Hello everyone! Here's a review of The Help which I read this summer. I've been meaning to do this for a long time! 

I have to say, this is one of the best books I've ever read. It's so skillfully written that the storyline kept me on my toes right to the last page! It's a dazzling read which I know I'll delve back into time and time again. Just when you think you know what will happen at the end, everything changes, which highlights how quickly a life of the help in this story can change, due to the boundaries they face which are highlighted by this incredibly uplifting story. Here's a very brief synopsis:

Let me introduce you to Skeeter Phelan, one of the main characters of the story. Her mother wishes she'd dress fancy to attract a rich man, but all Skeeter's into is writing. The main plot of the story is Skeeter 's quest to document the day-to-day lives of 'the help. This story is Skeeter's chance to get her writing published,  but the writing isn't the challenge here. This story is set in 1940s Jackson, Mississipi. This means Skeeter was betraying everyone in her social circle, as well as risking being caught by the police on several occasions to meet with the help. Of course, through this plot we ourselves get to read about each individual person's experience, which are incredibly moving. These stories are also diverse, and through them we learn about the people in Skeeter's social circle, whom the help serve, and who are also very different from each other. For example, whilst Celia is timid and relies on Minny for not only household chores but emotional support, Elizabeth is harsh and is even indifferent towards her own child, who is brought up by Aibileen.

I was most impressed with the form used by Stockett, which perfectly suits the story she is telling. She has honoured all of the unique characters by giving each of them a voice. For example, in one chapter Skeeter will speak, in another Aibileen will and so on. This allows them to win our hearts which indeed they do! I became attached to the characters Minny, Skeeter, Aibileen and Celia. I feel that by using this technique Stockett has allowed their perspectives to feel very exclusive to the reader, something which can't be emulated by a film. In addition to this, the satire used by Stockett and projected by Minny makes the story not only humorous but edgy and real. This is because it made clear throughout the story the dangers of both Skeeter and Aibileen's apirational goal. Furthermore, from the very first few pages Stockett makes the reader feel familiar with the settings and characters introduced through her brilliant use of the first person narrative. I felt instantly involved with Aibileen's life from the first page, and obliged to read more and more about it.

I would like to criticise the review by the Daily Telegraph that the book 'draws you completely into a world of okra and fried chicken and peach cobbler'. This review suggests that the book is solely about African American culture. In actual fact, the story highlights that the only difference between white and black people is their colour, for example the help raise white children, which is demonstrated brilliantly by Aibileen's relationship Mae Mobley (Elizabeth's baby) and Skeeter's relationship with Constantine. Thus, this review is totally ignorant of the story's message and stereotypical.

I would give such a remarkable story a rating of 10/10, as I myself cannot fault it.


I apologise for the lack of posts this month, however next month there's a lot in store including more soap and LouCesca's first video! 

Louise x

Hey everyone, today I thought I'd share with you my facial skin routine, as I've always had very spot-prone, sensitive and oily skin - which as you can imagine is a huge pain! I only use two products to keep my skin as spot-free as possible and smooth without reacting and becoming sore! When I started Goserelin and saw that one of the side effects is acne I also panicked, as I'd noticed my spots had started coming back. However, all I did was go back to this routine (for some reason I had stopped) and my skin is better than ever! 

Every morning I use this product by Clean and Clear. I'm one of those people who has tried all other products such as Freederm, Clearasil etc in the past and they've seriously irritated my skin. This wash, however is different. I have not reacted to it once and it's very effective for keeping spots and oily skin at bay, which is why it's also very good for treating blackheads which I'm also prone to . Simply apply a tiny pea sized amount to your hand and wash your face with it as you would with regular soap. As you only need a tiny amount it lasts for a long time, and it also leaves you feeling very refreshed which is always helpful in the mornings!

The next product I use every day is this moisturiser from Boots. It probably doesn't have to be this one, just try to find a moisturiser that is very simple for sensitive skin that doesn't contain too many harsh chemicals, as these will only irritate your skin. I find that when I use this moisturiser every night I don't have any problems with dry skin, which can often be caused by spot-fighting products. Therefore, these two products when used together provide the perfect balance This also lasts a very long time as you only need to use a small amount with each application. I also use this before applying any make-up, as this can also dry out your skin. 

So there you go, if like me you have the worst skin type ever that needs spot-fighting products but is very sensitive, give these products a try! 

Louise x

Hello everyone! 

As you know, I like to share my experiences with different methods of pain relief etc to help others in the chronic illness boat. I'm on week three of my first dose of Goserelin (otherwise known as Zoladex), and so far things are going well. This combined with 300mg of Gabapentin every day means I'm 
pain free most of the time and have even started a part time job which requires you to be on your feet a lot, in fact I've even asked for overtime! My body has completely stopped producing oestrogen now, so the Endometriosis will basically starve and won't be able to cause me any trouble for the next 5 months. I'm taking HRT daily to counteract the side effects of this, which have been as follows:
Strong headaches
Depression (wanting to cry for no reason) 
Mood swings (my boyfriend has had a bad time with this yet again)
Fatigue 

Other than that, there haven't been any other major side effects as a result of this injection so far. 

There is, however, one type of pain which the injection hasn't tackled yet, which is everything related to my nerves. Although the Endometriosis pain has gone, without taking Gabapentin I'd still suffer with severe chest and nerve pain (all over my body). It can range from a very sharp to a burning pain which has overridden morphine and gas and air before! I actually tried coming off of Gabapentin with the doctor's help around a week and a half ago, as we thought I'd be alright but nope just missing one dose left me in unbearable pain. I really hope that after the second injection, which is in 6 days, the nerve pains will also begin to fade as this will mean that the doctors only have to deal with the Endometriosis. A week and a half after the 2nd injection I will try coming off of Gabapentin again in order to see whether it makes a difference, as the 2nd dose of Goserelin is supposed to completely get rid of any Endometriosis-related pain. 

For now I'm going to keep my hopes up and enjoy leading a pain free life and working for the next couple of months. This is as smooth as it's going to get on this roller coaster journey! 

L x 

In Judaism, candles are placed on memorials as they are symbolic of the soul that has departed its loved ones. They also do this to highlight God's presence. Thus, in respect of this, I've lit some candles tonight in memory of those lost, as I write this blog post about the terrible suffering they endured. 

CAUTION: If you're easily upset/distressed by images/details of suffering, I'd advise you to not read this blog post. 

So, first I'll start with my review of Jodi Picoult's 'The Storyteller'. Surprisingly, this is the first book I've read by Jodi Picoult. I can certainly say after crying more than I ever could have imagined over such an expertly crafted story, I'll definitely be buying a shelf full of her other novels. I'm still crying over the story now! Her techniques of evocation are absolutely spectacular, making me become so attached to the characters that I couldn't simply put the book down and forget about them for one minute. 

Here's the synopsis without giving too much away:
In the story are the main characters Sage Singer, Sage's grandmother Minka who is an Auschwitz survivor, Josef Weber, an ex Nazi officer under a false name, his brother, also a Nazi officer (won't say the name as it'll spoil the story)  and Leo, a Department of Justice Nazi hunter. Sage, who's mother died three years ago is an insecure and lonely young baker. She's insecure due to the scar that runs down her face from a car accident, and uses this to push people away. She's so adamant to be on her own that she works night shifts in the bakery and doesn't commit to romantic relationships as she feels she's not good for anyone, instead she favours those who are not committed to her, vice versa. One day, in the bakery, she meets Josef Weber, who asks Sage to forgive him and to kill him for his sins when he was a Nazi, as he feels he deserves to die, and cannot bear the curse of guilt that has weighed down his shoulders for the past 70 years. Can she forgive someone who could have abused her grandmother and made her life hell all those years ago? Does being forgiven by one quarter-Jewish young girl count for all of those killed? 

There is so much more to this story, but you'll have to read to find out. When I first read Jodi Picoult's blurb I thought, well that doesn't tell me a lot. However, now I realise why she's done that. You really have to read to see all of the twists and turns, to detail them in the blurb would kill the story. These twists and turns in the story make us repeatedly question our own judgement on morality. Another thing that the story portrays is that we're all capable of being monsters given the right circumstances, but some of us will still choose to reason with our heart over our head, making us 'less' of a monster, but does that make our other actions forgivable? 

Another area Picoult explores is how the Holocaust not only affected those there at the time, but how it affects us today. In this sense, the title 'The Storyteller' really sums up what the book is all about. Not the story itself, but how it's told, and how it creates the void between our lives and the story. This is shown very well not only through the story Sage's grandmother tells of the Holocaust, but also when she shows her the scar from her radical mastectomy, as she highlights how much of her body is left rather than focusing on loss. When Sage remembers this, along with what her grandmother endured in Auschwitz, she realises that she should be confident and enjoy her freedom of identity, to not dwell on the past and to be seen as a person, rather than a number as her grandmother once was. We often take advantage of the freedom we have, as of course, it is a right. However, when you hear of stories like this you realise that in other people's eyes, even today, what you have is really a privilege that shouldn't be wasted or ignored. 

One thing that makes reading stories about the Holocaust (ones I've read include both The Storyteller and Schindler's List) makes your perception much more different, and somewhat personal. Even though I could never begin to understand the suffering endured by these prisoners, I've seen and touched the torture devices, the cart that took them to, effectively, their deaths. I've seen personal items such as clothing that belonged to them, stood in the gas chambers. In hindsight, it's been made so much more real to me than ever before by visiting such a horrible, momentous place. I must admit though, when you're there, it seems surreal as you can't imagine people actually being this wicked or cruel, or people getting away with this ludicrous abuse of humanity. Here are some pictures of what I saw at Auschwitz, with some commentary: 

A Nazi helmet. 

I thought this was rather poignant, a colourful rose in memory of those lost, in the middle of such a dismal place. 

One of the freights that transported prisoners to the camp. 

Candles, flowers and stones left in memory of those lost.

Documents of some of the prisoners taken to the camp.

This picture breaks my heart. I'm sure some of them have smiles on their faces, their belongings with them, a future in mind. 

Gas canisters. 

Where prisoners had to sleep, ridiculous amounts of them crammed into one bunk, barely able to move. 

Believe it or not, the remains of the camp still there today are merely a fraction of what existed beforehand. 

A Gas Chamber. We also went inside.

The 'extermination' block. It wasn't labelled at the time, this is merely for  tourists. 

The selection process.

'Toilets'. The best job for a prisoner here was cleaning the toilets, as Nazis would not go near them to avoid 'disease', and it meant you had both access to the toilets and warmth. Prisoners had just 15 seconds to go to the toilet, twice a day and would be punished for overrunning this time. 

This is an area where people were often shot for 'crimes'. We were told the youngest was just 9 years old.

One of the two biggest gas chambers, in ruins as the Nazis tried to destroy it when the war was over to hide all evidence. Fortunately, they weren't quick enough. 

One of the Nazis' blueprints for the camp. The pile on the far left (2nd room on the bottom) is a pile of bodies. 

A furnace room of one of the crematoriums. 

Thank you for reading this post, let us never forget but always learn from these tragedies of humanity. 


Louise x