Book Review: "Ariadne: A Novel" by Jennifer Saint

I must have been on a mythology kick after reading Nikita Gill's book because I found myself drawn to the book that I am reviewing today. I remember parts of this story from the wonderful Myths and Legends podcast that I listen to frequently but this book expanded on the story and told the story not from the prospective of our hero ("hero" is in hard bunny ears quotes, per the usual when it comes to a lot of men/half men half gods in mythology) but from the perspective of our two main female characters - Ariadne and Phaedra.

Ariadne and Phaedra are sisters, and daughters of the terrible King Minos of Crete. If you dig deep into your knowledge of Crete you may remember it as the home of the Minotaur. Through a terrible agreement between King Minos and the government of Athens, 6 Athenian youths (6 of each gender) were sacrificed every year to the terrible Minotaur who was trapped in a impenetrable labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur is the half brother of the princess because, well, gods and goddesses are jealous and terrible and petty and these things happen. (Also if you're like "Why does the name Ariadne sound familiar?" I would say "Hell, good memory - it's the name of Elliot Page's character in Inception - you know the girl who designs the mazes and levels. GOOD CALLBACK CHRISTOPHER NOLAN. I SEE YOU).

Theseus is a prince of Athens who has taken the place of one of the condemned youths and Ariadne is instantly smitten by this man who has made this sacrifice and his steady, calm nature. She finds him in his prison cell the night before the human sacrifices are to be pushed into the pitch blackness that is the labyrinth so that they can get hunted and eaten by the beast. He woos her and she agrees to help him and he promises to whisk her away from her privileged but terrible life in Crete to be his bride in Athens. Ariadne insists that her little sister comes with her and Theseus agrees - they work out an escape plan, from the labyrinth and then from Crete where they all go to Athens and live happily ever after.

It...all very nearly goes to plan. Kinda sorta.

The main thing that I liked about this book is that we get to hear from the women in these stories, usually the women are just the props used by the gods/men in these sorts of stories and they are not much more than "oh wow, yeah it's too bad the gods are awful and petty". It also is told in rotating chapters between the two sisters. It started really strong but then kind of petered out for me towards the end. However, it was a fast read and held my interest most of the time. If you are a fan of mythology this would be a good one to pick up!

What I've been reading...

 F*ck Feelings: One Shrink's Practical Advice for Managing All of Life's Practical Problems by Michael Bennett and Sarah Bennett. Funny name, serious topic. Here's what I liked the most about this book, in each of the different chapters (f*ck communication, f*ck parenting, f*ck assholes) they talk about the things that we FEEL like we should be able to control about the topic and then what we ACTUALLY can control. We think that we have far more control over circumstances than what we do. Then after you get on the same page of what we can actually control we can be more realistic about what we can expect from ourselves and other people. Like "stop letting hurt feelings and anger control your decisions". So much easier said than done, right? A quote that I really liked from the titular "f*ck feelings" chapter was : "if some people don't want peace, stay out of the way of the bullets". Like, for real. Some people just want to watch the world burn.

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed: Stories by Mariana Enriquez. This author also wrote the amazing "The Things We Lost in the Fire" so I was thrilled that this, just her second work, was a another book of super creepy, kind of south american gothic horror. (If you were left cold by the very popular this past year "Mexican Gothic" and were looking for something a little more mature and scary I highly recommend this collection.) I had to make myself slow down and savor these stories, I was so excited I wanted to read through them as fast as I could because I couldn't wait to see what was next!

Murder in Amsterdam by Ian Buruma. I was excited to read this book on vacation but ended up feeling very meh about it. What I was hoping for was "Man, the Netherlands is a country made of a lot of immigrants which makes for some tension and weirdness especially after this murder so let's talk about the tension in a super progressive country that still has some old prejudices that it struggles with". But it was more like "Let's talk about these 3 specific politicians in depth and how they are liberal/conservative/antiMuslim/proimmigration whatever". So, wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I did learn some fun Dutch words though, which is always a plus.

Deacon King Kong by James McBride. My boss mentioned that while she was waiting for her first grandbaby to be born that she read this book and really liked it. She was really excited about it and said I should read it so I said I would pick it up (can you tell I'm a recovering people pleaser? And I really like my boss?) so I did. I tend to avoid the big famous book club book choices (they get so much publicity, they don't also need me to read it) and this was one of Oprah's so about as big as it gets - but it wasn't a book I would have picked up on my own so that's always a benefit. It was a pretty fast read, I found myself getting a little bored and had the big plot twist figured out pretty early but the characters were varied and interesting and there's 2 little background love stories that I really found myself cheering for their success. Hopefully my boss and I chat about it soon so I didn't read it "for no reason" haha.

Milwaukee Film Fest Viewing Part 2

Here's Part 2! (We also watched a couple of different short collections but those would be hard to review so, I'll just say that we did it!)

Coming Home in the Dark

This movie felt very up my alley until I started hearing a lot of people say how INCREDIBLY violent it was and then I got scared. We watched it anyway. It was violent, and a lot of people die but the violence is not shown very close up, so I thought it was fine. But just be aware going into it. Interesting, complex characters, great scenery, very tense and claustrophobic. I liked it. 

MKE Film description: Hoaggie and his family are having a delightful trip in the stunning New Zealand wilderness when they're approached by two mysterious strangers. It quickly becomes apparent this duo has malicious intent. While Hoaggie claims to have no idea why, he has a sneaking suspicion that his unsavory past has come back to haunt him. The brutality and terror that unfolds will have you second guessing that summer road trip you have planned.

Night of the Kings

I don't ever want to go to prison. Especially a prison where the guards don't even fake do anything to keep you safe. This was a really like, artistic, lovely kind of film considering it was in a prison and people def died during the movie. There was a beautiful, graceful, creativeness through it. I know it has been a favorite of many during the fest.

MKE Film description: La Maca is a prison in Côte d'Ivoire run by its prisoners. When a newcomer arrives on the night of the red moon rising, he is entered into a storytelling ritual to become the new king of the prison, known as the "Roman." Rolling Stone calls it "a film steeped in myth and ritual, besotted with secrets, history, and imagination -- with a clear eye on the Ivory Coast's politics."

The Djinn - Like all good creature/horror movies, this movie wasn't actually about the horror of the creature but consequences of ours and the peoples around us actions, and sometimes getting exactly what you wish for. 

I love an indie creature horror movie because I'm always interested in how they are going to make for a good creature on a smaller budget and this movie didn't dissapoint in that way. There's a lot of whipsy/smokeyness to it which looked good and thats all I will say because I don't want to give too much away. The movie started very strong, and got a little weaker throughout but not by much. 

The ending was great but the only thing that irritated me about it was at the height of the suspense at the end they did a flashback and were like SEE, SEE WE'VE BEEN FORESHADOWING ALL THIS STUFF THE WHOLE TIME. DIDYA CATCH IT? And like, yeah I get it but having it shoved in your face at the end while you're in the moment kinda made it lose some momentum. Great acting, loved the dad part which felt like it was perfectly written for Richard Jenkins, but was lovingly performed by the actor cast. A very capable, introspective little horror movie. 

MKE Film description: Dylan and his dad have just moved to start a new life after the tragic loss of his mother. Dylan finds a mysterious book in a closet and reads about the Djinn, a magical beast that can grant wishes. Dylan is mute, so he wishes for a voice, but he fails to realize that he has to survive the night at the mercy of the monster.

Mischa and the wolves

I mean, it's pretty obvious from the description that Misha is not all that she says she is, but the story is more than that. Misha's whole, truthful story is (I think) even more compelling than her famous memoir. Of the two WWII related documentaries that I watched this film fest I liked this one the best.

MKE Film description: Misha Defonseca's story sounds too good to be true - an orphan escaping the Holocaust by hiding in the woods and living amongst wolves - but Misha inspires all she encounters. When her memoir's publisher starts to peel back one corner of this narrative, however, it turns into a detective story with twists and turns you'll never see coming. Hobkinson's film ultimately asks us to examine truth, belief, and trauma in the most tangled of stories.

Some Kind of Heaven

I watched this movie actually in Florida and I was like, well, I don't want to be in the same state as some of these people. The Villages would be a prime location for a horror movie, and I can't stop thinking about how I want to write it, haha. I'll add it on my list of things to write. The four residents (well one interloper and 3 residents) were very interesting personalities and showed, I think, some common situations in this weird, Truman Show, overly manicured existence. 

MKE Film description: The Villages, located in central Florida, is the world's largest retirement community, home to more than 130,000. Following four residents who struggle to find their place in the extreme homogenized culture, this character study delves into the whimsy, banality, and bizarreness of life when you have nothing to do and all day to do it. With gorgeous cinematography, Oppenheim plays up both the serene and surreal images found in this "Disneyworld for retirees".

Tiny Tim: King for a Day

This was the "Super Secret Members Only Screening". The group that watches these movies together are between 26-36 years of age, so the only way that anyone had heard of Tiny Tim was the 26 year old who had heard him on...Spongebob Squarepants. Honestly, a little terrifying. A man who sings in a soprano voice, who plays the ukulele and looks like this.  I didn't know what to really make of this one to be honest. But, I do love me a weird documentary.

Milwaukee Film Fest 2021 Views (Part 1 - I was deep into documentaries this first week)

My favorite time of the year is happening, Milwaukee Film Festival. Again this year it was virtual and this year I purchased the Festival Pass (watch all the movies you want during Film Fest for $75, duh, yes and yes) so I was able to see a LOT of movies this year. I broke my reviews down into multiple posts, chronological by when I viewed them. The film festival goes until the 20th, so if there is something on the list that you like, act fast you might be able to see them!

 The Dry: This wasn't originally on my list of things to see but then I heard someone mention that it was based on a book and I was like "Hold on.....I think I read that book". And I did. If you (for instance) live with someone who is not into indie or weird movies and just want a straight forward, main stream thriller this is a perfectly good choice. I like Eric Bana. It was good to see him. Also, middle of nowhere Australia, hard no thanks. 

MKE Film Description: Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, THE DRY follows Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) as he returns home for the funeral of a friend. The small town is reeling from what looks like a murder suicide, but Aaron employs his detective skills to find out what really happened. Haunted by another mysterious death from his youth, Aaron has to reconcile his present with his past as he is confronted with suspects around every corner.

MC Escher: Journey to Infinity: This movie was a disappointment for me. The pull for this movie was that it was a documentary told in the artist own words, and I was like oh that will be interesting. But that was only the case for like...60% of the movie? And the VO actor was Stephen Fry, who I don't have a problem with but I think that he was the wrong choice for this role. The best part of the movie was the credits because thats when they were actually like "hey, every pop culture reference to this fella? Here it is". Inception, Labyrinth, The Simpsons, The Rolling Stones, he is everywhere!

MKE Film description: Featuring the Dutch graphic artist's own words (narrated by Stephen Fry), this illuminating documentary explores his well-known works through a less-well-known lens. Using animation to help us see these pieces again in a new way, audiences are asked to consider anew the celebrity of Escher, layered here with the philosophical power and profundity of his scientific thinking and biographical details that inform his worldview

25 Weeks: A Wisconsin Pizza Harvest: A hour long, short, sweet profile of a farmer who specializes in growing old fashioned wheat the old fashioned way here in Wisconsin. He grows wheat because he loves pizza and you need wheat for pizza. A great part of this movie was his cute little donkeys!

MKE Film description: Watch as farmer, filmmaker, and general Renaissance man Charlie Tennessen takes archival wheat seeds from planting to harvest with the help of his trusty barncats and three lovely donkeys. This meditative journey across 25 weeks (winter to autumn 2020) of weather, hard work, and persistence will make you appreciate food on a whole new level. Come for the pizza, but stay for the bucolic slice of life lived at a deliberate pace

The Meaning of Hitler: Because I am who I am I knew I was going to watch this one. The problem with this one for me was that I felt like it never really defined what it was trying to say. I was hoping it was going to be a little more focused on like, Hitler's influence on current extreme alt-right groups and it was kind of like that, but there was also a section about a guy who is a famous Holocaust denier. It wasn't a bad documentary it just felt like it kind of wandered. Some good art direction though.

MKE Film description: Taking inspiration from Sebastian Haffner's titular book, in THE MEANING OF HITLER Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker set out to explore what Hitler means in the current waves of white nationalism and antisemitism. Featuring interviews with historians and scholars like Martin Amis and Saul Friedlander coupled with time spent with Nazi hunters, microphone technologists, and the curator of the US Army's confiscated art collection, this Herzogian documentary offers an unexpected, refreshing yet sobering journey to help us know why this history remains urgent.

Rez Metal: This documentary follows a group of Native American's living on Window Rock Navajo Reservation in Arizona on their quest to bring notice to the plight of Native Americans (especially the very high suicide rate amongst their people) through their heavy metal band. It was interesting, I'll never be surprised by the terrible conditions on many reservations - it's a stain on this country.

MKE Film description: I Don’t Konform is a heavy metal band from the Navajo Nation in Arizona that uses their music to uplift a community devastated by suicide. They catch the ear of acclaimed Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen, who joins the band in their hooghan to begin recording their next album. REZ METAL is a stripped-down celebration of the heavy metal spirit, and a compelling portrayal of a community channeling their raw emotions, ethics, and hope through music.

Inklings Week Celebration and Vacation Reads

First up, starting next week it's one of the most fun weeks of the year, Inklings Week! A week where we celebrate CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien along with their wonderful works that have made such a profound impact on so many people's lives. My longtime blogging friend Jamie is hosting the celebrations as she does every year! I am taking part in different parts of the celebration. First, on Monday night Jamie, myself and author Katherin Reay will be on a panel discussing Tollers and Jack, some of our favorite works and what they mean to us. A little later in the week I'll also be guest posting on Jamie's blog. Here is Jamie's post with the panel information and a sneak peek of what is to come, we'd love to see you around the old interwebs! 

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I'm very fortunate that I (a vaccinated human) get to see my sister and her husband (also vaccinated humans) for vacation. After more than a year of being cautious and seeing no one and doing nothing the prospect of a vacation feels like a dream.  But what is a vacation without some vacation reading? I picked up and packed two books from Half Price books today, though, if we're honest I might need a few more. I wish I was a Kindle user because I'm sure it would take up less space but it's just not my preferred kind of reading. 

"Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo Van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance" by Ian Buruma 

Summary from Goodreads: Ian Buruma returns to his native land to explore the great dilemma of our time through the story of the brutal murder of controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh at the hands of an Islamic extremist. It was the emblematic crime of our moment: On a cold November day in Amsterdam, an angry young Muslim man, Mohammed Bouyeri, the son of Moroccan immigrants, shot and killed the celebrated and controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, great-grandnephew of Vincent and iconic European provocateur, for making a movie with the vocally anti-Islam Somali-born Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali that "blasphemed" Islam. After Bouyeri shot van Gogh, he calmly stood over the body and cut his throat with a curved machete, as if performing a ritual sacrifice, which in a very real sense he was. The murder horrified quiet, complacent, prosperous Holland, a country that prides itself on being a bastion of tolerance, and sent shock waves across Europe and around the world. Shortly thereafter, Ian Buruma returned to his native country to try to make sense of it all and to see what larger meaning should and shouldn't be drawn from this story. The result is Buruma's masterpiece: a book with the intimacy and narrative control of a true-crime page-turner and the intellectual resonance we've come to expect from one of the most well-regarded journalists and thinkers of our time. Ian Buruma's entire life has led him to this narrative: In his hands, it is the exemplary tale of our age, the story of what happens when political Islam collides with the secular West and tolerance finds its limits.

The War for All Oceans: From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo by Roy and Leslie Adkins. (My weird obsession with maritime battles continues, obviously)

Summary from Goodreads: Roy Adkins (with his wife Lesley) returns to the Napoleonic War in The War for All the Oceans, a gripping account of the naval struggle that lasted from 1798 to 1815, a period marked at the beginning by Napoleon's seizing power and at the end by the War of 1812. In this vivid and visceral account, Adkins draws on eyewitness records to portray not only the battles but also the details of a sailor's life, shipwrecks, press-gangs, prostitutes, spies, and prisoners of war.

And then literally any of the several magazines that Quinn has with her because she has a slight addiction to cheap magazine subscriptions. Doing her best to keep print journalism alive, that one!

Book Review: "A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II" by Sonia Purnell

 If you are here, you know that I read a lot of history books. But the amazing woman who are story focuses on today is someone who I hadn't heard of in any book... I actually heard of her from the classic show, Drunk History. This whole video is full of badass women but Virginia's section starts at 5 minutes, 22 seconds.

Virginia Hall was a woman born to an upwardly mobile Baltimore family. Her mom had all of her hopes pinned on Virginia for a wealthy husband to help the families upward social trajectory. Virginia was like....nah. She wanted to see the world and have experiences so she got jobs at US embassies in Europe and in the Near East (like Turkey. Is the Near East a thing people actually say?) Anyway, she busted her ass for almost no money and no respect but liked being in Europe, A hunting accident (literally shot herself in the foot) and a terrible case of gangrene left her with an amputated leg and fake leg named Cuthbert. (Though she was super guarded about her leg - it makes sense because she was fighting a lot of sexism throughout her life and why would you also add on abelism to that mix). 

Through much persistence, some good luck and the desperation that comes in war time she finally was able to get the British to drop her into France to work with The Resistance. Very quickly she made herself indispensable, working to build a network of people who were reliable and trustworthy so when agents were dropped into France they could be the most effective possible. Then the problem became that the agents who dropped into France spent a lot of time chasing women and drinking - it also didn't help that a lot of times that in the rush to get people in the field they didn't get as much training as they should have. And then it doesn't help that her handlers in London did a lot of micromanaging and sending other people with no experience to be her boss even though she was the only reason any of the resistance was having any success.

Her time in France was marked by close calls, amazing jailbreaks, loss, intrigue and everything else that you could think of. This book is amazing and exciting and celebrates a woman who went out of her way to stay out of the spotlight and under the radar. And because of that and, frankly, because she was a woman in a man's world, she never got the respect, title or paycheck that she deserved. So all hail Virginia Hall - a bad bitch who deserves to have at least 100 primary schools, a cool cocktail and several parks in France and Baltimore named after her. Let's make it happen!

 

What I've been reading...

 Version Control by Dexter Palmer. A couple (5?) years ago I was able to meet a blogging friend IRL while she was working at a bookstore in a town that I was visiting. For a book about time travel (which I love) the time travel came into this book really late into the book. I liked it, I just was surprised how long it took to get to (what it felt to me) the point.

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatalov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar.  This book should be the least surprising book to show up on this blog ever. Oh, a book about an unexplained incident in post-WWII Russia with mysterious deaths? Yeah duh. I really liked this book, it felt well researched and full of these hikers humanities. What was great was that literally as I was reading this book there was breaking news about what might have caused the hikers deaths'. Interestingly enough, the theory that is breaking is a different theory than this book offers up. No "for sure" answers!

War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East by Gershom Gorenberg. I really wanted to adore this book because it seemed to hit a lot of my interests. I was disappointed in the fact that it didn't really hit for me. I think that the problem was that it tried to cover a lot of topics in a shortish book. Maybe it needed to be two separate books and then we would have been in business.