2010

Book Review: The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

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Reading Time: 2 minutes
The Gift by Cecelia Ahern Book Cover I love Cecelia Ahern’s books. PS, I Love You I found to be emotional and moving, Where Rainbows End was like reading intimate and private letters, A Place Called Here was like stepping in to a world of make-believe, Thanks for the Memories made me question our connection to our bodies and If You Could See Me Now made me belief again in invisible friends.

So I had high hopes for The Gift. The Gift tells the story of high flying building developer Lou. Lou is too busy for his family and always needs to be in two places at once. Lou’s a workaholic which is made worse by a potential promotion. The book is set towards Christmas which is obvious from the book cover and the chapter titles. Then one day Lou meets Gabe a homeless guy on the street and buys him coffee. For some reason Lou offers Gabe a job and what follows is an adventure as Gabe helps Lou reevaluate his life and priorities prior to an unexpected ending.

The telling of the story through the writing felt a little laboured at times. It felt as though it was rushed to publish in time for Christmas and because of this the story didn’t flow as previous books by Cecelia. In addition Cecelia explained the meaning of the story at the end – that time is precious. Cecelia didn’t need to do this and it felt slightly condescending.

Overall The Gift is a comforting Christmas read, with a good “moral” to the story.

Blog soon,

Antony

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DVD Review: 28 Days and HELP

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I recently bought 28 Days [DVD] [2000] as I’m a fan of Sandra Bullock. The story is about the always drunk and drugged up Gwen Cummings who at her sisters wedding is dancing and falls on the wedding cake. Gwen, determined to fix things gets in to the Wedding limo in search of a cake shop. Gwen rather dramatically drives in to an house and gets sentenced to 28 days in a rehabilitation centre out in the country.

You follow Gwen as she sets out on her path to recovery from her drug and alcohol misuse. Starting with her being unconvinced that she had a problem at all, to acceptance and starting on the path to recovery. From the outset you realise that this is a budget film – were most of the budget went on Sandra. The other actors feel false and unconvincing.

The overwhelming theme that is interwoven in to the story is about asking for help. This film made me look at myself, do I ask for help? Especially when I need it? The answer is a residing No. I’m not sure why this is, perhaps a desire to be independent? Perhaps not wanting to put on anyone? Maybe fear of being let down by those I ask?

Something for me to think about and work on.

Write soon,

Antony

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PostSecret – A funny blog

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Hi All,

I recently discovered Post Secret. It’s very funny, 🙂 it asks people to send in their secrets and then publishes them on postcard images with a humors pictures. They’ve even made some of the faviourates in to a book, but unfortunately it’s only available in the USA.

Antony

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Book Review: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

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Reading Time: 2 minutes
twenties-girl I took this book away when I went to Benidorm (see Adventure 2 – Benidorm Part 1, Adventure 2 – Benidorm Part 2 & Adventure 2 – Benidorm Part 3) and as promised, here’s my review:

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella is her most hilarious book to date. In it we meet Lara Lington who’s life is in a bit of a mess. Her boyfriend’s left her and told her parents of her obsessional texting, which got so bad he changed his number. She set up a business with her best friend as professional head hunters, which her friend is apparently fantastic at. Only her best friend went on holiday to Goa, met a man and hasn’t returned. Worst of all she is being forced by her parents to attend the funeral of her great aunt Sadie, who died at 105 years old and who she barely knew.

She arrives for the funeral with barely any family or friends present. The funeral commences and as the coffin is about to be cremated, Lara see’s this woman only about 25 years old in twenties style clothing. The twenties girl, her great aunt Sadie from her younger years who says,
“Stop! Don’t let them cremate me, I need to find my dragon fly necklace. I simply cant rest with out it.”

Lara begrudgingly agrees to help Sadie in order to get rid of her. The journey is packed with funny experiences as they get in to some sticky situations and start to help each other out; Lara in the search for the dragon fly necklace and Sadie in helping Lara to realise some home truths.

Along the way of course in true Kinsella style Lara meets a man, her best friend comes back in to her life and the mystery unravels as Lara and Sadie follow the clues trying discover who has taken the dragon fly necklace and why.

As the plot thickens the book absorbs you as you simply must find out what situation they are going to get themselves in to next, inevitably giving another clue to who took the dragon fly necklace and why. The ending is obviously been well thought out, researched and means its a typical chick-lit ending, but with a clever ending. It makes you feel satisfied and that all the loose ends have been tied up.

Like one of Sophie Kinsella’s previous books The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic which was made in to a film (Confessions of a Shopaholic [DVD] [2009]), I think this book would transform in to a film beautifully.

Hope you enjoyed my review. Review more books soon,

Antony

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