Yay! LJ's back!
I haven't been so frustrated in a while - I really wanted to type away today and update but couldn't :( It was sad. I was sad. And the whole world cried.
I finished Battle Royale today.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Words just do not do justice to this friggin' amazing book. Kat laughed at me when I told her I was reading it - it's not my typical fare. Lots of blood and guts and gore, but it was definitely not gratuitous. If I could say "it fit" without sounding kinda morbid, I would, because it definitely fit the context.
First off, I think there was such an awesome contrast between the innocent sides of each of the students and then the necessity of killing off all their friends. You read about how they wish they'd had a chance to talk to their crushes one more time - I think one of the most heartbreaking moments was when Kaori was thinking of her Jpop crush and how that made her feel better about the situation. Cruel reminder that the students were all only 15 - some of them got "into" the game, some participated grudingly and others actually enjoyed it. And Takami wove the story so magnificently that you felt for each one of them. Hotoki searching for Kotohiki and then finally dying after reaching her, only to have her mistrust him. It broke my heart. And the lighthouse! Good heavens!
I think the moment that affected me the most was Mitsuko, though, with Yuichiro (or was it the other one? hmmm... I'm sure I'm butchering these names, but I'm too lazy to go and find the book and sift through just to spell them right. sue me.). I really, really wanted to see her get what was coming to her, but when she actually started to like him, I wanted to cry. She was a heartless little witch, but you got a glimpse of her humanity. I was kinda disappointed that her death was so quick though. I wanted a showdown or something - see her get betrayed or something. Kazuo, though, was a great character to add - I like how he just beat the pants off of everyone at everything. He wound up with all the weapons, the bullet-proof vest... I had to wonder if he got Hitoki's tracking device too, but I don't think you ever found that out.
The ending was amazing too. Sooooooooo glad Sakamochi ate it and in such a painful way, too. Really, really, really didn't want Shogo to die though. And frankly, the fact that Shuya and Noriko got together bothers me. Maybe just because his friend just died less than 3 days before. I dunno. But still, the ending tie in with the song lyrics and the policeman.... Brilliant. Just absolutely, friggin amazing.
Go read the stinking book, guys. It was wonderful. I wish now that I hadn't look up all that information before hand online, because I knew quite a bit of all the plot twists and I wish I could have been surprised more. With all 40 students being followed at some point in the book, it's a reeeeeaaaaaal slow burn to the end, but then it's like BANG BANG BANG in that last 50 or so pages. So many turns. It was great.
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OK, the show tonight was awesome.
Whew. It was Nanna, MattS, Ben, Sam and I with Leah directing. First off, I love Leah as a director. And I love performing with Ben and MattS. And Nanna cracks me up. It was easily one of the most entertaining and comfortable shows I've ever had the privelege of being in. Really, I know someday I will make it to L4 and I look forward to it all the more when Jef asks me to do these shows because they've showed me how un-intimidating they can be. I still get nervous being onstage with dobredanka or thurston, but everyone else makes me feel so at ease.
But yeah, the show was illegal amounts of fun. And the standup at 10 was, as usual, amazing. I'd seen both Lamar and Dave before, so there was a lot of repeat material, but it was still awesome. As much as I like improv and as much as I think I'm improving everyday, I still can't imagine doing stand-up and writing my own material and all that. They are in a class all their own - especially since they are so friggin' hysterical.
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DLed a bunch of Rich Mullins songs. I love him more and more.
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I'm going to bed.
I finished Battle Royale today.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Words just do not do justice to this friggin' amazing book. Kat laughed at me when I told her I was reading it - it's not my typical fare. Lots of blood and guts and gore, but it was definitely not gratuitous. If I could say "it fit" without sounding kinda morbid, I would, because it definitely fit the context.
First off, I think there was such an awesome contrast between the innocent sides of each of the students and then the necessity of killing off all their friends. You read about how they wish they'd had a chance to talk to their crushes one more time - I think one of the most heartbreaking moments was when Kaori was thinking of her Jpop crush and how that made her feel better about the situation. Cruel reminder that the students were all only 15 - some of them got "into" the game, some participated grudingly and others actually enjoyed it. And Takami wove the story so magnificently that you felt for each one of them. Hotoki searching for Kotohiki and then finally dying after reaching her, only to have her mistrust him. It broke my heart. And the lighthouse! Good heavens!
I think the moment that affected me the most was Mitsuko, though, with Yuichiro (or was it the other one? hmmm... I'm sure I'm butchering these names, but I'm too lazy to go and find the book and sift through just to spell them right. sue me.). I really, really wanted to see her get what was coming to her, but when she actually started to like him, I wanted to cry. She was a heartless little witch, but you got a glimpse of her humanity. I was kinda disappointed that her death was so quick though. I wanted a showdown or something - see her get betrayed or something. Kazuo, though, was a great character to add - I like how he just beat the pants off of everyone at everything. He wound up with all the weapons, the bullet-proof vest... I had to wonder if he got Hitoki's tracking device too, but I don't think you ever found that out.
The ending was amazing too. Sooooooooo glad Sakamochi ate it and in such a painful way, too. Really, really, really didn't want Shogo to die though. And frankly, the fact that Shuya and Noriko got together bothers me. Maybe just because his friend just died less than 3 days before. I dunno. But still, the ending tie in with the song lyrics and the policeman.... Brilliant. Just absolutely, friggin amazing.
Go read the stinking book, guys. It was wonderful. I wish now that I hadn't look up all that information before hand online, because I knew quite a bit of all the plot twists and I wish I could have been surprised more. With all 40 students being followed at some point in the book, it's a reeeeeaaaaaal slow burn to the end, but then it's like BANG BANG BANG in that last 50 or so pages. So many turns. It was great.
<>
OK, the show tonight was awesome.
Whew. It was Nanna, MattS, Ben, Sam and I with Leah directing. First off, I love Leah as a director. And I love performing with Ben and MattS. And Nanna cracks me up. It was easily one of the most entertaining and comfortable shows I've ever had the privelege of being in. Really, I know someday I will make it to L4 and I look forward to it all the more when Jef asks me to do these shows because they've showed me how un-intimidating they can be. I still get nervous being onstage with dobredanka or thurston, but everyone else makes me feel so at ease.
But yeah, the show was illegal amounts of fun. And the standup at 10 was, as usual, amazing. I'd seen both Lamar and Dave before, so there was a lot of repeat material, but it was still awesome. As much as I like improv and as much as I think I'm improving everyday, I still can't imagine doing stand-up and writing my own material and all that. They are in a class all their own - especially since they are so friggin' hysterical.
<>
DLed a bunch of Rich Mullins songs. I love him more and more.
<>
I'm going to bed.