The Tufa Towers of Mono Lake

Mono Lake in California is a strange place to say the least. However, unlike many bizarre places in the world this strange environment is caused by us.

Image Credit Flickr User Clinton Steeds

In the early nineteen forties the city of Los Angeles was growing quickly. The Second World War was in full flow and when it came to the environment it was felt that some things could be neglected. The LA Department of Water and Power began diverting the lakes streams three hundred and fifty miles to the south. The damage to the environment would be untold. Paradoxically it would leave the area eerily beautiful – like some alien backdrop from an episode of Star Trek.  At some points in the year a soap-like layer forms on the top of the lake.

Superman Awakens

Superman: Awakens is a non-profit, fan-created film crafted with heartfelt dedication to the iconic character and made freely available for everyone to enjoy.  Yet it is also the film that we’ve been waiting for, for so long!  Never mind, we might have to do with this, but it’s five minutes of the Superman we all know and love.

Created with Unreal Engine 5 and powered by the advanced Lumen technology, this project demonstrates impressive speed and capabilities that will leave you gobsmacked. It's evident that the entire team had a fantastic time bringing this vision to life. The story and direction were masterfully handled by Antonis Fylladitis, while Stavros Fylladitis contributed exceptional design, assets, and coordination to the project.

SWIPE - a Five Minute Movie

When a group of delinquent teens are pulling straws, you know that the kid with the short one is in for a whole heap of trouble.  As such, SWIPE relies on a familiar trope – as one of our young friends has to go into a store and steal to impress his friends.  However, he is about to learn an unexpected lesson.  This short film was written, directed and edited by Anthony Sneed.  It stars Nick G Hunter, Lorenzo Rogriguez and Alina Phelan.

Nick G Hunter in SWIPE

Nick G. Hunter is an American actor recognized for his performances in various television shows and films. His notable credits include Danger Force (2022), Diary of a Future President (2020), This Is Us (2019), Invite Only (2019), How Does It Start? (2019), Top Chef Jr. (2018), and Disney's Be Your Best Snackdown (2017).

If the actor playing the mother is familiar, her name is Alina Phelan, an accomplished actress known for her appearances in popular television series such as Grey's Anatomy (2005), How to Get Away with Murder (2014), and Lucifer (2016).

The City with the Largest Population in the World: Welcome to Chongqing

Chongqing: if you are not from Asia or a geography enthusiast, the name may not mean a great deal to you.  However, this city in southwestern China now boasts the largest urban population in the world – and it has an infrastructure and architecture that clearly demonstrate that… an awful lot of people live there.  In fact, the figure currently stands at 32,054,159. (picture credit)

That is quite a number.

Watch the Big Bang but Don’t Know the Theory? Take a Look at This…

…because it may just clear up a few things for you about the original Big Bang Theory.  Where Sheldon might blind you with science, this animation, designed by Mike Luzzi and directed by Dan and Jason at Hornet Inc will make it simple. Well, simpler because even at its most basic it is quite a lot to take in – at least in one viewing.  However, as Einstein said: If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.

Out of a Forest

At certain times of the year families get together, sit around a table and eat and talk. Such is the case with this extended family of rabbits but there is danger lurking in the background…

This is Tobias Gundorff Boesen’s Bachelor film from The Animation Workshop. It is set to the song "Slow Show" by The National, who were kind enough to allow him to use their music (well it makes for a very memorable promo after all!). It is a non-commercial short film, intended for festivals – and it has won many!.

It was shot in the forests surrounding Viborg, Denmark. Boesen’s main inspiration was Victorian literature, and "Boxer" by The National. It was painful to finish, as shooting stop motion in the forest at night for longer periods turned out to offer a lot of problems. I think (or hope!) that you will agree that is was worth all the effort.  Plus I love the surprise ending!

The Voice in the Hollow

The Voice in the Hollow is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant short film by Miguel Ortega and Tran Ma. Rendered in Unreal Engine 5, it is set in an African-inspired fantasy world, the story centres on two sisters navigating a complex relationship marked by little love but quite a deal of mutual envy. Their bond is tested to the breaking point when one of them encounters an ancient and malevolent force in the heart of a mysterious jungle which offers her everything she ever wanted...

The film showcases some incredibly atmospheric storytelling, combining rich visuals with haunting sound design to immerse us in its eerie and enchanting world. The themes of sisterhood and jealousy are explored with depth, making the characters' emotional journeys compelling and relatable. The animation and production design, reminiscent of handcrafted artwork, add a layer of authenticity and beauty to this dark fable.  I though that the makers had used a real African language but it turns out that it is (a very authentic sounding) conlang – akin to, say, Elvish in Lord of the Rings.

While brief, the film leaves a lasting impression with its blend of myth, emotion, and suspense. If you are a fan of folklore-inspired narratives and evocative short films then press the play button – you won’t  be disappointed…

Frost Flowers: Beautiful but Rare Wonders of Nature

Back in 2012 we published a feature about frost flowers - you can read the original here (which includes all the science!).  Created in the autumn or early winter, the frost flower is a morning phenomenon.  Ice is pushed through in extremely thin layers through the stems of plants, creating and astounding whirl of beautiful patterns.  We thought we would take a look and see whether any new frost flowers had been caught on camera since then.  We weren’t disappointed.  So here is a collection for you, embedded from the photographers' pages on Flickr.

Bad Night for the Blues

If you are having one of those Christmases where you have the nightmare relatives around (you have to do your duty) then spare a thought for Chris (played by Kieran Lynn) who has Aunty Glad (Jean Boht, a marvelous British institution if ever there was one) to cope with for an evening.  You may think, to begin with, that Chris is not a terribly good nephew – doing his once a year duty to an aunty who surely deserves more. Yet on their entry to the South Norwood Conservative Club Christmas Dinner, Aunty Glad helps herself to the wine and a monster is unleashed…

Bad Night for the Blues is one of those car crash comedies that, despite or because of the nature of the lead character, makes for compulsive viewing.  If you are offended by strong language, then it is advisable not to watch! Bad Night for the Blues is a Slinky Pictures Production for the BBC Film Network and UK Film Council in association with Vision+Media. It was directed and written by Chris Shepherd.

The Saga Of Biorn

Boxing Day always meant Norsemen for me! The main reason was because in my youth there were only three TV stations in the UK and the biggest, BBC1 always used to insist on putting The Vikings on their airwaves the day after Christmas.

Now, this isn’t Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis et al, but it is a Viking tale nevertheless and one of our Boxing Day treats for you at Kuriositas.

Biorn is an old Viking warrior who, to get to Valhalla, must die in battle. Unfortunately every conflict he enter seems to end with the quick dispatch of his opponent. Until, one day a convent is attacked by a giant troll!

This is immense fun, brought to you by the combined talent of The Animated Workshop. Does Biorn succeed and get to Valhalla? Watch and see!

Drink Along with Martin - Animated Christmas Card

I knew I would have to acknowledge the coming of Christmas at some point so it is with some relief that I can do so by sharing with you this wonderful animated Christmas card which popped in to my inbox a short time ago. It is from London based animation production studio Trunk and it celebrates the most important aspect of Christmas to any self-respecting Brit – drinking.

Created by Layla Atkinson, this awesome animation features Martin who I am guessing is a rabbit (with an English accent no doubt). He likes to drink, but not just alcohol – anything that can pass between his leporine lips does so. Plus it comes with a soundtrack by the gone but fondly remembered Bow Wow Wow. Altogether this makes for one of the more unusual Christmas cards I have received this year -so thank you to Layla and all the folks at Trunk. Enjoy – and remember to drink sensibly: the contents of a potty does not qualify.

24 Days of Torture

If you're already feeling overwhelmed by the holiday rush, imagine being an advent calendar. It never occurred to me before that these little festive companions endure a level of abuse and neglect that would make any charity advocate for their rights. OK, maybe not, but this animated short, directed by VIK & NES, reveals a hilarious yet surprisingly dark truth.

In this animated tale, we follow Christopher, an advent calendar, as he desperately tries to protect his precious chocolates throughout the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Each day, the window opens, and one of the little treats is snatched away, often with no regard for Christopher's feelings or well-being. The calendar, who has become attached to each individual chocolate, faces a range of comical but increasingly dramatic challenges as the days unfold. From mischievous children to overzealous adults, Christopher does everything in his power to keep the chocolates intact, but with each passing day, his resolve weakens.

The short cleverly highlights the daily "torture" advent calendars face during the holiday season in a lighthearted, yet thought-provoking way. It’s a humorous take on something we usually take for granted, reminding us that even the simplest holiday traditions can have a hidden struggle behind them.

The Monastery Built on a Volcanic Plug

Yes, that’s right. A volcanic plug. Take a look at this amazing place. Taung Kalat, located in central Burma, thirty miles or so from the ancient city of Bagan towers above the earth like some sort of giant’s sand castle. Atop it there is a Buddhist monastery which rests upon the precipitous volcanic plug.

Image Credit Flickr User Pigalle

Yes, that’s right a volcanic plug. It sounds dangerous but at this stage in its life, Taung Kalat poses no threat. A volcanic plug (sometimes called a ‘neck’) is formed when magma, on its way up through a vent on an active volcano, hardens inside the vent. While the volcano is active this could well lead to the mother of all explosions and it would, you have to admit, be a shame if this beautiful monastery was to be catapulted in to the stratosphere. However, the volcano is thought (perhaps we should say hoped) to be extinct.

If You Have Never Wanted to Visit Morocco, You Will After You Watch This

There will be times, as you watch Morocco Arise, that you wonder how exactly the shots were done (or at the very least edited) but things move on so quickly that you have little time to reflect on the technical feats on display here.  Created by filmmaker and global nomad Brandon Li, this is more than just a love letter to the country, its landscapes, people, architecture and cuisine – it’s a declaration of undying adoration. 

Royal Ontario Museum - Nature's Symphony

This promotional video created for the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is truly a masterpiece of creative storytelling. It's one of those rare pieces of marketing that you simply have to see to believe. The concept defies conventional expectations, presenting an opera-singing chimpanzee as its central character - a surprising choice that instantly grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression. 

The three-minute video is packed with jaw-dropping visuals that seamlessly intertwine with the music, creating an immersive and unforgettable experience. These visuals are not just eye-catching; they are thought-provoking, aligning beautifully with the theme, “We live on in what we leave behind.” 

This poignant message speaks to the ROM's mission of preserving history and knowledge for future generations. Produced by Revolver Films and shot by Director of Photography Paul Meyers, the cinematography is nothing short of stunning. This promotional video is a bold and innovative approach to museum advertising, standing out for its creativity and depth. It’s a brilliant example of how art, performance, and storytelling can come together to communicate a powerful message.

Russ Tamblyn's Dance Moves still Astonish almost 70 Years Later

 

Sometimes, you just have to sit back, chin down and mouth open, while you watch somebody do something that the vast  majority of humanity could never do even if given a hundred years in which to try.  So it is with Russ Tamblyn's dancing.  Tamblyn's star rose in the 1950s with performances in blockbusters such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and West Side Story - although he has always seen himself as an actor who danced rather than the other way around.  True enough - I have vivid memories of watching him in The Long Ships  - one of Hollywood's many forays into viking myth - and loving his performance in that film.

This clip, however, shows Tamblyn's moves off to perfection.  It is from his 1956 movie The Fastest Gun in the West.  He does almost everything with them except use them as shovels!  His energy is seemingly unlimited, his joie de vivre contagious.  Little wonder that some people of a certain age say they don't make them like they used to!  That applies as equally to Tamblyn as to his dance moves. 

The Devil in the Cathedral: the Lucifer of Liège

The Cathedral of Saint Paul in the Belgian city of Liège was founded in the tenth century.  As one might expect from a Catholic place of worship it is full of representations of the men and women from the history – Biblical and otherwise – of Christianity.  Yet as the pulpit is approached, a striking white marble sculpture arrests the eye: a beautiful young man in an agony of thought. Which venerable icon of the church might this be?  A martyr? A disciple? Or even an angel? It is the latter but this angel is notorious, despised, fallen. It transpires that there is a sinner – and a significant one at that - in the midst of the saints.

The Debutante by Leonora Carrington - Animated

A spirited young woman convinces a hyena from London Zoo to attend a dinner dance in her place, an idea that demands both creativity and unexpected acts of violence. Inspired by a story by artist Leonora Carrington, Elizabeth Hobbs brings this striking tale to life using paint and collage.

The Debutante is a film by Elizabeth Hobbs, produced by Animate Projects with the support of the BFI, National Lottery funding, and with thanks to the estate of Leonora Carrington.  This animated short very safely passes the Bechdel Test even if I’m uncertain whether inter-species dialogue counts.  Never mind, it’s fantastic.  The animation suits the narrative superbly (it's as crazy as the story).  I also very much liked the voices used, particularly the knowing tones of Joanna David, who you might know from her appearances in Miss Marple, Foyle's War, Rumpole of the Bailey, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders, The Darling Buds of May and Rosemary & Thyme.

Strangely, I was only vaguely aware of Leonora Carrington until recently, when I read the hugely engaging novel about women surrealists by Kathy Hopewell, Swimming with Tigers.  The sheer serendipitous synchronicity of stumbling across this glorious animation on Vimeo, having just “discovered” the artist made me scratch my head a little, at least until it turned into an olive.  

Although Carrington is not in Swimming with Tigers, events from her life do form the basis of some of its goings on.  You can read my review here and visit Hopewell’s website here.

Dolomites Timelapse

During a brief yet immersive road trip through the breathtaking Dolomites, filmmaker Christopher Dormoy captured a series of mesmerizing timelapses, showcasing the natural rhythms of this majestic mountain range. His primary focus was on the fluid, dynamic motion of clouds as they danced across the rugged terrain, highlighting the interplay between the sky and the dramatic landscape below.

The Dolomites, known for their stunning geological formations and ever-changing weather, offered Dormoy a canvas of surprises and visual splendor. Through his lens, the movements of air and clouds appear almost alive - organic, fluid, and harmoniously intertwined with the contours of the mountains. These shifting patterns of nature, both rapid and intense, reveal a timeless relationship between the elements and the environment.

Dormoy’s work doesn’t just document a location; it captures an essence. By isolating these fleeting moments in motion, he transforms the Dolomites into a dynamic spectacle, a vivid reminder of the beauty and power of the natural world. His timelapses are more than a visual treat—they are a celebration of the mountains' ever-changing character, offering viewers a glimpse into the breathtaking synergy of earth and sky. It’s hard not to agree that Dormoy has immortalized a vision of extraordinary beauty, making the Dolomites feel both untamed and profoundly serene.

Beyond

Beyond tells the poignant story of a small yet determined hero navigating a transformative journey from isolation to belonging. Along the way, he encounters diverse and fascinating creatures and explores a variety of captivating environments. Each new opportunity presents a chance for growth, yet he struggles to follow where others are heading, constrained by his own limitations. Despite these challenges, his unwavering spirit propels him forward, guiding him toward a community where he finds true acceptance and peace.  Beyond is a film by Ambient Press.

Drawing inspiration from archetypal narratives like Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha and Homer’s Odyssey, Beyond underscores the power of resilience and self-discovery. It explores universal themes of overcoming adversity, battling inner darkness, and persisting through periods of despair. At its core, the story illuminates the path to personal peace and fulfillment, celebrating the importance of determination in forging one’s own unique journey and finding a place where one truly belongs.

Through its layered storytelling, Beyond becomes a universal metaphor for the human quest for connection, purpose, and inner resolve, resonating with anyone striving to overcome life's trials and carve out a meaningful existence.

765874 – Unification: A Groundbreaking Star Trek Reunion That Redefines Legacy

765874 – Unification is the farewell between Kirk and Spock that we didn’t get at the end of Star Trek: Generations.  However, to mark the 30^th anniversary of the film, OTOY, collaborating with William Shatner and the estate of Leonard Nimoy, have created this remarkable short film.  Kirk and Spock are reunited in their last moments using cutting-edge CGI and de-aging technology.

The original films did not offer any kind of emotional closure between the two characters – and so this short explores how this might come about.  Actor Sam Witwer steps in as a young Kirk, and Lawrence Selleck for Spock.  Enhanced with superb visual effects and 3D scanning, the two are brought back for their last goodbye.  This is GCI and live-action blended to achieve an almost perfect recreation of our beloved characters.

While there is a continued debate about using modern technology to de-age actors – and even bring them back from the grave – I think most Star Trek fans will react to this in an overwhelmingly positive way (I know I certainly did).  It gives us a new last contact between the characters that does not defy or change cannon, and is pitch-perfect in its delivery. Thank you to all involved!

Krampus – Santa Claus’ Secret Weapon

Image Credit Flickr User Tanya.Guettersberger

The song lyrics have never been truer.  Oh You better watch out,  You better not cry,  You better not pout, I'm telling you why.  Yet it isn’t Santa Claus that you have to watch out for – it is his sinister sidekick – Krampus. He has a whip – and he is going to use it.

Image Credit Flickr User gholzer

What on earth has this creature of the night – more orc than elf – to do with Christmas?  If you have children you may well be aware of the mantra – if you don’t behave then Father Christmas won’t bring you anything.  The idea behind Krampus is similar – only the threat is not that Santa won’t bring them anything but that Krampus will whip them in to the New Year.

Swimming with Tigers by Kathy Hopewell - a Review

 
I am going to start off with a straightforward statement about Swimming with Tigers, the debut novel by Kathy Hopewell. Read it.  If you enjoy the fictionalised literary history of the likes of Pat Barker and Hilary Mantel, then Kathy Hopewell is the next, best author to add to your reading list.  I’m not even sure that Swimming with Tigers can be classified as a historical novel, per se, as it begins in 1938.  Does setting a novel less than a century ago classify it as historical, necessarily?

Regardless, the novel opens in the Paris of January, 1938 (it ends in September 1940 so covers almost three years).  We are quickly introduced to the dual protagonists (whose novel it really is, I will deal with later).  At the forefront, there is the post-debutante, neo-artist Penelope, an English rose with more than a few greenfly. Then, there is Suzanne, a young woman with little balance (physically and emotionally), returning to Paris to confront her past. Their chance meeting initiates the narrative drive of the novel, the beginning of a long and layered awakening for both. As the story quickly unfolds, we learn that both are part of (or rather caught up in) the surrealist movement and the men who dominate and distort it.

Now, I have set myself an aim to exclude any spoilers from this review – which is going to prove challenging. However, there are plenty of jaw-dropping revelatory moments in the first hundred pages of this novel - about both the past and the present - that would make wonderful cliffhanger episode endings should (and it should) this novel ever be made into a TV series. We learn much through Penelope’s eyes during this part of the novel – and these oh f**k moments are very skilfully dropped into the story by Hopewell. Although these moments are usually event-driven they reveal as much if not more about the nature of the men in and out of the lives of the two women as they do our protagonists.  

One of the early highlights of this part of the story, for me, is the free indirect discourse Hopewell uses to develop Penelope’s character – the moments we see things through her thoughts as words rather than those of the narrator’s.  Hopewell’s dialogue sparkles; the first meeting of the two protagonists is a joy to read for this alone. Suzanne’s blunt, cryptic and often obfuscatory answers frustrate Penelope while intriguing the reader.  She’s a mystery and Penelope is determined to discover more.

While I have to admit I didn’t really like Penelope for... quite a while, her frustrated asides about Suzanne’s inability to straightforwardly and honestly explain her history, had me smilingly nodding in agreement.  As her character develops, through her experiences, I did begin to like her more but couldn’t quite dissipate the 1930s “entitled trust fund baby” smoke she emanates almost throughout the novel and which enables her to get by on a number of occasions.  However, her financial dependence on her father does mean she can make unselfish decisions at important moments; this is delicately counter-balanced by the male artists’ willingness to take advantage of Pubol’s (a Dali-esque figure in the novel) wealth, despite their disdain for and jealousy of his commercial success.   As a quick aside, is it accident or design that Pubol’s name so closely resembles the French for garbage can (pubelle)?

Penelope scintillates despite my initial misgivings; she is very much the heart of this novel. And if she is the heart, then Suzanne is its soul, bringing depth and resilience (however fragile) to the story.  As opposites attract, these two characters are drawn together like magnets even if their relationship is hardly “smooth sailing” all the way. Of the two, I have to say that it was to Suzanne I was most drawn.  That isn’t to say I rushed to the end of each “Penelope chapter” in order to get to the next one about Suzanne (once they are separated by both geography and events).  However, I did engage with her travails significantly more than I did with those of Penelope!  My sympathies always rested with her one hundred percent, while with Penelope they vacillated a little.  Yet the novel is owned by both equally.

Surrealism is an essential part of this story but if that might put you off, don’t allow it to.  The “casual” reader doesn’t have to have knowledge of the movement – it is introduced and so explained organically to the reader through the fictional characters and scenes therein. I was half expecting extensive passages of explanatory exposition around the movement but they are mercifully absent.

I think if the novel is about anything, it’s about the exclusion of women from some thing (in this case surrealism) based almost solely on their gender and how they go about getting themselves included.  Or, rather how they go about evolving themselves to the point where inclusion is irrelevant, unnecessary – unwanted even; they have moved on.  This movement of character within the novel is, I think, its greatest achievement:  its subtle, refined and beautifully poised development of the two female protagonists.

This leads me to the men! I guess I have to think of the time in which the novel is set but even for 1938 the fictional artists featured here seem somewhat retrograde.  Preoccupied with the unshackling of cultural chains that their artistic movement demands of them, they overlook to include both genders as equal in their experiment. Indeed, they actively subvert any progressive role that gender equality might have in surrealism, veering dangerously in their art towards a sexually-based fantasy version of women that serves to silence, shift or suppress the artistic female and deny women entry to this particular club.

Oh, and it’s an only boys allowed club in essence and in reality.  At first I found it difficult to distinguish between the more peripheral of the male artists that Hopewell introduces in quick succession. It occurred to me that perhaps it was deliberate on the part of the author, as they seem to form into a collectivised multi-limbed creature that excuses and revels in the “joint enterprise” of demeaning and degrading the female gender – without it ever occurring to them that this is exactly what they are doing.  This extends into their personal lives with both Penelope and Suzanne (who receive very different treatments, but are still made less than who they are by their respective men).  The phallocentric pursuit of artistic freedom we witness at the Paris Exhibition thoughtlessly places the other gender into objectified bondage (sometimes literally).  It’s redolent of some of the court cases that we still witness today where groups of men are collectively accused of crimes against women that as individuals they would be too scared or cautious or powerless to attempt.

Rolf, Penelope’s lover is initially something of a guiding father figure, even if Penelope doesn’t fully realise or acknowledge that she is substituting one pretty useless “daddy” for another.  There is a contrast, later in the novel, when Suzanne forms a close bond with Isaac, an elderly Dutch Jew which demonstrates that the desire to have a male parent figure in one’s life does not have to result in personal damage.  Penelope’s final realisation about why she stayed with Rolf for so long is a revelation to her but not really the reader.  Despite Rolf’s positive traits (he does have some!), he is unwilling to change – perhaps incapable of it. Even after his own tribulations, his first thought is to rejoin, regroup and revivify the boy’s club elsewhere.

As beautifully as the main characters are drawn, I have to take a little time to rejoice in the way that Hopewell depicts some of the minor characters. Following the sub-theme of creating one’s own family, I just loved the character of the kindly and wise Isaac, who takes in Suzanne when she arrives in Amsterdam.  Then there are Eduardo and Llucia, who virtually adopt Penelope during her Spanish sojourn but who know that her destiny lies elsewhere. This closeness is in contrast to the vicious and exclusionary matriarch Hopewell creates in Suzanne’s paternal grandmother as well as the never-seen but often mentioned father of Penelope who judges her and distances himself simultaneously.   And then, and then… there is lovely, dear, fated Freddie. How could you have done that to him, Hopewell?

The late introduction of James MacConnell is a deft deus ex machina – and not an obtrusive one, helping to more than satisfactorily tie up some questions about our protagonists’ future that readers might have.  Perhaps, perhaps… MacConnell could have been Jemima rather than James? Or would that be too trite?  Is character gender irrelevant by this point?

As gorgeously written as the novel is, with its evocations of a number of European cities (researching the 1930s geography of which must have been a labour in itself) and their populations, the wonderfully drawn characters and the inner lives of the protagonists, it is only “beaten” by its structure – which is flawless.   Swimming with Tigers pivots between Penelope and Suzanne, as you might already have gathered.   It shifts location on a number of occasions, allowing us the opportunity to learn more about them (the weather is very cleverly used, too).  Subplots and themes are interwoven, adding layers to the main story, with short chapters that help to maintain its pace. Yes, even what happens to Freddie makes perfect sense structurally, dammit.

Swimming with Tigers is a remarkable novel, simply put.  I enjoyed it immensely and was immediately drawn into the world that Penelope and Suzanne inhabit.  Their final exchange might have you reaching for the hankies. You have been warned.

You can buy Swimming with Tigers at:

Amazon

Blackwells