My Most Anticipated Book-to-Film Adaptations 2015

This year I've already been to the cinema a bunch of times to see the latest films including The Theory of Everything and Into the Woods to name but a few. But what I want to talk about is the upcoming book-to-film adaptations due to come to screen this year.

Insurgent (20th March)

I'm extremely excited to see Insurgent come to the screen as I believe the change in director has resulted in a better adaptation than Divergent was. Veronica Roth announced that the box in the trailer is part of a scene which sees most of the simulations in one, and I think it will be interesting to see how the film recreates those. 

Naomi Watts as Evelyn is a casting I'm still undecided on. In the trailer she appeared, in my opinion, to be slightly too young to be Tobias' mother. Another casting I'm on edge about is Edgar. He's part of the factionless in the trailer so I have a feeling he has been used instead of Edward since the iconic butter-knife scene didn't make the final cut in the first film.

Entering the World of The Girl with All the Gifts

I recently finished reading The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey and wondered what it would be like to enter the world of the characters. The book is about a ten year-old girl, Melanie, who is a subject of scientific research due to her strength against a disease outbreak. The author takes the idea of a zombie-apocalypse world and turns it into something much more complicated with meaning and emotion.

Warning: this post contains spoilers for those who have yet to read The Girl with All the Gifts.

Let's take Melanie. She's a ten year-old girl whose only memories involve the base and the people who work/live there. Most of us would probably be terrified if an army group pointed guns at us each morning in order to tie us to a chair. Obviously she understands that she is a potential danger to these people due to her hungry need to devour human flesh but she is still an extremely audacious girl. I can guarantee that if I were in her position I would not feel able to tease Sergeant Parks in a way alike to her.

Book Review: Peilis

Author: Kit Masters
Publication date: 31st July 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

   Last year I won Kit Master's novel entitled Peilis through a goodreads give-away via the website's First Reads scheme. I put off reading until this year as it is so different to what I usually read.

   The title comes from the Lithuanian term for knife which is a huge theme throughout the novel. Told from a twenty-nine year old teacher's point of view, the story explores the dangers of adolescent school chaos. This narrator is very much an observer who exposes the reader to the social infection which is rapidly tearing through the education system.

The Journey

   The leaves sweep across the paved path, allowing the sunrise to make an entrance. Birds scatter the planes of land searching for crumbs if golden glitter. The wind is calm with sudden rushes of speed helping the world take off for the morning. There's a mist to the land; a shade protecting us from the dangers which lie ahead.

   

Bookmark Making Tutorial

Hello,

This week I made a few corner bookmarks and decided to create a tutorial so you too can make them.

What you'll need:

• Plain card
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Scissors
• Coloured paper
• Glue stick

Book Review: The Drowning of Arthur Braxton

Author: Caroline Smailes
Publication date: 11th April 2013
Rating: ★★★★★

   Wherever you may live there is always that one building of mystery and suspicion.  What if that building was an Edwardian bathing house called The Oracle?

   The Drowning of Arthur Braxton is a contemporary fairy tale set in the familiarity of an urban territory. It is a pool of morals and consequences to dive into for the characters; each of who we get to know through the multiple narrative voice which allocates each chapter to a character and their classical element.

   The chapters are, for the most part, quite short. This makes it perfect for the busy reader. Each character has a distinct voice, and the style changes from prose and script to create a little variation.

   Smailes references Waterloo Road multiple times, using the programme length of one hour as a unit of time for Arthur. Dora the Explorer is mentioned - "I'm like Dora the Explorer but less Spanish" - which I haven't been able to get out of my mind since I came across it! The human brain is a strange but beautiful place.

Resolutions to Make and (probably) Break

Hello,

By now we've all seen midnight strike on New Year's and toasted to a "happy new year" whilst either in bed, partying the night away to the fireworks, or elsewhere (I was stretched out on my sofa whilst watching Adam Lambert rocking out with Brian May and Roger Taylor on the TV). 

The first of January is the day when we all make resolutions which are likely to be broken within a week. Maybe you want to give up chocolate - we've all been there before.
Or maybe you want to increase your fitness (let me know how the gym membership works out... some relationships just aren't meant to be).

Now, I've never been one for resolutions. The idea of restricting myself brings pain to my soul. However in saying that, this year I have come up with a few resolutions that ADD to my life.