5 posts tagged “romance”
My theory is that books which take place in Austin are best written by authors who live in Austin (at least part of the time). Sarah Bird is probably the best example of this. Her fiction captures the essence of the city. In The Boyfriend School, I am able to perfectly imagine the world of her main character because I've been to the places mentioned, or have met people like those in the novel. True, that is more of a late 80's view of the town, but I think it still holds up.
And now I'm really worried. Well, more intrigued, and worried at the same time.Ella Varner has it all–a successful career as an advice columnist, a handsome boyfriend, and a circle of friends in Austin.
When this film came out I really wanted to see it in the theatre, but stayed away because I heard how violent it was. So I rented it from Netflix and watched it last night (and fast forwarded through the few gruesomely violent scenes). I really got into this film. Viggo Mortenson is such a proficient actor; in his films he makes me forget he doesn't really have an accent. He is gorgeously dangerous in this film, and his chemistry with Naomi Watts was palpable.
And it really is a romance, even though there isn't much physical affection between the characters. Oh, I'm not doing the film justice. All the acting is great; Armin Mueller-Stahl is creepy, and Naomi Watts is fully into her role as a midwife who naively gets involved with the Russian mafia.
I can't stand overly violent films, but there was less of it in this film than I expected. From what I'd heard, I expected a bloodbath. And yeah, the film is definitely not sunshine and rainbows, but it is quite watchable, and very memorable (in a good way).
The end felt slightly under-resolved, but the hope was there.
I LOVED. this. book.
In my head I kept comparing it to Eat, Pray, Love, just because I don't read much non-fiction, and that was the last non-fiction book I read written about a single (well, divorced, really) woman's search for her identity.
But can I say that I loved the ending of this book so much more? [SPOILER WARNING] I love that Cohen realizes that she doesn't have to get married, that she doesn't need that to define her self. I wanted a match for her through most of the book, because she is gorgeous, with a very loving family and a wonderful sense of humor. But I'm so happy with the last section, I can't tell you enough.
I'm curious as to how the film/TV-film version will treat the book. Will the version starring Sarah Jessica Parker have the writer get married off? Or will Amy Sherman-Palladino keep the essence of the book in her version? I truly hope so.
This book was a wonderful fix for me on Valentine's Day. As y'all know, I love me some romance novels, but it is great to get a shot of reality every now and then.
Also, having these sisters be 20-somethings seemed strange to me. Their speech just felt off . . . I mean, as a 20-something, I would think I could relate to the characters, but their dress, speech and some other facets just screamed romance stereotype in parts.
However, even though it wasn't as great as I had hoped, this fantastical romance is still written a sight better than other romances I've read. Some of the Crusie touches in the novel are very evident, in language and plot points (see: Lizzie's shoes). Fans of the authors may want to check the novel out from the library before they buy it, and should find some way to get their hands on it.
What's funny is that two of these authors (Stuart and Crusie) are working on a "fun"* novel called "Dogs and Goddesses" which, from what I've read on the site, seems a lot stronger than this published novel. And Dogs and Goddesses may never see a printing press!
*Fun meaning it is not part of a book deal, but instead a side project for the authors.
Right now the only reason I'm watching Studio 60 is because I'm a sucker for a good romance. From the first episode, I noticed a certain dynamic between the characters of Jordan (Amanda Peet) and Danny (Bradley Whitford). Then it came in full force on the Christmas episode, which is saved on our DVR.
Anyway, here are my guilty admissions re: Studio 60:
- I've subscribed to Charlotte DeBerry's channel on YouTube because I love her Jordanny-centered videos. See the clip on the left for a recent example.
- Last night I read some (so-so) Jordanny fanfic on their LJ Community.
- Last night I also searched for any hint about the future of this fictional not-yet-a-couple that I could find, and I found a spoiler that sated me.
I don't want to like the series so much. The show-behind-the-show scenes are pretty much awful, and it isn't as funny as Mr. Sorkin wishes it was (and I also think his elitism against bloggers is a big turnoff). But this possible romance has me hooked.
