Tunes & Tales: Four
April 30, 2015 • Tunes & Tales
I was quite sad to hear the news that Zayn Malik was leaving One Direction earlier this year. I respect the fact that he can make his own choices and do what's best for him though, so it's not so much that I feel bitter or angry that he's left; I just know it will dramatically shift the dynamic of the group. Still, if other bands can survive it (Westlife being a key example here), One Direction can too. Because I had One Direction on the brain, I decided to feature their latest release Four for this month's Tunes & Tales. The best part? I got my fellow One Direction fangirls Morgan of Gone with the Words and Wendy of Book Scents to play along and help find book pairings for each track!
VIBE: pop-rock tunes, sweet ballads, boyband vibes
WHY: The tunes alternate between fun, upbeat songs and lovely ballads. It's very fun!
TRY: Night Changes is my all-time favorite, but I love Ready to Run as well.
Steal My Girl // The Lynburn Legacy
I don't exist / if I don't have her
The sun doesn't shine / the world doesn't turn
[...]Everybody wanna steal my girl
Everybody wanna take her heart away
Couple billion in the whole wide world
Find another one 'cause she belongs to me
Ready to Run // The Start of Me and You
This time I'm ready to run
Wherever you are is the place I belong
'Cause I wanna be free and I wanna be young
I'll never look back now
I'm ready to run
Where Do Broken Hearts Go // Sugar Daddy
Counted all my mistakes and there’s only one
Standing up on a list of the things I’ve done
All the rest of my crimes don’t come close
To the look on your face when I let you go
18 // When Joss Met Matt
I have loved you since we were 18
Long before we both thought the same thing
To be loved, to be in love
Girl Almighty // Life in Outer Space
She floats through the room on a big balloon
Some say she’s such a fake / that her love is made up
No, no, no, no
Let’s have another toast to the girl almighty
Fool's Gold // Tiger Lily
I’ve let you use me from the day that we first met
But I’m not done yet / falling for you
Fool’s gold
Night Changes // On the Fence
She’s falling, doesn’t even know it yet
Having no regrets is all that she really wants
[...] But there’s nothing to be afraid of
Even when the night changes
It will never change me and you
No Control // Every Move
Powerless / and I don't care it's obvious
I just can't get enough of you
The pedal's down, my eyes are closed
No control
Fireproof // The Sea of Tranquility
'Cause nobody knows you, baby, the way I do,
And nobody loves you, baby, the way I do,
It's been so long, it's been so long, maybe you are fireproof,
'Cause nobody saves me, baby, the way you do.
Spaces // An Ember in the Ashes
Spaces between us keep getting deeper
It's harder to reach you, even though I try
Spaces between us hold all our secrets
Leaving us speechless and I don't know why
Who's gonna be the first to say goodbye
Stockholm Syndrome // Cruel Beauty
Who's that shadow holding me hostage? / I've been here for days
Who's this whisper telling me that I'm never gonna get away?
I know they'll be coming to find me soon
But I fear I'm getting used to being held by you
Clouds // The Art of Lainey
Someday, you’re gonna see the things that I see
You’re gonna want the air that I breathe
You’re gonna wish you never left me
Change Your Ticket // Behind the Scenes
And you say / it's hard to keep a secret
Girl, don't leave me all alone in this hotel
And these shades can hide us from the streets, yeah
one weekend / I promise that I'll never tell
Illusion // Princess of Thorns
Can't you see it?
I'm not trying to mislead you
I promise falling for me / won't be a mistake
No baby, this is not an illusion
I've really got my heart out on my sleeve
Once in a Lifetime // Infinite
Somehow it feels like nothing has changed
Right now my heart is beating the same
Out loud someone’s calling my name
It sounds like you
Act My Age // Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
When I’m fat and old and my kids think I’m a joke
Cause the stories that I told, I tell again and again
I can count on you after all we got up to
It Runs in the Family: Chlorr Gets the Mask
April 29, 2015 • book review, Garth Nix, It Runs in the Family, Macky Reads, young adult fiction
Macky's turn at blogging on this site for April involves his thoughts on Clariel, an additional novel in the Abhorsen series. I have yet to read it (since I want to reread the other 3 before it first), so I'm curious to find out if I'm going to feel the same as he does... Now I'll let him tell you what exactly those feelings were!
Clariel by Garth Nix
Series: Abhorsen #4
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Source/Format: BEA 2014 || ARC
[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects my review.]
Sixteen-year-old Clariel is not adjusting well to her new life in the city of Belisaere, the capital of the Old Kingdom. She misses roaming freely within the forests of Estwael, and she feels trapped within the stone city walls. And in Belisaere she is forced to follow the plans, plots and demands of everyone, from her parents to her maid, to the sinister Guildmaster Kilp. It seems too that the city itself is descending into chaos, as the ancient rules binding Abhorsen, King and Clayr appear to be disintegrating.
With the discovery of a dangerous Free Magic creature loose in the city, Clariel is given the chance both to prove her worth and make her escape. But events spin rapidly out of control. Clariel finds herself more trapped than ever, until help comes from an unlikely source. But the help comes at a terrible cost. Clariel must question the motivations and secret hearts of everyone around her - and it is herself she must question most of all.
So. Prequels. Not always fun but if well written adds so much depth to a (hopefully) well established universe. And the Abhorsen trilogy is a universe so rich and so original, you’d be hard pressed to believe anything prior to the events chronicled in these books would fall short of the initial impact.
Because let’s face it, for those of us who love the trilogy, it’s main appeal falls squarely on two legs: the magnificently unique mythos about reverse necromancy via bells and ancient powers… and the compelling journeys the characters walked.
“Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?” asks the Book of the Dead. Well, Clariel, the lost Abhorsen had her path cut out for her. We know her as Chlorr of the Mask, and how one of the characters in the books half let it slip that she was once an Abhorsen.
I gotta say that by the end of the book you just feel bad for her. Reading Clariel is a lot like watching movies in the same vein of Titanic and the Alamo. You know it doesn’t end as well as you’d like. To top it all off, the book started a bit slow for me. Had to muster up all my Abhorsen fandom to slug through the first few chapters of Clariel’s life because I was too busy looking for bells and free magic and the dead and hey… it doesn’t start with that.
But I liken this very well written story to an amusement park ride that starts of calmly and slowly enough and then suddenly hurls you into space at speeds that are pretty much insane. You’ll know when that point is as you read it. It was literally a “waaaaiiit… whaaaaa? *sinks in* Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh what the heeeeellll!!!!” moment.
And then it’s all down hill from there. Crazy crazy things.
Do I recommend reading this outside of the Abhorsen trilogy? Probably not. Unlike Sabriel or Lirael (and even Sameth), there just isn’t enough of a world building foundation in Clariel alone for any reader to appreciate the enormity of the world.
Is it a good story? Yes. But best enjoyed in context. Otherwise there’s too much information and nuance that you won’t be able to savor as well had you not been immersed in the original trilogy. Garth Nix is a great story teller and Clariel’s tale, was simple. Just another young woman trying to find her place in the world, thrust into circumstances she had little control over. The path chose her when it unveiled itself. And she walked it as best she could. In the end, that’s the best anyone can do anyways. It was good to know she tried. That she had a good heart. That she had so much stacked against her she had so few choices to make… and the few that she did… wrought some good in the world in spite of what we know she’d become.
A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas
April 28, 2015 • book review, By Alexa, Sarah J. Maas, young adult fiction
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Publication Date: May 5, 2015 (Get it next week!)
Source/Format: Publisher (Thanks!) || ARC
[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects my review.]
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Publication Date: May 5, 2015 (Get it next week!)
Source/Format: Publisher (Thanks!) || ARC
[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects my review.]
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Readers of this blog know very well that I’m a huge Throne of Glass series fan and book pusher, which also means I’m a huge Sarah J. Maas fan. And Sarah’s latest novel A Court of Thorns and Roses? IT. WAS. PHENOMENAL.
This book is another triumph, introducing readers to a brand new story filled with an expansive world and appealing characters. It’s a combination of whimsical fairytale and high fantasy, and that caters so well to my personal taste in books. Writing a coherent review seems like a futile effort at this point, since I’m doubtful I can perfectly word how I feel. But I’m willing to give it a try, so that others might understand what about it is about A Court of Thorns and Roses that is so special and join me on the Sarah J. Maas fangirl train.
ONCE UPON A TIME…
… there was a girl named Feyre. I really loved Feyre! Her most appealing trait is the fact that she is, at her core, a very ordinary teen girl. She has no special abilities, no features that make her incredibly beautiful. But she has a stubborn will, a clever mind, a heart that loves fiercely – and those are things I could relate to. She’ll quickly win you over with her sass, curiosity and compassion, and you’ll only grow to love her more with every single chapter.
… there was a faerie lord named Tamlin. Tamlin makes an appearance right away, demanding Feyre accompany him back to his land as retribution for killing a wolf in the woods. He is a very powerful fae, and comes off as aloof and angry. But there’s much more to him than just what he is; who he is reveals itself with time. Tam has a soft heart, an instinctive kindness and a desire to fight against the evil that threatens his kingdom, the Spring Kingdom.
THE MESSY MIDDLE
Feyre is torn up with guilt over being unable to provide for her family while she’s in the Spring Kingdom, even as she starts to relish the freedom she gets to figure out who she is without her family. She also struggles with the feelings she begins to develop not only for Tamlin, and the rest of the Spring Kingdom, as she discovers a familiarity and comfort with the fae and their traditions.
Tam, on the other hand, is learning to deal with the responsibilities and hard choices he needs to make as the faerie lord of the Spring Kingdom. It’s extra difficult, because it’s a position he was never planning to take on and because there happens to be a blight spreading across all of Prythian.
And as a pair, these two dance around each other. Their attraction is seriously strong, and Sarah works the romantic tension up to the highest levels of swoon and longing. Their relationship goes through quite a few stages, progressing all the way from the enmity of strangers to, well, to the blossom of love. I was seriously rooting for them right from the start, even when it seemed like they might wind up killing each other. (PS – Sarah made me giggle like a schoolgirl, blush like a virgin, and fan my face from the swoons. Seriously. Some of the most fun romantic scenes I’ve read in ages.)
Well, to make things even more complicated, there are external things that affect them both. There’s a blight affecting the faerie lands. It’s taking away the strength of each fae lord, which in turns weakens their protection and their hold on their lands. Plus, there’s an evil queen who wants to get her hands on Tamlin for her own nefarious purposes – and she’s not afraid to shed a little blood to do so.
You’d think with so many different things going on, it would be hard to keep track of or it would potentially feel unfinished. The balance is delicate, but Sarah manages to combine internal conflicts and external conflicts well. She blends in some romance, friendship, family, action, drama and feels to create this intense experience of reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. The reason it works, personally, is because Sarah makes it all feel like a fairy tale – whimsy, action, tricks and all.
AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER…
I’m obviously not going to spoil the ending, but I will say this: it ends with a note of finality. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to come (which there most definitely is), but it will satisfy the reader to know that we have some sort of closure for the events in A Court of Thorns and Roses. It’s really well-done, and it will leave readers happy and wanting more of this world and these characters.
I have to mention a couple of other things about A Court of Thorns and Roses:
- Lucien is my favorite of the three Fae men we meet. He’s of the Autumn Court, but is ambassador and friend to Tam. From the moment he first makes an appearance, you just know he’ll be a delight to read about. And he is! For all that he seems harsh and unforgiving, he just has some major walls up to shield any vulnerability. He’s seriously so fun (and pretty much a smartass with a good heart), and my absolute favorite character. (Mine. Okay? Okay.)
- There is another Fae that makes an appearance - Rhysand of the Night Court. He’s got such a complicated, conflicted background. But, to be fair, he had one major goal in mind and just did what he had to in order to get himself (and everyone else) there. I’m admittedly curious to learn more about him, and to see what else there is to him.
- Feyre’s family are not my favorite, honestly. Her father, crippled from an incident with debtors, shows no backbone whatsoever in their poverty. Her sister Elain is sweet, but a touch too innocent. And her sister Nesta is simply bitter, angry at their circumstances and not afraid to be honest about it. Even though I understood where they were coming from and that people react differently in times of crisis, they really bothered me.
- Prythian is such a fascinating place! There’s a map in the book that shows it off entirely, including each of the separate Fae kingdoms. I’m honestly curious to visit other places based on that alone, since each of them have different traditions and customs.
Whew. That was quite a lot! But I could talk about A Court of Thorns and Roses all day, every day if I had to because that’s how much I love it. (I’m not going to tell you whether I loved it more than the Throne of Glass series because comparing two very different stories is pointless. They’re both equally amazing.) Sarah’s magical story reads like all of the fairy tales I devoured in my tween years: impossible feats, daring battles, unusual magic, strong characters. It is exactly as impressive as the stories I have learned to expect from Sarah, and I’m certainly looking forward to more to love in the next one.
Bard on the Blogs || Shakespeare in YA
April 27, 2015 • Bard on the Blogs, event, giveaway
In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us!
This post, however, is one I'm putting together myself - a list of YA novels inspired by Shakespeare's life and work. While I do love the original plays and think there's nothing like the original experience, I find myself fascinated by authors taking elements from Shakespeare and twisting them into entirely new stories. To honor that, I'm sharing three I've read, and five more that I'm looking forward to reading. (I have to give credit to Epic Reads + this Goodreads list for some ideas for the TBR part!)
This post, however, is one I'm putting together myself - a list of YA novels inspired by Shakespeare's life and work. While I do love the original plays and think there's nothing like the original experience, I find myself fascinated by authors taking elements from Shakespeare and twisting them into entirely new stories. To honor that, I'm sharing three I've read, and five more that I'm looking forward to reading. (I have to give credit to Epic Reads + this Goodreads list for some ideas for the TBR part!)
READ
When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle (Romeo & Juliet retelling from the POV of Rosaline) - Serle has a sassy, unique take on Romeo & Juliet, and I certainly consider it one of the best examples of how Shakespeare can inform one's writing.
This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (Romeo & Juliet elements) - I have no idea if it's just me, but I could draw so many parallels between Romeo & Juliet and this story, which I really loved!
Love Disguised by Lisa Klein (references Shakespeare's life and work) - It's definitely a fun experience trying to find all the Shakespearean Easter Eggs in this tale. While it's not a favorite, I definitely at least enjoyed trying to see where Klein used her Shakespearean inspiration.
TBR
Still Star-crossed by Melinda Taub (Romeo & Juliet) - Hannah gets credit for finding this one, and recommending it to me. Neither of us has read it, but really, I can never resist the opportunity to read another take on the Romeo & Juliet tale.
Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay (Romeo & Juliet) - I've recently read two Stacey Jay novels (both of her fairytale-inspired ones), and enjoyed them! I definitely freaked out in the best way when I realized she'd written more YA and that it was inspired by Romeo & Juliet.
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (A Midsummer Night's Dream) - When I first started blogging, this series was one I saw mentioned fairly often. I haven't quite read anything inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream, but this sounds magical.
Ophelia by Lisa Klein (Hamlet) - No idea how I hadn't heard of this one before, but I definitely want to give it a shot. I'm a little wary considering my experience with another novel from this author, but the draw of Hamlet in YA form is definitely strong.
The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees (Twelfth Night) - I don't think I've ever read a YA retelling of Twelft Night (though I have watched She's the Man an absurd number of times at this point. DO YOU LIKE CHEESE?), so I'm obviously very curious to try this one!
Have you read any of these YA Shakespeare retellings? Do you have any more that you think I should add to my list? Would you read any of these? Sound off in the comments below because I definitely want to know! I suddenly realize that I might want to write a Shakespeare retelling of my own...
Ahem. Time to remind you that Alyssa & I have also teamed up for a giveaway!We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can pick, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sadly, this is the last day of our Bard on the Blogs celebration! I've thoroughly enjoyed having my blog taken over by my love for Shakespeare, and my fellow Bard enthusiasts. And it's been a total dream to get to co-host with Alyssa, my fellow Bard fangirl! Just to make sure you didn't miss out on any of the posts that went up this week, check out this handy dandy list:
on Alexa Loves Books
Shakespeare Starter Pack (by Miguel)
Shakespeare Film Adaptations (by Jessica)
If You Liked A Midsummer Night's Dream, Try This! (by Heather)
Twelfth Night vs. She's the Man (by Carlisa)
Much Ado About Nothing (Movie Review) (by Sarah & Christina)
Measuring Up "Measure for Measure" (by Alisa)
Travel the Bard Way (by Kelly)
Shakespeare in YA (this post!)
on Books Take You Places
Hamlet Review (by Katherine)
Much Ado About Nothing (Movie Review) (by Lily)
Shakespeare in Popular Culture (by CJ)
The Merry Wives of Windsor Review (by Erika)
Sonnet 130 (by Emma)
In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us! Today's post is from one of my best friends that I met through blogging, Kelly of Belle of the Literati. She's combining two of my favorite things - travel (and in Europe!) and Shakespeare.
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When Alexa asked me to be a part of her Shakespeare post, I was ecstatic! It will come as no surprise to anybody that knows me that the tragedies of Shakespeare call to me. The angst, the impossible situations, the heart-breaking moments where the fates have a different destiny than what you’re hoping for. Cliche or not, my two favorite Shakespeare plays are Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. This has played a huge part in my travel experiences and because of that, my post for Alexa will be a mini travel guide to Shakespeare fans of my two favorite plays!
Romeo and Juliet
I *finally* had the opportunity to stop in Verona while I was in Italy in 2013 and to say I was excited was an understatement. Not only is this the traffic of our stage (see what I did there?), it pays homage to our Juliet with Juliet’s Balcony. If you’ve read R&J or have seen Letters to Juliet, you know what I’m talking about.
While every fan worth their salt understands that Juliet’s Balcony is a tourism trap and a man-made monument, it is still a must-see representation of our fairest star (sorry, again, couldn’t help it). AND you can write a letter to her! The walls around the balcony are packed with letters to Juliet. I, myself, did write her a very heartfelt letter when I was there…and I’ll have you know it worked. *wink*
Julius Caesar
Now, there’s a common misconception with the play Julius Caesar and the historical accuracy of where Caesar was actually stabbed. And as much as I love history I’m going to ignore the liberties Shakespeare took with location and focus on the play. The Roman Forum in Rome, right next to the Colosseum, is a necessary stop in your Shakespeare travels. It is a huge in-ground space of land with ruins all over the place and you can pick any spot you want to reenact his stabbing…as you can see below…I did. I got some weird looks but seriously, how dare they stare at me! Et tu, Brute?!
**Okay I couldn’t leave history ENTIRELY out so here’s a picture where Julius Caesar was actually stabbed, where the Theater of Pompeii once stood**
Shakespeare
And if you’re going to be traveling Europe in search of important Shakespeare landmarks, none other are more important than The Globe theater in London. No joke, it is near impossible to find for some reason. Maybe it was just me but the maps don’t clearly lay out where it is in relation to major roads. Keep this in mind if you get frustrated. While the original Globe theater where all the magic happened burned down in 1613, it was rebuilt the next year but closed the year after that. Today, there is a replica built a few hundred yards from where the original once stood. There is a small museum you can walk through and they perform plays there today. When I was there they rotated plays as well as what language they were spoken in as a way to celebrate not only Shakespeare but other ethnicities and cultures as well, which I think is beautiful.
Thanks for having me, Alexa! I loved traveling back to Shakespeare time via your event!
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Thanks for sharing, Kel! I always love hearing about the places you've traveled to, and it's super special that you were able to share two famous spots related to Shakespeare. I hope I get to visit them myself one day (particularly that balcony)!
As previously mentioned, Alyssa & I also teamed up for a giveaway. We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can pick, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
Bard on the Blogs || Measuring Up "Measure for Measure"
April 26, 2015 • Bard on the Blogs, event, giveaway
In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us! I hope you enjoy all the posts (and look out for the giveaway too)! Today's post is by Alisa of Papercuttts. She's sharing her thoughts on an audiobook of Measure for Measure today!
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My experience with Shakespeare has always been positive.
I’ve been fortunate in that every interaction I’ve had with his great works has
been easy to understand and a delight to take in. I’ve never been forced to drudge through
reading play scripts. In fact, I’ve never read
anything by Shakespeare. The only things I know about him are through the plays
that I’ve watched.
“Gosh, maybe I’m just a super genius, but I’ve never had
trouble understanding Ye Olde English, or getting Shakespeare’s jokes,” I would
mumble to friends who were bemoaning their lifeless English lit classes. A
wiser, more humble Alisa knows that the reason it was easy for me was because
the actors and directors did all the hard work. There are two languages
happening when you watch a play: spoken language and visual language. Reading a
play from a piece of paper takes away 50% of what’s being communicated. It’s
the job of the actors to communicate the other 50%, the visual language, to the
audience in a way that makes sense.
Too bad I can’t go to the theatre and see a Shakespeare play
whenever I want. Thinking audiobooks would be a good compromise between reading
a play and watching a live performance, I thanked my fairy bookmother when I
saw that my library had lots available. I selected the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s recording of Measure for Measure for a few reasons. First, I knew nothing about the
plot. Second, the OSF is pretty famous for doing great productions. Lastly, the
summary promised mariachi music and a contemporary setting while still staying
true to the roots of the story.
The basic plot is this: a guy misses one small technicality
in the process to become legally married, gets his wife pregnant, then is
thrown in prison by a zealous judge. Fornication is punishable by death, so
he’s now on death row. The guy’s sister, a nun-in-training, learns of the news
and pleads with the judge to keep her brother alive. The judge agrees, if she
gives him her virginity. I won’t spoil the ending, but the corruption gets
worse before it gets better.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival cast (from 2011 in this
recording) is pretty stellar. There are one or two actors that were hesitant
and jerky for some reason that I can’t explain (this was recorded in a studio,
not with a live audience). But the important characters communicated feelings,
emotions, and humor with their voices.
There was one major problem that ruined my experience. While
I could have recognized different characters on stage because of their faces
and clothes, I didn’t get any of those details in the audio-only recording.
There are a handful of female characters that have very different voices and
accents, but many of the male characters sound the same. Some scenes have
several males who never addressed each other by name, so I had no idea who was
talking, what their relationships were to the other characters, or even how
many people were on the stage. About halfway through the two-hour play, I was
so frustrated that I paused and read a detailed plot summary on Wikipedia. Only
after that did things make sense.
As far as the contemporization goes, the director tried to
place it in a 1970’s latino setting, I think. Sex out of marriage is a big fat
no-no, and is central to the plot, so it’s an okay fit with conservative
Catholic culture. Many of the characters had Spanish accents, and the
transition music was contemporary urban mariachi. Sometimes the actors
substituted Spanish words or phrases in place of older Elizabethan English.
Thee’s and thou’s were still in full use, however. And the city remained, as in
the original, Vienna, Austria. That made me scratch my head. Like, if you’re
already making the characters say things in Spanish, why in the world wouldn’t
you change the name of the city?
The story itself is timeless, and sadly, the gross
injustices that it addresses are still recognizable 411 years after its
writing. It’s a good conversation piece for societal perceptions of men who
have sex vs women who have sex. I would definitely pay to see this on stage.
But this particular production lacks forethought and logic, and fails to
deliver an understandable, fluent masterpiece to the audience. Bottom line:
ditch the director, stick with Shakespeare!
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Thanks for sharing, Alisa! I've never listened to a Shakespeare audiobook before, and can only imagine what it must have been like for you. You have reminded me, however, that it's been quite some time since I've read Measure for Measure so I'll have to check it out soon.
As previously mentioned, Alyssa & I also teamed up for a giveaway. We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can pick, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
Bard on the Blogs || Much Ado About Nothing (Movie Review)
April 25, 2015 • Bard on the Blogs, event, giveaway
In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us! I hope you enjoy all the posts (and look out for the giveaway too)! Today's second post is from Christina & Sarah of Between Bookends. They are sharing their thoughts on the Whedon adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing.
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SHAKESPEARE!
You know his name, you’ve heard his tales even if you
haven’t read them yourself. Shakespeare is someone you cannot escape. He is
still a pop culture question even centuries after his death, which is why it is
fitting that he would team up with Joss Whedon (arguably the king of the screen
right now) to bring a new interpretation of the play Much Ado About Nothing to
the screen. Much Ado is our favorite Shakespeare play; a couple months before
the movie came out we sat down and read the play out loud together. Before
Whedon’s Much Ado we saw Kenneth Branagh’s version and a video of David Tennant
and Catherine Tate’s stage production. Out of all the interpretations we’ve
seen Whedon’s is our favorite and here are some reasons why.
EASIER TO UNDERSTAND
The setting is
modern which somehow makes it easier to translate the Shakespearian world in a
way that is understandable to our modern minds. The actors are casual and
smooth in delivering their lines so that we often forget that it’s Shakespearian
language and just absorb it all. We’ve always had issues understanding Dogberry
(the idiotic chief of police who believes he’s intelligent) but Nathan Fillion’s
delivery of the lines are HILARIOUS! The actor remarked that in order to
memorize the dialogue he first had to understand what he was saying, we think
that understanding of the character came through and made it easier for the
viewers.
THE VIEWING
EXPERIENCE
The whole film is in black and white and it makes everything
classy and dramatic. It helps set the tone for the movie and gives it that noir
feeling. Everything looks better in black and white and there are many scenes
were we just want a screen shot on the wall because it is just so BEAUTIFUL!
The black and white also helped when filming because when there was a bright
orange lawnmower in background they didn’t have to worry about it ruining the
shot. It blended right in!
BELIEVABILITY
Shakespeare doesn’t always make believability easy. Why
would Don Pedro pretend to be Claudio to woo Hero in Claudio’s name so that
Claudio could get married to her? Because they are drunk! It’s is very rare to
see the characters without a drink in their hand, and to be honest, it explains
a lot!
One of the best things about this movie is the consistency
in tone. Characters don’t seem hot and cold, you can believe their actions
because it fits them. Claudio is the perfect example of this because he is
known for being a very changeable character. Fran Kranz said that he played him
as an idiot jock the entire time. That portrayal of the character adds a
consistency that Claudio usually lacks and creates a more believable and
sympathetic character. We have never liked Claudio more.
And for all you who wished Hero would sucker punch Claudio… well,
that doesn’t happen. BUT she does get visibly angry and looks like she is
thinking about it. Go Hero!
Whedon also gives
Benedick and Beatrice a romantic backstory usually not seen AND IT EXPLAINS
EVERYTHING! The romantic history is hinted at twice in the text, but never actually
confirmed. By confirming their past it adds a reason for the anger and later the
quick turn in feelings.
BENEDICK &
BEATRICE
I think everyone can agree that the stars of Much Ado are
Benedick and Beatrice. There is nothing more fun than a bickering couple
denying their feelings for one another. In this version their arguing takes on
a darker and bitter tone, the characters trying to wound the other with their
words, but you still can’t help but laugh. The bitterness between them also
makes the ending even sweeter when you get to it.
SPECIAL FEATURES
If you have the chance to watch the film with the
commentaries afterwards, we would highly recommend it. The cast commentary is
the best and worst commentary we have ever heard because it is funny and crazy
and there are so many people laughing and talking that we feel like we are
there with them. At the same time, because everyone is talking sometimes you
cannot pick out individual conversations and it’s just a blur of words. The
Director commentary is just Joss Whedon talking. It is interesting hearing
about the making of the film (which was set in his house), the discussion of
the text, the artistic reasoning behind different shots, etc. The short videos
on the making of the film and the story of them traveling to a film festival in
a tour bus are also incredibly enjoyable and we watch them almost as much as we
watch the film.
EPILOGUE
This movie as a whole is funny, heartbreaking, and dramatic.
We find ourselves caring for all the characters, even the plain dealing
villain, the ass, and Hero. We hope that if you haven’t seen this film before
that we have convinced you to check it out. If you have seen it before we’ve
had fun fangirling about it with you! “For man is a giddy thing, and this is
[our] conclusion.”
THE END
-Christina
& Sarah
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Thank you so much for sharing such a thorough review of Much Ado About Nothing, Christina & Sarah! I haven't yet seen the film, but I definitely want to after reading what you had to say. Plus, you can't go wrong with Whedon either.
As mentioned in previous posts, Alyssa & I also teamed up for a giveaway. We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can pick, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us! I hope you enjoy all the posts (and look out for the giveaway too)! Today's post is by Carlisa of Confessions by Carlisa. She's going to be comparing Twelfth Night and She's the Man.
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I read the Twelfth
Night for the first time my sophomore year of high school. We had an extra
reading list that we had to pick from and when I found out the movie She’s the Man is based on Twelfth Night, I picked it immediately.
“What?” you may ask incredulously. “The hilarious She’s the Man is based on a Shakespeare
play?” And I would reply with a nod and a knowing smile on my face, “Yes, my
friends. Yes, it is.”
Now I know you’re pretty shocked, but let me give you a
heads up. This post will contain some
spoilers of both the movie and the play, so if you’re haven’t seen/read
them…get out now. Just kidding, you’re completely welcome. But then go
watch/read them. Okay, here we go.
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source |
First of all, Shakespeare knows how to write a comedy. This
play is hilarious. I’ve read it multiple times and it has me laughing out loud
every time. If you feel like maybe you’re not a Shakespeare person, try this
one. It’s short and sweet and super funny.
The premise is that two twins, Viola and Sebastian, are
shipwrecked and land in a place called Illyria. Viola lands to find herself
alone and her brother dead. She pretends to be a boy so that she can work for
the Duke Orsino as his pageboy. He mostly sends Viola to profess his undying
love for Olivia, a woman who is currently grieving over the loss of her
brother. Olivia vehemently refuses him but on these errands of love, she finds
herself attracted to the young, sweet boy Orsino sends (Uh-oh). Likewise, while
Orsino declares his love for Olivia, Viola secretly falls in love with Orsino
(love triangle to the max). Meanwhile, Sebastian appears (not dead!) in Illyria
mourning the loss of his dear sister (who is also very much alive). Olivia, thinking Sebastian is Orsino’s
pageboy who is really Viola, takes Sebastian and marries him (and he just goes
along with it ‘cause why not?). Then Olivia sees Viola with Orsino and
announces their marriage to the Duke. Orsino gets angry and Viola gets confused
until Sebastian shows up! Viola and he reunite and all is understood and Orsino
realizes he really loves Viola and everyone ends up happy.
Except Malvolio. Who has his own little side story where
some characters write a love letter “from” Olivia, proclaiming her love for him.
“Olivia” bids him wear bright yellow socks and cross-garters, to hop around,
and to smile like a fool…which he does. And gets shut down. Poor guy.
This is such a
funny movie. My friends and I quote it all the time. It stars Amanda Bynes before
her crazy days. But here’s the low-down. There’s a girl named Viola who goes to
Cornwall High School and plays soccer there. The girls team gets cut and when
the boys team refuses to let her play, she makes a plan.
Her twin brother
Sebastian goes to London to perform with his band and asks Viola to cover for
him at his new school, Illyria High, which is a boarding school. Viola dresses
up like a boy (very convincingly, I might add) and attends Illyria, hoping to
make the boys soccer team and beat Cornwall.
Her roommate Duke Orsino really
likes this girl named Olivia and when Viola and Olivia hit it off, Duke trades
soccer lessons for Viola with help getting Olivia. The plan backfires, though,
when Olivia gets a crush on Viola (“Sebastian”) and Viola develops feelings for
Duke. Things are getting tricky, I know.
Sebastian’s (the real Sebastian)
girlfriend Monique and Malcolm realize what happened and tell the school
principal. The real Sebastian comes home early from London and Olivia kisses
him, a kiss which Duke sees. Duke yells at Viola (thinking she/he kissed
Olivia) and kicks her out the night before the big Cornwall/Illyria soccer
game.
The next morning Sebastian gets woken up and goes to the soccer field…he
plays terribly while Viola watches helplessly from the sidelines. The principal
comes in during halftime and with a megaphone announces that Sebastian is a
boy. He, well…he proves that he’s definitely a boy. Then Viola switches with
him and during the game, Viola and Duke end up pushing each other in anger.
Viola announces that she’s a girl (and, like sister, like brother…she proves
it) and Duke walks off in anger. She invites him to a Junior League ball and he
shows up and they kiss and everyone lives happily ever after.
Again, except Malcolm who loves Olivia in a creepy, stalkery
sort of way.
Boom. There you go. Here are some things to watch for when
you see the movie and read the play (because that’s what you’re going to do
now):
- Malcolm = Malvolio. They are both kind of the butt of everyone’s jokes and it’s hilarious. Malvolio would have been a weird name for the present day, so they changed it to Malcolm. Despite this, Malcolm’s pet tarantula is in fact named Malvolio.
- In the play, Cesario is one of Duke’s attendants. In the movie, it’s the pizza shop that they hang out in.
- The only direct quote I noticed (though used in completely different contexts in both): “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
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Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Carlisa! I adored Twelfth Night, and loved She's the Man, so just seeing the way you've drawn comparisons between the two is pretty dang awesome. (And now I feel like I should read the play and watch the movie again...)
In case y'all missed it, Alyssa & I have teamed up for a giveaway! We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can choose from, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
Bard on the Blogs || If You Liked A Midsummer Night's Dream, Try This!
April 24, 2015 • Bard on the Blogs, event, giveaway
Another day, another set of posts for Bard on the Blogs! In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us! I hope you enjoy all the posts (and look out for the giveaway too)! Today's second post is from Heather of Based on a True Story, and she's sharing some book recommendations for readers who enjoyed A Midsummer Night's Dream!
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A Midsummer Night's Dream has always been my favorite Shakespeare play. A woman runs away from her politically arranged wedding with her lover only to get caught up in an argument between the King and Queen of the fairies. A love potion is given to the wrong person causing chaos throughout the night.
If you loved A Midsummer Night's Dream like I did, try these books.

Like Hermia in the play, Naila's parents choose a husband for her and it isn't the boy she wants."Naila’s conservative immigrant parents have always said the same thing: She may choose what to study, how to wear her hair, and what to be when she grows up—but they will choose her husband. Following their cultural tradition, they will plan an arranged marriage for her. And until then, dating—even friendship with a boy—is forbidden. When Naila breaks their rule by falling in love with Saif, her parents are livid. Convinced she has forgotten who she truly is, they travel to Pakistan to visit relatives and explore their roots. But Naila’s vacation turns into a nightmare when she learns that plans have changed—her parents have found her a husband and they want her to marry him, now! Despite her greatest efforts, Naila is aghast to find herself cut off from everything and everyone she once knew. Her only hope of escape is Saif . . . if he can find her before it’s too late."

An ordinary woman needs to get away from the fairy court where she is the newest pet. The fairies are self-centered and manipulative just like Shakespeare's."Nora Fischer’s dissertation is stalled and her boyfriend is about to marry another woman. During a miserable weekend at a friend’s wedding, Nora wanders off and walks through a portal into a different world where she’s transformed from a drab grad student into a stunning beauty. Before long, she has a set of glamorous new friends and her romance with gorgeous, masterful Raclin is heating up. It’s almost too good to be true.

More evil fairies who promise to give you all you ever wanted! Tiffany is an amazing heroine who has to save her brother and the son of the local gentry with only her brains and her frying pan."Armed only with a frying pan and her common sense, Tiffany Aching, a young witch-to-be, is all that stands between the monsters of Fairyland and the warm, green Chalk country that is her home. Forced into Fairyland to seek her kidnapped brother, Tiffany allies herself with the Chalk's local Nac Mac Feegle - aka the Wee Free Men - a clan of sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men who are as fierce as they are funny. Together they battle through an eerie and ever-shifting landscape, fighting brutal flying fairies, dream-spinning dromes, and grimhounds - black dogs with eyes of fire and teeth of razors - before ultimately confronting the Queen of the Elves, absolute ruler of a world in which reality intertwines with nightmare."

Like the lovers in the play, Katie stumbles into a magical world that she didn't know existed. This series is fast and funny with some romance too."Katie Chandler had always heard that New York is a weird and wonderful place, but this small-town Texas gal had no idea how weird until she moved there. Everywhere she goes, she sees something worth gawking at and Katie is afraid she's a little too normal to make a splash in the big city. Working for an ogre of a boss doesn't help. Then, seemingly out of the blue, Katie gets a job offer from Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., a company that tricks of the trade to the magic community. For MSI, Katie's ordinariness is an asset. Lacking any bit of magic, she can easily spot a fake spell, catch hidden clauses in competitor's contracts, and detect magically disguised intruders. Suddenly, average Katie is very special indeed."

"When aromatherapist Sukie starts using her cottage garden to provide raw ingredients for her products, she thinks she's hit on a good way of saving money while offering her clients a way of de-stressing and relaxation. However, Sukie discovers that her new improved lotions and potions are making her massages distinctly magical."
Potions are more powerful than you think! Be careful.
What other books have you read that remind you of A Midsummer Night's Dream?
(All book summaries from Goodreads.)
---
Thank you so much, Heather! I loved that the selection of books you've included are from various age groups and genres, and I certainly would like to try reading them. Perhaps after a reread of A Midsummer Night's Dream?
As mentioned in the previous posts, Alyssa & I are hosting a giveaway. We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can pick, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below:
Another day, another set of posts for Bard on the Blogs! In case you missed it, I'm teaming up with Alyssa of Books Take You Places for Bard in the Blogs! Alyssa and I share a mutual love for William Shakespeare and his work, so we decided it would be an excellent idea to celebrate with a little blog event. I'm so thrilled to have so many wonderful people guest posting on both my blog and Alyssa's blog, so a big thank you goes out to those who volunteered to share with us! I hope you enjoy all the posts (and look out for the giveaway too)! Today's post is by Jessica of Peace Love Books, and she's sharing her favorite Shakespeare film adaptations.
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Hey, everyone! I’m Jessica from Peace Love Books and, I’ve got
to say, I could not be more excited about Bard on the Blogs! While I didn’t
discover my appreciation for Shakespeare’s plays until college while earning my
degree in Integrated English Education, I had no idea that some of my all-time
favorite movies were actually modern day adaptations of his plays. Whether it’s
tragedy or a comedy, Shakespeare sure knew how to write a good story. And
thanks to those stories, some of the best movies have been made! I’m here to
share with you my three favorite films based on the Bard…
She’s the Man has been one of my all-time favorite movies ever since I saw it in theater way back
in 2006. No lie, I can quote pretty much every single line of the movie. And
who doesn’t love Duke? I’m embarrassed to admit, though, that I had no idea
this was based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth
Night until many years later. I didn’t actually read the play until my
sophomore year of college, but man is that play funny! This modern day
adaptation is brilliant and definitely brings Shakespeare’s comedy alive.
Of course, I can’t do a Shakespeare post without talking
about 10 Things I Hate About You. You
really can’t choose a better movie from the 90s. Let’s not forget
that we have Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as adorable young things.
This film is based off of The Taming of
the Shrew and, I must admit, I actually prefer the movie to the play. The
movie is very loosely based off of the play and I enjoyed Kat’s character far
more in the movie. Maybe it’s because Julia Styles played an impeccable Kat,
but you just can’t beat this movie.
Last, but certainly not least, is my most recent favorite
movie. And that is the classic Romeo and Juliet. This one came out in 2013 and I dragged my mom
along with me on one of my weekends home from school. I LOVED it. I bought the
movie the moment it was released on DVD and made my sister and dad watch it
over our Spring Break. I think that the costumes, set, and acting were so
magical and perfect. And don’t even get me started when I saw Ed Westwick show
up as Tybalt. *swoon* While the version with Leonardo DiCaprio is definitely
unique, I think that this one is a beautiful edition of Shakespeare’s most
famous and beloved play.
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Thank you so much for sharing, Jessica! I've seen and loved the first two films, but have yet to catch the third (which I should, because I love Romeo & Juliet and because ED WESTWICK).
As mentioned in the previous posts, Alyssa & I are hosting a giveaway! We're going to be picking TWO WINNERS to pick the SHAKESPEARE RETELLING of their choice. Best part? It's open INTERNATIONALLY (as long as Book Depository ships to your country). For an idea of what retellings you can pick, here's a handy list. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below:
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