Literary Ames

‘They didn’t notice that all he wanted was a hug.’

A textured tactile cover and adorable pencil illustrations, but an anticlimactic ending ruined what I thought would be a resolution full of love and affection from the power of a simple hug.

Black sheep Felipe, the unloved and unwanted prickly cactus, is apt to harm anything he comes into contact with which limits the possibilities of who or what he can hug. Finally hugging a random crying rock just wasn’t as heartfelt or as meaningful as I was expecting.

A better, more emotional ending would’ve earned Hug Me a higher rating.

As an autobiographical sequel to Fun Home, Bechdel’s approach to analysing her relationship with her mother couldn’t be more different to how she examined the one with her father. If you have a problem with dry psychoanalysis, then you may struggle with Are You My Mother?

Continue reading →

Waste of paper. No, that’s not right. That’s offensive to the artists as the illustrations were brilliant, but there may as well have been no words. Seriously. Very little happens. At least very little that makes sense or contributes to plot progression. Only the last few pages have any real meaning with a humdinger of a cliffhanger that leaves you with multiple questions and countless theories.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Continue reading →

Reading Green Eggs and Ham to stubborn children is definitely a preferred alternative to torture. Introducing new foods to the very young can be a gruelling task, for parent and child alike. Seuss teaches that ‘new’ doesn’t automatically mean you’ll hate it. In that respect it kind of reminds me of The Croods with the ‘Anything new is bad’ ethos also being turned on its head.

Confession: this is my first Seuss. Yes, I went through my childhood without laying hands on single copy of the millions of Seuss books sold worldwide. At least give me points for reading one now. I can certainly see why he’s much loved. His delighful combination of the three Rs of poetry – rhythm, rhyme and repetition – are rather pleasing to the ear.

This is not The Hunger Games. I feel that distinction has to be made early on because I was very close to dismissing The Stars Never Rise as such and putting it down because the beginning is the same, albeit more brutally realistic. A neglectful mother who is rarely seen or heard, a big sister who has to do everything she can to put food on the table and clothes on their backs while also taking care of her younger sister. The Hunger Games was “just” a dystopia, this is also urban fantasy. Demons are walking the streets wearing humans like clothes while quietly consuming their souls.

Continue reading →

I don’t know why I bothered. The illustrations may be a little better but the disjointed and confusing short story and its implications definitely weren’t for me.

Serenity’s crew suddenly become filthy rich. For a while, anyway. And their ‘what I’d do if I were rich’ dreams were the only good thing about Better Days.

Continue reading →

Shallow, self-indulgent showing off. Look at my awesome Carrie Bradshaw life, designer shoes, cute daughter and long suffering husband. Envy me, bitches!

Continue reading →

Although I’ve only watched Firefly twice, I’ve seen Serenity countless times. While Those Left Behind‘s dialogue and personalities match the original show, the story lacks substance and the artwork . . .

Continue reading →

“I will gladly do anything you ask as long as it does not harm humans, animals, or property. I will avoid putting myself in danger unless it is to protect you or by your command. The Tanaka logo on my wrist is the only physical indication that I am an android and I am required by law to keep it exposed at all times. I am not allowed to handle legal tender or helm a vehicle, so please keep that in mind if you send me out on errands. I am in your hands, now. Please take good care of me.”

Continue reading →