Review "The Woman In Black..." by Susan Hill

This is going to be an, um, different sort of review. I say that as a warning, because yours truly was brilliant enough (gah!) to actually get the movie that was based on this book. Yes, I know. So, I am going to review both, and do little comparison.

The Book: The Woman In Black is very much a classic ghost story. No clown in the sewers or vampire next door, this is your good, old fashioned ghost story. A little spooky, a little scary, and told in the first person so that you feel like you are the character being stalked. All in all, it's exactly what you would expect of something from this genre.

The opening was a nice overlay of ominous over innocuous. There is a bit about the past, just a glimpse to show there is tension, then it picks up in the here and now, narrated by a man who is enjoying the Christmas season with his step-children and his wife. Then the boys begin a game of ghost stories, and from there, the real tale begins to unravel. We are taken back in time, not necessarily as a memory flashback, but in the guise of the narrator writing his story down. The beginning of that story, too, opens with the same ominous overtones on an ordinary day, when the man was young and optimistic.

After being sent by his boss to deal with the estate of a Mrs. Drablow, the narrator finds himself in a small town with a dark little secret. Of course, this is something that is kept from him, and from us, until nearly the end of the book. This secret is tied to the Drablows, and to their home, Eel Marsh House, which is set out on a small island away from the town. It's the unraveling of the secret that was interesting to read, watching this logical man sink into fear because of what he hears and sees. The setting, mainly Eel Marsh House, and the way it is cut off from the rest of the world makes it even more of a traditionally scary story. There is a ghost, naturally, but it's what that ghost does, and what occurs around the specter that makes it more than just a story where she pops out and yells, "Boo!".

In the end, which I refuse to give away, you can understand the man's reluctance to tell his tale. You know why he doesn't take the game of ghost story as a lark. It became serious business, business that still haunts him, and you realize it will until the day he dies.

The bad of the story? There is a lot of exposition. There is plenty of inner dialogue that tends to go on when it could have easily been summed up in just a few sentences of thought. I can't decide if that's because I'm so used to modern day snips and bites of information, or if it's cultural (me being American and the book British), or if it's down to the way the character's thoughts flowed. There is suspense, but the real depth of it isn't truly realized until near the end of the book. It is definitely worth the wait for it, though.

But, if you can get through the lengthy inner discussions and descriptions, you'll find a gem of a very classic ghost story. And, hey, it's one I even read to my kids (my daughter is at the age where she's determined to be scared). There was no fear of gore or unseemly violence, no harsh words, and no sexual situations that would make it uncomfortable. A great read, suitable for most ages, and one that I can definitely nod to as a solid, traditional tale.

The Movie: Could I have been any more disappointed? I highly doubt that. After reading the book, I was looking forward to the made for TV movie. It took a bit of finagling, as the video isn't being sold any more and I couldn't find it on Netflix. But my husband finally found it for me (Amazon and E-Bay are amazing sites). When I settled down to watch it, I was prepared for there to be differences. There usually are, as it's next to impossible to truly recreate a story, especially one with lots of inner dialogue, for the screen. But right from the start I felt my heart sink.

They had only kept a few things from the book. The character names, the place names, and a few scenes. Some of the dialogue was saved, as well, thank heavens. But the rest? Not so much.

While I can understand why some things must be changed, the ones that were glaringly different didn't need to be. I kept finding myself wondering, "Why?". The story is a perfectly good one, grounded in classics, scary enough without embellishments. The ending in the book, even, was scarier than the movie's.

I will give the movie some credit, though. What they did leave of the book was well done. The atmosphere was spot on (as far as the house and town), and the ghost and the things surrounding her were spine tingling. The problem is, I suppose, I'd expected more from a BBC production.

Would I tell you to see the movie? No. Not unless you've never read the book. Or maybe after you've read the entire book. Ultimately, you'd have to watch it and consider it almost a story all on it's own. I will warn you, the ending...completely wrong.

All Told: "The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story" gets a thumbs up from my reader side, my classic side, and my mommy side. The movie gets tossed into the "if the kids want to watch a scary movie but I don't have to suffer through watching it with them" shelf.

In a Black Mood

So, I've started reading "Woman in Black", and am actually half-way through. Wish I could stop the real life interruptions sometimes, because I'd be through with the story by now. Ah, well, such is life.

I do enjoy the book when I have time to pick it up. In fact, last night I read some of it to my kids. Yep, that's right, it's a traditional ghost story, and so far as I've read, it's not anything I wouldn't let my children read. It is a bit scary, but not so much about killing and such as trying to reconcile what is seen by what is not seen.

I have the movie (it's amazing what you find on Amazon and Ebay these days), and I intend to watch it. I'm very sure it won't be nearly as good as the book itself. But then, that tends to be true for most. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised just this once by the screen version, but I'm not holding my breath.

Well, I'm back to writing, and then a little bit of reading. I'm anxious to get back to the book and see how our poor hero fairs in the haunted Eel Marsh House.

Review "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card

I like science fiction. I remember reading Anne McCaffery stories beginning when I was a tween (before "tween" was even a word), reading Isaac Asimov as I got older, and eventually looking for books by authors who weren't as well known. Shame on me for not putting Ender's Game on the top of my list years and years ago.

What is unique to me is that this book poses the question, "What if the fate of the earth was in the hands of children?" How do you deal with them? How do you train them? How do you impress upon them how vitally important they are to the human race? How do you choose who is trained, and who isn't? How do you know you've made the right choices?

The story is very easy to fall into. Haven't we all had moments, especially in childhood, where we didn't feel we quite belonged? Didn't we all have fantasies of overcoming the odds, and even the people, that stood in our way? This feeds into all of those dreams, but at the same time, it takes a different path than most traditional story telling.

The chapters were like small stories unto themselves, beginning with a question or problem, and having it resolved by the end of the chapter. There were some issues which became a main thread through the whole, but I especially enjoyed the fact that I could read a chapter, be satisfied enough to take a break, and still have a real desire to come back to it for the big resolution.

What I hadn't expected, because I've been so careful not to learn too much about the books I'm reading before I pick them up, was Ender's age. And not just his youth, but the way he dealt with it, and the wisdom and struggles he had that were more suited to an older boy. But I didn't find myself questioning it because all of that was explained quickly and satisfactorily.

There wasn't a time when I didn't feel empathy for Ender. Card does such a terrific job of mixing the reader in with the character's feelings, that there isn't any room to step back and wonder if Ender might be "odd". Why? Because you find yourself being "odd" right along with him, and it seems as natural as breathing.

The secondary characters were marvelous to read about. They were so fleshed out, so complete, and each one played nicely into the overall story. It was great to see varying viewpoints (the boy who doesn't trust the teachers or higher ups, the girl who focuses on being nothing but a great soldier), and it was just as fun to see it all come together and play like overlapping parts in a symphony.

What is also great about this book are the subplots. They are there, and not just hidden in the corners, but presented to you on a silver platter. There is no guessing about what's going on, but there are still the questions about why, who, and how, and that's what keeps it streaming along.

I will admit to being a bit uncomfortable about the way Ender is treated, especially in the beginning. But then, most good stories do make you feel that way, so I was okay with it. And the way the main characters dealt with the issues helped me get through my discomfort quickly enough.

The ending isn't just satisfactory, it's absolutely perfect. You feel as if everything is precisely where it should be, that the people have become what they should, and while not everyone got what they deserved, I still walked away with a feeling of "rightness".

There are two twists in the book, neither of which I'll tell you. What I will say is that these revelations were perfectly timed, perfectly executed, and were brilliant moves by the author. Each brings about it's own "tied in a bow" feeling, while still allowing the reader to have a chance to use their imagination and struggle with their own moral questions. If I say anymore I'll give it all away.

Would I recommend this book? I'll do one better. I'd buy this book for any sci-fi enthusiast (who doesn't own a copy) as a present without any doubt that they would love it. Actually, I'd purchase it for anyone who enjoys reading and still be just as sure they'd like the story. In fact, now that I've read the first one, I plan to go out and buy the entire series. I hear the next ones are just as good, and I can't wait to see where Card goes with his characters from here.

Happy 4th!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th of July. Lots of fireworks, plenty of potato salad, and good company all around. Just don't forget to drink plenty of water (it's hot out there!) and wear your sunscreen.

I'm in the middle of "Ender's Game", which is an excellent read, by the way, and should be done hopefully by next week. After that, my husband is going to confiscate it and read it himself.

But until then I'm off to enjoy the holiday weekend. Have a wonderful one!

Review "Tender is the Night" F. Scott Fitzgerald

I just finished this book yesterday evening. I've been struggling to figure out how to review this book without giving away too much of the story. After all, the whole idea of this book is to twist and turn so much that nearly every page is interwoven into the main theme. Please forgive me if some of this sounds vague, I just don't want to spill the beans for those who want to read the story.

"Tender is the Night" starts off clearly enough. A youngish girl (17) and her mother are on vacation, touring Europe, and stop on the coast for a few days. It's there that she meets a group of rather...interesting folks, all older than she is, who take her in as a friend. From there, certain things escalate. There is a hint of something scandalous, though we don't know what it is until about halfway through the book. Of course, there are other titillating details, things that are said, things that happen, but you aren't quite sure how they might play into each other. But they do. Again, this is something that takes most of the book to see, though you do know that the entanglement is there, you just aren't sure how the bows are tied.

The book does change perspective, three times in fact, but it doesn't feel like a jarring change. It's more gradual, so it doesn't seem odd to be moving from one point of view to another. Actually, I found it interesting to go from one place to another, and see the world and what's happening through certain people's eyes.

I will admit I had a bit of a problem at one point with the time line. It took me a moment to readjust myself, and I did have to keep reminding myself of the time shift. However, I didn't find it too off putting.

The writing was excellent. It was easy enough to become absorbed in the story, and I did find myself wondering about the twist that I knew was coming up. It was the waiting for it, the wondering about it, that made the first half of the story so intriguing.

The second half covered the whole twist, not leaving anything to question. It was nicely done, though a little uncomfortable. I think that had to do more with the attitudes of the day rather than the actual issue.

The last few chapters of the book wrapped nearly everything up in a nice package. However, once I put the book down, I couldn't decide if I was satisfied with the ending or not. I have a huge soft spot for gooey endings, though I do realize that all stories shouldn't end that way. Indeed, some can't end that way. And though this one didn't end as terribly as "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold", I still didn't feel...fulfilled. But then it could be that was what Fitzgerald was going for. Once you read the book, you'll know what I mean.

Would I recommend this story? Yes. It was superbly written, nicely turned, and interesting in each part of the story. If you're looking for a good Fitzgerald book, and you've read "The Great Gatsby" (which is on my list, too), then this is one I'd definitely tell you to pick up.

Fitzgerald Shocks Me

I started reading "Tender is the Night" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. What can I say? I am shocked by how interesting this book is turning out to be. Again, I haven't read a synopsis nor opinions regarding this book, so it's all a surprise to me. And what a surprise!

While the descriptions can, yes, drone on (I'm beginning to think this is the style of the time), it's still not as dry as you might fear. In all actuality, it's quite scandalous when you consider the time frame. And yet it starts of innocuously enough, with a young woman and her mother arriving in a small town along the coast of Italy. In fact, most of the things that happen should be, and could be, ordinary enough, except that as the reader you begin to understand the undertones, even when the heroine doesn't.

I'm really enjoying this book so far. I'm waiting to read my Susan Hill story until I've finished this one, because I don't feel as if I need a break in between the chapters of Tender is the Night. Here's hoping the rest of the story is as good as the first half!

Ecclectic Isn't Bad, Is It?

We took another trip to the library. This has become a weekly occurrence, considering my children read at the speed of lightening. While I was there, I decided to simply browse the shelves, and pick up the books on my list that struck me as interesting. When I checked out, I realized I'd exchanged Middlemarch (which I still haven't finished) and I'd added F. Scott Fitzgerald and Susan Hill. For some reason, part of me really felt like a little scare, and Susan Hill's book looked like it would fit the bill. The Fitzgerald book was one that I don't have on my list, but I'm going to pretend is there. Middlemarch I am still struggling with. I don't know why I'm having so much trouble getting through it. It's not a terrible book, and I do think I've mellowed my judgment on the story. And yet I can't get through a few pages without having to put it down and take a deep breath. It's well written. The characters are all fleshed out. The scenes are easy to picture. I just don't know why I'm having issues.

So, I have three books waiting to be read (I'll pick Middlemarch back up Friday). As I usually do, I'll read them in bits and pieces (which drives my husband crazy), exchanging one for the other throughout the day as I have a few minutes to read. It should make for an interesting few weeks.

On a side note, we just discovered bunny rabbits playing in our front yard. Two large, brown ones with floppy ears. We think they've dug a rabbit hole beside the oak in our front yard. Either way, it was fun to watch them play, and the kids got a kick out of it. Maybe we'll even see baby bunnies pop their heads up in the next few weeks.