The Wolverine had some great trailers; Thor: The Dark World, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
I became strangely aware that I really, really want to see City of Bones. It looks amazing. It's hard for me to say that because sometimes part of me wants to punch something when I think about that particular series of books. And I don't fully understand why.
I think it's because I know it's history i.e. it's Harry Potter fanfiction origins. But while I am all for fanfiction, it irritates me no end when the word 'muddies' is mentioned. (Muddies. Short for mundanes, The Mortal Instrument's term for humans. C'mon, it really is just a poor rip-off of 'muggles.' Does that annoy the hell out of anyone else or is it just me?)
While I am excited for the film, it will be one of those films that I won't read the book before viewing. And I suspect this will be a good thing. I began to read it before. And even managed to get through a few chapters too before I gave up completely.
After being burned by Twilight I decided not to waste my limited reading time by reading books I don't think I will ever grow to love, am bored by, or books I fear will leave big lumps in my wall after multiply full-force trips that way. Sometimes you can tell this within the first few pages whether a book is a keeper or not:
"I scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror. Damn my hair - it just won't behave, and damn Katherine Kavanagh for being ill and subjecting me to this ordeal...I roll my eyes in exasperation and gaze at the pale, brown-haired girl with blue eyes too big for her face staring back at me...Kate is my roommate, and she has chosen today of all days to succumb to the flu. Therefore, she cannot attend the interview she'd arranged..."
Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James.
I hate Ana already. Her friend is sick but she is still all 'oh, but this puts ME out so much.' Now, if that was a genuine attempt to give a character a flaw of selfishness, then fine. I will stick with it. But from what I heard, no, Ana is the quintessential 'selfless' character who does everything for everyone, yet the writing fails to show it. (You can't be deemed unselfish when you do things for people while bitching and moaning about it.)
Describing your character by use of a mirror in the first page is lazy writing. And unless you're being tongue-in-cheek with it, I hate this.
While Fifty Shades didn't hit the wall (it was an ebook) I wasn't bothering to finish reading it. And unless it's for a bet, I never shall!
"I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time. It was the early summer of 1945, and we walked through the streets of a Barcelona trapped beneath ashen skies...My father sighed, hiding behind the sad smile that followed him like a shadow all through his life...When I asked my father whether heaven was crying, he couldn't bring himself to reply. Six years later my mother's absence remained in the air around us, a deafening silence that I had not yet learned to stifle with words."
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Intrigued by the first line. Already imagining Barcelona under that descriptive sky. In love with Sempere Sr. and wondering the reason behind his sad smile within the first paragraph. Heart breaking for Daniel at the lost of his mother. This is a keeper of novel. Beautifully written, characters that you love, hate, sympathise with, and who stay with you, in a good way, long after you put it down.
It's not surprisingly my favourite book, I re-read it whenever I am down.
The Mortal Instruments unfortunately falls into the former category - writing style that riles me up, and in the case of Jace, characters who seem to have no redeeming features. Hopefully the film lives up to the hype, and judging the trailer it looks like it just might. I honestly think I will enjoy the series more if I just steer clear of the books and remain intend upon the films. (I never thought I'd say that about any book, but there it is!)
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