Solace in Winter

New novel from renowned author Mary Lawson

It is was such a pleasure to read this novel - set in a place and time of uneasiness in North American history in the shadow of the ongoing Vietnam war. It tells the tale of Chris Hansen, who is a draft-dodger and on his way in a car in Canada has a car accident causing terrible injuries to his leg and body. 

Jack Gallagher finds Chris and takes him to the local vet who administers pain relief before he can go to a doctor in a major hospital. The vet convinces Jack to nurse Chris until his health returns and he can move along.

The introduction of Chris into the story is a jolt of the real, the book starts with Jack adopting Lola (a dog he also finds in peril) and gives sanctuary. So Jack gives refuge to both Lola and Chris while they recuperate with casts on their body. Jack is a widow, missing his artist wife and estranged from his daughter, Sally, who has a high opinion of herself.

The introduction of new characters throughout the book - Ellie, the nurse who cares for Chris; her husband, Karl, the local cop and then Patrick (Chris' best friend) from New York.

The sense of time being vital and life being cherished when plans get scuppered is paramount in the novel. The handling of the delicate nature of the individual and how they strive to exist amidst the upheaval they may or may not cause; like the great works of Richard Ford or Paul Auster, the power of the individual in a larger landscape is prevalent.

The sense of time and place, distance travelled, the impending doom of bad weather is all so well handled by Mary Lawson. This is the best American novel I have read since Mary Beth Keane's debut 'Ask Again, Yes' which was a far more reaching across the generations tale but still the message of interfering the status quo can be quite disruptive.

While set in the early 1970s in the draft dodging era, which leads to Chris' leaving US soil to head for Canadian sanctuary - there is nevertheless a comment on current American values being diminished and how so many in that country are suffering from the sins of the fathers, and how the boomer generation really have let down those that followed in their footsteps.

Highly recommend to all.

Solace in Winter is out from Random House on 19th November

Pan's Labyrinth - 20th Anniversary Re-release

20th Anniversary re-release for Guillermo Del Toro's Oscar winning film, the 4K restoration is being released across the UK from 30th October.

Ever since being first released in 2006, and following the restoration being premiered at 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the film has been restored from the original 35mm negative bringing the film of such visual wonder to the big screen again with greater detail. 

Set in Spain 1944, in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, the film follows young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) who moves with her pregnant mother (Adrian Gil) to a military outpost with her tyrannical stepfather Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), who is a fascist officer. Ofelia befriends the staff especially housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) who is aiding the resistance unbeknownst to Vidal

Fascinated by the natural and lush landscape she is now living amongst, Ofelia discovers an ancient labyrinth ruled by a faun (Doug Jones in groundbreaking puppetry and costume design). The faun believes Ofelia to be the lost princess of a kingdom, and she must complete three tasks across the next few days. This mixture of fantasy entwined with the brutal hardship and decisions of war that she sees everyday brings a collision of worlds that young Ofelia must navigate to help her pregnant mum.

A winner of three Academy Awards (Best Cinematography, Art Direction and Make-Up) and three further nominations (Best Original Screenplay for GDT, Foreign Language Film and Original Score); this was still in the time of only five films being nominated for Best Picture - that year was the beatification of Martin Scorsese finally with The Departed - and surely would have obtained a nomination in an expanded field. 

The film is a wonderful mixture of fantasy, magical realism (so prevalent in Latin culture), the influence of children's literature with the parallels of C.S. Lewis' Narnia tales and the ever present threat of war with fascism breathing down the neck of freedom. Spain would remain under the fascistic rule of Franco for nearly thirty years following the conclusion of World War Two, the scars still remain. 

Del Toro would helm further great works, and his need to remain true to the power of cinema with physical effects, real sets and believable make-up has continued in his Oscar winning films such as The Shape of Water and last year's Frankenstein. 

A masterpiece that came out of nowhere, go see this film on the big screen and witness a film that will stand the test of time similar to films such as The Wizard of Oz it is so influenced by.

Pan's Labyrinth is out in selected cinemas from 30th October.

My thanks to StudioCanal for the review opportunity.

A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things

Limited Edition Blu-Ray/DVD release of Barns-Graham documentary

Mark Cousins' delves into the rich history of renowned and unheralded Scottish artist, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.

A deeply inspirational figure whose life was changed by an event in May 1949, when she ventured to the Grindelwald glacier in Switzerland. The alpine climb transformed the way she saw the world from then on.

A modest celebration of an artist who deserves more praise for her extensive catalogue of varied painting and landscaping across the decades of her career. Having absconded from native Scotland to St Ives, her life altered and she became a key figure of the British Art movement post World War Two. 

Her ability is linked to her synesthesia, her ability to hear colours and see sounds to combine a multitude of highly faceted works across the spectrum.

Using her photos and journals to elevate her works from drafts to the fine end points we have as her legacy, Cousins is also keen to show how the rampant misogyny of the period unfairly relegated her to the footnote that is so undeserved.

Cousins narrates himself, as well as Tilda Swinton voicing Barns-Graham's journal entries; there is a keenness to provide a tribute to her works and the film is very much a success in this sense.

A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things is out now on Blu-Ray in a collectors edition, and available on demand for home viewing.

This home entertainment release coincides with a major retrospective at Tate St Ives which brings together over 170 paintings, drawings and rarely seen archival materials. It will be the largest and most comprehensive survey of Barns-Graham’s work ever presented. The exhibition opens on 24 October.

Presented in a folded card digipack, the dual format edition has lots of bonus features including 2 brand new short films directed by Mark Cousins, Making A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things (15 mins), I Fill My Mind and Eyes (11 mins); the first chance to see Recent Discoveries from The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Archive (18 mins) and a quadrant version of Mark Cousins’ acclaimed gallery installation work Like a Huge Scotland (15 mins). The package also contains 3x art cards of Barns-Graham paintings, a print of her ‘Statement on Work, 1968’ and new writing from Mark Cousins on films about painters.

The dual format limited edition will be released on 19 October and is available to pre-order now at www.conic.film/suddenglimpse. It will also be available to buy at Tate St Ives, at selected retailers and from The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust.

My thanks to Conic Film for the review opportunity.

The Portuguese House

 

New Iberian film from Avelina Prat

Fernando is a college Geography teacher, who appears to be happily married to his Serbian wife, Olga. One day he returns from work and she has left him, returning to Belgrade. After reporting her disappearance, the police state they cannot do anything as she has left willingly. Fernando promptly takes a spontaneous trip to a Portuguese coastal resort for a break. 

When at the hotel, he meets the gardener, Manuel and they swiftly start a friendship. Sadly, Manuel suffers a heart attack. In another pique of spontaneity, Fernando decides to take over Manuel's identity and goes to his next job tending to a luxurious stately home. Here Fernando begins a new life with a new name and role in the family dynamic becoming close to the matriarch, Amalia.

Starring the sadly departed, Manolo Solo as Fernando the film acts as a part valedictorian performance in one of Solo's last roles. He carries for Fernando, a life unlived and how the unexpected possibility of a new beginning can offer. On his first day on the job as Manuel, he plants a small tree it much like him ripe to grow and blossom in new grounds. 

As Fernando, he lead a life of little discovery a man who hardly knew his wife and had become accustomed to the rigmarole of teaching life. As a Geography teacher, he passes on knowledge about the world - a world that remains largely unchartered to himself.

Yet as Manuel, a gardener hired unseen, he is now a blank canvas. He interacts with lovely people daily, listens and is attentive to people's needs; the job allows him to get his hands dirty and at night he can be at peace. Solo's performance is of added gravitas due to his passing (after a short battle with cancer) and lifts the film to one of grandeur thanks to his performance. 

As Amalia, Maria de Mederios is familiar to film fans and here in her native Portugal she gives Amalia a grace and fortitude amidst her quiet underlying problems. 

This is a rich text of a film, stepped in literary traditions for the cine-literate and fans of European cinema. The pace is not rushed, it is a stark reminder that within this world is the possibility of humanity amongst the chaos. There are multiple scenes of friends talking to each other and enjoying each other's company - solitude is welcome on occasion but we all yearn for connection when available. 

The film garnered three nominations at the Goya Awards (Spanish Oscars) last year; including one for Best Screenplay for Prat's script as well as nods for the two main leads. 

A warm glow and hug of a film that hopefully will live long in the memory of those who have the opportunity to indulge in it. A film perfect for Autumn, the season of new beginnings and calming down.

THE PORTUGUESE HOUSE is available from AX1 Entertainment and out on limited release. My thanks to them for the review opportunity

A Thousand Silent Cries - Karen Millie James

The third novel in the series featuring investigator/medium Cydney Granger by author Karen Millie James.

The Gist

Known for uncovering truths others cannot see, Cydney has built her career investigating secrets, deception and hidden motives. But this time, the mystery centres on someone close to her.

When her friend’s husband, renowned barrister James Carrington QC, becomes the target of a series of increasingly sinister threats, Cydney discovers he is not the man he claims to be. Thirty-six years earlier, James was the sole survivor of an IRA bombing that killed his parents and destroyed his childhood. Given a new identity and hidden away from those responsible, his past was buried along with the truth about what happened that day.

Until now. 

As Cydney digs deeper, she uncovers a trail stretching from Belfast to London, exposing decades-old secrets, hidden identities, corruption and betrayal rooted in the legacy of The Troubles. The man responsible for the bombing has resurfaced and, after decades in the shadows, is determined to eliminate the last witness to his crimes.

With her closest friends under threat and a ruthless killer closing in, Cydney finds herself in a race against time to uncover the truth before history repeats itself.

Because some crimes are never forgotten. They simply wait for the right moment to strike again.

The Review

This tightly wound narrative revolves around the unearthing of long hidden secrets and what happens when those secrets come home to roost.

This narrative involves the history of the IRA and how people may or may not have passed away during the Troubles. The story starts with a much troubled marriage, a love that has hit the rocks following the tragic passing of a four year old child after a protracted illness. Fils is a psychiatrist who cannot get through to her absent husband, James Carrington, a long standing barrister of note in the Royal Court of Justice who has put career before his home life.

The story becomes more long winded when ghosts of James' past re-appear with names not as they seem. Cydney is on the case and this coupled with one of Fils' patients, a young girl Rachel seeking sanctuary from her home after a period of molestation by her own father leading to his imprisonment for which her mother blames her.

While this is a well told story with an interesting depiction of domestic abuse and psychological torture, this is a read that did not grip this reader fully. Parts of the narrative lacked cohesion and at times the narrative went on unnecessary tangents which was to the detriment of the overall premise.

Nevertheless, returning readers to the series will not be disappointed. The climax in the hospital was well handled and paced bringing a nice end to the gripping proceedings.

This is the third in the series following The Shadows Behind Her Smile and Where in the Dark.

A Thousand Silent Cries is out now from Vinci Books on all formats

My thanks to Midas PR for the review opportunity 

Cotton Queen

Debut film by Sudanese director Suzannah Mirghani

Set in a cotton-growing village in Sudan, the film centres on teenage Nafisa, who has been raised on her grandmother's tales of anti-colonial resistance. She becomes caught up in a village power struggle when a young businessman returns from abroad with genetically engineered cotton and plans for modernisation. What unfolds is Nafisa finding her own quiet power amongst the chaos around her.

Blending themes of feminism and womanhood, along with the rich tapestry of folklore and storytelling; Mirghani's skilful debut is also a tale about the continuing battle of tradition and modernity. While the world is coming to terms with the impending doom of artificial intelligence (AI) and that threat to lives and employment, Nafisa is a vessel for transformation changing both herself and her community.

Mirghani has a nuanced observational eye detailing her film with tender and careful costume design and a boldness of stark cinematography by the film's conclusion; a lot is said within the frame combining controlled performance and set design to bear fruit.

Hailing from Sudan, filmmakers especially females are having a purple patch currently with contemporaries such as Soudade Kaadan providing further proof that women from minority backgrounds can tell just as a good a story that looks back to critique the current day circumstances.

Mihad Murtada as the lead Nafisa gives a solid leading performance but special kudos belongs to Rabha Mohamed Mahmoud as the matriarch/grandmother Al-Sit - the one who may hold the key to overcoming the new opponent to the village status quo.

Out in cinemas now on limited release, this is the third such title from Sudan from TAPE Collective (a group that focuses on subversive filmmaking with a focus on representation, identity and heritage).

The Stepmother - Sheila Bugler

New standalone thriller by Sheila Bugler out September 24th

It is a day like any other when Sarah arrives at the school gate to pick up her two stepchildren, Izzy and Patrick.
But when the twins don't run out to meet her like normal, Sarah knows something must be wrong.
Sarah can't believe what she's hearing when the teacher informs her that their father, Mike, removed them from school earlier in the day. All of Sarah's calls to Mike go to voicemail.
Worse is to come when Sarah is told by police that as she and Mike are not legally married, and he is the children's father, there is nothing they or Sarah can do.
Then she receives a text message from Mike: Don't go home. It's not safe.
What has Mike been hiding? Where are their children? How can Sarah get her family back? Before it's too late...

Bugler has written a number of books across the last ten years, this reviewer has read the majority of them. After a short series, she has nestled into this ability to write gripping novels based in and around the South East of London, away from her home town of Eastbourne. 

This book like all of Bugler's has a very good plot to begin with - all seems well for our heroine Sarah, she lives a happy life and goes about her day of picking up her stepchildren from school at the end of the day. Only when she arrives, the children have already been picked up by their birth Dad, Mike, who is now not picking up the phone. 

Panic sets in for our heroine as her routine is disrupted by this strange change of events. As she tries to find out the reason for this change of circumstances, Sarah gets more and more wound up leading to some desperation and a growing dependency on red wine, when it comes to light that Sarah and Mike's marriage is not legal meaning she has no legal authority as guardian to the two children.

As with most Bugler protagonists, they become investigators as the police exhaust all their avenues of enquiry, meaning Sarah must uncover the truth as a battle of wills is apparent in a tense psychological setting. 

What follows is a tale of familial differences and relationships that have been cast aside when selfishness comes along. The depiction of abuse and bullying by a later toxic male is well handled and fits in well with this current climate of combating the supposed alpha males who believe they are right just by the fact of which chromosomes they muster.

This confronting the mainstream is across Bugler's work - strong females who are misunderstood by authority or must battle to be heard. The title of the book is an inversion of media stereotypes; normally the Step-person is a figure of evil or malevolence from across literature and Disney movies - here we are afforded a female who is a figure of nobility and goodness. 

A strong paced final act means this book ends on a high and will leave the audience satisfied, my hope being that a large audience does enjoy this book and leads them to more of Bugler's back catalogue which is growing stronger by each thrilling novel released.

The Stepmother is released by Hodder & Stoughton on 24th September