“I May Destroy You” by Emily In Paris. Emily In Paris is one of the year’s most outstanding novels. After being brutally attacked at a club, the life of Arabella changes drastically and she must reassess everything, from her past to her professional career and even family. Just when you think the book is over it gets even better and the stakes get higher as Emily is ordered by the court of Cassation to seek revenge on her assailant.
I May Destroy You were recently selected for three Golden Globe Awards including Best Writing – Drama, Best Original Score – Music and Best Leading Actress in a Drama or Musical. It took moviegoers and critics by surprise but the book’s strength lies in its power of portraying an intricate character and capturing the way society forces women to behave in the face of adversity. Author Barbara Kean did not write a book for young adults but instead targeted an adult audience with its gritty realistic story and deeply vivid imagery. This is a book I could read over again because each time, I am shocked with how bravely Emily takes on the bad guy and his various plans to destroy her.
I May Destroy You were previously short-listed for a World Literature Prize but lost out to Emily Norton’s Dead Man’s Chest, which became the first novel to win the World Literature Prize in its own right. Its winning of the Prize was unprecedented and has since increased its popularity among readers, critics and directors alike. It was recently released in theaters and has achieved enormous success. Based on the successful TV series of the same name, I May Destroy You follow the footsteps of Emily Prentiss as she reunites with an ex-lover and returns to Oxford to take on the notorious ticking bomb that has placed the British government in a dangerous position.
Based on a television series, I May Destroy You follow the story of Emily Prentiss as she reunites with her best friend, Matt. The two were close when they were in college and Emily was trained by her father in fighting after being inspired by a memory of the brutal war in Vietnam. Matt was also trained by his father in martial arts and after joining the military was tasked with protecting Emily and finding a way into China to fight alongside the Chinese against the Khmer Rouge. As the two begin to fall in love, they are forced to put their differences aside as they work together to protect China and prevent the Khmer Rouge from destroying their country.
I May Destroy You follow the main characters as they work to stop the Khmer Rouge from carrying out their plan to wipe out the Chinese and take control of the world. While it may seem unrealistic to think that a high school student with zero martial arts experience would stand up to a group of heavily-trained terrorists bent on taking out the US, Emily and Matt prove that nothing is impossible. They work together to save the lives of numerous Chinese and American soldiers along the way while battling each other and the supervising Khmer Rouge member, General Vang. Although it is unlikely that either the American or the Chinese armed forces would have been able to prevent the Khmer Rouge from invading Phnom Phen, I May Destroy You nonetheless provides entertainment as the pair of heroes work to save the world.
Although the writers and actors of me May Destroy You take the events of their story in a realistic way, one may question if the writers took enough creative license in their portrayal of the military conflict. One of the most obvious and controversial scenes depicts Emily Prentiss straddling a bomb as she threatens the terrorist general that if he does not surrender, she will blow his brains out with a golden globe. However, after listening to a number of military officers’ objections, it is clear that Emily’s plan is completely legitimate, and in fact completely legal according to the TV show’s own definition.
In addition to taking the events of me May Destroy You in a very serious manner, the writing also takes a light-hearted tone, especially towards Emily’s love affair with her superior, Col. Robert Brown. Although their relationship is one that has been depicted throughout multiple episodes, it is still refreshing for television to take the story so far without shying away from a little humor. I May Destroy You also follows an ensemble cast that includes two actresses who were simply amazing on Lost, Julia Roberts and Morena Baccarat. These two leads also help to make it a fun and fast-paced watch, especially when it comes to adding comedic value to serious issues like war and political conflict.
One of the greatest joys I get from watching television is when a series manages to combine humor with seriousness while maintaining its momentum throughout an episode. I May Destroy You is one of those shows. Unlike many stories where the lead or protagonist must come to a horrible decision in order to win, the characters in me May Destroy You do not have any options available to them as they are forced to react to an impending attack by a seemingly unstoppable force. The result is an interesting, and at times thrilling, storyline that leaves you wanting for more after you have watched the series’ last episode.
