What started as a genuine reading experience quickly faded into boring writing with fake thriller and never ending revolutions, that it seemed to completely miss the point. I don’t really know what the point was, but it missed it.
After reading Divergent, I dived right into Insurgent expecting the low-quality of the middle book ever so often experienced by trilogies these days.
Yes, Insurgent was as bad as expected, and I won’t delve on that right now. Instead, I’ll focus on the mess that is Allegiant, which promised us resolve of so many kinds and delivered none of that, and that whole shebang infuriated me.
Allegiant is not even a hot mess of a book, it just seems that everything is plastered over anything, like a homeless collage of shit that doesn’t belong together. Yes, I’ve read worse books than this one, but this didn’t have a proper ending, the characters are not evolving into something that resembles a functional human being, all their actions are child’s play at best and the lack of motivation is overwhelming.
There are some awkward love triangles, but then they’re not, revolutions are starting at every corner, with very little finality whatsoever, and all that suspense inducing lexicon is annoying.
The only quality I can think of when writing the word Allegiant over and over again is that it has the courage to kill its main character, namely the boring „small and little and petite child like” Tris Prior, in a final effort to raise some emotion from its readers. The only thing it got from me was a „thank god something finally happened here”.
To continue saying that this book is a contender for the spot the The Hunger Games trilogy currently holds is just a bad joke.
I’ve read a lot of shit in my life and I sometimes sit and wonder what books should I add to my collection, what books I should admit that I already read and what books I should never go near to.
My latest effort involved this Young Adult piece known as Divergent, and I must admit that Veronica Roth‘s book was entertaining and fun, though not so deep or special in the sea of special little snowflakes that’s the Young Adult genre these days. I loved that it has a fast pace and a dystopian world, but the lack of originality speaks of the author’s inexperience.
Of course, being a Young Adult book, Divergent deals with love and sighs and mushy feelings, and most of the time the way Roth chooses to deal with this is bearable to say the least. There are moments when you feel like you kinda wanna throw up, but you don’t feel like throwing the book onto a wall or something, so you just keep on reading. I fell asleep with the book in my hands every night since I started reading it, so I guess that speaks for the addiction one could develop for Divergent.
Even though the book doesn’t benefit from a strong female lead (let’s be honest, Tris-formerly-known-as-Beatrice is not quite the role model one would expect), Divergent has a certain charm that comes from the story of an oppressive government and from the story of a society arranged in classes and „factions”. The political aspect of the Divergent world is not so well explained or, maybe, I have too many hopes for this kind of books.
The characters are plain shallow, but in some degree that’s understandable. Given that 90% of the population in the book is 16yo, „superficial” should come as a compliment, really. People never know what they want, what they should do, some of them are fighters, some of them are not. Meh, teenagers, people, teenagers!
Tris is interesting most of the time, but too confused, as a 16yo girl should be. Her romantic interest seems perfect, of course, but she can do it without his help, yo! Four seems handsome enough, though, and I must admit that, at moments, I felt like reading some kiddie Sandra Brown and that was the only thing that kept me reading!!!
I’ve read my fair share of bad books, and Divergent is not one of them. If you look for something fun and easy, that doesn’t challenge you (too much), or doesn’t require much of your time and/or commitment, Divergent should be on your list.
I hate the comparisons with The Hunger Games trilogy, since those books are so much better, everything has layers under layers under a deep sea of shit that hits the fan almost every second, but yeah, the premise is quite similar and that’s where all the similarities end. Treat this book as a standalone piece and don’t confuse it with the greatness of Hunger Games. Also, take these 3 stars (out of 5) I’m giving it, Divergent deserves them.
You know I am a little bit crazy and I obsess a little bit too much, but I guess that’s sort of endearing, because you keep coming back, right? Riiiight?!
You already know I love The 1975 (and they love me back, cause I posted a picture on Instagram which featured one of their songs), so I guess a review of their self-titled debut album is needed.
The 1975 is an ethereal piece, filled with synth sounds from the future of 1985 ( 1975 plus a decade), weird, but very familiar. (8.5/10)
The City is angst-y and angry and I love it! It’s my first contact with the band, but it won’t get old too soon. It gives me hope and makes me want to run away, it makes me wanna get drunk and make mistakes. I just love the rock sound of this piece. (10/10)
M.O.N.E.Y. is, of course, weird, because The 1975, people, The 1975! I’m not sure if I like it, because I think it’s a bit too electronica for me, but I must agree that the sound is very mature for the band. I guess that lyrically it does nothing for me, so maybe that’s why I’m not a big fan of this song. Also, very nice the thing with the sax! (7/10)
Chocolate is a very happy song, with a perfect combo of rock, electronica, great lyrics and a beautiful English accent. The guitars are awesome, also the drums, and the rhythm of the overall song. (9/10)
Sex starts out so very powerful, I find it a great song to roam freely on the highway. And, sometimes, this is all I need from my music. All that rhythm, all those issues from the lyrics… Awesome product! (8/10)
Talk! seems, at least after the first few lines, like it doesn’t belong on the album. But musically speaking, it blends in perfectly and builds on the core that is The City. (7.5/10)
An Encounter… with an alien! This is how this song sounds like. It’s an instrumental piece, but I don’t think I drank enough to like this one. (5/10)
Heart Out… Well, in 2008 I had those electronica bands that popped out from everywhere. Heart Out sounds so 2008, but it’s so much better than that. It’s youthful and danceable, so I like it, thankyouverymuch! (9/10)
Settle Down sounds a bit like The City, but with a little more spunk. It is still awesome, but I have to say I was a little bit let down by the perpetual lack of inspiration from the band. (9/10)
Robbers is one of my favorite songs off the album. It sounds so serious, and Matthew Healy‘s vocals are so airy and dreamy. The sound of the drum is a growing obsession in my heart. The whole song is a plea, it’s so filled with love… I can’t even start to… (10/10)
Girls. Another favorite of mine, but this time with a little more joy and happiness. The video is so funny (and it’s directed at Robert Palmer‘s Addicted To Love, so kudos for that!), and the whole song is so fastforwardonlove, gotta love it! It just makes me happy. (10/10)
12 is another instrumental piece that, as usual with me and instrumental pieces, it speaks nothing to yours truly. (?/10)
She Way Out and the guitars. Lovely. Sad. Young. Filled with mistakes and filled with regrets. (8/10)
Menswear is from outer space. I think I’m feeling some Kraftwerk in that, or at least something along those lines. Still, nice to meditate on that. (8/10)
Pressure gives me the feeling I’m back in the 90s. And I wonder where Kenny G is? (9/10)
Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You is, basically, the perfect ending to this perfect album. It’s so peaceful and quiet and makes me love you so much right now! (10/10)
The album is cohesive and the songs blend very well, regardless of the sound they have. The whole aspect is somewhat ethereal and alien, with future sounds combined with ’70s synths, the ’80s sax and ’90s energy. Some of the songs make me want to dance, and some of them make me want to cry, but most of them manage to do make dance while crying. This is what makes The 1975 – the album – so addictive.
Track list: 01. The 1975 00:00 / 02. The City 1:20 / 03. M.O.N.E.Y. 5:07 / 04. Chocolate 8:43 / 05. Sex 12:31 / 06. Talk! 15:58 / 07. An Encounter 18:45 / 08. Heart Out 19:57 / 09. Settle Down 23:22 / 10. Robbers 27:22 / 11. Girls 31:38 / 12. 12 36:00 / 13. She Way Out 37:14 / 14. Menswear 41:13 / 15. Pressure 44:39 / 16. Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You 48:20
Let me tell about TV shows, cause I happen to know a thing or two abou the subject. You’re given Lost Girl, one of the most campiest and funniest TV series ever, almost on the first place out there with Buffy and all that.
In Lost Girl you have friendship, and love, and betrayal, and alliances, and mystery, and family, and it’s so much fun, and annoying, and confusing, it’s got to be the best (or, at least, one of the best) TV shows there is!
Last night I watched, no… I enjoyed the newest stuff from Lost Girl, and boy, it was awesome! It started off so weird, and I was pissed and amazed at the same time. Lots of WTF moments.
And let me tell you something. This is what TV is all about. To scare you and thrill you, to make you want more. To get out of one episode all confused, only to clarify it all at the end of the season.
With Lost Girl I sometimes don’t know what’s happening. The universe of this show is so complex and so tangled, it’s doesn’t resemble any mythology in particular, but it’s more like a patchwork of these many stories from different cultures, so you never know what to expect.
OK, I admit, the actors are not the greatest, but they manage to pull off at least decent performances in this show. The story beats everything, though. And oh my God, do I love Kenzi!
PS: This piece was supposed to be titled „The Secrets of Liking Britney”. Somehow, that extra glass of wine (or is it whine? just kidding!) made me rephrase it and mask it in one of my reviews.
Yeah, there’s a secret! Didja really think this is selfexplanatory and not-at-all ming boggling?
No! Liking Britney sits up there with other ideals, of making people more than their decisions. It’s like liking a fat girl for her personality and a nerd for more than his bank account.
You have to see past the techno tempo, past the glittery S&M bras and past the nakedness. You have to be deep and to pay attention.
You better work, bitch!
PS: that comma is important. Don’t let no one tell you otherwise.
You know that one band everyone loves and you’re the only one that doesn’t get it? I found this band for me a few years ago.
30 Seconds To Mars was always on the news, on the blogs and on TV, everyone thought of them as some Messiah, with the genius of Jared Leto leading them into greatness. I listened to it, but it made no impact on me. I’m not sure how many times I tried to see something there, only to be disappointed with losing my time. Though I love Leto as an actor, as a director and as a creative imaginative being, I think nothing of his music. Sometimes it sounds pretentious without reason, and other times it’s just plain.
I think I found my 30 Seconds To Mars today. Shuffling through YouTube I stumbled upon The 1975. At first, I giggled and my brain started singing „74-75„. I hit the play button, and now I’m stuck in a loop that makes me feel good.
It’s a song that celebrates life and love and the great power of the city. I am a city lover, so I found myself in the lyrics. Their poetry is simple and complicated at the same time, oozing of urban smells, making you breathe concrete, pointing you in all the wrong directions… How can I not love this?!
The video for The City is wild, black and white beauty, with grey undertones and smoke and tattoos and love of all kinds.
Don’t call it a fight when you know it’s a war.
With nothing but your t-shirt on.
And go sit on the bed ’cause I know that you want to.
You got pretty eyes, but i know you’re wrong.
And don’t call it a spade if it isn’t a spade.
And go lie on the floor if you want. The first bit of advice that you gave me that I liked was they’re too strong, too strong.
Get in the shower if it all goes wrong.
Yeah you wanna find love then you know where the city is [x4]
Yeah counting cards was the best job he ever had.
Cleaning up.
He got good with his 4′s and his 2′s.
That community service was the best job he ever had.
Cleaning up.
He got sick on the floor and his shoes.
Oh and she said it’s your birthday,
Are you feeling alright?
The next one’s the MD.
You’ll be feeling just fine.
Your brother is just sat there,
You said he felt snide.
You hope that that boy will be alright.
Yeah you wanna find love then you know where the city is [x4]
Yeah well she said it’s your birthday,
Are you feeling alright?
The next one’s the MD.
You’ll be feeling just fine.
Your brother is just sat there,
You said he felt snide.
You hope that that boy will be alright.
Yeah you wanna find love then you know where the city is [x4]
As some of you might know (or not, if you don’t read this non-sense), I am really-really in love with the work of Tom DeLonge.
Better know as the wacky dude from Blink 182 and Angels & Airwaves, he is a real mastermind when it comes to music. Not particularily singing said music, but the whole concept and his whole work in this field is pure genius and raw talent. Of course, I know people who get really annoyed by him and his squeaky voice, but I can’t help but love it and I won’t justify my musical choices.
I must admit that, even though I was a big fan of Blink 182 in my angsty days (what can you do in highschool but listen to Blink 182?), I really love the work of Angels & Airwaves. Don’t get me wrong, I was sad when Blink broke up. I was uber-happy when they got together and recorded Neighborhoods. I really loved their last 2 albums. But I can relate more to AVA. I feel that their songs have a specific poetry, that belongs to AVA-Tom, and that, even though he made efforts to include said poetry into the latest Blink album, it is simply not there.
Wait, this review goes off track. I wasn’t planning talking about AVA and Blink and childhood obsessions of a wannabe poet (that’s me).
AVa does not have many videos out there, so I appreciate the hell out of fans with means and love for the band, who create videos that can relate to their beautiful songs, without being tacky, without ruining the magic.
Here comes SlideshowArt. This is a YouTube channel I subscribed over a year ago. Maybe two? I can’t really remember.
These guys have put together little films along the music of Angels & Airwaves and Blink, but they cover other bands too (Incubus, Nirvana, Jimmy Eat World, to name just a few). I would sit and watch Clever Love and Soul Survivor and All That You Are for hours, without blinking (pun intended).
