Movie Review: All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Title: All Quiet on the Western Front

Length: 2h 28m

Released: 2022

Genre: Drama, Historical, War
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Netflix

SUMMARY:

A young German soldier's eagerness to serve his country quickly fades when he witnesses the horrors of combat on the Western Front during World War I.

Trailer

REVIEW:

So I read the book a few years ago and I think I seen the 1930s version of the film when I was super young (or at least clips of it) so I was eager to watch this eventually. 

The story follows Paul and his friends. It is midway through WWI and they are eager to fight. However, they quickly realize war isn't pretty. Especially this war. While Paul and his friends struggle to stay alive and sane, the political world is on fire. Germany is losing the war and running out of bodies to send to the front. They will have to decide what to do.

I couldn't remember much of what happened in the book. There were a couple of things I remembered so I was prepared for some parts. 

You can't help but feel for Paul and his friends. War is hell....especially WWI. It was the dawn of a new age of fighting and they were being led by old folk used to the old style of war so the casualties were staggering. New technologies, new styles of fighting....no rules. This was war was a bloodbath. The film did a great job showing this. This was visually gorgeous. The music filled in the gaps and made this so intense. 

Now they did take away a few scenes of Paul going home at one point. I'm kind of bummed they did that because it shows how Paul is transforming. The beginning...he is a young dumb boy. The middle...he is losing his old self. The ending...he is the hardened soldier. Honestly, they could've compromised and just had him interact with civilians in some way just to show his realization he is not the old Paul anymore. 

However, they did add some political scenes which I did appreciate overall. It showed the bloated elite making decisions and being unsure if they should stop the war and sign the deal. The scene when they are all signing made me cry. That Armistice of Compiègne would seal the fate of Germany. Yes, the war is over which is awesome, but signing the armistice would begin a treaty that would be so harsh on Germany that it will lead to another and even more deadly war. The way they filmed that scene was so haunting and perfect.

This film was hauntingly beautiful. It was really good and I highly recommend it even if you haven't seen the past renditions or read the book.

I'll give this 5 stars. Yes, I was bummed they altered some scenes and removed Paul going home for a few, but the added behind-the-scenes political parts made up for it. Especially that signing scene. Oof. 100% recommend this film.  

Book Review: Regeneration by Pat Barker

Author: Pat Barker

Title: Regeneration

Series: Regeneration #1

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Pages: 260

Published: May 30, 1991

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

In 1917 Siegfried Sasson, noted poet and decorated war hero, publicly refused to continue serving as a British officer in World War I. His reason: the war was a senseless slaughter. He was officially classified "mentally unsound" and sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital. There a brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. William Rivers, set about restoring Sassoon’s “sanity” and sending him back to the trenches. This novel tells what happened as only a novel can. It is a war saga in which not a shot is fired. It is a story of a battle for a man's mind in which only the reader can decide who is the victor, who the vanquished, and who the victim.

Review:

This has been on TBR list for eoooons. Since High School! *coughs* Many, many years. Eek. So the TBR challenge was perfect to get me to dust this bad boy off and give it a read. 

It is 1917 and Siegfried Sasson refuses to continue fighting in the war. He is a noted poet and decorated war hero, but he is done. He views the war as senseless and just too much death. He is officially classified as "mentally unsound" and sent to the Craiglockhart War Hospital. Dr Rivers is given the task to fix him and get him back to the trenches. They need a man like him to help win the war. 

This started off so, so, so good. I really was enjoying it. This really digs deep into mental issues, war, trauma, morals, taboos of the time (like homosexuality), and so much more. It was deep and we see the war from a different viewpoint.

I had zero idea that this was based off of a real person. Naturally, when I was done reading, I had to do some digging and research on the fella. Very controversial person in his time. I think the author did a great job bringing him to life and giving us a possible look behind the mask. 

I enjoyed it overall. But the last quarter of the book...bored me. That sounds SOOOO bad, but I was ready to be done. Honestly, I think this should've been a novella. Lots and lots and lots of talking. Which I enjoyed, for the most part, but I found myself wanting to skim. It could've been the writing style lost me a bit as well. The flow was jarring and disjointed sometimes. 

All-in-all, I liked this. I'm glad I finally got my hands on this and can remove it from my TBR list. I needed a nice serious novel and this gave me what I wanted. We got some deep dives into many issues of the time and to be fair...we still struggle with some of these issues. It was good even with my issues of the last quarter of the book. I'll stamp  this with 3 stars. 

 Challenge(s):

- TBR (Back in My Day) #7

Movie Review: 1917 (2019)

Title: 1917

Length: 1 hr, 59 mins

Released: 2019

Genre:  Action, Drama, Historical
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Netflix

SUMMARY:

April 6th, 1917. As an infantry battalion assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap.

Trailer

REVIEW:

Another movie I've been wanting to watch for a while. Thank goodness for long flights ;) 

It is 1917 and war is raging on. Two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message to stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap. They will have to go behind enemies lines to get there.

One of the main reasons I wanted to watch this is because WWI is highly overshadowed compared to WWII. It is rare we get a WWI movie, plus....that trailer? How could you not need to know what happens?

I hate to use this word....but this movie was beautifully done. Yes, it is war and dark and filled with death. But they did a great job. 

Honestly...I was speechless when I finished this movie. It was so good. The acting was amazing. The tension had me on the edge of my seat. 

The scene in the woods gave me chills. 

All-in-all, this was great. I want to watch it again NOT on a plane. This time on my TV screen that is bigger. Great cast, great music, great story...great everything. Def 5 out 5 from me. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Chilling

Audiobook Review: Christmas Eve 1914 by Charles Olivier

Author: Charles Olivier

Narrator: Cameron Daddo, Xander Berkeley, Cody Fern, Damon Herriman, James Scott, John Beck, Lance Guest, Gabe Greenspan, & Heiko Obermoeller

Title: Christmas Eve 1914

Genre: Historical Fiction, Short Stories, & Military Fiction

Format: Audiobook

Published: December 16, 2014

Where I got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

In 1914, the war which was to have been wrapped up by Christmas had - in reality - only just begun, as all sides entrenched themselves deeper into the Great War. Christmas Eve, 1914 follows one company of British officers as they rotate forward to spend their Christmas on the front lines, a mere 80 yards from the German guns. Upper- and working-class men and boys are thrown together into one trench and struggle to survive. Beyond the exploding shells and artillery, the merciless freezing cold, extreme hunger, and crushing exhaustion, these young men - both British and German - discover a miracle of grace, as enemies becomes friends and an impossible Christmas finally arrives.

Review:

Meant to read this at the end of last year when I picked it up (when it was free), but you know how life gets ;) 

It is 1914 and the war was supposed to be done by Christmas, but it had only just begun. Both sides are entrenched and scared and cold and sad to be missing Christmas at home. Here we follow one British company as they rotate forward to spend their Christmas on the front lines...a mere 80 yards from German guns. Both this company and the German company on the other side will discover a miracle and a temporary friendship made possible by Christmas. 

They spared no expense with this short. A full cast and sound effects. It was simply delightful. It sounded like a movie. 

This has sadness, but there is hope. War is hell, but sometimes Christmas can bring people together even if it is just for a day.

Honestly? I think I may re-listen to this near Xmas time in the future. It really does remind you of the simplicity of Christmas and the happiness and hope it can bring. 

Even if you do not like historical fiction, this is something you should check out. It has an excellent meaning and the cast was fantastic. 

5 stars. 

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook Challenge - #3

Movie Review: Random Harvest (1943)

Title: Random Harvest

Length: 2 hr & 6 mins

Released: 1943

Genre:  Drama & Romance
Rating: Not Rated
Where I Got It: Borrowed from my parents

SUMMARY:

An amnesiac World War I veteran falls in love with a music hall star, only to suffer an accident which restores his original memories but erases his post-war life.

REVIEW:

My parents watched this recently and then they passed it to me to watch too. It sat on my dresser for a few days because I stink at watching movies lately. Finally got myself to watch it. 

The story follows a WWI veteran who had lost his memory during the war. With the war at end, he is able to escape the asylum. He comes across a music hall star. She takes him under her wing to help him. Some time passes and he has come to terms he may never remember who he was. They fall in love, but everything is ruined when he goes to town for an interview. He has an accident and it restores his original memory right before his first accident during the war, but erases those post-war memories. 

This was actually really good. Yes, I had my doubts. Old b&w movies are 50/50 for me so I get nervous watching them. But this was one of the good ones. Very unrealistic and dramatic but enjoyable. 

This was sad....very sad. You can't help but feel bad for Paula. Kuddos for her, but I don't think I could stand it. I won't spoil anything since there is a big twist. Sure it is an old movie and I could spoil stuff, but I shall be good. 

My only issue was the ending. I feel like we could've cut some of the 2nd memory loss scenes a bit. I would've liked to see more time with everyone (not a spoiler) with their HEA. I feel like there will be some BIG convos that need to be have. 

Overall, if you are itching for a b&w I recommend this one. It was dramatic and tragic and romantic. The ending needed more, but I still enjoyed it overall. I'll give this 4 stars. 

Book Review: Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor

Author:   Catherine Taylor 
Title: Beyond the Moon
Genre: Scifi, Romance, Historical
Pages: ebook
Published:  June 25th 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (By the author for my honest and unbiased opinion)



In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he’s been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless.

A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother – her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs – only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall – now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place.

Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital’s ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett…

Two people, two battles: one against the invading Germans on the battlefields of 1916 France, the other against a substandard, uncaring mental health facility in modern-day England. Two journeys begun a century apart, but somehow destined to coincide - and become one desperate struggle to be together.

I was drawn in by the cover and the story. Plus I love some time travel romances. So why not?

The story follows Louisa Casson and Lieutenant Robert. Louisa is a medical student in 2017 who has just lost her grandma and is heartbroken. She drowns her sorrows in alcohol and accidentally falls off the South Downs cliffs. The doctors fear she tried killing herself so they admit her to the psychiatric hospital. Robert is a soldier during WWI who is an amazing artist. He finds himself in the hospital due to some serious injuries. The two find each other and fall for each other and are destined to be together but it will not be easy.

Can't resist a good romance especially time travel ones. 

I liked Louisa and Robert. I felt bad for both of them. Robert has seen some terrible things and Louisa is locked up against her will and she didn't even try to kill herself. That psych place is terrible! How can it still exist? I mean...there are probably some terrible ones still around, but it seemed really horrible. 

From the beginning I was hooked. There were some huge lulls in the middle that had me wanting to skim, but I held firm because I had to know how everything was going to happen. I just wanted them to be happy and away from the war and that terrible psych place. They deserved love. 

At first, I was a little iffy about the insta-love. But it did seem to work for them. They are both damaged people and usually damaged people are drawn to each other. So it did make sense, but I was worried at first. 

I liked the ending. It was fitting. 

Overall, this was pretty good. Some ups and downs, but I was hooked and had to finish it. I just wanted the two to have the happiness they needed and deserved! I am intrigued to see what the author has next for us. I'll give this 3 stars. 

Time for TV Tuesday: The Last Czars (2019)

Recently Finished:

The Last Czars

Through: Netflix

I finished this show in just a couple of sittings. Darn work and having to sleep!

The show is about Nicholas and his downfall of the Czar dynasty. What makes this show unique and different than other shows is that it is a blend of a documentary and a show-show. We get the historical facts from the professional historians. But we also get to see the drama. They have real actors acting out the scenes and making it entertaining and you get to become more attached to certain characters. It was a historically accurate show but also entertaining at the same time. 

BF even liked this show and watched a few episodes with me. He was so enthralled that we stayed up late watching the last 2 episodes together. We were sure tired the next morning, but he wanted to know what happened at the end (even though I spoiled it previously – but we all know what happens. Common knowledge). He was so mad at those them killing the family. Especially the kids. So tragic. 

This was a very sad tale and I knew that going in, but it is always tears me up. I feel for the family. I feel for the people. It was sad all around. It could’ve ALL been avoided. Russia could be like England today.  Heck…sometimes I feel bad for that Mad Monk. He was mad and insane and it wasn’t ALL his fault at the ruination of the dynasty. They all were to blame. Except for the kids. Ugh!!! FEELS!

Some of the characters didn’t look like who they were portraying, BUT they did so well at the roles that it didn’t bug me too much. I also really liked that they added legit film from the time, but we got the actors too. I do wish they ALL had the appropriate accents. The peasants and lower-class people had them, but the royalty didn’t. Annoying. 

Honestly, it was a perfect blend of all the real film, acting, and narration. The people they got to narrate and explain were awesome. They were not stuffy boring history types that but a dark-stain on us history buffs *laughs at own joke*. They were entertaining themselves. I even learned a LOT! There was a lot I knew, but then there was a lot I didn’t. So fun to learn new things. 

Oooo that ending. I cried. I knew what was going to happen. But ugh. The feels. I hope they bury Alexei and Maria soon. They need to join their family and let it be done. 

Now…I will say that there is a small piece of my brain and heart that say someone survived. Maybe it wasn’t Anastasia. Maybe they can’t bury Alexei and Maria because they did survive. Who knows? Can we really trust the Russian government and their scientists? I mean…they have SO much to gain if the family is dead. Everyone has a price. Even scientists. With them all dead there is no chance for any to come back and make a play at the throne. Sure. It would likely never happen. BUT Russia is SO unstable even today. Better to keep the past dead. The only ones who know for sure are the people who were in that room. 

All-in-all, this was a good show. It hit all the emotions, but you also get to learn. I really enjoyed it and I hope we get more shows like this in the future from Netflix. It makes history entertaining even for us history nuts. I'll stamp this with 4 stars. 

Audiobook Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Author: Kate Quinn 
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Title: The Alice Network
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Pages: Audiobook
Published: June 6th 2017 
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)



1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie's parents banish her to Europe to have her "little problem" taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the "Queen of Spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose.

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads.


I have had my eyes on this book for a long while. Finally got my hand's on it thanks to Audible. 

The story follows Eve and Charlie. Charlie is a young lass who has a problem that she is being forced to get rid of by her parents since she is unwed. However, Charlie has her own plans in mind. She is going to find her missing cousin. Her only hope is Eve who was a spy in WWI and is now old and angry and drunk. During their travels, we get to see Eve's young spy career as well. 

I love spies. Always have, always will. However, people forget that spies live a rough life and always living close to disaster. It is a rough time and I worried so much for Eve and her spy family. I will admit I liked this part of the story better. I did enjoy Charlie's but it took me a while to really warm up to that part. 

This really made me feel. Ooooo poor Eve! Poor Charlie! Poor Rose! Poor hot Scottish car guy (why am I blanking on his name). War is hell and did a hell of a number on these guys. I will admit I did tear up near the end there! Ooooo dear. Can't say why, but it broke my wee heart. Damn War!

Grr! That baddie made me shake my fists. He was evil but I loved hating him. 

This author really knows how to write a historical fiction! She really knows how to bring the past to life and make you care about these characters even when they are flawed and torn-up.

The narrator was amazing. Loved her voices. Her accents seemed amazing and she changed flawlessly. I feel like I have listened to her before? If not I must listen to more! She is great. 

I really had no issues. The beginning was a touch rocky, but once we got rocking and rolling, I was hooked. If you are looking for a good historical fiction, I recommend this one! I'll stamp it with 5 stars. 

Book 6 of 16/25

Book Review: The Romanov Empress

Author: CW Gortner
Title: The Romanov Empress
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: ebook
Published: July 10 2018
Where I Got It: My shelf (Netgalley)



Narrated by the mother of Russia’s last tsar, this vivid, historically authentic novel brings to life the courageous story of Maria Feodorovna, one of Imperial Russia’s most compelling women who witnessed the splendor and tragic downfall of the Romanovs as she fought to save her dynasty in the final years of its long reign.
                  
Barely nineteen, Minnie knows that her station in life as a Danish princess is to leave her family and enter into a royal marriage—as her older sister Alix has done, moving to  England to wed Queen Victoria’s eldest son. The winds of fortune bring Minnie to Russia, where she marries the Romanov heir and becomes empress once he ascends the throne. When resistance to his reign strikes at the heart of her family and the tsar sets out to crush all who oppose him, Minnie—now called Maria—must tread a perilous path of compromise in a country she has come to love.
                  
Her husband’s death leaves their son Nicholas as the inexperienced ruler of a deeply divided and crumbling empire. Determined to guide him to reforms that will bring Russia into the modern age, Maria faces implacable opposition from Nicholas’s strong-willed wife, Alexandra, whose fervor has lead her into a disturbing relationship with a mystic named Rasputin. As the unstoppable wave of revolution rises anew to engulf Russia, Maria will face her most dangerous challenge and her greatest heartache.
  
                
From the opulent palaces of St. Petersburg and the intrigue-laced salons of the aristocracy to the World War I battlefields and the bloodied countryside occupied by the Bolsheviks, C. W. Gortner sweeps us into the anarchic fall of an empire and the complex, bold heart of the woman who tried to save it. 

I really enjoy this author's work. I have read a few and there are more I want to read. This one landed on my lap and I've been drooling over this book for weeks. I wanted to wait until after or near its publication. 

The story follows Minnie/Maria who is Tsar Nicholas' mother. We all know the tale of the fall of Nicholas, his family, and Imperial Russia. However, how many people can they really know his mother? I know I know very little of this force of nature. In this tale, we get to see her young, newly married, become the empress, become a mother, and see her lose everything. So sad, so very sad. I cannot imagine seeing everything fall away and never really, truly knowing what happened to part of your family. She lost so many of her family members during the fall of the monarchy. 

If only those stubborn men had listened to her!! That darn Russian pride was the downfall. If they had listened to her and followed through on her father-in-law's plan to follow in England's footsteps ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. But no. The stubbornness of males caused so many needless deaths. They could have avoided the fall of a great country. 

The story was told wonderfully. I enjoyed every moment. There were a couple of slow moments, but they did not last long. Maria had very time to rest. Lots to do especially with all those kids and constant issues popping up. 

Yes, she was a stubborn woman and could be harsh, but I was on her side pretty much for everything especially Nicholas' wife. Yes, let Nicky marry her...but I really feel that Alexandra was a huge factor in the fall of the monarchy especially with her fascination with that man. 

I liked Sasha too, but in the end, he was a stubborn male who didn't realize the people give power NOT god. England learned this and some other countries did too THUS why their royalty got to keep their place. A pity indeed. 

The ending was so sad, of course. I did get some tears especially thinking how monstrous revolutionaries can be. THE CHILDREN! They did nothing. UGH!!!!! So sad. My heart broke for Maria. She lost everything and pretty much everyone; such a tragic story. I loved it though. This was real and I felt the author really brought the characters to life. Splendid, indeed. 


In the end, this is a must-read for anyone who likes historical fictions. Heck. For anyone who likes a good people story. The author is such a good storyteller and knows how to bring historical people to life! Just note...there is no HEA in this one. Very sad. I'll stamp this with 5 stars. :3

Book Review: Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz

Author: Christina Schwarz
Title: Drowning Ruth
Genre: Historical Fiction & Mystery
Pages: 338
Published: August 2000
Where I Got It: Borrowed from my library

Drowning Ruth opens in 1919, on the heels of the influenza epidemic that followed the First World War. Although there were telephones and motor cars and dance halls in the small towns of Wisconsin in those years, the townspeople remained rigid and forbidding. As a young woman, Amanda Starkey, a Lutheran farmer's daughter, had been firmly discouraged from an inappropriate marriage with a neighboring Catholic boy. A few years later, as a nurse in Milwaukee, she is seduced by a dishonorable man. Her shame sends her into a nervous breakdown, and she returns to the family farm. Within a year, though, her beloved sister Mathilde drowns under mysterious circumstances. And when Mathilde's husband, Carl, returns from the war, he finds his small daughter, Ruth, in Amanda's tenacious grip, and she will tell him nothing about the night his wife drowned. Amanda's parents, too, are long gone.

This was a random find at the library and I was in the mood for a mystery. I was worried since this is an Oprah book and she is a hit-or-miss. 

Well - the beginning was confusing as hell. There was so much POV and time period switching. It was so hard to follow and actually care about what was going on. The only thing that kept me on the hook was finding out what happened to Mathilde. I had my theories, but I had a main one and I was rooting for because a certain someone would end up in jail forever and I would be okay with it.

I can't tell you why I hated this certain person, but there is something wrong with this person and everything happened because this person is a selfish liar. I can't name names, because....just because. You'd know exactly who I was talking about if/when you read this.

Poor Ruth and Carl. They were the true victims and I felt horrible for them. I do wish that Carl had more of a closing...I honestly think the author didn't want to deal with him anymore and wrote him off. So sad. 

Okay - after the confusing beginning, it did get somewhat better. I will admit that for sure. But it went from horrible to just meh. I enjoyed the mystery and finding out all the secrets and lies. However, the writing was left to be desired. The characters, besides for Ruth and Carl, were barely tolerable. The jumping between times and POV was a little less confusing, but still all over the place and sometimes I got lost in the narrative. 

Out of five stars, I am going to stamp this with 2. The only good part of this was the mystery and two characters.