Book to Film Review – The Help by Kathryn Stockett
A couple of nights ago I went to see The Help at the cinema. I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett last year and was very keen to see if the film was as good as the book. I really enjoyed the book, frankly it was ‘unputdownable’ to use a none word. The Help is set in Mississippi in the 1960’s and focuses primarily on 3 characters, Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. Skeeter is a white, upper class young woman who has just returned home having finished college (I think, or maybe Uni??), Aibileen and Minny are the hired help who work long hours undertaking all sorts of chores and basically raising the children of the white people who hire them. Returning home Skeeter finds that the way the maids are treated by her friends and family has become unpalatable (or maybe it had always been unpalatable to her – but I felt as though she was being depicted as having changed by being away from home and seeing things differently on her return) and this reaches a head when one of Skeeter’s friends, Hilly, advocates separate toilets for the help (so as not to spread germs!!!) Skeeter decides to write a book and to interview the maids to tell their stories and expose some of the dreadful behaviour that takes place. Basically I’m not going go go into a critique of the book as I don’t think it’s needed, there is already plenty of information out there and plus this review is simply about whether the book translates well to film or not. I will start by saying however that the book is a work of fiction, as I understand it the maid’s stories are not true and the book is more a story of friendships where you least expect them rather than ground breaking civil rights movements.
So, onto the film. Firstly, the casting and the acting are absolutely superb. Emma Stone stars as Skeeter and manages to deliver a perfectly awkward misfit, Bryce Dallas Howard stars as Hilly and is she mean, Sissy Spacek plays Hilly’s eccentric mother who’s performance at one particular point in the movie is just tremendously funny and Jessica Chastain stars as Celia and she pulls this off brilliantly, she manages to be vulnerable naive and painfully embarrasing, wrapped up in a blond bombshell – and frankly you can’t help but like her. But, without a doubt, the show is stolen by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson. Both of these roles are played with such strength, emotion and dignity. Viola Davis has a really strong closing scene where you finally feel like punching the air on her behalf and Minny manages to bring some humour to the screen which prevents the film from becoming too gritty.
I also thought the sets and the costumes were brilliant – I have no idea to be honest how accurate they are for that period, but they looked good to me not to mention very colourful.
On top of that, and given that you can never really hope to squeeze everything from a book into a film, I think this manages to bring over most of the story very successfully and it is a very good story!
The one thing that I did feel was missing from the film however was the tension that the book delivered. I don’t suppose this is easy to do, especially when you’re trying to bring a certain type of balance. But, I remember reading the book with an ever increasing sense of nervousness about what was going to happen to the three main characters. As you move towards the last few chapters of the book you can barely stand to turn the page for the fear of what might happen and you can practically taste the fear. This isn’t an undertaking to be taken lightly and could have resulted in very dire repercussions for all three women. I don’t think that the fear, the constant need for secrecy or the tension is delivered here (for example the first time that Skeeter visits Abeline – both of them are not just nervous, they’re scared) I think that if you haven’t read the book then this maybe won’t be a problem but having read the novel first I was very aware of the nervous tension created as you get caught up in events and so felt the lack here. I also felt, to an extent that the film had an almost ‘Disney’ feel to it or a certain sweetness. I don’t know whether this is a bad thing necessarily but just that to a certain extent it felt a bit misplaced somehow.
All that being said I thought this was a good film that balances some very difficult, and emotional topics and delivers them in an entertaining, funny and heartwarming way.
Do I think the film is as good as the book? No. But, would I watch it again? Yes.
Rating B+
The Act of Roger Murgatroyd by Gilbert Adair
3 November 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Crime spoof, Evadne Mount, Gilbert Adair, The Act of Roger Murgatroyd
Just finished reading The Act of Roger Murgatroyd – I know! What a book name!! Anyway, this is not the type of book that I would usually pick up – in fact it was picked by my book club. That being said I found it a lighthearted, amusing little romp of a detective novel that takes a bit of a dig at your average crime novel – or maybe not a dig, it’s a sort of spoof but not quite as much as a spoof – oh, the joys of being articulate!
So the book starts on Boxing Day, the body of Raymond Gentry has been discovered dead in the attic, shot through the heart – apparently in a locked room, with the murder weapon nowhere to be found. The Manor house that sets the scene rests on the edge of Dartmoor and belongs to the Ffolkes. A winter story, one of the worst on record for year, rages, the telephone lines are down, the roads are closed and we have a number of suspects – the guests, the Vicar and his wife, the Doctor and his wife, Evadne Mount – famous crime writer, Cora Rutherfod- ageing actress and the Ffolkes daughter and her two friends (not to mention a cast of charactes such as maids, butler, gardener, cook, etc). Really this cast is just so cliched it’s amusing just in itself. We are then joined by a retired Scotland Yard Chief Super who lives in close proximity to the Manor and is called on to try and assist in the absence of any official authorities. The story then develops with all the guests becoming potential suspects with their own reasons for wanting Gentry dead. All of them have their own secrets and all of these will be revealed. And, added to that of course is the fact that one of them is a murderer – and apparently a murdered who is not yet content!
This book just reminds me of so many things. I couldn’t help reading all the Evadne bits in the voice of Angela Lansbury from Murder She Wrote (I strongly deny ever watching this programme however, well maybe a couple!). Then on top of this there were echoes of upstairs/downstairs, The Pink Panther and bits and bobs from many crime writers – all mixed in with a Cluedo like setting.
Okay, what I will say, if you’re looking for a classic novel – then this isn’t for you. Also, if you’re expecting a serious crime novel – this also isn’t for you. If you want some light entertainment and a quick read and you don’t mind taking a lighthearted look at crime novels in general then you may enjoy this. The story is certainly good enough, there are plenty of red herrings scattered about and I really couldn’t help wondering how the ‘locked room’ crime had been committed. Plus, the finale, where Evade Mount sits everyone in the library to reveal how the murder happened and who the murderer is was just so cheesy, but good!
In terms of criticisms – I found the relaying of the original stories a little drawn out – and as this was a crime book – would have liked a bit more serious interrogation. It felt very much like Insp Trubshawe spent all his time checking out the guests’ former histories and establishing their motives for commiting a crime but he didn’t do much ‘detecting’. I think we could have used a bit of good old fashioned ‘Sherlock Holmes’ style detective work! Also, I wasn’t convinced by the actual murderer – in fact I was a bit disappointed with that bit – and, I sort of guessed who it was fairly early on – probably just a lucky guess but I had my mind made up – just could have done without the long winded motive. Alos, I can think of at least two things which I think are inconsistencies – but obviously I can’t point them out because they would contain spoilers.
Now, criticisms aside, this was funny and entertaining, lightheared and easy to read.
Rating C+
The Act of Roger Murgatroyd
Spoiler below:
The Butler was the murderer. It was a very long and convoluted reason which I won’t go into because it will take forever.
The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestley
1 November 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Chris Priestley, Gothic Ghost story, The Dead of Winter
Read the Dead of Winter yesterday – for Halloween – which seemed appropriate. I do read quite a lot of YA novels but not normally ones aimed at this age range (I would say 10 – 14?) but, having said this it was a good read!
To quote from Amazon:
“Michael Vyner recalls a terrible story, one that happened to him. One that would be unbelievable if it weren’t true! Michael’s parents are dead and he imagines that he will stay with the kindly lawyer, executor of his parents’ will …Until he is invited to spend Christmas with his guardian in a large and desolate country house. His arrival on the first night suggests something is not quite right when he sees a woman out in the frozen mists, standing alone in the marshes. But little can prepare him for the solitude of the house itself as he is kept from his guardian and finds himself spending the Christmas holiday wandering the silent corridors of the house seeking distraction. But lonely doesn’t mean alone, as Michael soon realises that the house and its grounds harbour many secrets, dead and alive, and Michael is set the task of unravelling some of the darkest secrets of all. A nail-biting story of hauntings and terror by the master of the genre, Chris Priestley.”
I thought this was a great read. It’s only short and the pages just flew by. It’s set in the Victorian era in a country mansion – surrounded by a moat and quite isolated, with bleak weather and a desperate sense of foreboding.
The story is narrated by the older grown up Michael and I particularly liked his voice.
There is quite a lot going on in this story and it feels as though Michael never gets a moment to himself with some quite dramatic moments (personally I think I might have asked for a change in bedroom!)! The tension builds really well and you come to the overwhelming sensation that something dreadful will happen to Michael unless he can discover the secrets of the house.
To be honest I don’t want to say too much more. I think this was a great short story with plenty going on and it felt so ‘right’ reading it now when the clocks have gone back and the dark winter nights have set in! I think you need to go into this with the right expectations – given the age range this book is aimed at – I never expected this to be totally chilling – it felt more like an indulgence really and one that I would definitely recommend!
Good writing, quick read, creepy moments, ghosts and a gothic Victorian mansion!
Rating B
The Dead of Winter
Last Breath by Rachel Caine No.11 in the Morganville Vampire Series
31 October 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Last Breath, Morganville Vampires, Rachel Caine
Just finished reading Last Breath by Rachel Caine. I read that there will be 15 books in total in the Morganville Vampire series with this being the 11th installment (not 12 like I originally thought). I did wonder whether RC would manage to come up with a new story or whether the series would start to tail off but I’m pleased to say that RC has put together another gripping installment. This is quite an emotional ride and I found myself quite literally gobsmacked about half way through. Yes, mouth dropped open, scratching my head, saying ‘what just happened?’ If you haven’t read the other books this review may contain spoilers.
Last Breath continues on from where Bite Club left off but in this story Morganville is going to come under attack from a new and terrible foe. An enemy that preys on vampires! This poses a much greater threat than Bishop ever did and could prove catastrophic not only to the vampires but the human inhabitants as well. A new stranger is in town, his name is Magnus – he’s not human, in fact it’s difficult to say what he is but he’s stalking around town and vampires are starting to disappear. Claire and her gang are about to have a few questions finally answered – like why vampires, who don’t like sunlight, decided to set up house in the middle of a bright and sunny desert.
What I particularly like about this episode is that RC continues with the style she adopted in the last book of allowing other participants in the story to take part in the narration. I really like this style as it allows you to see other parts of the story that are restricted by having only one storyteller and it allows us to experience the thoughts and emotions of some of the others which we havent really had an insight into previously. For example, Amelie provides some of the narration and it’s really good to hear her thoughts and understand some of her reasonings, I think it also helped to show that she’s not quite as cold as she always seems.
I think that the new threat written into this story is really well imagined with a good backdrop that slowly unfolds as the story develops – so we don’t get to learn everything right away, we’re kept in the dark about events just as Claire and her gang are. Again we are in a race against time situation where the clock is ticking ever faster as we race to the action packed finale and the final show down.
And, of course, my favourite character Myrnin is ever present in his bunny slippers and we get to see a little more into his true feelings for Claire.
I do enjoy this series and have mixed feelings, partly I don’t want it to finish but partly I can’t wait to see how it will end. Only four more books before we find out what will happen to the gang (and I’m including vamps in that – obviously we have Michael and Myrnin, but also Oliver has sort of grown on me as have a few of the others) how can you have an ending that satisfies everyone? It won’t be easy.
I thought this was much more of an emotional instalment and it ends on a cliffhanger I’m afraid with a bit of a wait before the next book comes out to satisfy the curiosity.
Rating: -A
Last Breath
Lord of the Rings read along – end of Book Two, The Two Towers
29 October 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: J RR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers
Just finished reading book 2 of the Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers, as part of our group read along. This final instalment of Book 2 took us from The Window on the West through to The Choices of Master Samwise.
This week Andrea from The Little Red Reviewer has come up with discussion points which are below:
Faramir strikes me as a noble, intelligent fellow, especially concerning powers beyond his control. Had he gone to Elrond’s Council instead of Boromir, how might the story have changed?
I really liked Faramir (a lot more in the book than the film) and thought it was interesting to read this section because it is actually quite different from the film. I think the film version makes Faramir seem a bit more weak and indecisive than the book. In the book he comes across as intelligent, dedicated, honourable and thoughtful. He treats the hobbits respectfully and questions them in a way which gives him the answers he needs. He also tries to give them wise counsel before they continue on their quest and although he understands the nature of what is before him he resists the temptation and therefore proves himself more resistant to the ring than his brother Boromir (although whether or not he would be able to sustain his resistance if he stayed longer in company with the hobbits is unknown). But, personally I think it was better that Boromir was included in the Fellowship. I don’t think he was always the wisest but to be honest the Counsel were not short of wiseness – Aragorn and Gandalf certainly don’t have a lack of knowledge – and maybe if Faramir had been included they would have had so many wise voices that they would have just gone round and round in circles and never made any decisions. Boromir – through his dissenting voice – quite often pushed the Counsel to make decisions almost as an adverse reaction to what he was saying, and, on top of that, he was the spur that Frodo needed to break with the Fellowship and continue to Mordor with Sam.
What did you think of Shelob and her lair? Would you willingly go in there? Yes, I know Gollum says “this is the only way”, but Frodo could have demanded they explore and attempt to find another way.
I really don’t like spiders and the notion of a spider as large as Shelob gives me the shivers – in fact, I’d sooner climb up a mountain I think!. I think I would probably have preferred to look for an alternative if the truth be told but, in fairness to Frodo, he didn’t really have any other option did he? He was reliant on Gollum – he knew that he would eventually try something or betray them but whilst he seemed to be guiding them he had to trust him and the fact that Gollum was scheming meant he would never have revealed any other way to the hobbits (even if one existed). I suppose the other thing was that Frodo, having seen the army issuing forth from Mordor, now realised the urgency of his quest and so his choices were limited and the need for haste was paramount.
When Sam saves Frodo from Shelob, he finds himself in the vision he saw in Galadriel’s mirror. Knowing the future isn’t always as helpful as one would think, is it?
Definitely not. One part of me thinks it would be so irresistable to be told the future and another thinks not (maybe the winning lotto numbers!). As it happens, having seen this particular vision of the future didn’t turn out helpful to Sam at all – although, interestingly, when Sam sees the vision he assumes Frodo his asleep, in reality however he thinks Frodo has died and he therefore makes the decision to continue alone – if he had stuck with his original interpretation of the vision things may have turned out differently!
Having always been a sidekick/helper of sorts, Sam reluctantly realizes he may have to become the Ringbearer. What do you think Sam will do with the Ring of Power? If you were the sidekick of the hero, and suddenly had the opportunity to become the hero, to finish the quest, what would you do with the Ring of Power?
I think I would have reached the same conclusion as Sam, which is that the quest is too important and that it must continue to the end, even if the ringbearer has to change. I like the idea of Sam being the sidekick – just picturing him as Robin to Frodo’s Batman!!
The conversation between the two Orcs at the end was highly amusing for me. Yes, it serves to educate Sam on Frodo’s condition, and Tolkien could have just left it at that, but he didn’t. The Orc’s commiserating could have been any soldiers in any war. To me, it felt like Tolkien was humanizing the enemy, instead of the traditional dehumanizing of the enemy that you usually see in war stories. What do you think?
That’s a really good point – when I was reading the conversation between Gorbag and Shagrat the part that struck me particularly was their discussion about slipping off somewhere with a few trusty lads, somewhere with good loot and nice and handy with no big bosses – like the old times. So, you can gather from that conversation that they don’t like the war any more than anybody else – I like that Tolkien wrote it like this – I don’t think it made me like the Orcs any more but it does illustrate that in spite of the differences the enemy also wants to get things over with and have some semblance of normality.
The book ends on a cliffhanger. Are you excited to finish up the trilogy and see how it all turns out?
I’m really enjoying the read along – and particularly seeing the differences between the book and the film. It’s so long ago that I read the story that to be honest I thought the film was exactly the same and yet there are differences and I find it really interesting as these crop up – thinking particularly about the change in story regarding Faramir and how he lets the hobbits continue on their quest and also Sam and Frodo on the stairs and how they actually go in to Shelob’s lair together. I’m really looking forward to the final book!
Thanks Andrea, really good topics for discussion. 😀
Other group discussions
Geeky Daddy
Blue Fairy’s Bookshelf
Stainless Steel Droppings
All Booked Up
