Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Original title: Never Let Me Go
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Dystopia, Drama
Format: Audio book
Read by: Rosalyn Landor
Duration: 9h43m
Goodreads

Blurb:
     As a child, Kathy–now thirty-one –lived at Hailsham, a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter. 
      She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed–even comforted–by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham's nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood–and about their lives now.
My thoughts:
    I truly enjoyed this book. It like going into calm water just to find out the whole living world under the surface. The same in the book: under oversimplified narration and leng description of the  settings and circumstances the reader can find multiple hot and controversial topics: starting from bullying in schools and finishing by right to live. Day to day life with small joy and sadness of a group of young people who have the whole life in front of them; and at the same time a huge shadow of horror and cruelty stands behind this peaceful picture.
    I understood the nature of the school quite early in the book and had difficulties to read further on impartially. I had the movie The Island (2005) on my mind all the way through the book and I believe they correlate with each other. 
    The book provokes a lot of discussion and it does not give you the opportunity to choose one correct answer or way: everything is the grey zone of ethic and humanity. I am still not sure if I agree with Tommy: if I would want or not to know.

Rating: 

    4/5 

The Making of Pride and Prejudice by Sue Birtwistle, Sue Conklin, Susie Conklin

Author: Sue Birtwistle, Sue Conklin, Susie Conklin
Original title: The Making of Pride and Prejudice
Pages: 120
Edition Language: English
Series: no 
Format: Paperback 
Genres: Non-fiction
Goodreads

Blurb:     
   The Making of Pride and Prejudice (BBC)

My thoughts: 
      What can bring more pleasure than a book about your favorite movie. It was a great book with a lot of information about almost everything: cloth patterns, hair, lightning, flowers and wallpapers, something we do not even pay attention while watching. But it still requires a lot of work, time and money to connect all those tiny details into a whole picture that it respond to the time shown.

Rating:  

    3,5/5 

About a Boy by Nick Hornby

Author: Nick Hornby
Original title: About a Boy
Pages:  320
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary, Comedy, Drama,
Goodreads


Name: About a Boy
Year: 2002
Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
Cast: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Country: UK, USA, France, Germany
Time: 101 min


Blurb:    
Too cool! At thirty-six, he’s as hip as a teenager. He’s single, child-free, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He’s also found a great way to score with women: attend single parents’ groups full of available (and grateful) mothers, all hoping to meet a Nice Guy.
Which is how Will meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old on the planet. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Joni Mitchell and Mozart, looks after his mum and has never owned a pair of trainers. But Marcus latches on to Will – and won’t let go. Can Will teach Marcus how to grow up cool? And can Marcus help Will just to grow up?

My thoughts:
     This is the first book by Nick Hornby that I have read. I have heard so much about the author from the very beginning of his carrier, he is also one of the most favorite author of my best friend. So eventually I have no choice but to read his books one day. About a Boy is a good start as the book has positive reviews and has a movie adaptation. Frankly speaking the book did not rock my world, it was a funny, cozy read, sometimes thought provoking, but most of the time just satisfying. The book is read quite quickly and leave a nice aftertaste. I like how Hornby puts serious topics in a funny form. The book might seem easy and almost fluffy at the same time it is quite problematic and reveals some contemporary issues. I just loved the child's perspective on a family: rational and mathematical:

Suddenly I realized - two people isn't enough. You need backup. If you're only two people, and someone drops off the edge, then you're on your own. Two isn't a large enough number. You need three at least.

     The movie has left the same impression as the book: nice, cozy and funny. I did not like the ending where the boy singing a song on the stage: it was really painful and did not invest much in Marcus's character change as the book's critical point connected with Kurt Cobain's suicide. But altogether it is a good and thorough adaptation.

Rating: 

    3,5/5 

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
Original title: North and South
Pages: 521
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no 
Format: e-book
Genres: Classics, Romance, Drama
Goodreads

Name: North and South
Year: 2004
Director: Brian Percival 
Cast:  Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Tim Pigott-Smith, Sinéad Cusack
Genres: Classics, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Country: UK
Time: 235 min (4 parts) 

    Blurb:     
     When her father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the north of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. This is intensified by her tempestuous relationship with the mill-owner and self-made man, John Thornton, as their fierce opposition over his treatment of his employees masks a deeper attraction.
My thoughts:
      I really liked the book: its slow pace and detailed scenery and characters description. The main character Margaret Hale is not my favorite and did not agree with her judgements on many points, but she is quite likable and worthy of our sympathies. Sometimes I was really irritated by her and had a wish to stop reading but in the end I continued and am very glad I discovered such a writer as Elizabeth Gaskell. I am looking forward to read more novels by her.
     I absolutely loved the movie and though I did not find the first acquaintance of Margaret Hale and John Thornton to my tasting, the rest of the movie was great! The portrait of John Thornton in a movie is a bit harsh in comparison to the book, I imagined his manners a bit different, but altogether Richard Armitage was an excellent choice for this role. I did not quite like Daniela Denby-Ashe performance, I did not picture Margaret so shy and putting her gaze all the time down. I found it hard to put together her appearances with her actions and state of mind. I would prefer her less shy and more dignified, as she seemed sort of ashamed all the time in a movie. Sinéad Cusack's role as Mrs Thornton was astonishing, she was truly inspiring.

Rating:

    4,5/5