Album Review: BENEATH THE SKIN by Of Monsters and Men

Icelandic five-piece band, Of Monsters and Men, unleashed their second album today named Beneath the Skin. Following their highly successful debut album, My Head Is An Animal, the band had a lot to live up to. This successor does not disappoint at all, sounding like a loyal sequel to their first album whilst still bringing something powerfully individual to the table.

Book Review: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER

Source Photo and Cover Art: http://www.heatherlandis.com/

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer: the beautifully-covered, hauntingly-mysterious cliché-parody. Michelle Hodkin's bestselling primary novel of the Mara Dyer series tells the story of young sixteen-year-old Mara, whose friends' untimely deaths shock her into psychological trauma, forcing herself and her family into a new life. Once they all settle into a new place, Mara cannot shake the doubt, guilt and uncertainty that plagues her daily. Now nothing is certain; everything a question.

Marathon TV: THE 100 Overview, Thoughts and Predictions

We all have those moments when we hastily binge-watch a show after we check it out on a whim or hear the hype in some crevice of the internet. Despite the fast-pace-large-intake, marathoning TV shows is a great way to fully immerse yourself in the world and realise exactly what works and what doesn't in the plot, characters and universe. So I thought I'd start a new series called "Marathon TV", for intensive overviews of all my thoughts on the show, predictions for any future seasons (and to curb my withdrawal symptoms of not being able to immediately watch the next episode).

The first instalment is The 100 (produced by Jason Rothenberg), a science-fiction teenage drama that takes place in a post-apocalyptic universe. There have been two seasons so far, airing on the CW or E4 in England and can be compared to the extremely popular series Lost mixed with The Hunger Games. The premise itself is intriguing: the earth has currently been unpopulated for nearly 100 years due to a nuclear war where radiation which has left it unsurvivable for human beings. Cue the creation of 'The Ark', a large space station that now houses the remainder of the human race. However, The Ark is beginning to run out of air and rapid action needs to be taken. This leads the Ark's council and governmental system to decide to send down a group of 100 teenage delinquents and criminals, a large enough but expendable population to go back down to earth to assess its conditions and whether the human race can move back there for good. Once The 100 land, all seems well at first. But lingering radiation has had its effects on the ground, and the teenagers are not alone. 

TV Review: BLACK MIRROR - FIFTEEN MILLION MERITS

Every so often, you watch something that makes you reel back, enstranged, and forces you to really look at the world around you, to really see what is happening that has become so familiar. Black Mirror, a Charlie Brooker psychological-thriller series, looks at the impact technology has and could make on our future society. Each episode is self-contained and assesses a different technological development or invention that bends the possibilities of the future, stretches human capabilities and tests human morals. Every episode is startlingly creative, presenting the technological modern audience with everything and anything that could go wrong.

One episode in particular, "Fifteen Million Merits" (S1E2) hit me significantly hard. The narrative tells the story of a future universe where humans live in futuristic, black-boxed rooms, riding on stationary bicycles day-in-day-out to generate power. Each person must ride everyday to receive "merits", a kind of electronic currency that they need in order to purchase everything from toothpaste to new clothes for their online avatars. This universe is bleak, but simultaneously bright with the light from the screens implanted in every wall.

Film Review: MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN

How is it that we now live in a world where we can make contact without ever touching? How it is that we can interact, torment, and embrace others without ever having to say a word? Jason Reitman's (Juno, Up In The Air) latest feature, Men, Women & Children explores what makes this possible by delving into the extremes and possibilities of the internet. No longer a purely functional service, the internet has become a removed yet entirely absorbing ecosystem that now coexists alongside reality. Reitman successfully considers this crux of the modern day: where displaying more and more of our identities online is leaving what is left in our bodies in a fragile position. How does the internet affect personal development and relationships when it becomes the ultimate mediator that filters into every facet of our lives?   

An array of shocking and unusual narratives converge as the film presents us with a selection of characters whose stories all intertwine, networked like the internet itself. Reitman's film takes place from a distanced perspective, beginning interestingly in outer space whilst a omnipresent narrator observes the human race's new and strange technological behaviour as David Attenborough would of a colonised species, where something very odd has interfered with the direction of our evolution. This allows the viewer to become removed as heavy issues such as infidelity, eating disorders, porn and privacy are addressed. But above all, the viewer begins to notice how the uncontrollable acceleration of the internet can harbour obsession.

Film Review: THE BLING RING

The second and most recent of Sofia Coppola's films I've watched, The Bling Ring, presents the story of five Hollywood Hills teenagers who find thrill, excitement and belonging in stealing from the houses of big-name celebrities. These continuous burglaries brand the group with the film's title: The Bling Ring. Based off real events, Coppola reconstructs the tale with artistic flair, showing rather than telling.

Having no prior expectations or knowledge of this controversial event, I walked into The Bling Ring with intrigue and curiosity. However, after finishing the movie with an unease in my stomach and a bad taste in my mouth, I couldn't stop thinking of this film's subtle and impacting suggestions of gratuitous materialism and idolised infatuation. Instead of receiving a detailed documentary on the happenings of these Hollywood burglaries, Coppola instead presented a very ambiguous but nuanced depiction of this group of teenagers and the society they live in.

I found myself subsequently thinking about this film from a Modernist perspective and realising that despite the overt and at times suffocating 21st century edge to its direction, The Bling Ring highlights a mirroring of Early American modernity. From its fast-paced and almost Imagist portrayal to the darker moments of materialism and falsity, I felt like the film could be viewed as a social commentary on our growing technological fascination and the inevitable corruption that follows. A great example is the film's frequent inclusions of various red-carpet photos and videos of celebrities which flicker across the screen in quick succession. The small images are blown up to fit the big screen, pixelated and distorted as a result. Is this our lifestyle as "millenials"? An obsession with looking and watching other people through screens and lenses of other people's cameras? If so, it makes it possible for ordinary people to live vicariously through the lives of the rich and famous, in a candid and perverse way.

Book Review: WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart

(This review contains spoilers throughout.)

I like to think that books can transport a person, not just into a different world, but into a different person. Books are their strongest when you can feel yourself become the protagonist, become the narrator and essentially adopt every facet of their life. That is exactly what We Were Liars did. E. Lockhart shapes an extraordinary novel amalgamated from pure mystery and frustration as Cadence Sinclair, our narrator , attempts to finally unearth the secrets of the forgotten summer when she was fifteen years old. Spending year after year on the private Beechwood Island with the extended Sinclair family, Cadence is now seventeen and has forgotten all the details of that summer. She knows something important, something crucial, is missing. And yet her entire family refuse to tell her the truth. This novel excels at showing her journey of self-discovery as she speculates, realises and is forced to survive with the stark horror of that truth.

We Were Liars at its simplest, is about family. In this case, it is the abundant, wealthy and beautiful Sinclairs who are established as significant right from page one, where an ornate family tree outlines three generations of them. Immediately the book installs the themes of aristocracy and lineage. Chapter One is dedicated entirely to describing this family, seeming to be of nothing bad, a family bred out of perfection and success. The unadulterated nature of this family is too sinister and slowly, the imperfections leak out at turbulent speeds. One of my favourite aspects of this novel was Lockhart's effortless way of portraying family dynamics. It is complicated, it is hopelessly frustrating and it is undeniably realistic. A family of that stature would have constant idealisations of inheritance and appearances which seep through every pore of the Sinclairs. It was so interesting to read the three main sisters argue endlessly over seemingly pointless paradoxes of who would inherit the biggest house on their private island, and who would get to keep the ivory ornaments once their parents died. It was so dark and so materialistic to read. Another interesting element of the family dynamic were how the mothers would scheme and perform constant passive aggressive acts of declaring their worth by using their children. The children became puppets to goad and beg to their grandfather for money without knowing why they were doing it. Even from personal experience, parents can mould you into something that looks shiny and kind just so other parents and other people can be jealous of your obedience. But with the Sinclairs, this was amplified to the maximum. Family became so much more powerful.

Book Review: GONE SERIES by Michael Grant

Michael Grant's six-part Young Adult series follows a beach-side community that find themselves in an impossible situation. Everyone aged fifteen and over simply disappear. No spectacular disappearance, no poof. Just gone. Perdido Beach and the surrounding area is now a strange town stuck in a large sphere where only the young roam, looking for food, looking for attention and looking for answers. The six novels follow the array of problems these children eventually face. The initial disruption; the hunger that eventually follows their limited supply of food; conflict and political strife that falls upon the children; illness and plagues; and eventually what happens when the barrier comes down. And if there weren't enough problems, their community is evolving in a rapid way. Animals and nature are changing. Humans are developing paranormal abilities. Nothing is the same. In particular, Grant explores the dynamics between and within these youths on the cusp of adolescence as they try to make sense of a world without adults, and more importantly, without rules.

I picked up the first book on a whim. I saw these books around my local library for ages, with the first instalment having been published in 2008 and I recently heard a bit of a buzz around them so I finally decided to give this series a go. I am so glad that I did. Grant has entertained me, moved me and captivated me throughout the journey that is this series and there was such a large spectrum of wonderful elements to delve into.

Film Review: DIVERGENT

(This review contains a few spoilers and direct references to scenes in the film)

I went into Divergent feeling relatively neutral, not particularly excited, and not expecting anything that great. The trailers were interesting, and I liked what I had seen so far cinematography-wise, but I didn't really know what to expect and how the director, Neil Burger, was going to interpret and develop his impression of Veronica Roth's fantastically fast-paced novel.

Even when the title sequence began rolling, I knew that there was going to be something a little special about this film. I couldn't have been more accurate. Divergent was unique in its stance on the YA novel turned film adaptation as it didn't compromise the visuals or screenplay and yet maintained a good, gripping pace. Although there were a few differences between book and movie, there were also a lot of positives about this adaptation. 

Let's start with what I liked about the film:

The cinematography and appearance of the film was stunning. The attention to detail was fantastic and I really liked their artistic representation of this crumbling but surviving futuristic Chicago. There was a good combination of futurism and technology intermixed with the more simple and mechanical appearance I imagined from the book: for example, whilst the Erudite and Dauntless compounds had a very stylised newness about them, the trains that ran through the city still looked old and weathered. It was this juxtaposition alongside the eroding skyscrapers scattered through the city that really created an exciting visual effect.

The film was also shot in a very intimate manner in which the viewer feels very close to the main characters during the action. Specifically, I really enjoyed the visual choice to make frequent close-ups of Tris whilst the film progressed which allowed us to really notice the small changes in her disposition. My favourite element was the reoccurring motif of her reflection. After the viewer becomes familiar with the Abnegations' uneasiness with mirrors, the simulation where Tris becomes multiplied again and again into infinite copies of herself is a beautiful symbolic representation of her choice. Tris' reflection then follows her throughout the remainder of the film in moments of novelty or excitement, such as the zip-wire scene and the fear landscapes. She is forced to connect with herself.

One of the changes that, in my opinion, really benefited the plot of the film was the construction of Tris as a character. In the book, she does gain bravery and confidence immensely, but still holds something childlike and naive in her demeanour. However, Shailene Woodley's portrayal of Tris was more mature, hard hitting and wittier. Contrary to the dystopian genre, the film was full of light-hearted humorous lines which were timed effectively and because of this, I found it a lot easier to warm to Tris. I ended up preferring film-Tris to book-Tris just because I feel like the journey from girl to woman is a lot clearer in the film and there's something a lot harsher and more determined in Woodley's Tris. 

Furthermore, I enjoyed the beginning of the film a lot where we were able to get a sound and thorough introduction of all the factions and how they fit within the structures of the society. Moreover, it was interesting to see Tris slowly noticing more and more of the Dauntless until she becomes one. The scene where she climbs the bridge amongst the running Dauntless with music pounding and smile spreading across her face is magical: the viewer really experiences a certain exhilaration with her.

As for other changes that worked really well; I liked how the action was more serious, for example, the paintball activity in the novel changes to war games with fake bullets that feel like real ones. Suddenly, that omnipresent danger becomes all the more clearer even in the activities they consider "fun". The fighting, battle and action scenes were also very extensive and the stunts were very well crafted. I really valued this choreography and that they didn't minimise the action as Divergent is characteristically fast-paced and tense.

Similarly, I like how the fear landscapes were interpreted. Unlike the book, the Dauntless can only escape their fears by solving how to stop and escape it, much like a logic puzzle. This made the viewing experience a lot more satisfying and exciting however it didn't really make sense to show bravery by using puzzle solving skills which seem more suited to Erudite. I especially liked Tris and Four's journey into his landscape where he taught her the difference between Divergent actions and Dauntless actions. I felt this made more sense within the context of the tests as well as allowing a more plausible reason for Four to allow Tris into his mind.

Talking of Four, Theo James presented a version of him that was completely different to anything I had imagined, but worked surprisingly well. Theo's Four had such an intense masculinity about him whilst still retaining the tenderness and honesty so integral to his personality. Other characters which exceeded my expectations in a good way were Tori (Maggie Q), Christina (Zoe Kravitz) and Eric (Jai Courtney).

"I don't want to be just one thing. I can't be. I want to be brave, and I want to be selfless, intelligent, and honest and kind."

As for elements that didn't work as well: I really wanted more from the secondary characters. The movie was very focused on the main story-arc as I mentioned before, following Tris very closely. However, in choosing to do this, a lot of the thorough and rich subplots with the secondary characters were lost. The viewer wasn't able to see the romance blooming between Christina and Will; we weren't able to see the true extent of Peter's maliciousness; and we were unable to get introduced to any of the Dauntless-born initiates. It is fully understandable as to why these small details were cut, but the real appeal of Divergent was its set of characters, and it was a real shame that we couldn't get to know them all as well as we did in the book. This also meant that when certain characters did die, the impact was cushioned by the fact that we didn't get that intense connection.

The pacing also felt extremely rushed due to the fact that they were trying to maintain most of the plot points. A lot of scenes were included, but they all seemed to happen briefly, especially during the Dauntless initiation which loses some of its apprehension and fatality. Again this lowered the viewer's investment in the plot and characters and I struggle to think what non-readers of the book would think of this film.

Overall, Divergent was a nice accompaniment to the book. I appreciated the artistic interpretation and creation of this wonderfully corrupt future. The visual design was fantastic and the acting very good although the rushed pacing made it quite difficult to grasp the scientific side of the narrative. A great, cinematic experience but not mind-blowing.

p.s. The actor who played Will (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) looked so much like Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend in this film. Scary.

(Screencaps from http://www.divergentlife.com/)

Book Review: THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey

This brutal alien invasion novel shows Earth in true apocalyptic hysteria. Foreign species are invading the planet. But not without destroying and annihilating the entire human race first. Filled with countless psychological plot twists and a clever interpretation of human extinction, Rick Yancey excels in 'The 5th Wave'. 

The novel initially follows heroine Cassie Sullivan, a sixteen-year-old survivor of the apocalypse, whilst she recalls the destruction that followed the first four waves: a worldwide powercut; devastating tidal waves, a deathly plague which causes bleeding from every orfice; and disguised killers that look just like humans which destroys the very concept of trust. These methods have killed all but several hundred thousand humans. The population is rapidly decreasing and it is becoming more and more likely that Cassie will be the last of humanity. The reader follows her journey alongside a parallel narrator as they try to make sense of how, why and what is exactly going on. However, the 5th wave is approaching and they are running out of time.

"Cruelty isn't a personality trait. Cruelty is a habit."

I have to congratulate Yancey here for orchestrating a well-paced and engaging action novel which kept me constantly guessing by maintaining high levels of paranoia. The most effective result of this technique was the inability to deduct who the real enemy was. With the characters, you are never certain who to trust and who is telling the truth. The uncertainty that underlies every page is therefore a captivating way of keeping the story fresh and interesting the whole way through. I found 'The 5th Wave' had a similar reading experience to Divergent where the gripping plot-driven narrative encouraged me to pick this book up at any given opportunity just so I could find out what was happening next.

(This review will contain spoilers from this point onward.)

The narrative style was also very effective and the choice of narrators were also very well considered. I have to admit that after reading the first chapter through Cassie's perspective, I did get a little irritated with her voice and wondered whether I could have read a whole book in that way. However, as soon as the perspective swapped to Ben Parish, I was immediately engaged. Getting a drastically opposing focalisation  to Cassie added insight as well as heightened the aforementioned uncertainty. Once the reader begins to familiarise themselves with Ben and view the events through his indoctrinated point of view, the aliens' manipulation feels that much more realistic. 

The dichotomy between Cassie and Ben was also so clever. At the beginning of the novel when Cassie spends many pages describing her obsession with her high-school crush, I sighed and wondered why there was such an emphasis on this frivolous and admittingly irritating detail. I was so relieved to discover his greater involvement in the novel. There is such a great presence of dramatic irony where Ben's bland and cliché high school jock archetype is both fuelled and subverted by his development into a soldier. He becomes a similarly faceless person in a completely different way - and yet through his narration - the reader gets to learn so much more about his background, adding layers and texture to his characterisation. It was so entertaining to read the climax where Ben's and Cassie's story lines collide and the two meet in this unbelievable, almost hyperbolic situation where the coincidence of them meeting again makes the ending so much more enjoyable to read. It also effectively emphasises the personal journeys the two have gone on:  from one high school student sought after another, to two emotionally broken survivors who have been to hell and back. The fact that Sammy is there as a conduit to link the two together even further is brilliant and their maternal/paternal instincts demonstrate how quickly they've had to grow up. 

In my opinion, I found Ben's character arc and journey more interesting to read and I think it was also written better. The tone was more psychologically thrilling to read I really liked the dynamic between all the other child-soldiers within his army squad. I found it important that Yancey wasn't afraid to use very young children and I subsequently found Teacup to be a very interesting character. Additionally, I think the romance between Ben and Ringer was done well as it never felt artificial or forced and didn't interrupt the high pressured plot. 

On the other hand, I didn't really warm to the relationship between Cassie and Evan. I found the first scene of their initial interaction unbelievable as there was that element of insta-love. I'm not sure whether it was just Evan who I never really connected with, or whether it was Cassie's presentation of Evan that didn't sit well. However, as the novel progressed, it got easier to accept the credibility of their relationship, especially when considering Evan's literal and mental division which would lead to foreign feelings and confusion.

I'm intrigued to read the sequel: The Infinite Sea and I cannot fathom what kind of mind-blowing events Yancey will bring to the story next. So watch this space.

TV Review: First Impressions of AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

The brand new season of American Horror Story finally aired this month with the third instalment, Coven telling the mysterious story of the witches of New Orleans, and in true AHS fashion, alludes to both the past and the present as it explores the complexity of magic and witchcraft. After watching the first two episodes, I can say without hesitation that I love it. Season Three finds a middle ground between the humourous but outrageous Murder House and the darkness and cruelty of Asylum. Coven features a healthy mixture of exciting characters of both old and young generations; dynamic conflicts and antagonists; and a good helping of pancreas (sorry). With a long list of exciting plot twists and room to wonder, the introductory episodes of Season Three don't disappoint. Let's run down a few of my first impressions:

(Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers, so if you haven't watched it yet, what are you doing here? Click away and enjoy the new AHS.)

Starting with the origins of this tale, the season opens with 19th century Madame LaLaurie. Played by Kathy Bates, this strange figure brings the immediate horror to the season. LaLaurie is introduced with a face covered in blood, as she hastily applies more with a face brush: she clearly isn't going to be a tame character.Trapping and torturing slaves in her dank attic, Madame LaLaurie's eerily content disposition chilled me from the beginning. To make it worse, after doing a little research, I was horrified to realise that this woman was not fictional. Taking elements from truth whilst intermixing a frightful magical immortality to her courtesy of Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), I'm very excited to see more of LaLaurie, especially once trapped in modern day setting. Specifically, I'm intrigued to see the development of LaLaurie's obsession with mythology and her Minotauric creation and possible future allusions to mythological symbolism.

Jumping to the modern day, we are introduced to the season's main heroine: Zoe Benson (Taissa Farmiga). It was exciting seeing Taissa in the AHS cast again, and her acting doesn't disappoint in delivering a subtle but raw performance as her character is plunged into the world of witchcraft. Hopefully Zoe will make some very interesting character developments during the course of this series as her unfortunate gift of death will create some isolating and complex situations.

Similar to the past two seasons of AHS, there is still a building of significance in the form of Miss Robichaux's Academy: a boarding school for the magically talented. The school itself stands as a grand and towering white property. Equally menacing and elegant, the Miss Robichaux's seems to reflect the young women within. But will the witches remain as pure as their house? Alongside Zoe, Sarah Paulson reappears as the school's kind but icy headmistress Cordelia Foxx, Madison (Emma Roberts) a forgotten actress turned drama queen, Nat (Jamie Brewer) and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe); the other students. Although the population of the school is thin, there is no emptiness and each character displays a strong presence in their unique personalities and magical abilities. Nat is a quiet and somewhat troubled clairvoyant, which I can't wait to learn more about. Queenie is a human voodoo doll - my favourite power by far. Just think of all the possibilities the producers could take with this. Finally, Madison is blessed with telekinesis, which seems to cause much more trouble than harmony in her aggressive hands.

I commend the decision to keep this group of teenage witches tight-knit as it allows a much stronger dynamic to develop and progress between them.  Above all however, Jessica Lange's newest ruthless role as the 'Supreme' blows everyone else away as she commands every scene just with her presence. The Supreme's predicament with her inevitable ageing adds yet another menace. What lengths will she go to retain her youth? Death is not an obstacle, as we are shown in her interaction with the biochemist. With such a strong, prominently female cast, it seems that Coven will hold a very feminist approach this season which I am eager to see unfold.

"We are under siege. Our lives, our very existence is always at risk. Know this. Or, face extinction."

The visual decisions are very different from what I was expecting but have produced clever results. The costume design and atmosphere have been given a jaded, period appearance which heightens the edge of uneasiness of the strange happenings.  However, the modern day doesn't shy away either - with a college fraternity party the backdrop of the opening's main climax. The amalgamation of modern and old thrusts the show into an odd in-between where time is uncertain and vulnerable causing the viewer to remain on the periphery of secrecy.

This aforementioned party was both the cutest and most disturbing scene in Coven's first episode. We are introduced to a small, kindling relationship forming between Zoe and Kyle (Evan Peters) which doesn't last long for the fated couple. I really liked the little reference to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet as Zoe and Kyle smile to one another through the rippled surface of an ice sculpture. Not only is it implied that their relationship is cursed from the start, but it is explicitly established that these two are not going to have it easy. On the other side of the party, Madison has been drugged and brutally gang-raped by Kyle's fraternity brothers. When the boys are discovered by Kyle, they are chased onto their fraternity bus, only to be all instantly killed by Madison with a simple flick of the wrist as the bus flips over and over. Now the viewer is caught in a moral dilemma. Were these deaths excusable? These teens are confused, angry and short thinking. It's a dangerous recipe for tragedy if there was one.

Evan Peters is not the only one to play a recurring character who is killed off in the initial episode. Misty Day (Lily Rabe) is quickly becoming another one of my favourites to the group. A young woman discovered by her community for her magical power of necromancy, Misty is burned at the stake. But that is by no means her last appearance, and with the death of two main characters in Episode 1, as well as multiple murders, I'm beginning to wonder what else the writers could possibly have in store for us.

This is emphasised in the resurrection of Kyle in Episode 2. This is possibly the most exciting element of the show for me so far. I am desperate to find out how Zoe and Madison will keep this secret hidden from the Supreme and how Kyle will function as a living, breathing Frankenstein's monster. Evan Peters has also revealed that the next few episodes will show Kyle restricted to body language, devoid of speech. I also have a theory about Zoe and Kyle. As Kyle is already technically dead, would it be that Zoe's power will be reversed so that instead of killing Kyle through sex, she resurrects him instead? More darkness is also hinted to come as Cordelia performs dark fertility magic as she grasps onto her last chance of pregnancy. 

These themes of life and death are thoroughly investigated in this season of AHS thus far. Each character can either bring about one or the other, some yearn death, some yearn life, some embody death itself. If the season continues to be as excellent as it has been so far, it may surpass as my favourite season.

(Images and screencaps from http://kissthemgoodbye.net/americanhorrorstory)

Album Review: MY FRIENDS by Paper Lions

Summers. Memories. Nostalgia.

Canadian indie band Paper Lions' My Friends screams the above; marking every drumbeat and guitar riff with a gentle probe in the memory bank as they manage to illicit mellow connections with childhood and first discoveries.Whether it be through their catchy and radical melodies, or through the humble and at times humourous lyrics, Paper Lions have managed to create a collection of songs that will summon a smile from any listener. 

"I know you are my friend. And if I never met you, I would be different."

I've been a firm supporter and appreciator of Paper Lions for the last year, and was delighted to hear of their new album release. I was even more intrigued when I discovered that a lot of the featuring songs would be rebooted versions of the tracks on their acoustic EP At Long Creek. Although At Long Creek has a special place in my heart with its gentle simplicity, My Friends didn't ruin my love for the songs, but strengthened them instead.

Beginning with ironically light-hearted and catchy "Bodies in The Winter", the album immediately begins on a quirky note. I can't really describe Paper Lions' style other than it being a mixture of The Strokes with Jack Johnson in a bouncy castle with sunglasses and tambourines. The tempo remains cheerful and energised; "Sandcastles" showcasing a more vintage, grainy sound followed by two joyful songs which perfectly capture those warm affections for family and friends in "My Friend" and "Little Liar". The album eventually draws to a close with "My Friends Are Leaving", a slower, bittersweet ending to this carefree childhood of music. However, although I know I can never physically return to those days of youthful smiles, I can replay this beautiful album which transports me back there nevertheless.

As well as being enjoyable on the surface, the lyrics always make me chuckle when I listen to them. Being a band of brothers and childhood friends, the songs and their emotions feel honest and personal. But I also feel like anyone can relate to the story of those early childhood trips to the country and seaside with family friends that My Friends narrates. The lyrics are also artfully imaginative, letting me escaping to "Balance on the rail ties" whilst "The brook runs through the broken arch".

I adore My Friends and I'm glad that it arrived in my hands just when I needed it. Through all my current worries about higher education and adult life, it's elating to be able to take a break from it all and return to the corners of my memories.

Images from Paper Lions' facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/paperlions). 

You can listen to My Friends for free on their website at http://paperlions.com/

Book Review: THE COLLECTOR by John Fowles

Having initially spotted this book on the floor of a dusty second-hand bookshop in London, I was intrigued by the storyline. Being a firm supporter of libraries, I refrained from buying the £3 book and checked it out first.

The Collector pieces together the dissociated tale of an estranged captor and his captive against the backdrop of a secluded country cottage isolated from society. Here, Frederick Clegg, a collector of butterflies and an obsessive of beauty, becomes increasingly fascinated by another similarly beautiful creature. Turning his fantasy into reality, Frederick holds Miranda hostage in a house made just for her as he caters to her every wish except for her strongest desire: to be set free. The two struggle to coexist as tensions build and the two thirst for escape and restraint.

The element of excellence in this novel was Fowles' ability to depict parallels and oppositions within the two central characters. Like the art and fiction they discuss, Frederick and Miranda consistently defy and dispute. In Frederick's desire for a more romantic situation, he lovingly names himself the 'Ferdinand' to his Miranda to only have it backfire in his face as he becomes her 'Caliban' instead. Like The Tempest itself, the couple come from completely different backgrounds; the female taken by surprise. Miranda, in contrast to Frederick, prefers the harsher The Catcher in the Rye, baffled when Frederick doesn't understand its appeal. The same applies when they discuss and practise art. Frederick takes photographs: quick and calculated . Miranda, on the other hand, loves to draw and allow herself to express her emotions through sketching. However, the stark initial differences between the two begin to slowly dissipate as Miranda begins to lose her identity. Interestingly, it is in her drawing that this begins to be apparent in as she slowly loses her style causing her to copy the works of existing artists. She gradually begins wearing the clothes Frederick buys for her and across time in entrapment, her vigour and personality wan as she is stripped of her dignity. This is where the symbol of Frederick's butterfly collection begins to become significant. The dehumanising character of Miranda could easily be interchanged with his butterflies as she is lifelessly photographed and examined.

""They're dead." She gave me a funny look sideways. "Not these particularly. All photos. When you draw something it lives and when you photograph it it dies."

The narrative style of The Collector is also exciting. The first half is told by Frederick, a somewhat sociopathic man with infantile qualities. He humourously refers to educated people as being 'la-di-da' but this hints at the first signs of this man's inability to empathise and understand. The style of the prose brings the reader right into the mind of the man whilst still remaining artfully distant and critical - reflecting his frame of mind even further. Having the first account of events be from Frederick is notable as he fails to accurately recall Miranda's emotions. Therefore, when the reader is thrust into a diary format of Miranda's point of view, the change is startling and there is suddenly passion and personality in the narrative. The drastic change doesn't just separate the two further but allows the reader (who has become accustomed to Frederick's prose) to become conscious of emotion, making it even more effective. Additionally, the events are retold again from her point of view, so in having to essentially re-read the book again, perhaps Fowles is reiterating Miranda as an inferior character as even the reader is forced to listen to Miranda as a repeat of Frederick; belittling her further. There is also a circular nature in this novel, and in doing this, Fowles in able to relay the events to a broader level of realism as the structure mimics the cycle of a butterfly for example: beginning as an ugly creature which then experiences beauty if not only for a short while.  Only Frederick's actions increase the chances of mistakes being made yet again and again and again.

I have to commend Fowles for convincingly crawling into the mind of a sociopath and how three-dimensional he managed to make the characters.  Regardless of Frederick's detached temperament, we are able to understand why. The book also feels cleverly raw and intimate and therefore creates a tight microcosm; thrusting readers into a type of captivity of their own. The Collector is a curious blend of a fantastical but harsh display of reality.

(And then I found The Collector in a charity shop and purchased it for £1.99. Perhaps there was a sign in that initial restraint.)