Mumbling Mondays - Who Knows...?

What’s going on?

Well it’s been a while. I have been reading but mostly been focusing on my art. I still keep my reading list up to date on Goodreads. I have over ten 10 books to write reviews on. I haven’t forgotten about this blog. In fact, I have been racking my brain on how to improve this blog and bring more people. I jump back and forth on three ideas. 1) To keep this blog the way it is and just continue to update, 2) Do vlogging and update here differently or 3) Combine Confuzzled Book, Confuzzled Designs (my art blog) and put them both into my Confuzzled Living blog. I just do not know which way to go. I read articles, I watch videos trying to figure out what to do but as I research what to do I lose time on getting any of it done. So I am a little lost I guess. So for now I am just updating here. 

Finished Reading 

Loki’s Wolves by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr

It is a juvenile fantasy very similar to the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan but following the Norse myths. It the first book in the series. I have had it as ebook for a while but just finished it. 

Other Stuff I Did This Week

Binged Watch

Lucifer season 4 on Netflix

Good Omens on Amazon Prime

Both shows were pretty great. Lucifer moving to Netflix was a nice fit and probably the best season of Lucifer ever. Good Omens stayed pretty close to the book. David Tennant and Michael Sheen were awesome together! It’s just by chance that both of these shows are Neil Gaiman related! Gaiman created the Lucifer character in the Sandman comics under Vertigo/DC Comics and Good Omens was a book first co-written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. 

My Creative Side

I registered on of my paintings into Trenton Art All Night event. I have never done anything like this before so we will see how it goes. 

Five Fun Facts: Neil Gaiman

Five Fun Facts

Neil Gaiman

(photo borrowed from vulture.com)

1. His first book was a biography on the band Duran Duran
2. Was raised a Jewish-Scientology
3. Close friends with singer Tori Amos.
4. He’s a big fan of the tv series Supernatural.
5. He never went to college or university.

Info collected from Official Site, Wikipedia, and IMDB

Shannon's Review - The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

Title: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

Series: N/A

Author: Neil Gaiman

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

Publisher: William Morrow Books

Received: Bought

Release Date: June 2013

Pages: 178

Rating:

Author’s Official Websites:

Official Site

http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Blog

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/neilgaiman/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/neilhimself  

Shannon’s Thoughts:

A gentleman returns to his childhood home and begins to remember something from his past he suppressed or was magically blocked from his mind. As he recalls an old babysitter and her unique introduction to his family he realizes she is not what she seems.  A young girl and her family try to help him rid the hold an evil presences.  

Neil Gaiman has a knack for creating stories that seem like they have always been around. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is told as true fairy tale.  When say fairy tale I don’t mean Snow White or Sleeping Beauty, I mean a story straight from Ireland with actual fairies. Even though the word fairy is not mentioned in the story, the description of how mischievous fairies are is all over the villain.  That is what I like about this book and Gaiman’s writing.

My only dislike is that the book is too short. I feel there was so much more could be told about the girl, her mother and grandmother.   Why was there a troublesome in the area of the lake? What was the lake’s history? I hope maybe one day Gaiman will return to those characters in another story.

I am a sucker for stories with fairies and this one is so much more intriguing. Because I recognize details that come from old Irish folklore. It is also a short read and as I said shorter then I would like but still charming..  

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

 








Title: Good Omens
Series: None
Authors: Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fantasy,  Fiction,
Publisher:  Harper Torch
Received: Purchased
Release Date: December 2006
Pages: 412
Rating:


What is it About?

The time that has been predicted about and predicted about has finally come in this book.  The Antichrist is born and he is unknowing switched at birth to a good family.. Will this change the out come of Armageddon.

My Thoughts:

I read this book months ago and I can’t not remember much about it except the end.  Which I do not want to spoil.   There were funny things about about the book like, when the Antichrist wishes for his hell-hound and it turns out to be a small and tiny dog because that is what he wishes for.

What is left that I remember is not that great, which could be because of the subject matter. I don’t usually read Apocalyptic stuff even if it is tongue in cheek but read this on recommendation of my husband.  I just did not find this one remember-able.  I find similar problems with American Gods as well but enjoyed some of Pratchett’s work alone.  

I think if you like British humor and Monty Python you might grasp the humor better then I did.

Website:

Neil Gaiman
http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Terry Pratchett
http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Title: American Gods
Series: American Gods
Author(s): Neil Gaiman
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTorch
Release Date: April 11, 2002
Finished: September 2009
Pages: 592
Challenges: None
Rating:

My Thoughts: The main character is a man called Shadow. He just made it out of prison and is excited to get home to his wife. Unfortunately, the night before he's released he finds out his wife died in a car accident with his best friend. Now Shadow has no ties to the real world, and he makes the acquaintance of a business man named Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job. Through Mr. Wednesday Shadow meets many strange and unusual people, but the funny thing is that Shadow seems to fit in with them.

I know there are a lot of metaphors and religious messages in this book, but don't look at me for what they are because I was not thinking that deeply while I read it. Mostly I enjoyed the book. The only time I didn't was when I felt I was supposed to know the people/Gods that Shadow or Mr. Wednesday were talking to. I felt a little confused at the ending; it felt like there was too many people in the pot.

As a character, I liked Shadow and related to him through most of the book except(warning this may spoil the ending for you) when he returns at the end. I just couldn't understand why he would come back after being done with the world. I just didn't see it happening.

In the end, I enjoyed the story and the characters, and I would read the sequels and short stories connected to American Gods.

About the Author: Neil Gaiman's books have won some amazing awards, including his just-released children's book The Graveyard Book, which won the Newbery Medal for 2009. Check out Neil's website, http://www.neilgaiman.com/, which includes a blog.

Review - Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

Title: Blueberry Girl
Series:: none
















Author(s):: Neil Gaiman
Genre:: Children's Book, Picture Book
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: March 10th 2009
Finished: May 2009
Pages: 32
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts:
This book attracted me not only because of it's artwork, but also because of the author, Neil Gaiman. This did not look like Gaiman's usual work. It was written for singer Tori Amos' daughter as poem and prayer.

What I liked most about the book was the flow of the prose; it really is beautiful. I think this would be a great babyshower gift for a mother having a girl.

About the Author: Neil Gaiman has written many books and comic books for children and adult. A few of his books have been made into movies, including Stardust (and he's one of my husband's favorite authors). Check out his offical website and blog Neil Gaiman.com

1602 by Neil Gaiman, Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove

I had tried reading this in the book store one time and did not have good feel for it. I recently went to Wizard World Philly and saw it and decided to try it again. I thought maybe I would have enjoyed more at home and I was right.

Now I am not a big comic book reader. Unless it is written by Joss Whedon and I then I read things here and there. I knew of some of the background story's of the X-men and Fantastic Four but I don't follow them religiously. I am also not a Neil Gaiman fan. My husband loves him but I have a hard understanding what some brit authors are talking about in their books. That aside I still thought it was an interesting story line to the Marvel Universe. Putting in the past made it seem more real.

I give 3.5 stars