We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.
Books: Skylark & The Storm
Today, we recommend Skylark by Paula McLain. This book alternates between 1664 and 1939. In the earlier timeline, Aloutte, a woman ahead of her time who wants to create her own masterpiece, is unjustly imprisoned in a notorious insane asylum where she and numerous other women are tortured and abused. In the latter, Kristof Larson, a doctor, befriends his neighbors, a Jewish refugee family and eventually becomes their only hope. Although these two stories may seem unrelated, a connection is extremely briefly touched on at the very end of the book. Savvy readers may have an inkling of what the revelation will be, even if they cannot guess it exactly. However, mostly the two halves feel like two separate stories, though. Therefore, we'll talk about each in turn.
In the first timeline, Aloutte is a strong, fiesty, admirable heroine. Although she may have avoided her devastating fate by kowtowing to those in charge, it was not in her character to do so, and she wouldn't let her father be falsely imprisoned either without trying to intervene. The pair of women she befriends in prison are equally admirable and brave. The friendship that develops between the three is a highlight of the novel. It's always nice to read about female friendships where the women are truly supportive of each other, and this one is made even more touching by the horrible circumstances under which it is formed and maintained.
The male characters are mostly despicable and triggering. The fact that their behavior and attitudes were typical of the time doesn't make them any more palatable. The only male characters who are not are Aloutte's father, who barely appears in the story, and Etienne, the man Aloutte falls in love with. Etienne's character, however, is barely developed, and it doesn't speak well of him that, although he claims to care about Aloutte, he basically leaves her to her fate. It is hard to feel strongly about their relationship because it's such a small part of the novel, and he does the bare minimum of being there for her.
The ending of this portion of the book is both shocking and disappointing. Just when it seems likely Alouette will finally get the ending she deserves, the story takes a surprising and unwelcome turn.
The main character in the other portion of the book is purportedly Kristof Larsen, but his Jewish neighbors, particularly their teenage daughter, Sasha, are the more interesting characters. Their strong family bonds, despite their dire circumstances, are extremely poignant. As for Sasha, she is both braver and stronger than she thinks she can be, and the relationship that develops between her and her fellow teens is touching.
This part of the book is slower than the other. Despite the dreadful sense of foreboding that permeates this timeline, it takes a long time to get to the gist of the story as foreshadowed in the book's description, and that is only a short portion of the story. Thus, Aloutte's story is generally a much more exciting read.
Today, we recommend The Storm by Rachel Hawkins. The Rosalie Inn, a hotel that has survived three deadly hurricanes, is a family legacy. When its current owner, Geneva Corliss, learns that author August Fletcher is coming to the hotel to research an infamous event that occurred during one of the storms, the death of Landon Fitzroy, a senator and son of a wealthy family, she hopes the notoriety will help the hotel's bottom line. However, she has no idea that Lo Bailey, Fitzroy's former teenage lover who was suspected but never convicted of his death, will be accompanying August.
This is a compelling story full of twists and turns and surprising revelations. Hardly anyone is what they seem, which makes for an intriguing story. Still, it is hard to root for or care about Geneva. Although she is at the center of the story, she doesn't have the required main character energy. She is greatly overshadowed by others in the story, especially Lo, who is quite a force of nature. Still, the central mystery is interesting enough to hold interest, however.
Movie: Hans Zimmer & Friends Diamonds in the Desert
Today, we are discussing Hans Zimmer & Friends Diamonds in the Desert. This movie about the renowned film score composer is part documentary, part concert film. Performances of songs from his catalog are interspersed with brief discussions with some of his famous colleagues regarding the art of making music for films. Among them are actors, fellow musicians, directors, and producers, including Zendaya, Billie Eilish, Christopher Nolan, and more.
The musical portion of the film is quite extensive, covering a vast selection of Zimmer's catalog. Movies represented include The Dark Knight, Dune, and Interstellar, as well as The Lion King and more. Any fan of Zimmer's music should love this film. However, if you are not a fan of his music, you will likely find it long and tedious.
And that's our view. Skylark and The Storm were published today. Hans Zimmer & Friends Diamonds in the Desert is available for purchase on DVD or digitally for purchase or rental.
Book images used in this post are our own. Any and all other photos have been sent to us by publicists, artists, and/or PR firms and are used with permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, contact us here, and we will look into the matter
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