Attack on Titan - Part 1

Attack on Titan Promo Image. Source: Crunchyroll

A few weekends ago I marathoned all the existing episodes (that were available at the time) of Attack on Titan, otherwise known as Shingeki no Kyojin. I 100% do not regret this decision and hopefully you won't either should you choose to embark on this journey. If you've been following me on Twitter, you may have noticed my subtle hints to listen to the first opening song of the series over the past few weeks. I'm not entirely sure how I should best declare my love and enthusiasm for this song, other than to use CAPS LOCK or blast the music through some speakers as I walk down the street (gotta keep it cool yo).

Attack on Titan is based on the best-selling manga series by Hajime Isayama. The story is set in a dystopian world: the remnants of humankind live within towns and cities surrounded by enormous walls that are meant to protect them from the flesh-eating Titans. And for some unknown reason, the Titans enjoy devouring humans. Tasty. This is where we meet a young Eren Jaeger, who believes that people have grown complacent over the last 100 years of peace and wishes to join the cause to fight the Titans that roam outside the walls (even though many do not return home). Eren's speculation proves to be correct when the Titans attack and destroy Eren's entire life leading to his enlistment in the military, along with his adoptive sister, Mikasa, and friend, Armin.

Attack on Titan is compelling, well-written, and manages to convey both heartfelt and gruesome story lines and visuals. It is thoroughly unsettling, if not disturbing, to watch these Titans mindlessly stomp through streets, ripping apart and eating humans. The complex variations of human emotion are portrayed accurately as each character reacts differently to the violence and terror of their surroundings. In comparison to the usual 'yes violence is great and it definitely does not impact my psychological well-being at all' attitude that many recent films convey, it was refreshing to view a more multifaceted approach to battle scenes. It's difficult to discuss other interesting aspects of the storyline thus far, in great depth, without revealing too much information - so I think I'll have to do this in a later post.

Essentially, Attack on Titan, is a well-written, captivating anime that consistently leaves me wanting more. The characters are strong, and the music is excellent, so if you're interested in some dystopian fantasy horror, go check it out at Kiss Anime.

First Impressions: Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club

Free! Promo Image. Source: Wikipedia

In recent months there has been a lot of hype surrounding the much anticipated anime, Free!, since this promotional clip for Kyoto Animation and Animation DO emerged online in March. A fandom developed (particularly within the Tumblr community) immediately in response to the unconfirmed and unnamed anime resulting in fanart and fanfic for what was dubbed the 'swimming anime'.

In the last few weeks Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club has caught my attention and inevitably I have now watched the first two episodes.

The story revolves around four boys - Haruka (our main protagonist), Makoto, Nagisa, and Rin - who all participated in a competitive swimming tournament before graduating elementary school (aka primary school). They parted their separate ways after Rin announced his relocation to Australia to advance his swimming skills. Years later, the group reunites and Rin challenges Haruka to a race and wins. Haruka rediscovers his passion for competitive swimming (even though this kid literally lives in his bathers/swimming trunks every single day) and along with Makoto, Nagisa, Gou, and the yet to be introduced Rei, they form the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club.

The tension between some of the characters is really intriguing and I hope that more details about their pasts and their current predicament will be raised throughout the remainder of the series. It's clear that Haruka, Rin, and their relationship with not only swimming, but also their connection with each other and the rest of the group, will need to be explored in more depth. I love Haruka's intense passion and emotional connection with water, and there is a beautiful scene that reflects this as Haruka reaches out to a hand made of water while he's swimming, demonstrating elements of magic realism.

There is plenty of fan service, which essentially means that the intended audience is given exactly what they want - and in the context of Free! this means there are A LOT of topless guys with plenty of close-ups and as Haruka has a deep connection with water he basically starts stripping off the second he steps near the stuff (I am not kidding).

On top of this, the animation is wonderful and the music is brilliant. I can't get enough of the outro song and have been listening to it on repeat. I'm definitely going to keep watching and I would recommend checking out the first episode if you haven't already - I've been watching it over at Kiss Anime.

Doctor Who EP 7.13: The Name of the Doctor

This review post is really late but here you go anyway. If for some bizarre reason you're reading this and still haven't watched the episode yet, there are spoilers ahead.

clara saving the universe and all that. caps from here

Episode Summary: The Great Intelligence has returned to rewrite history and destroy the Doctor, threatening not only him but also his friends, at the final resting place of the Doctor - Trenzalore.

"I blew into this world on a leaf. I don't think I'll ever land. My name is Clara Oswald. I'm the impossible girl. I was born to save the Doctor."

The finale was mindblowingly amazing, particularly in comparison to some of the previous episodes of series 7, which have kept Clara's mystery secret but have lacked character development (Clara, the Doctor, and some of the villains). Throughout this series we have seen Clara die in several different timestreams, leading not only the Doctor, but also the audience, to wonder how this could be possible if she's an ordinary human? I think this contributed to my annoyance with the series because at times Clara was positioned as a mystery to be solved, a plot device - "You are the only mystery worth solving" - rather than an actual person.

i really want to know more about the whispermen

Clara finally became aware of past conversations with the Doctor that had wiped from her memory, and she realised that she had only one choice to save the Doctor and the universe from being rewritten - namely, stepping into the the Doctor's timestream after the Great Intelligence (GI) so that, she too, could be split into a million pieces and be scattered across time and space to save the Doctor from the GI's plan to destroy everything he had done. I remember reading a Clara theory that I agreed with on a discussion forum early in the series that suggested Clara was similar to that of a Horcrux, that parts of her soul had been scattered across time and space for some reason. I think it's safe to say that this theory has in essence proved to be true and that we now know the reason behind it - to save the Doctor.

Doctor Who EP 7.12: Nightmare in Silver

I am so unbelievably close to watching the finale right now. As soon as I finish writing this post you can guess what I'll be doing and a review will come in the next day or so. Spoilers ahead folks.

the doctor vs mr clever oh yeah. caps from here

Episode Summary: What do you get when you put the Cybermen, Clara, two children, the Doctor, and the most hopeless army you've ever seen, together? A whole lot of trouble. Especially when the Doctor is attacked by cybermites and keeps switching between his identity as the Doctor and the Cybermen's Mr Clever.

This episode (penned by Neil Gaiman) was, enjoyable, but nothing compared to his triumph with The Doctor's Wife, arguably one of the best episodes of the last series. What's bothering me about series 7B is that there is simply not enough character development for Clara. I know I said this in the last post but I still don't know her. She meets with the Doctor every Wednesday, when the Doctor tells her to do something she does it (but this is mainly because the alternative is terrifying), she's a nanny, and she's the impossible girl! But where are her opinions? Her beliefs? How does she really feel about the Doctor and what he does? Does she want to know more? WHO ARE YOU CLARA? I just??? I'm hoping that this will be somewhat rectified in the finale.

u go clara. 4 for u.

Moving on to Nightmare in Silver, this new generation of Cybermen allowed them to attach cybermites to the flesh of humans (or time lords) and move in lightning speed - which only happened once - but overall they were quite brilliant. Usually, the Cybermen just sort of stomp around grabbing people to build up their army and attack the Doctor. However, the Doctor ended up being one of their first targets and it resulted in a battle between his cyber-identity, Mr Clever, and himself. The fight for survival moved backwards and forwards, as Mr Clever mocked him and flirted with Clara, and it was hard to tell who was who at times. But with a slap in the face or a neck-jerking twist, the Doctor was back in control of his body, but most importantly his mind, leaving Clara with the job of ordering the army and making sure the planet didn't get blown up. Nonetheless, the identity struggle was definitely my favourite part of the episode, partly because I so desperately want to see the Doctor break loose and turn dark and evil. Or start flirting with Clara. Yes. And by Clara I actually mean me.

Doctor Who EP 7.11: The Crimson Horror

The race to catch up to the finale before I glimpse any massive spoilers is causing me great pain. Especially, when I probably need to be writing my dissertation at this exact same moment, and yet, here I am writing about The Crimson Horror, which I only just watched this morning. Spoilers ahoy.

these ladies are some kickass detectives let me tell you that. caps from here

Episode Summary: The Doctor takes Clara back to 1893, and instead of arriving in London, they happen upon Yorkshire, where mysterious crimson bodies are turning up in the morgue. They are joined, and saved, by the trio of detectives we saw in last year's Christmas special: the Silurian Madame Vastra, her human (kickass) wife Jenny Flint, and the Sontaran Strax. The resident villain, this week, appears to seek a world of perfection and is preserving those deemed "desirable" in her new world (and wants to kill everyone who isn't). She also has a repulsive little alien thing attached to her. I think that says enough.

yeah this is pretty darn creepy

This episode was well paced and enjoyable with a whirlpool of different genres on the table: period feature, sci-fi/fantasy, and a bit of classic horror. As a side-note, Mark Gatiss wrote this episode, and I'm honestly surprised that he didn't write a character for himself because he's been known to do that in the past. Anyway, I was so excited to see my favourite trio of detectives getting up to their shenanigans in Victorian England, and they certainly did not disappoint. Strax provided some much needed comic relief, as he offered suggestions of invasions, explosions, and killing everyone in his way to get where he needed to be. One of his standout lines: "Horse! You have failed in your mission! You're lost with no sign of Sweetville. Do you have any final words before your summary execution?" (It's okay the horse didn't die.) And then there was the wonderful Jenny, who infiltrated Sweetville, saved the Doctor, and then as the duo were surrounded and the Doctor prepared himself for a fight, Jenny ripped off her period dress to reveal tight leather fighting clothing and eliminated the hoard of attractive employees. BOOM. She would make an excellent companion for the Doctor. Madame Vastra sought out information and shocked everyone with her appearance. You go Vastra.

Doctor Who EP 7.10: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS

I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to review all the episodes over the next day or so, considering I also have class work to do, but I'm trying my best to do what I can. Oh well. Spoilers ahead for this episode.

they are precious to me. caps from here

Episode Summary: The Doctor turns off the shield oscillators so that Clara can try to fly the TARDIS, and they are consequently pulled in by a salvage vessel using a magnograb. Clara is lost in the TARDIS and the Doctor recruits the salvagers to help find her. The TARDIS then starts to reconfigure itself and there are crispy molten rock people chasing after them all. Yeah.

This has to be my favourite episode among those that have been reviewed so far. There were flaws but overall the episode was brilliant. Both Clara and The Doctor were dashing in their outfits as tried to find each other within the labyrinth that is the TARDIS. But, as soon as, the Van Baalen brothers wandered away to start tearing apart the TARDIS console for scraps, that was when it got tricky. The architecture of the ship was constantly reinventing itself, and making them run around in endless looping hallways to protect its equipment being stolen. Fair enough.

you better have the answer doctor

I loved being able to see into the hidden rooms that have been mentioned over the past few series, such as the swimming pool, and the all important library, where Clara managed to get a glimpse of the Doctor's real name in The History of the Time War book. Conveniently, this book was on a display stand and after opening it to a random page, she only had to turn it to the next page to find his name. However, at the end of the episode the Doctor was able to re-set time so that Clara didn't remember this information. CONVENIENT. To me, this seems like a 'get out of jail free' card and was just way too easy. It would've been far more interesting if Clara had been able to keep her memories and have the Doctor deal with the fact that she knows secrets that she shouldn't.

It's always really interesting (and exciting) when there are links back to the past. Clara discovered a room full of items that had been collected over the years, including: Melody Pond's cot, Amy's handmade TARDIS, and a magnifying glass that was probably used by both Amy and Donna. There are more items listed here. Then when one of the brother's started pulling apart the console, there was a leak in time, as voices from the past were heard including previous Doctor's and companions. I know I definitely heard Amy shout, "We are in space!"

Doctor Who EP 7.09: Hide

WOAH LONG TIME NO SEE! Well actually I don't see you per se because you're apart of my invisible audience but it is not the time to start talking about these technical issues is it? You want all the Doctor Who reviews before I watch the finale don't you? I'm glad you just said yes because that's what I'm going to try and do like right now. Obviously don't read on if you don't like spoilers.

the doctor was actually afraid and this is important to me. caps from here

Episode Summary: The Doctor and Clara travel to 1974 to visit a well-known psychic and a war veteran with a ghost problem. And a monster problem. And the ghost isn't actually a ghost. And the Doctor actually came here to ask the psychic a few questions about Clara. And the Doctor also plays cupid. It's really good.

I was hooked from the start of this episode, and while I'd say that the first half may have been stronger than the second half, it was excellent and I loved it. I would like to thank the writer for not having the characters ask the  "Doctor who?" question when the Doctor introduced himself and Clara to Alec Palmer and Emma Grayling. "I'm the Doctor." "Doctor what?" "If you like." THANK YOU.

but she's definitely not afraid here she's feeling awesome

Clara is afraid. She may be trying to hide it from the Doctor and the people she meets but she is afraid and it's so refreshing to see how she reacts differently to some of the previous companions, that wandered off as soon as they got the chance. When the Doctor asks her to come with him and search the ~spooky~ house for the ghost, unlike other companions, she doesn't even want to because the actual idea that someone who might be dead is screeching through the hallways is terrifying. 

The Doctor is afraid. We don't get to see the Doctor show fear very often but when he's stuck in a pocket universe with no TARDIS, and no other devices to help him get back, it's fair enough that he was afraid. Oh and he was being chased by an unknown creature as well. So there's that. But what I loved about this creature, is that for most of the episode we believe that it's this terrifying monster that wants to kill the Doctor, and then it's revealed that it was actually chasing the Doctor because it was looking for a way home, back to its partner inside the spooky house. It was just nice to have a so-called monster not looking to take over the world, or destroy earth, or destroy the Doctor, but to get back to it's loved one.

TV Review: Broadchurch

"People are unknowable. You can never really know what goes on inside someone else's heart."

This eight-part series is yet another brilliant whodunnit mystery as the lives of people in Broadchurch are turned upside-down after the death of local boy Danny Latimer. Unlike various other crime programs, Broadchurch did not only focus primarily on the police investigation, as we were also able to explore the grief and emotional trauma experienced by the victim's family, the role and perspective of the media, and the consequences of these elements intermingling.

image from here but damn yo look at all these suspicious faces

The exploration of grief and how to deal with death is portrayed through multiple perspectives - the family, friends, detectives, journalists, and complete strangers - each bringing something different to this overarching theme of the series. This was expressed through some phenomenal acting and, at times, I was overwhelmed by the emotional performances - honourable mention to Olivia Colman. The space of eight episodes also gave ample time to not only delve into these feelings but also the backstories and motivations of the characters involved.

I thought the inclusion of the media's perspective was not only fascinating to watch but also a smart move on behalf of the writers. So often we are given a one-sided view of the impact of the media: journalist writes something and the police get angry. In Broadchurch, we were able to watch the media spiral into a frenzy and through other characters we were able to view the impact and the consequences of articles that spread damaging information about people. It was also interesting that they mentioned only featuring "attractive" families that had been victim to a crime - a disappointing truth about our society indeed.

While I would recommend this program to anyone interested in crime drama this is not to say the program is without flaws. Despite the pacing of episodes being excellent in conveying grief and emotion with various scenes involving music/crying/staring out to sea, I suspect there were probably a few people that lost interest due this fact AND that this series was revolving around one murder that was going to be aired over eight whole weeks. There are also a few things that some characters do that appears a bit out of place or just downright odd. But to me it was worth it. I loved every second of it and was forever wanting the next episode to air and to know more about the characters in this little community. I was often left thinking about the episode long after it had finished. So, if you're looking for a interesting crime drama with excellent acting and writing (and desire the need to fling your heart into the sun) then I would recommend checking out Broadchurch.

Let me know what you think in the comments below or tweet me @faultystairs :)

Doctor Who EP 7.08: Cold War

WoAH no wAY! An episode review on a M0nDaY?? This can’t be tRUE! I only just got around to watching the episode a few hours ago and amazingly I am now writing a review. It may or may not be because I have a lot of work for uni to complete this week, as well as, it being more ideal to write an episode review for something that is still in the forefront of people’s minds. Spoilers ahead folks, so if you haven’t watched then don’t read.

note: all screencaps are from grande-caps and here is clara legitimately looking terrified

Episode Summary: The Doctor messes up his co-ordinates (as he so often does) and he and Clara end up on a sinking Russian submarine in 1983 during the Cold War. The professor on board believes that they have obtained a frozen mammoth on their travels. The professor is wrong.

In comparison to the last two episodes, the pacing for ‘Cold War’ felt right. It didn’t need to be any longer to fully develop the storyline and characters, and there didn’t appear to be any major plot holes either. It was definitely visually impressive (as usual) in a perfect kind of way, the blue, pink, yellow and red colour palette for the episode was just gorgeous. I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best episodes I’ve ever seen and I’m a bit undecided on how to feel because it felt like there was something missing, but it was still a good episode overall. There were definitely some great one-liners though. But if there’s one thing to note, I would have expected the characters to be a bit more scared considering the TARDIS just, you know, DISAPPEARED and they were all AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN but I guess they were kind of preoccupied by Skaldak the Ice Warrior.

noooooooow KISS

Let’s talk about the Doctor/Clara relationship because it’s so precious. Clara is supposed to be the impossible girl, the girl who can’t exist, and yet she does and she’s just so normal it’s hard to believe. It’s becoming clear that the Doctor is quite protective of her, which is entirely reasonable considering she has died twice in two separate time streams. Last week on the pyramid when she asked to help, he told her to leave and that “when we hold something precious, we run, until we are out from under the shadow.” This may not just be referring to the child, but also to Clara. If this is the case, does this mean there will be an episode in which they simply run? And this week when she wanted to face Slakdak, the Doctor outright refused ("You?! No. No, no way! You’re not going in there alone, Clara. Absolutely not. No, no, never.") but she went ahead and did it anyway. I think I’ll wait for more to be revealed throughout the series.

Doctor Who EP 7.07: The Rings of Akhaten

This is an undeniably late review for, in my opinion, an undeniably good episode. As per last week, and every following week, there will be spoilers in this post so I would recommend not reading on until you’ve watched the episode.

note: all screencaps are from grande-caps BUT AREN'T THESE TWO SO PRECIOUS??

Episode Summary: Clara sets off for her first adventure with the Doctor to the Rings of Akhaten. There are aliens strolling around market stalls everywhere but they’re primarily all there for the Festival of Offering and to hear a young girl sing to keep the Old God asleep. Shenanigans ensue!

Firstly, I need to address the disappointment surrounding this episode. It appears as though the critics enjoyed it, however after browsing the comments and trawling through Twitter, there were a fair few people who didn’t like this latest installment (or the speech???), with some going so far as to call it the “worst episode ever”. Really?

the epic symbolism of the Doctor/companion relationship

I thought this episode was heartfelt and was very much focused on establishing the Doctor/Clara relationship for the rest of the series. I will admit, that some aspects were quite similar to Amy’s first adventure on ‘The Beast Below’ and it risked being a bit samey; but there were different needs and values explored in ‘The Rings of Akhaten’. However, I think that there were too many monster villains for the length of the episode and I would have honestly enjoyed more character development of the Vigil, whom could have been a standalone DW villain. But did I still love the episode? Yes. Yes I did.

It became clear that Clara is not someone we, and the Doctor, should just view as a problem to solve or just view as “the new companion” as a portion of her back-story was revealed and we learned about her parents and the significance of that mysterious leaf. There was also the bonus of her quite bluntly saying that she would travel with the Doctor but she is not there to replace a ghost of his past. A+ response.

Doctor Who EP 7.06: The Bells of Saint John

It is time for the delayed post-mortem discussion, examination, timey wimey exploration (or whatever you want to call it) of the latest Doctor Who episode. As a forewarning, if you still haven’t watched the latest episode, this post will be rife with spoilers and I would suggest that you stop reading right about now (and y’know go watch the episode).

note: all screencaps are from grande-caps but otherwise clara pLS

Episode Summary: There is an unknown WiFi connection appearing around the world and each person who clicks the mysterious symbol (┓┏ 凵 =╱⊿┌┬┐) will have their souls taken from them and uploaded to a soul keeping (??) server. I think at this point we should acknowledge the “cleverly” nicknamed Spoonheads committing the deed on behalf of an organisation.

I personally thought that this episode was a good start to series 7B (yo I watched it twice). The storyline was definitely intriguing as WiFi is basically a huge part of our lives now but I honestly thought that the ideas presented could have been further explored and developed in an hour-long episode rather than the given 45 minutes. Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend more time watching Doctor Who?

Since their fateful meeting in 1892, the Doctor has been searching for the mysterious Clara who we have now seen die in two separate time streams. There was definitely some great chemistry between the duo which has been built on since the Christmas episode.

bless the hairstylist

Exhibit A:

Doctor: You and me, inside that box now.

Clara: I’m sorry?

Doctor: Just get inside.

Clara: Both of us?

Doctor: Oh trust me, you’ll understand once we’re in there.

Clara: I bet I will!

Doctor: No...

Clara: What is that box anyway? Why have you got a box?

Doctor: Clara...

Clara: Is it a snogging booth?

Doctor: A what?

Clara: Is that what you do? You bring a booth. There’s such a thing as too keen.

I just...how can you not fall in love with this exchange? I’m looking forward to seeing how her character develops throughout the series and I really hope she’s not too ‘samey’ by basically being the same character as Amy and River. There were a few moments that reminded me of Donna though - like when the Doctor realises that he’s talking on the phone to the girl he’s been trying to find for years and he just rushes across time like a bumbling idiot (still dressed like a monk from 1207) and greets her at her house. She is confronted by this odd man wanting her to repeat the phrase “Doctor who?” over and over, and like any sane person would, she slams the door in his face. By the way the "Doctor who?" joke is getting old.

Sculptures by the Sea

Seeing as variety is the key to happiness, I thought it would be nice to share a few photos from one of our many beaches - specifically the one with art on it. The annual Sculptures by the Sea exhibition is currently located down at Cottesloe Beach and if you love free outdoor sculpture events, the beach, AND you're in the Perth area, then you should definitely pay a visit before the event's last day (24th March). 

I headed on down to the beach on Monday and I have to admit, I was surprised at the amount of people that had travelled there on a weekday to see the exhibit. There were of course the usual beachgoers swimming, tanning, and exercising -  including local primary school kids having swimming lessons. But there were people from all ages strolling around to each sculpture with their cameras out and ready. PLUS there were plenty of school groups either participating in some observational sketching or following a tour guide around each artwork. There was something for everyone y'know?

(On a related note: Do my ears deceive me or can I hear people from the northern hemisphere crying for warmer weather? HAHAHA SORRY NOT SORRY)

TV Review: Mayday

Last weekend I blissfully ignored completing any uni homework and devoured all five episodes of BBC’s Mayday instead. This mini-series follows the storylines of various characters within a small community reacting to the mysterious disappearance of 14-year-old Hattie (aka the May Day Queen). This program is definitely full of intrigue, mystery, secrets, and good old crime. However, I don’t think I’ve encountered a show where almost every single interesting character is also a potential suspect in the crime. It certainly kept me guessing until the last episode as I narrowed my suspicions down to one person.

Mayday - Where did the idea come from?

I personally thought that the first two episodes were a bit slow but Mayday pulled through and held my interest because there was this air of mystique that gradually drew me in and had me wanting more (plus it was written by the people who brought us Whitechapel!). However, I think this technique was used to not only build up tension but also to develop strong characterisation. This appears to be typical of many Brit crime dramas to the point where it’s like sIGH not another super long episode/series revolving around one crime – but I think Mayday was pretty close to getting it right.

I also have to point out that the motivation for the crime is, well, pretty bizarre to be honest as in a “woah some people need to sort out their issues” kinda way but I guess that's pretty normal in tv shows. I thought the conclusion was brilliant and there are lot of questions left unanswered which added to the whole mystique. However, this might have been done to leave the program open to a second series.

My favourite character was definitely Linus, not just because he was attractive (!!!), but also because I found him to be a very complex and real character. Linus portrayed himself to his school peers as a bit sassy and rude to distract people from suspecting how he really felt inside. He would display this nonchalant attitude to the wider community and then as soon as he would get home this demeanour would just shatter, as he had to deal with his home life and being afraid and suspicious of the people around him. He was just this really gritty and fascinating teenage character that I would love to see more of in YA fiction. I can’t say too much more without dropping a few spoilers, but Linus was definitely my favourite.

Essentially, Mayday is an excellent series that I would definitely recommend to people interested in crime and drama. It was a smart move by the BBC to air this show over five consecutive days, rather than the traditional one episode per week scenario; otherwise I fear that a few viewers would have been lost due to the slow beginning. Anyway, I loved it and it would be great to hear your thoughts on Mayday either in the comments below or by tweeting me @faultystairs

Perth Writers Festival - Part 2

If I Should Lose You - Natasha Lester

I think that there is one thing that is often forgotten about when we read books or watch tv and films, and that is, how long does it take to research this? How long does it take to make the characters’ experiences appear believable? A few weekends ago I wrote about the Not Just for Kids seminar at the Perth Writer’s Festival and it’s now time to explore The Devil in the Details.

To be honest, I am always surprised when I find out that authors have spent so long researching their novel, and at times, go to extreme lengths to make their work as accurate as possible. For example, Tara Moss has been choked to unconsciousness, been set on fire and visited morgues – all for the sake of her crime novels. At the seminar I listened to authors Andrew Croome and Natasha Lester as they discussed the journeys they undertook to shape and create their novels.

Midnight Empire - Andrew Croome

It was interesting how different their approaches were to writing and developing ideas. Lester said that she comes up with the idea for a story and just goes with it on her first draft, not worrying about whether things are incorrect until the second draft. That’s when the serious research begins. Natasha Lester’s second book If I Should Lose You follows the story of a heart transplant surgeon which ultimately resulted in Lester scoring a meeting one of the only six female heart transplant surgeons in Australia, as well as spending countless time reading and interviewing people. However, the story for Andrew Croome’s second book Midnight Empire occurred on a trip to Las Vegas when he developed an interest in the drones used by the military. Again, this resulted in seeking interviews and researching for ages. Apparently, it’s said that 80% of the research completed by authors ends up being unnecessary by the time they reach the final product!

In regards to detail, when I read a book I don’t even think about the time that went into moulding and crafting a novel, I just consume, obsess, and move onto the next one. I think this is why, from the outside, writing a book or creating stories seems easy (which it definitely isn’t). However, Croome and Lester said that that is the point, that reading a book shouldn’t make you think about how much research (or lack of research) went into the work. Rather, we should be thinking about the storyline and the characters and what’s actually happening. Reading shouldn’t feel like hard work.

Perth Writers Festival - Part 1

Losing It - Julia Lawrinson

It’s been a little while since I’ve blogged and it’s taking me forever to read books at the moment, but I managed to get myself down to the Perth Writer’s Festival at UWA yesterday. I attended The Devil in the Details and Not Just for Kids seminars but for this post I’m going to focus on the latter.

It’s becoming clear that young adult fiction is reaching audiences outside of its initial target age group and that it’s not just being read, but devoured. YA authors Amanda Betts (chairperson), Julia Lawrinson, and Vicki Wakefield led the discussion and questioned why people of all ages are reading teenage fiction. Before the discussion I thought about this and it ultimately came down to YA being relatable (everyone has been a teenager amiright?) and that it can be so fast paced, so vibrant, and so full of possibilities for authors to explore and to push the boundaries. The Not Just for Kids seminar definitely confirmed this and then some.

All I Ever Wanted - Vicki Wakefield

The session started off with Julia Lawrinson reading a humorous sex scene from her latest book Losing It, which follows the story of four girls who want to lose their virginity before Schoolies Week (for non-aussie readers this is essentially a celebration week full of parties for students finishing their final year of high school). Besides a few others, and myself, most of the audience consisted of people in the 30+ range and they were in absolute hysterics at this awkward fumbling scene like you would not believe. I think that Vicki Wakefield accurately narrowed down the popularity of YA to four words: Hope, Heart, Humour, and Horniness. While not all YA has every single one of these elements, I think it’s fair to say that it’s a category that enables people to engage with a text that can freely explore so many avenues, and can play with the characters and the audience in various ways.

Another factor as to why YA is so appealing to adults is because when they, themselves were teenagers, a category of books designated for their age group simply didn’t exist. And in a way it enables older readers to feel nostalgic and remember what it was like when they were a teenager, because being a teen is full of so many potential firsts – whether it be a first exam, first job, first kiss, or first girl/boyfriend. It’s also a period in time (even though we don’t necessarily realise this until we’re older) that in a way we are free due to their being less responsibility and stress from “adult thingz”.

Ultimately, the categorical name of “young adult fiction” is a marketing ploy to try and attract a specific target audience, or rather the audience that marketers believe would most enjoy these books, when in fact, people of all ages can enjoy them. I don’t doubt that there are plenty of teens that would rather read so-called “adult” books; therefore it’s only fair that there would be plenty of adults interested in so-called “teen” books. Read YA with pride people!

Why do you think YA is so appealing to older readers ? Comment below or tweet me @faultystairs :)

Where are my DVD extras?

If I get extremely fanatical about a book or television program, I generally want to get my hands on as much extra and exclusive content as possible. Whether it be a written letter from one character to another or video diaries recorded by cast members - I want to read it, see it, and get all the feels. That is the life of a fan.

At the moment, I'm currently experiencing a post-Merlin depression (yes I know it's been over a month since it ended but I'm trying to pretend that that didn't happen). If you're a Merlin fan and have stuck with the show despite its sloppy and repetitive plots (it's still good shhh) then you may be aware of such glorious content as the cast's video diaries. From singing to pranks, and an extraordinary amount of sarcasm - the antics that the crew gets up to is hilarious. However, I would never have seen any of this unless the kind people of the internet uploaded copies of them onto YouTube because ~wait for it~ they aren't available on the DVD version that is for my region. In other words, if I'm not apart of the domestic market then my worth as a viewer is significantly decreased.



Considering that most of the content I engage with is from either America or the United Kingdom, it is consistently irritating to discover that exclusive content is only available in the country of origin. This applies to both DVD box sets and extra online content (let alone the extraordinarily long delays between the day a program airs overseas and the day it airs here). It seems to appear that fans outside the immediate domestic market are invalid or not worth making the extra effort to provide the same exclusives. Even though I am aware that Australia is probably considered a small market and that content producers would be unlikely to make an overwhelming profit here - when we unite online we are still fans. We are still fans that want to connect with the same information that people in other countries are able to access. We are still fans that care about the development of the story-line and the characters. We are still fans that want to be valued and respected as consumers. And yet we consistently have barriers put in front of us to tell us otherwise.

I haven't even explored digital piracy in this post (a whole other topic), but my point is that we deserve to be respected as an audience. So, we may be outside the US or the UK, but that doesn't mean that people don't want to engage with the same material. I want to be able to visit the local shops and know that the DVD box set that I pick up has the same stuff that is being offered overseas.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Comment below or tweet me @faultystairs :)

Review: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

I have the tendency to either finish a book within a few days or take a painstakingly long month to complete a book - there is no in-between. Finale did not escape either method as I sped through at least 3/4 of the book within several days and then I just got distracted and didn't get around to reading the rest of it for around about two weeks.

I've been following the Hush Hush series since the first book as Nora was pulled into the dangerous, yet thrilling, world of fallen angels and Nephilim. Undoubtedly, each novel has its share of ups and downs, ranging from slightly cheesy and perhaps unrealistic dialogue (does anyone actually talk like Vee?) to so many plot twists and turns it could give you whiplash.

After the somewhat disappointing third installment, Silence, which to me seemed rather unnecessary apart from a few pieces of interesting plot development - it's clear that the Hush Hush series would have been significantly stronger if Fitzpatrick had stuck to her original plan of creating a trilogy. Nonetheless, Finale was considerably better than its immediate predecessor. Nora has sworn an oath of fealty to lead the Nephilim army to victory against the fallen angels, to end the torment of their bodies being possessed during the month of Cheshvan. Consequently, Nora must question where her loyalties lie: with the race of Nephilim or with Patch and the fallen angels? 

Nora Grey can at times either be brilliant or infuriatingly annoying. In comparison to the previous novels in the series, I think that she developed in character and was more determined in making decisions without Patch. As much as I adore dear Patch Cipriano, he can sometimes be a little too overprotective and essentially interfere with Nora's progression in character. Readers can look forward to Nora actually going out and kicking some arse, more Scott, and plenty of the new and vital character to the story, Dante Materazzi.

There were a few problems with the plot whereby certain things just seemed unnecessary, out of character, or I quite simply wanted to have explored in more detail. (To be honest I really want to discuss these issues.)

Nevertheless I've decided to give Finale three stars.

What are your thoughts on Finale? 

A New Beginning

It's taken quite a while for me to feel motivated to start a new blog. I've had various people encourage me to start a blog or continue with an old one, but when it really comes down to it, I have to do this for me and not for them. I want this to be an enjoyable experience, not a forced one, so I'm excited to start something new and fresh for the beginning of 2013 (let's hope I can keep it up eh?).

It's generally encouraged that bloggers should have some sort of set theme that will be able to attract a particular kind of audience but to be honest I have a lot of things that I want to discuss. This will probably range from television, films, and books, to even my university studies - it's really down to whatever takes my fancy at the time.

Argh there are so many decisions to make though, you would not believe how long it took me to decide on this theme (and I'm still not sure if I'm happy with it) but thanks for reading! I already have a few ideas for my next blog posts so hopefully they'll be up sometime in the near future.