Anne Devlin (1) (1951–)

My mother adored the 1939 version with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon as a passionate romance. It was a bit of a shock when I finally read the novel on which this is based to find it not romantic at all. Heathcliff is a brute and an evil monster, and what he has with Cathy seemed more composed of hate than love. Think creepy stalker guy. (The man killed her puppy!) So in a way Fiennes in this film is closer to Bronte's conception--darker and more vicious. What undermines this film for me is two things. One, just plain storytelling and pacing. The 1939 film is engrossing on its own terms, even if not as faithful to the book in omitting the "second generation" storyline. The other problem was Binoche as Cathy. Some complain about her French accent and that she (and Fiennes) were too old to play the lead roles. My problem was that she was annoyingly giggly and... well, not watchable.… (mais)

The Way-Paver is a wonderful collection of short stories.

• Passages: This is a riveting story with an interesting twist at the end.
• The House: A story of betrayal that delves into the mind of an abandoned wife.
• Sam: A story of choices and love gone wrong.
• First Bite: A little confusing, but still a good story.
• The Journey to Somewhere Else: A journey through memory lane and a ghost story all in one. Not thrilling, but enjoyable.
• Life Lines: Another story of betrayal, this time delving into the mind of the betrayer.
• Naming the Names: This was probably my second favourite story in the collection. It is the story of an act of betrayal by an Irish woman in the time of the Troubles.
• Five Notes After A Visit: This is my favourite story in the collection. It highlights the displacement felt by Irish ex-pats during the time of the Troubles. Not safe in Ireland, because the IRA saw them as traitors for living in England, yet not fully accepted in England due to the actions of the IRA. This is an engrossing story I highly recommend.
• The Way-Paver: A look at the trauma of giving birth and the way it can change our family relationships.

Overall, this is an engaging collection of stories told with the unique voice of Ireland and I highly recommend reading it.… (mais)