Pride & Prejudice Adaptations

Well, it’s no secret that there are a lot of Pride and Prejudice films out there. Here I will talk about 4 of them. There are two very obvious ones that everyone knows about: the BBC series with Colin Firth and the 2005 film version with Keira Knightley. I like both of them.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

This is the first version I watched and that is why I slightly prefer this adaptation. I watched this movie after seeing the trailer as an advertisement on my Nanny McPhee DVD. I was already familiar with the title because it is mentioned in quite a lot of other movies, especially in Bridget Jones’s Diary. So the next day I rented the movie and I completely fell in love with it. Joe Wright is an incredible director (his movie adaptation of Atonement is also definitely worth your time!). The setting, the light, the costumes, etc. everything about this movie is impressive, it almost feels like a work of art. And if you need more convincing, this movie was nominated for 4 Oscars. If I need to compare this to the BBC series, the 2005 version is the superior movie. But adaptation wise, the BBC is better, no question about it.

Link to the trailer. I in particular love this trailer because the music at 1:33 is simply amazing!

Pride and Prejudice (BBC)

This version is famous for the wet shirt scene but contrary to popular opinion, I could have lived without it. This version is a bit dated but still one of my favourite adaptations. I love that (besides the lake scene) this adaptation is true to the book. In the 2005 film, the settings and the texts are completely different. I have to give lots of points to the BBC versions for preserving most of the book (setting and dialogue wise). That is what I love about this version. I don’t think I need to elaborate further on these famous versions.

Bride and Prejudice

This is a Bollywood musical version that is very entertaining. It is set in India and the prejudice is cultural. I thought this was a very nice and creative twist to the story and as I love musicals that part was amazing as well. This version is worth checking out but as you might already suspect, the setting and dialogue are quite different from the book. However, the main plot lines are definitely the same (but obviously more modern).

I recommend this movie but you should watch one (or two) of the above first because this is a romantic comedy and musical (quite a different genre in comparison to the book).

To get you in the mood, here is a link to a clip situated after Mr. Collins proposes to Lizzie. It always cracks me up. Enjoy!

Pride and Prejudice (2003)

This is a modern adaptation and had a lot of potential but this was just very bad. Besides the basics there wasn't much that reminded me of the original story. The acting is also very bad. I can’t really say anything good about it. It was just painful to watch. I definitely do not recommend this one, you should really stay away from this awful movie.

Top 5 Comedy TV Shows

By this I mean the more recent TV shows no longer than 30 minutes (this excludes Friends because it's already been a while since season 10). How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory should be on here but as they are already way too famous I do not feel the need to elaborate further on them. They speak for themselves. I wanted to focus on some less well known TV shows. This is a top 5 not because I don't watch other comedy shows but because later on I can have another top 5 (part 2 if you please). Furthermore, these are in no particular order, so here we go!

The Mindy Project

Season one started out a bit slow and painfully embarrassing sometimes but everything came together nicely in season 2. I love that the show is about an independent young woman, who loves romantic comedies as much as I do. It is a nice concept of making a TV show with these romcom elements interlaced in it. When the new doctor Peter was introduced in the second season, I was doubtful at first. Now Peter is quickly becoming one of my favourite characters together with Mindy and Danny, of course. And now as season 3 has started with a bang, I can’t wait till the next episodes! I recommend this show because it is extremely romantic and funny. Very enjoyable!

 2 Broke Girls

I love Max’s lines, they crack you up every time. I often wish I could have an answer ready as fast as Max but I could never be so rude! Caroline is the exact opposite of Max but as the series progresses you can see how they both change. This is one funny show that is hard to miss! Link to trailer here.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a good and terribly funny show. Jake and Boyle never disappoint me. However I have trouble with the love story between Peralta and Santiago. That just does not work. There is zero chemistry between them and it just makes the show weird and sometimes painful to watch (as in bad). I was actually hoping that the second season would start and it turned out that his confession was just another prank. Sadly that was not the case. I usually like couples in TV shows but this just doesn't work. This is the only reason I can find to not like the show so I am still going to recommend it! 

Community

I am so glad this show was picked up again even though the last season was terrible. I love Abed and Troy! You won’t be able to get “Troy and Abed in the Morning” out of your head!

I also like that they study Spanish, as I have trouble with the language as well, I can enjoy their problems even more.

Miranda

This is a British comedy and it is absolutely amazing! If you haven’t seen it yet, you have to start watching this immediately (right after reading this blog)! The cast of this show is amazing, I absolutely love Miranda, Stevie, Gary and even on occasion Miranda’s mom Penny. The situations Miranda ends up in are ridiculous and incredibly funny. I can’t really describe this show and do it justice so therefore I’m just going to let you see it for yourself! Link to clip here.

Miranda Hart recently said that the Christmas specials of this show would also be the very last episodes which saddens me greatly. However, it is probably better to quit a show when it is still good, rather than letting it drag on untill it gets cancelled. And if you couldn't get enough of the first clip of Miranda, here is the link to some of the best moments of season 1, enjoy!

Jane the Virgin

This is a new TV show and I must say I really like it. It is based on a Venezuelan telenovela and I love that they sometimes argue in Spanish. The show follows a very religious and hardworking woman, who wants to get married before having sex. Then some unforeseen events happen, like being accidentally artificially inseminated. I will include a link to the trailer but beware, the extended trailer is quite long and it might make you feel that you know everything that is going the happen in the entire series (but it is basically a summary of the first episode). If you don't want that maybe you should just start with watching the first episode.

I did not think I would enjoy it this much, but Jane the Virgin is easy to watch and puts your mind off of other things. It also has on original plot and insane things just keep happening to Jane. Things you not always see coming. It is a fresh concept and it is like a new breeze which hopefully will last a while. And Gina Rodriguez is doing a fantastic job playing the lead character Jane, just one more reason to watch this show!

If I have to describe this show in one word it would be cute! And so far I definitely recommend it, track that show!

This trailer is not the extended version so this one does not contain a lot of spoilers. Enjoy!

Outlander - Diana Gabaldon

THE FIRST NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING OUTLANDER SERIES - soon to be a major new TV series.

Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century - and a lover in another.

In 1945, Claire Randall is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland. Innocently she walks through a stone circle in the Highlands, and finds herself in a violent skirmish taking place in 1743. Suddenly she is a Sassenach, an outlander, in a country torn by war and by clan feuds.

A wartime nurse, Claire can deal with the bloody wounds that face her. But it is harder to deal with the knowledge that she is in Jacobite Scotland and the carnage of Culloden is looming. Marooned amid the passion and violence, the superstition, the shifting allegiances and the fervent loyalties, Claire is in danger from Jacobites and Redcoats - and from the shock of her own desire for James Fraser, a gallant and courageous young Scots warrior. Jamie shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire, and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

                                                                                                                 
-- Amazon.co.uk description --


Ok, this is a popular book and with the TV show coming out it even got more attention. I read Outlander this summer before the TV show started. First of all, this is a big, chunky book and it definitely isn't a quick read. You need to take your time to read this one. I was intrigued by the synopsis and bought the first three books online. When I finally got them, I was surprised that they each counted more than 800 pages (the third one counts even more than 1000 pages) but once you read it that is not really an issue anymore. My book cover is not the blue one, but the cheesy pink one (picture on the left), and that's why I hesitated to buy it in the first place. However, this is not a cheesy book and I truly enjoyed it. It has a lot of drama, suspense and romance; everything I hoped for, so this book even exceeded my expectations. Nevertheless, I do have some problems with Outlander. Some scene described in the book are downright disgusting! One scene in particular really did make me gag, this is not even an exaggeration! It was near the end, and I think everyone who read this book will know what I'm talking about. I can't for the life of me think why the author felt the need to describe that scene in such detail and length. I don't think a lot of people enjoyed it, and I hope it won't be in the TV show.
All in all, though, I really did enjoy it. Loved the main characters, the romance, the historical setting and no obvious historical inaccuracies. Diana Gabaldon really did her homework! So it is a good book but those scenes I talked about earlier and the ending are the only things I disliked about this book.

I ultimately give it 3,5 stars out of 5 (I probably would have rated this book 4,5 out of 5 stars if those scenes didn't bother me this much because the rest of the book was awesome)! And you should give it a try, just keep in mind that it isn't written for sensitive or squeamish people. The TV show, so far has been amazing and I definitely recommend that one too!

This a link to the trailer of the TV show Outlander. Enjoy!

10 TV Shows I won’t finish

So I’m sure you all have some TV shows you stopped watching, either after the first episode because you didn’t like it or after a few seasons. Here is my top 10. I did enjoy a few of them until I couldn’t keep track of them anymore which ultimately means that I am seasons behind and now I just watch other shows instead. Some shows in this list I am actually still interested in but I already forgot what the previous seasons were about or I just don’t have the time to watch them right now. Without further ado, here is my top 11 (in no particular order). 

Glee

I really enjoyed the first seasons of Glee, the show always made me feel good and there are so many subjects that are treated in the course of the series. There is always a character that you feel closest to, for me that sometimes was Rachel but most of the time it was Tina, even though those two were never my favourite characters. All these wonderful characters with  a variety of personalities is a huge strength of the show, this way everyone in high school can identify with at least one of them.

However, the reason I stopped watching is the season (I can’t remember exactly which one so I will describe it to you) where most of the glee club graduated. I did like the beginning of that season with everyone finding their way in college or university because that was very close to my own situation. However, I started really disliking it since the episode when everyone broke up and ruined my favourite song "Don’t Speak" by No Doubt.

I did watch a few episodes more (because I kind of liked the new characters) but it just did not do it for me anymore. Now you know why I stopped watching this show and there is actually no chance that I will start watching this again. So for me this is a goodbye forever. 

Grimm

I really, really enjoyed the first two seasons of this show but for some reason I never watched the third one, I don’t know why except for lack of time, and more exciting new shows that grabbed my attention. I do hope that someday I will finish this TV shows, so all hope is not lost.

Almost Human

I only watched the first episode, I seemed to remember that there were huge expectations on this series and that is also why I started watching it. It had a lot of potential but I can’t even remember if I liked the first episode or not. Ultimately it got cancelled so now I definitely don’t feel the need to finish this show.

Teen Wolf

Again, I watched the first two seasons but if I remember correctly these aired during summer and I forgot what happened and therefore I didn’t feel the need to start watching the third season. However, I always thought I would someday finish the series, now this isn’t going to happen anymore because my friend told me a huge, HUGE spoiler. Since then, I definitely don’t feel the need to start watching it again. So this TV show is a hopeless case for me.

The Tomorrow People

I watched the first 5 episodes of this show and besides the weird romance I quite enjoyed it. I stopped watching because I had other priorities at the time and now that it is cancelled I am not going to watch the rest just to end up with a cliff hanger or something, so goodbye! 

Once upon a time in Wonderland 

I started watching this show because I absolutely love Once Upon a Time. This spin-off however is very bad. I did not enjoy it, the acting felt forced and the romance was very sappy, the only thing I liked was the Knave of Hearts. And apparently I am not the only one, as he just showed up in Once Upon a Time. This show is also cancelled and I don’t feel the need to finish it. 

Doctor Who 

Now this might shock some people, I know, but hear me out. I started watching this a few years ago and even then I was way behind. I watched this show when I didn’t have anything else to do. It has been quite a while since the last episode I watched (the one where Rose leaves the show) and now it scares me off because there are still so many episodes to be watched. However, I do hope to start watching this show again but it won’t be in the near future. 

Awkward

This show just drags on and I not interested in it anymore. And frankly this show really got under my nerves the last time I watched it. I heard that it will be concluding this year so I don’t think I will watch the remaining seasons. Goodbye to you too! 

Person of Interest

I started watching this show because season one aired on TV during the summer, however, I could record 6 episodes or more because I was out of the country (on holiday to Spain) and now I don’t feel the need to start watching the show on the internet. I have heard a lot of interesting things are going to happen so when I get another opportunity (like watching a rerun on TV) I will probably give this another shot. 

Reign 

Ok, I started watching this show with all good intentions, I swear. But somehow I really don’t like the acting, it gets under my nerves. As I loved The Tudors, The Borgias and even The White Queen this TV show was a huge let down for me. I did try to give it a fair shot, I watched the first eleven episodes before firmly sticking to my first opinion. So this is yet again a goodbye. 

So which shows did you stop watching? Let me know. Also, if you think I’m making a mistake by not watching any of these shows don’t hesitate to comment down below! 

I do hope that someday I will catch up with Grimm, Person of Interest and Doctor Who.

The Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer

A forbidden romance.

A deadly plague.

Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.

This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget.

-- Amazon.co.uk description of Cinder --

So a lot of people are raving about these series but I still had my doubts. I wasn’t  immediately convinced I wanted to read about a cyborg Cinderella. Though, I really do love fairy tale retellings like the Fables miniseries (which are comics I highly recommend) and the TV show Once Upon a Time. However, when I finally decided to read the series I couldn’t stop till I finished them all. I absolutely loved the Lunar Chronicles! 

Let’s start with Cinder. This is my least favourite book because it had some flaws even though it was entertaining and I really did enjoy it. My main problem with this book is that the huge plot twist was revealed way to early on. I hope this was the intention of Marissa Meyer because after that everyone with even half a brain cell knows what will happen in the end. That really pissed me off. Even if it had been way more subtle most people would still have known what was coming. So that part was disappointing. 

The only other reason I have for preferring the other books over this one is the that the other ones have more main characters and you see how everything begins to click. Everything that has been mentioned in Cinder is becomes relevant in the next books. I am really enjoying the Lunar Chronicles and I can’t wait till Winter comes out! Sadly, we have to wait more than a year for the final book. 

I am giving Cinder 4 stars out of 5. Scarlet and Cress both get 5 out of 5 stars! 
(I probably should give them extra points for their beautiful covers!)

Witches of East End

Last year I started watching this TV show because I missed Charmed and Buffy. Now, the first season of Witches of East End wasn't that good. The love triangle was weird and I seriously disliked that Freya and Killian just started kissing right after they met. However, the last few episodes were good, a lot of suspense, romance, plot twists and everything else a season finale needs. 

The second season was easier to watch, I understood and liked the characters better. There were still some weird and unsettling things happening (with Ingrid) but I really enjoyed every episode. The ones close to the season finale were at times shocking, heartbreaking and awesome. Huge plot twists which I am not going to reveal because nobody likes a spoiler but let me tell you: I was shocked to my very core! The season finale itself couldn't really top that although it came really close. I felt sad the season ended and I hope this series gets a third season!

If you liked Charmed you should definitely give this a try. Season two is definitely worth it! I say track this show!

Delirium - Lauren Oliver

They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years suffocated by a lie.

There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it.

Then, at last, they found the cure.

-- Amazon.co.uk description --

I read a lot of good reviews on this book and friends have recommended Delirium to me. Therefore I had a lot of expectations which is probably why I am a little bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, this isn't a bad book. 

First of all, Lauren Oliver creates an amazing and heartbreaking world. It feels very real. I also felt a special connection to main character Lena. She is described as shy and little and ordinary. That could be an exact description of me. I am freakishly little and I hate that people often think I am four years or more younger than I actually am. I’m also shy and even our names are similar!

Moving on, I felt that there wasn’t a lot of action in the book until I got near the end. There the pace picked up. I had already read a spoiler so I knew how it was going to end. Perhaps that’s another reason why I felt the book lacked action. Furthermore, I did not like Alex, Hanna and Lena's family with the exception of Grace. However, like I mentioned before, I loved Lena!
I read a lot of reviews of the second book to determine if I should read Pandemonium and most said that there was way more action in it. So I have decided to buy the other two and I will try to read them as soon as possible.

All in all I would give this book 3 stars out of 5.

If you don’t agree with me feel free to write your own opinion in the comment section below. 

Sidereel

I have to keep track of so many TV shows that I often have trouble remembering the last episode I watched of a certain show. So one day my friend introduced me to Sidereel. A website you can use to track your shows and mark the episodes you've watched. It is a very handy tool. Another advantage is that you can include your own time zone. As I do not live in the U.S. but love a number of American TV shows my tracker on Sidereel will tell me when I can actually watch the series online instead of the day it aired in the U.S.

picture of a sidereel tracker
(not mine)

It also informs you when shows are cancelled or renewed (or picked up by another medium like what happened with 'Community'). It is very helpful website and has made my life easier.

If you follow quite a lot of TV shows this site is really a must!
Link to the website.

Under the Never Sky Trilogy - Veronica Rossi

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be the only person who can keep her alive.

And if they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

-- Amazon.co.uk description --

So this is a young adult trilogy and originally why I started this blog. I have to read so much for uni that I hardly have time left to read books of my choice. But now I have finally finished this trilogy. And I have a lot to say about it. 

The beginning of the first book, Under the Never Sky, was actually quite boring. I could not get through it, but near the end it got better, so I decided to read the other two as well. Through the Ever Night, the second of the series was way better, I could not finish it fast enough. It contains a lot of romance and suspense and some plot twists I did not expect at all. Wow. After that I tore through the third book and absolutely loved it! Into the Still Blue is even better than the second one. While I was bored and had to practically force myself to read the first book, I couldn't sleep until I finished the third one. So do not make up your mind about the trilogy after reading the first book, because the other two are so much better. In the first book, it takes a while to explain the setting where story takes place. That is probably why it did not excite me that much. However near the end it picked up the pace. 

I would give Under the Never Sky 3 out of 5 stars, Through the Ever Night and Into the Still Blue are both worth 4 stars!

BBC Series

I enjoy watching BBC TV shows, especially the ones labelled British Original Drama. But this year a number of shows had me clustered to the screen. This doesn't happen all that often with this channel so I thought why not write about it? I've been watching the BBC for a while now but this year some shows stayed with me. I've watched 'The Musketeers' and while it's not a bad show I was not anxiously counting of the days till the next episode. However a few other shows had the desired effect: 'Happy Valley', 'The Crimson Field', 'In the Club' and now I have the feeling that 'Our Girl' will be the same. These shows are all very different and I did not expect to like them this much so here I will tell you why you should watch them.

Happy Valley

'Happy Valley' surprised me, it was one of the first action-packed shows that I loved this much. It's a nail-biting experience! From the first episode you get sucked into the life of police officer Catherine Cawood. She is a strong female character and has been through some rough times. I was impressed by the great acting performances of almost anyone in the show. However, I just recently watched the amazing film 'Fargo' and I couldn't help noticing the similarities, especially the kidnapping. Fortunately, there are a lot of plot twists in 'Happy Valley' that definitely make it worth your time. I would gladly recommend this show to anyone! 

To spark your enthusiasm I included the trailer here, although the real thing is way better than this trailer.

The Crimson Field

This is an entirely different show than 'Happy Valley'. It is set in a war hospital and follows primarily three volunteers. The strong point of this show is the cast. In my opinion the show would not have been so well liked if the acting performances were less exciting. The script didn't do it for me (it definitely wasn't as good as 'Happy Valley'). I had the feeling it was written for 10 episodes instead of six and they just forced as much as possible in the six they had. There was so much more to be explored! I would have been excited to see the stories of Flora and Rosalie or frankly any of the other characters. As it is though, the show mostly focuses on the volunteer Kitty (portrayed by the wonderful Oona Chaplin) and even now there are a lot of questions about her. The strength of show was probably the love story between her and Thomas, an army captain. I was however surprised that the BBC did not order a second series, so ultimately I kind of feel that 'The Crimson Field' was a waste of time because I ended up with more questions than in the beginning. I enjoyed it very much but I felt the script could have been way better. The only character we really got to know was sister Joan, which is a pity, the other characters probably have very interesting stories as well.
All in all, I enjoyed 'The Crimson Field' although it sometimes feels like a soap. But if you like a love story do not hesitate to watch because the show nailed that part!

I included the trailer here. And if the show did have a second series I would definitely watch it because it can only get better!

In the Club

This 'In the Club' surprised me most of all. I did not expect to like it, a show about pregnant women is quite different than a show about the war or a kidnapping. Strangely though, I counted the days till the next episode. The script was amazing, it really pulled you in. The strength of the show is that it feels very real. Six different couples with each a unique problem. I found this entertaining and if you liked the romance in 'The Crimson Field' you should give this show a try. This also counts the other way around, if you like this show, give 'The Crimson Field' a chance.

To give you a feel of the show I included the trailer here.

Our Girl

This show just started on the BBC so there isn't much to say about it yet. Although if you want to watch this show you should start with the TV movie, which is it's prequel and definitely worth your time. I was captivated by the movie and now I am excited about the series. It is about a girl living an unfulfilled life and ultimately she decides to join the army. She needs to work on her attitude and needs to pass the physical tests among others. But eventually she worms her way into everyone's heart (helped by the fact that 'Our Girl' as has an amazing and unique lead actrice).

I included the TV movie trailer here and the other trailer here.

Verdict

'Happy Valley' is the most exciting show on here. 'The Crimson Field' and 'In the Club' are less action-packed but have a high romance level. 'Our Girl' has both, although I only watched the first episode, judging from the trailer she will steal the heart of at least one handsome soldier.
In conclusion, after watching all the shows (except  one) in my opinion 'The Crimson Field' is not as great as the other shows, I know it could have done way better. The script remained too superficial for me. There were hints about the former lives of the main characters but unfortunately it wasn't explored any further. On the other hand, 'In the Club' did go deeper and I absolutely loved it. And lastly, 'Our Girl' just started but the TV movie was entertaining enough to make me want for more. The TV show is off to a good start and I have the feeling you can place the show between 'Happy Valley' and 'The Crimson Field' seen as it's both action-packed and has the potential of romance. 

If you haven't seen any of these I hope you will enjoy them!

Waterstones London

A few years ago I looking for a bookshop in London and found Waterstones in Oxford Street. Since then I found an even bigger one located near Picadilly Circus. Whenever I'm in London I can't resist buying at least two books. This year was no different, I bought four books. What bothered me though, was the lack of price tags on the books but that still couldn't stop me from buying. When I came home I noticed the bag was actually pretty nice, so now I've decided to share it with you!

I totally agree! Why else would I go to back Waterstones every time I go to London?

Drink, Shop & Do

A few weeks ago I went to London with a friend. On our last day she dragged me to this place. At first I was reluctant to go because we didn't have a lot of time left to catch our train. Now I am extremely glad we went there! This was my fourth trip to London but it was the first time for my friend so we mostly did the tourist attractions. This was a nice surprise and I highly recommend it! Another huge surprise was how friendly everyone was, as earlier experience had told me otherwise. This cafe was no exception. We ordered our lunch but it took a while before it was served. The waiter noticed this, apologized and offered us each a slice of cake. Needless to say it was delicious! 

If you ever find yourself in London you simply have to visit the place! It is an unique experience.

To find out more visit their website here. Enjoy!