Jane Austen

As someone who really enjoys classical novels, I'll be the first to say that Emma is one of my favorites. It’s easy to understand then that when I discovered there was a movie detailing Jane Austen’s life, starring Anne Hathaway as well, I was ecstatic. I’d been waiting to watch the movie for ages before I finally came across it at Family Video, and I snatched it up to rent in a heartbeat.

I have to admit, I was fairly ignorant on the life of Austen, and I still am no doubt after the movie. A lot of times movies either insert or omit a lot of facts in order to make the movie more interesting, and Becoming Jane is probably not an exception. But the movie did a wonderful job of showing how oppressed the woman really was during those times, and how Austen really hit the stereotypes out of the ballpark by becoming a successful writer. I appreciated the reality of the struggle Austen went through to follow her passions, and that despite everyone telling her she couldn’t, she followed her dreams and became arguably one of the best writers in history.

The movie also kept a sense of relatability to Jane that you otherwise probably wouldn’t have thought about. The storyline of romance between Austen and Lefroy was amusing and touching, and really shed light on her inspirations as a writer. I especially loved the scene between Jane and her sister, when Jane explains that in her novel the two sisters will live happily ever after, because in real life they wouldn’t be able to. It communicates the wishful thinking of authors and the relief of being able to spin your own world and make your own choices in the words that you write.

The character development really showed throughout the progression of the movie as well. At the beginning, Jane was almost timid in her rebellion, although admittedly still sharp-tongued. But as she finds herself through her romance with Lefroy, she grows more as a person. She learns what she wants and what she must do to acquire it. She’s also bolder, as well as more assured in herself as a person, and she supports what she believes in. The film really portrayed her in a light that is easy to relate to, as a growing young adult rather than a famous 19^th Century author.

The Maze Runner

            The Maze Runner is a post-apocalyptic story about a group of boys chosen to survive in a dangerous maze in order to create a new breed of surviving humans. James Dashner’s novel is gripping and a nice contrast to the many young adult novels out there that revolve around a teenage girl that starts a rebellion. Instead, this story follows Thomas, a boy immune to the virus causing zombie-like symptoms in the rest of the world. Hope seems lost for a cure, which is why WCKD starts a program to study those who are immune, and record what makes them different. They gather a large group of young boys who are immune and put them through harsh conditions to see how they would react. It’s brutal, but real, and follows their struggles similarly. The movie does an adequate job of keeping the integrity of the book, while adding that visual element that gets your heart racing and makes you sit on the edge of your seat until the suspense has momentarily passed.

            The best part of the movie, however, isn’t the plot; at times I found myself waiting for more action to build up, and then the crescendo of the moment would fall utterly short. There were points in the movie that I wasn’t necessarily bored, but I was waiting for more to happen. I suppose I felt this during the book as well, but the book follows the characters’ emotions so closely that it’s difficult to get bored. The movie isn’t that way as you can’t hear their inner monologues throughout the film.

            Dylan O’brien performed brilliantly as Thomas. The initial scene shows Thomas rising into the Glade in a crate-like elevator, and you can plainly see the panic and raw emotion in O’brien’s portrayal of the moment. There’s nothing better than an actor really capturing and understanding the character in a certain moment, and O’brien did that part perfectly. I was riveted by his acting abilities throughout the story, and a lot of the time he was the person carrying the entire movie, and not just because he was the main character.

Due to the anticlimactic sequences the movie sometimes took, the viewer turned to the actors for entertainment, which they delivered. Besides O’brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster played the role of Newt well, and as a favorite character of mine. Ki Hong Lee, who acted as Minho also performed spectacularly. But the most impressive performance for me was by Blake Cooper, who played little Chuck in the film. Chuck is the little brother of the group; sometimes annoying and ignorant, but everyone can’t help but care for him. He just tugs at my heartstrings. And he’s the one that makes you feel the most strongly throughout the movie, and the book. Cooper’s delivered that perfectly, adding just the right amount of innocence and cuteness to force the viewer to love Chuck. The big part that Chuck plays at the end of the plot really emphasized Cooper’s ability to capture the scene. As Cooper’s first big-time performance, this will lead to other roles that will define his career.

In other words, I would consider this book-to-movie adaption a success.

Book-to-Movie Adaptions

Have you ever read a book, and it’s a fantastic story with paramount characters, and a gripping plot? Of course you have; everyone has. So imagine that your favorite book (you know, the one you’ve read so many times that the back cover is falling off and you’ve taped the spine at least half a dozen times) is finally hitting the big screens. That’s right; it’s being made into a movie.

            If you’re like me, you’d simultaneous pump your fist and groan, because your favorite novel is being brought to life; all of your characters finally have a face, and everything feels more real because you can actually see it instead of just imagining all of the small details. But then again, it also can turn into a nightmare, because there’s the potential for every part of the movie to go sour. What if they pick the wrong actor to play your favorite character? What if the special effects are cheesy and unrealistic? What if they don’t follow the book? Everything’s a possibility, and the unknown will drive you crazy for the months it takes for the movie to be released.

            On the spectrum, there are always the brilliant movie adaptions like The Hunger Games or the Harry Potter series. There are also the terrible ones like Beautiful Creatures and The Mortal Instruments. Either way, the movies are highly anticipated by the book-lovers and new additions to the fandoms as well. And it’s so disappointing when the adaption isn’t up to standards. My biggest pet peeve is when the movie doesn’t follow the written out plot sequence of the book; if the movies going to be of the book, then it should be of the book, not based on the book. Why would you change something that the readers already love? The big changes to the plot or the characters are what upset fans the most and you’d think after the first bad book-adapted movie was released and got bad reviews, other producers and the like would realize that revising the already written and loved book is a mistake.

            The Maze Runner came out in theaters last weekend, and I am psyched to see it. I’ve read the entire series by James Dashner, as well as the prequel, and I loved every page of it. I’m desperately hoping that the movie is an accurate representation of the book, and so far, the trailers look promising. Dylan O’Brien is a favorite actor of mine as well, and since I generally enjoy his performances, I know he’ll do justice to the character Thomas, and I’ll have a review up as soon as I am able to see it.

Cinematography

Something really interesting about movie is not only that they entertain you, but the cinematography can also alter your perception of the plot and the characters in ways you might not even recognize. For example, the lighting in a scene may not come to your attention while you’re watching it, but it does change the tone of the entire scene. If the lighting is in a lower light it can make the moment seem more dramatic, either intensely mysterious or romantic. But say the lighting is bright and shows all of the beautiful colors present; this makes the scene more open and inviting to the watchers’ eye, creating a happier mood.

                Take the movie Captain America: The First Avenger. A lot of the movie takes place in low lighting do to the burgeoning war that looms over the plotline. Many of the scenes also occur in dismal weather, either a cloudy, dreary atmosphere or sometimes even raining. Until, that is, Captain America is manufactured from the Super Soldier serum and then America seems to have something to applaud. At this point in the plot, there’s merriment and singing because Cap symbolizes hope for the future of America. Without even realizing it, the cinematography has changed how you view the scene just by a few altercations to the background.

                The special effects are also something that can make you see things in a different way. In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rodger’s fighting style is almost comedic. It features Steve jumping into the air dramatically, and punching the villain in slow motion while an explosion sets off in the background. It’s also fitting to the story, however. If Steve were to immediately have spectacular fighting skills, it wouldn’t appeal to the audience’s perception of his struggle to be Captain America. Instead, the cheesiness of the fighting style and special effects surround that make it seem like he’s still learning, still easing into his role as the hero. It also highlights the fact that the movie takes place in 1944, and that mankind has grown and learned since then.

                Captain America: The Winter Soldier does the exact opposite. The sequel takes place in the present or near future, after the events of The Avengers. Since then, Steve’s learned how the new world works, and he’s done multiple missions as the countries hero. He knows how to handle the challenges being thrown at him, and it shows in the cinematography of the movie. Everything is sleeker, flows easier, and the choreography for the fight scenes has improved exponentially. It reflects Steve’s growth as a character as well as the direction that the future has developed compared to the past.

Beloved Characters

When I read a book, I get so emotionally attached to the characters, as though they are real people that I’ve come to know. I know other people must feel this way too, which is why it baffles me when people say they don’t enjoy reading. How can you not?! You’re introduced to these characters that make you laugh and cry, and you experience this adventure with them that will stick with you for the rest of your life. I cannot be the only one who snorts in amusement at something a character says, or clenches the edges of the cover in exasperation when they do something particularly stupid. The people in the stories you read are what make the stories. Without a strong sense of the narrator, there’s something missing from the book. When you have a monotone, boring main character (cough, Twilight, cough), it makes the whole plot seem to be lacking. You don’t spend your free time voluntarily with someone you dislike, so why would you want to read a book with a dislikable main character?

Sometimes, you run across a character that just speaks to you. I have, certainly, and it makes a goofy smile spread across my face whenever they have a particular scene specifically oriented around them. Whether it’s because the character is so alike yourself, or the person you want to be, or maybe one of your loved ones that they remind you of, or just because they’re quirky, some characters you get attached to more than others. And when something terrible happens to them in the story, it’s like your world falls apart alongside theirs.

One character I will never forget goes by the name Taylor Barclay, who is not the main character but plays an important role in Elizabeth Norris’ Unraveling series. He’s incredibly smart, quick-thinking, protective, and the biggest smart-ass I’ve ever read about. He immediately captured my attention with his wit, and quickly became one of my all-time favorite fictional characters.

***MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW***

And then he died, and I bawled like a baby. I still cannot get over the fact that his death happened in the last book, and it makes me so angry because I was so attached to his character, and because his death was completely and totally unnecessary. In my previous blog post, I talked about how endings can sometimes seem like they fit the story perfectly, and other times they leave the reader disappointed. This was the latter. The ending could have been exponentially improved had Barclay survived, and the fact that he didn’t just ruined the rest of the story for me. I may be biased, but I was so heartbroken over the fact that he died. Granted, this was a darker tale theme underlying both books in the series, but I couldn’t fathom at all that he was the one to take the brunt of the problems. It completely took me off guards, which I must give kudos to Elizabeth Norris, because an unexpected ending is not something I come across often, as well as how attached she managed to make me to Barclay. That is a sign of a brilliant writer, as well as a brilliant novel. I recommend it fully to anyone interested in the sci-fi genre.

Disappointing Endings

One of the most irritating things when you read a book is an unsatisfying ending. Especially when the entire plot leading up to the home stretch, those precious last thirty pages, is so addicting and marvelous, and then the ending falls utterly short of your expectations. Of course, how to end a novel is completely up to the discretion of the author, but there’s always at least one thing that you want to happen before the end, and it is so disappointing when it doesn’t turn out the way you had hoped. There are some things that feel justified at the end of the book or series, and sometimes the ending feels unfinished when they don’t occur.

                Or sometimes things happen that you are absolutely against, like maybe the main character ends up with the “wrong” person in the love triangle. No matter what your dissatisfaction is with the ending, there’s no denying that it just feels wrong. For me, it’s especially apparent when the whole novel is packed full with action, and then the ending sort of tapers off without a super engaging fight scene. My biggest pet peeve is when the book is filled with heartache and devastating consequences, but then the story ends with a perfect “Hollywood” ending. That always seems to me like a little unrealistic, despite it being a sci-fi or action-based novel. There has to be some sort of suffering after an epic adventure due to the choices and sacrifices made along the journey. Without it, the ending is sort of one-dimensional, and an overall let down when finishing a great story.

                Insufficient endings also seem like sort of a betrayal of the characters. After all they went through throughout the adventure, they deserve the right kind of closure. And as the reader, I feel like I’m entitled to it as well. I spend my time reading something that I end up loving, and I’m engulfed in the story and what happens to each individual character, and then the ending is inadequate for what happens after. This is especially true when there isn’t going to be a sequel. I just finished reading Girl of Nightmares, the sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood, and I was thoroughly impressed with the plot—up until the ending when nobody died. I mean, it was just one of those novels where so many horrible things are happening, and the characters are in constant danger so it would have seemed fitting for one to die a gruesome death. But it wasn’t meant to be, obviously, and I was disappointed with the overly-happy happy ending.

A Grimm Story

Recently, as I was perusing the numerous bookshelves at Barnes and Noble, I stumbled across an interesting cover. Now, they say not to judge a book by its cover, and that’s a hell of a metaphor when not referring to books, but we all do it. The cover is the aspect of the book that initially draws us in, along with the title and the synapsis of the story. So as I looked upon this black cover with bright pink lettering, titled ironically Grim, it sparked my interest. It was when I read the back cover that I was immediately hooked. It promised dark and twisted stories unlike most young adult novels these days, so I had to buy it to see for myself.

                I was impressed, to say the least. The book itself was composed of seventeen different short stories by seventeen different authors, which was a nice change from the standard one narrator. Not only that, but the variety allowed me to see the contrasting styles of writing of each of the authors. Ellen Hopkins, for example, was featured in the book, and her poem-styled story flowed unlike any of the others. Some of the stories were too “fairy tale” for my personal taste, but there were multiple stories that left me gaping in shock, or thoroughly intrigued and wanting more.

                Sarah Rees Brennan’s story Beauty and the Chad was a unique twist on the classic story Beauty and the Beast that dealt with not only had different sexual orientation representation, but also dealt with gender identity and social pressures on teenagers, both male and female. Better by Shaun David Hutchinson left me reeling with questions and the brutality that mankind can have. Its ending is eerie and keeps you inquiring that maybe advancement’s in technology will lead down a darker path than we anticipated. My personal favorite is called Figment by Jeri Smith-Ready, which points out the different ways a person can grow and the things they can accomplish, all while emphasizing the things they leave behind in the process. Most of the stories in Grim pose questions leading towards humanity, and lead to deeper thinking while simultaneously providing the reader with an engaging story.

Anna Dressed in Blood

            When reading a book, it is imperative to me that the narrative of the main character be interesting. I absolutely cannot read a book about a whiny, helpless character that deals with situations in a poor way. Wittiness, humor, and sarcasm are some favorite traits of mine in a narrator, and without them I find that the story can become boring without a strong inner voice telling the tale. One of my biggest pet peeves when reading a story is when the narrator’s voice sounds…off. I’m not sure how else to describe it. Sometimes when authors attempt to write the story in the viewpoint of the opposite sex, the end result comes out sounding odd. Almost as if the character slips out of character, and a male ends up having more of a female inner thought process, or vice versa.

            That’s why it’s so refreshing to find a novel that is written by a woman, but the story sounds like it’s coming out of a teenage boy’s mouth. Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood is a perfect example of this. Most young adult novels these days are staged in a post-apocalyptic dystopian society, where a fierce teenage girl falls in love, starts a revolution, and then overthrows the corrupted power controlling the society. Now, I love a good dystopian story as much as the next teenage girl, but after a few dozen of them that have basically the same plot, the same love interest, and the same type of antagonist, the story gets old.

Anna Dressed in Blood, however, has none of these. It’s about Cas Lowood, a teenage ghost hunter, who falls in love with a ghost. Sounds a bit cliché, doesn’t it? I thought so too, which is why I was hesitant to read it until my mother practically forced me to. So I was shocked and incredibly intrigued when Cas’ narration immediately pulled me in. Like I said before, I usually can tell when the narrator is a male and the author is a female, because the story is either too descriptive or the main character doesn’t talk like a normal teenage guy. Cas is blunt and doesn’t dwell on petty things like a girl might. He doesn’t look for a hidden, deeper meaning in killing ghosts. He wonders where they go, of course, but the main thing he’s worried about is kicking ass and taking names. It makes the novel a quicker read, and I personally couldn’t put it down. 

The Power of Words

                There’s nothing better than sitting down and reading a good book. What is it about reading that keeps us so entertained? A book is nothing more than jumbled words strung together to somehow make sense, and yet, it is also so much more than that. A book can be a sanctuary, a friend, an escape, and a sense of entertainment all at once. Somehow, certain people still shy away from leisure reading, which is something I absolutely cannot fathom. Books have seen me grow up, and have not only shaped the person I am today, but will hopefully continue to shape the person I am going to be.

                “I would rather buy books than food”, my English teacher exclaimed the first day I was in her class. Since then, I haven’t gotten the phrase out of my head. I felt its truth ring through me as she voiced it, and even now I feel astonished that someone else could love literature as much as I, and express it in such a concise statement. The curse of the book-lover: having shelves overflowing and haphazard piles stuffed into corners, and only having read a small fraction of the collection. The knowledge that you don’t have enough time in your life to read all of the astronomical pieces of work available to you sends a pang through your chest, but you try anyways because it would be a disgrace to the authors of the writers if you didn’t.

Without the guidance of my childhood literature, no doubt my time would have seriously been misspent. Other children were outside, galloping about in the sunlight and whooping their joys until the dusk split apart the sky; I was inside, my nose stuck in a book and my mind a million worlds away. Reading is a way to decompress, not only for me but for millions of others out there. It makes you think in ways that you hadn’t previously before. You see the world through others’ eyes and experience things that seem impossible yet feel so real when you are engulfed in the story. Nothing is better than opening a book and inhaling the smell of the printed words, anticipation rushing through you as you await the inevitable addiction about to happen.

                At the same time, opening a promising story and ending up to be so hopelessly disappointed in its potential is heartbreaking. Knowing that you don’t understand the fascination others may have with the same story. It feels like there’s something just out of reach that you’re missing, but you can’t grasp it no matter how hard you try. Part of that is also the advantage of reading; there are so many different interpretations of the same group of words, like there are always possibilities. Books inspire emotions and dreams into people in a way nothing else can, and readers love them for it. 

In the Eyes of the Soldier

John H. Watson: army doctor back from Afghanistan roaming the streets of London once more. The strangest thing about Dr. Watson isn’t that he’s back on pension, scouring the city in hopes of an affordable living; it’s his strange attraction to precarious situations that draws him to the mysterious shadow stalking Sherlock Holmes, and the inevitable danger that follows behind.  What is so appealing about constantly risking his life? Perhaps it is the knowledge that John is doing it for the greater good, helping people that are in need. Or maybe it’s because of the blood rushing through his veins, his heart thumping erratically and the adrenaline pumping in his system. Multiple factors lead into John’s addiction to treacherous situations, and Sherlock provides the perfect opportunity for John to get his fix.

Just as John arrives in London, there are clear signs that he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Nightmares of the war plague him, as well as a psychosomatic limp that requires a walking stick and a tremor in his left hand as a side-effect of a bullet wound in his shoulder. Later we see revealed that the symptoms he’s having aren’t due to horrible memories; they’re due to the loss of the action. John misses the battlefield, and the sense of purpose and service that it provided him with. He finds that again in Sherlock Holmes, and regains his sense of duty, and leaves his restlessness behind, including any post-traumatic symptoms that he’d previously had.

John’s interest in Sherlock’s work reveals a lot about his character, like how in the midst of an adventure his bravery shines through, and his prevalent belief in saving the life before solving the case. He doesn’t hesitate to do the right thing. He is also quite selfless, risking his life multiple times for someone he’s barely even met. Those traits are obviously related to his military background, considering courage and compassion are two things every soldier must have, as well as the willingness to sacrifice himself to save others. He’s intelligent, quick on his feet and excellent under pressure, making him the perfect partner to the detective. Pride is a strong attribute of Dr. Watson’s, and he becomes angry or defensive if any weakness is exposed, like his noticeable limp. John is extremely self-dependent, and despises assistance that is offered out of pity. He loathes asking for any sort of help, which is evident in his reluctance to go to his therapist, and when he rejects Sargent Donovan’s advice of staying away from Sherlock. Trust issues may play a part in his solidarity, as well as defensive nature. This makes it all the more intriguing that he found a companion in Sherlock off all people. But loyalty is one of John’s stronger traits, and he sticks by Sherlock’s side despite all evidence suggesting that he’d be better off far away.

A major factor in John’s attachment to Sherlock is that he’s lonely. Although he was just released from war because of an injury, he is not staying with friends nor family, and instead is meandering London on his own. When asked about his last words in the face of death, he replies with “Please, God, let me live,” instead of a declaration of love for a dear person in his life. It’s almost as though he senses a kindred soul in Sherlock from the beginning, like he can tell that they both need each other in their lives. He’s accepting of Sherlock in a way that no one else is; he just wants to understand how the detective’s mind works, and he wants to know the man behind the cold mask. Their immediate connection to one another is what leads to the epic friendship that defines and ultimately changes them, something they both so desperately need.