Katheryn Thompson's Blog, page 12

I really enjoyed Channel 4's recent adaptation of Catch-22. It was beautifully shot, and managed to be both profoundly funny and tragic, much like the book.



Here are the top 5 bookish adaptations I'm looking forward to watching next:

1. Where'd You Go, Bernadette



I loved the book (in fact, I loved both books I've read by Maria Semple), and I'm sure Cate Blanchett will be fantastic. I also adore the choice of the song 'She's Not There' in the trailer. The film is due to come out on 16 August.

2. The Kitchen



This one is based on a graphic novel, so I might not actually read it. The film looks fantastic, though. It reminds me of Widows (2018), which I'm obsessed with. I also adore Melissa McCarthy. The Kitchen is due to be released on 20 September 2019.

3. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch



This is one I've been meaning to read for a while. I know it's already on Amazon Prime, but I plan to watch it when it comes to the BBC, hopefully later this year, and I will definitely read it before then. I'm especially looking forward to seeing David Tennant as Crowley.

4. Dracula



I really enjoyed this novel, so am looking forward to BBC's adaptation, even though it's not due out for a while. I usually always enjoy the BBC's bookish adaptations, and what little I've seen about this one so far certainly looks promising.

5. Little Women



This is another one I somehow haven't managed to read yet, but I will make sure I read it before I watch the film. I wasn't convinced this book was for me, but a film adaptation written and directed by Greta Gerwig, and starring Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, and Timothée Chalamet (not to mention Laura Dern and James Norton) is enough to change my mind. It's due to be released on 17 January 2020.

Last week I finished reading A Time to Kill, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Here are 10 recommendations if you enjoyed it too:



1. The Firm is my favourite book by Grisham, and one of the creepiest books I've ever read. There is also a film adaptation starring Tom Cruise.

2. The Pelican Brief is one of Grisham's most famous books, thanks to its excellent film adaptation starring Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts.

3. If you want something a bit lesser known by Grisham, I also enjoyed The Summons.



4. Summary Justice is the first in a series of legal thrillers, which I'm obsessed with. There are currently only two in the series, but I keep hoping for more.



5. I haven't actually read Thirteen yet, but it's been on my to-read ever since I saw that tagline.

6. Defending Jacob is another, albeit older, legal thriller on my to-read list.

7. Bluebird, Bluebird is one from my to-read list, and provides a more up-to-date look at the intersection of race and justice.



8. To Kill a Mockingbird is an obvious addition to this list, and one I'd definitely recommend if you haven't read it yet.

9. If you liked the character of Jake Brigance, he's back in Sycamore Row. This is another one I haven't read, but I've been told it's an excellent read, heavy on the legal drama, but slightly slower than A Time to Kill.



10. And don't forget to check out the film adaptation, starring Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, and Samuel L. Jackson.

If you've ever read any of my blog posts, or if you follow me on Twitter (@Katheryn97T), you'll probably know that I adore Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Here are 10 reasons why:

1. Fierce women



Joss Whedon came up with the idea for Buffy after wondering what would happen if, in a horror film, the blonde woman killed the monster for a change. But it's not just that Buffy kicks ass (and she really does), but she's also strong enough to never give up, to always fight for what's right, and to look after her friends and family. She's also far from the only fierce woman in the series.

2. Everyone's a hero



Buffy might be the vampire slayer, but she wouldn't get far on her own (I love The Wish (3.9) where we see a solo Buffy, capable but heartless and physically scarred). In season 3 the entire graduation class take on the Mayor, and in season 4 Xander, Giles, and Willow merge their psyches in Buffy's form to defeat Adam. Most of Buffy's friends have powers of their own...except Xander, who saves the world at the end of season 6.

3. The social messages



Just because this series is about people repeatedly saving the world doesn't mean it's not relatable. Willow becomes addicted to magic; when Buffy has sex for the first time, she causes Angel to lose his soul and turn evil; Willow realises she is gay; Marcie eventually vanishes because everyone ignores her; Willow's grief causes her to try to end the world; and Xander's quest to be cool leads to trouble in the shape of zombies who try to blow up the school.

4. It's hilarious



I know what's coming, and it still makes me laugh.

5. It has the best characters



Anya is a thousand-year-old ex-demon with a love of money, a fear of rabbits, and a habit of taking everything literally; Giles is Buffy's watcher and a librarian-turned-magic-shop-owner, who is stereotypically British (loves tea, is uncomfortable with shows of emotion) and has a dark past; Spike is everyone's favourite villain, with platinum-blonde hair and a leather jacket he took from a slayer he killed in 80s New York; Oz is a werewolf of few words; Angel a broody vampire with a soul (literally); Joyce, Buffy's mother who can't quite get her head around the whole slayer thing; and Willow a lesbian witch with a talent for hacking. How can you not love it?

6. 90s fashion



Think chokers, mini-skirts and boots, butterfly clips, animal prints, dungarees, crimped hair, PTA-inspired outfits, and more leather than you can shake a stick at.

7. Real problems to solve



I love books/films/TV programmes where there's a real problem to solve, and the characters have to sit down and work it out. Whether it's the entire town losing their voices, a demon who can't be killed, a vampire Buffy has to kill without her slayer powers, or yet another apocalypse, there's no shortage of real problems in Buffy.

8. Emotional power



Prepare to cry. The Body (5.16) is heartbreaking, especially Anya's speech, as is The Gift (5.22), and Grave (6.22). Even many of the lighter episodes pack an emotional punch.

9. Real villains



Buffy has to face truly dangerous villains, including the Gentlemen (in possibly my favourite and certainly the creepiest episode, Hush (4.10)), Dracula, a goddess from a hell-dimension, a rogue slayer, and the First Evil itself. She also has to deal with friends and lovers who have turned evil.

10. It's empowering



Whether they're tackling demons or simply day-to-day life, Buffy and her friends never give up, and always empower me to do the same.

The 2019 Emmy Nominations have officially been announced (you can check out a full list here). I don't actually watch that much TV, but I did watch (and fall in love with) Killing Eve and Fleabag. So, if you watched and loved them too, here are some recommendations for what to read and watch next:



FLEABAG
Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Comedy Actress (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Sian Clifford and Olivia Colman), Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Fiona Shaw and Kristin Scott Thomas), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series ("Episode 1"), and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series ("Episode 1").

Watch:
Man Up (2015)
Pure (Channel 4)
Patrick Melrose (Sky Atlantic)

Read:
Nina is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi
Paradise Lodge by Nina Stibbe
Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple
Supper Club by Lara Williams
The Pisces by Melissa Broder



KILLING EVE
Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Drama Actress (Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Fiona Shaw), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series ("Desperate Times"), and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series ("Nice and Neat").

Watch:
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 5)
Notes on a Scandal (2006)

Read:
Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings
LoveMurder by Saul Black
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Evil Games by Angela Marsons

This blog post is inspired by the 'I Should Have Read That' book tag, which I saw here, on C.G. Drews' blog.



A BOOK THAT A CERTAIN FRIEND IS ALWAYS TELLING YOU TO READ?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Hopefully that certain friend doesn't see this blog post, and realise that I still haven't read it. I do intend to. Honestly.

A BOOK THAT’S BEEN ON YOUR TBR FOREVER AND YET YOU STILL HAVEN’T PICKED IT UP?
The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill

I love crime fiction, and I really like Susan Hill's style of writing (especially in Air And Angels), so this one seems like a no-brainer.

A BOOK IN A SERIES YOU HAVE STARTED, BUT HAVEN’T GOTTEN ROUND TO FINISHING YET?
Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams

I'm really bad for this, but there is something reassuring about knowing you have a really good series to come back to.

A CLASSIC YOU HAVE ALWAYS LIKED THE SOUND OF, BUT NEVER ACTUALLY READ?
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

This is the favourite of a close friend (with impeccable taste).

A POPULAR BOOK THAT IT SEEMS EVERYONE BUT YOU HAS READ?
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

I desperately want to read this one before it comes to the BBC later this year.

A BOOK THAT INSPIRED A FILM/TV ADAPTATION THAT YOU REALLY LOVE, BUT YOU JUST HAVEN’T READ IT YET?
The Patrick Melrose Novels by Edward St. Aubyn

I don't normally watch adaptations before I read the books, but I only decided to add this series to my to-read list after falling in love with the TV adaptation.

A BOOK YOU SEE ALL OVER INSTAGRAM BUT HAVEN’T PICKED UP YET?
Normal People by Sally Rooney

I don't actually have Instagram, so I answered this one with Twitter in mind. But, come to think of it, I've seen this book everywhere.

I recently watched John Wick, and it made me think about how much I love stylish thrillers. So here are my top five:


John Wick
Here's the director, Neo’s Stunt Guy Chad Stahelski, on How The Matrix Changed Movie Action Forever.


Atomic Blonde
Director David Leitch explains how Atomic Blonde Got Its Most Insane Action Sequence.
And here's an article on why the dealmaking to pull off the 1980s-soaked 'Atomic Blonde' soundtrack was as intense as the fight scenes.


Drive
Check out this article on How ‘Drive’ Created the Template for Timeless Cool.


Skyfall
This article claims that This Might Be the Most Influential Menswear Outfit in Movie History.


Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Here's the costume designer, Jacqueline Durran, for GQ: Style Reconnaissance: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Do you ever pick up a book or film because of a certain description it's given? I'm a sucker for anything described as having unlikable protagonists, strong female characters, or dysfunctional families. The latter perhaps reminds me of my own. Here are some of my favourite stories of dysfunctional families:

The Royal Tenenbaums


It's Wes Anderson, so of course it's got a star-studded cast, a weird and witty script, and is beautifully stylish.

The Corrections


The characters are fantastic, inevitably forcing comparisons with people you actually know, and the plot alternates between highly realistic and mildly ludicrous. In the best way.

Instructions for a Heatwave


The Corrections has its finale at Christmas, but this one perfectly evokes the heatwave of July 1976. The writing is beautiful, and the characterisation incredible.

Little Miss Sunshine


It's remembered for its brilliant VW bus scenes, but this film also has a fantastic cast, and a plot that's somehow equally funny and moving.

On Beauty


This book is every bit as stunning as its cover. I loved the way the characters react with each other, the balance between individual situations and bigger issues, and the way Smith writes.

The Kids Are All Right


What I loved most about this one is the way it made a very good film about a family with two mums - that is about so much more than that. Also another one with a great cast.


What are some of your favourite fictional dysfunctional families? And what descriptions can you not resist?

I don't scare easily, and things rarely make me jump, so it's a notable occasion when I read or watch something that makes me a little uneasy to turn off the light and go to sleep. If you also love that feeling, here are a few things I've read and watched that made me wonder what goes bump in the night:

Luther


I've only recently started watching Luther, but am really enjoying it and am already up to the fifth and latest season (although only one episode in). One of the things I love about it is that there have been a couple of episodes that have left me with that slightly uneasy feeling, notably: 2.1 (the killer with the Punch mask), 3.1 and 3.2 (the killer who hides in his victim's homes), and 5.1 (the killer with the infamous bus scene).

The Road


A man and his son walk through post-apocalyptic America, heading for the south. They have a pistol and two bullets, an old map preserved in torn fragments, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food, and each other. And that's really the entire plot. But this book, with its beautifully terse style of writing, made me want to keep reading until I reluctantly, and uneasily, turned out the light and dreamt of it.

If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend The Girl With All the Gifts.

Collaborators


I watched this memorable student production of John Hodge's Collaborators, about the relationship between Mikhail Bulgakov and Joseph Stalin, in which a friend of mine was excellent as the infamous dictator. And then I returned home, and kept expecting Stalin to burst out of my wardrobe (as he does in the play).

If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend The Noise of Time.

The Firm


John Grisham might seem like an odd choice, but this book, about an ambitious, young lawyer who gets what seems to be his dream job at a law firm, is a lot more unsettling than you would expect from a legal thriller.

If you enjoyed this, I'd recommend The Devil's Advocate (1997).

Doctor Who: Blink (3.10)


This episode, introducing the Weeping Angels for the first time, is a classic for a reason. And it's currently on BBC iPlayer.


What books/films/television programmes have left you slightly uneasy to turn off the light? I'd love to hear any suggestions!

The BBC aired a three-part adaptation of Agatha Christie's The A.B.C. Murders over Christmas - you can still watch it on iPlayer, here - and it was pretty controversial. I decided to reread the book before watching the series, so that I could better decide what I thought of it, and because I love any excuse to reread the Queen of Crime.



Poirot.
Poirot is key to any adaptation. Once I got over the initial shock of John Malkovich's lack of moustaches, I loved his interpretation of Poirot. I especially loved the way he expressed himself; the combination of Poirot's Belgian accent, and Malkovich's deliberation over the syllables suited the thoughtful detective.

One of the things I really enjoyed when I reread the book was Poirot's charm, and while this adaptation is much darker than Christie's novel, I was glad that some of that charm was retained. I particularly like the way he spoke out when he felt he should, but without forgetting his manners - for example, in telling Megan Barnard his honest opinion of Donald Fraser. That felt very Poirotian.

The priest-backstory is a bold move, but not necessarily one that doesn't make sense. Poirot is a Catholic, and I liked the idea that he can't forgive himself - this fear that he isn't good enough is very present in Christie's Poirot. Given this series' focus on immigration (more on that next), it made sense to show a glimpse of the atrocities of war, which Poirot experienced and fled from. I also thought that Malkovich made that moment, where Poirot decides to tell the authorities, when he arrives in England, that he is a policeman, very believable - that moment could easily have gone either way. And I was glad that Poirot kept his past a secret to everyone except the viewer, even though both Crome and Franklin directly enquired about it.

Immigration.
One of the reasons this adaptation was so controversial, was its focus on immigration. I liked this angle, as it is both relevant and fits historically. There is also precedent for it in the book, with Poirot often being aware that people perceive him differently as a foreigner, and, of course, Poirot is always proud of both his new home and his heritage (I loved Malkovich's line about having lived in England for so long, and yet people still think he is French - very in-keeping with Christie's Poirot, and cleverly subverting the viewer's expectations of a comment on racism), and always retains his French idioms. It was also another way of making the series darker, and of showing Poirot, at the start of the series, to be at a low point.

Making it darker.
The adaptation was a lot darker than the novel; not just tonally, but also in terms of actual plot changes. I'm never sure about the need a lot of adaptations seem to feel to make their material dark for the sake of it, especially because it seems to be what everyone does. I know that a lot of people like dark crime fiction (myself included), but a lot of people also like Agatha Christie for what she does: witty, charming, clever mysteries.

This adaptation started with an old, tired, and increasingly isolated Poirot. He dyed his grey beard black, only to have the result mocked by members of the police; he reached out to the police to find that Inspector Japp was retired, and the young Inspector Crome didn't want anything to do with him; and he was subject to unkindness from the police and members of the public alike. This felt quite clichéd. In the book, the young Crome is in charge of the investigation, but he is nowhere near as hostile to Poirot as he is in this adaptation; and when Christie's Poirot admits to dying his moustaches black, it is in response to Captain Hastings (who is very self-conscious about his own receding hairline) complimenting how well he looks. My main problem with this adaptation's darker take on an ageing Poirot, was the fact that it meant he didn't have a proper companion for most of the series.



The other characters.
As discussed above, this adaptation sees Japp (killing him off seemed like hammering the point home, about Poirot being old and out-of-touch, a bit too much) replaced with Crome, who is initially hostile to Poirot, but eventually becomes the closest thing to a companion Poirot has - in the absence of Captain Hastings, the narrator of the book. While I liked the way Rupert Grint played Crome, my main criticism of the adaptation was that Poirot had no proper companion. Like Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who, Poirot needs a companion to keep the reader/audience in the loop. We need someone to be as in the dark as we are, and to ask the questions we're asking. Poirot is also at his most entertaining when he is bouncing off a companion, especially one like Hastings who is always desperate to act, while Poirot is content to sit and think.

I wasn't convinced by all of the changes to the characters (I'm the first to admit that I like a faithful book adaptation, as much as possible), especially since I wasn't sure why they were necessary. The characters were all fine as they ended up, and they provided nice little backstories which the ending of the series returned to. I especially liked Hermione, who was just like I'd imagined her. Although I did miss the characters who got together to try to help Poirot - I thought we were going to get this when Franklin gathered himself, Thora, Megan, and Donald together, but it soon fell apart. Poirot's questioning of them, in the book, was one of my favourite parts.

The plot.
Most of the plot changes seemed to be geared towards making the adaptation darker, or to spinning out additional little backstories (which were only hinted at, if that, in the novel), and as such worked fine. Having said that, I did find the ending a little slow and drawn-out.


What did you think of the adaptation? Let me know, either via Goodreads or Twitter (you can find me at @Katheryn97T)!

This is definitely one of the hardest decisions I've made all year:

Honorary mentions:
3. Pictures from Hopper for speaking to me (and being from an indie publisher)
2. Leverage in Death for being the 47th in the series and still fantastic
1. Nutshell for being narrated by a foetus



10. Still Alice
This one makes the cut for making me cry.


9. The Monogram Murders
I finally got round to reading this one, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This is the reason my tbr-list never gets any shorter; I read this one, and immediately added the next two to my to-read list.


8. Three Things About Elsie
I wasn't convinced this one would be able to live up to The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, but it definitely did. Joanna Cannon is definitely one to watch.


7. Where'd You Go, Bernadette
I loved everything about this book: its title, its gorgeous book cover, its main character, and its method of delivery. I also really enjoyed Today Will Be Different, so Maria Semple is another one to watch.


6. Americanah
This one deserves a place on the list for challenging my views about illegal immigrants.


5. Girl Waits with Gun
A new favourite series, based on the true story of the one of the first female deputy sheriffs in America.


4. War Music: An Account of Homer's Iliad
This one just blew me away.


3. The Corrections
I can't resist literary fiction about a dysfunctional family, especially when its climax is one last family Christmas.


2. Blind Defence
This series is another new favourite (it starts with Summary Justice), for its focus on a defence barrister with a murder conviction.


1. Shakespeare: The Biography
This one gets first place, simply because I learnt so much from it.