tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21685210409366346412024-03-13T04:13:07.062+01:00Lady of the ManorBirdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-46380366136001042292018-02-14T22:01:00.001+01:002018-02-14T22:01:22.664+01:00Book review: Old Friends and New Fancies<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The subtitle of this book really says it all: 'An imaginary sequel to the novels of Jane Austen'. And not just any sequel, one of the dozens which are released every year, no, this is the first published Austen sequel, from 1913. In </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Old Friends and New Fancies</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (love the title BTW!), Brinton intertwines the lives of characters from each of Austen's six major novels. The main characters are three ladies left unmarried at the end of their 'own' novels: Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet and Mary Crawford. All three will fall in love and will feel the pangs of being kept apart by social or economical tensions.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Apparently, it is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen's novels must be continued! I don't remember how I found out about this early sequel, but I'm very glad I did and got to read it. This is a lovely read for every Austen fan, if only for the joy of seeing all your favourite characters meet each other. Because, let's face it, every Austen fan has sometimes thought: if only character A could meet character B.... In </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Old Friends and New Fancies</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> this happens, a lot. So much so, that maybe there are too many characters in this book. People trying to read this, who do not know Austen's novels well, will probably get lost quite easily. I didn't have that problem myself, but still; it is a crowded story. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One of the heroines of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Old Friends and New Fancies</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is Mary Crawford. A surprising choice maybe, because wasn't she sort of a villain in </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Mansfield Park</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">? Brinton definitely doesn't paint her like that, more like misunderstood and even a bit shy. I don't think she really did justice to Mary Crawford as the complex character that Austen created, she felt rather bland and generic here. Georgiana, however, I very much liked in this story. She is the character which we see most of her inner live and therefore easiest to identify with. Her doubts and feelings are believable, both as a young woman in general and as the Georgiana we know from </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pride and Prejudice</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. Her love story is quite sweet (though I did see the mishap coming way before Georgiana did!), though maybe a little less believable. I don't want to spoil who she'll end up with, but I think that it's beyond the scope of even Austen's love for socially unequal couples.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The style of the novel is relatively close to Austen's, more so than many modern sequels I've read. It is not as sharply funny as Austen herself, but the conversations and letters sound like they belong in Regency times. All in all, it's a light and fun read which I recommend to everyone who likes Jane Austen's works.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As a side note, I listened to this novel via LibriVox (which offers free audiobooks of classic novels). While I'm grateful that I could 'read' this book for free that way, the chapters are recorded by many different readers, not all of them in very good English, which is rather distracting. So, I recommend finding this novel another way (the Kindle version is only $0,99 on Amazon!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Has any of you guys read this Austen sequel? I'm curious to know your thoughts about it and especially about the couples Brinton created!</i><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 547px;"></iframe><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></i>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-35188556186358527042018-01-29T22:49:00.000+01:002018-01-29T22:49:10.342+01:00Four things tag<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I've been tagged by Carissa from </span><a data-cke-saved-href="https://cabdriversandcoffeepots.blogspot.nl/2017/12/four-things-tag.html" href="https://cabdriversandcoffeepots.blogspot.nl/2017/12/four-things-tag.html" lj-cmd="LJLink2" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Musings of an Introvert</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four jobs I've had:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. PhD student/researcher</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Administrative assistent (multiple times)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Bookstore employee (for exactly one week...)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Cleaning lady</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four things I don't eat:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Non-organic (or non-free range) meat: a few years ago I decided to take my own feelings about how animals are treated in the meat industry seriously and go organic-only</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. (Hardly any) tuna: I do really like tuna, but it's very much endangered by overfishing. So there are only a few brands, with a reliable sustainability story, that I do buy and then only once in a while</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Spicy food: I'm very old-fashioned in this regard, I really don't like my food with more than a hint of spice!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Coffee: I've never gotten 'into' coffee, give me a fresh cup-of-tea any time of the day!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four places I've lived:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Friesland, the Northernmost province of The Netherlands (two different homes)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Zeist, about the middle of The Netherlands (one building, 4 different rooms/appartments)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Ede, The Netherlands (a stint of a few weeks at a friend's house, when I was in-between rooms in Zeist)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5505/5505_300.jpg" height="242" lj-cmd="LJImage" originalsrc="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5505/5505_300.jpg" src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5505/5505_300.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em;"><i>Castle 'Slot Zeist' in my city of Zeist</i></span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four of my favourite foods:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Chocolate! (one of my current favourite flavors is dark with a hint of seasalt)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Sushi (have to agree with Carissa on this one!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Cheese (in many sorts and shapes, I always say: 'I could be a vegetarian if I chose to, but being vegan and missing cheese would be too hard')</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Salmon (something I often order at restaurants)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four movies I've watched more than once:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Dirty Dancing </i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lord of the Rings</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You've got mail</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">First Knight</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (my absolute favourite movie as a teenager)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four TV shows I watch:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Grey's Anatomy</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arrow</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Call the Midwife</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (so happy the new season has started!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Legends of Tomorrow</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5714/5714_300.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" originalsrc="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5714/5714_300.jpg" src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5714/5714_300.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" title="" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four things I'm looking forward to this year:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Getting myself a job....</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Getting my driver's license (if only I can figure out how to drive on these busy big-city roundabouts...)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Maybe visiting a friend of mine in New York, where she and her husband are living for a year</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Getting myself a new Medieval dress (somethings I promised myself I will do once I get a job)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four things I can't live without</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (just focusing on the material here, because God, family and friends goes without saying)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Tea!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. The internet (it's a sad truth, but haven't we all become so dependent on it...)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Books</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. My bike (it gets me everywhere and when I have a flat tire, I realize once again how much I need it for my daily live)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four places I've visited:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Edinburgh, Scotland</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. York, England</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Prague, Czech Republic</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Rome, Italy</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four pet peeves:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. People talking in the silence areas of the train (yes, we have silence areas in the train in The Netherlands and it can be heavenly for a good read. If people actually keep silent....)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. People buying plastic bags in the supermarket (I always feel the urge to ask: 'How many of those bags do you have at home? You know you can re-use them?' I never do though...)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. People not changing the toilet roll when the old one is empty</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Certain spelling mistakes</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four things I wish I could do:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Call strangers without getting anxious (might come in handy for job searching)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Bake (I've always been much better at cooking than baking)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Sow (I'm a little bit jealous at my swordfighting friends who are able to make their own costumes)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Speed-read (would be great getting through ALL the books I want to read!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I know I could learn to do 2. and 3., I just wish I had more of a natural inclination for it</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four subjects I studied at school:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Infection and Immunity</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Genetics</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Hormonal regulation</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Scientific writing</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Four things near me right now:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. A cup of tea (obviously!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. A bar of chocolate (obviously!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Two potted amaryllis bulbs</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. A magazine I was reading while my computer was updating</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5924/5924_300.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" originalsrc="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5924/5924_300.jpg" src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/5924/5924_300.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" title="" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em;"><i>Wonderful brand of Dutch fair-trade chocolate. Also for sale on the West Coast of the USA, has any of you ever seen/bought this one?</i></span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-73398398777033335112018-01-18T18:22:00.002+01:002018-01-18T18:24:05.973+01:00Television review: Howards End (2017)<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">
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In <i>Howards End</i>, the lives of three very different Edwardian families become entangled: the Schlegel siblings are intellectual young adults, the Wilcox family rich capitalists and Leonard and Jacky Bast belong to the lower-class working poor. Margaret Schlegel, the eldest sibling, befriends an ailing Ruth Wilcox. When Ruth dies, she leaves Margaret the family home of Howards End through a note scribbled on a piece of paper. Her widower Henry, decides not to honour this wish, but later becomes romatically involved with none other than Margaret. Meanwhile, idealistic younger sister Helen Schlegel keeps trying to help the Basts, but unintentionally makes things worse.</div>
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I might have read <i>Howards End</i> once, in my late teens, but it's too bad, I just cannot remember... I know I read <i>something</i> by Forster, when I was just starting to read classic English literature and it went wáy over my head, haha! Anyway, I didn't remember the story, so watching this recent four-part BBC adaptation was a real discovery for me.<br />
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First things first: doesn't it all look lovely! Ofcourse this is something we've come to expect from BBC period dramas, but still, it should be said and praised! The costumes, the settings, it's a real feast for the eyes. What is also fun is how much the differences in costumes and interiors reinforce the difference between the Schlegels and the Wilcox family. By the way: I just loved the colourful, cluttery but cosy home of the Schlegel siblings, I definitely felt for them when they had to leave that place.<br />
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The BBC choose a mix of established and new-to-the-scene actors for this adaptation. I absolutely adored Hayley Atwell in her role as Margaret, she was so strong, a great portrayal of the 'heart' of this story. Though I liked her chemistry with Matthew Macfadyen, I'm not entirely sure about his role as Henry Wilcox. For one thing, wasn't he a little bit too young for the role? He really didn't look old enough to be the father of Charles and Evie, even with his rather fetching beard ;-) Secondly, somehow it is really hard to dislike Macfadyen's Henry, even when he is at his most self righteous and paternalizing. And I think we are meant to dislike Henry or at least be very wary of him. But Matthew Macfadyen just has such a kind face, so I don't know how suitable he really was for this character. I had never seen Philippa Coulthard (playing Helen Schlegel) before, though she does have quite a number of credits to her name already. I really liked her energetic portrayal of Helen very much and she looks very much at home in Edwardian dresses!<br />
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<i>Howards End</i> really is not a cosy period drama, not something like <i>Downton Abbey</i>, to curl up on the sofa with. It's too full of drama and human conflicts for that, too much is happening in all the relationships that you really should be on the edge of your seat for. This is very nicely punctuated in this adaptation by all the unfinished sentences and people rushing after each other, trying to explain. It left me at least with a lot of food for thought and a wish to understand what it was exactly that Forster was trying to say with this story. The ending I found to be very rushed though. It all went from total chaos to bliss-in-the-summer-sunshine in less than 5 minutes and for me, this detracted from the story. (Maybe this is a Forster thing though, <i>A Room With A View</i> also ends very suddenly).<br />
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All in all, <i>Howards End</i> was a very interesting offering from the BBC. A chance to enjoy their excellence in producing historical drama and some great acting. I might even venture forth and pick up the novel (again?), now that I'm old enough to 'get' it!<br />
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<i>Did any of you watch this new Howards End miniseries? Maybe some of you know the novel and can tell me whether it was a good adaptation!</i></div>
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Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-43692703181033557792017-12-31T16:06:00.003+01:002017-12-31T16:06:44.101+01:00Christmas specials 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spoilers under the cut, obviously!</div>
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<a name='more'></a><b>Doctor Who: Twice upon a time</b><br />
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Oke, so this is the end of an era: the Capaldi-era and even more so: the Moffat-era. I'm sad to see Capaldi go, but not at all about the end of 'Moffat'-Who, I'm more than ready for a new type of storytelling! I thought this special was a fitting end for Capaldi's Doctor. The introspective style of the story fitted his take on the character. And I really liked him and the First Doctor together, a two Doctors team unlike any other! The villain not being a villain after all, was creative and a nice touch in a Christmas Special. I absolutely adore the story of the Christmas truce of 1914, but it felt way too much like an afterthought here. They could have used that story as a setting for a whole Christmas Special, instead of this little nod. In a review I read online someone asked the question: what was the plot? And that's a question I would also ask and one of the reasons I'm glad to see Moffat go. This was so much more of a philosophical monologue than a Christmas adventure and I seriously wonder if kids understand and enjoy an episode like this. So, not a top favourite, not even in my Top 5 of <i>Doctor Who</i> Christmas Specials. But memorable nonetheless, if only for the last speech of Capaldi as the Doctor. He really did speeches so well!</div>
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<b>Call the Midwife:</b></div>
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From the heat of South-Africa last year to the Big Freeze of '62-'63 in this year's <i>Call the Midwife</i> Christmas Special: the setting couldn't be more different! But the heartwarming storylines and beloved characters are the same as always, ofcourse! Although... I've always said I absolutely love the mixture of sorrow and joy that Call the Midwife gives us, but this year it somehow all felt a bit stale. It could have something to do with what I've been dealing with personally, but I felt less touched by this Christmas Special than other years. The abuse storyline was just horrible and the mother and daughter reuniting at the end of the episode felt like they were saying: now it's all good again. Which, ofcourse, it isn't. The storyline with the stillborn baby just felt cheap to me, I saw it coming from miles away and it was just too easy. Not to be all negative: I loved Nurse Crane and Reggie and all the neighourhood children digging for the milk bottles in the snow and I adored Barbara and Tom together (especially her saving him a piece of chocolate when he comes home late at night!). So, this special just didn't do it for me, but I'm still looking forward to the new season very very much!</div>
Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-73813648725267650382017-12-23T23:50:00.003+01:002017-12-23T23:50:44.367+01:00Christmas wishes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/4935/4935_600.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/4935/4935_600.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px; text-align: center;" title="" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">My dear friends, I know I have hardly posted this year, but I haven't forgotten you! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">So here's me wishing you all a very merry Christmas!</span></div>
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Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-89863278958270464972017-02-18T12:19:00.001+01:002017-02-18T12:21:10.505+01:00Book review: The third sister<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sense and Sensibility</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, Margaret, the youngest Dashwood sister, is only a young teenager, but witness to the pain her sisters are suffering for love. Now, at 17, she is the only daughter living at home with her mother. She wants more of life then the monotony of Barton Park and playing nursemaid to the Middleton children, but is also hestitant in socializing with men, cautious of making the same mistakes as her sisters.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A long time ago, I read a </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pride and Prejudice</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> continuation by Julia Barrett. I don't remember much about it, but that I really enjoyed it. So when I saw </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The third sister</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> in a second hand bookstore, I bought it immediately. Us Austen fans can be a difficult bunch to please with Austen continuations, I know I am! </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The third sister</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> definitely falls on the right side of the genre, though it is not the very best I've ever read.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The style is the very best thing about this novel. Julia Barrett manages to emulate the 19th century style of Jane Austen, without being cramped. Jane Austen ofcourse is queen of humorous social satire, but I feel Julia Barrett comes quite close here. I snickered at her dry descriptions of John and Fanny Dashwood and Robert and Lucy Ferrars. Also, I liked how this novel included the historic events of the Napoleontic era and the influx of many French aristrocrats into English society. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Finally, I enjoyed how Julia Barrett wrote Margaret. Many modern authors of 'Austenesque' books make the heroines also very modern, in their thinking and behaving. In this novel, Margaret is a real Regency character and her thoughts and doubts are (in my opinion) fitting for a girl of her period.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The thing is though, we don't get to know Margaret thát well in this (relatively short) novel. The story doesn't just visit </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">S&S</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> characters like Elinor, Marianne, Fanny and John etc, multiple chapters are even written from their standpoint. And while it's fun to meet up again with these well-known and loved characters (and to see Elinor and Marianne so happy!), it also distracts from Margaret's storyline. This is probably the reason the ending of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The third sister</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> felt rather rushed. Also, I missed a good buildup of the relationship between Margaret and her suitor. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Overall, while this novel is not among my favourites, it's definitely a pleasant (such a proper Austen term!) one-time read which I can recommend to my fellow Austen fans.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>This review was written for Hamlette's <a href="http://hamlette.blogspot.nl/search/label/I%20Love%20Jane%20Austen%20Week" target="_blank">I love Jane Austen</a> week</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-70159631870847990522017-02-12T21:53:00.000+01:002017-02-12T22:22:15.541+01:00My time at L´Abri<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">
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In January, I spent almost 4 weeks at the Christian study community L'Abri. For me, it was a retreat after 5 years of working really hard at my PhD. A time to reset and create room in my mind for other things than just work. I had a really good time, enjoying the lovely people, the good conversations, the quiet and the great cooking ;-)</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Some of you might know L'Abri from the works of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, who started the first L'Abri community in Switzerland in the '50s and whose books are quite well known. Nowadays, there are 9 L'Abri communities all around the world where everyone is welcome to come to think, relax and talk. Half of the days you study (everyone comes with their own question/subject) and the other half you work in the house and the garden. All the meals are communal and there is lots of room for discussion. In the evenings there can be a lecture or a movie discussion or just a relaxed evening in front of the fire with a book.<br />
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To share a little of my L'Abri experience with you, here are two 'tips' from me to you!<br />
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1. If you've always wanted some time for yourself to ponder life's big questions (or just a small personal one) and you have some days or weeks to spare: visit a L'Abri near you! At <a data-cke-saved-href="http://labri.org/" href="http://labri.org/" lj-cmd="LJLink2">labri.org</a>, you can find out where all the communities are<br />
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2. I understand this might not be possible for many people. Luckily, L'Abri also has an online '<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/" href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/" lj-cmd="LJLink2">library</a>', where you can find 1500 lectures from L'Abri workers to download for free. From biblical and spiritual subjects to lectures on current culture and art, there's a lot of interesting content to be found here!<br />
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Just a few examples of the lectures you can find here:</div>
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/download.asp?fileID=1316" href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/download.asp?fileID=1316" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Richard Winter - Perfectionism</a><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/download.asp?fileID=1316" href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/download.asp?fileID=1316" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Denis Haack - Screening the past - Discern how film treats history</a><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And one from a worker at my 'own' Dutch L'Abri</span><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/download.asp?fileID=975" href="http://www.labri-ideas-library.org/download.asp?fileID=975" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wim Rietkerk - If only I could believe</a><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/4154/4154_600.jpg" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/4154/4154_600.jpg" height="400" lj-cmd="LJImage" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /></div>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 842px;"></iframe>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-41934935198726929632017-01-26T16:51:00.002+01:002017-01-26T16:51:31.494+01:00Television review: Indian Summers season 1<br />
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">During the stifling Indian summers, the British rule moved from New Delhi to Simla, in the foothills of the Himalayas. At the start of the summer of 1932, Cynthia, owner of the famous Royal Simla Club, is readying her establishment for the season. Private secretary to the Viceroy, Ralph Whelan, welcomes his sister Alice, who has left England for mysterious reasons. Also moving to Simla are Indian clerk Aafrin and his family, including his British-minded father and his rebellious sister. As the temperatures rise, so will the tensions in this idyllic place, especially when Ralph is attacked by a mysterious gunman at the first night of the season.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a name='more'></a>Indian Summers</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is a production from Channel 4, a British channel whose series are often less well known than the BBC or ITV productions. The time period and setting of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Indian Summers</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> intrigued me enough to give this series a try. And I did really enjoy it, which is an interesting thing to say for a series in which I loathed most of the characters! Watching Indian Summers is a bit like watching a train about to wreck: it's not pleasant, but sort of intriguing and you just can't look away.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Let's talk about the characters first. Cynthia (played by veteran actress Julie Walters) is like a study in contrasts. To the outside world, the customers of her club, she's a respected hostess, maybe the heart of Simla. It's only as you get to know her better as the series moves on that you see what an utterly nasty person she is! Julie Walters clearly enjoyed playing such a layered character, she was intense, especially in her scenes with Ralph (Henry Lloyd Hughes). Ralph himself is another complex character, you think you hate him in the first episode, but then you sort of start to feel sorry for him as well when you learn more about his history. Who could most easily be described as the hero and heroine of</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Indian Summers</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> season 1 are Alice and Aafrin. But even they are shown to have hidden motives and ugly sides. For me it was the first time seeing the actors Jemima West (Alice) and Nikesh Patel (Aafrin). I thought they did very well with their complex roles and I would love to see more of their work in the future.The character I liked and respected most was Ian McLeod, the alcoholic Scot who stubbornly defends his Indian friend who is wrongly accused of murder. His persistent fight for justice was the moral heart this series needed.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The setting of this drama is lush and beautiful. The contrast between the extreme Britishness of the houses in Simla and the 'Indian' setting (though the series was actually filmed in Malaysia) adds to the tension in the storylines. The costumes are really lovely, from Cynthia's slightly old-fashioned flapper wear to Alice's flowery dresses. I must say that I know very little about the colonial history of India, so I can't say how historically correct </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Indian Summers</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is, but I felt I got a bit of an insight into the period, definitely without sugarcoating. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There is also an </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Indian Summers</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> season 2, which I'm definitely going to watch. I'm curious, has any of you readers seen this and what did you think of it?</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" />Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-14940468716350728652017-01-19T21:34:00.002+01:002017-01-19T21:34:50.284+01:00Book review: Close to you<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">
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<br />Allison Shire used to be a scholar specialized in the works of Tolkien, but after a personal crisis, she is now grudgingly guiding Tolkien enthusiasts through her homeland New Zealand. In her latest tour group is the strange couple of a rich elderly man and his nephew Jackson Gregory, whom Allison immediately recognizes as a fake fan. What is he doing on this expensive luxury tour?<br />As the group travels through New Zealand, Allison and Jackson keep getting thrown together and as they get to know each other better, slowly fall in love. Neither had expected they would fall in love again and regrets and pain from both their pasts have to be conquered before they can think about a life together.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Sigh... I more and more despair about finding a contemporary Christian romance which I can really enjoy (like 5/5 enjoy). <i>Close to you</i> came highly recommended by blogger friends and it was definitely an okay read, but I want more than okay!<br />Alright, the strong point of this novel is definitely the unusual setting (this novel will make you want to go to New Zealand!) and the Tolkien connection. It's fun hearing about all the settings related to well-known scenes in the LOTR trilogy and reading about characters discussing the meaning of Tolkien's work.<br /><br />Allison and Jackson were okay together (there's that word again), but they didn't really sparkle IMHO. I just didn't get enough insight into why they fell for each other (apart from the physical aspect). There were a few good moments of connection, but more than that there were moments of romcom-cliché, which I can't really appreciate (heroine being stuck in mud and having to be rescued by hero, hero and heroine being set up on a dinner date together). Maybe I'm asking too much, but I want conversations that showcase genuine connection and understanding between the hero and heroine.<br /><br />Then, I felt there were big things in both Jackson and Allison's background that weren't explored enough for me, but felt like just being 'used' as stumbling blocks before their inevitable falling in love. Especially Allison's situation was really quite complex and I felt it was resolved way too quickly and conveniently at the end of the book (like it just needed to be shoved aside before the resolution).<br /><br />I feel sad I -again- have to write a dissaproving review about a book that some of my readers have been very enthusiastic about. I guess tastes differ?<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">I received an ebook version of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher Howard Books in exchange for an honest review.</span></i></div>
Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-63902084534663163142017-01-12T17:49:00.002+01:002017-01-12T17:49:28.119+01:00Impressions of The Railway Man, The Passing Bells and Mr. Turner<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL130/99594_zpssrsnqj27.jpg" height="200" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL130/99594_zpssrsnqj27.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" width="142" /> <img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL131/51WkgaM3A0L_zpsce4frxfa.jpg" height="200" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL131/51WkgaM3A0L_zpsce4frxfa.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" width="141" /> <img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/3089/3089_300.jpg" height="200" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/3089/3089_300.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" title="" width="135" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></b><br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The railway man (2013)</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Adapted from:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The railway man</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> by Eric Lomax</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Length:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> 116 min</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Summary:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> A former British officer, who was tortured by the Japanese during WWII, still suffers from this this experience decades later. His wife spurs him on to go back to Japan, where he discovers the man responsible for his torture is still alive.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Familiar faces (from period drama): </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Colin Firth (does it need saying ;-) ), Nicole Kidman (</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Australia</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Watch this if:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You're looking for a well-written WWII drama</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You want to be impressed by the amazing strength people can have</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Don't watch this if:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You don't want to watch intense cruelty and violence</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Best part:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> The ending (no elaboration because spoilers)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My opinion:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> This is a very impressive movie about a very terrible subject. It moved me to tears more than once. Both Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman are very convincing in their roles, but the main kudos goes to Jeremy Irvine, for playing the younger (WWII) version of Firth's character. I think this movie tells a story that needs to be told and known more widely in a respectful manner. This movie will stay with you for a long time after watching.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL131/51WkgaM3A0L_zpsce4frxfa.jpg" height="300" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL131/51WkgaM3A0L_zpsce4frxfa.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" width="212" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Passing Bells (2014)</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Adapted from:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">no adaptation</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Length:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> 5x30 min</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Summary:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Follows two young boys, one British and one German, through the ordeals of WWI from 1914-1918</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Familiar faces (from period drama): </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">nope</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Watch this if:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You're very interested in stories of WWI</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Don't watch this if:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You're looking for something truly new and original</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You're allergic to melodrama</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Best part:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> When Tommy's pregnant wife Joanna is lovingly taken up by his family.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My opinion:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> This production, made for the WWI centenary of 2014, is maybe just one 'trench-drama' too many. I fear I've become a bit burned-out on these kind of stories. I did like how </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Passing Bells</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> showed that the war was very similar for soldiers from both sides. Although, with all of the actors speaking English, I actually missed that one of the boys was supposed to be German for a while (oops...). The ending was very over-the-top, I thought and really took away some of my appreciation for this miniseries. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/3089/3089_300.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/3089/3089_300.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 10px;" title="" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Mr Turner (2014)</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Adapted from:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> no adaptation, based on the life of J.W.M. Turner (1775-1851)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Length:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> 150 min</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Summary:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> A look at the later life of the famous British landscape painter J.W.M. Turner: his loving relationship with his father, the attachment he forms to his landlady and the often tumultous relationships with other painters of the era.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Familiar faces (from period drama): </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Timothy Spall (</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Oliver Twist, Our Mutual Friend</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">), Lesley Manville (</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">North&South</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">), Dorothy Atkinson (</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Call the Midwife</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">)</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Watch this if:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You have two hours to spare and nothing better lying around</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Don't watch this if:</b><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- You don't want to watch movies with old men forcing themselves onto women</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Best part:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Turner's relationship with his father.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My opinion:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Booooring... Really, this movie was a whole lot too long for the actual storyline, which was basically 'Turner painting and annoying people around him'. I really like Turner's paintings (though mainly his early work), he's a talented artist, but maybe just not a person interesting enough to make a movie of more than 2 hours about. It never became clear to me what Mrs. Booth saw in him either and I would have liked some more insight on that, as she was a big part of the movie and of Turner's life. </span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-17206821114122945532017-01-01T23:20:00.000+01:002017-01-01T23:22:38.004+01:00Christmas specials 2016<a href="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/1127/1127_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/1462/1462_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/1462/1462_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/1462/1462_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
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Happy New Year, dear friends!</div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As has become a bit of a tradition for me, here are my thoughts on the Christmas specials of 'my' shows.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This was the first time since 5 years that there was no </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Downton Abbey</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Christmas special, which felt a bit sad, to be honest. Especially as this was what I would always watch with my sister and we haven't really found anything to replace it.</span></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" data-cke-saved-src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/1127/1127_600.jpg" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/birdienl/21180272/1127/1127_600.jpg" height="333" lj-cmd="LJImage" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" width="500" /></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who: The return of Doctor Mysterio</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-open" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 842px;" text="Beware of spoilers!"></iframe><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Didn't really love it. Firstly, it wasn't very Christmassy at all! I know we've already done the 'big' Christmas stories like Santa and </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A Christmas Carol</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, but still, there should be more to a </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Christmas special than one view of a Christmas tree IMHO. Secondly, it was a bit all over the place (superhero, romance, aliens, newish 'companion') and not very impressive story-wise. The aliens I felt were rather generic. I liked the idea of combining Doctor Who with a superhero story, but I feel a better story could have been told with those two elements. I liked the romance of Grant and Lucy and Grant working as a nanny was a nice touch. I also liked Nardole, I think he works quite well with Capaldi's Doctor, but his character wasn't very developed (but did it seem from the trailer that he might be staying around? I'd like that). I loved the trailer at the end and am looking forward to new episodes and the new companion!</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 842px;"></iframe><br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Call the Midwife:</b><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-open" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 842px;" text="Beware of spoilers"></iframe><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Absolutely lovely! </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Call the Midwife</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> at it's best I would say. The different setting really made all the best parts of this series come out fresh: the amazing and very human characters, the bittersweet storylines. I loved Trixie's storyline, her coming into her own and getting more confident. I adored Barbara and Tom together and their engagement was soooo lovely. Dr. Fitzsimmons was a very interesting character and played really well by Sinéad Cusack. The white landowner being persuaded to let the hospital use their land felt like a little 'Christmas' miracle and made the episode thematically very Christmassy, even in heat of South-Africa! I felt like everyone of the Poplar characters had a story of their own in this special, which is just very good writing. So really, I only have good things to say this year!</span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-61214554436393958262016-12-24T20:59:00.001+01:002016-12-24T20:59:49.301+01:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Dear all, wishing you a very merry and blessed Christmas time. Hope you enjoy the day with family, friends, relaxing activities and good food!</span></div>
<br />Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-80959746224789666112016-12-02T22:05:00.002+01:002016-12-02T22:05:32.320+01:00Christmas cards!I'm slowly getting into the holiday spirit! What better way to enhance that then to send you guys some Christmas cards (per the LiveJournal tradition).<br />
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Would you like to receive a Christmas or holiday card from The Netherlands? If you'd like one, you can leave your address in the comments. You can delete the comment right after you made it (for privacy reasons) as the comments are send to my email address.Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-4376577256477396112016-11-21T14:53:00.001+01:002016-11-21T14:53:10.531+01:008 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts (12)<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">
<i>Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by <a data-cke-saved-href="http://bookishlyboisterous.blogspot.ca/" href="http://bookishlyboisterous.blogspot.ca/" lj-cmd="LJLink2">Bookishly Boisterous</a>.<br />It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing exciting plans for the weekend,<br />rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)</i></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Phew, it´s been almost half a year since I last did one of these ´Thoughts´ posts! High time for another random update of many areas of my life ;-)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Personally, I've been rather busy. After my PhD defense in June, I got an extension of my contract until the end of 2016. I was ofcourse really happy to still have a job! I've been working really hard as our group is trying to fit as much experiments as possible into these few months, before the project (and funding...) really ends. And ofcourse, at the same time, I have to keep on applying for new jobs as well. I've decided to take a 'sabbatical' in January and February. I need time to breathe, recharge and do things I've been wanting to do for years but didn't have the time for. So, who knows, I might post a lot of reviews in these months....</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
<a name='more'></a><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-open" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 1062px;"></iframe><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. So, a few weeks ago, while I was asking myself 'Did I actually write a review about movie X, yes or no?', I decided to add a list of all my book, movie and tv-reviews to my blog. You might already have seen it, as it's now an extra page on my blog </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://lady-ofthe-manor.blogspot.nl/p/review-list.html" href="http://lady-ofthe-manor.blogspot.nl/p/review-list.html" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. It also includes things I reviewed before 2013, only on my LiveJournal. It was quite interesting to go through all these old posts again and read about things I'd almost forgotten I'd read or seen!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. In the last few months, I've been reading some non-fiction Christian books for the first time in years. Many years ago, I had a view dissapointments reading some 'easy-solution-to-be-a-perfect-Christian' books and gave up on these books altogether. But, I realized I do need spiritual wisdom, so dove back into the genre after getting reading tips from someone I trusted. I read and (mostly) enjoyed </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Patience with God</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> by Tomás Halík and </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Walking with God through pain and suffering</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> by Tim Keller. So, now my question to those of my readers who are Christians: what spiritual books could you recommend which are hopefull but still do justice to our messy modern lives and the confusion of being human?</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. I've been going through two classics the last few months as audiobooks. I reread </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jane Eyre</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> together with some other people with Hamlette as our guide through her </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://theedgeoftheprecipice.blogspot.nl/2016/11/jane-eyre-read-along-index.html" href="http://theedgeoftheprecipice.blogspot.nl/2016/11/jane-eyre-read-along-index.html" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">read-along</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. It was great to read this book in this way and I discovered so many new angles to this 'golden-oldie' through Hamlette's chapter posts and the insightful discussions in the comments. On the other hand, I've been listening to </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Thorne</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> by Anthony Trollope for aaaages. My goodness, is this story long-winded or what? When I wrote my </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://lady-ofthe-manor.blogspot.nl/2016/10/television-review-doctor-thorne.html#more" href="http://lady-ofthe-manor.blogspot.nl/2016/10/television-review-doctor-thorne.html#more" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">review of the adaptation</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> a month ago, I already mentioned the book leaned towards too long and now I can just say it IS way too long. Oh well, luckily I have enough dishes, ironing or cooking time to listen to audiobooks!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">5. Recently, I went to a really great museum exhibition of works by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. It's the biggest exhibition of his work ever and it's back in the place where he was born and raised: the province of Friesland in The Netherlands. It's funny, before this exhibition I knew the painter from British museums, but I never actually realized he was Frisian, though his name might have been a giveaway... Anyway, I'm proud we share the same roots, because I adore the style of his paintings. And did you know many classic Hollywood movies about classic times were actually inspired by his paintings? (Here's a </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-jaques/almatadema-classical-char_b_12392372.html" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-jaques/almatadema-classical-char_b_12392372.html" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> to a HuffPost article about the exhibition, figure that, a Dutch exhibition in Huffpost!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">6. Some news from the Medieval front ;-) My sword has a scabbard now. It was made specially for me by a friend and fellow-swordsman, who is great at leatherworking. I'm so happy with it and it's much easier and safer to transport my sword now!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/20161028_171148_zpsqemkytui.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/20161028_171148_zpsqemkytui.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">7. Look, I love the BBC and ITV and most of what they produce on period dramas, but right now I want to tell them: 'Just stop for a year or so to let me catch up on everything!' I've been reading all your reviews on</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Poldark</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Victoria</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> etc, but haven't watched one episode myself and </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-37955826" href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-37955826" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">look </a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">at what's currently airing and also looks very interesting (it stars Hattie Morahan!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Well, that's it from me again! (Tsssk, even after half a year I can't fill all 8 'thoughts'....) I hope you're all well and reading and watching good things!</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 1062px;"></iframe>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-91345693442959601602016-10-17T22:06:00.000+02:002016-10-17T22:06:02.719+02:00Television review: Doctor Thorne<br />
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Thorne, the physician of the town of Greshamsbury, lives a quiet life with his niece Mary. Mary, though her parentage is a mystery, is often in the company of the Greshams, the squire and his family. This all changes when the relationship between Mary and Frank, the heir of Greshamsbury gets romantic. Suddenly, questions of money and class rear their head and threaten to tear friends and family apart.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a name='more'></a>Doctor Thorne</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is a three-part British miniseries penned by Julian Fellowes, ofcourse best-known for </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Downton Abbey</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. The series is an adaptation of a novel by Anthony Trollope, of which previously - among others - </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">He Knew He Was Right</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Way We Live Now</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> were adapted.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">First off, it was great fun to get a new 19th century adaptation after the last few years it has been more the fashion to produce 20th century period dramas. Doctor Thorne is a real old-fashioned costume drama, with carriages and great houses and lots of beautiful dresses! It looks amazing, very lush and colourful! There will be a lot to enjoy for lovers of historical costumes, though there are some things a bit anachronistic (especially the amount of flowers in the ladies' hair, read a funny article about it </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.frockflicks.com/doctor-thorne-2016/" href="http://www.frockflicks.com/doctor-thorne-2016/" lj-cmd="LJLink2" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">).</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I thought the casting was mostly spot-on. Tom Hollander was very good as the quiet and kind doctor Thorne. His 'nemesis', Lady Arabella Gresham, was masterfully played by Rebecca Front. I didn't know Alison Brie at all (though she's no newcomer), but I loved her in the role of the American heiress Miss Dunstable. She managed to be playful and different without resorting to the typical 'crass American' trope. The main couple of Mary and Frank were played by newcomers Stefanie Martini and Harry Richardson. They were both fine, but didn't really stand out. They make a cute couple, but the chemistry is lacking a bit, though this might not just be the actor's fault.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The main problem with </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Thorne</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> seems to be the time. For such a sprawling Trollope novel, three episodes really does not give a lot of room for character development. Some characters in this miniseries clearly suffer from this, such as Beatrice and Augusta, the Gresham daughters and their husband-hunting endeavours. I'm listening to the novel at the moment and though this does lean towards too long and too detailed (rather typical for Victorian works...), there is so much more characterization of all the Greshamsbury people and much more background as to why people acted the way they did. I personally feel that this would have been a better and less rushed adaptation with 4 or 5 episodes.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">All in all, </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Thorne</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is a sweet and lovely looking costume drama. It's definitely worth the watch, though I don't think it's going to be a classic.</span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-83260239649641888752016-10-12T22:00:00.000+02:002016-10-12T22:00:39.089+02:00Book review: A season to love<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" />
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Willa Hart has been through too much, first loosing her husband and then seeing her young daughter battle cancer, to enjoy live unreservedly. Her brother challenges her to let go more and Willa takes the first small steps by accepting a part-time job. Then she meets the new town doctor, Patrick McCade, an adventurer by heart. They quickly strike up a friendship and Patrick sets out to show Willa how to be adventurous in everyday live. However, Patrick is only in town for a short time, but will this keep him and Willa from developing more than just a friendship?</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a name='more'></a>Longtime readers of my reviews will probably know I'm very hard to please when it comes to (Christian) contemporary romance. I decided to request this book from NetGalley after reading a glowing review on Kara's blog</span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://flowersofquiethappiness.blogspot.nl/2016/02/review-season-to-love-by-nicole-deese.html" href="http://flowersofquiethappiness.blogspot.nl/2016/02/review-season-to-love-by-nicole-deese.html" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank"> Flowers of Quiet Happiness</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. Unfortunately, the book didn't work as well for me as it did for Kara....</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There is nothing whatsoever wrong with the writing in this book, because Mrs. Deese pens a moving, readable and well-flowing story. What I had issues with was mainly the characters, who I felt were not as life-like and realistic as they could be. Willa has a lot of fears in her life and the main theme of this book was her overcoming them. This is something I think most of us can connect with, but I felt we didn't get to know Willa that well outside of her fears, who she was as a person until the very end of the book. This could have been done deliberately, but it didn't work for me personally. The same goes for Patrick, who can also be summed up in two words: 'kind' and 'adventurer'. I guess I like my characters complex, like us humans are in reality, hehe!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Also, I got a little bit of an allergic response to the way the story dealt with Willa's fears. As far as I understood, she was suffering from panic attacks and maybe an anxiety disorder. No matter how much you need friends and family to help and push you in that case, I also believe most people need professional help in overcoming that. I felt like this book gave the wrong message here, like hiking with a friend can overcome deep-seated fears (I'm simplifying ofcourse, but that's how it felt a bit to me). Finally, I also feel like the book ended to quickly and to neatly. I understand a book has to have a rounded of story, but I feel like, the older I get, the more I want my books to be less 'perfect'. Hopefull, yes, absolutely, but also with a little bit of a ragged edge, again, like life is!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Well, look at how this review turned into a philosophical monologue! In summary, though I personally wasn't too fond of this book, I believe people who like lighter fare with a good message will enjoy this one!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em;"><i>I received an ebook version of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher Waterfall Press in exchange for an honest review.</i></span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-4157427454645873722016-10-02T23:05:00.002+02:002016-10-02T23:06:26.479+02:00Television review: Legends of Tomorrow season 1<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Time master Rip Hunter travels back from the future to the 21st century to assemble a team of heroes and villains. He wants them to help him destroy the immortal dictator Vandal Savage, who took over the world and killed his family in the time where Rip came from. However, the team members don't easily work together and the group is hunted by the Time Masters, who believe they are destroying the time line.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a>Yes, I know, it's almost time for season 2 of this show and I'm just now writing a review about season 1! It wasn't until <i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arrow </i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">season 4 ended last spring and I was looking for another 'actiony' show to watch, that I decided upon </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Legends of Tomorrow</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. The trailer made it look like a lot of fun and of course there were the familiar faces from </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arrow</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, such as Sara and Ray. And I definitely wasn't dissapointed, I really liked this new 'branch' of the</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Arrow</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">verse and ripped through it in just a few weeks!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">First of all, this show is just plain fun! It's less dark than </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arrow</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and there's quite a lot of humor. Many of the characters have great chemistry together, leading to a lot of laughable moments: from the bumbling of Ray to the dry wit of Snart and the British humor of Rip, I sniggered quite a lot watching this series. Let's also not forget Gideon, the 'voice' of the spaceship Waverider, who has a bit of a mind of her own. Then there's the time travel aspect, leading to a great variety of episodes, taking place in for example the '70s and the Wild West. The combination of time travel with the superheroes made for a really fresh and unique show, in my opinion.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I already mentioned the characters and what a great group of them this show has! I found myself quickly coming to love all of them, and I really couldn't say which one is my favourite! I already loved Ray Palmer in </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arrow</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, so I was really happy to see him getting a bigger role in </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Legends</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and coming into his own, so to say (Just, give the poor guy a break when it comes to his love life!). The same goes for Sara, who's character development in this series I really liked. She also had interesting relatiionships with many of the other characters, such as Rip, Martin and Snart. It was really nice to have an older superhero character like Dr. Martin Stein, through whom we could see another perspective of the adventures and mission. Last, but not least, I though Arthur Darvill was great as Rip Hunter. It was fun to have a British character in a superhero show and fun to see Arthur play another time travelling adventurer after playing Rory on </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">After all this gushing, a little bit of critisism. I didn't really like the main villain; Vandal Savage. I thought he was kind-of a cardboard cutout villain and therefore, not terribly interesting. In a way, this critisism applied to the whole storyline of defeating Savage, which I found rather 'meh'. So, while this show has a great premise, world building and group of characters, the storytelling could definitely grow. I hope to see more interesting and unique storylines in the next season. Luckily, I don't have to wait very long for that!</span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-44844412521833592162016-09-26T00:07:00.001+02:002016-09-26T00:22:00.008+02:00Book review: The Salvation of Doctor Who<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This booklet is part of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Pop in Culture</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> series of Bible studies in which pastor Matt Rawle finds insight and inspiration in pop culture classics. In twenty short inspirational chapters, stories from </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> are connected to Bible passages that teach us about who we are, how we have to understand time and how we live in a world where evil seems to reign.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I love it when stories in tv series or movies contain inspirational truths. </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is a good example of a show that puts many 'truths' in it's stories, most strongly (in my humble opinion) in the Tenth Doctor era. On my bookshelf are already some inspirational books about for example the works of Tolkien and Lewis, but I had never before come across a Bible study guide inspired by </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This booklet managed to use a wide variety of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> stories to illustrate Biblical truths. Some I had expected (such as the last half of series 3, with the Family of Blood and the Master storylines), but others gave me a total 'aha' experience as I had never before thought about the 'deeper layer'. Just so you know, by far most of the examples are from New Who, which was pleasant for me, as I have never watched Classic Who.... The chapters are grouped around four themes: identity, time, good vs evil and mystery which you will recognize as important themes of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who </i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">stories. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The chapters are easy to read, but the message is not dumbed down at all. The book invites you to think and to make connections. There are some questions at the end of each chapter, which will help you connect the message to your own life and experiences. I believe this book will appeal to all Christian fans of </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Doctor Who</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.808px;">I received an ebook version of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher Abingdon Press in exchange for an honest review</i></span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-40986926489434370082016-09-11T23:48:00.000+02:002016-10-08T00:10:52.856+02:00Impressions of Back in Time for Dinner, Home Fires and Monuments Men<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL126/7927249-low_res-back-in-time-for-dinner-e1426611958172_zpsz1h9us9j.jpg" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL126/7927249-low_res-back-in-time-for-dinner-e1426611958172_zpsz1h9us9j.jpg" height="301" lj-cmd="LJImage" style="line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /><br />
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<b>Back in time for dinner (2015)</b></div>
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<b>Adaptation of:</b> no adaptation</div>
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<b>Length:</b> 6 x 45 minutes</div>
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<b>Summary:</b> The Robshaws, an ordinary British family, takes part in a time-traveling adventure by eating only food from a specific decade for six weeks. But not only their diet will go back in time, also their own house will be re-styled according to the period</div>
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<b>Familiar faces (from period drama):</b> nope, no famous actors here ;-)</div>
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<b>Watch this if:</b></div>
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-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You like 20th century (social) history</div>
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-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You enjoy the historical reality programs the BBC makes</div>
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-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You want to be amazed by all the choice we have in food nowadays ;-)</div>
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<b>Don’t watch this if:</b></div>
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-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You get easily annoyed by chirpy, over-enthusiastic presenters</div>
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<b>Best part:</b> When mum Rochelle and daughter Ross tried to make an intricate desert for the coronation festivities and failed gloriously!</div>
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<b>My opinion:</b> Another really fun and informative program from the BBC’s historical reality team. The format is a bit dangerous (you never know how a family, and especially teens, are going to respond to such a historical challenge), but the Robshaws were really fun to watch, they all really wanted this experience. Presenter Giles Coren could be a bit annoying sometimes, but his presence was luckily limited. I learned a lot and was amazed by how much the Western diet has changed over just 50 years!</div>
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/home_fires_itv_zpsn5sawbw3.jpg" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/home_fires_itv_zpsn5sawbw3.jpg" height="241" lj-cmd="LJImage" style="line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /><br />
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<b>Home fires season 1 (2015)</b></div>
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<b>Adaptation of:</b> <i>Jambusters</i> by Julie Summers, inspired by true events<br />
<b>Length</b>: 6 x 45 minutes<br />
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<b>Summary: </b>In a small English town, everything changes when war is declared in 1939. While the men go of to war, the women, united in the Women's Institute, have their own part to play.<br />
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<b>Familiar faces (from period drama):</b> Francesca Annis (<i>Wives and Daughters, Cranford</i>), Samantha Bond (<i>Downton Abbey</i>), Ed Stoppard (<i>Upstairs, Downstairs</i>)<br />
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<b>Watch this if:</b><br />
- You like quiet, character-driven drama<br />
- You liked series and movies about the British homefront during WWII, such as <i>Land Girls</i><br />
- You don't mind a bit of soapy dramatics<br />
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<b>Don't watch this if:</b><br />
- You want something original and different<br />
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<b>Best part:</b> When farmer's wive Steph learns to write and read and her confidence in running the farm in her husband's absence grows.<br />
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<b>My opinion:</b> This production is filled with simple stories of women having to wave their husbands and sons goodbye and fend for themselves. Nothing revolutionary or untold, but interesting to watch and mostly well-made and acted nonetheless. There are some very typical storylines that almost seem to come from the 'ABC of WWII drama' (young girls falls for married officer, conscientious objector gets abused etc). You easily feel as if you become part of the village live during the six episodes. There were actually too many characters in this mini-series, so not all of them get the depth they deserve. A second series is already out, so this will probably give viewers the chance to get to know the characters better.</div>
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL120/The-Monuments-Men-UK-Quad-Poster_zpsmf1dvwpe.jpg" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL120/The-Monuments-Men-UK-Quad-Poster_zpsmf1dvwpe.jpg" height="338" lj-cmd="LJImage" style="line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /><br />
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<b>The monuments men (2014)</b></div>
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<b>Adaptation of:</b> inspired by true events<br />
<b>Length:</b> 118 minutes<br />
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<b>Summary:</b> In 1943, while the Allied forces are driving the Axis powers back, a small team of curators and art historians is set up to assist the army in searching for stolen art and returning it to its rightfull owners. They have to fight for their place in an army that doesn't take them seriously.<br />
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<b>Familiar faces (from period drama):</b> Hugh Bonneville (<i>Downton Abbey</i>), Cate Blanchett (<i>Elizabeth, Robin Hood</i>)<br />
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<b>Watch this if:</b><br />
- You like learning about untold stories from WWII<br />
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<b>Don't watch this if:</b><br />
- You're easily annoyed by a comedic approach to WWII stories<br />
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<b>Best part: </b>When the team find a sculpture from Michelangelo that they had been looking for all over Europe in the nick of time.<br />
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<b>My opinion:</b> I loved learning about this team of brave and determined men through this movie. During my holidays in Europe, I've often been saddened by the loss of history and art through the destruction of WWII, but watching this movie, I realized it could have been so much worse. I thought it was well-made and had some really impressive scenes, especially more towards the end. I liked the camaraderie between the men, at some points I felt it veered a little too much in the slapstick direction. I also felt the sort-of romance was out of tone and unnecessary to the plot.</div>
<iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; line-height: 19.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 559px;"></iframe>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-50344639234122279182016-08-29T22:51:00.002+02:002016-08-29T22:51:58.672+02:00Trip to Heidelberg!<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/22.%20Uitzicht%20Heiligenberg_zpslgyvyfih.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/22.%20Uitzicht%20Heiligenberg_zpslgyvyfih.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Hello dear readers! It's been a while (again) since I've written, but to make it up, I've got a big, photo-filled post about my latest holiday from two weeks ago. This time I got on a train to go to Heidelberg, which is in the south of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg.<br /><br /><b></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><b>Day 1:</b> Heidelberg lies between two hills and the day I arrived, I climbed the so-called Heiligenberg. From the top you've got great views of the city and Heidelberg Castle (as you can see in the picture above)<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/23.%20Thingstaumltte_zps30kmsdox.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/23.%20Thingstaumltte_zps30kmsdox.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">On the top of the Heiligenberg there's also the Thingstätte, an open-air theatre that was build in the Nazi era and used for large performances. With that history in mind, it was weird to see people picnicing and enyoing the sun there now.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/27.%20Michaelsbasilika_zpsoywssko9.jpg" height="338" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/27.%20Michaelsbasilika_zpsoywssko9.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Also on the top of this hill were the ruins of the 11th century Monastery of St. Michael. Just thinking about the Medieval people dragging all the building material up this hill made me impressed!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Day 2:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> Time to visit Heidelberg's most famous building: the castle. It was the home of the Prince Electors of the Palatinate. The buildings are some of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps and the ruined castle was a big inspiration for artist in the Romantic era.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/40.%20Binnenplein%20Schloss_zpshk87imeo.jpg" height="338" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/40.%20Binnenplein%20Schloss_zpshk87imeo.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This is the inner courtyard of the Castle. The building to the left called Friedrichsbau is the only part which has been fully restored.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/63.%20Gesprengter%20turm_zpsyil85vyg.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/63.%20Gesprengter%20turm_zpsyil85vyg.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This is one of the ruined parts (ruined in the Thirty Years War) which inspired Romantics such as J.M.W. Turner and Mark Twain</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/57.%20Uitzicht%20Schloumlss_zpsipeuyzyn.jpg" height="337" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/57.%20Uitzicht%20Schloumlss_zpsipeuyzyn.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="449" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The castle towers above the city and from it you have great views of the Old Town and the river Neckar.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/67.%20Uitzicht%20Koningsstuumlhl_zpsxjfsyqd5.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/67.%20Uitzicht%20Koningsstuumlhl_zpsxjfsyqd5.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">You can also take a little train up to the top of the hill and have a view of the whole Neckar valley.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Day 3:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> I visited the small town of Bad Wimpfen, which was absolutely charming!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/90.%20Uitzicht%20Blaue%20Turm_zpsjmkqnpdd.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/90.%20Uitzicht%20Blaue%20Turm_zpsjmkqnpdd.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">It's full of historic and colourful half-timbered buildings.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/110.%20Klostergasse_zpselydy9ac.jpg" height="338" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/110.%20Klostergasse_zpselydy9ac.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Many date from the 16th century, but some go as far back as 1230.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/97.%20Arkaden%20Palas_zpsqwgjpeyj.jpg" height="600" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/97.%20Arkaden%20Palas_zpsqwgjpeyj.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">In Medieval times there was a Kaiserpfalz (local castle) in Bad Wimpfen, from which these beautiful Romanesque arch still dates.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/118.%20Bad%20Wimpfen_zpsiabtha9k.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/118.%20Bad%20Wimpfen_zpsiabtha9k.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">I had a really fun and relaxing day walking around this town!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Day 4: </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Still more then enough to see in Heidelberg!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/121.%20Alter%20Aula_zpsjtbvz41q.jpg" height="338" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/121.%20Alter%20Aula_zpsjtbvz41q.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /></div>
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Next to the castle, Heidelberg is famous for it's university, the oldest in Germany (1386!) At Utrecht University, where I work, we even have a street named after Heidelberg. This is the Old Hall, the main representative room of the university. I liked it, but also thought that my own university could very well compete in the 'beautiful function rooms competition, even though it's less old!</div>
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<br />What we don't have however is a student prison! Heidelberg does and its walls are full of drawings and scribblings by the inmates.</div>
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I'm not a big fan of Baroque architecture, in moderation it can be beautiful, but too much hurst my eyes, hehe! But this Jesuit church in Heidelberg with it's white columns and arches it actually really beautiful!</div>
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<br />What I ám a fan of is Art Nouveau, so I was pleased to see that the university library had a beautiful front with Art Nouveau decorations.</div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Day 5: </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This day didn't exactly go according to plan. I planned to go to Mannheim, but I didn't expect to be 'done' there in just a few hours.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<br />After all, the Baroque palace in Mannheim is the second largest in Europe (after Versailles). But what I didn't know before I visited was that it was bombed in WWII and only (very) partially restored inside. There were only a few rooms to visit and though they were impressive, it bugged me that they had decided to keep the hallways very plain and modern, like a stark reminder that you're walking in restored history, not 'real' history. Anyway, no photographs were allowed inside, so I unfortunately I can't show you what I mean.</div>
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<br />The city of Mannheim itself was also heavily damaged in the war, so is quite modern and unremarkable. But, there was a really lovely water park with a turn-of-the-century water tower.</div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Because I had spend so little time in Mannheim, I decided to visit another palace that day, Bruchsal palace. I heard about this palace quite by accident actually, by reading </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://ladyandtherose.com/2016/07/20/bruchsal-palace/" href="http://ladyandtherose.com/2016/07/20/bruchsal-palace/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The Lady & The Rose</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">'s blog post about it a few weeks before my holiday! The outside is impressive, very big and colourful.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<br />But again, like in Mannheim, this palace was almost completely destroyed in WWII. A number of rooms, like the famous staircase and the Prince's Hall (see photo) have been restored. This day really brought home to me how much historical beauty was lost to WWII and that restoring it, which is admirable, can never quite recapture the impact it once had.</div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Day 6: </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This day I visited Worms (yes, I realize that is a weird sounding name for a city, but I'm not joking!)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<br />The cathedral of Worms is a beautiful Romanesque church. I think this building style is really underrated and I love it! There were a number of other Romanesque churches in the city and I loved seeing so much of this beautiful medieval architecture in one day</div>
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<br />Worms is a really important city in the history of the Reformation and so it has a large Martin Luther monument. In this city he was called before the assembly of the Holy Roman Empire, he refuses to recant his writings and was declared a heretic.</div>
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/217.%20Joodse%20begraafplaats_zpsqwirjee3.jpg" height="450" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL127/217.%20Joodse%20begraafplaats_zpsqwirjee3.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="338" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Worms also had a large Jewish community for centuries. One of the most special places I visited was the Jewish Cemetery </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Heiliger Sand</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">. On this green and peaceful plot, Jews were buried until the 1930s. The oldest headstones date from the 11th century, making this the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Day 7:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> I had planned to go biking along the river Neckar before I took my train back to The Netherlands in the afternoon, but, after 6 beautiful sunny days.... it rained. So, I slept in, read and packed before I took my train back home!</span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-87614635847427751142016-07-24T22:55:00.001+02:002016-07-24T22:55:05.434+02:00Television review: ANZAC Girls<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" />
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The six-part miniseries </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> tells the true and ofeten overlooked stories of the women from Australia and New-Zealand who served as nurses during World War I. In 1914, Alice, Hilda, Elsie, Olive and Matron Grace Wilson arrive in Egypt and soon find out that war is not the 'splendid adventure' they thought it was as they have to deal with the horror of wounded men from the Gallipoli campaign.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"><a name='more'></a>I have not seen many Australian period dramas, but found </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> through the ever-growing review list of </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.silverpetticoatreview.com/" href="http://www.silverpetticoatreview.com/" lj-cmd="LJLink2" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" target="_blank">Silver Petticoat Review</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> and I'm so glad I did! What wonderful stories and what a well-made production! From the first episode I easily connected with this group of women and was totally sucked into their world. I thought it really interesting that this series takes you to so many areas of WWI: from the city hospitals in Alexandria to the deprevation of the Greek islands and from a hospital on a ship to the trenches in France. In that respect I thought 6 episodes was almost to short for all the stories </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> wanted to tell, but still it didn't generally feel rushed. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Though most of the actresses and actors were unknown to me (something new in watching a period drama!), I was really impressed by their performance. All the girls really embodied their characters, but my personal favourite was Anna McGahan playing Sister Olive Haynes. There were so many aspects to Olive's character, both bravery and vivaciousness, but also fear and insecurity and Anna McGahan convincingly made óne character out of all this. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Ofcourse this production will be compared to the BBC's </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The Crimson Field</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">. Having seen both of them, I must say I liked</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> better. It somehow felt more real than the BBC's counterpart. This no doubt has to do with the fact that all the nurses portrayed in </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> were real women and their stories were true stories. When I discovered this I spent an evening reading about these amazing women and marvelling about their strength and bravery. This just really adds to the experience of watching such a period drama. I also felt like there was less 'drama' (for want of a better word) in </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> compared to </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The Crimson Field</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">. Ofcourse, there was romance and some secrets, but I felt like it focused more of the war itself and what the women had to go through as nurses. And finally, though BBC dramas usually stand out in the 'looks' department, I felt ANZAC Girls really didn't lack anything in cinematography or locations.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">So, I very highly recommend </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> to anyone interested in WWI and period dramas with strong female characters.</span>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-81139762674472329972016-06-27T22:37:00.000+02:002016-06-27T22:37:16.534+02:00PhD defense!<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Hello all! Last week Tuesday, June 21st 2016 was (finally) my PhD defense! It was a very special day and I wanted to share some of it with you through some pictures. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">A little bit of background for you all. In November 2011 I started my PhD at Utrecht University in the veterinary faculty on the use of so-called host defense peptides as alternative antimicrobials, especially in poultry. In The Netherlands, the thesis defense day is more of a ceremonial and celebratory identity than in many other countries. Meaning that you cannot actually 'fail' and the actual defense is open for the public. Ofcourse it's still nerve-wracking, as you want to answer the questions of the committee well. All your colleagues, family and friends are watching and you will remember this the rest of your life.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">But, first things first, I promised to show you my finished thesis books. They came around the beginning of June and what a feeling it is to have stacks of books writting by yourself in front of you!! The days afterwards I handed them around to colleagues, collaborators, friends and family and soon the stacks had all but dissapeared.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL124/20160524_150500%20640x360_zpsfsnrmz4f.jpg" height="283" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL124/20160524_150500%20640x360_zpsfsnrmz4f.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="500" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
<a name='more'></a><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-open" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; line-height: 19.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 842px;"></iframe><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL124/Voorkant%20versie%203_zpsyaad8jie.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL124/Voorkant%20versie%203_zpsyaad8jie.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Here is the lovely cover, designed by my sister. </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/DSCF4103%20480x640_zpsbmzfcfmn.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/DSCF4103%20480x640_zpsbmzfcfmn.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The defense day itself: here is the program board of the Acadamy building of my university At 14.30 you can see my defense. And at 15.30 my reception and can you see the change in my title??</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010832%20480x640_zpsh3ansauy.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010832%20480x640_zpsh3ansauy.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">After 45 minutes of being questioned by a committee of scientists in my field, I received my doctoral degree. The certificate is actually completely in Latin! (luckily with a translation). The room where the defenses are held is lovely and imposing, with all the portraits of great professors of old on the walls.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010842%20640x480_zpsggzw6rh0.jpg" height="338" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010842%20640x480_zpsggzw6rh0.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="450" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Me, my so-called paranimfs (friends or colleagues who are acting as you 'witnesses' for the day, in my case, two good friends who are also in science) and the committee, consisting of my promoter, co-promoter, chairman, six scientists from the field and the beadle.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010918%20480x640_zps8iwe6fgi.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010918%20480x640_zps8iwe6fgi.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Me and my paranimfs in the beautiful cloister garden next to the Academy building. During a rare dry moment, it actually rained for most of the day :-(</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010903%20480x640_zpskmerff07.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/P1010903%20480x640_zpskmerff07.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">A lot of my family (mum, sister, aunts, uncles and a nephew and his wife) came over for my defense and they live on the other side of the country, so I was really happy and grateful! </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL124/IMG-20160621-WA0044%20360x640_zpsb3ncrt9w.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL124/IMG-20160621-WA0044%20360x640_zpsb3ncrt9w.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The wonderful cake for my reception with the cover of my thesis on top!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">After the reception we also had a dinner with a smaller group of colleagues, family and friends. Unfortunately, I don't have the pictures of that yet. I might do another post or update this one when I get those photographs.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/DSCF4101%20480x640_zpshuuzdekx.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL123/DSCF4101%20480x640_zpshuuzdekx.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This was what my hair looked like on the day. The wife of my landlord did it and it took her an hour! I loved it sooo much and got lots of compliments!!</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; line-height: 19.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 842px;"></iframe>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-1068843746765267002016-05-15T23:57:00.000+02:002016-05-15T23:57:13.112+02:008 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts (11)<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: center;">
<i>Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by <a data-cke-saved-href="http://bookishlyboisterous.blogspot.ca/" href="http://bookishlyboisterous.blogspot.ca/" lj-cmd="LJLink2">Bookishly Boisterous</a>. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)</i></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">1. Hello everyone! I've been rather AWOL lately.... My life and most of my free time has been swallowed by preparations for this little thing called my PhD defense in June... Lots of organising, preparing, last minute changes to the manuscript, filling in forms, etc. However, it's all coming together and last week I held the proof print of my thesis in my hands! It looks great, all official and shiny ;-) In less than two weeks I most likely have the final products and will ofcourse show it to you guys as well! </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<a name='more'></a>2. So, ending my PhD period means ending my work contract which means: applying for a new job. Not my hobby, to say it mildly... Research jobs are in high demand, so it might be hard to get in. If you could pray for me or send positive thought my way, I would be very grateful. <br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">3. Onto something nicer: I bought a sword! The real deal: a battle-ready, expertly made, late-Medieval 1,5 hander. I call it my 'finishing-my-PhD-thesis-present' ;-) I bought it at a festival from the Czech blacksmiths </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.kovex-ars.cz/index.php?jazyk=A&platidlo=EUR" href="http://www.kovex-ars.cz/index.php?jazyk=A&platidlo=EUR" lj-cmd="LJLink2" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" target="_blank">Kovex</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">. My teacher already owns multiple swords of them and is very satisfied with their products. I already used my sword twice for training and it's a great feeling, sparring with my own sword!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/20160424_191530%20360x640_zpssmgcwot0.jpg" height="356" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/20160424_191530%20360x640_zpssmgcwot0.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="200" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> </span><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/Elfia%2012%20480x640_zpsmtt0kytb.jpg" height="334" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/Elfia%2012%20480x640_zpsmtt0kytb.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="250" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">4. Another something Medieval ;-) During the long Ascension weekend, I decided to visit a castle and it was lovely! This one is called Doorwerth castle and it even has quite an </span><a data-cke-saved-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doorwerth_Castle" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doorwerth_Castle" lj-cmd="LJLink2" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" target="_blank">extensive English Wikipedia page</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> I can link you guys to! </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/Doorwerth%2021%20640x480_zps4kwcv3s2.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/Doorwerth%2021%20640x480_zps4kwcv3s2.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">5. Let's talk about reading. I'm in such a reading slump... It might be that my head is too busy with everything that's going on, but I only read two books in April and it looks like May is not going to get a lot better. I'm hoping that with the nicer weather I will spend my evenings out in the garden with a book instead of in slumped in front of my laptop. But my housemates will also be in the garden and might tempt me with some boardgame....</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">6. Another nice thing I'm doing with a few housemates is a little vegetable gardening. Last year I grew a few things in my windowsill, but this year a few of us have some boxes outside and we've already got quite a few things growing! In fact, I think we might be able to eat the rocket salad (the green 'blanket' on the right) in a week or so. Unfortunately, my little brocolli sprouts were eaten, probably by snails. Ah well, such are the trials of a vegetable gardener!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/20160512_194652%20640x360_zpsfzdjzmew.jpg" height="226" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL121/20160512_194652%20640x360_zpsfzdjzmew.jpg" style="cursor: default; margin-right: 10px;" width="400" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">7. Lastly, I seem to be really into medical series at the moment. I'm loooving </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Grey's Anatomy</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> at the moment (how is that series still so good in it's 12th season!) and I devoured </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">ANZAC Girls</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> and</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> Call the Midwife</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> season 5 which were both amazing. Longer reviews coming hopefully, if I can find the time...</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">That's all from me for now! Hope you're all doing well, all the best from my corner of the world.</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; line-height: 19.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 589px;"></iframe>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-68323919372634798662016-04-17T23:51:00.001+02:002016-04-18T23:28:52.795+02:00Television review: Galavant season 2<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL115/3%20www.imagesplitter.net_zps6wmy8vi8.jpeg" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL115/3%20www.imagesplitter.net_zps6wmy8vi8.jpeg" height="300" lj-cmd="LJImage" style="cursor: default; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">In this surprising second season of the adventure comedy </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Galavant</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">, Isabella is engaged against her will to her eleven-year old cousin, Galavant is trying to find an army to free her and Richard the former king of Valencia is trying to find a new role for himself while his wife Madelena and former best friend Gareth rule his kingdom.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">How to describe </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Galavant</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">? It's clear this is one-of-a-kind show. Not a period drama persé, but an adventure vaguely set in Medieval times with romance, singing and a lot of laughs. After thoroughly enjoying the first season of the show, I was so happy it was renewed for a second run, even though the viewing figures were not that great for such an expensive show. And really, this second season was even better than the first in my opinion, more creative and with unexpected plot-changes.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a>Humor is at the heart of this show, I was LOLing multiple times during each episode. Most of the humor is really quite clever, with quips to typical fairytale tropes and famous movies or tv shows (for example <i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Lord of the Rings</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> which was hilariously parodied in this season!), modern stuff in the Medieval background and breaking of the fourth wall. Some of the jokes are a little bland or trite, but really, this is a minority.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Interestingly for a series named</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> Galavant</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">, the real hero of this second season was in my opinion Richard. I already loved Timothy Odmundson in this role in the first season, but this season gave him a really amazing storyline and made him very endearing. Stumbling around trying to be 'Gal's' sidekick, finding a new purpose for his life now that he has been dethroned and wooing his lady love. Talking about that, I thought Roberta was a great new addition to the 'team', I loved her level headedness and her dry humor.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Compared to those storylines, the story of Galavant and Isabella this season felt a little 'of', which was probably because they spent most of the episodes apart. Still, Isabella got some amazing scenes and actress Karen David clearly had a lot of fun with her role. Since Isabella was 'hypnotized' for a few episodes, David basically got to play two roles in one!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">As I said, this is an expensive series, and really, it shows. All the settings are elaborate and well-made. There is no skimping on extras and the costumes are nice. This is no BBC show, but then again, Galavant never claimed to be a historically accurate period drama. The show just looks good!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">All in all, if you're looking for some fun in a Medieval setting, look no further than Galavant! (But do start at the beginning!)</span><br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Content:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> Some songs and jokes reference sex, though almost never explicit. In one episode the characters go into a gay bar. Mostof the violence is of the cartoonish variant, but the villains do jokingly refer to enjoying stabbing and torture. There is some mild profanity.</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This is my third review for the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.nl/search/label/Period%20Drama%20Challenge" href="http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.nl/search/label/Period%20Drama%20Challenge" lj-cmd="LJLink2" target="_blank">Period Drama challenge</a> at Old-Fashioned Charm!</i><br />
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Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2168521040936634641.post-14015042519280423262016-03-31T23:24:00.001+02:002016-03-31T23:24:35.022+02:00Movie review: Populaire (2012)<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL118/Populaire_5_zpsvqakekth.jpg" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL118/Populaire_5_zpsvqakekth.jpg" style="cursor: default; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" /></div>
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">In 1958, becoming a secretary is small-town-girl Rose Pamphyle's greatest dream. She is overjoyed when she is hired by the moody insurance agent Louis Échard. Louis soon learns that Rose is an uncommonly fast typist and decides to train her for the national speedtyping competition, making a bet with his friend Bob that Rose can win. As Louis and Rose spend much time together, sparks begin to fly, but Louis only wants Rose to concentrate on winning the competition.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a>This little-known French movie could easily have flown under my radar, had I not read a glowing review on one of the blogs I follow. So it ended up on my to-be-watched list and a few weeks ago, I picked it up at my library. And I'm so glad I did, because <i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Populaire</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> is 110 minutes full of quirky charm! Who would have thought a speedtyping competition would be an interesting background for a romantic comedy? Well, it really is and it's even exciting! I'll readily admit that I was on the edge of my seat during the competition scenes, cheering Rose on!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">But the real heart of this movie are Rose and Louis. Rose (played by Déborah Francois) is such a fun character, she's sweet and a little bit naïve, but also strong and a quick learner. And not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right, which leads to a rather marvelous scene when Louis' family is visiting for Christmas. Louis could easily have been another brooding grumpy hero, but Romain Duris makes him come alive, most especially in the small moments when you see his vulnerable side. Duris and Francois have great chemistry and I dare everyone not to get a silly wide grin on your face from the ending scene, which is just precious!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">The '50s make for a fun retro setting for this movie. I'm rather partial to '50s music and there were some really nice songs in this movie! And the dresses! Rose had a whole bunch of lovely sweet dresses and blouses. I've put a few examples at the bottom of this post for you to drool over ;-)</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">If you're looking for a romantic movie, but want something a little bit different, look no further than </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Populaire</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Content:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> There is one scene of intense kissing leading to a man and woman sleeping together with partial nudity.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">This is my second review for the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.nl/search/label/Period%20Drama%20Challenge" href="http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.nl/search/label/Period%20Drama%20Challenge" lj-cmd="LJLink2" target="_blank">Period Drama challenge</a> at Old-Fashioned Charm!</i><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br />
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<br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/b3711eb6c6a12ea864cb98d744e768a0_zpsb3jyer5k.jpg" height="288" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/b3711eb6c6a12ea864cb98d744e768a0_zpsb3jyer5k.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="200" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"><br /></span><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/populaire_luckylucille09_zpsrwrvc48j.jpg" height="258" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/populaire_luckylucille09_zpsrwrvc48j.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="400" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/populaire_luckylucille02_zpsggd1vwgx.jpg" height="258" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/populaire_luckylucille02_zpsggd1vwgx.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="400" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"><br /></span><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/populaire_luckylucille06_zpsowmogu5p.jpg" height="331" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/populaire_luckylucille06_zpsowmogu5p.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="400" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;" /><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/tumblr_mt3eneYn2q1rrdz2io1_500_zpsktangsbd.jpg" height="267" lj-cmd="LJImage" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb95/birdieNL/birdieNL119/tumblr_mt3eneYn2q1rrdz2io1_500_zpsktangsbd.jpg" style="color: #222222; cursor: default; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-right: 10px;" width="400" /><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="lj-cut-wrap" frameborder="0" lj-class="lj-cut lj-cut-close" lj-cmd="LJCut" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 9px !important; line-height: 19.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 550px;"></iframe>Birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09240886179336298463noreply@blogger.com6