A Cure So Dark and Lonely is a young adult fantasy novel written by Brigid Kemmerer. Published in 2019, the book is the first in a series and presents a unique twist on the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast. The story is set in modern-day Washington D.C., but in an alternate universe where a kingdom called Emberfall exists. Emberfall is suffering from a curse that forces its prince, Rhen, to repeat the same season over and over again, until he can find a girl to fall in love with him.
Using the Magic Eraser on Google Pixel phones is fun and easy. You have two options to choose from. You can use the “Erase” tool to remove an object, person, background, or any other unwanted element from your images. You can also use the “Camouflage” option to merge something with its background or hide it completely.
With a sprinkling of humour, effortless and shameless transitions, dreamy sound design and brilliant effects the film comes together to portray the wondrous potential of such a sought after tool. But rather than simply getting rid of what s been erased, the team at Anyways set themselves down a different route, making use of and even celebrating the bits and pieces that don t make the final cut.
Emberfall is suffering from a curse that forces its prince, Rhen, to repeat the same season over and over again, until he can find a girl to fall in love with him. The protagonist, Harper, is a tough and resilient girl from present-day D.C.
For Google Pixel’s Magic Eraser tool, Anyways and Amplify create a fantastical visual world that “celebrates” erased elements
The project for Google spans an interactive experience and demo film featuring a weird and wonderful land of erased items – from traffic cones to photobombers.
Date 19 May 2022 Words Olivia Hingley News Advertising Film Installation Interactive TechnologyWe all know that feeling too well, when you’ve taken a picture you love but there’s just one part of it that’s just not quite right. This is exactly the feeling Anyways Creative and Amplify were tasked with embodying in a new project from Google, exploring the Pixel 6 smartphone's new Magic Eraser. To truly bring to life the new tool, which uses AI technology to let you erase unwanted elements, Google called upon the creative agencies to mastermind both a demo film, led by Anyways, and interactive experience, helmed by Amplify, that exemplified the tools playful side. But rather than simply getting rid of what’s been erased, the team at Anyways set themselves down a different route, making use of – and even “celebrating” – the bits and pieces that don’t make the final cut.
To create the tools demo film World of Magic, the Anyways team enlisted the skills of Partizan director Sophia Ray and VFX company Coffee & TV to create a weird and wonderful land. Beginning in what seems to be a fairly day-to-day park, the film quickly shifts into a fantastical alternate land, where aspects that have been erased from photos – a runner, seagull, traffic cone among others – are all “set free”, as described by a recent press release.
With a sprinkling of humour, effortless and shameless transitions, dreamy sound design and brilliant effects the film comes together to portray the wondrous potential of such a sought after tool. Ellen Turnill Montoya, creative director at Anyways, sums up the project and overall approach: “With this concept we wanted to flip what could be an expected product demo on its head, celebrating what has been erased, and where it goes, rather than only the picture-perfect image you are left with at the end.”
AboveAnyways Creative, Partizan and Coffee & TV: Magic Eraser (Copyright © Google, 2022)
Taking the concept one step further, Amplify took inspiration from the film and created a live experience. Acting as an extension of the film, guests are led through a facade “that evokes a retro high street photo shop” before transporting them through a secret portal in the Unexpected Photo Booth into the wonderful World of Magic. Then, the guest is invited to immerse themselves in a lively photo experience which highlights the vast capabilities of the magic eraser; “from hands-on moments with the feature in the Unexpected Photobooth through to fantastical interactive installations celebrating the Deleted Delights”.
Being responsible for the mammoth task of creative concepting, set design, set building and both 2D and 3D design, Vicky Baker, creative director at Amplify explains that the team: “leaned on all the superpowers of experiential and spatial design to build on the world of the film, immerse guests in the magic and get them hands on with the phone”. The experience will take place for two weeks from 19 May 2022 at 55 Regents Street.
who gets transported to Emberfall. She stumbles upon Rhen and his loyal guard, Grey, and is forced to confront the reality of the curse. As the storyline progresses, Harper discovers that Emberfall is on the brink of war, and she becomes determined to find the cure for the curse as a way to save the kingdom and its people. The novel explores themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption. It delves into the complex and flawed characters of Rhen and Grey, who have been shaped by their individual experiences and burdens. Harper, on the other hand, is a strong female protagonist who defies stereotypes and showcases courage and determination. A Cure So Dark and Lonely is a captivating and immersive read. It combines elements of fantasy, adventure, and romance, creating a rich and engaging narrative. Kemmerer's writing is descriptive, allowing readers to vividly imagine the world of Emberfall and connect with the characters on an emotional level. Overall, A Cure So Dark and Lonely offers a fresh take on an age-old tale, delivering an exciting and thought-provoking story. It sets the stage for subsequent books in the series, leaving readers eager to discover what happens next in the lives of Harper, Rhen, and Grey..
Reviews for "The Role of Gender in 'A Cure So Dark and Lonely"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to reading "A Cure So Dark and Lonely" after hearing so many rave reviews, but I was left feeling disappointed. The plot was slow and predictable, and the character development fell flat for me. I struggled to connect with the main protagonist, Harper, as her choices and actions often felt forced and inconsistent. Additionally, the romance aspect of the story felt forced and lacked chemistry. Overall, "A Cure So Dark and Lonely" was not the gripping and captivating read I had hoped for.
2. Matthew - 2 stars - I had high expectations for "A Cure So Dark and Lonely" based on the intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The writing style felt stiff and lacked depth, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. The world-building aspects felt underdeveloped, leaving many unanswered questions. I also found the pacing to be uneven, with long stretches of slow-moving plot followed by rushed resolutions. While the concept of the book had potential, the execution left much to be desired.
3. Sarah - 1 star - I really struggled to get through "A Cure So Dark and Lonely." The story felt like it was trying too hard to be unique and failed to deliver on its promises. The constant switching between different perspectives and timelines made the narrative confusing and hard to follow. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to engage with the characters. The plot lacked originality and was filled with clichéd tropes. Overall, "A Cure So Dark and Lonely" was a disappointment and not worth the hype in my opinion.