Helen Tope
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scholar1977.bsky.social
Helen Tope
@scholar1977.bsky.social
78 followers 130 following 45 posts
(She / Her) Writer and reviewer. Critical Popcorn, The Reviews Hub, ScreenQueens, Plymouth Arts Cinema, PRSD, Devon and Cornwall Film, Bookmunch






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scholar1977.bsky.social
"As a successful writer, Sue Monk Kidd firmly advocates “creative loitering”, sitting with ideas, resisting a society that pushes us to be endlessly productive...her counter-culture argument for idleness is refreshing."

#SueMonkKidd #WritingCreativityAndSoul

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/11/24/f...
“Full of great advice” – Writing Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd
“In a society that pushes us to be productive at every waking moment, to get a certain word count done each day or we’re not a proper writer, Kidd’s counter-culture argument for idleness is r…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Helen Tope
bookjotter.bsky.social
bookjotter.com/2025/11/22/winding-up-the-week-448/ #AmReading #Books #BookReview #HYH26 #IrisMurdoch2026 @cathybrown746.bsky.social @bookmunch.bsky.social @tonysreadinglist.bsky.social @whisperinggums.bsky.social @scholar1977.bsky.social
Winding Up the Week #448
This week I look at books read and reviewed, discover some of the best writing about literature on the blogosphere, announce both the Hundred Years Hence Reading Challenge and A Year With Iris Murd…
bookjotter.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:58 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"For fans of #Frankenstein hoping for a blow-by-blow account of how Mary Shelley wrote the novel, #PoorCreatures leaves the creative process to the margins..it's a shame, as when Mairi Kidd hits her feminist groove, it’s thrilling."

#MairiKidd #bookreview

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/11/20/f...
“Full of feminist rage” – Poor Creatures by Mairi Kidd
“Poor Creatures wears its feminism proudly, and Kidd brings home the realities of being a woman in the 19th century: in a later scene, Isabel suffers a violent miscarriage and her staff merel…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"The story-telling techniques of #Caravaggio are a departure for #ExhibitionOnScreen but doesn’t exist has to be imagined. The documentary succeeds on all fronts: creativity blended with insight that progresses our understanding of the artist."

My 5* review

www.thereviewshub.com/exhibition-o...
Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio - The Reviews Hub
Writers and Directors: David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky Reviled (or revered) as the Bad Boy of Italian Art, Caravaggio’s reputation seems unassailable. The bravura artist that applied chiaroscuro to...
www.thereviewshub.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Reposted by Helen Tope
scholar1977.bsky.social
#IShopThereforeIAm is bathed, gloriously, in nostalgia. Mary Portas is critical of fashion as a business, but emphatically in love with its creativity. While it's a view from the inside, her memoir never feels exclusionary."

#MaryPortas @canongate.co.uk

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/b...
“Bathed, gloriously, in nostalgia” – I Shop, Therefore I Am by Mary Portas
“I Shop, Therefore I Am is a rarity: a fashion book with real substance behind the style. It is Mary Portas’ voice, no-nonsense and up-front, that keeps the reader engaged. There is a lot of …
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
#IShopThereforeIAm is bathed, gloriously, in nostalgia. Mary Portas is critical of fashion as a business, but emphatically in love with its creativity. While it's a view from the inside, her memoir never feels exclusionary."

#MaryPortas @canongate.co.uk

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/b...
“Bathed, gloriously, in nostalgia” – I Shop, Therefore I Am by Mary Portas
“I Shop, Therefore I Am is a rarity: a fashion book with real substance behind the style. It is Mary Portas’ voice, no-nonsense and up-front, that keeps the reader engaged. There is a lot of …
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Helen Tope
backlisted.bsky.social
Hallowe'en special up now. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, with guests Andrew Male and Laura Varnam in conversation with Una McCormack and Andy Miller. 🌬️🎃🧟 @andrewmale.bsky.social @drlauravarnam.bsky.social @unamccormack.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/0Zde...
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
open.spotify.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Reposted by Helen Tope
scholar1977.bsky.social
"The challenge in reading Mishima is to see past his gory, sensationalist death. David Vernon examines the writer to reveal a more complicated artist than his far-right political views would suggest."

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/i...

Review #ExquisiteNothingness #DavidVernon #Mishima
“It covers everything” – Exquisite Nothingness: The Novels of Yukio Mishima by David Vernon
Helen Tope reviews Exquisite Nothingness: The Novels of Yukio Mishima by David Vernon
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Helen Tope
scholar1977.bsky.social
"In fictionalising a serious crime, Benbecula is more than an artistic experiment. Burnet’s refusal to editorialise, and draw moral boundaries, makes this novella deeply profound and ambitious"

My review of #Benbecula #books #novels #GraemeMacraeBurnet

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/h...
“His best yet” – Benbecula by Graeme Macrae Burnet
“In the way that Burnet unsteadies the reader, it will bring to mind Margaret Atwood’s 1996 novel Alias Grace, which in its treatment of a real-life crime, and perceived / real madness, has a…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 26, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Reposted by Helen Tope
scholar1977.bsky.social
"A progression emerges in Eileen Chang’s fiction: the increasing vocalisation of ideas on men, women, culture, identity. #TimeTunnel proves that her political fervour is never too far from the surface."

@nyrb-imprints.bsky.social #TimeTunnel #EileenChang

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/h...
“Her fiction is a warning” – Time Tunnel by Eileen Chang (trans. Karen S. Kingsbury / Jie Zhang)
“It is only recently that Eileen Chang has undergone a critical re-evaluation; much needed as it underlines the realist tones of her writing. What Time Tunnel proves is that her political fer…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:06 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"A progression emerges in Eileen Chang’s fiction: the increasing vocalisation of ideas on men, women, culture, identity. #TimeTunnel proves that her political fervour is never too far from the surface."

@nyrb-imprints.bsky.social #TimeTunnel #EileenChang

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/h...
“Her fiction is a warning” – Time Tunnel by Eileen Chang (trans. Karen S. Kingsbury / Jie Zhang)
“It is only recently that Eileen Chang has undergone a critical re-evaluation; much needed as it underlines the realist tones of her writing. What Time Tunnel proves is that her political fer…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:06 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"In fictionalising a serious crime, Benbecula is more than an artistic experiment. Burnet’s refusal to editorialise, and draw moral boundaries, makes this novella deeply profound and ambitious"

My review of #Benbecula #books #novels #GraemeMacraeBurnet

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/h...
“His best yet” – Benbecula by Graeme Macrae Burnet
“In the way that Burnet unsteadies the reader, it will bring to mind Margaret Atwood’s 1996 novel Alias Grace, which in its treatment of a real-life crime, and perceived / real madness, has a…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 26, 2025 at 9:56 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"The challenge in reading Mishima is to see past his gory, sensationalist death. David Vernon examines the writer to reveal a more complicated artist than his far-right political views would suggest."

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/i...

Review #ExquisiteNothingness #DavidVernon #Mishima
“It covers everything” – Exquisite Nothingness: The Novels of Yukio Mishima by David Vernon
Helen Tope reviews Exquisite Nothingness: The Novels of Yukio Mishima by David Vernon
bookmunch.wordpress.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:53 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
www.thereviewshub.com/mr-blake-at-...

"The film is not without its issues...but Malkovich, in comedy mode, is genuinely charming"

My review of #MrBlakeAtYourService #JohnMalkovich #filmreview
Mr. Blake At Your Service! - The Reviews Hub
Writers: Christel Henon and Gilles Legardinier Director: Gilles Legardinier If there’s an actor who likes to keep us on our toes, it’s John Malkovich. We’re used to seeing him immersed in aspects of t...
www.thereviewshub.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:39 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"In trying to impress and pander to the Instagram crowd, Sheehan Quirke has created a book that is structurally incoherent and stylistically uneven...there are interesting morsels to be discovered, but the reader simply needs more"
#TheCulturalTutor #books
bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/09/28/a...
“A uniquely frustrating experience” – The Cultural Tutor by Sheehan Quirke
“When it comes to books published on the back of Instagram success, it’s quite reasonable to have low expectations. The publishing path to lucrative cash grabs is strewn with biographies ‘wri…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
September 28, 2025 at 9:19 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
www.thereviewshub.com/ackroyd-harv...

Read my review of #TheArtOfActivism #documentary #climatecrisis #AckroydHarvey
Ackroyd & Harvey: The Art of Activism - The Reviews Hub
Director: Fiona Cunningham-Reid Sharply merging the personal with the political, Fiona Cunningham-Reid’s documentary, Ackroyd & Harvey: The Art of Activism, doesn’t just look at what it’s like to be a...
www.thereviewshub.com
September 19, 2025 at 11:49 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
Thirty years on, #SenseandSensibility can still be watched and understood by a complete newcomer to Jane Austen. But Thompson doesn’t simplify: she clarifies; making us look past the costumes and into the heart of the drama."

#EmmaThompson #JaneAusten

plymouthartscinema.org/romantic-pra...
“Romantic, Pragmatic, Feminist”: Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility | Plymouth Arts Cinema | Independent Cinema for Everyone | located at Arts University Plymouth.
Although it doesn’t get the same attention as Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion or even Emma, Sense and Sensibility can lay claim to being Jane Austen’s literary debut. Published in 1811, it did well. Its original critics described the novel’s plot as “probable, highly pleasing and interesting”. While she didn’t get the literary hoopla of a...
plymouthartscinema.org
September 9, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by Helen Tope
scholar1977.bsky.social
Want to get back into the reading habit? Here's my guide to the best classics, new and old. And they're all under 200 pages. #shortyseptember #reading #bookrecommendations

www.theprsd.co.uk/2025/09/05/s...
Start (and keep) reading | Short Book September - the PRSD
Get those pages turning and dive into Shorty September with a month of reading books under 200 pages. Say hello to Short Book September
www.theprsd.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"Joanna Pocock’s #Greyhound is a searing portrayal of gaping inequalities. Her calculation of what we are losing – to corporate greed, to economic elitism – is vast"

#JoannaPocock #Greyhound #memoir #travel #economics @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/09/07/a...
“A searing portrayal of inequality” – Greyhound by Joanna Pocock
“Pocock’s journey may have started as an intensely personal exploration of grief and loss, but what unfolds in Greyhound is a searing portrayal of gaping inequalities. However, Pocock’s sense…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
September 9, 2025 at 1:40 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
Want to get back into the reading habit? Here's my guide to the best classics, new and old. And they're all under 200 pages. #shortyseptember #reading #bookrecommendations

www.theprsd.co.uk/2025/09/05/s...
Start (and keep) reading | Short Book September - the PRSD
Get those pages turning and dive into Shorty September with a month of reading books under 200 pages. Say hello to Short Book September
www.theprsd.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"While the metaphor of drystone walling – you must take apart a wall before you can build it back stronger – could weigh heavily, De Garis uses it sparingly and effectively."

My review of #DrystoneALifeRebuilt by @kristiedegaris.bsky.social #nonfiction #book

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/09/01/a...
“A quick fix is never the answer” – Drystone: A Life Rebuilt by Kristie De Garis
“While De Garis’ memoir has its share of bleakness, Drystone is filled with moments of humour. Her writing style makes for a readable, and emotionally balanced, experience. De Garis’ portrait…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
September 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Helen Tope
kristiedegaris.bsky.social
Really in-depth review of my book 'Drystone' from Bookmunch. Grateful that they picked up not just on the story, but on the craft - the restraint, the humour, and the wider social critique I hoped would come through.

You can read it here:

bookmunch.wordpress.com/2025/09/01/a...

#Books #Scotland
“A quick fix is never the answer” – Drystone: A Life Rebuilt by Kristie De Garis
“While De Garis’ memoir has its share of bleakness, Drystone is filled with moments of humour. Her writing style makes for a readable, and emotionally balanced, experience. De Garis’ portrait…
bookmunch.wordpress.com
September 1, 2025 at 12:17 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"James’s ability to laugh at himself, at his own discomfort, is a refreshing antidote to every self-aggrandising memoir you may have had the misfortune to read. As any good publisher knows, if sex sells, humiliation is a close second."

#RhysJames #memoir #book

www.thereviewshub.com/book-review-...
Book Review: You’ll Like It When You Get There: A Life Lived Reluctantly by Rhys James - The Reviews Hub
While they’re the lifeblood of the publishing industry, not all celebrity memoirs are created equal. For every David Niven, sparkling and poignant, there is Alan Shearer’s famous confession that he celebrated a championship win by creosoting his fence. Sadly, not a euphemism. Throwing his hat into the ring is comedian Rhys James. Not even close
www.thereviewshub.com
August 14, 2025 at 2:10 PM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"#TheChessGame is a riposte to the Renaissance feminine ideal: no Botticelli babes here...it is what makes Sofonisba's art feel so startlingly modern"

Read my review of #SofonisbasChessGame @ideasroadshow.bsky.social #SofonisbaAnguissola #RenaissanceArt

www.thereviewshub.com/sofonisbas-c...
Sofonisba’s Chess Game - The Reviews Hub
Writer and Director: Howard Burton When we think of artists working in Renaissance Italy, there aren’t many women’s names that spring to mind. With Michelangelo, Raphael and Da Vinci as your cultural ...
www.thereviewshub.com
July 24, 2025 at 9:16 AM
scholar1977.bsky.social
"While the camera soaks up the gentle colours and rhythms of Martinique, Césaire’s writing leans out of the screen, insisting we hear it. Cesaire's extraordinary voice is centered. It is hard to imagine a better tribute"

My review #TheBalladofSuzanneCesaire

www.thereviewshub.com/the-ballad-o...
The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire - The Reviews Hub
Writers: Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich and Marina Magloire Director: Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich Looking at the life of writer and activist Suzanne Césaire even in the briefest details, it seems incredible that s...
www.thereviewshub.com
July 19, 2025 at 1:17 PM