Hello!
You have read (at least) one novel this quarter. Please share your reaction to that book, so that others may benefit from your experience. Please include a short summary of the book, as well as discussing its strengths and weaknesses. DO NOT GIVE THE PLOT AWAY...merely inform the readers of the initial situation. Be sure to indicate your recommendation, along with any rationale.
To add your response, please comment on this post. (Consider first composing it in Word and then copying and pasting it into the blog.)
Thank you!
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
ReplyDeleteJulia Sant
The Secret Life of Bees is a wonderful novel written by Sue Monk Kidd. Kidd uses a lot of vibrant language to describe the life of Lily Owens, or better known as Lily Williams. This novel is a fast read and is quite an adventure. As the story progresses the unusual nature of bees and Lily’s life become intertwined.
This society-revealing novel tells the story of Lily who is trying to find herself. Lily grew up with her abusive dad, T. Ray, and with little memory of her mom. Lily’s caretaker and maid, Rosaleen, is going off to register her name to vote when both Lily and Rosaleen wind up in jail. After T. Ray freed Lily, Lily helped Rosaleen escape and they both ventured off to Tiburon SC. When the two reach South Carolina they end up staying with the Boatwrights. This black family graciously accepts them and they turn the two escapees into bee workers. Lily becomes quite comfortable in her new world but must face reality some day. There is a lot of drama at the Boatwrights’ house throughout the story but in hindsight, Lily learned a lot of lessons there. She fell in love with a black boy named Zach, which she never thought was possible but she also found a true sense of herself at this home. Lily became quite a unique independent who many people can relate to. At the climax near the end of the novel, it is predictable that T. Ray eventually finds Lily. T. Ray returns to his usual abusive behavior but just like bees, they always find their home.
The Secret Life of Bees definitely has a suspenseful plot but the vivid words really make it come to life. Kidd uses many powerful words and has a casual diction. These two aspects of her writing bring strength to the novel. The only weakness may be that particular people do not like the racial prejudices that are presented. The book takes place during the 1960s when African-American’s were just approved the right to vote so black discrimination was still lingering at this time. This is also a reason why Kidd’s intended audience is for mature youth and adults. It is a depressing story at times but very relieving to find out about Lily’s life. One might say it was almost like discovering the secret life of bees!
Jimmy Hessel
ReplyDeleteMr. Stuebner
PSEO English 160
October 28, 2011
Dear John is a very well-known book throughout the country and just as well liked. Most teenage girls are infatuated by this novel and the story that the author, Nicholas Sparks, portrays. This book isn’t solely meant for young adolescent girls though; many men, including myself, have enjoyed this book.
I believe that the reason that this novel is so well liked is because it shows a fantasy love story that everyone can dream for. The love shown between the two main characters, John and Savannah, is something that everyone would like to have in their life. In the book, a man, John, helps a girl in distress, Savannah, and they get to talking. Next, they start seeing each other more and more, and feelings start to surface. This is a realistic situation in which anyone could see themselves in.
Another reason why I, and many others, liked this book is because of the story line. The story line was very straightforward and easy to understand. In the beginning, John and Savannah are so in love with each other that they wish they could be with each other every second of the day. As the story progressed and John was re-enlisted into the army, their feelings for each other were tested because of the distance and time apart. Readers were forced to be empathetic for the situation that John and Savannah were in. As a reader, throughout the whole story I was hoping that the two of them would live a happy life together. That is what the author does very well; he draws us into the story by having us with the best for the characters.
I liked this book because of the plot and the very likeable characters. This book would appeal to men because of the amazing woman that Savannah is described to be and because John is a role model, since he served in the military and is very well liked by everyone. This book would appeal to women because John would be their dream guy. John is buff and has a romantic charm within him that is brought out throughout the book. It was very easy to follow what was happening in the story and I would recommend this story to anyone, male or female.
Alex Dillon
ReplyDeleteStuebner 2nd
October 26, 2011
There is a lot that can be learned from the book Center Field by Robert Libsyte. This is a true coming of age story that shows how much a person can mature when they face difficult times in their lives.
There were many good qualities about this book that made it effective in conveying its message. First of all, Libsyte developed a good plot and brought the reader into the book. There was a lot of detail that got the readers’ attention. There was always a twist that kept the readers on the edge of their seat. There was a mixture in the personalities of each character. This led to conflict an unpredictable circumstances. There were side stories that helped develop the characters and make you get to really feel like you know them.
Despite this being a great book, there were a few flaws in Lipsyte’s writing style. I believe that he often repeated some of the things that had happened a little too much. The way he mentioned the main character’s, Mike Semak, favorite baseball player’s name in almost every other page, it became overused. Everything Mike did was related to this baseball player and it became ineffective. Also there were parts that made Mike look rather childish, like his obsession with his favorite player. And there were times that made Mike look like a punk, like when he went out and partied. These two types of personality traits did not work well for this book. I believe that Libsyte went over the edge with Mike’s obsession with his favorite baseball player.
Lipsyte’s intended audience for this book was for teenagers, although there are some mature actions and scenes that may deter some younger teenagers from reading it. But the language is very simple and easy to understand. I believe that Lipsyte’s message in this book is geared to show youngsters that they do have a voice and they can make a difference. Standing up for what someone believes in can take them far in life. Learning this message early can change a person and steer him or her in the right direction. So I believe this is why Libsyte chose this audience.
This book was a rollercoaster ride that leads the reader through a tour of unexpected events. There was a deep plot that caught the reader’s attention and kept them on the edge of their seats. Personality traits and egos played a huge role in the outcome of this book. And this teaches people to watch who they are or they may get involved in something they can never get out of.
The Summer I Dared By Barbara Delinsky
ReplyDeleteLauren White
The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky was a great book to read. It was about the survivors of a deadly boat wreck. The survivors had to deal with survivor quilt and had to try and figure out why their life was spared when many were not so lucky and lost loved ones in the crash. The book started off with the female main character going on a ferry to go to visit her aunt and have a peaceful vacation from her cheating husband. She was on the ferry when it was hit with another boat and very few survived the crash. After the boat wreck and the rescue team search the story is about the survivors getting to know each other and coming to terms with what happened to them. Also during the book towards the very beginning the main female character learns that her husband is cheating on her and she has to learn how to handle going through a divorce when she has depended on him for the last twenty plus year and when at times she only stayed with him because he is the father of her child. Also all of the survivors have complicated families, so they all have to learn how to get along with the people who love them and want to help them but don’t understand what they’re going through.
There were many positive aspects of the book. The book switched off between being told from the main male character and main female character. The characters were in their forties and it was also a romance novel. Because of this I would say that the audience would be for women in their thirties and forties. The characters had to deal with death, divorce and problems with their older children. Although women of younger ages could read this book, middle aged women would enjoy and better be able to relate with it. Another positive aspect of the book is that it also had a mystery involved in the book. The mystery had to do with why the boat sunk. So the book was a mystery and a romance which makes it more interesting to read. There are also some negative parts of the book. One negative part of the book is that at some times it can be boring and you have to keep reading to get the interesting parts. Another thing that I didn’t like in the book is the author didn’t do a good job concluding the book; some characters were left without a proper ending. Overall I enjoyed reading the book and I would recommend it to anyone who sounds intrigued by this blog.
Tyler Lennox
ReplyDelete10/25/11
Mr. Stuebner
Pseo English 2nd period
In the book The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin, a once famous American general named Benedict Arnold, has joined the revolt against the British King during the American Revolution. His once great and powerful family had wealth and power but over the years their power has declined along with the people of New Haven’s respect for them. Arnold became sick of being a low life and decided to take action. He enlisted in the army and quickly rose in rank. Along with the story of Benedict being told, the book also tells how John Andre a British major also rose to power. Eventually the two officers meet with each other and try to make their own plans for the war. As Benedict endures the brutality of the war, he takes a chance to attack a major British city known as Quebec. Unfortunately he does not win the battle and is forced to retreat losing hundreds of good soldiers. This defeat causes him to be humiliated and frustrated with congress who continue to abuse Benedict by not helping him out in his war effort. Over and over again Benedict is humiliated by defeats and constantly not getting the respect he deserves in his aid with others. Eventually he has to make a very rash decision during the war that could change the outcome. Benedict decides to turn on the country he once loved and has joined forces with Andre to take down George Washington.
There are many pros and cons in this book, there are more pros than anything. Some of these pros are the layout of the story. The book not only describes the life of Benedict Arnold and his war efforts, but also talks about John Andres and how the two confront each other towards the end of the book. Since the book’s layout is like this, it shows what really happened during the American Revolution and how a few simple actions completely changed our history and how we came to be the country we are today. Another pro about this book is that it shows what life was really like back then. The story teaches you about what the people had to deal with in everyday life. It also shows how soldiers endured the hardships they had to face everyday knowing that it could their last day alive. There were not very many cons about the book but there are a few. One of the cons is the book seemed to skip around a lot. The layout was good but how the actual story was told seemed to be confusing at times. The book would talk about Benedict for a while then all of a sudden switch over to Andre leaving the reader confused about what is currently happening causing them to get lost and have to re-read the previous few pages. This was the only major con in this book. The book was a very good book and should be recommended to other readers everywhere.
Kerry Owens
ReplyDeleteMr.Stuebner
PSEO English 161, 2nd Period
11 November, 2011
A Time Of Miracles by Anne-Laure Bondoux is about a young French boy named Blaise Fortune who lives during the time period of Soviet Russia and in this country goes by the name of Koumaïl. He lives in this country with his ‘caretaker’ named Gloria Dabaieva. He is often told stories of his long lost French mother, who disappeared in a horrendous train derailment and by the time Blaise is seven the Soviet Union collapses. Gloria then takes Blaise on a long and treacherous journey to the French Republic where Blaise was originally born. The two could be free to do whatever they pleased as well as see if Blaise’s real mother is alive or not. Bondoux created a tale of survival and suspense that entices readers to continue on during every step of the two’s journey.
Bondoux’s theme of protection for what to truly love is often played out in several books but the way she adapted it to fit to specify for her book was not overdone or cheesy like so many books are, which both are appreciated to readers. Blaise and Gloria’s story of escaping for freedom is realistic and cleverly created considering the time period with which the book was set in. The twist towards the last few chapters is surprising and adds a nice touch with what seemed to be a dragging ending.
Unfortunately the book lacked a lot of detail that many stories still have and left chapters that could’ve continued on were left short and to the point. The chapters, though there were many, seemed no longer than five or six pages long and therefore made the book seem more appropriate for children in middle school rather than those in high school. Lastly, in the book there were English to French translations as Blaise tried to learn a few French phrases before him and Gloria got to France. The translations, though, were hard to read because she arranged it so that they were italicized as well as written like one word. For those who haven’t been around French words, it makes it hard to read.
Through each of Bondoux’s strengths and weaknesses in this book she created a tale meant for all ages that entices and enhances the reader’s experience through the entire way through the book. Definitely meant to be read for people who like tales of love and hardship.
Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
ReplyDeleteMegan Eisaman
Usually, people prefer to keep religion of any kind and school separate. Although, I more often than not agree with that rule simple to avoid argument, this quarter I ventured out of my comfort zone and read a book very much centered on religion. Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, is probably one of the best books I have had the pleasure of reading.
The novel is pretty self explanatory. It’s about real life proof of heaven, Jesus and Gods existence. These controversial existences are proven by one little boy’s deathly experience. Like all novels, Heaven Is For Real has both strengths and weaknesses. However, while trying to write this blog, I had a difficult time finding a weakness. As I reviewed my thoughts on the story, I came across the reason I chose the book. This revealed a major weakness. The novel is about God! Now I said that like it’s a bad thing, but it’s not! The God subject doesn’t bother me in the least, but it could be a deal-breaker for some people. The content of the novel however appealing to me might be offensive to others. Readers who aren’t bothered by the God aspect should indeed consider reading this book.
The story line flows well throughout the novel and there is never a dull moment. Another thing I enjoyed about the novel was that it was written in simple terms. What I mean by this is that anyone should read it and understand it. The author didn’t use difficult words and used modern vocabulary. Not only did he choose words and vocabulary that are, but the story really grabbed hold of me. I felt as if I were in every scene along with the characters. Heaven Is For Real was an effortless read to say the least. I would, and already have, recommended this book to friends and family. I found that this novel was well written and uplifting. When I chose the book, I was scared it would simply depress me. Yet, after reading the story, I felt quit liberated. Some of my own personal questions were answered, while it also stirred up some new ones to think about. I strongly suggest this book to any reader with a willing and open mind towards new things. Without an open mind, reading Heaven Is For Real would be a waste of someone’s valuable time.
Paige Venesile
ReplyDelete11-11-11
PSEO English 161
Stuebner
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is the first book in a trilogy about a country called Panem, a country that is now in place of where the United States of America used to be. About 75 years prior to the setting of the story, a rebellion took place in Panem. The government fought against the thirteen districts of the nation, and defeated all of them except for District 13, which was destroyed. The poorest, most neglected district, District 12, is home to the story’s main character, Katniss Everdeen. Katniss generally takes care of her mother and younger sister, Prim, because her father died in a mining accident years ago (District 12 is well known for its coal mines). Before his death, Katniss’ father taught her how to hunt. In Panem, hunting is illegal, but Katniss hunts as a means to keep her family and herself alive.
The government (referred to as the Capitol in the book) holds what they call the Hunger Games every year, in order to remind the districts of the Capitol’s power after the rebellion. Two tributes, one male and one female who are ages twelve to eighteen, are chosen at random from each district. The tributes (twenty-four total) are sent to a specially designed arena to fight to the death. The last person alive is the winner of the Hunger Games, and wins all sorts if money and prizes. At the ceremony where the tributes are chosen (The Reaping, as it is called), Katniss’ twelve-year-old sister Prim is chosen, and Katniss volunteers to take her place. The duration of the story is Katniss’ time in the arena with her fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta.
This book is unusual for a young-adult fiction book, in that it evokes deeper thought than most. It presents the dilemma of choosing between one’s conscience, and obedience to one’s government. It is clear to those who read the book today that sending children into an arena to kill one another is not morally acceptable, but this distinction may be harder to make in a society that is as oppressive and controlling as Panem’s is.
Suzanne Collins is an extremely strong and powerful writer. The way that she sets up scenes, especially those that take place in the arena, is incomparable. Her description of characters and situation, humane or not, puts you right in Katniss’ mind, right in the arena with her.
Young adults are not the only age group that can get lost in Katniss Everdeen’s world. Suzanne Collins’ writing in The Hunger Games has the effect of enticing readers of every age and gender.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
ReplyDeleteMorgan Turner
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a wonderfully crafted novel revolving around a young man named Jacob Jankowski. Studying veterinary science at Cornell University, Jacob’s world is turned upside-down when he learns that his parents have died in a car accident. Jacob is grief stricken and is stripped of his rights to his house. Walking out on his exams, Jacob hits the road with absolutely nothing but his thoughts and memories. He climbs aboard a train in the middle of the night, hoping it will take him far away where he can start over and build a new life for himself. Jacob soon realizes that he has boarded the train of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Quickly, he assumes the role of the circus veterinarian and has to respond to orders given by the conniving animal director, August Rosenbluth.
August quickly takes a liking to Jacob, unaware of Jacobs’s fascination with his wife, Marlena. Jacob is overwhelmed by Marlena’s beauty and compassion for others. As the equestrian performer, Marlena is the star of the show. Jacob observes Marlena and August’s relationship, suspicious of what August is truly like. Jacob and Marlena’s relationship grows stronger as they bond over the animals, especially a stubborn elephant named Rosie. In response to Rosie’s inability to listen to commands and her misbehavior, the defenseless elephant becomes the subject of August’s built up rage. Marlena begins to realize who her husband truly is and turns to Jacob for comfort. The bond between Jacob, Marlena, and Rosie serves as the driving force behind this novel.
Water for Elephants links love, lust and jealousy to the chaotic world of the traveling circus. The Benzini Brothers Circus changed the lives of the two main characters of this novel. Marlena joined the circus in an effort to find herself and live the life she thought she wanted. Jacob, on the other hand, was a young man running from his past and desperate to start anew. The decision to jump on that train was the best decision Jacob could have ever made.
The book is told from the perspective of Jacob who provides a first person account of his life journey. The chapters switch back and forth between two drastically different time periods, one being the present and the other being Jacob’s circus days. Present day revolves around a 93 year old Jacob in a nursing home. Old and lonely, he reflects on his life experiences and remembers the times he shared with his family. The other time period takes place during the circus days. A young, strong Jacob was employed by the Benzini Brothers during the late 1920s, a time of great poverty and desperation.
Water for Elephants is excellent in almost every aspect. The excessive amount of drama and heart pounding romance attract readers at a drastic rate. The book has vivid imagery and is amazingly detailed allowing for readers to feel as if they are actually present at that moment in the story. Readers can feel the emotions of the characters and are able to relate to each and every one of them. All of the characters struggle with human problems. Weaknesses in this book cease to exist but there are some aspects that readers may not agree with. This includes the unintended, but significant, promotion of adultery, foul language and strong dialogue. The prostitution, public stripping, excessive alcohol use and sexual content may also provide for strong feelings of disapproval. However, these issues do not change the significance and strength of the novel. Water for Elephants is a thought-provoking and fantastic book all mature teenagers and young adults should consider reading.
19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult
ReplyDeleteIsabelle Wagner
19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult is an emotional story of verbal and physical abuse and the terrible consequences that can result from it. The main protagonist, Peter Houghton, is a student from Sterling, New Hampshire who has always endured ridicule and bullying since a young age. Josie Cormier, his former best friend while in middle school, succumbed to the popular crowd once entering high school and now has become a part of the bullying that Peter is subjected to. Her new popular boyfriend, Matt Royston, was even the main bully to Peter. Although Josie didn’t want to bully Peter, she didn’t want to lose her popular status even more, and so she never stood up for Peter. When Peter is finally pushed to the edge by constant name calling and abuse, he commits an act of violence that will forever alter his life, the lives of the Sterling students present that day, and the entire town of Sterling.
19 Minutes was a very good book that really speaks out about bullying and the terrible consequences of it. It was rich with psychological and social insight that was very thought provoking. It causes one to question today’s society, especially that of younger individuals in middle school and high school where it is the hardest to fit in to the in crowd. It also discusses whether the bullied is always at fault for the entire event that happened when they finally snap, or if it could also be blamed on the bullies. The topic is very controversial, and this made the book even better to read.
There were many different strengths present throughout the book. Specifically, the way it was so relatable made it very interesting to read. Also, it was very easy to imagine oneself in the characters’ situations because it was so applicable to daily life, especially for high school students. Jodi Picoult is an excellent writer that makes the reader stay glued to the book for hours at a time. Her style of writing also draws the reader in and causes them to constantly be asking for more.
There were very few weaknesses in the book. The only one was that the book switched back and forth between the character’s point of view very often which would sometimes make it hard to follow. Otherwise, the book was very enjoyable to read.
There isn’t a particular intended audience; however it would probably be most prevalent for middle school and high school students, especially ones who have experienced being bullied. 19 Minutes was an excellent book that I would definitely recommend.
Connor Musial
ReplyDeleteMr. Stuebner
November 11, 2011
Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick is a very powerful novel. It describes a child named Sigmund (Sig) Andersson who lives with his father (Einar), his sister (Anna) and his stepmother (Nadya). They live in a cabin six miles from a village in the Artic Circle. Throughout this story Sig is faced with many trials and tribulations in both his childhood as well as his present years. His mother was killed by a man named Gunther Wolff, who had created a previous deal with Sig’s father. Wolff is a very rustic and aggressive man. He is often described in the novel as “bear-man”. This deal entailed a share of gold that had been attained by Einar and Wolff wanted half of the acquired gold.
One day as Einar was coming home from work, across a frozen lake via dog sled, he had fallen through the ice and froze to death. Sig had found and brought his father along with the dog sled team back to their cabin after the incident. To make matters worse, Wolff has caught back up with the broken family and wants his share of the gold from the previous arrangement. Sig is confronted by Wolff and is caught off guard by his accusations. This is because his father had not told them of the prior arrangement or of any gold that he was saving up or withholding. The moments become very tense when Wolff draws his revolver and begins threatening Sig and Anna for the location of the gold. Sig has a great deal of knowledge that his father had taught them about guns and the Colt revolver that he owns. He uses this knowledge to help with this situation. The outcome of this argument between Sig and Wolff is extremely tense and creates a lot of suspense. This is a very critical moment in this story and is a very recognizable strength in this story.
The author was able to draw out the suspense of that crucial moment throughout the novel by flashing back periodically to Sig’s childhood to show rationale for certain actions and thoughts. With that being said, it was also a slight weakness as well. It became confusing at times trying to distinguish between the past flashback and the present situation within the novel. This novel portrays a very strong theme or moral throughout. This is theme is that shown by what is right and wrong in a given situation. There are a number of life and death situations described throughout the book and most of them are directed at Sig (the main character). At one point in the book the odds are reversed so that Sig could either so come to revenge or turn the situation around so that justice would be done with out more lives ending. All in conclusion this was a really good read and a very powerful as well. Any who pick up this book will enjoy it as well as be moved by it’s powerful message.
Jessica Lutz
ReplyDeleteMr. Stuebner
PSEO English 161
November 12, 2011
The Breakup Bible, by Melissa Kantor, provides the reader with a look at what first appears to be the extraordinary high school life of junior student Jen Lewis. Jen Lewis is the features editor of the school’s paper, and she dates the paper’s editor and chief, Max Brown. In Jen’s mind, everything about her life is perfect until Max says, “Maybe it would be better if we were just friends.” Jen has no idea how her life ended up in a horrible breakup mess. How will she endure the daily pain of seeing Max at school? Jen is so distraught her Nana wonders if she needs professional help. Instead of professional help, Nana gives Jen The Breakup Bible. The book’s author claims to have found the key to a quick and painless breakup recovery. The Breakup Bible instructs the reader to follow a few simple commandments. At first glance, Jen feels the book is nothing but useless advice. However, after a second and third review Jen realizes how useful The Breakup Bible can be in helping to erase the memory of Max.
In review, The Breakup Bible is not the best book ever written, but more of a read, if there is nothing better to do. Adolescent girls who like relationships stories, drama and recovery may truly enjoy the book. The plot moves a little slowly with repeated dialogue concerning Jen’s inability to recover from the loss of her first real boyfriend. The story’s high points center on Jen and Max’s initial breakup and the realization that they are nothing more than friends.
The story does have a smattering of humor. For example, Jen’s dad desperately tries to set her up on a blind date. The story’s low point is the predictable plot with nothing drastic or unexpected happing. The story line lacked climax or any type of suspense. For the most part, The Breakup Bible is a typical adolescent girl tale. As a reader, I enjoy books with suspense and surprise, not ones where predicting what will happen on the next page is easy. Overall, I would give The Breakup Bible a grade of “B” for not half bad.
Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne Jones
ReplyDeleteGrace Gindlesperger
Mr.Stuebner
“Blink & Caution” is a fictional story written by Tim Wynne Jones. The story takes place in a small town in Canada with Blink and Caution as the main characters. The two are unaware of each other’s existence until a chain of events pulls their lives together forever. Except for a few dry chapters, I personally loved this book, and it held my attention from the very first sentence to the final word.
Brent Conboy is a street smart runaway who renamed himself Blink, because of the twitch he has. Kitty Pettigrew is a girl with a dark past living with an abusive boyfriend. Kitty refers to herself as Caution because everywhere she goes she brings trouble. The two remain unaware of each other for a majority of the story. The author cuts back and forth between the characters every chapter, only giving away bits and pieces about their life and who they are. The story is written in second person narrative, and is told through the eyes of Blink. Blink becomes entwined in a conspiracy story lead by Jack Niven, a famous business man, and his company, QVD. While on his way to meet Niven’s daughter, who is as curious about the conspiracy as Blink, he runs into Caution. Caution is on the run from a drug dealing boyfriend and, after a chain of events, has ended up at the same train station as Blink. The two sit next to each other on the train and Blink reveals the truth as to why he is traveling and eventually insists that she join him. Normally she would have rejected the opportunity to get close to someone, but something pulls her towards Blink. The two set out on a dangerous adventure to discover the truth behind Jack Niven and, on the way, they discover love that they thought didn’t exist for them. This book was written for an audience of troubled teens, kids with broken families, drug problems, money problems, or anything in-between. Blink came from a broken home with where he lived with an abusive stepfather and an alcoholic mother. After the home became too destructive, he dropped out of school and lived on the streets by himself. Caution lived with her loving family and her adoring brother. When Caution was out shooting, a bullet missed the target and killed her brother. While no one in her family blamed her, she couldn’t forgiver herself and she ran away. She became involved in the drug business and dated an abusive boyfriend. The two main characters are two very troubled teens looking for some hope and happiness in their lives. The author wrote “Blink & Caution” for the children who feel as if they have no one, like Brent and Kitty. This was a very intense, gripping, and suspenseful book. The author used great descriptions and details to describe everything from the room someone was in to the way they were feeling. “Blink & Caution” was a very easy read and kept you hooked from page one. I enjoyed how the author made the reader into Blink, it really intensified the connection that I felt for other characters. The characters were dynamic and had dark secrets that were slowly revealed throughout the story. While the story was very interesting, it did contain many controversial topics. From sex, to drugs, to swearing, to domestic abuse, to even Caution accidentally killing her brother, the story had many unique topics. Also, I began to lose interest during the climax of the story. The plot began to fall apart near the end and was a bit dry, but the story ended up finishing strong. In general I really enjoyed the story and I found little negatives that I could reflect on. “Blink & Caution” was a phenomenal story and had a truly gripping plot. The high action, controversial topics, and dynamic characters will make you feel connected to the story in so many ways. I would extremely recommend this book to anyone interested in a unique story.
Emily Grosjean
ReplyDeleteMr. Stuebner
PSEO English 161, Period 2
19 October 2011
The Miracle Stealer by Neil Connelly looks deeply into the issue of a teenage girl’s faith in God. The book does not solely focus on Andi’s faith, however; it unravels a powerful and moving story involving Andi’s little brother, Daniel. Growing up in Paradise, Pennsylvania, Andi had a solid faith in God and trusted both of her parents. This all began to change for her when Daniel fell into an old well. He was buried alive for three days, and over the course of the three days, Andi could not help but question why God, the person who was supposed to be good to everyone and to make everything better, could let such a horrible thing happen to such an innocent little boy. When Daniel survived the ordeal, he came to be known as the Miracle Boy. People believed he was sent by Jesus to perform miracles such as heal the sick, cleanse a soul, or even raise the dead. However, Andi believed her brother had no special healing powers and wanted more than anything for her brother to be able to live a normal life. Her mother and she had conflicting views and beliefs about Daniel and what was best for him. Andi’s differing beliefs and doubt in her faith take the story through an interesting set of events which draw the reader in.
Before Daniel was saved from the well, Andi lived happily with Daniel and both of her parents in a small town. After Daniel had been rescued from the well alive, Andi’s happy little family quickly fell apart. Andi’s father and she took the same belief that Daniel was only a normal little boy with no special powers. It was Andi’s mother who believed that Daniel’s “healing powers” were a miracle and therefore she would willingly allow Daniel to use his power of prayer to help those in need. As a result, Andi’s parents split up, which left Andi to protect her brother. Andi believed it was not healthy to put the stress of “performing miracles” upon Daniel. She believed so because if Daniel truly believed he had healing powers and he failed to heal an individual, he would feel the immense guilt and take the failure to heart. Therefore, Andi would remind Daniel frequently, “you ain’t special.” Andi was determined not to let such a thing happen to Daniel.
Initially, Andi would fight with her mom about Daniel in an attempt to keep Daniel from being the “Miracle Boy.” However, she soon realized this was not enough to keep her little brother safe when she caught a stalker, who said he had been sent by God to test Daniel and find out whether his powers were real, trespassing on her property late at night. Also, with the town’s annual festival approaching, a growing number of people were seeking Daniel’s prayers. Andi decided all the nonsense had reached its limit and needed to come to an end. Therefore, she began to devise a drastic and dangerous plan to convince Daniel’s followers that he is just a normal little boy.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy mysteries. Although the book is not strictly a mystery, it has an extent to which it could be considered a mystery. The Miracle Stealer unravels the struggle of a teen’s faith in God while it also incorporates the mystery of what Andi will do and what will ultimately happen to Daniel. In my opinion, the book was very well written. I was instantly drawn in from the very beginning and never lost interest throughout. The conflict of Daniel’s mental well-being combined with the internal conflict of Andi’s struggle to believe in God make for a very easy, quick read. The book is realistic and not far-fetched, which makes it easy to relate to. The reader will be immediately drawn in to Andi’s emotions and point of view, making it enjoyable and consistently thrilling throughout.
Austin Kryc
ReplyDeleteThe Kite Runner
The Kite Runner is a novel written by Khaled Hosseini. Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and moved to the United States in 1980. This book was Hosseini’s first novel and it was very successful. The Kite Runner was an international best seller after being published in forty countries. Hosseini is also the author of another best seller, A Thousand Splendid Suns. He currently resides in northern California. The Kite Runner is set in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan. The main character, Amir, is the son of a well known man in the community, Baba. Baba and Amir have two Hazaras, or servants. The Hazara who is about Baba’s age is named Ali and his son is named Hassan. Hassan and Amir are very good friends.
Amir is one of the best kite fighters in the area and Hassan is the best kite runner in the entire city. One day Amir is flying his kite in a competition and cuts the wire of the last kite to win the tournament. Since the second place kite is the highest honor of all the kite runners, Hassan runs after it for Amir. It turns late and Hassan is still not back from the competition and Amir goes out to look for him. Amir finds Hassan with three kids who Hassan had threatened earlier in order to defend Amir. The four of them proceed to fight, and Amir is too much of a coward to do anything.
Amir runs home, and for many years, he cannot forgive himself. His guilt of not doing anything to aid Hassan bothers Amir so much that he sets up a trap to make Hassan appear he has stolen money from Baba, in hope Ali and Hassan would be ordered to leave. Baba says everything is fine and they can stay, but Ali and Hassan know the truth about what happened and how the money got there. Ali insists that they leave. Baba cries a lot over their decision and becomes very frustrated with Amir. They never see Ali and Hassan again. Later Baba and Amir escape out of Afghanistan, and out of all of the fighting against the Russians. The two decide to move America. Baba is slow to catch on to the lifestyle in San Francisco, but he gradually learns. At the flea market where Amir and Baba make a living, Amir finds a woman named Soraya who is also Afghani. Amir and Soraya later get married. Baba dies of cancer a little while after Soraya and Amir marry.
One of Baba’s old friends, Rahim Khan, writes to Amir and tells him he is also very sick like Amir’s father was and he needs to speak personally with him before he dies. Amir flies back to Afghanistan, many years after fleeing, to meet with him. Rahib Kahn tells Amir all about Hassan, how he had married, and had a child named Sohrab. He also tells Amir that Hassan and his wife have been shot by the Talib for being Hazaras. Amir then goes to find the orphaned Sohrab. This novel had both strengths and weaknesses. Some of the novel’s strengths include an incredible plot, also the great use of irony. Hosseini did a fantastic job with the use of foreshadowing and flashbacks. There were not very many weaknesses of the book. The only weakness of the book is that it was very sad which may drive away a certain audience.
The Kite Runner is intended to be for almost every audience. The book displays so many different emotions that it appeals to nearly everyone. Hosseini was trying to give the reader a picture in their mind of some of the past struggles in Afghanistan, and what everyday life was once like in Afghanistan. He also tried to show that no matter how bad the situation gets, one can always have hope that something better will happen. This was by far the greatest book I have ever read. The Kite Runner was a book that was hard to put down because the author kept you attracted in each and every sentence. The author provided a lot of information to the reader at the beginning of the book. All of the information seemed true, but there was the slightest bit of suspicion with bits and pieces of what was said and done. Hosseini later makes sense of these suspicions and the book really comes together as a whole. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read.
Maggie Heschel
ReplyDeleteThe Namesake
Jhumpa Lahiri wrote an extraordinary novel, the Namesake, on a Indian couple, Ashima and Ashoke, who come to the United States and it shows their adventure as they adapt to the new world and traditions. Once the wife, Ashima, prepares for the birth of their first son, Gogol, she grows homesick, wanting to return home to see her family and realizes how secluded she has become. The reason they come to the United States in the first place is because Ashoke is an engineering student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The author gets the title, The Namesake, because their first child was suppose to be named by her grandmother. Ashima wrote her a letter asking her grandmother to name their son but before the letter gets back to Ashoke and Ashima, they must name the baby to get out of the hospital. They decide on Gogol for two reasons. The first reason is because it is the name Ashoke’s favorite Russian author and the second reason is because just before they got married, Ashoke got into a serious accident and he was reading a Gogol book and he had ripped a page out of the book and it caught the attention of the medics to rescue him. For that reason, he is still alive. They eventually get the letter from Ashima’s grandmother and by that time, the grandmother died. When Gogol turns 14 he starts to hate the name and wants to change it. Ashoke tries to convince him the significance of the name but Gogol is too young to understand. Gogol changes his name to Nikhil and sets up a barrier between him and his family. He wants to be American, not Bengali, and starts being rebellious. He smokes, parties and loses his virginity to a girl he cannot remember. When Gogol gets in a minor train accident, Ashoke decides to finally tell Gogol the real meaning of his name. This is the climax of the story. After this, the story is about how Gogol changed his identity to become accepted by his parents and his own marriage that didn’t turn out good.
The weakest part of this novel is the beginning. It started out too slowly and you would’ve never known it was going to be all about Gogol in the beginning. I feel like the beginning just dragged on and there wasn’t really a reason to drag on about it. But this is the only thing I didn’t like about it. The strongest part is probably how Gogol figured out the true meaning behind his name. I really liked how Lahiri made it so that Ashoke told Gogol about his name and his train accident after Gogol had gotten into a train accident also. Over all The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, was a really well written book and I would recommend it to everyone.