Hush, Hush. The snake's in the garden...

All photos from Google

One might think that I've been enjoying the beautiful spring weather and the studio so much that I've neglected everything else. Well, that's not quite true, but there's a story, so sit tight for a minute. Firstly our living room television died. Completely. A few days later while running errands, I convinced Richard to just go ahead and get another. 

Long story shortened: there's a new TV over the fireplace looking like it is the most important thing in the house. Oh well. My pretty little decorations had their turn, I suppose. Anyway this is a SMART TV. It connects to the wifi. 
Woo whoo!, since we have Netflix. 

Abraham Woodhul / Culper, cabbage farmer turned spy

I discovered Turn: Washington's Spies, a show about the Revolutionary War of the USA. Mostly about the spies and intrigue and lie piled upon lie. I could never be a spy: I barely remember the truth of my own life. I watched the trailer, then the first episode. Then dragged Rich in against his will for the second episode. 

Last night, finally, we closed the four seasons of 10 episodes each. It took two weeks and much discussion to keep up with everyone and their lies and their truths and their deaths. Some characters "died" several times--spies are a hardy bunch, apparently. (Yet another reason I'm out of the spy game.)

By the way, that "Hush, Hush..." title is the beginning of the theme song for the show. You'll hear it 40 times if you watch every episode, which you'll do if you watch one episode. 

Captain Simcoe, a horrid antagonist who
later emancipates slaves in Canada 

There are characters to love and hate, ones that will annoy you, others who will break your heart. Most of the series is meant to show you how these dangerous intrigues were accomplished, but to do so, it must include the heartbreak, loneliness, and fear. Women gave themselves for the cause, men gave their lives, everyone pays. 

General George Washington

What is I like most about this show is how it depicts both sides of the Revolution. We "cheered" some of the British as much as we disliked some of the Americans. For others we changed our feelings completely. Knowing the outcome of the war didn't matter. We were still invested in the players, their motives, their outcomes.

Caleb Brewster

It's a series I definitely recommend (perhaps not for binge watching unless you are held captive). For us, watching the entire series in a two week span was a bit of overkill; but as one episode closed, the cliffhanger had us in its grip. We just let the TV start the next episode and watched several in a sitting. It's the first time I've watched TV the way I'd read a book. That, in itself, is my best recommendation.

Miniseries Review: World Without End

Do you remember how much I love historical fiction?  It's my favorite genre and the longer the novel, the more I love it!  It's getting lost in a whole sweeping world, getting to know the characters so very well, the opportunity to learn about another time.  It's just everything that does it for me, and once I get hooked....well, then there's no hope for me!

All that does is lead to the big questions: Have you been watching the Reelz miniseries World Without End?  Did you watch the first miniseries based on the Ken Follett novels, Pillars of the Earth?  Because if you did, you have to be watching the sequel as it would be almost impossible to let it get past you.

I had the pleasure of reading both novels a few years ago after my daughter-in-law, Meggan, recommended and gave them to me.  Although I read them in the wrong order, it didn't matter so much.  In fact, just a few days of pleasurable, magnificent reading had me hooked on these rather long novels.    
Add to that wonderful week of reading the weekend discussion with Meggan, who happens to also be an English teacher, and I was a happy woman.  


Ah, but the best was yet to come!  The miniseries, which we recorded on the DVR and watched at our leisure, was stunning and, I'm thrilled to add, followed Pillars quite closely.  Rory and Meggan came for a couple of weekends and we watched the miniseries again with them.  Our discussions so intrigued Adam and Jenny that they joined the party.  

Queen Isabella

Now we're recording and watching World Without End, which is the second novel in the series.  It also follows the novel closely, but just as important is that the miniseries is so well done.  The costumes, the sets and the headpieces are just stunning.  

It's obvious that the researchers did their jobs, as did the many designers and artists.

To view more of these photos from the miniseries, visit the Reelz website.  And absolutely, if you have the opportunity to enjoy the books, grab them up.  They are well worth the hours (and days) of reading that you'll enjoy.

And because he's such a good writer, here's one more plug for Ken Follett's website.