Reviews:

Book Reviews

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

This beautiful little book about Mikage Sakurai, an unsure young woman who slowly makes her way in the world, is a delicate little morsel bursting with rich afternotes. Carry it around in your bag to remind you there's hope.

Book Reviews

How to bag a Jabberwock

The Victorian Age is beset by monsters from the rat-toothed Jabberwock and skull-headed Martian to the fell Air Kraken. Dashing steampunk monster hunter Jack Union is here to teach us how to defend ourselves against each and every one.

Book Reviews

Weird Women of Fiction

Weird women writers are gremlins. They should never be watered or fed after midnight. And there are more lurking at the back of the pet shop than just Mary Shelley, Atwood and Poppy Z Brite.

Book Reviews

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars, a YA romance by respected Nerdfighter John Green, is about a girl with cancer experiencing love and life with one foot in the grave.

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

Game of Thrones RPG release date confirmed for June 2012

The much-awaited Game of Thrones RPG (coming out in the UK in June 2012 on PC, PS3 and Xbox360) will focus on twisty politics as well as action. We'd go North of the Wall for a copy...

Alternative Music Reviews

The Sun Explodes... Emergence album review

Expect heavy rock with an experimental style from new band The Sun Explodes. Though band comparisons can be annoying, Muse fans may find much to savour in the Emergence album...

Book Reviews

Mookychick review of the A Men Trilogy

This epic sci fi noir by John Trevillian has a fierce dark heart with fantasy mythos at its core. Follow the journey of the Nowhere Man, a soldier fated to change humanity with a banned fairy tale.

Alternative Music Reviews

Broadcast band review

The sad death of vocalist Trish Keenan in 2011 robbed us of a talented female vocalist. Experimental indie band Broadcast nevertheless leave a legacy of Witch Cults and Tender Buttons.

Movie Reviews

The Hunger Games film review

The Hunger Games was a YA title worthy of the name. Now see this sparse survival tale fleshed out into a dystopian action film with stonking performances from everyone and A TOTAL LACK OF WEEPING VAMPIRES. Thanks Bella. You can go now.

Movie Reviews

Hard Candy review

Strangers should not talk to little girls. When a teenager seeks to expose a man met on the internet as a child molester, the result is a psychological game where neither cat nor mouse play by the rules.

Movie Reviews

The Woman in Black

Technically The Woman in Black film should not have worked. It said nothing new and had a lack of any real shocking twist, despite what the adverts said. A deserved box office hit, then?

Movie Reviews

Bel Ami review

R-Patz smoulders in this reworking of Guy de Mauassant's satirical novel of scandal in 19C Paris bourgouisie. Is Bel Ami your beautiful friend with benefits, noble enemy or a stranger to ignore?

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

Folklore video game review

Prepare for Folklore, an action adventure RPG with a distinct Celtic feel. Follow a strong storyline, collect Fairy Folk and do battle as Pokemon meets Stonehenge.

Movie Reviews

Hanna

Hanna is a PG 13 dark fairytale thriller, a sci-fi spy movie with heart. Raised to be the perfect assassin, lonely Hanna is up against the CIA and herself. Who wins? Us.

Book Reviews

Top 10 Reasons why Terry Pratchett is Amazing

Terry Pratchett is a hero. Everything he does... he does like a total boss. We just wanted to quantify it.

Book Reviews

How to make jewellery with Tatty Devine

Tatty Devine are calling in the lawyers after seeing their designs in Claires Accessories. To show support, check out their jewellery crafting how to book. Make jewellery so personal a high street fashion store will probably try to copy it...

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

Batman Arkham City video game review

Holy video game transition, Batman. Of all the video games spawned by the brooding Dark Knight, Batman Arkham City is the best of the lot. Slink about as Catwoman, outwit Harley Quinn and explore a city gone mad...

Book Reviews

JK Rowling - New book will be an adult novel

Author JK Rowling announces her plans to write a new book. It's going to be adult fiction, and 'very different' to the Harry Potter books which made her famous... We can't wait.

Grrl Arts, Culture & Events

Vday 2012 - How to Rock The Vagina Monologues

If you get a chance to celebrate Vday 2012 with a performance of the Vagina Monologues then TAKE IT. Here's how to really get into the spirit of the thing as a performer. Expect to say our favourite v-word a lot. Not, in this case, vole.

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

American McGee's Alice - Madness Returns

American McGee's Alice was the video game masterpiece of 2000AD. A decade later, his sequel - drawing inspiration from Carroll's own muse, Alice Liddell - is a sumptuous gothic nightmare with vorpal blades, steampunk attire and chaos kimonos galore. Prepare to enter a world unlike any other...

Book Reviews

Vintage Hairstyling - Retro Styles with Step by Step Techniques

We review the ultimate vintage hairstyles how-to book. With vivid hair photos and simple step by step instructions, 'Vintage Hairstyling' shows you how to recreate 33 classic retro hairstyles from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

Movie Reviews

Top 10 best films to see in 2012

The best blockbuster, indie and foreign films to see in 2012. We pick ten of the best upcoming cinema releases, and also highlight a few more pretty cool movies we're keeping our eye on. Because when it came to picking the best movies in 2012, ten just wasn't enough...

Alternative Music Reviews

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing

New steampunk album out now, after a minor scuffle (bare knuckled boxing?) with EMI. From Tesla to Brunel to Zombie Prince Albert, thrill to the sounds and lyrics of some of steampunk's finest.

Alternative Music Reviews

50% of us have one. Don't be afraid of... The Slits

Grrl bands aren’t about hating men and burning bras (an increasingly expensive hobby). They’re punky, fun afficionados of the awesome guitar rift. Britain from the sixties to the eighties sprogged out some fantastic grrl bands and The Slits were no exception.

Book Reviews

Why I hate the Millenium Trilogy

So. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. There's a reason why journalists call the lead character 'Bonkvist'. When you look at the hideously objectified portrayals of all the other women in the books, was the creation of intelligent, resilient and tattooed Lisbeth Salander a total fluke?

Anime, Manga & Comic Reviews

Black Butler

Step into an anime where demonic butlers love kittens, twelve-year olds are the head of a grand toy company, and where angels are the bad guys. Welcome to Black Butler.

Film Reviews

Top 30 Horror films in 2012

Top horror films in 2012: Looking for the best gore, suspense and supernatural horror films to see in 2012? Mookychick has it covered, from foreign horror to Lovecraftian thrillers and witty, energetic slashers. Pass the popcorn. Fangs.

Alternative Music Reviews

The Limit Club

Band Q&A: "I just kick it and everything falls into place. Or aliens. The Limit Club is here because of aliens." Arising from the desert of Phoenix, AZ comes the Limit Club; a psychobilly-deathrock band that's been bringing fresh sound and energy to the music scene since 2005.

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

Video game reviews - TINTIN proves to be a cinematic delight as the roving reporter unlocks the secrets of the Karaboudjan, faithful Snowy by his side. It's jaunty, mischevious and suprisingly good fun, though sidecar combat will throw you in a spin....

Movie Reviews

John Carter official movie trailer

Ladies, gentlemen, don your monacles / opera spyglasses and peruse the official film trailer for Disney's steampunk-ish JOHN CARTER at your earliest convenience! We plan to watch it wearing rose-tinted brass goggles.

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

The Dragon Age Calendar Project: Save a Life

You may or may not have heard about this, depending on how active you are in the DeviantArt Dragon Age fanart community, but a young artist needs at least 2000 USD to ease her hefty hospital bills. Yes, many of us have never seen so much money in our lifetime but a life depends on it as she is to undergo a heart-valve operation.

Grrl Gamer - Video Game Reviews

Warner Bros video games in November 2011

Grrl gamers: get a sneak peek at upcoming and latest video games from the Brothers Warner. We review and roadtest gameplay for BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR IN THE NORTH and LEGO HARRY POTTER.

Movie Reviews

Batman news - Help record the Batman Dark Knight Rises chant and be in the film!

So you know that Batman film, Dark Knight Rises? Yeah, sure you do. Record a quick and easy chant on Ujam, and your scary gregorian / insane asylum growlings may end up in the film. Creepy/exciting, no?

Girl Gamer ~ Game Reviews

Deepak Chopra's LEELA video game re-aligns your chakras?

Gaming oddity of the week! In Nov 2011, chakra expert Deepak Chopra may well bring new meaning to video games with LEELA, a chakra-realigning interactive journey of mind and body. Available only on game consoles.

Arts, Culture & Events

Bram Stoker Film Festival 2011...

The Bram Stoker Horror Film Festival 2011 is being held in Whitby UK - the spiritual home of Dracula. Dark revellers swathed in Whitby mourning jet are expected to attend...

Film Reviews

REAL STEEL review

Film reviews - Real Steel has fighting robots in. And even though it's a Disney movie it's still got sharp dialogue. Surely we had you at FIGHTING ROBOTS...

Film Reviews

Death Bell review

Film reviews - What do you get if you cross cheeky high school slashers with SAW, BATTLE ROYALE and classy Korean cinema? DEATH BELL, that's what! We're a bit surprised nobody thought of doing it sooner...

Book Reviews

THE NECROPHILIAC review

Eccentric French novelist Gabrielle Wittkop had a pronounced tasted for the sinister, wrote ten books of dubious repute and killed herself in 2002. The antihero of THE NECROPHILIAC is a Goethesque romantic, and his baroque tale is told in bewitching prose...

Film Reviews

Silent Movies

Do you find 3-D glasses more irksome than enhancing? Do thrilling special effects leave you yawning? Immerse yourself a fascinating film form! No, not the advent of 4-D, but the advent of film itself - silent movies.

Film Reviews

Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 - Official Movie Trailer

Check out the first official film trailer for Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 - and enjoy articles covering a feminist approach to Twilight, Stephane Meyers' romantic fantasies and how Twilight breaks with vampire tradition.

Film Reviews

Top 20 Best Korean Films of All Time

Bookmark and then see the best Korean films of all time - From eerie horror to surreally quirky romance and unique action thrillers with beautiful cinematography. Mookychick proudly presents the best Korean films ever...

Film Reviews

Love And Other Impossible Pursuits review

With a soundtrack featuring Adele and the Flaming Lips, this Natalie Portman / Lisa Kudrow film is a look at grief and redemption that feels sad, sweet poetic and very real...

Book Reviews

Supergods review

'Supergods' book review: In his memoir/textbook/countercultural bible 'Supergods', legendary comics writer Grant Morrison explores our enduring fascination with superheroes and provides insight into his own journey as a comics guru.

Video Game Reviews

Deus Ex Human Revolution Review

Deus Ex Human Revolution promises tactical gameplay, multiple strategies, hundreds of choice dilemnas. Does it deliver on the promise of the original? Will it do for the colour yellow what The Matrix did for green?

Book Reviews

Tourniquet review

Kim Lakin-Smith's richly imagined dark fantasy novel Tourniquet turns Nottingham's rock scene into Renegade City, a futuristic gothic haven for freaks, geeks and outsiders. In this seeming paradise, rock god Druid is led to unravel a mystery and find the worm coiling in Renegade City's murderous heart...

Movie Reviews

Source Code review

After the warm, eerie splendidness of 'Moon', all eyes were on Duncan Jones and his next big budget venture. Sophisticated time travel thriller 'Source Code' raises questions, but it's still better than the rest...

Movie Reviews

Super 8 review

Channeling early-era Spielberg, JJ Abrams concocts a retro summer adventure when a bunch of kids filming a home-made zombie movie discover something terrifying has escaped from a wrecked army train... and they may be the only ones able to help.

Book Reviews

Wasted review

By the age of 9, Marya was bulimic. By 12, she was anorexic. WASTED is the powerful memoir of a girl swamped in today's obssession with diet, body and gender, who went to the dark side and found her own way back out.

Film Reviews

Hua Mulan review (2009)

'Hua Mulan' (the chinese live action epic, not the Disney song-and-dance affair) tells the gut-wrenching story of the Chinese girl-warrior, Mulan, who becomes an army general and fights to defend her father. A traditional, raw and utterly eye-searingly beautiful movie...

Film Reviews

Pictures of THE HOBBIT movie!

See Mookychick's pictures of THE HOBBIT movie! Check out pictures of the dwarves and Martin Freeman as the Hobbit, along with the Hobbit cast news, the Hobbit curse and more...

Arts & Crafts Books

Steampunk Emporium review

Filled with lace and brass Victoriandustrial imaginings, Steampunk Emporium is a treasure for steampunkers and crafters alike. As Miss Emilly Ladybird goes forth to Atlantis and beyond, she brings us 20 easy but breathtakingly beautiful step by step crafts tutorials. Make your own steampunk jewellery and more...

Fact and Fiction

'The Fairy Bible' review

The Fairy Bible's tagline is 'everything you ever wanted to know about faeries'. And in many lovely ways this book delivers (without actually stealing you to a fairy kingdom for hundreds of years to teach you more than you'd ever bargained for).

Feminist Literature

'How to be a Woman' review

Funny, smart and wise, 'How to be a Woman' by Caitlin Moran is essential reading for feminists of either gender. Help keep it top of the bestseller lists - it's one of the most joyful and rewarding books you'll read this year.

Film Reviews

Villain - review

A pretty teenager is murdered, but who did it? The popular bully that Mitsuyo has a crush on or the loner weirdo she meets on a dating site? Japanese film VILLAIN is gripping, beautiful, long... and the world never stops raining.

Movie Reviews

Easy A - review

'Easy A' is an american high school movie with offbeat characterisation and one of the sharpest scripts in town. Fans of 'Mean Girls' and 'Heathers' will probably already have seen it. If you haven't, your penance is to watch it immediately, you big filmy floozy.

Movie Reviews

X Men First Class - review

The bad bit: What's worse than being a mutant? Being a non-white mutant, apparently. The good bit: Xavier and Magneto's bromance = BRING. IT. ON. We check out 'X-Men: First Class' and make NO jokes about whether it's first class or not because we're, like, above that.

Movie Reviews

Stake Land - review

Gripping apocalyptic vampire road movie STAKE LAND (out June 17) features teens, even pregnant ones, but expect no Twilight sparkles and predators to run from rather than die for. Double thumbs up from Mookychick.

Movie Reviews

Ghost Ship - review

Horror movie 'Ghost Ship' only got 13% on Rotten Tomatoes but it promises to scare you shipless. With its pathos and cheese wire on the dancefloor, it's a guilty pleasure that's tense, tragic and strangely human.

Grrl Arts, Culture & Events

Silence is the modern medieval: Review

'Silence' by Moira Buffini is an apocalyptic medieval comedy-drama with a resonant core message: Every generation fears it may be the last (but all generations have so far been wrong). The play 'Silence' explores both gender and religious values (Norse/Christian) with sensitivity, humour and intelligence...

Movie Reviews

Where The Wild Things Are

Spike Jonze has moved from directing Beastie Boy music videos to a richly symbolic love letter to the wild imagination and freedom of childhood. 'Where The Wild Things Are' blends animation and reality with a gorgeous soundtrack by Karen O. One word? Genius. Four words? Yay for wolf suits!

Fantasy Fiction

A Dance With Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire

July 2011 sees the release of 'A Dance With Dragons', the fifth book in the 'Songs and Ice of Fire' series. We give you 7 reasons to start reading these intriguing fantasy fiction novels if you haven't already.

Fantasy Fiction

Neverwhere review

Under the streets of London lies Neil Gaiman's secret world of Neverwhere... mysterious tunnels populated by homeless tribes and supernatural beings. Check out the novel, graphic novel and BBC TV series...

Video Games

God of War 3 Review

If you love Greek Mythology and video games in equal measure, look no further than God of War 3 - which has stronger puzzles and gameplay than the first two video games. We review the games and take you through the franchise mythos! *spoilers will follow*

Movie Reviews

Black Swan Review

Lots of girls dream of being ballerinas, but what if the dream becomes a nightmare? The dark fairytale 'Black Swan' has its roots in the psychological trials that genuinely plague professional dancers. Unmissable.

Anime, Manga & Comic Reviews

Comics - Enter the world of The Sandman...

Before books, Neil Gaiman was all about the comics. 'The Sandman' is a mythological, 'your imagination is your limit' romp through Gods and Humans and Dreams, starring Morpheus (Lord of Dreams) and his eternally joyous big sister, Death...

Movie Reviews

La Belle et La Bete

The mythology and symbolism loving director Jean Cocteau created the surreal 'La Belle et La Bete'. He made a Beauty and the Beast with Belle, Gaston and all the characters you'll know from the Disney version... but transformed into a timelessly dark fairytale...

Young Adult Fiction

John Green... Nerdfighter

There are some slightly older people who reach out to slightly younger people and are genuinely really, really good at it. Take John Green and his vlogbrother Hank, the people behind Nerdfighters.com. Just... yes.

Books and Films

The Art of Hammer: Posters from the Archive of Hammer Films

Now considered classics among many, originally the horror and comedy productions of Hammer Films were unappreciated by critics. Campy or controversial, the Hammer Horror & Comedy posters were often painted works of art...

Movie Reviews

Teenage wasteland - the slasher movie uncut

Every horror film fan with a soft spot for slasher films would do well to pick up 'Teenage wasteland - the slasher movie uncut'. Explore the roots of slasher films and discover thousand of hidden film gem thrills...

Anime, Manga & Comic Reviews

Ex Machina: Term Limits Review

In the conversation of comics, politics come up more often than you might think. 'Ex Machina' by Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man) is superb. It mixes steampunk modernism with politics from a heavily researched, independent POV...

Comedy Gothic Fiction

Never the Bride

'Never The Bride' is gothic fiction spliced with Miss Marple mysteries. Yay! Relish two old biddies solving demonic mysteries and having big old punch-ups in the gothic setting of lovely old Whitby, british home of Dracula...

Anime, Manga & Comic Reviews

North 40 review

Wildstorm Comics presents North 40, a miniseries in which a D&D freak and a misanthropic girl find an old book of hell magic and turn their town into a living nightmare peopled with lovesick zombies and giant junkyard robots...

Steampunk Fiction

The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart

'The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart' by Mathias Malzieu is the tale of a boy with a heart almost magically preserved by clockwork, who must never fall in love, or else his heart's mechanism will break. Fancy a ride in this steampunk funfair?

Anime, Manga & Comic Reviews

Invincible Summer Anthology

Nicole J Georges, heroine of the Portland zine scene, has brought out a gorgeous anthology of the first 8 issues of her DIY Invincible Summer comic, detailing her loves, arts, tribulations and vegan passions.

Anime, Manga & Comic Reviews

French Milk

French Milk by Lucy Knisley is a wonderful scrapbook concoction of illustrations, photos and musings about a month she spent living in Paris with her mother. Sometimes the joy lies hidden in the less obvious, indie gems of the comics world. Read, get inspired, make your own.