Book 65 (the tenth): Holes, by Louis Sachar

Read: Friday 16th July (and a bit in the earliest part of Saturday 17th, when I really should have been asleep).

Review: I enjoyed this modern-day fairy tale about a boy named Stanley, his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather, the notorious outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow and the mysterious Madame Zeroni. Accused of stealing the famous Clyde Livingstone's own baseball shoes, Stanley is sent to the correctional facility that is Camp Green Lake. It's an accurate name, except that nothing is green. And there is no lake. Every day, each boy in the camp is forced to dig one hole, exactly five feet deep and five feet in circumference. Ostensibly the reason is that the activity is character-building - but Stanley begins to suspect that the Warden may have a hidden agenda. The different threads of this narrative are competently woven together to make for an interesting, enjoyable read. As for whether Stanley's character is improved - you'll have to make that judgement for yourself.

Time: About 17 hours, but with lots of time in the middle spent on a fun day out to Helmsley and Pickering (both excellent castles). We also visited an amazing cafe in Pickering which was full of all kinds of astonishing confections, and where I sampled the most delicious hot chocolate I have ever tasted. Probably.

Book 64 (the 9th): The Kite Rider, by Geraldine McCaughrean

Read: Listened, actually, to an (unabridged) audiobook, on Tuesday 13th, Thursday 15th and Friday 16th July.

Review: The wonderfully gripping, very well-told tale of Haoyou, a lad living in China under the Song Dynasty. The story begins with a harrowing description of the death of Gou Pei, Haoyou's father, at the hands of the mean and merciless first mate of the ship he is a sailor on. Di Chou forces Pei to drink large amounts of rice wine and then ties him to a kite, which is flown high in the sky as the ship's wind tester. This apparently is a superstitious custom observed before any voyage sets sail. When Pei does not survive the flight, the horrified Haoyou runs to tell his mother; he is further shocked and enraged when Di Chou attends the funeral, and offers to become his mother's new husband. The tale continues in a series of unexpected twists and turns as Haoyou and his duty-defying cousin, Mipeng, seek to evade first Di Chou and subsequently an escalating series of unpleasant people and events, culminating in a stand-off with Kublai Khan himself. Full of emotion, sometimes harrowing, and with moments of hilarity, this is a masterful tale of duty and destiny, superstition and belief, weather and luck, elephants and Mongols and kites. Definitely the best book so far! Read it!

Audiobook: I also really enjoyed Anton Lesser's excellent narration.

Time: Seven hours, six minutes and 58 seconds! Although my listening was spread over several days; it mainly occurred in the car on the way to and back from my trip down to Harpenden, where I spent two days in my new school, met my class, spoke to the parents, did a cover lesson, and got to know my way around.

Film 59: "The Lord of the Rings" (Trilogy)

This one was quite fun to do as it was own little side-challenge. Kate and I were discussing the three "Lord of the Rings" films shortly after I obtained the extended editions of each film. I posited that it would be rather difficult to watch all of them in a single day, and Kate, quite naturally, challenged me to do so.

What are the stakes of this side-challenge, I hear you online film aficionados asking... only a free ice cream from Cold Stone (just as soon as Kate and I get to the States, that is)!!! 12.5 hours, 4 snack breaks and 6 toilet trips later, the challenge was done.

Kate should have known better.

Synoahpsis, "The Fellowship of the Ring":

The first of the three installments of this saga had me absolutely riveted from very start. Actually, that's a lie; I've fallen asleep during all 4 of my previous attempts to see this movie. This time, I was considerably more interested in the film, especially as there was so much at stake. Knowing my propensity to loose interest in the realm of Middle Earth, I thought it would be best to try to really keep up and delve into Tolkein's world. I therefore switched on the subtitles, and followed the progress of the story according to my map of Middle Earth on the back of my DVD case.

Suddenly, it all made sense. I found that, with a bit of scope and geographical awareness, it was much easier to get into the story, and I ended up loosing myself in the film.

The first part of the adventure begins with Frodo getting a super creepy ring from old Bilby. The tall and eventually shiny guy tells him it's sort of a big deal, and he's now being hunted down for his new bling, and he needs to leg it before the baddies get there. The adventure begins.

To make a long story unjustifiably short, 4 short dudes, an eventually shiny guy, a garden gnome (but not in a garden), one of Santa's helpers, and to tall chaps with swords all set out from the North pole to throw the ring in the fires of Mt. Doom because Royal Mail didn't exist yet. They battle some evil guys, get about halfway there and disband. Roll credits.

I should have done this review before watching the other two films, because, in light of them, this whole film was just 3 hours of exposition for some good times to follow.

The best bit:

The whole film is a glowing example of epic cinematography and amazing story-telling. My favorite scene would have to be whole of the passing through the mines of Moria. From the reading of the dwarves journal to the plummet of Gandalf, It was one of those edge-of-your-seat bits of the story.

Marks out of 10: 7.1

Synoahpsis, "The Two Towers":

Ah, this was a lovely bit of film now. The fellowship's interests have been divided. There's the obvious tossing of the ring to be considered, but the kingdom of Rohan gets all attacked and whatnot, but their possessed king, Theoden, didn't seem too helpful. The whole of Edoras has to be moved to Helm's Deep for fear of obliteration from the orcs armies of Mordor, and that's just not fun for anyone. I don't remember how Merry and Pippin end up going to the forest of Fangorn, but the ents are awesome. Pretty much from the moment you meet the giant tree dudes, you want them to join the fight against Sarumon (whose name seems far too close to Sauron for coherence, I mean, c'mon J.R.) but this takes a while.

You would have thought that when Frodo and Sam get to the black gate that the series would have to be nearly over, but hey, it's only the halfway point. Anyway, there's a big battle that happens, humans win (score), Isengard falls to some flooding (which seems like it wouldn't take an army of trees to accomplish... maybe just some fireworks?) and Frodo gets even closer to Mordor with the help of Gollum/Smeagol, so everyone's happy.

Oh, and the eventually shiny guy turns up after a battle with a dragon or something like that all shiny now, which I think is more flattering. I still need to clear some points up about the shininess with Kate before too much time goes by.

The best bit:

While the battle for Helm's Deep was pretty epic indeed, it wasn't my favorite part. I enjoyed everything that happened in Fangorn really... it looked like a lovely forest to be in, and the slow meeting conducted in Entish reminded me of many a church meeting in the past!

Marks out of 10: 9.2

Synoahpsis, "The Return of the King":

Almost there! This film, 4 hours long as an extended edition, pretty much dwarfed all of the other movies and battles put together in scale. By the time I got to this film, I knew where everything was, thanks to my handy map of Middle Earth, and I appreciated the story line thickening up a bit with the addition of Boromir's family history.

I love when filmmakers know you know the films they've made. The opening of the film saw Smeagol murdering his brother over the ring of power... a nice little detail you don't pick up in the other films. This is odd, but not uncharacteristic of Gollum. His story is so intertwined with the ring's that it's very fitting that the beginning of the series and the end of the ring heavily involve him. Starting the film out this way just sort of echoes the ring's violent nature and brings in tension to the story of Frodo, Sam and Gollum, which gets the most screen time in this film.

Anyway, Helm's Deep turns out to be fine. The folks at Mordor don't like that, so why not attack Mina Tirith? Story lines build and converge on this huge battle, which, I'm happy to say, the goodies win (sorry for the spoiler). Oh, and Frodo, minus one finger, does manage to get rid of the ring, so woo!

Then some confusing things happen in a series of scenes which make it look like the film is about to end (something that can be very frustrating in the 11th hour and 49th minute of watching the series), but end it does. I think I still have to have a proper chat with Kate about boats, but it was a nice end to an amazing tale.

I can't believe I've been so hard on or at least ambivalent about these films. There is so much detail in the story that I want to actually read the books (someday), and so much work put into production that I want to check out other films directed by Peter Jackson. Good thing King Kong is on my list!

The best bit:

There were so many it's hard to choose, but I really did like seeing Sam rescue Frodo from the top of a tower in the middle of Mordor. Watching that scene start, I actually said aloud "Now how the heck is Frodo gonna get out of that one?" It did seem a bit unlikely that Sam would have been able to get up so quickly and so lacking in flesh wounds, but good for him.

Marks out of 10: 9.1

Book 63: Redwall, by Brian Jacques

Read: My 8th book, read between Sunday 11th and Wednesday 14th July
Review: An irritatingly engaging, too-safe children's fantasy novel about Matthias (a mouse) and his quest to defend Redwall - the mouse abbey, sheltering an assortment of innocent woodland creatures - against a vicious band of marauding rats. Full of quick quarrels implausibly resolved, 'somehows' and the odd loose end; overshadowed by a feeling of unbroachable ultimate safety for our protagonist, no matter what scrapes he gets himself into; yet, for some reason, once I'd got about a third of the way through, strangely compelling - almost enjoyable.
Time: By far the longest yet - three days! In my defence, those three days were also spent at church, having an afternoon at the castle and on the beach with mum and dad, packing up almost all of my belongings, loading them into the car, driving to Harpenden, staying the night with total strangers and spending my first ever day in my new school.

Film 58: "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"

So here it is... my first review– a lovely little milestone on the majestic road leading to Kate's swift and merciless defeat. What better way to start this venture than with a Disney movie?

Synoahpsis:

"Bedknobs and Broomsticks" is a lovely little story set in the turmoil of 1940s England. Like the start of so many wartime family films, we see the city dwelling children, our protagonists, being ripped from their families and evacuated to the safety of the English countryside whereupon a witch is found. The kids and their magical hostess quickly get over their differences and begin a lovely whirlwind adventure for a spell which the witch played by "Murder she Wrote" star Angela Lansbury needs to aid in the war effort. Hilarity and creative problem-solving ensue.

I quite enjoyed the film. I normally don't like the sort of films which are partially animated (ya know, like "Pete's Dragon" or "Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny" sort of thing, but I was pleased with this one. I still haven't worked out whether Nazis would have carried row boats on their submarines or not, but I'll leave that question to the historians of the world.

The best bit:

Definitely the comically violent animated soccer game refed by Mr. Banks of "Marry Poppins".

Marks out of 10: 5.8

The Book List

I'm slowing up! That's the problem with having to pack all your stuff in between doing exciting holiday activities like going for walks and swimming in the sea: reading time is dramatically reduced. I haven't been on a train for five whole days!

Anyway, in the meantime, I've got a list of books I still need to acquire. If you have a copy of any of these books... please lend it to me! Email me, text me, send the book by carrier pigeon - get it to me somehow! (Otherwise, Noah might win - and then he'd be able to make pretensions to claiming that films have a modicum of superiority over books, which we all know to be fallacious).

The books:

Richard Adams, Watership Down

Lucy M. Boston, The Children of Green Knowe

Robert Cormier, The Chocolate War

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 2. Absolute Zero

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 3. Bagthorpes Unlimited

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 4. Bagthorpes Versus the World

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 5. Bagthorpes Abroad

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 6. Bagthorpes Haunted

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 7. Bagthorpes Liberated

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 8. The Bagthorpe Triangle

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 9. Bagthorpes Besieged

Helen Cresswell, The Bagthorpe Saga: 10 Bagthorpes Battered

Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy

Cornelia Funke, Thief Lord

Jamila Gavin, Coram Boy

Rumer Godden, The Black Narcissus

James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small

Susan Hill, I’m the King of the Castle

Heinrich Hoffman, Struwwelpeter

Brian Jacques, Redwall

Erich Kastner, Emil and the Detectives

Edward Lear, Complete Nonsense

Jack London, White Fang

Michelle Magorian, Goodnight Mr Tom

J. P. Martin, Uncle

J. P. Martin, Uncle Cleans Up

J. P. Martin, Uncle and His Detective

J. P. Martin, Uncle and the Treacle Trouble

J. P. Martin, Uncle and Claudius the Camel

J. P. Martin, Uncle and the Battle for Badgertown

Geraldine McCaughrean, Kite Rider

Spike Milligan, A Children’s Treasury of Milligan: Classic Stories and Poems

L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Jenny Nimmo, The Snow Spider

Marcus Sedgwick, The Book of Dead Days

Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

Sylvia Waugh, The Mennyms

Kaye Webb, I Like this Poem: Favourite Poems Chosen by Children

Robert Westall, The Machine Gunners

Kit Wright, Hoping it Might Be So: Poems 1974-2000

Book 7 (or 62): The Iron Man, by Ted Hughes.

Notes: I need to change my labelling system so it matches up with Noah's. Otherwise, how would we be able to tell that I was ahead? I started with 1 as my first book in the competition. But of course, I had already read many of the 100 books on my list. I therefore jump ahead by 55 (the number I'd already read), making my Book 1 into Book 56, and this, Book 7, into Book 62. The only flaw with this system is that some list items contain more than one book or film. 'The Bagthorpe Saga' by Helen Cresswell, for example, in fact contains ten books. To solve this problem, I'll use letters when a list item is more than one book. So without further ado...

Book 62: The Iron Man, by Ted Hughes

Read: Saturday 10th July, in between tidying my flat, starting to do some packing and welcoming my parents, who have come to visit.
Review: "The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff. How far had he walked? Nobody knows. Where had he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows." As poetic a tale as one might expect from Ted Hughes, which raises some interesting questions about purpose, belonging and acceptance. This book seems to me to ask a lot of questions without really answering any of them - but at the end I felt the peace described in the space-bat-angel-dragon's eerie singing. And that, I've always thought, is the sign of a good story.
Time: I guess about eleven hours. Breaks for sorting, tidying, packing, food, a quick trip into Scarborough to buy parcel tape, a walk on Filey Brigg, and a decidedly bracing evening swim in the North Sea followed by hot chocolate.