Grandmother what BIG teeth you have…
As most everyone who knows me even a slightest bit, you know then that I am a card carrying, full moon howling, werewolf stalking kind of gal. So clearly this movie had my name written all over it.
I’d actually like to share a secret…SHHHH. And yes, this is the truth. I myself had an outline and a document saved on my computer and it was titled “Little Red Riding Hood”. I know a real shocker right? Hardly. But it seems that someone beat me to the punch, however…I would have done it better.
Now onto the review…
Red Riding Hood was first written as a screen play and then adapted into a novel. The powers that be wanted to create buzz around the movie with the book…and Catherine Hardwicke (also the director of Twilight) wanted another blockbuster on her hands and in her pocket.
I read the book first then went to see the movie in the theater…I was excited to see this book come to life, but I was also extremely skeptical because I saw Twilight and it practically slapped the book in the face with injustice. I mean, seriously.
Anywhoo, I figured because in my mind I cannot and will not separate the book and the movie this review will most likely read like a comparison. You’ve thus been warned.
Now because of my werewolf lovin’ ways, I am very picky about my wolves. And this movie/book combo did not disappoint me in the way of the beast. I liked him. I really, really liked him. He was mean and big and black. He had the perfect yellowish eyes and fangs that dripped with yuck….MmmmHmmmmm. Now, that being said, he could have been uglier, scarier, and more gruesome looking. But, you know, the movie didn’t really need him to be any scarier looking because the way he behaved made him very vile. I giggle as I write because I liked it. And let me just say that there is a scene in the movie when the town men decide to be brave and go into the cave where they believe the wolf to live and the screen goes black and silent….then I got my first glance at the wolf….
I screamed.
People laughed at me.
(But hey, I wasn’t the only one screaming…so there)
So, aside from my wolf, how about the rest of the movie? It was good, but not great. The setting was beautiful, the mountains, the snow and the way the town nestled into the earth. But the town and townspeople were very primitive, which isn’t a bad thing because it was done well…almost too well. I’m going to tell you the resounding feeling I got from this movie and the way the people and town came off to me. Don’t laugh. I know not a better way to describe the way I thought and only one word came to mind: dirty.
And not the “Hey baby, is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” kind of dirty.
I mean actual dirty. Like they lived so primitively in one room shacks and traveled by horse and cart…and they all looked well, dirty. The food that they continuously spooned into bowls turned my stomach, and they wore the same outfit throughout the movie (GASP! Have they not been to the GAP?). Okay, I will say that the people back in the day probably looked the same but it made me queasy.
Now, onto the cast. I like Amanda Seyfried, but I kind of thought her acting was fake at times. She was forever taking heaving breaths that pushed her chest up to her throat (and that just made everyman run to their remote for OnDemand) and when her sister died I didn’t really feel her grief, it seemed forced. The woodcutter (Fernandez) and the blacksmith’s son (Irons) were attractive…but to be frank I think Catherine Hardwicke cast them trying to get the next “Edward”. Both boys had that tousled, careless hair (which is hot, but Hell-oo its already done!) and their movements and build reminded me of Edward, it was almost distracting. Sometimes even the lines they said reminded me of Edward.
And NO I am not obsessed with Rob Pattison…Clearly, I am Team Jacob.
Anyway, I almost felt like Hardwicke tried too hard to make the movie into what she thought would be a hit instead of making the movie into what it could have been. Know what I mean?
Now onto the book. I liked it. Was it better than the movie? Not sure about that, but we’ll get to that. The thing about the book (well one thing) that I didn’t like was the writer’s style. Sometimes her descriptions were too much. They could have been simpler and more effective with better wording. Now, that is, of course, my opinion. The book was written well, but style is something you like or you don’t. And might I just say that any writer who has to write a book and develop the characters around a screenplay…well you go girl! Cause what a job that had to have been!
The other gripe I had about the book was the ending….Hell-O..someone forgot to add it.
Oh, wait…they left it out on purpose.
Ooops.
Yups, that right. You buy an incomplete book. No, werewolf reveal here (what a rip off!). But, the final chapter is online. I did not know this and neither did my girlfriends, so we went to the movie and didn’t realize that we would find out who the wolf is…until WHAM! It smacked us in the face.
We were like WHAT?? But I’ll give it props - I liked it. It was a good shock factor.
In fact, I would recommend this. Read the book and then see the movie without reading the final chapter online. Plus, I don’t know about you but I am too lazy to hunt down that chapter. I could put the link here…but I already said that I was too lazy to find it. Just watch the movie.
So was the book better than the movie? I can’t say. The book had a lot more time, you get to know the characters and their backstory A LOT more. In fact, I might not have understood the significance of some of the characters and their stories, in the movie, without the book. But, the book had the awesome factor going for it with the surprise ending. Although, if you read the chapter online, I guess you won’t be surprised. It also has the rockin’ visual of me wolf.
So, it’s a draw. Read the book and then watch the movie. You decide and I would love to hear your thoughts on this. It is after all a subject very near and dear to my heart. So find me on GoodReads, JournalStone.com or my blog https://theunlockeddiary.blogspot.com and tell me what you think.
We can dish and talk fur.
Just remember the werewolf is mine.
This review is written by Cambria Hebert
There You Have It…My Opinion
By Cambria Hebert
Title: The Reluctant
Author: C.S. Splitter
Publisher: Published April 2011 by C.S. Splitter
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Format: Ebook
ISBN: 0011269340
Tom Crayder is living the American Dream. He has a wife he loves, a house to call a home and his very own plane to go with his fulfilled dream of being a pilot. But like many know, the American dream isn’t always as carefree as some might like to believe.
Tom’s consulting business is failing, he’s behind on the loan payments to his plane and his wife works too much. And, he’s bored. Turns out that the great life he has isn’t very exciting.
How to spice things up???
He starts taking some jobs from a local crime boss, delivering people and cash to various locations and, because that just isn’t fun enough, he starts flirting with a woman at the shooting range.
Tom finds himself caught up in a web of people and situations that turn his excitement into danger. How will he get himself out of the mess he’s in, and…does he even want to?
This book is a bit of a departure from my usual paranormal genre but I enjoyed it anyway. The plot was easy to get into and easy to follow, and it took twists and turns that I didn’t always see coming. Some of the things that happened to Crayder had me turning the pages to see what he would do to get out of his situation.
Tom Crayder is a guy’s guy, a married man with a bachelor’s heart. Even though I knew that a man wrote this book before I started reading it would have been obvious the minute I picked it up. In many ways I found it interesting because I really felt like me (the reader – and yes a girl) got a clear glimpse into a man’s head. He thought about food and women a lot. Big surprise ther
e. He also thought about adventure and fun. Yet, Tom was also someone who thought about his friends and right and wrong. He had a conscious in him even when he was doing things that weren’t – shall we say – legal. I will say that his estimation of right and wrong sometimes went into the gray area and sometimes he was lead astray by his man parts…but I found that all to be in line with who Tom was. Hey, don’t hate the player - hate the game.
The characterization in the novel was solid as was the writing. I didn’t once get tripped up over a mistake or an awkward sentence and the book flowed well. This book set up Crayder and a cast of characters very well for the next book, which I will definitely read.
I will mention that I thought for being such an ordinary guy, Tom seemed to have quite a knack for getting himself out of sticky (and dangerous) situations. And sometimes his “I’m so cool because I’m a pilot” attitude made me roll my eyes.
My favorite part of the book was the ending and the Chihuahua. Want to know all about the little smiling dog with the underbite? Read the book, but beware not all doggies in this book are nice (my least favorite part of the book).
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes some suspense, good writing and to definitely all men everywhere.
You done good, Splitter, and I salute you.
So there you have it, my opinion.
This review is written by Cambria Hebert
The Staff
Beth Ann Masarik, is the founder and chief editor of Literary Lunes. She created this magazine, because people are always coming to her for literary advice, and she wanted to be there for all aspiring writers. She is the author of her debut novel, The World Among Us, a young adult, urban fantasy novel. Her book will be released on August 19, 2011. In addition to running Literary Lunes, Beth also runs her blogs, Writer’s Advocate, and Hallowed Writers. For more information about Beth, you can visit her full website at www.bethannmasarik.webs.com
Ashley Laura is dedicated to giving writers a voice outside of their work. For Literary Lunes, she assists with the accepting of article submissions and the formatting of the magazine. Outside of Literary Lunes, she is also the Municipal Liaison for Memphis National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO).
Cambria Hebert, is a new edition to our staff, and our current book reviewer. In addition, she is also a debut author who writes young adult fantasy novels. Her first novel, Masquerade, comes out on December 16, 2011. We are very excited to have her on board!
Erin Danzer writes regularly for Literary Lunes, and is an Indie author. Like Beth and Cambria, she also writes for young adults. Erin not only contributes her own short stories, but sometimes she even contributes articles on how to write literature as well.
You can like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (if the Twitter link doesn’t work, follow us @literarylunes)
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Literary Lunes Magazine, January 2012 Issue Page 11