Title: The Aeneid
Author: Vergil
Pages: 379
Challenges: Read 'n' Review challenge
Summary (very, very basic):
The Aeneid was Latin poet Vergil's answer to the Greek poet Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. It tells the story of how Aeneas, a refugee from a destroyed Troy, founded the city of Rome.
Vergil based much of the structure of his epic, which is in two main parts -- The journey to Italy and the wars in Italy -- on Homer's two epics. He used long-told legends of Aeneas for the majority of his storyline.
As Aeneas and the other refugees set out for Italy, they are at the mercy of a wrathful Juno, who is upset that Aeneas' mother, Venus, was chosen by Paris as chief among the goddesses, and that the fleeing Trojans are destined to destroy Carthage, her favorite city.
Half of the epic, Aeneas is telling, at a banquet, of the Trojans' journey to Italy from the point in time where Homer's Iliad left off.
My Two Cents:
The Aeneid is one of those staples of an education in Latin with which I was acquainted during my high school and college years, but only from a translation standpoint. In other words, I would be assigned to translate passages from The Aeneid as homework, but never really read the epic in its entirety until now.
I love poetry, but epic poetry is something I've never quite been able to wrap my head around. I think it's because, with epic poetry, it's so much about the story and so little (In many cases) about the symbolism that I run into trouble. The conventions of the poetic form make it difficult to follow what would be, in prose, a normal sentence over several lines. By the time I get to the end of a "sentence" in an epic, I've lost the entire meaning of the thought because of the twists and turns of the poetic dialogue.
So, basically, this was a bit of a slog for me.
Keeping in mind that, in both Greek and Roman mythology, the gods and goddesses are petty and vengeful and really, really like to indulge their whims, I really thought Juno was spot-on. She was upset that Paris chose Venus as the best goddess (That's such a reductive way to state this, but there you have it), so she decided to take it out on Aeneas. However, she didn't really take into account that Aeneas would be protected by some other gods and goddesses, so she just ended up killing a bunch of people close to Aeneas without ever really being able to touch him. I guess that's the "Hurting those closest to your target hurts more than actually hurting your target" theory of vengeance.
Aeneas is one of those characters that ran kind of hot and cold with me. At times, he seemed to be the heroic, noble founder of Rome from legends. At other times, he was kind of boring. For being the title character of this epic, I found him pretty blah.
I did find myself, during battle scenes, grimacing quite often whenever someone was slashed/impaled/beheaded/what-have-you, as Vergil was quite fond of the term "gore" and all that went with it ("Thick gore," "thick black gore," "clotted gore" -- You get the idea). Much more effective than a lengthy description of blood spurting several feet from a decapitated trunk, if you ask me.
Overall, I liked The Aeneid well enough to see why it's a classic in higher education. However, for those of you squeamish of epic poetry, I'd suggest finding either a prose version (I'm sure they exist somewhere) or a version that offers summaries of each of the books.
My rating: 7/10
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Review: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Author: Alan Bradley
Pages: 370
Challenges: Read 'n' Review Challenge
First Line: "It was as black in the closet as old blood."
Summary (from the back of the book):
In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction: eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. It is the summer of 1950 -- an a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia's family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw.
My Two Cents:
Although I enjoyed this book, something didn't sit quite right with me.
This book started and finished strong. For the first 50 to 75 pages and the last 70 or so pages, I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know what happened. But the middle just lagged something awful. I kept putting the book down and, reluctantly, coming back to it. At a couple points, I almost gave up on it entirely, but I don't usually do that with books. I'll wrestle through it and hope it gets better in the end.
Luckily, the book did pick up near the end, but that middle portion likely soured my view of the book.
I'm also having a difficult time deciding whether I liked Flavia, or whether I was annoyed with her. I usually like child and teen characters who are smart and aren't stereotypical, but Bradley's narration style made Flavia almost seem a show-off; it was as if she was rattling off chemical formulas simply because she knows that's what smart people do.
Another thing that bugged me throughout the book was that it seemed as if Bradley was cramming in every British phrase and reference possible simply because he thought he should (Bradley is a born-and-bred Canadian, although there's no mention in his biography as to whether he's ever lived in the UK). Having lived in England for a few months, I know that there are certain turns of phrase and products (Such as Weetabix) that are quintessentially British. However, there is a point of saturation that can be reached to where all the references from that point on just seem like overkill. I think Bradley reached that point round about page 125.
Despite the fairly negative tone of this review, I can honestly say that I did like The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and will likely read Bradley's next Flavia de Luce mystery, The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag, due out in March.
My rating: 7/10
Author: Alan Bradley
Pages: 370
Challenges: Read 'n' Review Challenge
First Line: "It was as black in the closet as old blood."
Summary (from the back of the book):
In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction: eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. It is the summer of 1950 -- an a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia's family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw.
My Two Cents:
Although I enjoyed this book, something didn't sit quite right with me.
This book started and finished strong. For the first 50 to 75 pages and the last 70 or so pages, I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know what happened. But the middle just lagged something awful. I kept putting the book down and, reluctantly, coming back to it. At a couple points, I almost gave up on it entirely, but I don't usually do that with books. I'll wrestle through it and hope it gets better in the end.
Luckily, the book did pick up near the end, but that middle portion likely soured my view of the book.
I'm also having a difficult time deciding whether I liked Flavia, or whether I was annoyed with her. I usually like child and teen characters who are smart and aren't stereotypical, but Bradley's narration style made Flavia almost seem a show-off; it was as if she was rattling off chemical formulas simply because she knows that's what smart people do.
Another thing that bugged me throughout the book was that it seemed as if Bradley was cramming in every British phrase and reference possible simply because he thought he should (Bradley is a born-and-bred Canadian, although there's no mention in his biography as to whether he's ever lived in the UK). Having lived in England for a few months, I know that there are certain turns of phrase and products (Such as Weetabix) that are quintessentially British. However, there is a point of saturation that can be reached to where all the references from that point on just seem like overkill. I think Bradley reached that point round about page 125.
Despite the fairly negative tone of this review, I can honestly say that I did like The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and will likely read Bradley's next Flavia de Luce mystery, The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag, due out in March.
My rating: 7/10
My Favorite Reads: The Exorcist
Hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books, this is a weekly meme in which bloggers tell about their favorite reads from the past.
Title: The Exorcist
Author: William Peter Blatty
Pages: 400
Summary:
An elderly Jesuit priest named Father Lankester Merrin is leading an archaeological dig in northern Iraq and studying ancient relics. Following the discovery of a small statue of the demon Pazuzu (an actual ancient Sumerian demigod) and a modern-day St. Joseph medal curiously juxtaposed together at the site, a series of omens alerts him to a pending confrontation with a powerful evil, which unknown to the reader at this point, he has battled before in an exorcism in Africa. Meanwhile, in Georgetown, a young girl named Regan MacNeil living with her famous actress mother, Chris, becomes inexplicably ill. After a gradual series of poltergeist-like disturbances, she undergoes disturbing psychological and physical changes, appearing to become "possessed" by a demonic spirit.
After several unsuccessful psychiatric and medical treatments, Regan's mother turns to a local Jesuit priest. Father Damien Karras, who is currently going through a crisis of faith coupled with the loss of his mother, agrees to see Regan as a psychiatrist, but initially resists the notion that it is an actual demonic possession. After a few meetings with the child, now completely inhabited by a diabolical personality, he turns to the local bishop for permission to perform an exorcism on the child.
After consultation with the Jesuit president of Georgetown, the bishop appoints the experienced Merrin, recently returned to the States, to perform the exorcism and allows the doubt-ridden Karras to assist him. The lengthy exorcism tests the priests, both physically and spiritually. After the death of Merrin, the task ultimately restores Karras' faith, leading him to give his own life to save Regan's.
Why I Chose This Book:
I picked up this book from a garage sale sometime when I was in 7th or 8th grade. At that point in my life, I was really, REALLY into the paranormal (I still am -- Heck, my license plate is an homage to The X-Files). I had never seen the film, but I wanted to read the book.
Over the course of the next several years, I think I read this book at least once a year for a total nearing 16 times. I'm not quite sure why, except I was working on a lot of theater at the time, so this was something I could pick up between scenes and just read.
I finally saw the movie when I was in high school, probably around the time that they theatrically released the director's cut for the 25th anniversary. I was so disappointed. It wasn't scary at all in my opinion. The book was much, much better.
Part of the reason why this is one of my all-time favorite books is because Blatty does a fantastic job with the description and suspense. Sure, there are some really disturbing scenes in here (I'm not even going to go into the reason why I couldn't look at a crucifix for several days after I read this book the first time), but knowing that the book was based on actual events makes them even more creepy.
I was going to post another of my favorite reads today, but The Exorcist popped into my head on my way to work because of this lovely little photo I saw on Awkward Family Photos yesterday. I have this exact same copy of the book, only mine no longer has a cover.
Title: The ExorcistAuthor: William Peter Blatty
Pages: 400
Summary:
An elderly Jesuit priest named Father Lankester Merrin is leading an archaeological dig in northern Iraq and studying ancient relics. Following the discovery of a small statue of the demon Pazuzu (an actual ancient Sumerian demigod) and a modern-day St. Joseph medal curiously juxtaposed together at the site, a series of omens alerts him to a pending confrontation with a powerful evil, which unknown to the reader at this point, he has battled before in an exorcism in Africa. Meanwhile, in Georgetown, a young girl named Regan MacNeil living with her famous actress mother, Chris, becomes inexplicably ill. After a gradual series of poltergeist-like disturbances, she undergoes disturbing psychological and physical changes, appearing to become "possessed" by a demonic spirit.
After several unsuccessful psychiatric and medical treatments, Regan's mother turns to a local Jesuit priest. Father Damien Karras, who is currently going through a crisis of faith coupled with the loss of his mother, agrees to see Regan as a psychiatrist, but initially resists the notion that it is an actual demonic possession. After a few meetings with the child, now completely inhabited by a diabolical personality, he turns to the local bishop for permission to perform an exorcism on the child.
After consultation with the Jesuit president of Georgetown, the bishop appoints the experienced Merrin, recently returned to the States, to perform the exorcism and allows the doubt-ridden Karras to assist him. The lengthy exorcism tests the priests, both physically and spiritually. After the death of Merrin, the task ultimately restores Karras' faith, leading him to give his own life to save Regan's.
Why I Chose This Book:
I picked up this book from a garage sale sometime when I was in 7th or 8th grade. At that point in my life, I was really, REALLY into the paranormal (I still am -- Heck, my license plate is an homage to The X-Files). I had never seen the film, but I wanted to read the book.
Over the course of the next several years, I think I read this book at least once a year for a total nearing 16 times. I'm not quite sure why, except I was working on a lot of theater at the time, so this was something I could pick up between scenes and just read.
I finally saw the movie when I was in high school, probably around the time that they theatrically released the director's cut for the 25th anniversary. I was so disappointed. It wasn't scary at all in my opinion. The book was much, much better.
Part of the reason why this is one of my all-time favorite books is because Blatty does a fantastic job with the description and suspense. Sure, there are some really disturbing scenes in here (I'm not even going to go into the reason why I couldn't look at a crucifix for several days after I read this book the first time), but knowing that the book was based on actual events makes them even more creepy.
I was going to post another of my favorite reads today, but The Exorcist popped into my head on my way to work because of this lovely little photo I saw on Awkward Family Photos yesterday. I have this exact same copy of the book, only mine no longer has a cover.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Booking Through Thursday: Flaps
I've decided to join in on the Booking Through Thursday meme that I've seen on so many other blogs. For other responses to today's question, go here.
Suggested by Prairie Progressive:
Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?
My answer: Yes, I read the flaps/backs of books before I read a book. If it strikes my fancy, I'll pick it up. If not, I won't waste my time with it, especially since there are so many other books out there I could be reading!
What about you? Do you read the flaps/backs of books?
Suggested by Prairie Progressive:
Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?
My answer: Yes, I read the flaps/backs of books before I read a book. If it strikes my fancy, I'll pick it up. If not, I won't waste my time with it, especially since there are so many other books out there I could be reading!
What about you? Do you read the flaps/backs of books?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Review: Rabbit Is Rich by John Updike
Title: Rabbit Is Rich
Author: John Updike
Pages: 432
Challenges: 451 Challenge; Read 'n' Review Challenge
From Wikipedia:
This third novel of Updike's Rabbit series examines the life of Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, a one-time high school basketball star, who has reached a paunchy middle-age without relocating from Brewer, Pennsylvania, the poor, fictional city of his birth. Harry and Janice, his wife of twenty-two years, live comfortably, having inherited her late father's Toyota dealership. He is indeed rich, but Harry's persistent problems — his wife's drinking, his troubled son's schemes, his libido, and spectres from his past — complicate life. Having achieved a lifestyle that would have embarrassed his working-class parents, Harry is not greedy, but neither is he ever quite satisfied. Harry has become somewhat enamored of a country-club friend's young wife. He also has to deal with the indecision and irresponsibility of Nelson, his son, who is a student at Kent State University. Throughout the book, Harry wonders about his former lover Ruth, and whether she had ever given birth to their child.
My Two Cents:
While Rabbit Is Rich is much better than Rabbit Redux (See my review of that here), both in characterization and story, there's just something about the sequels to Rabbit, Run that irks me.
Where Rabbit was disturbing in an overly voyeristic and sexual way in Redux, I found him to be much more enjoyable this time around. He was actually funny and somewhat sympathetic, something I hadn't felt for him since Run. In fact, I actually liked Rabbit this time around.
Nelson, his son, however, I wanted to slap across the room and into next Tuesday. He was whiny, lazy and spoiled. I had to keep reminding myself that he was 23 instead of 13 because he acted as if he was nothing more than a put-upon teenager (You all know the type!). He quits college because it doesn't "do anything" for him, and thinks he can just come home and work at the car lot his grandmother and parents co-own. Janice and Bessie, her mother, try to push Rabbit to give Nelson "a place" there, because it's what Janice's father would have wanted, even though he is nowhere near ready for the responsibility. He whines, complains and bullies his way onto the car lot against Rabbit's better judgment, and eventually Rabbit's skepticism is rewarded.
Updike is still that fabulous, present-tense writer he's always been. I especially liked his description of Janice and Rabbit's plane ride to the Caribbean.
I know this is supposed to be an "everyman" kind of novel, and the characters aren't supposed to be heroic or really even likable, but I still have a hard time with a novel in which I hate nearly every character (With the exception, this time, of Rabbit). It just doesn't do much for me.
My rating: 6/10
Author: John Updike
Pages: 432
Challenges: 451 Challenge; Read 'n' Review Challenge
From Wikipedia:
This third novel of Updike's Rabbit series examines the life of Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, a one-time high school basketball star, who has reached a paunchy middle-age without relocating from Brewer, Pennsylvania, the poor, fictional city of his birth. Harry and Janice, his wife of twenty-two years, live comfortably, having inherited her late father's Toyota dealership. He is indeed rich, but Harry's persistent problems — his wife's drinking, his troubled son's schemes, his libido, and spectres from his past — complicate life. Having achieved a lifestyle that would have embarrassed his working-class parents, Harry is not greedy, but neither is he ever quite satisfied. Harry has become somewhat enamored of a country-club friend's young wife. He also has to deal with the indecision and irresponsibility of Nelson, his son, who is a student at Kent State University. Throughout the book, Harry wonders about his former lover Ruth, and whether she had ever given birth to their child.
My Two Cents:
While Rabbit Is Rich is much better than Rabbit Redux (See my review of that here), both in characterization and story, there's just something about the sequels to Rabbit, Run that irks me.
Where Rabbit was disturbing in an overly voyeristic and sexual way in Redux, I found him to be much more enjoyable this time around. He was actually funny and somewhat sympathetic, something I hadn't felt for him since Run. In fact, I actually liked Rabbit this time around.
Nelson, his son, however, I wanted to slap across the room and into next Tuesday. He was whiny, lazy and spoiled. I had to keep reminding myself that he was 23 instead of 13 because he acted as if he was nothing more than a put-upon teenager (You all know the type!). He quits college because it doesn't "do anything" for him, and thinks he can just come home and work at the car lot his grandmother and parents co-own. Janice and Bessie, her mother, try to push Rabbit to give Nelson "a place" there, because it's what Janice's father would have wanted, even though he is nowhere near ready for the responsibility. He whines, complains and bullies his way onto the car lot against Rabbit's better judgment, and eventually Rabbit's skepticism is rewarded.
Updike is still that fabulous, present-tense writer he's always been. I especially liked his description of Janice and Rabbit's plane ride to the Caribbean.
I know this is supposed to be an "everyman" kind of novel, and the characters aren't supposed to be heroic or really even likable, but I still have a hard time with a novel in which I hate nearly every character (With the exception, this time, of Rabbit). It just doesn't do much for me.
My rating: 6/10
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Review: Swimsuit by James Patterson
Title: Swimsuit
Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Pages: 391
Challenges: Take Another Chance Challenge (#6 - Genre Switch-Up); Read 'n' Review Challenge
From Publishers Weekly:
A serial killer with an urge to break into print propels this thriller from bestseller Patterson and collaborator Paetro (4th of July). Ben Hawkins, a former L.A. cop turned reporter and author, travels to Hawaii to look into the disappearance of model Kim McDaniels, who has fallen victim to a sadistic fiend who calls himself Henri Benoit. Ben meets with Kim's distraught parents, but the investigation soon runs into dead ends, even as the body count rises. Back in Los Angeles, Henri gets in touch with Ben, and offers the story of his life and the reasons he continues with his murderous spree. As part of the deal, Henri asks the reporter to write his tell-all book. Ben can't refuse given the killer's threat to his life as well as his girlfriend's. In just one of many clever twists, Henri proves to be the consummate storyteller. Patterson fans will devour this one in a single sitting.
My Two Cents:
Since this book fulfills the "genre switch-up" portion of the TAC Challenge, I will just start out by saying I am not a fan of thrillers. Never have been and never will be.
I know James Patterson is a really popular author (If he weren't, he wouldn't come out with a novel every other month! But I digress...), and he can tell a good story, but there were some glaringly annoying things about this book. Mainly, I wasn't too fond of the way his main character, Ben Hawkins, wasn't particularly consistent.
Sure, people have their public personas, the ones we show when we're on-duty at work, but the thought process going on behind all that doesn't change that dramatically. Or, it shouldn't. Ben is all business while at work, and it shows in his narration -- Taught sentences, quick images. Then, when he talks about his girlfriend, Amanda, it's suddenly a big Ben puddle of love. His thoughts get sloppy and he fawns constantly. Yeah, you could chalk it up to the whole "crazy in love" thing, but it bugged me.
That being said, this was an engaging story. If I had been able to sit down and read it straight through, I think I could have pounded it out in a couple of hours. As it is, I finished it in less than a whole day. And the psychopathic killer, Henri Benoit, is very believable as a delusional killer. He really did creep me out.
I like Patterson's young adult series, Maximum Ride and Daniel X, and I went into this book hoping to see much of the same funny, snappy narration. I didn't really get that, and I was disappointed. But, I do have to give the man a lot of credit: He can tell a really compelling story.
Part of my prejudice against thrillers comes in that they are just so popular. They're full of action and suspense, so they make great movies. I prefer a little more cerebral work with my reading, thank you, so I have never thought twice about picking up a thriller. They fly off the shelves at my library, but I usually just smile and say I haven't read it when someone asks.
If you're a fan of thrillers, you'll love this. As for me, I think I'll stick to Patterson's young adult series and steer clear of anything with the thriller label from now on.
My rating: 5/10
Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Pages: 391
Challenges: Take Another Chance Challenge (#6 - Genre Switch-Up); Read 'n' Review Challenge
From Publishers Weekly:
A serial killer with an urge to break into print propels this thriller from bestseller Patterson and collaborator Paetro (4th of July). Ben Hawkins, a former L.A. cop turned reporter and author, travels to Hawaii to look into the disappearance of model Kim McDaniels, who has fallen victim to a sadistic fiend who calls himself Henri Benoit. Ben meets with Kim's distraught parents, but the investigation soon runs into dead ends, even as the body count rises. Back in Los Angeles, Henri gets in touch with Ben, and offers the story of his life and the reasons he continues with his murderous spree. As part of the deal, Henri asks the reporter to write his tell-all book. Ben can't refuse given the killer's threat to his life as well as his girlfriend's. In just one of many clever twists, Henri proves to be the consummate storyteller. Patterson fans will devour this one in a single sitting.
My Two Cents:
Since this book fulfills the "genre switch-up" portion of the TAC Challenge, I will just start out by saying I am not a fan of thrillers. Never have been and never will be.
I know James Patterson is a really popular author (If he weren't, he wouldn't come out with a novel every other month! But I digress...), and he can tell a good story, but there were some glaringly annoying things about this book. Mainly, I wasn't too fond of the way his main character, Ben Hawkins, wasn't particularly consistent.
Sure, people have their public personas, the ones we show when we're on-duty at work, but the thought process going on behind all that doesn't change that dramatically. Or, it shouldn't. Ben is all business while at work, and it shows in his narration -- Taught sentences, quick images. Then, when he talks about his girlfriend, Amanda, it's suddenly a big Ben puddle of love. His thoughts get sloppy and he fawns constantly. Yeah, you could chalk it up to the whole "crazy in love" thing, but it bugged me.
That being said, this was an engaging story. If I had been able to sit down and read it straight through, I think I could have pounded it out in a couple of hours. As it is, I finished it in less than a whole day. And the psychopathic killer, Henri Benoit, is very believable as a delusional killer. He really did creep me out.
I like Patterson's young adult series, Maximum Ride and Daniel X, and I went into this book hoping to see much of the same funny, snappy narration. I didn't really get that, and I was disappointed. But, I do have to give the man a lot of credit: He can tell a really compelling story.
Part of my prejudice against thrillers comes in that they are just so popular. They're full of action and suspense, so they make great movies. I prefer a little more cerebral work with my reading, thank you, so I have never thought twice about picking up a thriller. They fly off the shelves at my library, but I usually just smile and say I haven't read it when someone asks.
If you're a fan of thrillers, you'll love this. As for me, I think I'll stick to Patterson's young adult series and steer clear of anything with the thriller label from now on.
My rating: 5/10
Friday, January 8, 2010
Reviews: The Lightning Thief and The Book Thief
Note: I am writing two reviews in one post today because they fall into the same category in the Take Another Chance Challenge.
Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 400
Challenges: Take Another Chance Challenge (#9 - Same Word, Different Book); Read 'n' Review Challenge
From School Library Journal:
At the outset of this fast-paced tale by Rick Riordan (Hyperion/Miramax, 2005), it would seem that Percy Jackson is just another New York kid diagnosed with ADHD, who has good intentions, a nasty stepfather, and a long line of schools that have rejected him. The revelation of his status as half-blood offspring of one of the Greek gods is nicely packaged, and it's easy to believe that Mount Olympus, in modern times, has migrated to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building (the center of Western civilization) while the door to Hades can be found at DOA Recording Studio, somewhere in LA. With his new friends, a disguised satyr, and the half-blood daughter of Athena, Percy sets out across the country to rectify a feud between Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Along the way they must cope with the Furies, Medusa, motorcycle thug Aires, and various other immortals. Mythology fans will love this take and kids who haven't been inculcated with the Classical canon will learn aspects of it here while having no trouble following a rollicking good–and modern–adventure.
My Two Cents:
This book was such a refreshing change from a lot of young adult literature; it was a HUGE breath of fresh air. Most young adult books either have pathetically one-dimensional characters (I'm looking at you, Twilight) or their characters are stereotypically awful kids (Gossip Girl, et al) that no amount of great storytelling is going to make up for it.
Riordan, however, manages to not only make Percy Jackson, a demigod (But I won't tell you whose son he is!), a likable character with just the right amount of teenaged sass (He knows who to mouth off to, but shows proper respect to his mother), but he also tells an enthralling story filled with hilarious allusions to Greek mythology.
The writing here is also solid, neither talking down to the target audience nor too over their heads, and Riordan sucks you in from the very beginning. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
My rating: 8/10
Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Pages: 550
Challenges: Take Another Chance Challenge (#9 - Same Word, Different Book); 451 Challenge; Read 'n' Review Challenge
From School Library Journal:
Zusak has created a work that deserves the attention of sophisticated teen and adult readers. Death himself narrates the World War II-era story of Liesel Meminger from the time she is taken, at age nine, to live in Molching, Germany, with a foster family in a working-class neighborhood of tough kids, acid-tongued mothers, and loving fathers who earn their living by the work of their hands. The child arrives having just stolen her first book–although she has not yet learned how to read–and her foster father uses it, The Gravediggers Handbook, to lull her to sleep when shes roused by regular nightmares about her younger brothers death. Across the ensuing years of the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Liesel collects more stolen books as well as a peculiar set of friends: the boy Rudy, the Jewish refugee Max, the mayors reclusive wife (who has a whole library from which she allows Liesel to steal), and especially her foster parents. Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward. Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details, giving Liesels story all the nuances of chance, folly, and fulfilled expectation that it deserves. An extraordinary narrative.
My Two Cents:
Wow. This was one powerful book.
When I first began reading it, I had read several glowing reviews touting this book as "life-changing," but I wasn't so sure. I was intrigued, especially since the book is narrated by Death, so I kept plugging along.
Then, I fell in love with Liesel. She is one of those adolescent characters who is wise beyond her years and that I always wish I had known when I was a kid. She is strong, mostly by virtue of her situation, and her tenacity pays off when she learns to read and write through a series of late-night sessions with her foster father, Hans.
Hans is another character I simply adored. He has a deep-reaching kindness in his heart, a love of music and a tender nature that anyone would be lucky to have in a father or friend. He's also one of those people who is so committed to doing what is right, he is willing to put himself and his entire family in danger by harboring a Jew in his basement.
I could gush all day about the characters in this book, or Zusak's unconventional narrative style, but I am still in a little bit of shock from the incredibly emotional ending. I kid you not, I was sitting in the library with tears streaming down my face, choking back sobs, as I neared the end of this book. It's that good.
My rating: 10/10
Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 400
Challenges: Take Another Chance Challenge (#9 - Same Word, Different Book); Read 'n' Review Challenge
From School Library Journal:
At the outset of this fast-paced tale by Rick Riordan (Hyperion/Miramax, 2005), it would seem that Percy Jackson is just another New York kid diagnosed with ADHD, who has good intentions, a nasty stepfather, and a long line of schools that have rejected him. The revelation of his status as half-blood offspring of one of the Greek gods is nicely packaged, and it's easy to believe that Mount Olympus, in modern times, has migrated to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building (the center of Western civilization) while the door to Hades can be found at DOA Recording Studio, somewhere in LA. With his new friends, a disguised satyr, and the half-blood daughter of Athena, Percy sets out across the country to rectify a feud between Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Along the way they must cope with the Furies, Medusa, motorcycle thug Aires, and various other immortals. Mythology fans will love this take and kids who haven't been inculcated with the Classical canon will learn aspects of it here while having no trouble following a rollicking good–and modern–adventure.
My Two Cents:
This book was such a refreshing change from a lot of young adult literature; it was a HUGE breath of fresh air. Most young adult books either have pathetically one-dimensional characters (I'm looking at you, Twilight) or their characters are stereotypically awful kids (Gossip Girl, et al) that no amount of great storytelling is going to make up for it.
Riordan, however, manages to not only make Percy Jackson, a demigod (But I won't tell you whose son he is!), a likable character with just the right amount of teenaged sass (He knows who to mouth off to, but shows proper respect to his mother), but he also tells an enthralling story filled with hilarious allusions to Greek mythology.
The writing here is also solid, neither talking down to the target audience nor too over their heads, and Riordan sucks you in from the very beginning. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
My rating: 8/10
Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Pages: 550
Challenges: Take Another Chance Challenge (#9 - Same Word, Different Book); 451 Challenge; Read 'n' Review Challenge
From School Library Journal:
Zusak has created a work that deserves the attention of sophisticated teen and adult readers. Death himself narrates the World War II-era story of Liesel Meminger from the time she is taken, at age nine, to live in Molching, Germany, with a foster family in a working-class neighborhood of tough kids, acid-tongued mothers, and loving fathers who earn their living by the work of their hands. The child arrives having just stolen her first book–although she has not yet learned how to read–and her foster father uses it, The Gravediggers Handbook, to lull her to sleep when shes roused by regular nightmares about her younger brothers death. Across the ensuing years of the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Liesel collects more stolen books as well as a peculiar set of friends: the boy Rudy, the Jewish refugee Max, the mayors reclusive wife (who has a whole library from which she allows Liesel to steal), and especially her foster parents. Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward. Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details, giving Liesels story all the nuances of chance, folly, and fulfilled expectation that it deserves. An extraordinary narrative.
My Two Cents:
Wow. This was one powerful book.
When I first began reading it, I had read several glowing reviews touting this book as "life-changing," but I wasn't so sure. I was intrigued, especially since the book is narrated by Death, so I kept plugging along.
Then, I fell in love with Liesel. She is one of those adolescent characters who is wise beyond her years and that I always wish I had known when I was a kid. She is strong, mostly by virtue of her situation, and her tenacity pays off when she learns to read and write through a series of late-night sessions with her foster father, Hans.
Hans is another character I simply adored. He has a deep-reaching kindness in his heart, a love of music and a tender nature that anyone would be lucky to have in a father or friend. He's also one of those people who is so committed to doing what is right, he is willing to put himself and his entire family in danger by harboring a Jew in his basement.
I could gush all day about the characters in this book, or Zusak's unconventional narrative style, but I am still in a little bit of shock from the incredibly emotional ending. I kid you not, I was sitting in the library with tears streaming down my face, choking back sobs, as I neared the end of this book. It's that good.
My rating: 10/10
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