Thursday, March 26, 2009
Quidditch Through the Ages, J. K. Rowling
I really do enjoy Rowling's "charity books" more than the Potter novels. She is such a skilled parodist. The factual tone is flawless. The mock-historical accounts of broomsticks for flying, early broom sports, are perfect (and of course, perfectly hilarious) too.
The Giver, Lois Lowry
I have a precise memory of The Giver sitting on the shelf by the carpet in my fifth grade classroom. I turned the book over in my hands many times during silent reading, and considered reading it, intrigued that the name "Jonas" was a character I liked in one of my favourite books. I never did read The Giver, and years afterwords I regretted that I didn't. Somehow I felt that I had missed out on something I would have cherished growing up.
Well, I finally did read it today, hungry for reading material while watching tests. It's a one-sitting thing - although I did carry it with me to three separate sittings. Now that I've finished I don't want to give the book back - it's so well done I want to savour it again, and again.
Such a well-crafted book! In the beginning I had no idea what was going on, and the differences between our world and Jonas's world dawned on me gradually. Then I admired how the author could make us relate to Jonas even though he lived in a limited world. I appreciated how the dystopia was complex, but made easy for children to understand with classifications like the "Nines" get bicycles, the "Twelves" get careers chosen for them. The precision of language is a really interesting point (as are "comfort objects", that get recycled.)
I really like how the plot worked for Jonas's coming of age - all the trepidation over a future career, and then the mysterious role of receiving knowledge, pain, and wisdom. Growing up and a metaphor for growing up. Then all of a sudden he is called to his own act of bravery....
The story is really well paced. The ending, though, leaves me dissatisfied... what really happened to the community after Jonas released his memories on them? What about Fiona? What really happened to Jonas and Gave as they slid downhill?
I'm glad I googled and found that there are sequels!
Well, I finally did read it today, hungry for reading material while watching tests. It's a one-sitting thing - although I did carry it with me to three separate sittings. Now that I've finished I don't want to give the book back - it's so well done I want to savour it again, and again.
Such a well-crafted book! In the beginning I had no idea what was going on, and the differences between our world and Jonas's world dawned on me gradually. Then I admired how the author could make us relate to Jonas even though he lived in a limited world. I appreciated how the dystopia was complex, but made easy for children to understand with classifications like the "Nines" get bicycles, the "Twelves" get careers chosen for them. The precision of language is a really interesting point (as are "comfort objects", that get recycled.)
I really like how the plot worked for Jonas's coming of age - all the trepidation over a future career, and then the mysterious role of receiving knowledge, pain, and wisdom. Growing up and a metaphor for growing up. Then all of a sudden he is called to his own act of bravery....
The story is really well paced. The ending, though, leaves me dissatisfied... what really happened to the community after Jonas released his memories on them? What about Fiona? What really happened to Jonas and Gave as they slid downhill?
I'm glad I googled and found that there are sequels!
Monday, March 09, 2009
Twilight
It's actually not bad! A little high-falutin, and certainly on the sappy and cliched scale. I like Bella a lot, though, and can really relate to her: how she's friendless, hates gym, can cook, and has read all the Brontes and Shakespeares. I would have enjoyed this story as a teen and I still do. All the Edward moments are very sweet, but they are overwrought, as are Bella's many admirers. Seventeen is too old for Bella, I think - she would have fared better as a fifteen or sixteen year old.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
HP5 flows much better than HP4, but I still find satire so hard to read. I don't enjoy reading about Umbridge and the tortures she inflicts on students, although her come-uppance by Fred and George is hilarious. There is just too much badness in this book, save for brief moments of laughter. The Department of Mysteries IS a perfectly wonderful bit of imagination. I have to admit - I can't put this book down.
The Enchantress of Florence, Salman Rushdie
This book is beautifully written and the idea is captivating, but it didn't captivate me. I was bored by it. The things in it have already been done. And that is that.
New Moon
Oh... I really like Bella Swan. She is terribly obsessive, but I am the same way -- incorrigibly constant. The way boys fall for her is completely unrealistic, but what girl's story wouldn't want that? Jacob... in fact, all of the characters.... rely on description from Bella's part, so they aren't very well drawn. I think of rubygillis's classic pattern of a romantic boy and his comic rival, and she does it so much better - so much more lively - than S. Meyer. The climaxes are always extremely melodramatic. I really enjoyed this one because - isn't Volterra the fictional city in Maurier's Flight of the Falcon, which was in turn based on Urbino? I had thought so, but I could be mistaken.
Eclipse
Oh dear. You have to admit this is a pretty good love triangle. I like Jacob, and I like Edward, and I don't despise Bella.
Breaking Dawn
Utter crap, as in, Smeyer's writing needs SO much editing to tone down her language, but still such a guilty pleasure. I'm surprised that Bella really DID become a vampire after all the times and delay. I'm not fond of the half-breed baby as a plot device. Having Bella and Edward start a family right now, it's too soon to think of them as parents. I'm also not sure if the switch to the Jacob chapters were effective.... the book has been so consistently about Bella's voice, and Bella is a decent narrator. I'm glad Bella and Jacob's friendship has been resolved, but
It's actually not bad! A little high-falutin, and certainly on the sappy and cliched scale. I like Bella a lot, though, and can really relate to her: how she's friendless, hates gym, can cook, and has read all the Brontes and Shakespeares. I would have enjoyed this story as a teen and I still do. All the Edward moments are very sweet, but they are overwrought, as are Bella's many admirers. Seventeen is too old for Bella, I think - she would have fared better as a fifteen or sixteen year old.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
HP5 flows much better than HP4, but I still find satire so hard to read. I don't enjoy reading about Umbridge and the tortures she inflicts on students, although her come-uppance by Fred and George is hilarious. There is just too much badness in this book, save for brief moments of laughter. The Department of Mysteries IS a perfectly wonderful bit of imagination. I have to admit - I can't put this book down.
The Enchantress of Florence, Salman Rushdie
This book is beautifully written and the idea is captivating, but it didn't captivate me. I was bored by it. The things in it have already been done. And that is that.
New Moon
Oh... I really like Bella Swan. She is terribly obsessive, but I am the same way -- incorrigibly constant. The way boys fall for her is completely unrealistic, but what girl's story wouldn't want that? Jacob... in fact, all of the characters.... rely on description from Bella's part, so they aren't very well drawn. I think of rubygillis's classic pattern of a romantic boy and his comic rival, and she does it so much better - so much more lively - than S. Meyer. The climaxes are always extremely melodramatic. I really enjoyed this one because - isn't Volterra the fictional city in Maurier's Flight of the Falcon, which was in turn based on Urbino? I had thought so, but I could be mistaken.
Eclipse
Oh dear. You have to admit this is a pretty good love triangle. I like Jacob, and I like Edward, and I don't despise Bella.
Breaking Dawn
Utter crap, as in, Smeyer's writing needs SO much editing to tone down her language, but still such a guilty pleasure. I'm surprised that Bella really DID become a vampire after all the times and delay. I'm not fond of the half-breed baby as a plot device. Having Bella and Edward start a family right now, it's too soon to think of them as parents. I'm also not sure if the switch to the Jacob chapters were effective.... the book has been so consistently about Bella's voice, and Bella is a decent narrator. I'm glad Bella and Jacob's friendship has been resolved, but
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
