Thendral's Take: November 2022
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
This was a perfect marriage between Haunting of Hill House and Lucy Foley's Hunting Party for me. It's described in the book and in reviews as a point to critique that it's similar to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. I've not read that book but I have read quite a few mysteries and I'm a fan of the genre and this was *perfect*. I liked the atmospheric setting, you can almost feel the cold and this sense of chill. It was just so ominous and tense. I liked the way the family was depicted as dysfunctional - it's a bit stereotypical but the dysfunction of the family is just reasons why they don't like each other; the focus is the twists and the whodunnit. The opening was a little slow for me, but I'm so glad I stuck around. Now let me tell you what BLEW my mind: Everything in the book means one thing the first time you read it and something COMPLETELY different the second time you read it. I am *bowled* over by the execution because it's so easy for the concept to fail and need the medium of the screen (such as a series or film) to be executed SO well. It's just incredible how vivid and well done it was for something done with purely words. The last chapters pull the rug out from under you, twist after twist after twist. Mystery/ thriller/ whodunnit fans or anyone who just wants a good book, really - MAKE this your 2022 read. This was a standout read for me for the year. I read Alice Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors earlier this year and described it as deliciously good and with this one, I think I'm going to be following Alice Feeney very closely and also catch up with her earlier works!
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
The book's central theme feels like it could be a reality in the near future - it's scary how believable it is with the way the world is moving. But where Celeste Ng shows her skills is in her choice to tell a good portion of the book from a child's POV for this all too possible reality we are headed towards. And that's where things become...haunting. The later part of the book shifts to tell the story from the mum's point of view and that's where things started to sag for me. It was very much tell rather than show, and the build-up I was expecting to show growth and depth to the characters never came. I want to be clear, the mum's final act was vivid, I watched it play out in my head, and I was devastated. But because we are expected to take the characters as they are, which is a bit one-dimensional, and there's never more to them, I couldn't form a connection with the book. I can see why this could have been a creative choice, to keep the focus on the central themes to make for a more political tone and observation. But it created a detached feeling and so as powerful as it was while reading, I don't think the book will stay with me for days to come.
Very interestingly, the book feels like the result of the author's own emotions and attempts at trying to understand the pandemic and the racism in the world and her consequent interpretations, rather than as a literary exploration. Does that make sense? It feels like I'm reading her diary. And I think this is where people's opinions on where they stand with this book will be divided. Read it if you are a Celeste Ng fan already or if you are interested in a world of extremist political positions and the consequent exaggerated racism. I want to say it's also a story about motherhood but because I found the characters to be a bit flat, I can't really bring myself to say so.
An Island Wedding by Jenny Colgan
If you have not read any of Jenny Colgan’s previous Mure books, please don’t read this because you’re not going to have context or the first clue about the MYRIAD of characters in this book. Considering this is the last book of the Mure series, I wish it had ended a bit differently because one of my favourite couples literally had a cliffhanger/ non-pleasing conclusion and I was so disappointed for them. As for the main couple, Flora and Joel, their classic case of miscommunication continues from the first book which was another round of disappointment - you guys are parents now, you NEED to get over this!! That said, I LOVE Jenny Colgan’s books because they feel like a hug and a warm drink on a cosy day and so I was happy with the five hours it took to finish this book.
Enola Holmes 2
All I can say about this is, if you liked the first movie, you’re going to like this one. If you didn’t like the first one, you’re not going to like this one. That’s really the crux of it all. I really liked the subplot they explored in this movie. I wished it had been the focus but it’s understandable that it wasn’t. I later found out this subplot was based on true events which I found very, very cool. I was expecting some form of character growth for Enola Holmes, however, the movie chose to focus more on her detective prowess and newfound (perhaps, improved?) relationship with her brother, Sherlock and its attempts to set a possible stage for Enola Holmes 3 with a much more “bigger” villain. All in all, a simple, clean Netflix movie you can watch on a day when you just want to watch something but don’t want to get started on a whole series or a movie that requires too much of your energy and investment.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Okay, first things first - I think they pulled off a really good movie with the remaining cast alone following Chadwick's death. I think they worked his passing well into the script and the way they delivered the "aftermath" was really good. The next Black Panther is expected, but it wasn't a “Yeah, I saw it coming” moment. Instead, there was enough weight, and depth to someone unexpectedly taking on a leadership role. I think this was not just a beautiful addition to the plot, but also what sets Black Panther and Wakanda Forever apart from the other MCU movies. The movie doesn't stray from a serious tone too much, so the impact was more and the few comedy scenes still worked and were hilarious.
Also, have they started referring to Ryan Coogler as a "visionary director" already? If not I think it's really about time. I really, really liked the way the final battle scene played out (not the fight in itself, the conclusion). Okoye/ Danai Gurira was my singular favourite and Okoye's character/ Danai Gurira's acting range is extraordinary. My only 2 points of contention are: 1. it felt a bit draggy at points. I just don't see why this movie couldn't have been shorter by at least 15 minutes. 2. The MCU is getting oversaturated. So the plots, the villains, are all starting to feel repetitive and so, slightly weak. As good as Namor was, a superhero movie is only as good as its villain and while Namor is a better villain among those we have had in phase 4, something just feels like it's lacking. Personal qualm: the fight sequences were a bit of a letdown. That being said, there were some serious Oscar-worthy performances in the movie: Angela Bassett and Danai Gurira literally had an incredible act-off.
Among the very confusing and constantly disappointing Phase 4, this was a standout. As a movie and in terms of creative direction, the director and writers were dealt the worst possible hand and I think they have done their best. Not to forget, this movie was filmed during COVID and among the many movies that disappointed and struggled in way that shows on film because of COVID restrictions, this was nearly clean!
Nope
I think the concept was very interesting; an introspection of this social media world we live in, which also in a way amplifies our narcissistic importance in the world and indirectly, our (delusional) importance against other lives in (and out) of this world. The cinematography was incredible - so many shots were so beautiful (landscapes, clouds, night skies, just gorgeous I tell you) and the CGI was great. Daniel Kaluuya fit his role like a glove. But at 2 hours and 10 minutes, the movie could have been a bit shorter just to help with pacing and to make the whole experience more impactful. It was also a bit muddy at times - there clearly are A LOT of things Jordan Peele was inspired by to make this movie and A LOT of things he touches upon - whether it directly relates to the plot or not and for some reason, the end product is too little going on at times or too much going on at others. I don't think this movie could be everyone's cup of tea, it was barely mine and it’s not something I would watch again. It made for a fascinating watch but something about it doesn’t make me want to recommend this to everyone and anyone I know. This movie is for you if you are a non-negotiable fan of any of the following: Jordan Peele/ sci-fi/ horror sci-fi/ movies with social commentary and symbolism. But please be warned that the movie can be a bit gruesome at times; there were two parts I almost threw up. (It's not gore, but the brutality and context that made those two parts repulsive.)
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