Would you believe it, I haven't actually watched any TV worth commenting on for a while! I seem to have rediscovered reading for pleasure, something that I lost interest in when I realised that my uni course consisted almost entirely of extremely unpleasurable reading. I may throw a few book posts into my blog in the future.
So, Never Let Me Go (for a fuller summary of the plot, follow this link).This book is written by Kazuo Ishiguro, a Japenese-British author. I read Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day (also a not-very-well-done film starring Anthony Hopkins that leaves all of the best bits of the book out) for A Level English. I can't say it was a favourite of mine at the time; the book is full of so much subtle symbolism that you find yourself thinking 'did the author really give so much significance to so and so glancing out of a window'? The protagonist who narrates the book is also somewhat irritating throughout most of the novel, although I think this is the whole aim of the book, as we begin to feel more sympathy for the character as the story progresses, and it is only once I had finished the book that I realised I had enjoyed it.
Never Let Me Go is pretty different to The Remains. I was expecting symbolism galore and artsy messages like with the other book, but symbolism was not the main theme of the book as far as I could tell (although of course there were plenty of symbolic elements). The book is centred around an adult called Kathy reliving memories of her youth and looking at them again with adult eyes, with the added dimension that Kathy and the other characters are clones whose sole purpose in life is to grow up and 'donate' their organs to the rest of the population. This book isn't remotely sci-fi though; the clone and donation aspect is only really discussed in terms of how that affects the lives of the characters, not in a science fiction sort of way, and it works really well (as I'll come back to later).
This book feels like it is written quite simply, with the narrator's style flowing casually through the story. I felt pretty detached from this book until near the very end; like The Remains, I don't think I realised how good it had been until I'd finished it off, and then I wanted to read it again almost immediately, feeling I would appreciate it much more the second time round. Having said that, this book is weirdly addictive. Even though there isn't even that much of a gripping plot line with no real major events, there is always the feeling that over the next few pages you will find out something totally integral to the plot.
It's the clone dimension that makes this book a real page turner. That the characters are clones is hinted at throughout the book, and it is easy for the reader to work out their true purpose in life from fairly early on. However, within the story anything to do with their destiny as organ doners is shrouded in euphemism, and the characters seem to live a pretty normal life. Kathy and her friends are puzzled by aspects of their lives and make guesses as to what different things mean, and this curiousity is passed onto the reader, leaving me desperate for answers by the time I reached the final section of the book. As I said earlier, the ending makes the book and it is during this part that we get the answers to the questions that Kathy has been alluding to throughout her story.
The ending also makes you realise how attached you had become to the characters. The main voice of Kathy holds little emotion in my opinion, almost as if she has resigned herself to her fate and wants to factually record the musing of her earlier life. Because of this, the emotion that I felt at the end of the novel really surprised me. I won't say anymore so that I don't ruin the ending for those of you who read it, but this is a truly brilliant book that I urge everyone to read, even if it doesn't seem that way to start off with. I can't really express how much I enjoyed this book so read it yourself and see if you agree!
Never Let Me Go has also been turned into a film which I haven't yet seen but I'm sure I will feel the need to write about as soon as I have watched it judging by the trailer:
Monday 23 January 2012
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Emmerdale
Instead of doing dissertation research or perhaps reading about Ginzburg or crime in early modern pubs, I am going to write about Emmerdale.
What I like about Christmas Emmerdale is that there was no unecessary tragedy, violence, death or depression to dampen our day... All of that came a few weeks ago with Cain's attack and is now just a standard underlying theme.
So the main event in the village is the revelation that Zack was Cain's attacker... dun dun duuuunnnnn!! If I'm honest, I'd kinda guessed; he was the only one with motive who wasn't being fixated on, and it's always the one that no one expects. There was a nice little emotional exchange between the father and son which invoked two seperate emotions within me.... The first was wonder at Zack's accent. Let's be honest, he's a character with few words so suddenly hearing him speak for over thirty seconds solid made me notice his accent. Is it real? Does the actor who plays him actually come from somewhere up Nawth? Either that or this man is a genius......
The second thing I felt (after my wonder had subsided) was that I actually felt a bit sorry for Cain. This episode was very well written so that it made us do that, and it also threw up interested questions when Zack kept saying stuff like 'I'm your father, I had to be the one to stop you.' But then we probably shouldn't read too much into Emmerdale, I should probably write more stuff about how with a hat on Cain actually looks passably attractive.
Other Emmerdalian developments: Debbie and Andy. This whole thing just makes me go 'ew'. It's always only mentioned in passing as well, so it's a bit like everyone is kind of thinking 'this is pretty strange, if we need to have a story line on it let's just skim over it'. They've moved now from turkey baster type arrangements to actually having sex to attempt to conceive another kid. Debbie doesn't seem pleased (but then when is she pleased about anything?) and gets some wine to get things on the move. I read in the TV mag that next week Andy starts to have feelings for her.... Urgh here we go...
Just to end with another gross story line, Laurel and Ashley making out in Leeds followed by her whispering to him 'I'm just going to nip into a rather interesting lingerie shop..' Seriously woman, get back to Marlon!!
What I like about Christmas Emmerdale is that there was no unecessary tragedy, violence, death or depression to dampen our day... All of that came a few weeks ago with Cain's attack and is now just a standard underlying theme.
So the main event in the village is the revelation that Zack was Cain's attacker... dun dun duuuunnnnn!! If I'm honest, I'd kinda guessed; he was the only one with motive who wasn't being fixated on, and it's always the one that no one expects. There was a nice little emotional exchange between the father and son which invoked two seperate emotions within me.... The first was wonder at Zack's accent. Let's be honest, he's a character with few words so suddenly hearing him speak for over thirty seconds solid made me notice his accent. Is it real? Does the actor who plays him actually come from somewhere up Nawth? Either that or this man is a genius......
The second thing I felt (after my wonder had subsided) was that I actually felt a bit sorry for Cain. This episode was very well written so that it made us do that, and it also threw up interested questions when Zack kept saying stuff like 'I'm your father, I had to be the one to stop you.' But then we probably shouldn't read too much into Emmerdale, I should probably write more stuff about how with a hat on Cain actually looks passably attractive.
Other Emmerdalian developments: Debbie and Andy. This whole thing just makes me go 'ew'. It's always only mentioned in passing as well, so it's a bit like everyone is kind of thinking 'this is pretty strange, if we need to have a story line on it let's just skim over it'. They've moved now from turkey baster type arrangements to actually having sex to attempt to conceive another kid. Debbie doesn't seem pleased (but then when is she pleased about anything?) and gets some wine to get things on the move. I read in the TV mag that next week Andy starts to have feelings for her.... Urgh here we go...
Just to end with another gross story line, Laurel and Ashley making out in Leeds followed by her whispering to him 'I'm just going to nip into a rather interesting lingerie shop..' Seriously woman, get back to Marlon!!
Monday 9 January 2012
Christmas TV
I've not written here for longer than I would have liked, and there has been so much TV since! Christmas nowadays obviously means TV specials and if I was more cynical I'd say this spoils the fun of the holiday... But I'm not and I have Sky+ so I can spend Christmas day with my family and then the next few days catching up!
I shan't bore you with a whole post for each show I watched over the holiday season, I'm just going to comment on a few of the mains ones instead.
Michael McIntyre's Christmas thing
I actually really enjoyed this. I feel like Michael McIntyre has been around for years now but it's surprising how much new material he can come up with.. I suppose it is his job. To be fair I'm a bit rubbish about comedy and I would have preferred it was just an hour or however long of just Michael McIntyre, but he did manage to get some really good (I say good because they're pretty famous rather than because I like them that much) guests like Jack Dee, Rhod Gilbert and some other people I can't remember. Miranda was on, usually I loathe this woman, I think she is so annoying and just makes me want to run away and become a man so I don't have to share a gender with her, but she did a little skit thing with Smithy from Gavin and Stacey and it was actually bearable. It's great that Michael McIntyre's still doing TV like this, I thought once he'd been a judge on Britain's Got Talent he wouldn't do much more stand up, but I read an interview he'd done and he said that he intends to continue, which I think is great. I know a lot of people find him really annoying but I think that's one of his charms, especially when he bobs about and his flops around comically. So yeah, loads of laugh out loud moments, lots of great guests if you like lots of different people, good show! Oh apart from Pixie Lott.. Is it just me or did anyone think she kept missing her cues and was out of tune?
Agatha Christie's Poirot
This I enjoyed again, Poirot isn't something I've ever really sat down and watched, rather it's been on while I flitted in and out, so this was new for me. As usual whenever I watch a murder mystery, I spent the first half totally confused (and this was a confusing one with loads of outside references and an extra plot line going on) and the second half trying to guess whodunnit (and I was actually right with this one!) The actual story of the murder was good, if predictable as you kind of know by now how these kind of things are written, and you can spot who's going to get bumped off a mile off. Nevertheless there were some clever bits, and as I said there was an extra plot line going on to do with Germany and Hitler and the War that was thrown in there to confuse you a bit. My favourite part of this show though is by far the little tottery walk that Poirot does, and the way he talks half in Belgian and half in English.
Endeavour
This was the Morse prequel, sort of like Morse's first case. I've never actually watched Morse, only the sequel to it (weirdly), so I can't really compare it, but then I don't think comparing it to the Morse series was really the idea. Again, I think the plot was fairly predictable; there was a bit of romance, some brooding and moping around and a young Morse briefly being kicked off the case for so-called bad behaviour. Of course, in the end (and after a few false starts), it's Morse who cleverly works out who did it (which I guessed correctly again by the way!), and collects the baddie to take them to prison. Like with Poirot, it was quite a complicated story with an extra bit to it, and some bent coppers thrown into the mix as well. I'm sure there were probably links to the Morse series we all know, but as I haven't seen it I wouldn't know! The only thing that bothered me about this was the guy who played Morse kept doing something funny with his hand, like over-gesturing or over pointing at people.... I'm sure I am the only person that ever notices stuff like this.
Outnumbered
Usually I love Outnumbered but this was actually pretty forgettable I think, especially after the end of the last series. So it's Christmas day and the family are going on holiday and 15 year old Jake has a hangover... 15, really?! They start them young these days apparently! I could be wrong actually, maybe he's 16, that would make it slightly better. I think Outnumbered has lost something as the kids have got older; they're actually acting now rather than sort of messing about like they did when they were younger. As I said, this episode was pretty forgettable, so much so that I can't think of anything else to write about it!
I shan't bore you with a whole post for each show I watched over the holiday season, I'm just going to comment on a few of the mains ones instead.
Michael McIntyre's Christmas thing
I actually really enjoyed this. I feel like Michael McIntyre has been around for years now but it's surprising how much new material he can come up with.. I suppose it is his job. To be fair I'm a bit rubbish about comedy and I would have preferred it was just an hour or however long of just Michael McIntyre, but he did manage to get some really good (I say good because they're pretty famous rather than because I like them that much) guests like Jack Dee, Rhod Gilbert and some other people I can't remember. Miranda was on, usually I loathe this woman, I think she is so annoying and just makes me want to run away and become a man so I don't have to share a gender with her, but she did a little skit thing with Smithy from Gavin and Stacey and it was actually bearable. It's great that Michael McIntyre's still doing TV like this, I thought once he'd been a judge on Britain's Got Talent he wouldn't do much more stand up, but I read an interview he'd done and he said that he intends to continue, which I think is great. I know a lot of people find him really annoying but I think that's one of his charms, especially when he bobs about and his flops around comically. So yeah, loads of laugh out loud moments, lots of great guests if you like lots of different people, good show! Oh apart from Pixie Lott.. Is it just me or did anyone think she kept missing her cues and was out of tune?
Agatha Christie's Poirot
This I enjoyed again, Poirot isn't something I've ever really sat down and watched, rather it's been on while I flitted in and out, so this was new for me. As usual whenever I watch a murder mystery, I spent the first half totally confused (and this was a confusing one with loads of outside references and an extra plot line going on) and the second half trying to guess whodunnit (and I was actually right with this one!) The actual story of the murder was good, if predictable as you kind of know by now how these kind of things are written, and you can spot who's going to get bumped off a mile off. Nevertheless there were some clever bits, and as I said there was an extra plot line going on to do with Germany and Hitler and the War that was thrown in there to confuse you a bit. My favourite part of this show though is by far the little tottery walk that Poirot does, and the way he talks half in Belgian and half in English.
Endeavour
This was the Morse prequel, sort of like Morse's first case. I've never actually watched Morse, only the sequel to it (weirdly), so I can't really compare it, but then I don't think comparing it to the Morse series was really the idea. Again, I think the plot was fairly predictable; there was a bit of romance, some brooding and moping around and a young Morse briefly being kicked off the case for so-called bad behaviour. Of course, in the end (and after a few false starts), it's Morse who cleverly works out who did it (which I guessed correctly again by the way!), and collects the baddie to take them to prison. Like with Poirot, it was quite a complicated story with an extra bit to it, and some bent coppers thrown into the mix as well. I'm sure there were probably links to the Morse series we all know, but as I haven't seen it I wouldn't know! The only thing that bothered me about this was the guy who played Morse kept doing something funny with his hand, like over-gesturing or over pointing at people.... I'm sure I am the only person that ever notices stuff like this.
Outnumbered
Usually I love Outnumbered but this was actually pretty forgettable I think, especially after the end of the last series. So it's Christmas day and the family are going on holiday and 15 year old Jake has a hangover... 15, really?! They start them young these days apparently! I could be wrong actually, maybe he's 16, that would make it slightly better. I think Outnumbered has lost something as the kids have got older; they're actually acting now rather than sort of messing about like they did when they were younger. As I said, this episode was pretty forgettable, so much so that I can't think of anything else to write about it!
I'm sure I've probably missed out an amazing bit of Christmas TV and I'll have to do another post on this but I'm lacking the brain power to think about it right now and this post is long enough already, so there you, Christmas TV!
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