into during Mechocracy and the dress-wearing, Mr. Flibble-weilding, holo-virus Rimmer of Quarentine. Have I mentioned I love Red Dwarf? No. Well, I do. More amazing old men that I love.
My childhood was Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Shooting Stars and Bottom. Poor parenting, maybe, but I can't thank them enough for that. Hence this review is probably a little biased and you can take what I say with a pinch of salt.
The story centres around the beginning of the TV programme, but with more canon added. We get a little more backstory of the main characters whilst we pretty much replay many scenes from the show, which for deepnerds is a really nice touch. You get to go beyond what Lister says on telly and find out that he wasn't stupid. Just rather lazy.
The main thing that sold this for me was Chris Barrie. He was superb and at times I forgot it was Chris and not Norman doing Hollie's voice. Even his Cat was impressive, though I notice he didn't attempt any Kochanski which might have been for the best. I think audiobooks are made by the people who read them, so if I ever pick up another it will be based purely on who is reading it....more
I was looking forward to this book for one and only one reason: Luna Lovegood. I don't remember much of the book from when I first read it all those years ago, and most of my memories were definitely from the film only, but I have to say it was incredibly disappointing in many ways.
The writing during the series has definitely improved since The Prizoner of Azkaban, which you'd expect with the fifth. I suppose since the length of each book has almost tripled since the first book, that should have had to be the case. However, despite the improvements to the writing, I still can't see much improvement to the story as a whole.
We're getting more characters (more diverse characters) but I still find that most of the bad-or just the ones were supposed to dislike-ones are all a little ugly or fat. As if to say, this is how you know who're you're supposed to like and who you're supposed to hate. Whilst I know these books are aimed primarily at children, I don't find this a good excuse. Children aren't that stupid.
Ron and Harry haven't changed much since day one, either. They're both gotten themselves an awful lot of hormones, which happens to anyone, unavoidable, and Harry was super annoying in this one (though, whilst I find that understandable considering how he feels that he might be more like Voldemort than he would like, there was no need for so much caps lock) but I haven't noticed any kind of change in either of them that you'd expect by the fifth book. Hermione, however, seems to change almost every book. At first I enjoyed this change, and whilst I would agree that in general girls change at a faster rate than boys do, it still feels like overcompensation.
And now we come to Luna. I thought it was odd that she just turns up and becomes quite an important character from the off, but she was also incredibly flat in the book. I didn't realise that Film Luna had had a bigger impact on me than Book Luna did, and in fact I'd go far as to say that I didn't enjoy Book Luna at all. Not because she was weird, or odd, or picked on, or a little aloof, but because she was just a "There" character. Yes, we get she's weird, but it feels like that's the only reason she was there.
The story has a whole didn't keep me all that entertained, either. It felt like a repeat of, well, all the other books, with just a bit more death thrown in. I like that the books are getting darker, but I don't think just adding death really counts. I feel like the moment of falling in love-or even just like-with this series like I was when I was twelve has passed by and it won't come back.
The Goblet of Fire is quite a great improvement on the writing side of the series so far: when I first read these books I didn't much care on how well written they were, but in terms of the usual (punctuation, grammar, spelling etc) it was steady as before, but the pacing and characters were much better and further developed than before.
The main things I enjoyed about this book were quite few and far between, but first and foremost, the development of Hermione is something I'm looking at much closely and I thought she had grown quite a lot since The Prisoner of Azkaban here. I've found that Ron and Harry are pretty much the same as they were since the beginning, and I've never really much enjoyed Harry as a character anyway (how much better would it be if Neville were the protagonist? Funnier, in any case), but the way Hermione handled herself, spoke to others (both those her own age and those older or younger) and just her general demeanour was nice to read about. I also thought Molly really came in to her own, too, though I'm surprised there isn't more Ginny around in these first four books considering how bleedin' important she becomes later on.
The plot never really grabbed me and I don't think it ever had. I can barely remember anything of the film at all either (about to be re-watched later...). I've found that a lot of the things that happen are just co-incidental, or seem that way. I also think it's quite infuriating the way magic is used in such a blasé manner: oh, one night to grow back bones? How handy. A specific spell for that one specific problem? How handy. There being hardly any consequences for doing any kind of magic? How handy. The magic system isn't the best and I feel like it's become quite background, until it's needed to disarm or kill or something, and I find that I kind of skip over the magical elements that are wand-provided.
I'm still not really feeling the vibe and at this point I can't see myself re-reading them ever again, though the next book has Luna and everyone bloody loves Luna, which oddly hasn't put me off her like it usually would other things. If anyone can make me feel the magic, it's Luna.
[Short and quick review from memory before I re-read and re-review at a later date:
Basically my whole childhood right here. I have plans, probably in [Short and quick review from memory before I re-read and re-review at a later date:
Basically my whole childhood right here. I have plans, probably in a few years, to read every single of these books and re-live all the Biff, Chip and Kipper adventures.]...more
The child within was happy when I rediscovered this book; the adult without was saddened to realise that the only thing I loved about it was the illusThe child within was happy when I rediscovered this book; the adult without was saddened to realise that the only thing I loved about it was the illustrations....more
**spoiler alert** I assume that this is where my love for staircases came from. A mildly impressionable child would not hesitate to revel in the fact **spoiler alert** I assume that this is where my love for staircases came from. A mildly impressionable child would not hesitate to revel in the fact that, unlike almost all other books I've known, the secret staircase remains a secret with the children....more
A fine book full of questions and answers for any eager child, but I feel like it is very out-dated and contains some things that aren't really relevaA fine book full of questions and answers for any eager child, but I feel like it is very out-dated and contains some things that aren't really relevant or interesting....more
Much better than The Sheep-Pig (commonly known as Babe), but perhaps because I don't enjoy animals talking and this includes none of that. This is oneMuch better than The Sheep-Pig (commonly known as Babe), but perhaps because I don't enjoy animals talking and this includes none of that. This is one of those children's books that has adult themes or concepts that is written well, though the story wasn't up to much. Countries and Schools would probably ban it....more
I cannot recall what this book is about, nor indeed if it is actually a book (from the title I would guess at it is not), but I can unequivocally remeI cannot recall what this book is about, nor indeed if it is actually a book (from the title I would guess at it is not), but I can unequivocally remember when I bought this.
I was eight years of age, and every year my Primary School had a book fair. It was one day, and it was when the hall (where we had assembly, did P.E. and also ate) was filled with shelves of books. Perhaps it was for World Book Day-or whatever they used to call it in those heady days-but that mattered little.
I would make the very short journey to the top of my street where my school was, and browse. One year I bought a book called Come Back, Buster, and there were some Disney books another year. This year, I got this one. From reading the description, I see it is a book full of extracts from other books. I don't remember any of that. All I remember is that wonderful hall full of books....more
The third in The Borrowers series of books, The Borrowers Afloat sees Pod, Homily and Arrietty living in blighted conditions with their relatives in aThe third in The Borrowers series of books, The Borrowers Afloat sees Pod, Homily and Arrietty living in blighted conditions with their relatives in a run-down cottage that is soon to be left empty because Tom, Arrietty's Human friend, is going to live with his uncle. The Borrower family then make the decision to set out for the much-spoken of Little Fordham, a model village that lies at the end of a dangerous river. With the help of Spiller and his broken kettle, the Borrowers flee their weasel-haunted home and take the journey downstream, where nothing but mad gypsies and the unknown await them.
I don't think I've ever read a Borrower book, even though I am well-versed in the story, which, as an English person, isn't quite as inappropriate and weird as it sounds. Borrowers are similar to Lilliputians in size but that is where the similarity ends. As you can gather from their name, they "borrow" items from the Humans whose homes they inhabit, always keeping out of the way as much as possible. Although technically the Borrowers are stealing, it's always harmless and they're very endearing towards those they "borrow" from. This particular story was interesting because it drove the imagery I had of the Borrowers out of my mind (homely, frightened, comfortable under the floorboards) and basically dumped myself and the Borrowers in the outside world, where birds and rivers threaten their lives at every turn. It's a lovely children's story that is easily accessible to an adult, though it has a more British-vibe to it because of our history with it. There have been numerous television and film adaptations and the thought of tiny people living under our floorboards as if there were mice is so ingrained in to us it's almost part of our culture.
Dick King-Smith's children's books are always well written, as if they are for adults, which I like. The subject matter may be boring, and the plot siDick King-Smith's children's books are always well written, as if they are for adults, which I like. The subject matter may be boring, and the plot simple, the characters mundane, but his writing never fails to be anything but good....more
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