Book Review: ‘The Girl on the Train’ by Paula Hawkins

Title: The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins

Rating: 9/10

I had been asked by a lot of people whether or not I had read ‘The Girl on the Train’ and I was hooked from the blurb.

as I have said previously, I’m not a huge fan of crime/thriller novels however I knew this novel had had a lot of great reviews and was extremely popular this summer so I decided to give it a go.

The story follows the life of alcoholic Rachel and how she interacts with the other characters, as well as how they treat / respond to her and her ways. The novel is largely angled from her perspective which allows us to sympathise with her in a way you wouldn’t if it was all from one of the other character’s perspectives.

Hawkins cleverly intertwines different character’s aspects throughout the novel which not only adds to the suspense of the storyline but also lets us see each character in a different light and form a solid judgement on them and how we feel about them and how they behave around different people.

I wouldn’t call this a challenging or particularly difficult read, but it’s certainly not trashy. I did read it fairly quickly but for me, that’s a good sign as it’s clear I was really enjoying it!

This is a novel I would definitely recommend to anyone and I have a strange feeling it may be made into a film, not only because of how popular it’s been, but also because of the high levels of suspense throughout it which don’t let you put it down.

Film Review: ‘The Deer Hunter’

Title: The Deer Hunter (1978)

Starring: Robert Di Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale, Meryl Streep and George Dzundza

Rating: 10/10

Why didn’t I watch this so much sooner??

This film was fantastic, and I don’t say that about many films – definitely up there with my favourites.

It focuses a group of steel workers who are conscripted to fight in the Vietnam war, and follows their lives before, during and after. The Vietnam War was something I learnt about in GCSE and was something I found extremely intriguing. As with any war, you have to see something or visit something, such as the war memorials in Flanders for those who died in WWI, to fully understand the sheer scale and atrocity which war has left behind. I have never been to Vietnam, or seen a memorial in America, but this film managed to give me some insight to the pain and trauma the war caused not only for those fighting, but those who were affected ‘second handed’.

This film is upsetting, there’s no getting around that, but it’s what makes it so great and easy to love. I don’t love it because it’s about war or anything like that, but I feel like it has (cue cliche) connected with me in some sense. It’s made me realise, as much as it can, the true horrors of war. By focusing on their time serving in Vietnam, you choke up seeing the way people can actually treat other human beings.

Moreover, it’s the time after the war has finished which affected me the most, as I’m sure it does most other people. The utterly heartbreaking scene (no spoilers) is one I’m sure will stay with me for a long time, especially when I come across the Vietnam war in my university course of American History.

This is a film I will definitely watch again and would strongly recommend to anyone.

TV Review – ‘Orange is the New Black’

Series: 1-3

Rating: 9/10

Ok, I’m a slow TV watcher so this has taken me far too long to watch, especially considering how great it is. I have quite a lot of tolerance in the way of not watching the next episode straight away, however, I still loved this show SO MUCH.

In case you haven’t watched it, I won’t give any spoilers so don’t worry, you’re safe.

Series One mainly follows the main character, Piper Chapman, and her life within prison, which is weird to watch because she is portrayed as a ‘normal’ person, in other words, not a murderer or deadly criminal. By following her and her life within the prison, Litchfield, we get to know not only her friends but the other inmates within the prison, whose stories are built on and developed as the show progresses.

Something I love about the show is the fact that it has flashbacks. Each episode focuses on a different inmate’s flashback where we learn of their life before prison. Sometimes we go right back to their childhood and other times it’s just their adult life. Nevertheless, this allows us to sympathise with almost everyone as these past stories make the prisoners seems like regular people and we can associate with them, which is actually kinda creepy if you think about it.

Series Two brings more characters who shape the whole plot, which is good for me as I personally didn’t really like Piper all that much so I was happy to watch the other characters. There is also one storyline which continues throughout all these series which makes you eager to keep watching if all the other storylines are just that boring to you.

Series Three was a bit slow starting in my opinion and it was only really in the last 4/5 episodes when I did actually have to keep watching and I lost all self control in terms of forcing myself to not watch them all in one day. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger and the introduction of new characters mid-way through a series is very clever in the way of keeping you watching.

Also, did I mention it also has it’s hilarious moments?

I am genuinely sad that I have got to the end of the series as it means I have to wait until next year for series 4, which I really don’t want to do, but I know it will be worth it for sure. Definitely worth watching!

Book Review: ‘In America’ – Geert Mak

Title: ‘In America: Travels with John Steinbeck’

Author: Geert Mak

Rating: 8/10

I am a fan of John Steinbeck’s work and this book sounded so intriguing when I saw it as I was oblivious to the fact that he even travelled across America on one particular trip.

Mak follows in Steinbeck’s footsteps, travelling across the US and trying to stop in or at least find the hotels Steinbeck mentioned in his account of the journey – ‘Travels with Charley’ , which I personally thought was something unique and even more interesting. Mak doesn’t fail to fulfil this expectation of mine, he successfully compares the way things were then and now and even speaks to people who live in the area he is in, to either find out more about Steinbeck and what he would have seen and experiences, as well as to learn of their stories.

There’s no denying the journey, and therefore the book, is long and at times, tedious. Nevertheless, I found it worth the read and I also learnt things along the way. Mak cleverly intertwines some factual information alongside his travel account, which makes it something different and shows how much he learnt along the way himself.

I would honestly recommend this book to anyone interested in either America, Steinbeck or even just interested in learning and reading something new and different.

Update – uni soon!

Hello! Yes I am still alive – I apologise for my disappearance, yet again.

I keep on having blog blocks and literally have nothing to write about but then one day I’ll be on a dog walk or something and have about 10 all of a sudden. Weird. I guess this can be fixed easily though – I’ve decided to make my blog more relaxed, something I come to to write my feelings and make a note of things I’ve done, what I think of things etc. In other words I’m aiming for this to be more of a lifestyle blog where I can write about ANYTHING I want and not just specific things. Additionally, I want it to be something I can look back on in years to come and see what was going on in lil’ old Chloe’s life.

The last few weeks have been so hectic which is partly why I have procrastinated blogging. Results day came and went and I sadly missed my first choice uni by ONE GRADE. Yes it’s annoying and yes I’m slightly annoyed at myself for not being clever enough. I’m not annoyed at myself for not working though, because I did work. I worked as hard as I could which is slightly reassuring and I’m proud of myself for still getting into university – I’m going to my insurance choice – the University of East Anglia, which I know is going to be great. Hopefully.

From my view, bad (not getting into top choice) then went to worse as I was told that I probably wouldn’t get accommodation as I wasn’t guaranteed it due to being insurance (*insert more self annoyance for not putting UEA as first choice*) and demand this year for it has been higher than before (most likely due to the government scrapping caps on student intake). So, having received this information I made some friends on Facebook in the same position and with one of them went to Norwich a couple of times to look at potential student houses for next year.

To cut a long story short, we found THE BEST house but the day after holding it I was given halls. Woo halls, what I really REALLY wanted all along. I was allocated a twin room, but to be honest, it’s halls, so I took it and found someone to take my place in the house.

Ok, so I can finally look forward to uni, I’m on campus, in halls, have already made three great friends, I just don’t really want a shared room. UEA being the amazing uni it is, they have given me a single en-suite room, my first choice, now that someone has dropped out. How amazing is that?! I don’t care about sharing a bathroom, it’s part of student life, but the fact that I now have MY OWN bedroom is literally the best.

I fly the nest in a couple of weeks and each day my feelings about this change. One minute I’m so excited to start and can’t wait to leave but the next I’m so worried that I’ll hate it and miss home so much that I don’t want to go. Argh. It’s fine though, I’m going to go and I know I will enjoy it so much, I’m just preparing myself for the worst, as usual.

Anyway, I still have time to hang out with my friends from home and my family before I go and when I do, all my friends will be in the same boat, so I know it’s going to be fine!

San Francisco elementary school making all restrooms gender-neutral

No more boys’ or girls’ rooms for these kindergarteners.

Source: San Francisco elementary school making all restrooms gender-neutral

Something needs to be done.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104545

The importance of mental health is the same as that of physical health yet so many people fail to recognise this simple and necessary fact.

People suffering from mental illnesses are never taken as seriously as people with cancer, for example, are and this mainly stems from the fact that we only see the effects of mental illnesses and by then it is too late to help.

Nothing frustrates me more than the fact that, for example, people suffering from depression have to pay hundreds of pounds for sessions with a counsellor whereas someone who has broken their leg as a result of doing something stupid gets it fixed for free. Don’t get me wrong, I love the NHS and I fully believe that it is a necessity to our country and we cannot afford to lose it. However, doesn’t it seem so unfair that people who have a certain kind of disease or illness that doesn’t have physical symptoms have to pay to get some sort of treatment or help?

Moreover, too many people don’t take mental illnesses seriously. the word ‘depressed’ has become an adjective which people freely us to describe their mood if feeling a bit sad. Obviously there is no one in particular to blame for this – languages evolve all the time. Nevertheless, this is a bandwagon I will be sure not to jump onto as I believe it does nothing to help remove the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Part of the problem surrounding mental illnesses and their inequality to physical illnesses is that from a very young age, we are taught all about physical illnesses. We are taught before we even go to school that it’s ok to cry if you fall over and cut your knee, because people can see why you’re crying because the evidence is there, on your knee. However, what we fail to teach people as they grow up is that it’s also ok to cry if you have voices in your head, if they tell you to do bad things or make you believe certain things which will never be true.

In order to solve this, we all need to come together and help those suffering.

One way of doing this is to sign this online petition – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104545

David Cameron knows the importance of making mental illnesses more understood. Unfortunately it usually takes a tragedy for anyone to take any notice of the seriousness of this issue. What we need is for mental health education to be a major part of the national curriculum, just the way that physical illnesses are. If this happens in the near future, the next generations will be more open and accepting of these kind of illnesses and hopefully those who so desperately need the help will get it and be treated seriously.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104545

One Summer: America 1927, Bill Bryson – Book review

Title: One Summer: America 1927

Author: Bill Bryson

Synopsis: This isn’t a fictional book, like many of Bryson’s other works, yet he manages to tell the history of one year in America in such a gripping and fascinating way.

From the Snyder and Gray case at the beginning of the year to the Vanzetti and Sacco electrocution towards the end, Bryson tells the year’s tale in such a way that we feel as though we are almost living through it.

Rating: 7/10

This was the first book by Bryson I have read and I have to say it was a good first one. He intertwines many of the ups and downs of the year with the continual fame of Charles Lindberg. Going from not knowing anything about Lindberg and his enormous journey to feeling as though I could write a book on him myself, Bryson succeeds in keeping you interested in something you may have previously viewed as boring or something you’re not too bothered about.

Similarly, the famous baseball player Babe Ruth is someone no one my age in Britain knows about, yet when reading about him I was intrigued to know more, an interest Bryson yet again fulfilled.

If you’re on the hunt for a book which will open your eyes, this is the one.

The only reason I have not given it a super high rating is simply because it is quite heavy going. It’s long and at times can seem like it’s never going to end – a bit like a textbook. Of course I found it interesting but I have, like everyone, read better books.

1927 is not exactly one of those years – no major wars ended etc etc so is often disregarded however, Bryson successfully brings it back to life in such a captivating manner.

Chocolate and Banana Quinoa breakfast

Ok, first recipe on my blog. It looks gross but tastes amazing – take my word for it.

Quinoa is literally my favourite thing. Not only is it a superfood and therefore, super good for you, but it can take in either savoury or sweet flavours which makes it go with absolutely everything!

The chocolate and banana quinoa is made with milk, instead of water, which forms a sort of porridge-like-thing which is super duper filling for the day.

Ingredients:

– 1/2 cup quinoa

– 1 cup milk

– 1 heaped teaspoon cocoa powder

– 1 teaspoon honey

– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

– 1 banana (1/2 chopped up/ mashed, 1/2 for topping)

– other fruit for topping (I used nectarine in this particular example)

How to:

1. After rinsing the quinoa, pour it into a pan with the milk and simmer for roughly 10 minutes, whilst stirring every so often, until all the milk has been absorbed.

2. Take the pan off the heat and add the chopped/mashed banana, along with the cocoa powder, honey and vanilla extract.

3. Decorate with the rest of the banana and other fruits that you have chosen.

4. Enjoy this simple and filling breakfast!