Category: Reviews

When I learned that the BBC was remaking Poldark, my first thought was that at last all 12 books could be filmed.  Winston Graham continued to write the series almost until his death in 2003.  The second thought was a hope that the new cast would suit the characters, as the last attempt in 1996 failed due to the miscasting of the leads, and because of the poor dialogue.

The first season of the new series is based on the first two books; “Ross Poldark”, and “Demelza”, comprising of 8 episodes. Due to the success of the series in the UK, the BBC has commissioned a second series, based on the next two books; “Jeremy Poldark”, and “Warleggan”.

The actors selected for the roles in this new series are excellent choices. Aidan Turner brings home a complex man who life has been shattered by war, lost family and  betrayal of love, who then finds family and love again with the help of Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza. Shot on location in Cornwall, the photography is just a delight on screen; the sun rising over the cliffs in the morning is breath-taking.

It was sad to see Warren Clarke die as Charles Poldark, Ross’ rich uncle, just as he did so quickly in real life. The other cast members seem to fit well into their roles: Heida Reed as the beautiful and hard done by Elizabeth; Kyle Soller as Francis Poldark (Ross’ cousin), who never lives up to expectations; but Jack Farthing as the new George Warleggan–the villain of the piece–still has a long way to go to fit Ralph Bates shoes from the 1970’s series. It’s also nice to see the original Ross, Robin Ellis, in a small role as Reverend Dr. Halse.

It is very hard for me not to jump beyond the next episode because I read all of the 12 books. The plot of series one is very close to the novels, apart from the first scene.  Set in America, you see Ross in his English uniform fighting the American Rebels, and receiving the wound that gives him his scar. Then the story changes to Ross coming home and finding his father dead, his home almost in ruins, his income gone, and his fiancée about to marry his cousin Francis, due to mistaken reports of his death.  Tension builds from scene to scene. Then Ross encounters Demelza, a scene lifted straight from the page to the screen.

Debbie Horsfield, a playwright and writer of BBC’s series Cutting It, does an excellent job on the adaptation of Winston Graham’s novels.  Looking forward, if the BBC and cast continue, we should have six seasons of the Poldark saga.

It’s hard to believe a movie that is essentially a two hour car chase could be so complex, but Mad Max: Fury Road is riddled with interesting storytelling choices that will change the way I view action movies from this point onwards.

For anybody who spends as much time online as I do, it was impossible to avoid seeing the controversy surrounding the release of Fury Road. One article described the movie as ‘Trojan horse feminism’, hiding messages empowering women behind cars, guns, and explosions to sneak them into cinemas. But I don’t think George Miller and the stellar cast of Fury Road are trying to be secretive at all.

Now might be a good time to remind the internet about the definition of feminism: the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of equality. Fury Road isn’t trying to kick men out of action movies, but rather to show that women are just as capable of surviving the apocalypse, car chases, gun fights, dust storms, hand-to-hand combat, and mortal wounds as men are. A woman can be more than the ‘prize’ waiting for the action hero at the end of the movie; a woman can be the action hero.

Cranky Ladies of History

This anthology shines a spotlight on some of the famous, infamous and, more often, overlooked women of history and legend. According to editors, Tansy Raynor Roberts and Tehani Wessely, inclusion has been reserved for ‘women who bucked the trends of their time and took on cultural norms to challenge society’s rules and ideas about how women should behave.’

With that in mind, prepare yourself for a dazzling array of pirate queens, virgin-sacrificers and rabble-rousers, God-fearers and Fear-of-God-ers. This book fair takes you by the throat with 23 stories starring women of the Sword, of God and of Mysticism but – first and foremost – of themselves. The players are rich and varied, with many a dark horse featuring alongside well-knowns such as Ann Boleyn and Elizabeth I. Each of these stories is highly emotive: many laced through with dark symbolism, traces of magic, witchcraft and ‘women’s business.’

Some of the leading ladies are captured at a moment of self-discovery, which will turn them into the characters we have come to know. Others knew who they were from the very first breath. ‘Knowledge was power. And I wanted to be knowledgeable’, says Neferure, young daughter of the assassinated Pharoah in Amanda Pillar’s ‘Neter Nefer’. It could well be the credo of the whole anthology.

We don’t often credit the people of Ancient Egypt, Victorian England or colonial America with the political and social sensibilities that we employ and engage in today. I admire the ability of the authors to reach into the dry and dusty recordings of history and tease out the personal quirks and motivations that make identifiable human beings. Whether petty or grand, it’s these qualities that bring legendary figures to life. ‘Hallowed Ground’ by Juliet Marillier, ‘The Lioness’ by Laura Lam, and ‘Due Care and Attention’ by Sylvia Kelso stand as wonderful examples. The result is a collection of stories that are engaging, fascinating and, often, all too brief.

In the foreword, the editors also make mention of how these women are often buried in historical accounts, which certainly rings true. After reading the book, I realised that I felt instantly oriented in a story when an iconic male character was mentioned. A prime example is Henry the VIII himself. His wives and daughters are still often presented as possessions, picked up and discarded, despite each one’s role in influencing the shaping of a nation. They are celebrated here, in ‘Queenside’ by Liz Barr and ‘Glorious’ by Faith Mudge, with some beautiful insights into their perspectives of events.

It could be said that this is a book of outlaws, in the true sense of the word. These are complicated women, as vicious in battle as men, often more so, and with memories that run long. They are also caring and compassionate, stubborn, headstrong, brilliant, violent and spiteful. These stories raise questions that have been applied through history whenever women have acted outside social perception of ‘what is proper’.

Some give a definite sense of time and place, while others focus instead on the events at hand. They are not arranged in any particular order other than the book title itself. What you have here is a treasure chest in which you will find a very eclectic collection of sharp and glittering delights.

While some stories could be considered gentle and reflective, others deal with tales of betrayal, vengeance, insanity and greed. For these reasons, I suggest that this is not a book to be read in one sitting. They should be taken out, one by one, and admired under the light. Readers who prefer to engage with characters in short, sharp bursts should enjoy this aspect.

The contributing authors are as talented and diverse a group as you could expect to find in Speculative Fiction today. They are award winners and nominees, contributors to and editors of anthologies, and writers of poetry, blogs, podcasts, social and political commentary. The diversity and quality of thought is reflected in this timely education on a few of the remarkable women of history and legend. It makes you wonder why they have been ‘buried beneath the weight of years’, when countless male figures are borne up by it.