snoopy
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Wrong thread.
I just finished reading the John Grisham novel The Firm after watching the movie adapted from it a few days ago.
The movie made better use of the material but the book had a stronger (but seriously flawed) ending.
It was interesting to see what was done to the original story. I have a vague memory of coming up with a solution all my own after reading the book 20 odd years ago, and my ego cheerfully felt that the ending I created (which I no longer remember) was superior to both the book's ending and the movie's, although the movie's was weak enough most anyone could come up with a better one.
It's always interesting to read the hot novel of 20+ years ago and see how it holds up. And Grisham's introduction, where he basically explains that in some ways the movie predates the book is genuinely interesting.
I much preferred the ending in the movie. I love Grisham but some of his endings are unsatisfying.
I was completely annoyed the longer the book went on that absolutely no one, including the detectives who were portrayed as smart and on the ball, suspected any of the women for even a second. Surely Becky, the next door neighbour madly in love with the husband, would have ample motive to kill the wife, as would any of the wives of men she was sleeping with and/or just generally causing trouble for. The block party where she was flirting with all the husbands was referred to repeatedly, and yet everyone assumes that a man must've whacked her with a hammer?
For awhile I thought the author was just doing that (and in the process making the whole thing less believable) because it was best friend Glenda the whole time. That the mysterious texts on the victim's burner phone were to her - would have fit that she was complaining that her husband was a psychopath to a woman rather than a man. Perhaps you had the same thought?
And finally (well maybe not, I could keep going!), much was made of the son breaking in and learning secrets and sending emails - that's the premise on which the book is being promoted - but that really never came to anything. He learned one secret, and he sent one set of emails related to that secret. The whole book could have been written without that storyline, and it was a wasted opportunity to make things far more complicated and interesting.
Thanks for the warning, as this is also in my 'to read' pile.I’ve had Hidden Figures on my “to read” list since @Prancer mentioned it ages ago, as I always enjoy getting the more detailed story in a book compared to a movie. I did find some things interesting in the book, particularly the backstory of why black women worked at NASA, which I don't recall the movie covering. That said, overall, I found the book a bit difficult to read and like it kept jumping all over the place. In the foreword, the author indicated that it was her first book and it really showed. I would probably only recommend to people with a really heavy interest in the area.
I just read The Family Upstairs too. I was stuck at the airport last week and it was the only book in WHSmiths that didn’t look dreadful apart from War Doctor which I’d just read.weird thing: read The Family Upstairs, new book by Lisa Jewel, main part of the story is set in Chelsea in a house on Cheyne Walk, current time period and 1990’s.
Finished that and picked up Affinity by Sarah Waters - main character lives in Chelsea, on Cheyne Walk, 1870’s.
immediately put everything away (I am TERRIBLE at this)
Much of the RWA people responsible for this mess still refuse to resign. They have, however, given in to the inevitable and cancelled this year's RITAs.Major uproar for the Romance Writers of America over racism:
I wondered how this book got on my library list. I just finished it, and found it interesting - although do not understand the many reviews I've found that describe how hilarious the book is. I saw it more as an examination of immense societal pressure through the lens of autism/neuroatypicality, and the taboo of said conditions. The protagonist has some great/blunt observations about how people interact. The first half was a great set up for the character, and the "action", as it were, of the 2nd half felt too rushed. I wish the ending had gone on just a bit longer, for instance - I was left with too many practical questions!I just read Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, and I loved the blunt prose it is written in. The book itself won a few awards, gained great reviews both in Japan and Western media, and was a huge bestseller in Japan.