A Grave Tale
10 October 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Grave Tale, Stainless Steel Droppings RIP
Thornton Piano, Highgate Cemetery, Photo by John Cox
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Just finished reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I loved this book – now, I genuinely don’t know whether it’s just that I’m made up with Neil Gaiman who seems able to do no wrong for me or not but I just fell right into this story and was absorbed until the end. Gaiman has such a great way with words and manages to tell a fairy story that is different and aimed at an adult audience.
Stardust brings to us Tristan Thorn. Tristan was born as a result of one night’s passion between Dunstan Thorn and a not entirely human slave he meets one night when he goes to the Market over the wall. Nine months later Dunstan receives a little bundle of job – left, almost, on his doorstep.
The Village of Wall is a sheltered and olde world Victorian village with old fashioned ways and customs. The Village is nestled right up alongside The Wall (for which it is probably named) beyond which are strange comings and goings. Beyond the Wall is where Tristan must go to bring back a falling star for his lady love. He’s about to embark on a strange adventure with no end of imagination. If you can imagine it, it’s probably in this book.
I love the way that Gaiman brings together a fairy story without it seeming like a cliche. We have Wall – and beyond we have this strange world where anything can happen. Just like in your childhood stories – Once upon a time, over the hill and far away…. It’s just brilliant. Puts me in mind of Norrell and Strange – where the strange world of the fey once was known to us but the paths to it have now been lost – the paths beyond the wall remain but few tread there without a purpose. Once every nine years a market appears in the meadow beyond the wall and at this point the residents of the village mingle with the strange and unknown.
This is only a short book and yet Gaiman manages to make us care about the people he writes about. I’m not quite sure how he does this. There are no lengthy explanations, no great wordy descriptions or info dumps and yet quite clearly we have a firm idea of the place and a distinct liking for the characters that populate it – whether they are make believe or not and whether they only play a fleeting part or a more substantial role. Tristan is decidedly naive but is quite refreshingly honest and likeable. Yvaine (the fallen star) is brusque and sharp tongued – although I think anybody would be a bit naffed off under similar circumstances.
Alongside this we have two other stories running – which are all about to coincide. We have the Lilim. Three ancient witch like creatures who are older than the hills. They seek the star for the purity of her heart which will renew their youth. We also have the remaining heirs of Stormhold – in a desperate race to find the fallen star first and retrieve the Topaz she carries which will give them the right to rule.
The action is fairly fast paced and brings to us creatures and myths along the way, the unicorn and the lion, flying pirates who seek lightning storms and talking trees to name but a few.
There’s plenty more to read about and is all very entertaining. It did put me in mind of The Book of Lost Things -not that the stories are the same but they’re both about young men who become embroiled in a fantastic journey and also they’re both coming of age stories.
I loved it and would happily read it again. Also, the book I was reading had a short story that Gaiman wrote before Stardust, a story that starts with a young girl and seven magpies. The book also included an interview which I really enjoyed reading – it just contained intriguing little snippets – like the copper beech tree in the story being created for Tori Amos. I only hope that one day Gaiman will return and finish his magpie story.
I’m including this in my RIP event. It’s fantasy and although I admit it isn’t really dark fantasy it is adult and there are some definite elements that could warrant it’s inclusion. I’m thinking of the particular parts of the story that focus on the witch – who isn’t exactly a sweet and cuddly character!
The Duplicate by Helen Fitzgerald
The Duplicate by Helen Fitzgerald was the last of my holiday reads and quite literally I read it in the Airport and on the flight home. It’s only a short story so it fitted in perfectly.
The story is split into two parts, firstly following Barbara, a young misfit orphan. Barbara lives with her rather eccentric, mad scientist type uncle in a large mansion. She assists him with his experiments on cloning. As we start the story Barbara is in the middle of her presentation for the school’s science project. To say her little experiment doesn’t go down to well is something of an understatement and the whole event only pushes Barbara further into the realms of oddity in the eyes of the other students.
As I started this book I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The first part of the story is told by Barbara. It starts off with her explaining how she intends to marry the object of her school girl crush. Barbara has very little experience, no friends and from the sounds of it almost borders on autistic. Reading her thoughts starts off fairly amusing if sometimes a little cringe-making. Barbara has bought a self help book and is quite literally taking the advice in there as gospel with more often than not quite disastrous results. The tension begins to build as the story unfolds and you are left with the horrible knowledge that something disastrous and life changing is about to happen for the ever unsuspecting and gullible Barbara.
This leads us to part two of the story. Told by Barbara’s daughter Rowena (who is in fact Barbara No.2). This makes for interesting reading – how will Rowena turn out after all? Will she be like her mother? Follow in her footsteps and make the same mistakes. Rowena, in fact, is only like her mother in looks. Her nature is different. She is care free and friendly and her easy going nature makes it easy for her to make friends. She has a good life style and seems to have enjoyed all the activities and privileges that her mother missed out on. And yet, something is happening. Her mother is acting odd (even for her) and events are about to take a turn for the worse.
I don’t really want to give anything further away with this because it would be very easy to just spoil the story for others. Like I said, it’s a short book, it’s very easy to read. The author has managed to capture the teenage voices of both Barbara and Rowena very well and to make them sound like individuals.
The book took me through a number of stages starting with humour, cringing embarrassment tinged with a little bit of horror through to relief (as a new episode seemed to start) back through to niggling doubt, horror and tension!
It was good and I really enjoyed it. Tinges of Frankenstein mixed with schoolgirl mean girls, coming of age and obsession and the dark road it can take you down.
This wasn’t the book I was originally going to purchase by Helen Fitzgerald, I was intending to pick up The Devil’s Staircase but I had to buy a book for kindle and the other book wasn’t available so I bought this one and I’m really pleased that I did. I will definitely read more of this author’s work. This was a YA book but there are a number of other stories not aimed at YA to choose from. So plenty to look forward to.
This book is classed as both sci-fi and horror and as such will be suitable to add to my RIP reading list. Check out the details here.
Prometheus
So, watched Prometheus and frankly didn’t enjoy it. Now, my hubby didn’t mind it and perhaps if you want a bit of sci-fi (but I do mean a bit) mingled with a bit of horror and a lot of special effects then this could be for you – did I just dis my hubby? Well, not really, you know we’re not joined at the hip after all and I might like the occasional soppy movie but he never does – so there you go!! Normality restored.
Back to Prometheus. What is that all about. I don’t really write a lot of negative reviews for anything and the reason is because if I’m not enjoying something I stop reading/watching and then, frankly, I don’t think it’s fair to review something that you haven’t completed. After all, it might have redeemed itself in the last half, then the last third, then the last quarter, then the last eighth… you see where I’m going with that?
I have so many objections to this movie that I can hardly begin to note them. Okay, the special effects are excellent – but frankly I’ve come to expect that special effects will be in this day and age. The problem is, I can’t enjoy a film that’s purely about special FX and very little else to recommend it. What about a bit of character development. We have a crew. There seems to be little love lost between any of them, they don’t know each other, there are no friendships (except between the two doctors). It just makes it difficult to like anyone really. Next, why on earth would a trillion pound expedition to outer space be funded on the flimsy evidence of a few cave drawings. You know, it’s like modern art, you can interpret it however the hell you want but it doesn’t mean you have to travel the universe or, more to the point, how did these two doctors manage to convince anyone of this expedition. They don’t seem to have a convincing argument at all.
Now, down to the really little niggles. What on earth was with that total mimicry of Alien all about (and, I am thinking of one particular scene which you will know what I’m referring to if you’ve seen this)? Yes, I know the connection thank you very much – but, I don’t want to see exactly the same type of scene repeated . The surgery – ridiculous in the extreme. The running about jumping, fighting, etc, after the surgery – even more ridiculous – okay, I see, it’s sci-fi so I’m not supposed to question that but frankly I just do. What, major surgery and then a few staples and off to the gym – you try it! And, what, no reaction from anybody else! Covered in blood, look like shit, yeah.
I was really thinking about it. I was thinking was there much of a story and then I was trying to compare it to Alien and see if there was much more of a story there – and maybe there isn’t. But, comparatively. Alien – not any major special effects really, and yet scary. You cared about the characters, you’d never really seen anything like it before, there were friendships that just were portrayed so easily, all the darkness and dripping water and just plain out creepy – not to mention when the alien makes it’s first appearance courtesy of John Hurt’s chest was phenomenal – I don’t know whether the acting was just brilliant in that scene or whether they genuinely didn’t know what was happening (which is what I’ve read about) but it was the business. Now, Prometheus. Feels like it’s just trying to live off the reputation of the original and the way we all love it. A bunch of characters who you couldn’t care less about. A bunch of scientists who seem to know less about science than a two year old child. I could go on.
The thing is, this review is so negative that I can’t believe it. I really didn’t hate the movie at all. I just thought it was incredibly disappointing. And, I had questions. For example, how did that geologist guy manage to get lost – other than it was a good plot device – after all he was the one who seemed to have big ideas and gadgets about plotting the place. Why was an expedition planned on the flimsy evidence of a couple of doctors. Why did Charlize Theron have the most ridiculous role in the entire history of film, why was Guy Pearce starring as an old man – I assumed there was going to be some sort of miraculous rolling back of the years otherwise why use him – but no – so why not just use an older actor??
I’m just going to stop now and step away, because, I think I should.
Now, you may like this movie, and my criticisms are not meant for you personally. I like lots of films that other people don’t and I stick by my own personal taste. However, this just didn’t do it for me and in fact sort of annoyed me.
Oh well,
Go and see it anyway. It’s not a bad film (I suppose). I didn’t hate it. It just didn’t live up to my expectations. And, also, even if I hadn’t had expectations I think it would have been lacking.
I’m including this as one of my RIP entries – get yourselves over to Stainless Steel Droppings and get involved with his RIP event.
Interview with the Vampire, No.1 of the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
Interview with the Vampire is another of my holiday reads that I’m catching up with reviews on. I must say this is a beautifully written book, I wasn’t sure how I’d fare with this having seen the film years ago as I always prefer to read the book first but in this case it wasn’t a problem. Of course I had the faces and voices of Tom Cruise and Brad Pit flitting through my brain as I read which I guess was inevitable but it didn’t detract from the book. In fact, it was a surprise just how much the film has remained faithful to the book. Inevitably there were some changes, even the ending was different but the changes weren’t significant and it seemed to me that even some of the dialogue had been lifted straight from the book to the film.
The book of course starts with a young man interviewing a vampire! Pretty unusual as a concept and I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to watch the conversation prior to them both removing themselves to a private room with just a tape recorder between them. It’s such a great vehicle for a story as the storyteller, Louis, casts his mind back over the past 200 odd years of his existence. An existence that seems to have been passed in a search for the truth. Truth about the nature of the beast that he has become. How did vampires begin to exist, are they inherently evil? Are they the creation of the devil? If you thought Edward had teenage angst in Twilight well it doesn’t bare much comparison to the anguish borne by Louis. In this book, Louis is grieving for his recently departed brother. He seeks death and finds his wish about to be granted when he meets the character Lestat who instead of death gifts him with immortality. At first Louis is mesmerised by Lestat’s charm and fascinated by what he is, not to mention in awe of what he can teach him, but he soon starts to loathe his creator as he realises that he has very little wisdom to share. From then onwards Louis battles with his own demons. The humanity which he still clings to tempered against the anguish he feels for the victims he feeds on.
I wouldn’t think I really need to elaborate too much on the rest of the plot as the book and the film were written and produced quite some time ago and so are probably relatively well known. Not to mention the book seems to have something of a cult following which is understandable in terms of it being both fairly ground breaking, an intriguing story and well written.
Anne Rice has a beautiful style of writing. She describes the places and the times so well that you can picture them easily and yet the book doesn’t feel over burdened but flows in a natural and persuasive way. I loved the descriptions of New Orleans and Paris and also enjoyed watching as the years unfolded starting with Louis’ time on the plantation. As mentioned the film is fairly true to the book although there was an additional section within the book when Louis and Claudia are on their personal quest to find others of their kind and travel to the Carpathian mountains. That particular chapter vividly brought to mind the Hammer House of Horror films with Christopher Lee and his blood red eyes terrorising the superstitious peasants. I did love that particular part of the story, especially when they go under cover of dark to the abandoned ruins in search of vampires.
All that aside I think my favourite aspect, along with the writing style, has got to be the characterisation. The three main characters of Louis, Lestat and Claudia are so well drawn. You can’t help partly agreeing with Cruise at the end of the film when he says that Louis is ‘whining’ again. Because Louis can come across a little bit that way. Whilst he’s desperately seeking answers Lestat’s answers are somewhere along the lines of ‘get over yourself, you’re a killer now, go with it!’ Without a doubt Lestat is my favourite character – although I think I preferred Louis in the film! Lestat is just so blatantly and unabashedly a killer. He suffers no remorse, no feelings of doubt or last minute qualms or pity for his victims. He toys with them, much in the way a cat will play with it’s captured! You could say he’s just wonderfully evil and I love the way he follows Louis about taunting him to try and make him snap out of his humanness! Claudia is a great little vampire, she appears to be younger in the book than she’s cast in the film, and as with Lestat there’s this brilliant evilness to her where she uses her childlike exterior to trap victims. Victims that she would otherwise be unable to defeat given her size. I love the way she has similar demons to Louis. They’re both tortured. He can’t accept his nature and live with himself and she will never experience the full growth to womanhood although inside her tiny body is a 200 year old female.
The other thing that didn’t really occur to me whilst reading the book but sprang to mind when I was thinking about it after finishing is that there is very little human participation in this story. Obviously, we have the young man undertaking the interview but we only have snippets of involvement from him. And we have a brief involvement of other people when Louis is initially turned – particularly one female who he has mixed feelings about. But, other than that this really is the vampire show and it’s a good one. And, in spite of the fact that Rice has brought to us these fascinating and beautiful creatures (and may have been the first to do so) there are no elaborate love triangles involving humans.
I really enjoyed this. It’s completely different to Dracula (which I love) but it seems to be one of (if not the) book that brought us this new breed of predators.
And, as this is ALL about the vampires I think it qualifies for my RIP event! Check out Stainless Steel Droppings for the details and to join up.
