Book Vs Movie: Who Wore It Better? All Things Cease to Appear (Book) Vs. Things Seen and Heard (Movie/Netflix)

 

Things Heard & Seen

Netflix

April 29, 2021

Starring: Amanda Seyfried & James Norton

Director: 

All Things Cease to Appear

Elizabeth Brundage

March 8, 2016

Alfred A Knopf 

Oh dear readers....where do I even begin on this one? 

First let me tell you, I LOVE A GREAT GHOST STORY, so when I saw the trailer for this on my weekly Netflix email, I set out to investigating. The bonus for me was it had one of my "actors that make me actually pay attention" in it. Yup, James Norton is in it. Ya know James Norton, that freaking DYNAMIC actor of Grantchester, McMafia, Happy Valley fame. I could go on. This guy is just that big of an acting genius to me.  

When the Netflix trailer included that it was based on a best selling novel, being the bibliophile I am, I set out to research and quickly learned it was based off ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR by Elizabeth Brundage. It would be read by the time the movie hit Netflix and I easily hit that goal. 

So, now...who wore it better. Hands down, in typical Hollywood fashion, the book far surpassed the movie in quality. From here on, we go deep into spoiler territory. Just a warning. 

There were critical elements to the backstory of this ghost story that the movie leaves out. Instead of focusing on those elements, the movie focuses on the backstory to the Clares. I could not figure this out. The backstory to the Hales was CRITICAL to the understanding of the book and movie. It was critical to understanding the attachment of the Hale boys to the home, as well as the reason for the haunting by their mother. The screenwriters not only all but ignored it, they changed it into something just plain goofy. 

Due to starting with the backstory of the Clares, the movie was unable to start with a mystery like was done in the book. As the story unfolded, several people could have killed Catherine Clare. Could it have been George? Could it have been one of George's lovers? Could it have been Eddy Hale? The list could go on. Because the movie opened with Catherine Clare very much alive, we were not afforded the ability to experience this movie as the mystery that it was written. We were left with a ghost story and a poor one at that.

Let me tell you, one of the biggest disappointments that I had in this movie was that it failed to show George in just the evil "pigamuffin" that the book captured. In some ways, I thought the book was light on George and heavier on Catherine as a whack job. 

There were also scenes in this movie that I felt were left hanging. For example, the shower masturbation scene was a very important scene in the book that was left hanging in the movie. It was such an important scene that it was brought up at least one other time in the book. 

The special effects on this movie, particularly at the end, were just laughable. I can't even expound on that one.

Now, Netflix, I'd like the two hours it took me to watch this movie back, please! It is because of movies like this that we cannot have nice things, and I'd love Hollywood to just keep their hands off great books. 

So, my final ratings:

Book: 4 Stars

Movie: 1 Star

Skip the movie...READ THE BOOK!

So, now you'll please excuse me while I go watch James in the she THE NEVERS on HBO and forget this experience with him ever happened. As the saying goes...they all can't be winners.

Killer Triggers: Murder Comes Down to Sex, Drugs, or Money by Joe Kenda

 

Book: Killer Triggers: Murder Comes Down to Sex, Drugs, or Money

Author: Joe Kenda

Release date (if applicable): March 9, 2021

Synopsis: Kenda is back with stories from his career. This title focused on murders which occurred due to what Kenda calls the three causes of murder...sex, drugs or money. 

My rating: 4.5 Stars

My opinion: I found I didn't enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed Kenda's first book I Will Find You: Solving Killer Cases from My Life Fighting Crime. As I did a deeper dive into the book, I figured out why I wasn't warming up to it like I did his first work. 

First, anyone who is a Homicide Hunter fan and has watched the episodes several times (hangs head) will recognize most (if not all) of the cases from the show. Do we get a deeper understanding of what was going through Kenda's mind? Yes, we do, but it still felt like a "been there-heard that". 

Second, we didn't get as much Kenda/Kathy as we did in the first book and I missed that. Kenda/Kathy stories are as hysterical as the tidbits of sarcasm Kenda gives from his cases. Let me give an example. Kenda has been doing a lot of publicity for his new Discovery+ show, AMERICAN DETECTIVE. A fantastic show that Kenda fans will go gaga over, by the way, but I digress. He recently did the podcast Small Town Dicks and told a story about Kathy making him go out with friends from her job. Kenda realizes the stepfather of Kathy's friend from work is sexually abusing the daughter of the friend and ends up having to arrest the guy. As I was reading the book at the time, I said to myself this would be a perfect story for the book! 

Third, I read a digital ARC. There is NOTHING like a Joe Kenda narration. Hands down, my absolutely favorite narrator. While I could hear him narrating in my mind, there is nothing like the real deal.   

Source: Blackstone Audio via Netgalley 

Would I recommend? Duh. Of course! Following my opinion, though, I recommend investment in the audiobook version. Blackstone Audio is one of the largest publishers of audiobooks, so I'll bet dollars to donuts there will be an audiobook version with our favorite Lt. narrating. 

I will say this will more than likely be the last Kenda book I request to review. I will wait to purchase an audio copy and review from that. While I realize I only marked it down a half star, I don't feel I walked into the reviewing process with what I felt I needed to do to give the review all that it needed. For that, I am to blame. 

Stand Alone or Part of a Series: Stand Alone

Life with the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned about Ghosts by Amy Bruni

 

Book: Life with the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned about Ghosts

Author: Amy Bruni

Release date (if applicable): October 27, 2020

Synopsis: Ms. Bruni, who any fan recognizes from her work on Ghost Hunters (the original) and Kindred Spirits or even paranormal research conventions, brings thirteen lessons she learned about ghosts in her decades of ghost hunting. Chapters are done in sections based on paranormal research and her own experiences in ghost hunting. Ms. Bruni also throws in tidbits about the go behinds of the shows Ghost Hunters and Kindred Spirits, as well as personal accounts in Amy's life that fueled her passion for the field. 

My rating: 4 Stars

My opinion: This book captured my attention IMMEDIATELY. I enjoyed the format of weaving in paranormal research, show accounts and personal experience. In my humble opinion, it gave the book a bit more personality rather than straight research or straight personal account, which comes off to me as more "one man syndrome" vs. a respectable scientific source. To me, it made the book very warm, approachable and readable. 

I have to say, personally, I enjoyed the "behind the scenes" of Ghost Hunters most. I absolutely loved the show Ghost Hunters and was obsessed with being at my television to watch it faithfully until the departure of Grant Wilson. I continued to watch it until about season 9 as I could, but really enjoyed Amy's involvement with the team as highly professional. Each year, Ghost Hunters Live achieved the same level of celebration as Chicago Bears Sofa Tailgating Sunday. 

What I loved most of this book was Ms. Bruni's skepticism and criticism of the field, including some major names such as the Warrens (whom I have my own issues with) and not accepting findings as gospel. Her final chapter even addresses the topic of question everything and embrace skepticism, even from her. There was a sense of humility in that for me. 

One criticism I would have for the book is that I would have enjoyed photos included in the book. Now, I was given an egalley to review, so these may be included in the published book, but I did not see them in my galley. 

Source: Grand Central Publishing for honest review

Would I recommend? Yep! How much did I enjoy this read? I read it in 2 days and a girl has gotta work! I would read this book before I went into work, after I went into work and even during my lunch hours. It was just a good, inviting reading that read quickly. 

Stand Alone or Part of a Series: Stand Alone