Mrs Hatecraft Was Never Seen Again

Advantages: Joining in the fun, modern twist on old stories.
Disadvantages: Um... I'll get back to you on these, cos I can't think of any!

...that lacks problems and dangers - and so often we then end up with a world in those books that is, however safe, rather dull don't you think? Fairy tales are never dull. And fairy tales also have heroes, romance, adventure, and sometimes a good measure of humour. And they're not all old. The fairy tales in The Winter Sleepwalker aren't old. Joan Aiken wrote them just a few years ago. Catch a Falling World, the one describing the adventures of Little Saint Icarus, is my favourite of the eight. Today. Tomorrow it might be the less funny, much darker Furious Hill which tells the story of a mysterious horseman who arrives in a remote village and with ease, but eerie, almost menacing ease, cures the ills of all who ask for his help. He asks them only one question: "What did my father say to his son as he lay dying?" The traveller is unknown...

jillmurphy 23.11.2002 · Read review
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Review of The Winter Sleepwalker - Joan Aiken

Exciting escapades

Advantages: Exciting, good historical background, well-written, main character very believable
Disadvantages: Some unlikely coincidences, could seem old-fashioned to modern teens, a few rather gruesome descriptions

...Joan Aiken is probably best known for her children's book 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase'. She has also written several other books for older children, as well as some rather chilling ones for adults. I personally much prefer her children's books, and recently read 'Go Saddle the Sea' to my teenage sons. * Brief synopsis * This book, which is told in the first person, is the first in a trilogy set in the early 19th century. It features Felix, an orphan who is twelve years old at the start of this book. He is strong-willed, rather arrogant, impetuous, and also very lonely, having experienced little affection in his life. He lives in a large house in Villaverde, Spain, with his maternal grandparents and some great-aunts who dislike him. His mother died when he was born, his father in battle. He is taught at home by Father...

Kukana 11.10.2003 · Read review
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Review of Go Saddle the Sea - Joan Aiken

A book to "Chase"?

Advantages: Gripping plot line, excellent twists, "unputdownable"!
Disadvantages: You have to suspend disbelief completely! Characters are also very clearly totally perfect or totally evil

..."The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" is a childrens' book, written by acclaimed writer Joan Aiken, in 1974. It's what you could call a 'gripping yarn', set in the 1800s, under the imaginary rule of King James III, following the story of two cousins, best friends Bonnie and Sylvia, in their quest to rid themselves from the captivity the cruel and calculating Miss Slighcarp has inflicted on them. Bonnie Green is a young girl (around 11 years old, although her exact age is not stated) who lives very happily in Willoughby Chase - a beautiful mansion surrounded by mountains and woods - in which the "wolves" live in winter. Her every wish is catered for, as her parents are exceptionally rich. However as she is an only child, she has never had another girl to become true friends with. This is all about to change, however, when Mrs Green...

ellieken 18.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Joan Aiken

Joan Of....Arc Does Triumph.

Advantages: Truer To The Historical Legend, Leelee Sobieski Stars, Great Performances, Charlotte Church Vocals, Inexpensive, Captivating
Disadvantages: You Might Well Have A Tear In Your Eye By The End, Two Sided Disc, Long Film.

...JOAN OF ARC - RATED 12 This is one of the best versions of the legendary Joan of Arc I've seen. The acting is excellent, no cardboard characters. Many well known stars, excellent story line, plus some backing vocals by Charlotte Church, make this a must see movie. DIRECTOR, CAST, WRITERS: Directed by Christian Duguay. Starring: Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Olympia Dukakis, Neil Patrick Harris, Robert Loggia, Maximilian Schell, Peter Strauss, Jonathan Hyde, Maury Chaykin. Guest appearances by Shirley MacLaine also starring Peter O'Toole as Bishop Cauchon. Written by: Michael Alexander Miller, Ronald Parker DVD FEATURES: · Picture Format: PAL 4:3 Academy · Colour Mode: Colour · Region Code: 2 · Feature Duration: 180 minutes approximately · Audio Content: Dolby Digital Stereo · · Special...

RayMan_UK 04.10.2002 · Read review
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Review of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

Miss Marple Box set (Joan Hickson)

Advantages: Has the best portrail of Miss Marple ever
Disadvantages: No special features

...For me Joan Hickson will always be the best 'Miss Marple'. Possibly as she was the first one I saw playing the part. I'm surprised that it took the BBC so long to releace them on DVD From the acting to the setting to the pacing... everything seems just right. Every part of Joan Hicksons performance (which earned her two BAFTA nominations) was perfect. She plays Miss Marple as the 'rather nosey busy body' who the criminal always seems to dismiss as past it and harmless. She is seen as the old spinster alway knitting but with her razor sharp brain she can always solve the crimes faster than the inspector. Marple lives in her small village and knows everything that goes on there. Through this she knows the world. She is always saying 's/he reminded me of...' Unlike Poirot who always had a good relatioship with the Inspector...

mjc121 30.06.2007 (06.05.2008) · Read review
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Review of The Miss Marple Collection - Starring Joan Hickson (Box Set) (DVD)

Joan fails to spark

Advantages: poor dialogue, good to start but deteriorates badly
Disadvantages: poorly paced

...Every school kid knows the story of Joan of arc. The real question here, is does the film live up to the immortal tale of the girl who saved france from her enemies and claimed to have bought a message from god, the answer is simply no. Milla Jovovich is superb as Joan and the film strats brightly, the period costumes and scenery are superb and is truly believable of the time period, and all of the other actors involved are quite satisfactory, inlcuding John Malkovich, the trouble is i keep expecting Keanu Reeves to jump into his head (check out being john malkovich review), and for the first half of the film, the action is superbly violent and true to life, unfortunately the story just rubs out of steam and the film dissappears staright up its own backside. More times should have been spent on the victories the army achieved with joans...

mcpoeman 01.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Messenger - The Story of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

One of Joan's best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Advantages: Very readable and has you hooked - excellent storyline
Disadvantages: Cant put it down once you have started to read it.

...Once again another superb saga by the best author in the world! I have read all Joan's books and have copies of all of them.This book is is one the best I think. A lovely story about a man who had nothing when he left school who went to work with a removal man who later sold him the business for £5. He met his wife Edie who lived in a two up two down like Bob's family in time work really picked up and they were able to buy a larger house and start a family, then a few years later they were able to buy a still larger house with spacious grounds. Its at this point Edie forgets her roots, when they are able to employ a cook and a char lady, what fun when you meet these to humourous, colourful ladies,I had tears of laughter running down my face making it hard to read what they were going to get up to next. Then we meet up with Bobs...

pinkporkypig 04.03.2005 · Read review
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Review of Dream a little dream - Joan Jonker

Most satisfying

Advantages: Big environments; great variety of combat options; mile-a-minute multiplayer
Disadvantages: The perspective and interface can make combat and exploration more difficult than need be

...This game is one of the most entertaining action-adventures I have came across recently. Though the combat system takes some getting used to and the puzzles won't pose any major challenge to veteran adventurers, the impact of Sanity's whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Thanks to the discovery of a mysterious artifact nearly 30 years in the future, a researcher named Dr. Joan Aiken is able to create a serum that gives humans access to latent psionic powers. Some of these, like the ability to levitate or use telekinesis, are rather benign, but the serum also unleashes the ability to cast lightning from fingers, call up demons, shoot laser beams, and wreak merry havoc. To fight the rising tide of criminals with psionic powers, the government forms the Department of National Psionic Control and recruits the most...

SirLink 08.05.2003 · Read review
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Review of Aiken's Artifact (PC)

Still Astonishing Today - w/ DVD UPDATE

Advantages: Hypnotic film with an understated yet compelling performance by Florence Carrez.
Disadvantages: -

...How did an illiterate, 19-year-old peasant woman in the early 15th century become such a headache for the Bishop of Beauvais and his English controllers? Well, that 19-year-old just happened to have made history by leading thousands of French soldiers to triumph over the English occupiers in the final phase of the Hundred Years' War (1337 to 1453). Even more amazing, that same woman had had no previous military training whatsoever. And yet the armies followed her bidding with little question, and for their pains, got results - big, history-making results, as in the eventual retreat of the English from France in 1453. That woman, as you might guess, was Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc to the French). Some Background. So how exactly did she accomplish such feats? We get some illumination on the enigma of Joan from...

zerbine28 25.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Trial Of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

Watching a lady take a bath

Advantages: Excellent examples of Miro work
Disadvantages: Could get very hot in the summer

...Alongside Gaudi Casa Mila the other art exhibit I definitely wanted to see while in Barcelona was the Fundacio Joan Miro which is an impressive collection of Miro work with many of the pieces being donated by the man himself. About the artist Miro passed away bin his 90th year in 1983 and is one of the great Catalan artists. Much of his work has links to Surrealism and abstract art, for me it his sculptures that are of particular interest and provide the most pleasure however that is not to say that I would discount his paintings and drawings it is just that on the whole I find that the sculpture has more of a ?wow? factor. Certainly it was the sculptures that most appealed to the children with the exception of the giant tapestry that covers a huge wall space and can be viewed from both ground level and also from a balcony where...

atticusuk 08.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Fundació Joan Miró