Fun Take on a Classic
593810
An interesting and enjoyable modern day riff on 'Hamlet', the young tortured protagonist in ' ...Club' feels very reminiscent of the young boy in 'The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time'. Young Phillip's tale moves at quite a clip with his Father returning from the dead to tell the boy he must avenge his wrongful death at the hands of his brother, the boy's Uncle. The book isn't nearly as maudlin as it sounds, and is in fact quite funny,  and part of the fun is seeing how Haig manages to update the story.
3100558
Great spin on a classic that gets the kids to enjoy them a little more and relate to them in class.
3593651
I liked this one better than I thought I would.  Good action, and I liked the updated story.  I also liked the ending better on this version.  The original, though really corny, campy, and implausible, is a guilty pleasure of mine.  While still blessed with a touch of implausibility that makes it fun, this version isn't quite an corny, and the camp is more subdued.  This one may not be as endearing as the original, but I actually like it better.
1729766
Great take on the classic story, excellent illustrations and funny text. My grandson's kindergarten class loved it. Interesting twist is the girl ninja is the 3rd pig who is able to ward off the wolf because she stayed in ninja school and learned her lessons well. At the end her brothers go back to school to finish. Can't beat that!
617606
Really enjoyable read.  Some of the events don't quite line up with the novelizations of the original movies but a minor issue that doesn't detract from the readability or the enjoyment of the book itself.
2207432
A book that can change one's perspective on a classic text!
102445
A nice modern twist on a classic.  Aligned most issues of the past with similar (and quite hilarious at times) issues of these times.  Quick and easy read.
3099461
Thank you to the publisher for a free copy.  I loved how the author switched the gender of the roles.  The writing was very witty and entertaining.  A quick easy read which I did in one sitting.  Just a refreshing take on an old classic.
951428
Although I'm not sure that the wit quite lives up to the Princess Bride, this serial is a fun, lighthearted fantasy.  It is not a sweeping epic, but then, it doesn't need to be.  The dynamic of the flashbacks is well-balanced, and makes it almost seem like two stories at once, catching up the tale of the main character's life while moving forward with the plot.

At first, the language did seem a bit intentionally crude (designed to shock), but after a bit, it settles down into a fantastical yarn that is difficult to put down.  Although it is clear that the author draws inspiration from Monty Python and other fantastical humorists as well as the noted Princess Bride, the references do not detract from the story, but add to its flavor.
4644417
A funny twist on the classic story, thick board pages that little hands can't rip (at least not yet!) bright colorful pages. My 15mo daughter brings it to me to read to her.
2746042
A fun, quick look at a classic work that should stick in the minds of its readers and participants for a long time to come.
2618600
The modern retelling of the beloved Austen classic is fun, witty, and very relatable to modern teens.  Even if they aren't familiar with the original I'm sure they'll enjoy the story on its own merit.  And it might even prompt some to pick up the original!  I'd love to see the author tackle the other Austen novels and retell them in the same manner since she did such a great job.
2990922
I loved this book and the fresh take on the classics. The characters are interesting and the world is vivid and well realized.
3591343
This version of the classic by Lewis Carroll sets Alice as getting ready to sing in front of strangers and because she dreads this, she escapes to Wonderland and so on... A nice take on the classic tale although the order of events is completely messed up. The definitive version of Alice has to be the 1985 mini-series version now available on two seperate videos.
This movie is full of humour thanks to Martin Short and Whoopie Goldberg (Everyone is mad here...) and must say that Miranda Richardson was not quite the Queen of Hearts I expected, with her very high and intolerable shrieky voice. But other than that, it is pure fun from beginning to end. The songs aren't exceptionnal but it is a nice contemporary take on the timeless tale.
I still like this movie because any rendition of Lewis Carroll's stories drives me MAD!
788606
Fun twist on an old classic. Even my husband and I played it. Good luck getting the horn out! Fun times.
756993
The previous reviews have covered the fact that this is a take on "The Count of Monte Cristo" so I won't go into a discussion of it.

Suffice to say, this is a pretty good re-do of the classic story updated for today's modern tastes.  That is, sex and violence --  lots of it.

The story moves a little slow during the first half, but still is interesting showing how our hero accepts and adapts to his prison life.  Once he meets his benefactor, the old art thief, the story starts to move rapidly.

The bad guys ARE bad, but they could and should have been "badder".  We cheer on our hero and are glad when the individual villains get their come-uppance.  However, I was wishing that they were uber evil and the punishment was over the top so we could jump up and cheer.

One little plot line that was supposed to be a surprise at the end was known early by anyone with half a brain---the parentage of the young Allen.  This is not a spoiler because it is apparent from the get-go and we know that to be a fact since it is a part of the original novel.

Recommend to those who enjoy updated material from the classics.
2423323
Jane Austen is my favorite author of all times. I love anything Jane Austen related, especially the modern re-telling of her novels. Even though a lot of people despise these modern day versions of classics, I kind of enjoy these. Instead of degrading the originals, I find that they make me appreciate and love them even more, and realize their true literary worth. For me these new versions of classics are a fun and relaxing way to re-visit some of the most well-loved stories, and to see how the characters behave in a new environment is sometimes refreshing.

I got this book for free on my Kindle. Its the first book in the Jane Austen Academy Series. This series caught my interest primarily because the whole idea behind the Jane Austen Academy is to introduce all of Jane Austens heroines in the same setting. So, we have Elizabeth Bennet from Pride & Prejudice, Elinor Dashwood from Sense & Sensibility, Emma Woodhouse from Emma, Anne Elliot from Persuasion, Fanny Price from Mansfield Park, and Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey all going to the same school, which is dedicated to the memory of Jane Austen.

We are introduced to 5 of the leading ladies in the first book, but the main focus is on Lizzie, who is the modern day Elizabeth Bennet. Fall For You is the re-telling of Pride & Prejudice, but it only follows Lizzies & Darcys (who is called Dante in this book) story arc. Lizzies sister Jane is replaced by her best friend Ellie, and there is hardly any mention of her family. We get a few glimpses of Wickham, but he is of no import to the story here. Its a very different and unique setting, and there is a lot of tension between our beloved characters.

Lizzie Egmont & Dante are two very stubborn and prejudiced characters, just like their original counterparts. And their interactions are fun to read about. But my favorite part of the book was reading Lizzies interactions with the other characters, who are our other Jane Austen heroines. The story still deals with elements of misjudgment and pre-conceived notions, though its done in a very different way. The writing is very realistic, and the characters quite relatable. Its a very fast and easy book to read, though a bit predictable.

I wasn't very impressed by this book, but I found the concept were entertaining. The next 3 books in the series are already out, and the last two are supposed to come out sometime this year. Im looking forward to reading all the books in this series to see how all the stories are integrated into the main premise, and how all the different characters turn out. Its a light, fun read and perfect for summers.