Politics and palace intrigue add flair to this medieval murder mystery The Magician’s Death is a murder mystery based during the early 14th century. Thought the story starts off in Paris, most of the plot is set in the Corfe Castle in Dorset – an area rife with murders as we will soon learn. The Plot At the start of the novel, we are given a glimpse of the political rivalry between King Edward of …
Culture
Wilkie Collins is famous genre-defining novels like The Moonstone & The Women in White – these novels often make it to the top hundred lists. The Haunted Hotel is a lesser known work – a purely gothic story with interesting characters, haunted rooms and scandalous love affairs. Without spoiling the plot, there is a lot making it a page turner. A hush-hush marriage, a scorned lover, rivalry between brothers, missing servants and phantom visions – …
Let’s stand and applaud. Quentin Tarantino of Indian Cinema has arrived. And how! With Kaminey, Vishal Bharadwaj weaves the familiar Tarantino-ish magic of black humour and gorgeous violence. Yes, I used the word gorgeous as an adjective to violence–because in filmmaking, that is possible and yet very difficult to achieve. Kaminey is a milestone in the way movies are made in Bollywood. For starters, it doesn’t dumb down the story for the audience. Second, the …
Probably said this a hundred times already but cozy, mystery stories are my comfort read. Back from a lovely but tiring trip, I just wanted to unwind with an easy and fast read. So I picked up Menu for Murder by J. G. Goodhind and “As If by Magic” by Dolores Gordon-Smith. I am reviewing them together because they are part of the same genre yet very different. I am no writer and do feel …
Up in the air. In Suspension. In limbo. This Oscar nominated movie is all about uncertainty. Narrated through the eyes of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) , a corporate consultant whose job is to layoff people. Up in the Air is clearly a movie of the times. On the surface, you would believe that this story is about being a frequent flyer, about calling the airplane your home and about the privileges of being a premium …
Swan Lake I have to say one thing about being in the US of A, it gives us time and opportunities to explore exciting things. I, in my life, never thought that I will go and see a live ballet performance. That too the famous “Swan Lake” by the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The St. Louis Ballet Company. Now to appreciate ballet, there are few pre-requisites, something that we realized after the 3 hr …
For someone who does not know of America’s freedom struggle, The Revolutionary Paul Revere is a fast-paced biography which not only talks about one of the most important patriots but also educates the reader on the start of the American freedom struggle. For those unfamiliar with the legend, Paul Revere was that express rider, who on one very famous midnight ride , awoke every house from Boston to Lexington and informed them about the approaching …
P.D. James is quite popular on the blogosphere. I now know why. I was lucky enough to get a hardback edition of “An Unsuitable Job for a Woman’ for less than a dollar at my local library sale . The book turned out to be a Cordelia Gray mystery. Yay for me! I have always loved stories with strong and independent female characters since my Nancy Drew and Anne Shirley days. The Plot The book …