Miss Scarlet Character Review: Moses Valentine


I apologize for the lack of posting as of late. There is only so much energy in a day.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the TV series Miss Scarlet (formerly Miss Scarlet and the Duke). Read at your own risk if you have not watched the program. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right before us, as flesh-and-blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

No person is an island. Whether in life or business, we need other people. On Miss Scarlet, Moses Valentine (Ansu Kabia) is a foe turned into an ally. Originally from Jamaica, he is comfortable in the not-so-proper underbelly of London. Working for  Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips), he becomes her connection to a world that would be dangerous for her to traverse alone.

He is charming, intelligent, and is often two steps ahead of the “proper” authorities. When Moses returns to the UK, he comes back as the owner of his own detective agency in Paris. He also pairs up with Clarence Pettigrew (Paul Bazely), creating a unique buddy comedy/crime caper-esque story that adds light to what could be a dark narrative.

To sum it up: Moses is a man who can move between worlds, giving him opportunities that the other characters cannot have without putting themselves in danger. Add in charm and a quick mind, and you have a person who can survive in multiple cultures.

Which makes him a memorable character.

Thoughts On the Firing of Pam Bondi

Most, if not all of us, have the indignity of being fired at least once in our careers. But the average person on the street will not have their name dragged through the mud and the reasons debated by talking heads on TV and in the press.

Earlier this week, the former Attorney General, Pam Bondi, was fired by POTUS. Her replacement is her former deputy, Todd Blanche.

I suspect (like her former colleague Kristi Noem) that it was (as usual) about optics. He is all about looking good. When he does not look good, he fires the person causing the most damage to his reputation.

What is curious (as others have pointed out) is that he has not replaced any of the high-level male staff (yet). Just Noem and Bondi. If this becomes a pattern, it will solidify (at least in my mind) how he truly feels about women in the workplace.

Happy Saturday.

Half His Age Book Review

Falling in love with the wrong person is part of life. How a person bounces back from that (if they do at all) has the power to affect any future relationships they might have.

Half His Age, by Jennette McCurdy, was published in January. 17-year-old Waldo is a latchkey kid. Her father has been out of the picture for years. Her mother is either at work or with her newest boyfriend. When she meets her new creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy, she falls hard and fast. Besides being her instructor, he is several decades older and married with a child. He should be off limits for those reasons alone. But Waldo cannot hide her attraction to him.

Their affair gives Waldo the emotional affection she is craving and forces her to decide about who she wants to be.

Wow. This book is amazing. If McCurdy wants a career as an author, it is hers for the taking. This title is heartbreaking, brutally honest, and powerful. I felt for Waldo. It would have been easy to peg her as a certain character type. But McCurdy’s writing is so good that I was rooting for Waldo to find peace within herself.

I know it is only April, but it is one of my favorite reads so far this year.

Half His Age is available wherever books are sold.

Flashback Friday: 11.22.63 (2016)

The question of time travel is filled with both potential and pitfalls. If you could go back in time, what would you do? Would it be to undo a personal mistake or change the course of history?

The Hulu mini-series, 11.22.63, premiered in 2016. Based on a book by Stephen King, Jake Epping (James Franco) is a teacher who goes back in time to stop the assassination of JFK. It is supposed (note the keyword) to be a straightforward mission. But as usual, it does not go as planned.

Having never read the book, I cannot say for certain how it compares to its small-screen counterpart. The idea of the story is extremely tempting. The problem is that I was just plain bored.

Do I recommend it? No.

11.22.63 is available for streaming on Netflix.

Throwback Thursday: Licorice Pizza (2021)

When the one you love does not respond in the same way, it may take some effort on your part to get them to reciprocate your feelings.

Licorice Pizza was originally released in 2021. In 1973, in the San Fernando Valley, Gary (Cooper Hoffman, the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a teenage child star who is surprisingly mature for his age. Somehow, he can convince Alana (Alana Haim), a 25-year-old bored photographer’s assistant, to go out with him. They try to keep their relationship platonic, but it becomes more.

What I liked about this film was the positive depiction of Jewish women. Although it is entertaining, I don’t know if I would see it again anytime soon. Though it is nice to see a May/December heterosexual relationship where the woman is older than her male partner.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Licorice Pizza is available for streaming on Netflix.

Dynasty: The Murdochs Documentary Review

Money and power, in the hands of the right person, can change the world for the better. In the wrong hands, it can be a corrupting influence.

Dynasty: The Murdochs is a new four-part Netflix documentary that follows the life and career of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his family. As Murdoch ages, the question of who will step into his professional shoes becomes even more prevalent. As the siblings vied for power, alliances are formed, and childhood bonds are severed or broken completely.

The best way to describe the narrative is akin to a car crash on the side of a highway. It is too tempting to pass by and, at the very least, take a quick look at the wreck that was a vehicle. It makes me feel sad that this clan has been torn apart, instead of putting the familial connection first. It goes to show (at least to my mind) that perhaps extraneous wealth is not what it is cracked up to be.

The smartest thing that the filmmakers did was to use a board game to illustrate the games Murdoch and his kids played to get to the top. It made the story that much more interesting.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Dynasty: The Murdochs is available for streaming on Netflix.

The End of Romance Book Review

Falling in love and (hopefully) spending your life with the right person can be a transformational experience.

The End of Romance, by Lily Meyer, was published earlier this year. Sylvie Broder grew up in an emotionally severe home. She learned joy from her late survivor grandparents, who believed in enjoying life to the fullest. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, she finds a way out via grad school.

Sylvie is not afraid to step back into the dating world. But love and sex are two different things entirely. Her philosophy is tested by two men whose personalities are on opposite ends of the spectrum: Robbie and Abie. Her resolve starts to chip away, forcing Sylvie to realize that she may have inadvertently opened the door to love after all.

What I liked about this book is that it wasn’t the goopy, dopey romance novel it could have been. The characters felt real. Sylvie’s arc wasn’t just about giving her heart away. It was about realizing that it was ok to have a relationship in which she could be herself and not submit herself to the point where her needs were never met.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The End of Romance is available wherever books are sold.

Seeking Persephone Television Review

When we are hurting, it is easier to stay locked within ourselves. It takes courage to reveal our true selves, even those parts of us that are unhealed.

The new four-part series, Seeking Persephone, is based on the book of the same name by Sarah M. Eden (who also wrote the screenplay). Adam Boyce, Duke of Kielder (Jake Stormoen), is in a bind. Unless he marries and has children, his title and property will pass to a distant cousin upon his passing. The problem is that his reputation does not exactly lend itself to young ladies and their mothers breaking down the door.

Persephone Lancaster (Ryann Bailey) has her own issues. Since losing her mother several years before, she was forced to grow up early and take care of her family. Living in genteel poverty, the chances of her catching the eye of an eligible gentleman are little to none at best.

Their relationship starts as a marriage of convenience. As they get to know one another, the walls start to crumble. But is it enough for a happy ending, or will Adam’s insecurities get in the way?

Bailey and Stormoen have superb chemistry. From the moment their characters met on screen, there was an electricity between them. With Eden writing the screenplay, this screen adaptation was not word-for-word copied from the text. But it was enough that anyone who has read the novel can easily follow along.

I have heard that some have referred to this story as a mashup of Pride and Prejudice and Beauty and the Beast. I would also add Jane Eyre to the list. Adam has a bit of Edward Rochester in him, adding new layers to his arc.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Seeking Persephone is available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Fandago.

Don’t Breathe a Word Book Review

Secrets have power. The longer we hold onto them, the more power they hold over us.

Don’t Breathe a Word, by Jordyn Taylor, was published in 2021. In our era, Eva is an unhappy teenage girl who has been shipped from her home in New York City to Hardwick Preparatory Academy, a private boarding school in upstate New York. When she finally starts making friends and is invited to join the Fives, Eva jumps at the chance. But she begins to wonder about what they might be hiding.

In 1962, Connie is one of six students chosen to test Hardwick’s new nuclear fallout shelter. Her reasons, like many a young person, are about the romance. Specifically, Craig Allenby, who is a favorite of both students and staff. When the experiment goes wrong and one ends up dead, the consensus is to keep the truth hidden. If it gets out, the consequences could be far-reaching.

I enjoyed this novel. Like her previous works, the pacing kept me engaged, and the characters were well drawn. By the time I put it all together, it made perfect sense.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Don’t Breathe a Word is available wherever books are sold.

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Book Review

In a culture where marriage is the ultimate fate for women, it should be imperative that she has an adventure (or two) before settling down.

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy, by Carl Sferrazza Anthony, was published in 2023. The book follows Jackie‘s early years and ends with her first marriage to John F. Kennedy. Though she was born into a privileged life, her parents’ divorce when she was young left a mark. As a young woman, she chose to travel and work as a newspaper columnist/photographer before walking up the aisle.

I enjoyed this book. When we talk about women of her generation, we usually start with their wedding day, with a brief bio beforehand. By focusing on the four years between 1949 and 1953, we see a more rounded picture of an American icon.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy is available wherever books are sold.

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