Only Murders in the Building #2: Episodes 3 & 4.

Season two of Only Murders in the Building has done a good job so far of taking characters that we either knew about or heard of in season one and expanding them.

I’ve just finished watching episode 6, and while I’m very intrigued by that episode’s ending, I think that my favourite episode of season two so far has to be episode 3, The Last Day of Bunny Folger.

I’m going to start this discussion of episodes 3 & 4 by saying that I hope Bunny appears in more flashbacks. I don’t know if Only Murders in the Building will go on to have a third season because realistically, how many murders can happen in one building, and how many times can our trio be framed?

Season one had a great premise, avid podcast listeners decide to create their very own murder investigation podcast when someone in their building ends up dead and this dynamic worked really well and it also allowed the show to build up towards a second season that had a reasonably logical premise. Podcast trio got too close to the crime, they exposed the truth, and now someone wants revenge so season two follows our trio as they try to clear their names after being blamed for Bunny’s murder.

The show is still satirical. It very much breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges that it is in its second season. The characters make jokes about how things are heightened, evolved, they’re clearly aware that season one’s formula worked and so they’re doing the same thing, just on a slightly bigger scale because as the old saying goes, if it isn’t broke…

Bunny Folger is a character. When I say someone is a character, what I mean by this is that this person stands out. Bunny had a reputation of being the mean lady who was very strict, she didn’t like Oliver, and she had certain standards for the building that she grew up in, the building she inherited, the building that is her family’s legacy. Bunny takes great pride in the fact that her home has not been turned into just another modern building that could be anywhere and I said in my last review how I really enjoy the fact that the apartment building itself is just as much of a character as everyone else in the show.

Episode three gives audiences the details of Bunny’s last day alive. In this episode, in my opinion, we learn that Bunny was a firecracker. She was determined, she was opinionated, she knew her own mind, she didn’t suffer fools. Bunny was a New Yorker through and through. She was very generous when she wanted to be, a fact that she didn’t flaunt, she even seemed to have a sense of humour tucked away. It was a side that she didn’t share with many, but throughout this episode I found myself saying “I love Bunny.”

Bunny is planning to retire and so she spends a lot of time in episode three thinking about moving to Florida however after a few moments trapped in a hot elevator with Charles and Mabel, she declares that she hates the heat. It was my favourite moment in the show. The line was delivered so perfectly.

Bunny’s character arc also showed the downside of keeping your caring, funny side hidden away from so many because when she ventures out of her apartment with a bottle of bubbly for our trio, they completely miss the hint that she would like to drink with them, and then when they hear how upset she is, they feel too awkward to go into the hallway and get her, and this awkwardness is topped by the fact that because of their less than perfect relationship with Bunny, she is not exactly someone they want to celebrate with in the first place. With that being said, my heart broke for Bunny when she cried in the hallway because that moment showed that she is not heartless, she does not want to be friendless, she is just a woman who has built walls to protect herself. She has a hard job. She deals with every problem, every complaint, and it is not always fun to have to be the responsible one, the one who gets things done. She runs a tight ship, and it is often something that people don’t appreciate until the person running that ship is no longer around, but also when you have to be so firm, you won’t always be someone that people feel they can let their hair down around and while this is unfortunate, this is very true so those uncomfortable scenes with Bunny trying to fit in after being firm felt painfully realistic.

I enjoyed episode 3. It felt like a character episode rather than an episode fuelled by new clues, however I enjoyed this. I felt this episode rounded out Bunny’s character because honestly even though it is Bunny’s building and she spent season one being less than best friends with our trio, I originally thought she was an odd character to kill off even though I will say I think killing off a character we already knew worked much better than it would have if they brought in a completely new victim but I still think it was smart to include Bunny flashbacks, especially since I feel they were designed to allow us as the audience to warm to Bunny a bit more.

Let’s talk about episode 4.

In this episode, we finally got to meet Lucy. We learned a lot about Lucy in season one. Charles dates her mother. He was part of Lucy’s life for a significant amount of time. He clearly cared for her as though he was her father and he found it difficult after the relationship ended and Lucy was no longer in his life. We had that very sweet moment in season one where he reached out and his face lit up when Lucy texted him back.

I will pause here and say that I think Steve Martin is the dad of all dads in dad roles.

I cry when I watch Father of the Bride. I just think he plays the doting dad part so well. He’s very endearing, and so seeing his character Charles have to navigate seeing Lucy again now that she’s older and her mother has married someone else was really interesting and really sweet.

Something that I didn’t love is how they made Lucy almost cartoonishly “young.”

I’m saying “young” because the show is never afraid to mention generational gaps. Mabel is obviously younger than Charles and Oliver and now Lucy is much younger than Mabel, but they made Lucy, for the first few minutes anyway, impossible to talk to. There is a scene where she talks to Mabel about TikTok and she speaks so quickly about so many different things that even Mabel finds it hard to have a conversation with her.

I understand the joke here is that Mabel is saying “she makes me feel old, and I’m the young one”, but I’m very glad they calmed this down because if Lucy continued to speak this way for the entire episode, it would have become very grating. In my opinion, this would not have been fair because Lucy so far is a very intelligent young girl, who is dealing with a lot, and she articulates herself very well and I think having her reconnect with Charles whom she loved as a stepfather figure would be a really lovely arc.

Spoilers ahead, although if you’ve read this far then you either don’t care about spoilers or you’ve watched the episodes but it turns out that Lucy was hiding in the passages the night that Bunny was murdered so I’m intrigued to see how that storyline will play out as the season continues.

Based on Lucy’s flashback to the night of the murder, a figure snuck into Mabel’s apartment by going through the secret passages. In my opinion, I think Bunny’s killer was a man based on the tall, broad figure that Lucy hid from in the passageway.

I think it is a little bit interesting that the show is almost backtracking a bit on season one because in episode 4, Lucy explains how she came to the building and hid from Charles and left after the chaos, but I think I would have preferred if we had have seen her in season one. It would have been better if there was a shot of her entering the building and then we could have wondered who that was, where did she go, and then when she came into the show properly in season two, we could have said “that’s the girl who walked into the building, so she was there that night, ohh what happened?”

It’s just my opinion, but I feel that although it is an interesting storyline and I’m interested to see what the show does with it, it feels a little bit as though the show decided to say “Look, see. Lucy was there too!”

Out of all the new storylines in season two so far, this one just feels a little clunky, but it is not ruining my overall enjoyment of the show.

Still no Oscar. I am disappointed.

I am writing this review of episodes 3 and 4 having already watched episodes 5 and 6, but I am going to write about 5 and 6 separately, so I already know how things take an odd turn with Alice, but at this point, in episodes 3 and 4, I like her. I like how we are not sure yet if she can be trusted or not. I said already, I have no problem with Mabel dating other characters, but I am disappointed that Oscar does not seem to be appearing after everything they’ve been through. They don’t need to date. They can be friends. Oscar was acknowledged so briefly that I think it does season one a disservice. I’m hoping that he is at least mentioned more before the season ends.

Things have taken a turn in episodes 5 and 6 and to be honest, while I have some thoughts, I don’t have a clear guess yet on who I think the killer is. I’m hoping that I will be able to guess because when I watch any kind of mystery I like to lock in a guess and see if I am right or wrong, but I’m not ready to lock in a guess yet so I’m still wondering who killed Bunny?

Let’s keep watching and find out.

Do you have any ideas about who the killer could be? I’d love to read some guesses/theories so let me know.

Kate xo.

Only Murders in the Building #2: Who Killed Bunny?

Season two of Only Murders in the Building is fianlly availible on Disney plus. Last night I sat down with a drink and some popcorn and I eagerly watched the first two episodes.

I really enjoyed the first season. I’ve written about it. I thought the show was really fun. It was quirky, it was a bit satirical. I thought the premise was interesting and I have said many times that I am a fan of Steve Martin. I think that he and Martin Short are a dream team and the addition of Selena Gomez made for a really fun dynamic.

Warning! There will be spoilers ahead so if you still have not watched the first season, you should. Season one ended on a cliffhanger. Mabel finds Bunny in her apartment. Bunny has been stabbed with Mabel’s knitting needle. The series ends with our three favourite podcast hosts, Mabel, Charles, and Oliver being taken away in handcuffs by the police. Mabel is covered in Bunny’s blood. It is safe to say that I was extremely excited that the show was going to have a second season and I can’t wait to see what happens so I have very high hopes for season two.

Season two picks up right where we left off. The gang are in the police station being questioned and they are firmly told; no more podcasts. The trio however can’t help themselves and they are determined to figure out what happened so they can clear their names and not let anyone else tell their stories.

We are introduced to some new faces in season two. Amy Schumer has moved into the building and she is playing herself. Schumer wants to buy the rights to the podcast so that she can make a show and Schumer has decided that she wants to play Jan, our season one villain. So far Schumer has mostly just had scenes with Martin Short and this works because Oliver is the character who is the most obsessed with the recognition the trio receive from doing the podcast. He is the one who stops to speak to the press when the three leave the police station etc. so it makes sense that he is the character who would be excited to see Schumer and discuss projects. It is an interesting dynamic and I am intrigued to see how the show incorporates Schumer as the season goes on. It is clear to see that because this show did so well, they have been able to get more big names in their second season, and I have no doubt that Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez have many connections, however personally I am not Schmer’s biggest fan. Her brand of humour doesn’t really land with me. There are times that she can be funny, but mostly I find her type of humour to be a bit too “try hard” and even in the few scenes she was in, there were moments where I just found the over exaggerated version of herself irritating. That’s not to say she’s not talented. Schumer is talented, and her timing and line delivery has been very good and her quirky humour does fit the show quite well and the clash with the stardom obsessed Oliver is funny, but overall she wouldn’t be my favourite and I was surprised when I saw her on the screen for the first time. I’m very interested to see how it plays out, I could end up loving her. We’ll see.

The other new addition to the show is Cara Delevinge as Alice and it seems like she will be playing an important role. I was so impressed by Delevinge as Alice. Alice is an artist. She is effortlessly cool. She seems to be somebody that Mabel can relate to and open up to. They both share an appreciation for art, they’re both creative. They both find the other easy to talk to. Spoiler warning – I sensed from the second that Alice and Mabel spoke so easily in the art gallery that we would see a kiss before the episode ended. I was right. The two share a kiss after Alice encourages Mabel to destroy a sculpture as a way to let out all of her frustration and anger.

It seems like Alice and Mabel may go on to date in this season, but we’ve just met Alice, and it will be very important that Mabel knows who she can trust at this difficult time. All eyes are on her. She is trending online and she has been given the nickname Bloody Mabel and something about the way she was recorded destroying that sculpture with an axe doesn’t sit right with me. I feel like that footage could be used against her somehow. I love Alice as a character. She’s got such a cool energy about her and I hope that she becomes someone Mabel can trust and rely on and she may even help solve the case. We shall see.

In season two, we are learning about Bunny’s mother who is played by the fabulous Shirley MacLaine and we are learning about Charles’ father. We are also learning more about the apartment building itself and I love that the Arconia is almost a character itself. The trio have already discovered a secret lift in Bunny’s closet so I’m sure that there might be some more hidden places to come. I love a building with secrets.

Let’s talk about season two’s plot. It is clear that the angle the show is going for is that someone is trying to frame the trio for Bunny’s murder. It also seems like the motive behind Bunny’s murder could be fuelled by money. It seems that Bunny owned a very expensive painting.

Spoiler warning – When the gang break into Bunny’s apartment to look around, they discover that the painting has been stolen. They come to the conclusion that the killer must have the painting but that idea is quickly squashed when Charles arrives home to find the painting hanging on his wall. The gang then become determined to discover who is trying to set them up, while Mabel keeps having flashbacks to the night she found Bunny. It is all a blur but as the episode plays out, Mabel starts to remember that Bunny spoke before she died.

She said “fourteen” and “savage”. Now, Savage is Charles’ last name and it seems that his father is the man in the painting, but we don’t know what fourteen refers to yet.

It seems like it will be another scavenger hunt style mystery, similar to the format of season one. Mabel’s disorientated memories are really all the gang can work with so I would guess that the next episode may incorporate them trying to figure out what Bunny meant by fourteen. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Mabel remembers something else being said. The painting is also going to be important because (spoiler) Bunny’s mother reveals that the painting that was hung in Charles’ apartment is not the original. It is a copy so now we have to figure out where the real painting went.

I’m excited to see what the next episode does. It’s a good setup and I’m interested to see where the mystery goes as we have to do something different from season one. Speaking of season one, I really hope Oscar makes a comeback because even if he is not going to be Mabel’s love interest, I think he still should be her friend and season one ended with him watching her get taken away in handcuffs after the two characters had reconnected. I’d be disappointed if we don’t see him again after all the two have been through and I think it would make sense if his character helped figure out who was trying to blame Mabel because they have been friends all their lives. A huge plot point in season one – again spoiler – was that Oscar had been in jail for a crime he did not commit and Mabel worked so hard to clear his name. There had been so much character development between the two that I think it would be so odd if he didn’t return. His character looked so concerned when Mabel was taken away in handcuffs. Oscar knows Mabel is not capable of murder. He knows the pain of being accused of something you did not do. Aaron Dominguez gave a really great performance in season one and his character was so important to the investigation. Oscar’s father is the superintendent of the Arconia, it just doesn’t make sense to me if he is not in season two at all so I hope he shows up. Oscar doesn’t have to be Mabel’s love interest. The show can still have Mabel explore what she wants and her feelings for Alice can still continue to grow, but I will be disappointed if Oscar has just disappeared because lifelong friendships don’t just abruptly stop, not when the two characters have clearly been through so much together. It is early days though, it is only episode two so we shall see.

I’ve mentioned already that I am going to write in a more spontaneous way and write about what I gravitate towards rather than feeling like I have to write about certain things at certain times. My schedule has changed dramatically lately so I’m trying different things and figuring out what works best for me as I never want to publish a piece that I am not 100% happy with.

I think I might try something new and write episodic reviews of Only Murders in the Building.

So if you haven’t started season two, you should because otherwise my reviews will be spoilers galore.

I am so excited for episode three. If you love the show like I do and you have guesses or theories that you want to share, leave them below. I’d love to read them.

Kate xo.

Dante’s Inferno: Dante’s Impact.

It has been a while since I have written about poetry. I’m exploring lots of different things at the moment. I am working on a few different projects that I will be able to mention soon so I have not been watching or reading certain things as frequently as I used to.

I’m thinking about following a less structured approach and writing about what I gravitate towards rather than feeling like I have to watch something or read something specific.

I will still discuss movies, books, plays, poems, and short stories, but I also want to discuss writers, writing styles, picturebooks, music and so much more so I feel like I’m going to choose my topics more spontaneously for a while.

I have been to London and I am just home from Italy, as you will know if you keep up to date on my Instagram page @katelovesliterature.

In London I went to Shakespeare’s Globe and I bought some beautiful books, so lately I’ve been reading lots of Shakespeare and I would love to discuss his works in more detail. Stay tuned for that.

In Italy, we went to Florence and we visited the House of Dante. If you have not read my piece all about the trip then you should and you can if you click the link below.

https://katelovesliterature.com/

That link will take you to my piece entitled Italy 2022 – Four Cities, Six Days.

In that piece, I spoke about our entire trip to Italy, including the day we spent in Florence.

My boyfriend and I both love Dante. We’ve both studied his work at different times in our lives so going to visit the House of Dante was a stop that we were both really looking forward to.

I would highly recommend it. I believe the entry fee was €8 each. It was beautiful. We really enjoyed walking around the house and seeing all of the history being displayed. Dante’s life and his contribution to literature was being celebrated.

Dante was one of the most influential poets. His work The Divine Comedy is an epic poem and it is considered to be one of the greatest and most important pieces in the Italian language.

Dante’s work was influential in many ways. Dante’s depictions of Heaven and Hell in The Divine Comedy have had a huge impact on how society today pictures Heaven and Hell because his work heavily influenced Western art. Dante’s work has been interpreted countless times.

It truly is amazing when you think about how Dante wrote this poem in the 14th century and yet the poem’s themes will always be relevant. The work asks questions such as what is evil?

I think about this question often in 2022. What is evil? One could look at the news and come up with a hundred different answers or more. People have clashing opinions about what is and is not evil.

I take this question, a question that Dante put forward in the 14th century, and I bring it into context in 2022, and I think about what literature does with that question today. I feel that this question has been expanded. Now, we don’t just ask what is evil? We ask how does something or someone become evil? We ask, is evil born or is it made? We think about concepts like nature vs nurture.

The questions and themes that exist in Dante’s work may have changed and evolved over time but the questions still stand. Dante could easily be studied alongside a contemporary work as I think it would be really interesting to examine how works from extremely different times tackle very similar questions.

Dante is also highly influential because he insisted on writing his works in Italian rather than in Latin. While The Divine Comedy is indeed an epic poem that tackles complex questions and portrays a man’s physical and emotional journey to Hell before he finds divine love, the poem is written in an easy-to-understand style. When Dante was writing this work, Italian was the language of the people. At this time, most poetry was written in Latin, however only the most educated readers would be able to read Latin and Dante wanted his work to be more accessible so he wrote in Italian and by doing so, he established using vernacular and colloquialisms. He even uses cheeky, dirty humour in his poems.

I think this is brilliant because even today, the arts being accessible to all is still a relevant topic. Tickets can be very expensive, academic journals can require a subscription, sometimes things are written in a style that is just too complex which means that not everyone can follow. Places are not always accessible to everyone. Being able to afford experiences and being able to attend these experiences is really important.

It is so important to acknowledge history. There was a time when only the rich could read.

Thankfully, over time, things continue to evolve. I have written about how I really loved the fact that theatre was live streamed during the pandemic so that theatre could be enjoyed from home and while I am delighted to be able to attend shows again, it is important to remember that not everyone can and we should not abandon other options just because we can be in an audience again. The arts being accessible is really important and shows were just one example of this.

I think it is pretty cool that we see things written in easy, straightforward, everyday language, we can nod to Dante because he felt that was important all the way back in the 14th century and it just demonstrates the impact that someone can have.

In the House of Dante, I bought a beautiful illustrated edition of Inferno.

I think my plan is to read it and then write about it in sections as it is a big work.

I look forward to writing more about it.

Have you read any of Dante’s works? Let me know.

Kate xo.

Italy 2022 – Four Cities, Six Days.

When I started planning my trip to Italy, I did not envision visiting four cities in six days; however that is exactly what happened. It was one of the best holidays, I did so much, and I fell in love with Italy.

I’m going to talk about each place we visited. I am going to share snaps so keep an eye on my Instagram grid @katelovesliterature.

Italy is a beautiful place and the cities that we visited are filled with so much history, art, and literature so it was a pleasure to explore.

I already know that I want to visit Italy again and perhaps even go on a longer trip because there are places that I’d love to return to and there are places that we did not get to see this time that I would love to see in the future.

Overall, I feel very lucky that I was able to go on such a lovely holiday. It has been a stressful few weeks, filled with changes, and I have a really busy year ahead however I know that I am doing exactly what I should be doing because putting all the stress to one side, I love what I do so I am very excited to see what this next year brings.

Let’s dive into Italy, 2022.

Naples.

I have to be honest. When we first decided to go to Naples, I was happy with the decision, but as time went on and as more people gave me their two cents, I grew a little bit anxious about this choice as I had heard mixed reviews about the city.

I have anxiety, I don’t discuss it on Katelovesliterature.com because it is unrelated to literature, but I do have anxiety and this trip was going to be my longest trip away from home after two years. I was not travelling with family this time, so I was already a little apprehensive as I really wanted the trip to go well.

I was never happier to be wrong. All of the nerves that I had were quickly put to rest when we arrived. I loved Naples, and I would 100% go back to Naples as we only had two days there which in the end just was not enough time.

It does not matter where you go, every city has some great and some not so great. You have to be careful and you have to have a head on your shoulders no matter where you go. Naples is a bustling city. It is called the city of chaos and it is easy to see why it has such a title. It is busy, it is loud, it is hot, and yes there is a lot of graffiti however, I could say the same about Dublin, aside from maybe the hot part because we all know that Irish weather is temperamental.

Naples is full of life. It was unbelievable how one street could seem busy and unremarkable, but then you would turn a corner and be faced with a sight of beauty. The buildings were beautiful, some of the architecture, and some of the statues were just incredible. The artwork that you would just stumble upon was something else and we had the best time just exploring.

We stayed in the historical district and I absolutely would stay there again. My favourite part of our brief stay in Naples was when we found a lovely little restaurant directly across from the university. It was a perfect night. It was hot, we were relaxed. We sat outside and drank wine and ate the most delicious pizza – We’ve decided that Naples did have the best pizza although I liked how crispy the pizzas are in Rome.

The university was lit up at night, the waiters were so kind, the atmosphere was incredibly relaxed. Everyone was happy to just eat, drink and relax. We sat in that square until the restaurant closed at midnight and then we stopped at a bar for a final drink before we went back to our room. The city was busy, even at night, so I did not feel in any way unsafe while we were walking back so late. I was and still am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed being in Naples.

It was a lesson for me – do not let others get in your head about where you are going. Their experience is not your experience and you have to be careful no matter where you go.

If you’re considering going to Naples and like me, you have heard many mixed opinions, I would say that you should go and see for yourself what you think.

Naples is filled with a bustling charm, it’s busy and it is indeed chaotic, but it is definitely a city that I will be visiting again and for longer next time.

Pompeii.

I am a history lover so I could not be only a short train ride away from Pompeii and not visit the ruins. From Napoli station, we got a train to the city of Pompeii and it was incredible.

It was hot, so hot that I went and bought a big straw hat because I am very fair and when you’re exploring the ruins there is very little coverage from the sun so if you’re going to explore then it is vital to have a hat, sunglasses, sun cream, and make sure to carry a bottle of water or two with you.

We landed in Naples on Sunday and the very next day we went to Pompeii for the day so we were still adapting to the heat and the fact that we were on our holidays. I had my first little cup of gelato in Pompeii. It was delicious. I opted for strawberry so it was more like a sorbet but I still really enjoyed it and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the shade and cooling off for a bit.

Walking around the ruins of Pompeii was something I’ll never forget. It was beautiful, but it was hard at times because it was so hot and the terrain is not exactly smooth. We did come close to twisting our ankles a few times so if you’re going to the ruins be sure to wear comfortable shoes. I had runners on with my little sundress and I was increasingly happy with that decision as I could not imagine doing that walk in sandals.

We opted to explore ourselves rather than go on a tour, this is a choice we made at several places throughout our trip. We chose to explore by ourselves simply because we like to move at our own pace and we had specific places saved that we wanted to see and so we searched for those and doing that allowed us to skip over places that we didn’t mind missing or if there was a place that we explored but then wanted to move on to something else, being by ourselves meant that we could just move on when we were ready to as opposed to having to wait for a guide to move us on. That being said, we did see some tours taking place and we overheard some guides speaking to their groups and everything they said sounded really interesting so if you enjoy tours or you want a more structured experience then there are some great tour options however exploring ourselves is what suits us best.

The ruins are huge. I think we definitely underestimated how big they are and how long we would spend exploring them. We were there for hours and I still don’t think we saw everything but we did see one of the most incredible views.

I found myself overwhelmed quite a few times on this trip. Being in the city of Pompeii was one of those times. There was something so surreal about exploring the ruins and walking around and seeing what was left of a place. There was a still feeling in the air that is very hard to explain. I think that feeling comes from standing in a place that is so steeped in history and the ruins are quite literally moments in time. It is so strange to think about how those ruins were once filled with life. It is almost hard to believe that a place has been there for so long. I would highly recommend exploring Pompeii.

Florence.

From Naples we took the train to Rome, but then we went and spent the day in Florence and because we only had one day in Florence and then a few days in Rome, I’m going to talk about Florence first.

Florence is a charming city. I keep thinking about the entire trip and I go over all the places we visited and while I enjoyed each city, and while I would return to each city, I keep going back and forth between whether my favourite city was Florence or Rome.

I think one of the most stunning sights is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It is breath-taking. The gothic architecture is stunning. The level of detail and craftsmanship and art that went into these buildings is unbelievable. It seems as though I am repeating myself. I say stunning, unbelievable, beautiful, a lot but this is because it is true. I found myself lost for words so many times while I was in Italy. I found myself moved to tears more than once because I was just stunned by what I was seeing and at times I was almost in awe of where I was.

The highlight of my day in Florence was visiting the House of Dante. The house is on the sight of Dante’s birthplace and in the house, his work is displayed. For those who may not know, Dante was an Italian poet. He was also a philosopher. Dante is considered the greatest Italian poet. I would argue that his most iconic and most well-known work is his epic poem entitled The Divine Comedy. The poem is considered one of the most important pieces of literary work, and it is considered the greatest work in Italian.

I love Dante. I loved studying his work and so being in the House of Dante was a very special moment. There is a certain verse that always brings tears to my eyes whenever I read it and seeing it displayed in his birthplace brought tears to my eyes again. I never tire of his work. It does not matter how many times I read it. Being there was incredible. Seeing literature respected and remembered and celebrated was incredible. The world was and is filled with talented people and seeing where one of the most influential and important poets was from was really amazing.

Rome.

Rome was a dream. Walking through Rome was like walking through a painting. I loved Florence but I think Rome has to be my favourite. I found myself in awe so often in Rome. I found myself in very thoughtful and reflective moods. I found myself at peace and also incredibly happy.

From the Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon, from the Castel Sant’Angelo to the Vatican, Rome was a sight to behold.

The night we arrived, we got all dressed up and we had dinner outside, sitting directly across from the Colosseum. It is hard to find a better view than that. We sat there as the sun went down and the Colosseum became lit up. We just sat enjoying our drinks and the incredible surroundings. The food was amazing. I had a delicious ravioli and some really lovely cocktails and then we got a pizza to share. The pizza in Rome is very different to the pizza in Naples. In Naples, it is rich and doughier and the cheese is just falling off the pizza because it is so hot. In Rome, the pizza is thinner and the crust is crispier. Personally, I love a crispy crust so I really enjoyed this; however overall we decided that Naples did have the best pizza.

In Rome, I went on a tiramisu tour. I tried it in nearly every restaurant. It quickly became my favourite dessert. I had never had it before I went to Italy and it was one of the things that I was most looking forward to tasting. I loved it. Nothing beats starry nights, fairy lights, a lovely glass of wine and a plate of tiramisu. It was perfection.

One of my favourite nights was the night we went to the opera in Rome. We saw the three tenors at Saint Paul’s Within The Walls and it was utterly brilliant. The church was the most amazing backdrop. It was stunning. The high ceilings meant that the sound travelled in the most amazing way. The singers did not even need microphones. They just projected into the church. The pianist was fantastic, the other musicians played beautifully. The three tenors themselves had incredible, strong, beautiful voices and they were accompanied by the most lovely and graceful ballerina.

The songs were all in Italian naturally, but that didn’t matter because it was just so beautiful. I love a night filled with beautiful music and it was actually just incredible to hear these arias sung and performed in Italian. I had the best night.

One of my favourite finds was a lovely rooftop bar that was about a ten minute walk from where we stayed. It was beautiful. There is nothing better than looking out over a beautiful city that is all lit up and taking in the views with a cocktail in hand. I was overwhelmed when I was in the city on that terrace that was filled with candles, flowers, lamps and fairy lights. We had a perfect seat, right at the edge of the railings so we were overlooking the entire Piazza Navona. I had a cosmopolitan in hand and I was just admiring the views and I got utterly lost in thought and being there on that rooftop was one of my favourite moments. I was so happy and I was aware of how happy I was and I think that feeling is why I have to say that Rome was my favourite. I loved each moment of the trip and I had a brilliant time in each place we visited, but Rome gave me this incredible feeling that I don’t think I’ll forget for a long time. It was very special so that is why Rome, the eternal city, is absolutely my favourite.

That was my trip. Naples, Pompeii, Florence, and Rome. Four cities, six days, and memories that I will keep forever.

Kate xo.

Singing In The Rain.

Singing In The Rain is a show that is not to be missed. It was one of the most fun, upbeat nights I’ve had in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.

I’m a big fan of the movie, it was one of my grandmother’s favourites so I watched it a lot when I was younger and seeing it on the stage was fantastic.

The plot is focused on the transition from silent film to talking pictures so the musical is filled with the spectacle, glitz, and glamour of old Hollywood. Don Lockwood, a famous silent movie actor must face the fact that he will have to do more than just mime if he wants to keep making movies in this new age. The switch from silence to speaking is not an issue for the talented and charming Mr. Lockwood, however his co-star, Lina Lamont, who is not as talented or as charming, struggles with the new requirements. While Don is exploring new career prospects, he is also exploring his growing feelings for the lovely and talented, but still unknown Kathy Seldon. The pair work together with Don’s best friend Cosmo to save Don’s latest film from being a disaster, but they have to be careful because a jealous Lina is doing anything and everything to get her way.

The score is joyful. It is so upbeat, so fun, it makes you want to get up and dance. There is also a lovely, old Hollywood charm to the score in my opinion. I don’t think you hear too many songs like Would You? Musicals are changing and they are evolving and so the kind of song you hear in musicals now is very different, and that’s okay. It’s amazing actually. Times change, styles change, and I think it’s great that musicals are always evolving, but I think there is something really lovely about this score.

My favourite song is You Are My Lucky Star. I think it’s beautiful. It’s light and airy, and there is a simplicity to it that I think is just gorgeous. It is a song that contains lovely long, extended notes that the actress gets to sustain, and there are moments where the voice can bounce. It is so charming, and so graceful, and so lovely. I think it is such a lovely sentiment. You are my lucky star, it is such a lovely compliment. It is a beautiful song, and I was very happy to hear it sung live.

The musical is a tap lover’s dream. I thoroughly enjoyed the dancing that was showcased on the stage. Every single member of the cast did a fantastic job. I love big, fun, loud, dance numbers. I love when members of the ensemble get to show off their skills. I love long dance breaks. I really enjoyed this old school style of show. The title number, Singing In The Rain is just amazing. The song is lively, and the joy is contagious. The number is iconic actually, I think everyone knows about that shot of Gene Kelly swinging around that lamp post. I hate to give anything away, but seeing it absolutely lash rain on the Bord Gáis stage was brilliant. I would see the show again tonight if I could.

I never have a bad time at the theatre, but Singing In The Rain was an exceptionally good time.

Have you seen this show? Have you seen the movie?

Let me know.

Kate xo.

*The following pictures were taken by myself, on my own phone, and they may not be shared without my permission.*

A shot of the stage before act one started.

Matilda The Musical!

It’s true, sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty. Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre is a show that I cannot recommend enough. It is joyful. It is upbeat. It is fun. The stage is bursting with life, but in Matilda, a very touching, and very important story is told.

I’m a huge fan of Roald Dahl and I loved Matilda when I was little, and as an adult, I’ve come to appreciate the story even more. As with a lot of Dahl’s stories, there is a darkness to Matilda. It is a story about a little girl who is neglected at home. She is not appreciated, she is not shown the care, love, or attention that she deserves. Matilda goes on to face more bullies at school, and this story is one that highlights how adults can abuse their positions of power. Sadly, there are people in this world who bully children, and they think that because they are bigger, and because they are older, they can do whatever they please. There are people who do not respect children, and I find that these people tend to forget that they were once a child themselves. Matilda is an intelligent, imaginative, kind little girl and she stands up for herself and for others when she thinks that something is not right or not fair, and by doing so, she is able to help others around her.

I love the musical’s score. The music and lyrics are by Tim Minchin, who is of course known for his comedic musical style. The lyrics are a perfect mix of fun, and witty, yet I found myself emotional as some of the songs are rather poignant.

I think my favourite song has to be When I Grow Up, because I think that this song is the perfect example of the mix of fun and poignant that I just mentioned. The stage is bursting with life, there are kids everywhere, there are slides and swings and it’s just glorious. It’s a song about children who are looking forward to growing up and they are singing about what they think growing up is. They sing about staying up late and watching tv until their eyes go square, and it’s brilliant. It is brilliant because I think this song captures what you think being a grown up is when you are little. It seems so freeing. You think you can do whatever you want, and to an extent you can, but when you are little you don’t think about jobs or bills or relationships or any of the less fun things that come with growing up. I remember this. I remember being little and just wanting to wear my Mam’s perfume and I couldn’t wait to be older because then I could have my own. The line that pulls on my heartstrings, the part that I think is very poignant is when the kids sing about how they will be braver when they grow up. They will be bigger, and braver, and stronger, and able to fight the creatures beneath the bed. This part gets me, because when you are a child, you’re dependent on the adults in your life and they are supposed to keep you safe, but sometimes we grow up and there are different creatures to face, they’re just not always under the bed.

Matilda and Miss Honey are my favourite characters. They always have been. I find Miss Honey’s arc to be particularly touching because Miss Honey was that neglected, mistreated child. She didn’t have anyone to speak up for her when she could not do it for herself. Her monsters followed her into adulthood, and it is only when she meets Matilda, when she wants to help Matilda, that she is able to fight her creatures. I find this really emotional because I think that is a very layered moment. When Miss Honey helps Matilda, when she stands up for Matilda, I feel she is also standing up for herself, and more importantly, she is standing up for the little girl she used to be, and she does for Matilda what no one did for her. Together, Miss Honey and Matilda are able to be surrounded by people who love and appreciate them, and they stand up to their bullies together, because they’ve found strength in each other and it’s a really lovely arc.

I have to take a moment to say that the entire cast was incredible, but I was blown away by the kids on that stage. Each and every one of them were fantastic. I love seeing talented young people getting to thrive on the stage and I am sure that all of these kids will grow up to do great things. The singing, the dancing, the timing was just amazing. It is a hard show, it is not watered down, they are on stage a lot, they’re an essential part of the show and I can’t applaud them enough.

I hope Matilda The Musical tours again at some point in the future because I’d love to see it in Dublin. I would see it again in a heartbeat. It was just fantastic. It was a brilliant night out.

Have you read or seen Matilda? Have you seen Matilda The Musical? Are you a fan of Roald Dahl and if so, which one of his works is your favourite? I’d love to know.

Kate xo.

* The following pictures were taken by myself, with my phone, and they may not be shared without my permission.*

I caught one of the paper airplanes that the kids throw into the audience during the final number.

There’s No Place Like London.

There’s no place like London. If you follow me on Instagram (@katelovesliterature), then you already know that I spent a few amazing days in London.

I’ve been sharing snaps on my Instagram grid & I will be sharing snaps for a while because I fit so much into a few days. I saw so many things & I took loads of pictures that I am excited to share.

From St. Paul’s to Big Ben, from the London Eye to Tower Bridge, from Fleet Street to Shakespeare’s Globe, I had a blast. It was an amazing trip. The weather was lovely, and it was so great to see so much life everywhere. Some of the buildings are absolutely stunning. I ate, I drank, I explored, and I went to the theatre.

There is so much to do & see in London. It is such a bustling city, I’m already thinking about when I can go again because there are things that I still want to do.

I think the highlight of my trip was going to see Matilda The Musical in the beautiful Cambridge Theatre. Stay tuned because I will be publishing a #theatretrip discussion all about this brilliant show.

I’m sharing some snaps below as I did take many, many pictures.

*The pictures below are pictures that I took myself, on my own phone, and they may not be shared without my permission.*

This is the house at the end of the narrowest alley in Fleet Street, Hen & Chicken Court. This is supposedly the house of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, the real life Sweeney Todd.

Big Ben looking glorious in the sunshine.

These are just a few of the pictures that I took. It was an amazing trip. Memories were made, and I loved every second.

If you’ve been, I’d love to hear where your favourite spot in London is & I can add it to my list for next time.

Kate xo.

Blade Runner Live.

Hello everyone. I have been one lucky lady lately as I have been doing so much and I’ve been getting the opportunity to enjoy the arts more and more.

If you follow me on Instagram (@katelovesliterature), then you know that I am just back from London. I had an amazing trip. I did so much. I did lots of sightseeing and I ate lovely food and drank fabulous drinks and I went to see Matilda the musical and I had the best time exploring Fleet Street. I have already shared a few pictures on Instagram, but I will be sharing more so keep an eye out for that, and I will be writing a much more in depth discussion about my trip as it was filled with things that made my literature loving heart very happy.

There will be a #theatretrip post coming up soon about the brilliant Matilda the musical.

For now, I am back in Dublin and I am very busy. I do have some exciting news that I am just waiting on permission to share so stay tuned.

I was at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on Sunday evening to see Blade Runner Live.

It was an amazing evening. I absolutely love hearing an orchestra play live, I don’t think there is anything quite like it. I also think it is brilliant to see the musicians on stage as this doesn’t always happen in musicals, the musicians are very often in the orchestra pit so while we hear the beautiful music, we don’t always get to see the talented people who are playing.

Blade Runner is a brilliant movie. We saw the director’s cut version starring Harrison Ford.

The movie is based on Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

I studied this text in my first year of my BA which feels like such a long time ago now, even though it really isn’t, but I was not expecting to like this text as much as I did and I really loved the movie.

If you are not aware of the plot, the central idea is that there are humans and replicants and Rick Deckard is tasked with hunting and killing the “non-human” replicants. The replicants are designed to look like humans, however they are deemed to not feel the way that humans feel, however as one watches the movie, this idea can be debated.

I think the key theme of this movie revolves around the idea of questioning what makes one human? What makes me the person that I am? Am I made up of experiences and memories?

I also think that the story highlights the importance of having empathy in society.

I don’t wish to give away any spoilers, but there are moments in this movie where the supposedly unfeeling replicants show more empathy than the human characters. There is one specific scene that I think of when I say this, if you’ve seen the movie then you likely know which scene I am alluding to, and if you have not seen the movie then I suggest watching it, and it should become clear which moment I am talking about.

The movie has a beautiful score and it was amazing to hear it played live by the orchestra.

I have a few more exciting theatre trips coming up and I will be writing about all of them.

Have you seen Blade Runner?

Kate xo.

Epigraph.

Hello everyone. Welcome back to #theorythursday.

Today I am going to talk about what an epigraph is.

Let’s dive in.

What is an epigraph?

Have you ever opened a book to find a phrase or a quote at the beginning of the story?

Most people have probably read many epigraphs without realising that there is a term for that quote that was at the beginning of a book.

That quote at the start of the book wasn’t just a quote, it was an epigraph.

An epigraph is a quote, phrase, or sometimes even a paragraph, found at the beginning of a book, article, or document.

Why do authors include epigraphs?

An epigraph can set the tone for what the text is about. Usually an epigraph can help establish the theme and tone of a text, and sometimes the epigraph can even help to contextualise the work.

Why is this important?

I personally love when a text has an epigraph, particularly if the author has used a quote at the beginning of their work because in my opinion, this gives readers some insights into the author. When we see that an author has chosen to quote someone, this tells me that this quote has resonated with the author somehow, enough that they chose to use it in their own work. There is something about seeing who someone chooses to quote that can tell us a lot about them, it tells us what kind of writers that the author admires, and it can also give hints about what the style of the work might be like, or whose style of writing the author enjoys.

I think that knowing the term epigraph simply expands one’s knowledge of literary terms.

If you are ever at a pub quiz, and one of the questions asks, “What is the quote at the beginning of a novel called?”, now you know the answer. You’d be amazed by what might come up in a pub quiz, the last time I participated in one, the theme was horror and my knowledge of gothic literature certainly got us a few points.

One of my favourite epigraphs can be found in Neil Gaiman’s Coraline.

Gaiman begins his novel with a quote from G.K. Chesterton.

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.
G.K. Chesterton.

This has been Theory Thursday. I hope you enjoyed it.

If you were writing a novel, what would your epigraph be? I’d love to know.

Kate xo.

Through the Looking-Glass.

Hello everyone. I am publishing my March’s Book Of The Month discussion later than intended, but let’s dive right in.

Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass takes place months after the events of Alice in Wonderland.

In this book, readers follow Alice to another magical world as this time she takes a step through her mirror (the looking glass) to a world where everything is inverted. If Alice wants to get somewhere, she must walk away from it rather than towards, left is right, etc.

The novel is also written in the third-person, and once again Carroll’s writing is very direct. This novel is filled with poems all about the passage of time and the loss of youth and some of them are rather poignant. This novel includes the famous verse entitled Jabberwocky, which I will be talking about in a discussion all on it’s own because it is one of my favourite poems. I absolutely love the use of nonsense verse, and I will be discussing nonsense writing and its importance at a later date. I think this book is more challenging to read, for example at times the text is backwards. This use of placement on the pages is interesting. Alice must read backwards, therefore the text is backwards, so readers have the same struggle as Alice. When we must read backwards, our actions mirror Alice’s, who has stepped through a mirror so the idea and the symbolism of the mirror becomes really interesting and in my opinion, quite complex.

There is the idea that literature mirrors reality. I talk about this a lot, as after all so much art reflects life. Alice steps through a mirror into a world where everything is backwards, yet the injustice and pointlessness and the cruelties that Alice must contend with can be argued to mirror the injustices that one must face when they grow up, because adulthood and reality is unfortunately filled with things that are not fair. Cruelty exists, inequality exists, lack of control over our own choices exist. So it is very interesting that this nonsensical world mirrors the injustices of the real world and then at times our actions while reading mirror Alice’s so the whole reading experience is very immersive.

I think that Through the Looking-Glass is darker than Alice in Wonderland. I don’t know if this was Carroll’s intention. I think sometimes that Carroll intended to write a nonsensical fantasy novel about a curious girl and her curious nature is celebrated, and ever since readers and scholars have analysed this work and created interpretation after interpretation because the nonsense and the wondrous nature of the book has inspired curiosity. The fact that this is a book that celebrates wonder and in fact lends itself to endless interpretations is quite funny, and perhaps that was the intention, perhaps Carroll wanted people to endlessly question. So while the intentions of Carroll are impossible to know, I do think that his works can be discussed at great length, and I think that some of the discussions can be quite complex.

I love the idea of fate in Through the Looking-Glass. I love the idea of the chess board. I think that the chess board is very symbolic. I think the chess board by itself could be the heart of many discussions and interpretations. I see the chess board as a metaphor for how in life, each move we make determines our next one. This can be negative or positive depending on how you view it. One can question Alice’s choice. If she was always meant to play this game of chess, then did she have any control over the moves she made or did she do what she was always destined to do?

Spoiler below:

I think that Alice’s journey is quite an empowering one, because she plays the game of chess but she moves from pawn to Queen. This, in my opinion, demonstrates her journey from child to adult. She has matured, she is more sure of herself, she has learned a lot and she is using her newfound knowledge to improve her next move.

I think that Alice in Wonderland will always be my favourite work by Lewis Carroll. I loved it when I was young. I love the movie adaptations. I love the text. I always go back to it, it is surrounded in nostalgia, so the conclusion that I have come to is that Alice in Wonderland will always be one of my beloved childhood texts but I think that Kate in her twenties prefers Through the Looking-Glass.

Read Through the Looking-Glass if you haven’t already and then tell me which text you prefer.

Kate xo.