Preethi

Friday, December 28, 2018

The Long Song Is Incredible

Preethi December 28, 2018 Shows , 0 Comments

The Long Song is a three-episode BBC drama adapted from the book of the same name. I stumbled upon it by chance a few days ago, and I was hooked as soon as I began watching. The Long Song is the tale of a Jamaican slave named July, and the events of her life that take place around the time that ideas regarding abolition are beginning come into play. The drama depicts a breathtaking and harrowing tale that encapsulates so much more than a single woman's experiences, and white men are just as awful as you'd expect. Characters are realistically and terribly flawed, and the drama gets you invested before you even realize what's happening. Beautiful cinematography, wonderful acting, and heart-hitting writing really come together to make The Long Song a powerful feature you don't want to miss out on.

July with her owner Caroline, a rather nasty woman who calls her Marguerite and took her from the arms of her mother as a child.

Caroline also may or may not be a mess of a human with terrible fashion sense.

Don't even get me started on this white boy with high hopes for "free" slaves.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Ratsasan Is Great Except For One Thing

I enjoyed pretty much everything about Ratsasan except for its horrific representation of females as police officers. Women are rarely police officers in Kollywood films, and furthermore, even if they are, they're definitely not in any high positions and are usually seen working with or working under other male officers. However, in this film, we get to see a female who is not only a main character - I use the term "main" loosely - but also a police officer who's actually higher in the hierarchy than our hero Arun. Unfortunately, there's nothing exciting about this, as Arun doesn't take heed to this female officer even once. And even worse is the fact that the female officer is an egotistical, incompetent maniac whose sole purpose in this film is to get in the way of solving the case and simultaneously annoying everyone around her. I wish she could have at least gotten a character arc where she finally realizes that yes, her subordinate is right about everything in a way he could never be if this wasn't a movie, but unfortunately, she's a terrible character and person from beginning to end.

As if this wasn't bad enough, it seems that her being a female as well as a mother is utilized to further accentuate her incompetence and self-absorption in the film; for example, she is constantly picking up calls from her children while she's working. She talks to them sweetly while she orders a man to beat a man half to death, and she later sings her child an English lullaby on the phone while Arun is trying to tell her that he knows exactly who the serially killer - but she could care less. Her role in the film ends when an old man has enough of her and handcuffs her, locking her in her office; this old man also happens to call her by the nickname "demon" when she's not within earshot.

Although I really enjoyed the plot of Ratsasan and found myself immersed in the story - though I don't really see the need for Arun to be a wannabe filmmaker, but that's a whole different thing - the terrible representation of women as police officers is quite frankly, offensive. The single, truly useless officer in the film happens to be the only female police officer, and they way she's treated and represented in this film is obnoxious and small-minded, and it takes away from an otherwise decent film.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Fight or Flight Is Almost As Bad As Destination Wedding

Preethi December 25, 2018 Adult , Books 0 Comments

I'd stayed away from Fight or Flight by Samantha Young when it first came out because I'd heard some pretty negative things about it from fellow readers. I'd been told that there wasn't so much chemistry between the lead characters Ava and Caleb as there was inane arguing and insults being traded back and forth. I'd also heard that Caleb isn't such a great guy and really shouldn't be featured in a romance novel. And to an extent, all of these things are true, especially when you crack open the first chapter of the book and find two stupid characters being terrible to each other for no good reason. But thankfully, the further on you get into the book, the better it gets - although I never end up falling in love with the characters or their story.

The main issues I have with this novel are the meet cute, Caleb, and Caleb's backstory. The so-called meet cute in this novel is that Caleb cuts Ava in line and takes the last first class seat available on their flight, which Ava was patiently waiting in line for. When apprised of the situation, he isn't apologetic in the slightest and goes on to call her pet names like "babe" and blows her off despite the fact that he is entirely in the wrong. He continues to do rude things to her throughout the course of the day, and somehow readers are expected to fall for him while he's being a complete ass. That's not quite what I would call a meet cute, and indeed, I'd be more likely to toss him from the plane at that point than smooch with him. And yet despite all of this, Ava does find herself intrigued by him, which made both of them super annoying to me quite quickly.

But Caleb isn't like that because he's in an airport and exhausted - no, he's just terrible to strangers in general. He never says please or thank you to waitresses or flight attendants on purpose because, according to him, why should he thank a person who is just doing their job? And he never fixes this either - Ava just comes to accept it. Now that I think about it, I don't think Caleb even has a character arc in this novel other than his coming to accept love again. But I was never fully on board with Caleb's character because there was always something off about him. He did have his typical romantic hero moments later on in the novel, but a lot of his scenes - especially toward the beginning - made him seem like a possibly unhealthy romantic interest. But then by the end, he was completely normal, as if he was a different character entirely, and we don't get to see the changes that brought him there.

Caleb's traumatic backstory is a whole different mess. I can't say much about it without spoiling it, but it does seem to be a tad problematic. There seems to be an aspect to it in which a woman is villainized for a certain decision and Caleb apparently cares more for that decision than the woman herself, who apparently did it for her physical and emotional well-being. The woman is called a selfish, conceited jerk because of this decision, and the reader knows nothing else about this woman to be able to agree with or refute this claim. Of course, this woman probably should have confided in Caleb regarding her decision - I don't know enough about the backstory or Caleb to say this confidently - but either way, this is definitely not a black and white topic, and the author only dedicates a couple paragraphs at most to it.

The strongest part of this book is without a doubt the friendship between Harper and Ava: they're always there for each other, and this friendship is much more appealing than any romance offered in the novel. Their relationship is the only thing that I found genuinely appealing in the book, and indeed, Harper's scenes were more compelling than whatever happened with Ava, which is odd considering that this is Ava's book. Ultimately though, if I could make the choice again, no, I would not choose to read Fight or Flight. I also definitely wouldn't re-make the choice to watch Destination Wedding - I may still be traumatized.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

The Clockwork Scarab Abounds With Fake Chemistry

Preethi December 22, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

I picked up The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason - along with the next two books in the series - from the local library as soon as I was finished with final exams. It's rare that I pick up a book without having heard about it first on Goodreads or some other blog, but every now and then I do take a chance on things I know nothing about. While I don't have anything much against the plot, the fake chemistry slathered all over the pages of this book was quite a bother while I was reading it.

The book is about the niece of Sherlock Holmes, Mina, and the sister of Bram Stoker, Evaline, being propositioned by Irene Adler to solve a mystery, more or less, on behalf of royalty. Both are trying to prove to themselves that they can live up to their respective heritage, and also, they're not really fans of each other considering each one has what the other doesn't. And to be honest, I think I'd prefer that Mina and Evaline get together and completely forgo the terrible flirting and awkward encounters with the male characters.

I realize that I've become more perceptive about romance in novels lately, but the setups in this are truly quite awful. I'm fairly certain that every single twenty-something male character in this book is introduced with the adjective "handsome", and that gets annoying fast. Trust me, author: if you introduce a young male character to me, I'm just going to assume that he's handsome and begin shipping characters together without your use of the adjective. Also, I felt that the romantic scenarios the author created between Mina and Evaline and other male characters were really contrived, and as such, made me cringe and only dislike the romances that much more. Do we really need a guy with a Cockney accent pressing Evaline up against a wall as soon as they meet? Does Holmes have to blush any time a guy looks at her? I think not. Additionally, I'm just not fond of the idea that Mina and Holmes both need a male counterpart - Holmes with two, actually.

Surprisingly, despite this fake chemistry, by the end of this book, I had a vague interest in a male character called Inspector Grayling. He's the usual stoic dude who cannot express his feelings and ends up simply annoying Holmes, but even despite his cliché role and moments in the novel, I still kind of like him. The most annoying character is probably Dylan, who is from the future, but I'll be fine as long as Mina doesn't end up with him in the end of it all.

Normally, I would have no intention of continuing on with the series, but the mystery isn't terrible in this one. And even though I'm not aching to find out who the antagonist in this installment really is, and although I couldn't care less about the characters and their potential arcs, I might find myself trying out the second book sometime just to see what goes on with Mina and Inspector Grayling.

TOPFIVE Korean Dramas Of 2018

Preethi December 22, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

Since it's almost the end of the year and I haven't written another Korean drama post since my mid-year TOPFIVE drama post, I figured it was time for an update - especially since a lot of what I said in that other post is null and void. I put some dramas in that list that were currently airing, and unfortunately, they turned a tad sour after making it onto my list. If you're curious regarding which dramas on those list you should probably avoid: Wok Of Love and About Time. But why start on such an unfortunate note? Let's get straight into the most amazing dramas of the year!

Mr. Sunshine

This is the new drama written by the famed writer who gave us beautiful dramas like Heirs, Goblin, and Descendants of the Sun. Mr. Sunshine is a breathtaking tale of Japanese colonization of Korea and the resistance fighters who will give up anything to save their country. It is a glorious and gorgeous drama, and it's conveniently on Netflix - I highly recommend it. It has a superb cast, and the dialogue is so charming and witty that I just melt. There are twenty four episodes in the drama, and while that may feel long, it's actually quite perfect. I want to say that this is my favorite drama of the year, but I feel like that spot goes to the melodrama Nice Witch.

Nice Witch

This drama was in my last drama post as well. If you knew how much I loved it, you wouldn't even blink at seeing it again in this list. Long story short: it's about two twins, one evil and horrendous and dubbed "Ice Queen" (but not in the cute romantic way which means some male is about to get close to her and melt her heart - no, she's actually an awful Ice Queen who'd sooner shoot shards of ice at your face than be nice) and the other a beautiful soul, a mother of an adorable child and a terrible husband, and such a nice person. The premise of Nice Witch is that the mean sister falls into a coma after getting herself in trouble, but before falling unconscious, she begs her nice sister to take her place and pretend to be her. And then of course she meets this hot pilot, who thinks she's the awful Ice Queen who he hates, only to find that for whatever reason he's suddenly reacting differently to her. Cue swooning. Nice Witch is the nice twin's love story and character arc, and if you're looking for adorable romance, this is what you want to watch.

Hot pilot who avoids women ends up falling for the angel of a twin sister. (Nice Witch)

Is it even romance if it's not hate to love? (Nice Witch)

Life

Life is a medical drama with Lee Dong-wook as the male lead, but I don't think medical drama really captures what it's about. Life takes place in a hospital, yes, but it's much more about the politics of hospitals that anything else. I don't even know how to put this drama into words because it's that unique and brilliant, but it has a great cast, an amazing suspenseful atmosphere the entire time through, and although I wouldn't go for this drama if you're wanting romance, it's so so good. And also conveniently on Netflix. (I swear I'm not a sponsor for Netflix or anything.) The antagonist character is really the true gem of the drama, and the relationship between him and Dong-wook is...wow. But fair warning: if you watch this, you're not going to be trusting hospitals or doctors anytime soon.

Mystery Queen 2

If you read all my ravings about this drama already, feel free to skip ahead. If not, just know that the sequel to Mystery Queen more than lives up to its predecessor - it might even be better - and if you love mysteries and Sherlock Holmes, then you're really missing out if you have yet to check out the first season as well as this one. It features a ton of slow burn romance and cutesy angst - as opposed to the stressful kind - and the mysteries as well as the way the main characters go about solving them is truly fun to watch and really quite smart. All I want for Christmas is a Mystery Queen 3.

The Last Empress

I'm going to straight up be honest about this one and say that this drama is still in the middle of airing, so it's entirely possible that I might become bored of this one by the time it's finished. As of now, however, this is one of my favorite kdramas, partly because it features Choi Jin-hyuk and Jang Na-ra as the leads. We saw them together in Fated To Love You, but Jin-hyuk was the second lead at the time. The Last Empress begins with musical actress Oh Sunny (Jang Na-ra) catching the eye of the Emperor, but she didn't really catch his eye and it's all actually a conspiracy to cover up a crime. Jin-hyuk plays a Bodyguard aching for revenge against the throne, and he has some really cute moments with Jang Na-ra. Of course there's a ton of politics in this one, and you're really going to end up hating rich, royal persons, but hey, there's nothing wrong with that.

Not As Impressed With Anne of Avonlea

Preethi December 22, 2018 Books , 0 Comments

I'd read the first Anne book a couple months ago thanks to my friends who kept pestering me about how brilliant Gilbert Blythe is. And yes, he is brilliant, but I'm beginning to fear that the version of him that I love is the one from Anne With An E. However, I'll probably get one book further into the series before making any definitive decisions regarding which Blythe I hold more closely in my heart.

I began reading Anne of Avonlea at the start of the fall semester this year, but I didn't finish it until a couple days ago. Terrible, I know. I could blame it on how busy the semester was with my eclectic mix of film and computer science classes - I wouldn't be lying - but the real reason the book took me so long to read was because honestly, I found myself a bit bored with it all. The author L.M. Montgomery remains brilliant at creating lovable characters who feel like they're real; she brings the town, its folks, and its stories to life. But there isn't much dramatic tension in the novel as most things are spectacularly happy all the time, and so I found myself less enamored of the world and its characters than I had been when reading Anne of Green Gables. I hate to say it, but my main fear at the moment is that when I finish the series, it'll be because I've forced myself to rather than because I crave each book the moment I finish the one before it.

Despite its issues, I did end up enjoying my slow, meandering return to Prince Edward Island. At first I had been reluctant to accept the new cast of characters, but the addition of persons like the old neighbor with the parrot and Miss Lavender were actually quite sweet. There definitely isn't nearly enough Gilbert in this book - and gah, he's all soft and no angst - but all in all, this wasn't a horrible book by any means. I do believe I might've enjoyed the series more if I had read the books when I was younger, but I'm still determined to finish them all someday. And besides: maybe a slow meander isn't the worst way to experience such a vast and endearing story world like Anne's.

Monday, August 6, 2018

People Who Hate Anne With An E

Preethi August 06, 2018 Books , Shows 0 Comments

I happen to be one of those unfortunate souls who has gone through childhood in a miserable state. By which I mean to say that not a single friend of mine forced me to sit down and read a little book called Anne of Green Gables. Yes, there was this one younger friend of mine who mentioned it in a sentence - my goodness it's an amazing book, it's everything, if I were to paraphrase - but since that single sentence failed to get me to actually pick up the book, I would not call it a proper recommendation. I appreciate it and do not blame her, but I do blame everyone else. Thankfully, two of my best friends who unfortunately live all the way over in Sri Lanka and London properly hyped the series to me, and here I am a couple weeks later, having binged the Netflix show Anne With An E and currently reading the first book.

While I was reading, I came upon a comment where someone expressed their distaste for the show because of how it totally changed the book and doesn't capture the essence, the goodness of Anne. And frankly, I'm quite offended. I'm sure that I have no right to be offended as it's an arguably valid opinion, but offended I am. I mean, how can someone not adore the tv show? And how the show introduced Gilbert? Comparing what I've seen so far of the show and the book, I definitely prefer how the former did it. Mostly because book Gilbert annoys all the girls in the class while tv Gilbert is perfectly mild-mannered until that day with Anne, which personally I thought was so so adorable.

Back to the comment, however, I'm not sure if they simply didn't like the darkness of the first two episodes and didn't continue watching, or if they actually watched the first and/or second seasons and still hated it. If it's the latter, I cannot comprehend. How could you not enjoy a show that takes the book, perfectly captures Anne's voice as well as that of many of the other characters, and in addition to that modernizes it by bringing in relevant topics such as racism, LGBTQ rights, and of course sexism? How can you say no to that?

And as to taking away the "goodness" of the books, personally, I feel that giving Anne larger hurdles not only brings new life into the story, but also into her character. There are trials for both Anne and Gilbert, as well as all the other characters, really, and I'm constantly amazed at how much they did with the show given this one book. I haven't finished reading it completely yet, but there are things from both seasons in this single book, and while I'm loving this version, the show did so much more with everyone in terms of emotions and stakes - I adored every moment just as I'm adoring every moment of this book.

If anyone wants to argue that any show that doesn't stick to exactly how things are in the book is a terrible show, I disagree and let's keep it at that. Personally I find shows and movies that are completely the same as the book extremely boring to suffer through, at least in the case that you've already read the book, for example, Me Before You and Everything, Everything. I'm not here to go through the same thing twice, so if that's what you're into, we simply shall not agree on the matter.

As it is, I highly highly recommend both the book and the show to anyone who hasn't experienced Anne before (although with the show, definitely watch at least two episodes before deciding whether you want to continue watching or not). The best part is you can watch and read or read and watch back to back, because hurrah, they're both two different things that nevertheless manage to keep the same essence. I've been missing the show these past few weeks, and reading the books right now is the best feeling.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Save The Date Is Not A Romance

Preethi July 25, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

I'm telling you guys right off the bat because I wish I had known this when going into the book: Save The Date by Morgan Matson is not a romance book. I definitely thought it was a YA contemporary romance, and I thought that this was a nice, romantic summer read that I could enjoy along the lines of how I lived for Listen To Your Heart by Kasie West when I was reading that. But this is not like that. I started off hating it because the characters were annoying and the romance was not even there, but by the end, I grew to really love this story about a great, big family that loves each other so much that, well, things inevitably end up going wrong. I'm not huge on stories about family relationships, or even the chaos that happens before a wedding, but even I ended up enjoying this, despite how hard I unconsciously tried not to.

You can watch the rest of my thoughts on the book below.

Friday, July 6, 2018

YA Romances Have No Authentic Chemistry Anymore?

Preethi July 06, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

I think I first started noticing it with Warcross by Marie Lu. The relationship between the two main characters felt so cliché and by-the-book, and I felt pretty much nothing for the two as a couple. Same thing happened to me with Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo, From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon, and again with my latest read, Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. When I'm more or less invested in the plot but couldn't care less about the romance - which is usually a high selling point for me - it's obvious that there's a problem.

Now I don't have an issue with the predictability of which two characters will get together. That has always been obvious, and I love how powerful I feel when I'm like I saw that relationship coming from a mile away. No, the issue is when what happens between two characters romantically feels mechanical. Dictated. Expected. Boring. Sometimes I wonder if it's my age that has me bored to Hell and back with these bland romances, but nope, I just read Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West the other day and I can assure you I seriously swooned over that relationship. I know that romance in YA has always been something that is almost a must for the genre, but I guess the chemistry part of attraction isn't a necessity anymore. I'm seen characters eye each other with interest as soon as they meet, awkwardly shiver away from the other's touch, but it's hard for the reader to feel much when the characters themselves feel like they're not on board with this relationship the authors are telling them to take part in. Long story short: these romances aren't doing it for me. I mean, authors, characters, WHERE IS THE ANGST?

Take Ace of Shades as an example. Levi is pretty much interested in Enne as soon as he sees her, for no apparent reason. He's the leader of the Irons and doesn't trust anyone, but for no reason at all, he immediately trusts Enne and promises to help her no matter what. Because she's the first pretty girl he's seen? Similarly, as soon as they meet, Enne has an inner commentary on how handsome Levi is, but of course she doesn't want to admit that to herself. Naturally, Levi's eye's flit to and away from Enne, trying not to reveal his interest in her. Come on. Stop with the annoying, non-romantic antics, please.

There's a bunch more fake, stale romance throughout the rest of the book - though possibly not a single kiss, if I'm remembering correctly - but then there's a prophetic (read: it's all in the head) sex scene between the two toward the end of the novel that I laughed my way through because, again, what chemistry? It was funny how all the characters were remarking on how they liked each other and I was just siting there smirking at the falseness of it all. Just like in From Twinkle, With Love, however, Levi and Enne's relationship got more believable and had more substance towards the end of the book. But like I said in my review of Menon's book as well, it's hard to care much about a couple who had an unrealistic and boring start to their relationship. It certainly doesn't make me eager to pick up the next book.

Saturday, June 30, 2018

TOPFIVE Best Dramas From The First Half Of 2018

Preethi June 30, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

It's about half way through the year and it's been a while since I did a kdrama post, so I figured now was probably a good time to share my favorite drams that have aired so far this year. I'm feeling nice, so we'll go in order from favorite favorites to ahhh they're too different, I can't possibly compare them.

NICE WITCH

Nice Witch is my favorite drama of the year so far, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it stayed my favorite by the end of the year as well. It's unlike any other drama I've ever seen - it's very reminiscent of Indian soap operas, and possibly Spanish telenovelas - and I unabashedly admit to adoring every second of it. It's one of those rare dramas (possibly the only drama) that kept my attention from the beginning to the end of the season. It's about a super nice twin who's been constantly pushed aside by her crazy mean younger twin. However, when the mean twin gets in trouble and ends up in a coma (I TOLD YOU), she asks her sister to take her place as an air hostess until she gets better. Of course, it wouldn't be much of a soap opera if there wasn't a conspiracy within the airlines, as well as a hot pilot who doesn't date, but finds himself oddly frustrated by a certain air hostess. I highly highly recommend this drama for all the cheese and swoons.

MYSTERY QUEEN 2

If you saw some of my posts on Mystery Queen, then you already know how fond I am of the series. As much as I loved the first season, I was super surprised when the second season actually managed to outdo it: a rare feat. I thought I'd be put off with the additional (read: new) cast members they brought it - I don't readily accept change - and the hole in my heart that came about when I realized that Lee Won-keun wouldn't be in it anymore, but nope, the second season was definitely a win. Obviously you want to watch the first season before starting this one, but this is a series that will nevertheless make you smile giddily if you are a mystery fan.

JUGGLERS

So first of all, you should know that I've had a thing for Daniel Choi since I saw him in School 2013, and I've had a thing for Baek Jin-hee since I encountered her in Pride & Prejudice. Since both of them are the leads in this romantic drama, it's only logical that it made this list. In Jugglers, Jin-hee plays a secretary who is fired by her sucky boss, only to be hired by the company to assist...the one dude who doesn't want a secretary (Choi). The two are adorable, yes, but I also really appreciated how stupid but often lovable tropes were averted. Unlike most romantic couples, these two communicated and trusted each other. I know, it sounds boring, but try it out - their relationship works for both them and the audience.

WOK OF LOVE

Also called Greasy Melo. This drama features Lee Jun-ho (you might recognize him from Just Between Lovers), Jang Hyuk (Fated to Love You, Voice), and Jung Ryeo-won (Witch's Court). It's probably one of the quirkiest dramas I've seen to date, but it's super cute, super feel-good, puts a smile on your face, and mmm the food. Make sure you always have something to eat while you're watching this or you'll feel like a starving man without an oasis in sight. The romance, the bromance, and the plot are all adorable. The character relationships are very unique, and to be honest I feel like I need to emphasize the cuteness of this drama more.

ABOUT TIME

I had a hard time choosing between this and Handsome Guy and Jung Eum, but About Time is too unique and well done to pass on. Lee Sung-kyung is the lead in this drama, and she plays an aspiring musical actress - who can sing, baby! - who also happens to be able to see how many years, months, days, minutes, and seconds a person has left before they die. She unfortunately can also see how long see herself has, and it's only a couple of months. She tries to make the most of each day, but one day, she runs into a man who stops her clock i.e. keeps her that much farther away from death. The drama from there on out is splendid in terms of melodrama, actressing, and romance, and yeah, the leads have great chemistry.

The Perfect Summer Read 2018

Preethi June 30, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

There are two things that are always true about Kasie West books: 1) they're so cute they're guaranteed to make your toes curl up and your mouth tilt up in a grin, and 2) they're perfect whether you're in a reading mood or even if it's way too hot to muster up the energy necessary to pick up a book. I happen to fall into the latter category - even though I'm vacationing in India right now and where I am, it's actually less warm than it is in the US - and so I downloaded the audiobook and listened my heart away. This book features a romance kind of but not completely based around podcasting, and even though I knew where things where headed the entire time I was reading, boy was it a fluffy ride.

The main character Kate is obsessed with the lake, and she knows that when she grows up she wants to work there like her parents. So when her friend Alana convinces her to take a podcasting elective with her, she's not exactly happy. She knows what she wants to do with her life, so why must she go through the fresh hell that is doing something you're not comfortable with? Additionally, Alana has made Kate her wing girl to help her gain Diego's affections - also not fun when Kate might actually be starting to like him. This is your classic romantic tale of sisters before misters - kidding, it's nothing like that. But seriously, the main couple is absolutely adorable, and Kate and Alana's friendship is, well, friendship goals.

If you're looking for a beach read or just happen to find yourself at the library this summer, make sure you pick up a copy of Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West because it beats even ice cream on a sweltering day.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

I Expected To Hate From Twinkle, With Love

Preethi June 28, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

So hate is a bit of a strong word. I didn't think I'd hate the book, but I didn't think I'd enjoy it very much either. I knew I loved Sandhya Menon because I admire the fact that she writes books about non-stereotypical Indian kids - I love that she's paving the way for other Indian authors to also write books about their own culture. That she's shown us that books about Indian kids can make it onto the NYT Bestsellers list. However, I wasn't the most in love with When Dimple Met Rishi, and I fully expected to feel the same feelings when reading this book as well. It may have started out that way, but my heart grew fonder of it as I went on reading.

At the beginning, I encountered the same problems with this book as I did with Dimple. I found the main character, Twinkle Mehra, slightly annoying, and her problems unrelatable (at least to me). I'm sure her passive aggressive, clingy obsession with her best friend ignoring her in favor of the rich, popular kids is realistic - I promise I'm not being sarcastic - but personally, I couldn't identify. Again, that's just me though. Twinkle also had issues with her mother and her economic status. These are completely valid complaints, completely valid reasons to rebel against the world, but I found them a bit repetitive as Dimple dealt with the same issues in her novel. I eventually got over it, but it led to a lot of unfilmed booktube-worthy, mumbled commentary during my commutes while I was listening to the audiobook.

I think one of the big things Menon does in her book is keep her characters flawed and beautiful. The reader can tell pretty early on that Twinkle isn't quite the moral compass, and further into the novel, she kind of goes full on monster. I know Menon's books get a lot of flack for the flaws, especially since her main characters aren't only flawed, but also non-white; even so, the character flaws make the book. It can be a bit unnerving since the YA market is so filled with "perfect" characters, but I hope Menon continues to challenge readers by unflinchingly writing characters who make bad decisions.

The love interest, Sahil, was cute. Perhaps too cute for me, but I'm glad Twinkle liked him. That being said, I didn't really feel the romance between them. I felt like I was being spoon-fed the relationship, and there was a lot of showing rather than telling. I didn't feel the chemistry between the two - it was stated in the book and I took it at its word. The two were awkward and perfect for each other, but how it came out was Twinkle declaring out of nowhere that she suddenly found Sahil attractive for no reason, when nothing really even happened between them. Okay, Twinkle. I thought the dynamic between Sahil and Twinkle improved very much towards the end of the book, but the base of the relationship wasn't there, so I wasn't exactly swooning over the couple, although I was definitely invested.

Even though I started out muttering about how much this book annoyed me, I ended up really loving the story - the ending was a beautiful thing, and I definitely cried at the end of it all. Whereas the only thing I liked about Dimple was the culture, I really enjoyed reading From Twinkle, With Love. And thank you film classes for educating me well enough for me to actually recognize and love some of the female filmmakers Twinkle wrote letters to!

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Stop Complaining About The Informality of Bygone Badass Broads

Preethi May 03, 2018 Books , Young Adult 3 Comments

My mom asked me why I'm spending so much money on books lately. I responded, aghast, asking her if she really wanted to rob me from my education on POWERFUL WOMEN, then came up to her throughout the day with said book in hand, telling her I'm reading about powerful women. I love being an honest nuisance.

So I just happened to look at the few Amazon reviews for this book before buying it, and there was this one review - probably written by a man - that implored people not to buy this book because the grammar was awful and it was written terribly. The review then went on to rudely state that Mackenzi Lee should've just stuck to writing about kickass women (my adjective, not the reviewer's) on twitter. I then went on to buy the book, read the first powerful woman chapter, and then promptly thumbs-ed down that review.

Based on what the review said, I would expect atrocious sentences and wording, but everything about this book was rather amazing? It's written so wonderfully and passionately, and Lee's enthusiasm really comes through, as well as her beautifully feminist and sexual orientation-inclusive worldview. Yes, I spotted about two tiny errors in total that the copyeditor didn't get, but why that's a good reason to hate on this book, I shall never know. Lee even goes out of her way to clarify historical aspects that she may have brushed over, and she does the same when she's saying something that is a possibility but not a fact about the history she is weaving. Honestly, I wouldn't choose any other author to tell me about these woman. Also, is it just me or is every chapter of this book something that could and should be adapted into a movie or a novel??

I'm so glad I decided to purchase this book instead of simply borrowing it from the library because the anthology format and beautiful design and illustrations make it something I'm bound to treasure forever; if I ever have kids, you can bet I'm going to read this to them, a badass woman per night. It's kind of ridiculous how literally every woman in this book is more interesting than any historical man I've learned about in history classes over the years.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

[Spoiler Alert] Avengers: Infinity War Is Unbelievably Good

Preethi April 28, 2018 Movies , 0 Comments

Is it just me or does Iron Man's head look really big in the poster?

I watched Avengers: Infinity War on Friday and I have never been so blessed by a movie. I can confidently say that it's the best thing I've seen in my life. Not my favorite thing - that spot is taken by Austenland - but certainly the best thing. I've never even watched the first two Avengers films, or any of the Iron Man or Thor films, but wow this movie is something else. There definitely will be spoilers in this review, so please do yourself a favor and stop reading until you've watched it.

As everyone knows, this movie brings all the superheroes together into one action-packed, sassy dialogue-filled film. There are so many hilarious lines, and it's literally the best thing getting to see different superheroes who don't know each other finally meet. Actually, it's awesome getting to see superheroes who do know each other see each other again too. Every character was a highlight. There are so many laugh out loud moments, and I distinctly remember one moment when I visibly flinched.

And yes, like many people, I was this close to sobbing at the end. I don't keep up with Marvel news much, so I had innocently gone into Infinity War confident that yes, the movie would be brilliant, but also that no matter what happened during the film, there would be a happy ending for everybody, more or less. When Thanos got all six infinity stones, I know for a fact that I recalled the Third Act Structure of screenwriting and mentally commented on how the writer was really dedicated to making the audience feel like no way could the characters get out of this mess - I smiled to myself because of course they'd save the world though. BUT WHAT A LIE.

I'm very happy I made my foolish, mistaken assumptions, however, because the shock factor is such a thrill. I want to rewatch this movie another one or two times at minimum, but I'm the laziest person in the world, and slipping on non-pajama clothes and putting on my poor excuse for makeup is something I'd rarely voluntarily do. I can't wait until the DVD comes out so I can rewatch and cry in private to my heart's content.

I'm so happy the next Avengers film is coming out next year because excuse me, I need answers. And closure.

TOPFIVE Mystery Dramas To Watch - Inspired By The Mystery Queen 2 Finale

Preethi April 28, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 2 Comments

I recently finished watching Mystery Queen 2 - the second season of Mystery Queen - and I it left me with such a warm, bubbly feeling at the end, as well as an intense need for a third season that'll give viewers some more of the banter between the lead characters as well as some answers to questions that the writers purposefully kept gaping open. You can read my quick review of the season here.

With the end of the season, I figured it might not be a bad idea to compile a short list of some of the more amazing mystery dramas I've watched in my days. These dramas are sure to satisfy anyone's Sherlockian, inquisitive mind.

BLACK

Black was my favorite Korean drama of 2017, and I don't think I'll stop raving about it anytime soon. It's about a foolish grim reaper - that saying will tear your heart out once you watch the drama - and it's quite dark and atmospheric. I know some people aren't huge fans of the actress, Go Ara, but this was my first drama of hers and I have come to absolutely adore her. The plot is wicked brilliant, and the fantasy element just makes it that much more exciting and differentiates it from the other detective/mystery storylines out there. If you're in the United States, it's also available to watch on Netflix.

TUNNEL

This drama features another of my favorite actors, Choi Jin-hyuk. Tunnel is a story about Korean cops dealing with a serial killer who strangles women with stockings. Serial killing was new at the time, so it was impossible to catch the villain. However, the main character ends up traveling to the future through, you guessed it, a tunnel, and he'll meet people that aren't quite so new to him as he thinks that'll help him find the murderer. There's a great cast, again a great atmosphere, and the romance is cute but sits to the side of the actual plot.

Tunnel's lead, Park Gwang-ho, smiling for the camera.

Park Gwang-ho's unwilling partner from the future, Kim Sun-jae.

UNCONTROLLABLY FOND

This one is more romance than mystery, although the crime is actually a big part of the romance. Uncontrollably Fond just so happens to be my favorite kdrama of all time, so it wouldn't be a mistake to say I highly recommend it along with a side of tissues and chocolates. Kim Woo-bin and Suzy are the main leads, and boy do they deliver the emotions. I still tear up whenever I listen to the soundtrack on my commutes to university.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Before you ask, no, this isn't a drama based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name. There is a romantic relationship that stems from hatred, but from there the story diverges. The first episode is by far one of the most amazing things I've seen, and the two leads are great. This is a law drama, but the main mystery is about what happened to the female lead's brother, and it turns out that quite a few people are entangled in that mess. This is another drama where the romance is still there, but on a back burner. It's quite good.

MYSTERY QUEEN

And how could I leave out the wonderful drama that inspired this post? Whereas dramas like Black, Tunnel, and Pride & Prejudice are dark and serious with moments of adorable, Mystery Queen is the Korean equivalent of Sherlock, I would say. It's a combination of fun and serious, and it's so well written. There are individual mysteries throughout the episodes as well as a larger mystery that encompasses the seasons. The characters are a delight and make the show, but the plot, dialogue, and mysteries are right up there in terms of excellence.

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Imagine If Mystery Queen Had Not Gotten Renewed

Preethi February 24, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

So I gotta be honest here and admit that yes, I can imagine a world where Mystery Queen doesn't get a season two. When I read something online - before people knew about the second season - about how the ending was so awful because there's no guarantee of a second season, I thought the drama would end with someone on the floor bleeding out from a gunshot wound or something. That didn't happen: season one of the drama actually finishes off quite nicely. I guess I do see what people mean though, especially after that huge reveal about a minute before season one of the drama ended. I'm used to those endings because it's the same kind of thing American shows do at the end of the season, hoping that they get renewed, but with know way to be one hundred percent sure about it. I haven't seen anything similar in a drama yet, however, so I suppose I can comprehend the hysteria that must have overtaken fans.

Luckily for me, I literally only just finished season one of Mystery Queen, and I enjoyed every bit of banter it offered. I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, so this show with the main character reminiscent of him and her wonderful, wonderful partner has been really great, not to mention refreshing thanks to the lack of romance. Or I suppose it's a perceived lack of romance, because there's tons of chemistry between the two - I guess we'll see if it goes any further in the next season. I love the two the way they are now, and honestly, I can't easily imagine a romance between them, but...we'll find out in the next couple of weeks. Personally, I'm up for anything, but hopefully whatever the writers choose to do doesn't take away from the pair's beautiful partnership.

Season two premieres this Wednesday, February 28.

Edit: What in the world was I thinking, saying that I couldn't imagine a romance between the two leads within the confines of this drama? I'm one episode away from finishing the second season and the romance is the only way to go following season one. Writers, actors, I applaud you.

Friday, February 23, 2018

Surprise Me: A Warning Against Marriage?

Preethi February 23, 2018 Adult , Books 2 Comments

Me describing this book to people: It's about a married couple that finds out that they're both super healthy and have a good sixty-eight years ahead of them. Instead of being happy about their long life expectancies, they begin freaking out about how they're going to make their marriage work for that long, because apparently when people make marriage vows and claim they'll love each other forever, they don't actually mean forever.

I was pretty hesitant going into this book, both when adding it to my tbr as well as when I actually picked it up and began reading. I've read a couple Sophie Kinsella novels before, and loved quite a few of them, but this would be the first one I've read that features a married couple, and I wasn't sure I'd be into that. And taking that further, a married couple story always leaves a window open for affairs and whatnot, and I'm certainly not here for something as depressing as that. Nevertheless, I figured I'd give the book a chance, because the only Sophie Kinsella I've read that bored me to tears was The Undomestic Goddess, and what are the chances of that happening again? (And you'll be happy to note that thankfully, this is not a married couple story that revolves around that open window.)

As I continued reading Surprise Me, I grew convinced that an alternate title for the book could be "Marriage: You Should Know What You're Getting Into". Things went so horribly wrong - sometimes hilariously - with the two partners, Sylvie and Dan, and at times, the stress of their marriage made we want to forswear marriage completely in favor of a happy and healthy mental state. Which begs the question the title of this post poses.

Luckily, I kept reading, because oh, this book so has that Kinsella British romance thing that her other books have. Also, apparently I was really in need of some British love and humor because this book totally did it for me despite my hesitancy in picking it up. The characters grow on the reader fairly quickly, and you really see the effort both Sylvie and Dan make to make each other happy, and wow, that's the kind of love you want, y'all. There's also an interesting bit about Sylvie's family that adds an extra oomph to the story; you don't exactly see it coming, but at the same time, you knew there was something off. I don't know how Kinsella writes such likable, well-rounded stories - that sounds so boring but I swear it's perfect - but there it is.

Additionally, I just adore the idea of poking your marriage with a stick. It's exactly as scary as it sounds.

The One Thing That Gets On My Nerves In Hwayugi

Preethi February 23, 2018 Dramas , Kdramas 0 Comments

Note: Perhaps don't read this post if you're not caught up on the sixteen episodes of Hwayugi that are currently out.

If you keep up with my twitter, then you know that for the past few weeks, the highlight of my kdrama watching has been binging Hwayugi episodes and temporarily messing up my eight hour sleep schedule. As soon as I watched the first episode, I was blown away; I absolutely could not stop myself from needing the next episode, and needing it then and there. I still feel that way, but at the same time, I think it's definitely time to publicly address the elephant in the room: Son Oh-gong is too smart for the drama's own good.

One of the things we learn in our screenwriting class is that if the stakes in your story aren't high enough, then nobody is going to be glued to the screen. That's what's happening with Hwayugi. I mean, I'm definitely sticking around, but my frustration grows as every single character continually fails to get the best of Son Oh-gong.

There's the evil priestess with her plans to marry Son Oh-gong and/or switch bodies with Sam Jang, i.e. Jin Seon-mi. She's got him under her spell - but oh wait, that's not the real Son Oh-gong, but one of the replicas. Oh dang, she took the geumganggo off him -- just kidding, same problem. The evil fairytale librarian trapped Sam Jang's child soul in a book and theoretically, she's the new owner of Son Oh-gong's love; but then right after, it's revealed that no, Oh-gong definitely does not love her, and Sam Jang is still the owner of the geumganggo. This happens over and over again, and just when it seems like things are going to get interesting, the beginning of the next episode reveals that nope, Son Oh-gong has figured out what's wrong. He doesn't fall for anything or anyone that tries to get the best of him, and thanks to that, the plot of Hwayugi is rather repetitive.

And while I'm on a roll complaining about the drama - I love it, but hey, it has its flaws - when is Son Oh-gong going to be free from the dang geumganggo? I've been as patient as the next person, but that thing went on in like episode three or something, and it's episode sixteen and it's still stuck on Son Oh-gong's wrist! We get it, he loves her because of the bracelet. Now can we please get it off of him so that we can see the dynamic between him and Sam Jang change to something other than "I love you and you're beautiful because you stuck this bracelet on me"?

Despite all of that, would I still recommend that you watch Hwayugi? Yes, of course, without a doubt. It has a super fun cast of characters, the beginning is reminiscent of Goblin, and I love the whole feel of the drama. There's a hilarious bromance, and this show is just a ton of fun to tune into each week. Granted, the lead female doesn't do much, but I guess I'm watching more for the demons, and of course, to keep my fingers crossed in favor of a positive fate for everyone's favorite zombie. The gorgeous soundtrack doesn't hurt either.

Friday, January 5, 2018

Each Leigh Bardugo Book Is More Glorious Than The Last

Preethi January 05, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

The only Leigh Bardugo book I haven't gotten around to yet is the second installment to Six Of Crows, i.e. Crooked Kingdom. I hear it's great, and yet I'm pretty positive that I'm not going to love it as much as The Language of Thorns because TLOT is so so beautiful. As in better than the original Grimm fairytales, beautiful.

Going into this collection of short stories, I never doubted that I would love it - even despite not being unquestionably in love with the author as I know many readers are. However, what I didn't anticipate is how much I would love it. If there weren't so many mature themes in this novel, you bet I'd be reading this to any little children that happened to come my way.

This is one of those books that I'm glad I own, because not only is the cover as well as the naked book absolutely gorgeous, but I can already see myself re-reading these Grisha fairytales time and time again. All six of the fairytales included are unique, one of a kind, and oh so memorable. They also have powerful morals that Grimms' fairytales certainly don't bother to explore. Honestly, I'd be so on board with some of these stories being full-length novels, especially the final story, "When Water Sang Fire".

I love this collection of stories in a way that I don't love either of Bardugo's other series (don't get me wrong though, all of her books are really good). Luckily for those of you who have yet to have the pleasure of reading a Bardugo novel, you don't have to have read her other books to read this one - TLOT is a collection of fairytales that characters in her stories aka the Grisha universe grew up on. I kind of wish I grew up on these stories as well.

My favorite thing about these tales: unhealthy love and stupid princes are knocked down at least fifty thousand rungs on the fairytale ladder.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Genie Lo is a Diverse, Demon-Slaying Badass

Preethi January 02, 2018 Books , Young Adult 4 Comments

After all the racist comments I've read concerning Sandhya Menon's books, I've come to enjoy diverse books especially when 1) they don't do through the trouble of explaining in detail every aspect of their culture, and 2) the main character isn't a demure girl but no, has quite a bit of fire in her. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee does all that, plus also has non-stereotypical Asian characters, so yeah, you could say that this book is pretty darn good.

Although it may at first seem like the book is a bit unfair in its portrayal of Genie's mother as a stereotypical Asian woman who doesn't want Genie to hang out with boys but also wants her to find "the boy", it's quickly obvious that the portrayal of the main character's parents is actually anything but stereotypical. For one, Genie's mom and dad are separated, and while this is common in books about white people, I don't feel that it's shown very much with many Asian characters. Additionally, I feel that some things that are thought of as stereotypical - such as constantly studying Asians and importance placed on marriage, college, etc. - aren't always stereotypical. Sure, not every Asian is this way, but for many people, it's a part of their culture, and so it's a part of their lives. I can't speak to East Asians, but I certainly feel this way as an Indian. These things may be stereotypical, but sometimes they're also true.

This book did a great job of making Genie Lo a realistic character. She studies a ton and pays to have her college essays looked over, but again, a stereotype is not a falsity. Genie also has such a unique, fiery personality, and the fact that her family isn't rich or living in a well-to do area brings up a demographic that's not often brought up in books or movies, in my opinion.

I knew I was in for something new with this book when early on, a boy named Quentin rips open his shirt and pulls out a monkey tail. I really enjoyed learning about Chinese mythology and folklore, and I adored what Yee did with it in this novel. She brought it into the present in an exciting way - not at all reminiscent of Percy Jackson, but something completely original. It's fast paced, easy to get into, and I am very much rooting for Genie Lo to slay all the demons whilst defying the pessimists and getting into Harvard.

I'm not sure if there's a second book and if this is a series, but I really hope it is, especially after that ending. I could see this story as a television show while I was reading it, and I am so ready for a second season of saving California from Hell beasts with a side of rubbing it in the faces of unhelpful deities.

Monday, January 1, 2018

High Expectations for Warcross II

Preethi January 01, 2018 Books , Young Adult 0 Comments

I'm pretty late to the party in terms of reading Warcross, but I'm so glad I finally got to it because the hype is well deserved. The diverse cast and setting and the originality of the plot have got me head over heels for this book, and although there were a few things here and there that could have been been done differently, this was such a success of a novel. I had a great time reading it.

One of those things that could have been done a smidge differently is the romance between two of the main characters, Emika and Hideo. I feel that their romance didn't have much depth to it, and that the feelings between the two were there only because they're expected to be there by readers of the YA genre. I myself expected and looked forward to the romance - I squealed about it in the beginning, but as I continued reading, I stopped swooning since their love story felt so "by the book".

The world-building and the characters were a blast to read through, and I saw one part of the plot twist coming, but by no means thought that it would happen the way it did. I loved the twist so much that I was tempted to unconditionally love this book, but compromised with myself and figured that I could do that with book two if it lived up to its promise. The funny part is that by the end of this book, my heart began to stray, and I only expect that it's going to get worse once I finally get the second installment in my hands. I can't wait.

Why So Many Positive Reactions to Baby Driver?

Preethi January 01, 2018 Movies , 0 Comments

I remember back when Baby Driver came out, I was sitting in my Classical Film Theory class, completely unaware of the movie's existence until some people in class started talking about how good it was, and then the professor expressed her discontent at the fact that she wasn't able to watch it at the nearby theater because she had the wrong showtime or something. Understandably, sitting in a class full of smart film students, I felt that I was missing out on something big - so come holiday break, I sat my butt down and watched it.

One thing I will say for this movie is that it wasn't a chore to watch at all. Despite the length of the movie, it didn't feel exceedingly long, and after it finished, I was pretty satisfied. Granted, after about a fourth of the movie or so, my thoughts were a variation of "this is so weird but also it's not bad".

As you can probably tell from the earbuds in Baby's ear in the movie poster, music plays a huge role in the film. I love how the music is constantly synced up to diegetic sound and film sequences - I'm thinking of the "fireworks" sequence in Kingsman where everyone's head blows off to music - because it makes everything more quirky and fun, which is undoubtedly part of what this film is. I also really loved the long take right after the title screen, where Baby is walking to and from the coffee shop after another successful robbery (at least, I think it was a long take - by the time I started paying attention to the lack of cuts, it was nearly the end of the scene). Either way, this film did some really cool things with the shots and the music, and I may have enjoyed it for that more than for the plot.

At the same time, people were saying that this movie is so good and I don't feel that. It's so unique, yes, but not in a wow this is such a cool movie way, but in a this movie does cool things way. Also, at least twenty-five percent of the reason I watched this movie has to be the pretty posters - the one in this post and the other one with the gun shooting out a car, against a pink background. They're so eye-catching and I cannot stop staring at the shade of pink.