Tuesday, October 19, 2010

"Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman" a novel by Elizabeth Buchan


"Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman" a novel by Elizabeth Buchan
Oh, She had it ALL! A good marriage, a great job, grown children and a home filled with......... But Nathan can't compete with the long ago memories of why Rose had married him, so when Nathan tells Rose he wants out of their marriage with, of all people, her younger assistant, Minty, Rose is sure she really can't be hearing him correctly, and when her boss, Timon, informs her that the paper no longer requires her services, she is doubly sure she is hearing Timon incorrectly, but that is indeed the case.
Rose's life, as she has known it, is over or so she thinks. Her grown children, however, force her to put one foot in front of the other, and so Rose starts reinventing her life. Her former beau reappears in her life, but is he and that what she wants? Muddling along, Nathan and Minty start having their own problems, and Rose finds that she doesn't care, and she really doesn't want Nathan back. And then Rose has that "light bulb" moment and realizes that she has become a better person without him.
A Revenge is SWEET!
Elizabeth captured all the emotions one would face in this type of situation. There are two books that follow these folks.
Hope you enjoy.

Monday, October 18, 2010

"Bliss" a movie


"Bliss" a middle eastern movie, can't seem to get away from them.
Young Meryem is found unconscious by a local shepherd, from her appearance, it would seem that she has been sexually violated. In her small village, she is expected to take her own life, as she is no longer considered "pure". Meryem is unable to name her assaulter to prove her innocence, however, she refuses to submit to the village's pressure to end her life. Her distant cousin, Cemal, has just returned from military service, and is given the task of executing her. Taking her to Istanbul, he visits his brother and an old childhood friend, neither of them believe in the "old ways". The friend has place that he suggests Cemal and Meryem go to, a fish farm on a huge lake. The current caretaker leaves and they take over his chores. A professor, on a fantastic sailboat, arrives and convinces the two to come on board and become his crew, he is unaware of the situation, believing them to be husband and wife.
This is a rather unusual film - it begins in sepia, and then turns to fantastic color, due in part to the locale and the water, then has a few moments in black and white. Story was interesting, the actors were believable. Some of the images keep coming back to me at odd moments.
Based on the novel by Zulfu Livaneli. Hope you will give it a try