Justine Castellon
From Richard to Hope
A letter from Richard to Hope, meant to be opened mid-air as her plane ascends from London to New York.
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Welcome to a blog where stories come alive, emotions find their voice, and creativity knows no bounds. Here, you'll discover thoughtful book and film reviews that unpack the magic of storytelling, alongside personal musings that wander through the mind of a writer. Lose yourself in captivating short stories, heartfelt love letters, and poetry that stirs the soul. It’s a cozy corner of the internet for anyone who craves deep dives into literature, cinema, and the beauty of words woven with feeling.
BOOK REVIEW: Normal People
I know, I know—I’m embarrassingly late to the “Normal People” party, a party where everyone’s already deep in conversation about the depth of Rooney’s writing while I’m just now walking in awkwardly, clutching my unread copy. But better late than never, right?
Let’s start with what threw me off right away: there are no quotation marks around the dialogue. None. Just people talking—but, like, in stealth mode. At first, it feels downright weird. Where does one character’s thought end and the next one’s words begin? It’s a bit disorienting, like learning a new language mid-paragraph. But here’s the thing—it grows on you. Rooney’s style makes you lean in, sharpen your focus, and before you know it, you’re so enmeshed in the story you hardly notice the punctuation rebellion anymore. Still, prepare for some mental gymnastics early on.
FILM REVIEW: Midnight In Paris
Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is a shimmering love letter to both the City of Light and the enchantment of the past. The storyline invites us to join Gil Pender, a wistful and slightly lost screenwriter (played with endearing vulnerability by Owen Wilson), as he tumbles through time into 1920s Paris. What makes this narrative sing is its balance—romantic yet bittersweet, humorous yet contemplative—it uses time travel not as a gimmick, but as a way to explore the universal longing for a golden age.
What truly sets Midnight in Paris apart is its mesmerizing roster of literary icons, brought to life with a deft mix of playfulness and reverence. Hemingway is bold and intoxicatingly intense, while F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill) crackle with charm and tragedy. Interactions with Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot, and Salvador Dalí (in a whimsical cameo by Adrien Brody) burst vividly onto the screen, as if plucked straight from Gil’s most indulgent daydreams.
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