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Books and celebs and stuff
Aug. 29th, 2013 02:46 pmI've been re-reading The Unicorn Club series. Mostly because as we're still very much in the just moved in transition, it seems wise not to bring library books into the mess but I still require reading materials and I haven't read these in awhile. They're short and fluffy enough that I don't have to devote too much time to them but they're still interesting.
I'd forgotten how annoyed I was when Kimberly Haver makes her triumphant return to the Valley. Because after getting rid of Queen Janet what we really needed was Janet Lite, yes? Ugh. I debated stopping before I finished my re-read of Unicorns at War but then decided that I would see if I could make it through that one because I wanted to re-read the following book where the Unicorns (and Angels) find themselves quarantined.
I remembered there was a decided tonal shift (or maybe I just aged completely out of the market, which is funny since I was already well out of the target age by the time the series began) in the teens somewhere but I'd forgotten that with the Unicorns splitting into two groups, there was also the loss of the Angels with the exception of things from Elizabeth's side.
I wonder whether it was always their intention to rebuild the Unicorns to give them a little substance and then break them apart again to show them trying to stand up for themselves and failing just as often as they suceeded OR if the readers just weren't into a newer, kindler and gentler Unicorn Club? Because we do get books from the Angels (and Lila) just as the series turns into Angels versus Unicorns, and I don't really think that's a coincidence. Oddly enough, thus far Elizabeth has had a book to herself but Jessica has had to share hers with Liz.
I also wonder how the series would have progressed without Kimberly, or if Jessica hadn't sided with Kim. Ellen's always been a wild card (and probably the only Unicorn to actually have fared better with the split*) and Lila... well, she's Lila. But Kim moves back to town, declares the least subtle war on her 'friend' Mary ever, and breaks up the Unicorns and it takes a measles outbreak for Jessica to find an inkling of the spine she'll have for 99% of SVH and tell Kim that she should have stayed back in Atlanta because her return sucked for everyone else.
For that matter, if Lila and Jessica spent less time competing against one another and more time teaming up with one another... how awesome would that alternate universe have been? Because Jessica's flipout over Kim's obnoxious behavior sparks Lila to back her right up, which is probably more sidekicky than Lila Fowler would like but still awesome all the same.
Monday night I wound up watching what was apparently Brittany Murphy's last movie, Abandoned. I missed the beginning but I'm going to guess I didn't miss a lot (or maybe it's better if you do?) since I followed along pretty well. Sadly the only time I managed not to switch back just in time after commercials was when the Big Reveal at the end happened. Nooooooooo.
I haven't watched a ton of her movies (she did seem to do a lot) and have pretty much avoided them since her death back in what, 2009, because she's one of those celebrities whose deaths did/does affect me. It's weird being upset on any level beyond "hey, a human being has died" over someone you have never met and aren't related to, nor did you ever talk to them... and yet that's how I felt then and continued to feel for quite awhile. Maybe because I'd been watching her act in things for a very, very long time, all things considered? Or maybe everyone gets a couple of celebs you mourn as if they were friends.
This summer took two more people whose work I enjoyed, what with Cory Moneith's death as well as Lee Thompson Young commiting suicide. :/
On a totally unrelated note, I have a box of old magazines to go through and get rid of and then I will have sort of completed my plan for the day. Huzzah!
I'd forgotten how annoyed I was when Kimberly Haver makes her triumphant return to the Valley. Because after getting rid of Queen Janet what we really needed was Janet Lite, yes? Ugh. I debated stopping before I finished my re-read of Unicorns at War but then decided that I would see if I could make it through that one because I wanted to re-read the following book where the Unicorns (and Angels) find themselves quarantined.
I remembered there was a decided tonal shift (or maybe I just aged completely out of the market, which is funny since I was already well out of the target age by the time the series began) in the teens somewhere but I'd forgotten that with the Unicorns splitting into two groups, there was also the loss of the Angels with the exception of things from Elizabeth's side.
I wonder whether it was always their intention to rebuild the Unicorns to give them a little substance and then break them apart again to show them trying to stand up for themselves and failing just as often as they suceeded OR if the readers just weren't into a newer, kindler and gentler Unicorn Club? Because we do get books from the Angels (and Lila) just as the series turns into Angels versus Unicorns, and I don't really think that's a coincidence. Oddly enough, thus far Elizabeth has had a book to herself but Jessica has had to share hers with Liz.
I also wonder how the series would have progressed without Kimberly, or if Jessica hadn't sided with Kim. Ellen's always been a wild card (and probably the only Unicorn to actually have fared better with the split*) and Lila... well, she's Lila. But Kim moves back to town, declares the least subtle war on her 'friend' Mary ever, and breaks up the Unicorns and it takes a measles outbreak for Jessica to find an inkling of the spine she'll have for 99% of SVH and tell Kim that she should have stayed back in Atlanta because her return sucked for everyone else.
For that matter, if Lila and Jessica spent less time competing against one another and more time teaming up with one another... how awesome would that alternate universe have been? Because Jessica's flipout over Kim's obnoxious behavior sparks Lila to back her right up, which is probably more sidekicky than Lila Fowler would like but still awesome all the same.
Monday night I wound up watching what was apparently Brittany Murphy's last movie, Abandoned. I missed the beginning but I'm going to guess I didn't miss a lot (or maybe it's better if you do?) since I followed along pretty well. Sadly the only time I managed not to switch back just in time after commercials was when the Big Reveal at the end happened. Nooooooooo.
I haven't watched a ton of her movies (she did seem to do a lot) and have pretty much avoided them since her death back in what, 2009, because she's one of those celebrities whose deaths did/does affect me. It's weird being upset on any level beyond "hey, a human being has died" over someone you have never met and aren't related to, nor did you ever talk to them... and yet that's how I felt then and continued to feel for quite awhile. Maybe because I'd been watching her act in things for a very, very long time, all things considered? Or maybe everyone gets a couple of celebs you mourn as if they were friends.
This summer took two more people whose work I enjoyed, what with Cory Moneith's death as well as Lee Thompson Young commiting suicide. :/
On a totally unrelated note, I have a box of old magazines to go through and get rid of and then I will have sort of completed my plan for the day. Huzzah!