Kate's Eight

I was taking a nice, peaceful nap on the couch when my roommate came in and insisted that we watch the new Netflix show that everyone is talking about, Thirteen Reasons Why. Being a bookseller, I know all about the teen book that inspired it so I put a pillow over my head and tried to go back to sleep. But of course about ten minutes in I was asking “who’s that?” and “what’s going on now?” And before I knew it we were binge-watching the show until early morning. 

(For those of you who don’t know, Thirteen Reasons Why is about a teen girl named Hannah who kills herself and leaves behind tapes documenting 13 reasons why she killed herself, all of them placing blame on other characters.)

By the end of the show I was sobbing and could not sleep because terrible images shown in the last episode kept flashing across my mind’s eye. Thirteen reasons later and I was still confused as to WHY. Why does this kind of thing happen? Why did I just watch that? Why did Selena Gomez and co. think that it was okay to put this kind of content on Netflix? Many of my friends suffer from mental illness and this show has been a hot topic over the last few days. Here’s some thoughts I’ve been developing as to why or why not people should be watching this show. I tried to give it a fair shake. So if you’ve been thinking about watching it but haven’t yet, here’s some info from someone who watched all of it. 

Reasons To Watch:

1. The writing in this show is definitely noteworthy.

 I’m tired of reading books like Fault In Our Stars, or watching pretty much any CW show, full of stiff, contrived dialogue between teens that is nothing like what actually comes out of high schoolers mouths today. It’s ridiculous. I was honestly expecting as much from Thirteen Reasons Why but I was pleasantly surprised. Don’t get me wrong, the situation is not exactly realistic and the content being discussed in the show is not commonplace for high school hallways, but the way the teens in the show interacted and talked to each other was actually believable which was refreshing.

2. The acting is fantastic.

I would fully support Oscars going to ANY actor or actress in this show. There was a little bit of over-acting, but that is a given for such a dramatic topic. Overall, every character was multi-dimensional and portrayed phenomenally. The cast drove the show forward, making you want to pay attention and eliciting sympathy for even the most hated characters and anger towards even the most loved characters. There’s no denying 13 Reasons is full of talent.

3. The message of the show is poignant and makes its mark.

The theme of the show is that bullying can have devastating effects yet we are all capable of doing it. Even though it’s easy to basically know that, watching this show makes you BELIEVE it and forces you reevaluate not only the way you see others but also the way you treat others. The message is delivered... again, and again, and again.

4. The show makes depression and mental illness relatable and understandable. 

I have heard some people argue that since the show does not mention mental illness by name most of the time that it is swept under the rug and overlooked. In this case, I disagree. I think that by taking an average teenager going through traumatizing situations that a lot of us have been through and showing her developing deep-rooted reactions to those experiences (which could also be considered undiagnosed symptoms of PTSD or depression), it helps breach the distant way our society tends to look at mental illness. Not labeling Hannah as depressed allows people to better empathize with her symptoms because they are not viewing her as “different” or “other” the way many people view the mentally ill. And I feel like that empathy creates a greater understanding which leads to better and more efficient help in the real world. But I could be wrong.

5. There is relatively diverse casting.

Even though the main two characters were white, the cast was filled with minority actors who did not represent the usual tropes. The best part was that the villain was a straight, white male. This is definitely (at least) a step in the right direction.

6. This show sparks necessary social discourse.

Regardless of how well issues in the show are depicted (that’s a whole other discussion), 13 Reasons undertakes discussing a huge variety of serious issues present in our society, from sexual assault and suicide, to bullying and school shootings, to toxic masculinity and lgbtq+ visibility... watching any episode of this show can begin important conversations we need to be having with each other. I have been engaging in tough discussions with friends non stop because of this show and I believe that anything that creates that kind of social discourse is an asset in some way, shape, or form.

Reason Why Not To Watch:

7. The glorification of suicide is central to the plot.

We all just want to be cared about and remembered after we die. The show presents a girl who no one really understood or cared about until she killed herself and left messages for everyone, making a huge impact and denying anyone the right to forget her. Hell, she’s the subject of an entire T.V. show because she killed herself. You can’t tell me that is not an intriguing concept for many people. But suicide is dark and painful and tragic, not the melancholic yet beautiful subject of the next hipster T.V. series. I appreciated the purpose of the show but worry about the effect.

8. This was hands down the most triggering thing I have ever watched.

There are two graphic rape scenes shown. I can’t explain to you how sick I felt having them on the big screen in my living room. There is no skimming over the details. It was sick and horrible and drawn out in both scenes. 

When the main character kills herself, they show it in detail. You see everything until she takes her last breath, they even show her mother finding the body. This is NOT OKAY. I have never cried so hysterically or sobbed so hard because of a show. It was gross and insensitive and I’m never watching that show ever again.

That’s about all I can think of, folks. 

If you fangirl over books as much as I do, seeing them make it to the big screen is really exciting and always much-anticipated. Here are eight books being made into a show or movie before the end of April.

1. House of Tomorrow-

Book: Written by Peter Bognanni, published March 2010

Movie: Directed/Written by Peter Livolsi, released April 8th, 2017.

Featuring: Nick Offerman, Asa Butterfield, Ellen Burstyn

Storyline: A domineering grandmother who is a devoted follower of R. Buckminster Fuller raises her grandson, Sebastian, confined in a geodesic dome until he is befriended by Jared, a punk rock heart transplant recipient and fellow teenager who teaches him how to play rock music and make his own way in the world.

Good Reads Rating: 3.71/5

Movie Reception: The House of Tomorrow premiered yesterday at the San Francisco International Film Festival to relatively good reception. Read Dennis Harvey of Variety’s review here.

Preview: There isn’t a trailer available for The House of Tomorrow but I found you a great sneak peak. I definitely think this looks worth a watch.

2. Lost City Of Z

Book: Written by David Grann, published February 2009

Movie: Directed/Written by James Gray, in theaters April 14th, 2017

Featuring: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, and Sienna Miller

Storyline: Based on the true story of 1920′s British explorer, Percival Fawcett, who disappears on an expedition to uncover a fabled city hidden in the Amazon.

Good Reads Rating: 3.9/5

Movie Reception: The film first premiered at the New York Film Festival in October 2016 and has earned itself an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Indiewire’s Critics poll deemed it “Most Anticipated film of 2017.” Read Variety’s Owen Gleiberman’s review here.

Preview: Reminiscent of recent Tarzan, the beautiful and terrifying setting is only rivaled by the thrilling and action-packed storyline.

3. The White Princess

Book: Written by Philippa Gregory, published July 2013

Show: Miniseries directed by James Payne and Alex Kalymnios, written by Emma Frost. Premieres on Starz April 16th, AKA Easter Sunday.

Featuring: Jodie Comer, Rebecca Benson, Essie Davis

Storyline: England 1486- Henry the VII of the House of Tudor attempts to mend ties with the House of York by marrying Elizabeth of York.

Good Reads Rating: 3.84/5

Expectations: Its predecessor, The White Queen, was met with mixed reviews yet was nominated for Golden Globes in three different categories. With one of the prime writers and one of the prime directors returning for the White Princess, it should be at least as good if not better.

Preview: Watch the trailer for Starz’s own version of Game of Thrones.

4. My Friend Dahmer

Book: Written by Derf Backderf, published March 2012

Movie: Directed by Marc Meyers, will premiere April 21st at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.

Featuring: Ross Lynch, Alex Wolff

Storyline: Before Jeffrey Dahmer was an infamous serial killer, he was just another troubled teen in high school. The movie is told from the perspective of someone who personally knew teenage Dahmer and it takes us right up to his first kill.

Good Reads Rating: 3.87/5

Expectations: We barely have any information on what to expect from My Friend Dahmer, but we know that Ross Lynch, the singing Disney Channel star of Austin & Ally, will be playing Jeffrey Dahmer. And apparently he looks just like him. Here’s the chilling evidence:

5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Book: Written by Rebecca Skloot, published February 2010

Movie: Directed by George C. Wolf, will appear on HBO April 22nd, 2017.

Featuring: Oprah Winfrey, Renee Elise Goldsberry

Storyline: Henrietta Lacks was a black, poor, southern tobacco farmer who died of cancer and was buried in an unmarked grave. In 1951, her cancerous cells were unwittingly harvested from her body before she died and became an Immortalized Cell Line that was rapidly reproduced and sold to researchers. The Lacks family was not made aware of the cell lines’ existence until 1975. Obviously bioethics is a central theme here.

Good Reads Rating: 4.03/5

Expectations: Oprah is in this. No wrong can be done.

Preview:

6. Handmaid’s Tale

Book: Written by (the brilliant) Margaret Atwood, published March 1998

Show: Directed by Reed Morano, Mike Barker, and Floria Sigismondi. Premieres April 26 on Hulu.

Featuring: Samira Wiley, Elizabeth Moss, Alexis Bledel

Storyline: Think dystopian future where pregnancy is more and more difficult. A group of women known as handmaids are forced into servitude and are useful only as long as their ovaries are.

Good Reads Rating: 4.03/8

Expectation: I get chills every time I watch the trailer, but I wonder how they are going to turn this into a T.V. series and stay true to the book...

Preview:

7. The Circle

Book: Written By Dave Eggers, pubished October 2013

Movie: Directed/Written by James Ponsolt, premieres April 26 at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival; in theaters April 28, 2017.

Featuring: Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, John Boyega

Storyline: A woman takes a job at the worlds most powerful tech companies only to discover the company’s agenda is not exactly as it first appears. The lines between privacy and intelligence, safety and democracy become blurred.

Good Reads Rating: 3.47/5

Expectations: Neither Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, or John Boyega can do any wrong. If everything else is terrible, we know the acting will be fantastic.

Preview:

8. American Gods

Book: Written by (the amazing) Neil Gaiman, published June 2011

Show: Created by Michael Fuller and Michael Green, will premiere on Starz April 30, 2017

Storyline: Just days before Shadow is released from prison, his wife and best friend are killed in an accident. With nothing to go home to, Shadow takes a job as a bodyguard/driver/earrand boy from mysterious man known only as Mr. Wednesday, accompanying him on a strange and eccentric road trip.

Good Reads Rating: 4.11/5

Show Reception: The first episode premiered at Austin’s SXSW to really good reviews. Apparently the show stays very true to the book (wisely so). Read more about the response here.

Preview:

Living in Charlotte is perfect for the outdoors enthusiast because less than a few hours away in every direction, you’ll find yourself in a completely different landscape. There are about a million easy day trips worth making that leave you feeling like you’ve just been on vacation somewhere far away. Being a local North Carolinian, one of my favorite day trips to make is the two hour drive over to Asheville. A much smaller city than Charlotte, it somehow has twice as much to do, and you can do all of it while being surrounded by the incredible beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Since I’ve been fiending for a good mountain hike, my boyfriend (Josh) and I decided to pass up local Crowders mountain and pay a visit to some good ol’ Asheville trails. But then I found out that he had never been to Chimney Rock State Park, which I took upon myself to change.

(Above Photo From Chimney Rock Website)

Chimney Rock is exactly what it sounds like: a giant chimney-shaped rock stemming out from the mountainside way (about 300 feet) above the little town of the same name. People can walk out onto the outcropping rock and experience an amazing view and acute acrophobia. It’s about 30 minutes closer to charlotte than Asheville but there is a $15 entry fee to make up for the gas you saved. It’s a well-know North Carolina landmark, though, and I’ve taken it upon myself to educate Josh’s Arizona-born self (and anyone who will listen) on all things local Carolinians/southerners were raised knowing, so my mission was clear.

Feel free to just live vicariously through me, but If you live near Charlotte or have been thinking about visiting Chimney Rock State Park, I came up with eight tips from my visit to help make your trip easier:

1. Go early in the day before it gets hot and crowded. Carolina mornings are cool and dewey and hiking is a lot easier before the midday sun. Chimney Rock is also a popular spot and by late morning there will be a crowd and traffic to contend with. 

2. Roll your car windows down for the ride up the mountain. North Carolina mountains smell amazing and there’s nothing better than a cool Blue Ridge breeze to wake you up. When you get off the highway, you’re on a windy road that curves around Lake Lure (a beautiful place to visit in its own right.) But in order to get up to the chimney itself, you have to drive up a narrow (barely wide enough for two cars) road full of soft shoulders and hairpin turns for about three miles. So turn up your music, roll down the windows, and go slow.

3. If you have trouble climbing stairs, please call ahead to make sure the elevator is working. We were told at the ticket booth that there was a discount because the elevator was out of order due to the recent wildfire. A $13 ticket is better than a $15 ticket, but the climb up to the top of the chimney from the parking lot (without an elevator) is a ridiculously long staircase. There are 500 steep, wooden steps that seem to go on forever. I actually caught two people who lost their balance on the stairs (an older man and a toddler). That climb is no joke. Luckily, there’s a few overlooks along the climb where you can stop to take in the view, and catch your breath (which we did a lot).

(Above Photo From Chimney Rock Website)

4. Don’t be in a rush, take the time to enjoy the amazing views. We (barely) reached the top of Chimney Rock within an hour. The view was clear and perfect and beautiful and the lake stretched out below us. Josh and I sat there for a good twenty minutes resting, rehydrating, and admiring the scenery. I didn’t want to admit it after all that stair climbing, but the view was definitely worth it.

5. Don’t bother going to Exclamation Point. From the top of the Chimney, you can choose to take even more stairs up the “Skyline Trail,” (which is not really a trail, just more crazy stairs) that will take you even higher up the mountain to a place called Exclamation Point. Josh (bless his heart) really wanted to see what it was all about, so I mustered up some willpower and we climbed our way up again. When we reached the top (eventually) I realized that Exclamation Point is basically the same experience you get from the top of the chimney, just with more leg pain and less oxygen. I definitely would say that climbing that much farther was not worth it. No offense, Exclamation Point.

6. Bring your own food and water. While we were rested there at Exclamation Point for a while, we realized the park had a lot of great places for picnicking! We did not bring food with us, but I will definitely be sure to pack a lunch if I visit Chimney Rock again and I recommend doing the same! And don’t forget to bring your own water if you can. There are sporadic water fountains stationed throughout the park but they have a nice rusty taste that you can avoid with your own personal Dasani.

7. Even if you’re tired after climbing up to the Chimney, take time to walk the Hickory Nut Falls Trail. We had come here mainly to hike but so far we had just climbed a bunch of stairs. Tired, we sought out the closest trail, Hickory Nut Falls Trail, past the bottom of the 500 stairs and below the parking lot. It’s a gravel trail that slopes gently up for about a mile and ends at a tall and slender waterfall. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and the waterfall was beautiful! Definitely make Hickory Nut Falls Trail a part of your visit.

8. Bop around the town of Chimney Rock before you leave. As the sun started to fade, we drove down into the small town of Chimney Rock with its touristy mountain stores and its country diners nestled along the French Broad river. I got a few souvenirs and we got our feet wet climbing on the rocks in the river. Barefoot, tired, and happy, we loaded into the car and made it back to Charlotte in time for dinner!