#rg2u

Book to screen: The Umbrella Academy

It is usually said that books are better than their cinema or TV adaptations. Details missing, changes in the plot, characters are changed or are just not there... If you really love the book chances are you will be disappointed by its adaptation. 

This may be true in most cases, but not this one. While The Umbrella Academy comics are original, interesting and entertaining, the Netflix adaptation is certainly a hit. Not only it is pretty accurate compared to the comics, they took it further and gave us more plot and more depth of the characters. 

You are probably more familiar with the TV show than with the comics, anyway. So was I. But I liked it so much I decided to give the comics a chance. There are three volumes of The Umbrella Academy comics, and I’m pretty sure there are more on the way. And, of course, there are differences between them. 

If you are curious about the differences between the comics and the show or you want to read the comics and want to know what to expect, keep reading. If you haven't seen the show, though, be careful, you may find spoilers. 

First, and what surprised me the most, season 1 of The Umbrella Academy is not the adaptation of just volume one, it is actually a mix of the first two volumes. The comics are actually quite short and they go straight to the action, so just one volume would not be enough for a whole season as it is. As far as I can tell, those are the only volumes they used to create the show, I have seen no reference to volume three so far. 

Actually, when I started reading I was quite confused because, having watched the show, there were just too many things missing. It took me reading the second volume to understand that half the plot of season one actually comes from volume two. For example, Chi Chi and Hazel are pretty important characters in the show but they do not appear until the second volume in the comics (and still they do not last long in it). For this reason I think it would make more sense to read the comics before watching the show and not the other way, like I did. Everything will just make more sense. 

Another thing that surprised me was how the characters are portrayed. The main characters are mostly the same in terms of personality, but the physical appearance does change a lot from the comics to the show (maybe Luther is the exception). Also in the show you get to see them interact a lot with one another. That doesn't really happen in the comics. For example, Vanya becomes a villain in the comics pretty early on in the first volume so you don't really get to know her or see her interact with her family like you do on the show. 

Ben is also mentioned but doesn't really appear until volume three (just barely), while in the show he's present in most of the episodes thanks to Klaus. I love Ben so that was a bit of a letdown. Also, now that I mention Klaus, I think the Klaus from the TV is so much better. The Klaus from the comics is darker and not nearly as interesting. The Klaus from the show is so funny and captivating and extravagant, he really is one of the best parts of the show. Though I may not be entirely objective, I do have a soft spot for Robert Sheehan.  

In terms of the plot, while most adaptations usually leave things out, this one actually gives us more context and more depth. The story in the comics is a bit too rushed in my opinion and there's just so much going on that it's a bit confusing at times, especially considering the plot in the comics is a bit weirder (the Eiffel Tower actually being a spaceship kind of weirder). The show fixes that, connecting the dots and giving us more backstory but, at the same time, keeping many details from the comics that are just delightful to see. 

The Devil All the Time; The Darkness Within

It's always tricky to adapt a book. They have so much information about characters, places, context, etc. and movies just can't include everything. Unless the movie in question is several hours long but who would watch that? Honestly, I think book adaptations should come with a 'proceed with caution' warning sign, just to avoid hurting some people's sensibilities. Wait here for a second while I send an email to Netflix…

Back on track, I always recommend reading the book before watching the movie, for different reasons. The most important one, and this is my personal experience, is that if I watch the movie first I will just not find the motivation to read the book. And it’d be such a shame if I missed a great book just cause I was okay with just watching the movie.

So, having read the book and then having watched the movie after, let me tell you this. This movie needs no warning whatsoever.

I have very rarely found a movie that is so accurate to the original book like this one. Of course there are some elements missing, but that’s just what anyone would expect. Overall, not only I have not one complaint, but I have to praise whoever adapted it because they did an excellent job.

The Devil All the Time is a dark thriller based mostly in post-World War II America and the 60s in Midwestern America. It’s a crime book about the darkness that can be found inside people, even (or especially) in the more religious, well-mannered ones. It explores this inner darkness and how it manifests in different types of people from a very religious point of view, one where you may become capable of anything if you don’t have a strong connection to God. From cold-blooded murder to bullying, manipulation, vengeance, etc. You can follow a catalogue of sin where no one is safe.

In terms of the movie, it has to be said, the cast is incredible. Most of them are well-known actors and they just do a great job of showing this inherent evil in the characters. Tom Holland plays Arvin Russell and he's presented as the main character but, if you're watching the movie because of him, don't be disappointed if he's not there most of the time. Both book and movie don't focus on just one character; they fluctuate between all of them and eventually show how they are all connected.

(Other amazing actors in this movie are Bill Skarsgård, Sebastian Stan, Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska  or Harry Melling [I think he does a really good job]).

One element I really loved is that the movie has a narrator that is none other than Donald Ray Pollock, the author of the novel. If the author approves the movie and also does the voiceover for the narrator, that’s as good a sign as you can find.

Folie a Trois: a group read of... More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn

The supporting characters

Ariadna: From Zack to Meg, Phil to Marcus... I really liked that the supporting characters had background and depth... for a YA romance novel, that it is. Ok, they are not the deepest, most exceptional characters –they are a little bit stereotyped, and everything is sooo rose-coloured tinted–, but I appreciate how the relationships between them are depicted and how every one of them has their own unique quirks and background story. Nevertheless, I must add... I think Hahn’s attempt to make all the characters these goody-two-shoes has made some characters sort of a decaf version of what they should realistically be, see Charlie Greenly, Phil Josephs, Cullen... At times they were so soft they became even boring to me. I understand Hahn’s religious views, but honestly, no one is that good.

Alicia: I liked the supporting characters quite a lot, actually, all of them. In many young adult novels you find rather flat secondary characters that only exist to complement the main characters, but not in this one. All of them were complex, with their own defined personalities and their own stories. There were a few moments when I got a bit irritated by someone's actions, Cullen uploading Luke's song behind his back, for example. But real people are flawed and make mistakes so it's only fair that fictional characters do, too. 

Marina: First off, I have to say I loved all the secondary characters. I have to agree with Ariadna though, they are not overly deep but they get you right on the feels. I especially enjoyed seeing the different relationships between them –Zach and Cullen <3–. To be honest I found it a bit frustrating that they all kept telling Vada how amazing she is and how well she’s doing but it takes Luke, a person whom she’s officially met recently, to stand up to her dead-beat father. Talking about fathers, Phil is an amazing father figure and I’m really glad he at least encouraged Vada to follow her dreams. On a side note, can I just say that the first time I read about Cullen and Zach I pictured a more lanky version of Emmett Cullen dating Zeke (from high School Musical)? And that’s why I found it hilariously amusing when they started talking about Teen Wolf. Whatever happened to those DVDs?!

The ‘Bad Apple’ club aka Charlie Greenly

Ariadna: We all grasp to certain extent how business —corporate, big-money businesses— work, and it is understandable Charlie’s nasty partners took advantage of a teen’s rage burst, but, oh, man, how it bothered me when they tried to ruin poor Phil’s fund-raiser... What bothered me the most, though, is how Charlie Greenly was that blind, how he couldn’t see, beyond his own interests, how important the Loud Lizard was for Luke, his friends and for Ann Arbor, or to what extent the whole ‘Break for You’ issue bothered his own son. I honestly think his heroic act at the end doesn’t quite redeem him of the harm he has done. Besides, Charlie was supposed to be a Punk-rock star... What’s really left of that personality? Has her wife and kids completely transformed him into a dull wimp? Not quite believable, this character is. 

Alicia: Charlie made me so mad at him that sometimes I wanted to throw the book across the room. I understand parents always think they know best, it's in their parent DNA. But it was really frustrating and irritating how he kept trying to get Luke to do whatever he wanted, without considering what his son actually wanted. He kept trying to convince Luke to do something he had stated time and time he didn't want to do and was not going to do. He used him for his own interests and treated him kinda badly just cause he didn't fit with his own expectations for him. Realistic as it could be for most people, it's still shitty. It's almost cathartic how he redeems himself at the end by quitting Bad Apple to support his son but that doesn't change his shitty behavior towards Luke during most of the novel. 

Marina: I mean Charlie didn’t seem the brightest of the Greenly family, to be honest. I think he should probably listen to his sons more (and his wife). I find it hard to believe he didn’t know what he was getting into. He was a famous punk-rocker at a time where you had to be clever and sharp-witted, like, is he smart enough to stay away from hard drugs and keep his career afloat (and later become an accomplished music producer) but not know how to choose business partners? Apparently. And talking about his previous life as a punk-star… Can he stop trying to live his life through Luke? It finally dawned on him in the end, yes, but throughout the book Luke (and later Cullen) explicitly told him he didn’t want to be famous, it doesn’t excuse his behaviour!

Soundtrack

Ariadna: While some of the tracks on this book’s OST are not my cup of tea (see Demi and Taylor), I must confess: I’ve been listening to TøP the whole week. Hahn got me at Car Radio *shrugs*. Working in the book industry, I’ve always felt books, when possible, should offer something extra. I really love that this book, even more considering it is addressed to teens and YA, offers this little something to connect it to the readers’ real world, to make the story even more realistic. I think it is a loss that the book itself doesn’t include a QR code or a link to a playlist itself, but it is an easy search away in Spotify, thanks to some nice reader that has already put it up!

Alicia: I just had this one little issue with the music/artists mentioned in the novel: Vada hates Stevie Nicks and consequently I hate Vada. There won't be any hate towards Stevie Nicks in my presence. She is an excellent artist and I will not hear otherwise. Other than that I actually loved how important music in general is in the novel and how many real actual songs are shared along the story. I expected to find mostly alternative/indie bands so there was no surprise there. And music can tell a lot about someone so it was interesting to see the music Luke and Vada listen to, to understand them better. Also it was really nice to get so many songs in so many different styles to actually discover new songs myself. I'm really happy about how music really does play an important part in the book. 

Marina: I’ve mentioned I like it when authors add their little soundtracks to the books but this one goes far beyond that. You get to listen to the songs throughout the characters’ actions and feelings and the music is not only an add-on but it becomes part of the plot. Which, granted, it’s a book about a girl who writes reviews about bands and a boy that writes songs, how can music not be part of the book? But it goes beyond the “here’s a song that inspired this chapter/book/scene” to a basic subplot. Coincidentally, we all looked up different songs on Spotify because we hadn’t heard them before and we found a playlist made by a reader, we hope you enjoy it too!

Vada and Luke’s relationship

Ariadna: It is interesting to read a YA romance novel in which the main action doesn’t revolve 100% around the romance. It is way healthier than most: both Vada and Luke have clear goals and motivations that are not biased by their relationship, they motivate and encourage each other, there is no narcissistic chauvinist - submissive flower dynamics going on —thank the gods–, and they are supercute and honest with themselves. However —I always have one of these–, it is still a naive teen relationship, mostly in terms of the plotting and the writing. Surprisingly —see the irony— they both have had crushes on each other for years, but they haven’t acted upon it until now. They NEVER fail, get mad, do any bad deeds... ANYTHING. Are they even teenagers? Honestly, I hate when the characters in a book are these holier-than-thou perfection vessels. Added to the not-really-that-big-of-a-deal problems (what happened with the instagram issue? What about Vada’s funds for college? They don’t even really get *really* mad because of the Bad Apple thingy...), they feel kind of bland and not too realistic for my tastes. 

Alicia: At the beginning I thought it was a bit rushed, how quickly they trusted each other considering they had barely interacted before. Even if they had a crush on the other that doesn't mean they actually knew that person, not really. As they spent more time together and got to know each other, their relationship evolved pretty organically and naturally, to a point when it just made sense. It was really cute to see how they got closer through awkward encounters and how their passion for music helped them connect and relate to the other. Having read many young adult romances, it gets old very fast. The stories get kinda predictable and hard to believe. This one also had some predictable moments, almost all of them do, but overall it was a really nice love story, one I could actually believe. 

Marina: To be honest, I expected this book to be less about the music and more about the relationship between Luke and Vada. I think what Erin Hahn accomplished in this book is to show a much more mature relationship than I expected. I thought this would be your typical YA-Romance with a lot of drama and kissing, but instead I got a slow-burn story (so slow, it felt like moving through molasses) with depth, insecurities and, yes, drama. I think both these characters are more mature than expected on a YA romance novel and it was surprisingly refreshing. You still get some teenage-y sub-plots, i.e. the prom or even the 15-minutes of fame; but it doesn’t take away from the blossoming relationship between Luke and Vada.

The Grass is Greenly and Behind the Music 

Ariadna: I must be growing too old for this s**t, but I don’t get the whole podcast/blog thing. I get it, social networking does this kind of thing: turning a nobody into an internet sensation in a matter of days, but... I agree with Alicia, it is too much of a coincidence (one of the deus-ex-machina I so much hate) that both the main characters are internet-known... in a blog, nonetheless! Maybe Hahn could have used precisely this internet presence to make Vada and Luke meet each other, instead of the too-worn-out high-school cliché. And Marina has made me think... maybe some interludes as Cullen’s podcasts, letting us know some behind-the-scenes gossip (The Lindsay issue, Luke and Vada’s first kiss becoming viral, and so on...), would have spiced up the novel a bit more.

Alicia: Okay here's the part I just didn't believe and kind of threw me off a bit. What are the chances of a music blog and a podcast, both run by teenagers of the same age in the same city in the same bar, becoming really popular and actually viral. Who even reads blogs anymore anyway? (Says while writing in a blog). It was just quite hard to believe so many people read Behind the Music that even ROLLING STONE became interested. Yeah sure this extremely known successful music magazine wants a fresh out of high school blogger to work for them. And then the podcast. What could two teens have to say to have a podcast so popular that when Cullen uploads Luke's song it literally gets millions of reproductions and attracts attention everywhere. And both of them being run by two people working in the same place, going to the same high school… the world is not actually that small. Sorry it's just kind of extremely unrealistic and didn't particularly like that part. 

Marina: Seeing the “behind-the-scenes” of the day to day of a podcast was very interesting. I guess it would have been better if Cullen told the story as he is the one that does most of the work. Also, how did they get that famous? Is it just because of their dad? I don’t really get it. On the other side, I find it incredibly unbelievable that a teenage girl has that much input on a music blog that isn’t even hers and gets to go to concerts and stuff like that. I get that Phil is a cool guy but how come the blog is so famous and he doesn’t really care about it or mentions it much during the book besides sending Vada places? I just don’t understand that.

Overall

Ariadna: Honestly, I’m not one for YA romance novels, I think I’ve outgrown them by far, and they usually bore me. That said, this book has surprised me for good. It is a light read, doesn’t follow the genre clichés, it doesn’t make everything revolve around the main characters’ love interest, the supporting characters have personalities of their own and it has a wide-ranged well-put playlist, which I think is great for teens and young adults to read. I particularly didn’t like the religious issues coming up from time to time, but, overall, this is the best written book of the three we’ve already read for Folie a Trois, and that’s a lot to say! 

Alicia: Overall it was a really cute book. Initially it took me a while to get into it cause the plot wasn't exactly what I thought it would be, that was a tad disappointing. But then once you begin knowing the characters and they begin to know each other as well it's quite captivating and easy and quick to read. I really enjoyed the love story, I loved how diverse the characters are and how they interacted. I really like how the plot develops, too. If you're looking for a soft, cute, easy enjoyable read I definitely recommend this one. 

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall  

Release date: July 7th

Two words: fake dating. I love this trope, even though it makes the story kind of pretty predictable in most cases. But ah the thrill of two people who don’t like each other pretending to be a couple, pretending to be affectionate, and maybe ‘pretending’ to kiss… and somehow, some way, along the way, they fall in love. There is no chance I’m not going to like this. Also, if Christina Lauren approved it, yeah, I’m gonna love it for sure. I’ve had this book in my to-read list for a long time, I’m really excited about this one.

Or What You Will by Jo Walton

Release date: July 7th

Although I didn’t especially like the cover and didn’t know Jo Walton, the Hugo and Nebula awards are more than credit enough to give this book a second look. And thanks I did, because the argument I found… *chef’s kiss*. It is a meta-linguistic fantasy about a character inside a writer’s mind that has to find a way for her master and himself to survive death. I feel drawn to this book by how un-chichéd the fantasy is and how adult the argument seems to be. It is the kind of genre book I would like to be able to recommend non-fantasy readers to read!

The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning

Release date: July 7th

Why I want to read this book: Because this wouldn’t be a New Releases post without one of us fangirling over the GORGEOUS cover design by Charlie Bowater. And also because I’m here for any book that has a female hero that looks like a badass and doesn’t take s*** from her male counterpart.

Peace Talks (The Dresden Files #16) by Jim Butcher

Release date: 16th July

I confess: this series is one of my guilty pleasures. Clichéd characters in very similar story lines throughout the series, maybe, yes… But these funny bastards grow on you since book one. They are all-in-one page-turners: roller coasters of tension falls and hilarious twists and moving chapters and scary battles, and when you finish them, you feel exactly like you stepped down a Six Flags attraction. So yes, this book had to be here for me!

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn

Release date: July 21st

Why I want to read this book: I might not know a lot about music but I love to read about the “behind-the-scenes” shenanigans. It seems that you get to see that in different points of view, as the main characters come from two unique backgrounds. –Marina

I’m always interested in books that have music involved somehow, it’s a two for one. And for some reason I feel I’m really going to like these characters, maybe the cover has something to do with it. Whatever it is, something about this book seems really appealing to me. –Alicia

Lately, I’ve been reading some ense literature, and I’m in need of a light breeze of a book as this one. It reminds me of my teen years, when I had crushes on famous singers and I daydreamt of writing letters to them and getting to know them in person and so on. I think this read is gonna be entertaining and easy-peasy! –Ariadna

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

Release date: July 23rd

Why I want to read this book: Ireland was a second home to me for a little while and I always like reading about the country. You don’t see very many Irish authors on the media, so the fact that Emma Donoghue has carved a little niche for herself with books like ROOM and The Wonder, makes me really happy.

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Release date: July 28th

The Kingkiller Chronicle’s mad post of theories

As fans of Rothfuss’ writing may have heard, there has been some turmoil lately regarding the publishing of the third book, from Pat’s publisher, Betsy Wollheim’s statement («I’ve never seen a word of book three»), and the suspicious Doors of Stone leakage that turned out to be a joke (ending in «It’s way worse than that. I am an author who has tricked you...»). But we will not dwell on the writing or lack thereof, on Rothfuss personal issues, the drama between author and publisher or the readers that selfishly feel entitled to insult a writer for not delivering as per their wishes (no more toxicity, please!). We are here to enjoy the books, and we have come to discuss one of Pat’s favorites: THEORIES.

It is widely known among fans of Kvothe’s story that Pat Rothfuss describes himself as a trickster with words, and has bragged since the publishing of The Wise Man’s Fear that he wrote the ending of the trilogy in book one... Fans have been theorising for years, now, and have come with more or less plausible, more or less bizarre theories. We —and with that I mean ‘I’, for I’m the KKC-obsessed one of the group— have collected some of them and summed them up here. DISCLAIMER: these are *a few* of them; please, don’t bite me, eager Rothfuss fan-haters!

The Doors of Stone The title of the third book entrails some mystery per se. The most obvious theory is that it has something to do with the door Kvothe finds in the library at the university, the one with the four plates. Maybe Auri (see below) has the key to that door? Is it related to the Amyr in any way? Or is it just a red herring? On TNOTW, Skarpi mentions Lanre «[setting the beast, his enemy] beyond the Doors of Stone». In TWMF, when Felurian explains the theft of the moon, she refers to the shaper of the moon as being trapped behind Doors of Stone (Coincidence? I don’t think so), and she refuses to speak his name, which leads us to...

The Chandrian ...Haliax, the leader of the Chandrian, the enemy of the Amyr. It is somewhat implied in Felurian’s words that the shaper must be (if not themself) related to the Chandrian. And, may Haliax be the beast Lanre trapped behind the Doors of Stone? Or is Haliax another name for Jax/Iax, the stealer of the moon? Very suspiciously similar names, aren’t they? Maybe he is both! And Cinder, our dear Cinder. It is curious, to say the least, how coincidentally...

Denna’s master ...Denna’s master is called «Master Ash», which could refer to the tree, but also... To cinder! Could Denna be related to the Chandrian via her master, then? Or is it with the Amyr? His master could also be Bredon, as they seem to disappear both at the same time... (Keyboard is gonna hate me for writing «coincidence» too many times today.)

Bredon So, could Bredon be both Denna’s Master and Cinder? It is obvious he hides something. Is he a Chandrian? Maybe an Amyr? What were his true goals, why did he befriend Kvothe, to make him do something he shouldn't, like help the Maer Marry Meluan Lackless?...

The Lackless ...who, apart from being (almost canon by now) Kvothe’s aunt via her sister Netalia (Arliden sings about her wife, K’s mother: «It’s worth my life to take my wife not tally a lot less...», now read it out loud ;D), and apparently loosely related to the Chronicler himself, Devan Lochees, it is also rumoured to be Bredon’s daughter! In that case, Bredon would be Aucleus Lackless, aka, Kvothe’s grandfather! And, of course, the owner of...

The thrice-locked chest ...the chest that Meluan Lackless presents to, among others, Kvothe, which is said to smell somewhat ashy, burned and citric, just like the Cthaeh. It is said that precisely its words brought Kvothe to his own downfall. May the chest that...

Kote ...has in his chambers in the Waystone Inn be the same chest Meluan Lackless had shown him? What does it lock? Theories Kvothe’s Shaed, his lute, Saicere... the true identity of Taborlin the Great, and even Iax’s moon! The most plausible, though, is that it keeps Kvothe’s name locked, his true nature... It’s not coincidentally that Kilvin says that disaster hits every seven years, «Chan vaen dan Kote», Kote meaning disaster... We still have to unveil what disaster did Kvothe bring upon himself to end up in the Waystone Inn...

Kvothe Reading carefully, one cannot overlook how Kvothe’s eyes change colour according to his feelings. He seems to be too good at whatever he does, as if being struck by some sort of otherworldly luck, if you know what I mean.. Could Kvothe be, in fact, son of a Fae? May he have something to do with the real...

Amyr These hunters of the Chandrian, the Holy Order of the Aturan Empire that have supposedly been dismantled for centuries may be, in fact, closer to Kvothe than he seems to notice. Are they controlling the politics (and therefore, meddled in Meluan’s marriage to the Maer or even Kvothe’s acceptance in the University)? Apart from Bredon, some theories point to Master Lorren, Master Elodin and even...

Auri, the blonde girl who is rumored to be Princess Ariel, the one Kvothe saves from Sleeping Barrow Kings. There even is a rumour that relates her to Laurian, Kvothe’s mother, because of their names (Laurian). In their many encounters (including TSROSL), Auri gives many gifts to Kvothe, including a key (maybe to the library door?), a candle and a coin... the magical objects in possession of Taborlin the Great. Auri is also frequently compared and related to the moon... May she have something to do with the moon, Iax and, ultimately, with the Fae?

Bast ... prince of whom is Bast, Kote’s apprentice and most-fangirled bastard in the series. It is still a mystery how he came to meet Kvothe and why are they together. Is his and Felurian’s son? It is to be understood that they met or that Bast himself came to his encounter in the mortal world, since if Kvothe had entered the Fae realm, Felurian wouldn’t have been too keen on letting him go for a second time. Besides, we all kind of freaked out at the ending of TWMF... What is he trying to do with the Chronicler? What are his intentions in making his master remember? What should Kvothe go back to that is so crucial to Bast? What we know for sure, though, is that Bast will never finish reading Celum Tinture. It’s a fact.

There are thousands of other theories, too many to include in this post (and you probably wouldn’t have made it to the end of it), but we would love to know yours! And, who knows, maybe we can update it upon the release of Doors of Stone! Meanwhile, we will still enjoy rereading TNOTW and TWMF for the hundredth time and fantasizing of Kvothe’s red hair and sweet voice playing Tintatatornin in the Eolian once more.

The Guest List, by Lucy Folley

More P.O.V.’s = more reliable narrator(s)? 

Alicia: For me, part of the appeal of a thriller or crime novel lies in having an unreliable narrator. The less the reader knows about the characters the better, especially to create suspense and have them wondering who could be the killer until the very end. In this novel, we receive too much information right from the get go. That almost makes this novel a drama more than a thriller per se, cause there is very little room for thrill or surprise with that many points of view. And there's a reason why thrillers don't usually have many narrators: it doesn't work. 

Marina: What I usually enjoy most about suspense/mystery novels is actually not knowing anything about the different characters that come into play when there’s a murder. I think by giving the reader different points of view throughout the novel Folley changes the theme: it is no longer a mystery it’s become a family drama. I admit it still got me with the different secrets (see below) but it didn’t feel like a mystery, which is what I was expecting when we picked this book.

Ari: I agree with Marina here, it was exactly what I was thinking for the first half of the book: ‘This is a family drama’. I don’t like how Foley jumps from character to character: it is messy and some chapters don’t even move the plot forward at all. Besides, it felt the narrative was too much on Jules’ side (bride, bridesmaid, and wife of her best friend), even though in the end it isn’t, and all the feminine characters sound so much the same I even kept confusing Hannah and Olivia’s chapters. Metaphorically speaking, reading this book felt like watching an Alexander Calder sculpture, different shapes and colors spinning without much of a sense until you look at the big picture.

Stereotypes

Alicia: I don't mind a stereotype here and there but this book has maybe one too many. The whole haunted castle/mansion thing is a bit overdone but okay, I'll take it. Then there's a graveyard. And a mysterious dangerous cave. Lore about death. Fog. A storm. A power cut. Even a 'ghost' at some point! I thought it was too much and too shoehorned and even a tad too obvious. If the story is good and it's well written, you don't need to add so many extra elements of suspense. The actual plot should be enough. 

Marina: Oh my God! So many stereotypes! To be honest it got boring by page… I don’t know 20? Same thing as before, I enjoy discovering the little secrets on my own as I read the novel so having the symbology be described by the different narrators felt forced. “Oh, look, a cormoran! Those forebond murder you know!” Like, no s*** Sherlock. Or the whole spiel with the churches being haunted, it just wasn’t for me.

Ari: I have almost twenty notes (kid you not) marking things I found way too straightforward for a novel of this genre. The birds, the graveyard, the church in which they marry being in ruins... Even characters thinking ‘This place has made me think of death” a day before the wedding even happens. Come on, are you kidding me? Are readers of thrillers so dull and narrowminded that the writer needs to make these “mysterious hints” so bloody obvious? Even the style in writing was too obvious and direct that it felt there was almost no real mystery whatsoever, being everything so unambiguous.

Secrets/motives

Alicia: While it does make sense that you need many different motives for the 'everyone wanted to kill him but who did it' concept to work, these seem incredibly forced. There are just so many coincidences I am willing to accept. There's Johnno who discovers he basically fucked him over, which is an acceptable excuse. Charlie had a traumatic experience because of him, alright. Then it starts to get messy when you find out he's the guy that Olivia had a 'relationship' with for a while before he disappeared once she told him she got pregnant. I mean, dating and marrying Jules after dating her sister is sketchy enough already. Then turns out that he's also the one responsible for the suicide of Hannah's sister? And the boy that died because of him is Aoife's brother? It got to a point where these motives were too random and too exact at the same time that it got almost too ridiculous to be taken seriously and I lost all interest I had left. 

Marina: I have to admit I didn’t really think about who was going to be murdered because I kept expecting the “past” scenes to be over and  thought there would be a longer “now” narrative (spoiler: there wasn’t). That being said, Wouldn’t it have been way more dramatic if there had been, i don’t know, clues or something more tangible to tie everything up together? I guess I always imagine a detective character figuring everything out, I really like to follow their train of thought and how they get to the final suspects/motives. In the end, the reveal of the murderess wasn’t even that shocking, we all knew who had killed him, we all wanted Will dead, big f***ing deal. I usually really enjoy being surprised by the different plot twists but, even though I didn’t expect them, I looked forward to them because otherwise it was a bit boring.

Ari: It was clear to me who was going to be murdered from the first chapters. It was not until the second half of the book that the secrets and motives came to light (once you detangled one, the others came rather easily) and they seemed far too “coincidentally” aligned to be believable. The one I did not expect, though, was the most crucial, that I have to give to the book. But it kind of annoyed me that, having had all the drama develop so slowly and erratically during the first half of the book, this particular secret motive wasn’t even explained at all, like a Deus-ex-machina-ed subplot to catch the reader by surprise (pst, not worth it!).

Plotholes

Alicia: I try to overlook plot holes in every book I read, especially if they're details that are kind of insignificant to the story. I understand that it's not easy to create a complex story out of thin air and many novels have plot holes, it's okay, I can look the other way. This book is no exception. The difference is there are too many plot holes for me to ignore all of them. Did seriously no one recognize Freddy? What happens after Will's body is found? It's literally his wedding, his family and friends are there but we barely see a reaction. What's the point of the seaweed in the bed? Charlie, Hannah, Olivia and Jules don't really get closure, we don't get to see much of them after the wedding or what we see is pointless. Does Johnno come forward about what he has and hasn't done? What about the rest of the guests? There are many questions I don't get answers to and it kind of annoys me.

Marina: My biggest concern with the whole plot is that it kept going back and forward to explain the connection between the characters and at times it felt very forced. In the end, this turned out to be some petty revenge novel to kill someone who was indeed very cruel and self-centered. But if you want me to read it tell me that on the first place, I would rather read a book about a would-be-murderess and how she’s going to kill a guy that has ruined so many people’s lives than what I actually read. 

Ari: How the hell did Will not realise who Olivia was? Even though she didn’t introduce him to Jules at the party, they must have been there long enough to at least see Jules from afar. And he may have realised at some early point that Jules’ flat was where he met ‘Belle’... And how come the Trevellyan gang did not recognise Fatfuck? Not even the headmaster!

The ‘disappointing’ end 

Alicia: The biggest issue for me with the end is that the build-up until the murder is enormous, the actual murder is not interesting or elaborate enough and then the conclusion is very short and insufficient. 300 pages for the different backstories, 5 pages for the murder and 10 pages for a resolution. If you give us 5 or 6 characters' backstories with complex issues and then completely ignore these characters once the murder has happened, this is just not enough and not okay. The climax happens too late and it's barely a climax and the aftermath is almost nonexistent. Feels rushed and poorly executed. I was seriously underwhelmed.

Marina: Look I’m going to give Folley a little bit of a leeway. If what she wrote as the “murder” (I’m sorry I can’t even call it murder) was, say, in the middle of the action, the reader would have gotten the experience of at least going through a bit of the aftermath of that death. Instead we get a rushed 10-15 pages about the different characters which, to be completely honest, was underwhelming to say the least.

Ari: As I said before, I didn’t much like the unexpected ending, as it seemed pulled out of thin air, and all the building up of the previous 300 or so pages was somehow worthless in the solving of the mystery. Therefore, all of the sub-plots regarding other characters were left unresolved, but not in a good “let the reader reflect on them” manner, but as in “I have to finish the book and I don’t have enough pages”. What about Olivia’s abortion? Jules doesn’t even know about it. How is Jules going to react to the murder, the night of her wedding? What happens between Hannah and Charlie? It surely has put Hanna’s life upside down, to have discovered the why’s of her sister’s death. Does Johnno get blamed for everything, without any defence, as a pay-up for the death of Loner? And more important, what about Frank and Aoife, did they marry just because of their past? Did Aoife bargain the wedding just as a way to get revenge? Too many plot holes in this fast-paced wrap-up. 

Unmet expectations

Alicia: I had very high expectations about this book, I was truly really excited about it. It has good ratings, an apparently really interesting plot, it has been listed in some great book clubs... It looked very promising. Until I started reading. There are many reasons why this book was disappointing, explained in the different topics above. For me it's simple. It's almost inconceivable that a book that's marketed as a crime novel about a murder in a wedding won't actually tell you that there has been a murder and who has died until almost 300 pages in, with close to no real resolution afterwards. It's bordering false advertising.

Marina: I kept expecting for the murder to happen and every time I thought “here we go!” it was just another scene from the wedding, which to be honest wasn’t even that interesting. If you think about this book being a wedding retelling it might be a bit more accurate than actually saying it’s a mystery. I wanted to be kept at the edge of my seat by what was going to happen next! I just don’t get how this book got so hyped up for the mystery part!

Beach Reads

When we reviewed Beach Read (by Emily Henry) we were highly disappointed by the little reading that was done at the beach, thus we thought to recommend our own favorites. Whether you read them at the beach, on a bus or sitting at your local coffee shop, we hope you enjoy them!

The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne

Alicia: Personally, one of the tropes I enjoy the most is 'enemies to lovers'. I find it so thrilling, I just can't get enough of it. If you're like me, this book may be for you. Sweet and sexy and perfect to take your mind off things. (Also, apparently there’s a movie adaptation in the making starring Lucy Hale and Robbie Amell, and I really hope it's not going to end up being cancelled because I’m really excited about it now)

Tweet Cute, by Emma Lord

Alicia: This one is more on the teen side, but it's still such a good option if you want something to read that won't make you use your brain too much. It's a really fresh and enjoyable story full of funny tweet wars and an 'enemies to friends to lovers' plot that is so cute and adorable. It's so light and quick to read and if you give it a chance, it may surprise you.

Did I Mention I Love You, by Estelle Maskame 

Alicia: This one is somewhat controversial. The main characters are step siblings (no blood relation whatsoever), and some people don't feel comfortable with that, so it's definitely not for everyone. If that's not a problem for you, you may enjoy this series a lot. It's so quick to read and almost addictive. There are three books and a 4th one with a different point of view, so you have a bunch of books to binge-read if you want something light.

 The rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson

Ariadna: If you are a fantasy reader, you sure have heard the name Sanderson at least once. He is one of the masters of the genre, known for his prolific, intertwined worlds and complex magic systems (they make such sense that sometimes you wonder how come they are not real). He usually writes long, rich books, but this one in particular, being directed to a younger audience, is supereasy, superfun to read. In a world where the chosen ones can invoke magic through chalk drawings, Joel, who knows everything that needs to be known about the Rithmatism but has no magic ability whatsoever, and Melody, a terrible Rithmatist student, to win a competition and solve some bigger mysteries. A must-read if you love a good fantasy novel with impeccable worldbuilding.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman

Ariadna: Eleanor Oliphant follows the same exact routine everyday, the same sandwich for lunch, the same cup with the same tea, the same phone call from her mother ever Wednesday... She is so organised and thorough it is borderline sociopathic. But her life will turn upside down the moment she meets Raymond, her work colleague, an unapologetic opposite to her.

This novel is a ray of hope for those who feel weird and mildly left behind in society. I bought it without much expectations, and it surprised me how much you could empathise with such an eccentric character who, in the end, suffers as any of us do. It is full of delicate moments, daydreaming, kindness, pain and unconditional love — a fuzzy and heart-warming novel of self-discovery and overcoming of the past traumas which will leave you feeling optimistic and, somehow, sheltered.

If Only It Were True 1 and 2, by Marc Levy 

Ariadna: Lauren is a pretty and successful medical resident working in the Emergency Room of San Francisco Memorial Hospital who suffers a car accident. Arthur, a single, thirty-something architect rents a flat in San Francisco to the family of a girl who is in a coma... And starts seeing her! You may have guessed right, the ghost is none other than Lauren, and together they will go to unimaginable lengths to help Lauren go back to life.

This plot may ring a bell to some. Yes, the movie «Just like Heaven», starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, is based on the first book of this series, so I won’t spoil you the sequel. If you don’t feel like reading a book of a movie you have already seen, I recommend you to read any other book by Marc Levy —a French romance writer whose short novels are full of light-hearted, optimistic relationships and wondrous journeys (both literally and figuratively) to self-discovery. I personally enjoyed The first day and The first night as well as The strange journey of Mr. Daldry.

The Martian, by Andy Weir

Marina: If there’s something I enjoy doing at the beach more than escaping the scorching heat, it’s reading. The Martian is one of those books I could read a hundred times. It has science facts explained for us lesser humans that know nothing about space; whitty and dry humour that makes you put your book down because you’re laughing so hard; and a trip to Mars, what’s there not to like? This astronaut’s diary is the perfect companion for a day of reading at the beach.

If you think this reminds you of something that’s because there’s a movie adaptation starring Matt Damon, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara and Jessica Chastain (it even has a little cameo but I’m not going to spoil who it is) that’s also very entertaining. Though, folks, this is another one for team “The book was better than the movie”.

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, by Joël Dicker

Marina: If you’d prefer a mystery for the ages with flashbacks to the time of the crime, here’s a book for you. Dicker’s debut novel, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, takes place in New Hampshire when a novell author takes refuge after a (too) long writer’s block to seek inspiration and visit his old mentor. Who so happens to be the main suspect of an old murder case that took place in 1975. A well crafted and fast-paced thriller you can enjoy while tanning ;)

What’s even better, after the success of his first book, Dicker has published more thrillers that have been very well received among fans of the genre. 

Stars of Fortune (The Guardians Trilogy #1), by Nora Roberts

Marina: Now, I know what you’re thinking: Nora Roberts only writes romance books, wrong! He has a couple of amazing urban-fantasy sagas that are amazing. One of them is The Guardians trilogy. It takes place in the Mediterranean (this first book begins in Greece) and Ireland. Six people are brought together by the stars to Corfu to find and protect the stars of fortune from evil. 

Stereotypes Galore 

The Best Laid Plans, by Cameron Lund

First published: April 7th by Razorbill.

Summary: Keely is the last virgin in her group of friends. She thinks in order to date (and have sex with) her hot new co-worker, she has to have experience and enlists her best friend Andrew for the task.

Things this book is kinda good at: the friends to lovers theme. Things this book could do without: toxic relationships, misogynistic messages, and girls being super mean to each other for no other reason than there needs to be a mean girl and “oh she’s my friend I can be mean to her”, is that the message you want young girls to get?

I’m reading this from the point of view of maturity and adulthood, I know what High School is like and this should not be the takeaway. I think if I had read this while I was a teenager it would have made me (much more) insecure about my choices. And even though the ending kind of fixes it, it doesn’t help that throughout the book you get messages like: “it’s ok if the boy I like tells me not to hang out with my friends”, or “I can’t tell the guy I’m kind of seeing (not really because even that wasn’t discussed seriously) that I’m a virgin because he won’t like me anymore”, “I have to have sex to be a proper, grown woman.

These are messages that young girls (and boys!) should not be reading about. They should know it’s crucial to discuss these things with a potential partner, if you’re embarassed about being a virgin should you even be thinking about having sex? There’s nothing to be embarassed about. And even though, the author tried to get that message through with the ending it reads as Keely being pressured to loose her virginity either way. It should be about the love between these two friends not about the sex. Losing their virginity to each other should be a special and beautiful experience if they love each other, right? They almost had sex in a hotel closet!

Also.. Do you really think being a virgin excuses Andrew’s behaviour of being all “Party Andrew”? You get toxic masculinity throughout the book excused by “oh, it’s High School in a small town, wait until we get to the big city” or “boys will be boys”… Excuse you, there’s the same amount of b***s*** in and out of small towns, being in a city has nothing to do with this. I think the author should have tried to show that even though they live in a small town it doesn’t make it ok for guys to be assholes and for girls to bully each other.