Neall Burger

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Lots of running around in the rain and emoting. If you know anything about the Brontes, this movie is annoying as it takes major liberties with their story. The writer/director chooses to make Charlotte a jealous prig instead of an equally good writer who supported Emily in her endeavors. Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights came out the same year because all three sisters were writing. Even if I overlooked how the real story was changed, the movie was repetitive and over blown.

I just finished North Woods in a rush, eager to know the ending and yet not wanting it to end. What a breathtaking book! It follows the many people who inhabit a particular house in Massachusetts throughout the centuries. It is a microcosm of the American story from the Puritans to the not so distant future. Beautifully written - a times lyrical, at times folksy, always surprisingly original. Daniel Mason not only creates a huge cast of characters, he writes with such love about the trees, the flowers, the seasons off this bit of New England forest. Indeed the woods are a character in themselves. Throughout the centuries, the house sees murder, love, despair and thwarted hopes, and the presence of each inhabitant lives on. The best book I’ve read in years.

I’m not usually a fan of animated movies, but I loved Nimona. It is beautiful, fast paced, funny and emotional. The quasi medieval world, with flying cars and subways, is visually a delight to look at. The characters are well developed and wonderfully voiced. Nimona herself is a true original- a quirky, feisty, anti hero. She sets out to cause mayhem but, as we get to know her, we realize she wants acceptance, not the fear she engenders in others because she is a shapeshifter. The developing friendship between her and Lord Balister is genuinely moving. They have both been outcasts but find strength in each other. Nimona is really a movie about being loved even if you are different, which is a timely message during these intolerant times.

I read all the novels straight through and I absolutely love the wit, the characters and the complex plots. The TV series lives up to the books with excellent casting and fast paced action. The series takes you right into the scruffy world of Slough House, where everyone is considered a loser a fact rubbed in constantly by the world’s worst boss, Jackson Lamb. The best part of the books and the series is the humor. Was there ever a funnier character than Roddy Ho? Or a more irascible curmudgeon than Jackson Lamb? Kristen Scott Thomas is perfect as the ice queen Lady Di. The scenes between her and Jackson as old sparring partners are great fun to watch. I’m looking forward to season 2 and eventually seasons 3 and 4.