Monday, August 8, 2011
Summer Reading
This summer you had the pleasure of reading a novel or play from the recommended list of titles in your AP Language acceptance letter. Since you must choose one more independent study novel to read this semester, you need feedback from your classmates assessing the novels they read. Out of five stars, how would you rate the book you read this summer (5=high, 1=low)? List the title you read, follow it with your rating, and explain why you would or would not recommend your choice to another reader. Your responses may be brief, but please be specific and edit your work!
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Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a bit of a disappointment. Out of 5 stars, I would give it a 2. It started off wonderfully creepy. One of the main characters of the story, Jonathan Harker, had been deceived into staying at the Castle Dracula. Closely missing an attack from seemingly possessed wolves, reaching the Castle Dracula comes as a relief for the young protagonist. Although interesting and welcoming at first, Count Dracula would soon prove to be Harker’s worst nightmare, and more! Many things happen in during Harker’s experience in the castle, and they are all dutifully noted down each night in his journal. Stoker uses journal entries, telegrams, and even ship logs to tell the horror story of Count Dracula. This unique format is pretty entertaining at first, but after a while, it gets a little hard to decipher whose journal entry is being read, and how all of them tie together. Harker sees many strange things at the castle, and eventually escapes. After that point, the book was a complete bore to me. We meet Mina and Lucy, two friends who are extremely dramatic and snobby. Lucy becomes “hunted” by Dracula and it takes the doctors about one hundred pages to figure it out; so for that reason, it is incredibly frustrating. The theme was not really that applicable to me, because I do not have to deal with sexually repressed women or the issue of science versus religion. I wish that Stoker had kept his captivating intensity from the beginning of the story throughout!
ReplyDeleteMary Shelley’s Frankenstein is an interesting and worthwhile read. The plot is, for the most part, well developed, with the exception of the subplot concerning Justine, which seems slightly random. The characters of this novel, however, are more impressive than the plot. Both Victor and the monster are complex, dynamic characters with inner conflict. Shelley’s use of allusion, most frequently to Milton’s Paradise Lost, enhances the reader’s understanding of characters as well. Her use of beautiful prose and dialogue is also one of the strengths of this novel.
ReplyDeleteThis novel poses questions about the danger and power of science and about what it means to be human, which are highly relevant in today’s society. While Frankenstein raises themes which are applicable in modern society, it also gives the reader insight into the culture of when the novel was written. Throughout the novel, there are references to and ideas from works by William Godwin, Shelly’s father and a renowned author of political fiction, and Percy Shelley, Shelley’s husband and a successful Romantic poet. The incorporation of these works into Frankenstein gives the reader another perspective of the time through alternate texts. Frankenstein is a four on a scale of five because it is a mostly engaging and relevant read, though the opening in particular was slow and certain points in the plot were underdeveloped.
On a scale of one to five, five being the highest, I would grant Jonathan Swift’s book, Gulliver’s Travels, a four. I found it to be an incredibly funny and light-hearted read. Swift uses powerful voice so that whilst reading the novel you are swept into Gulliver’s magical lands.
ReplyDeleteThere were only two things in Gulliver’s Travels that disappointed me while reading. In the first land Gulliver visits (called Lilliput) he uses an incredible amount of description. Though dialog is scant throughout the book, while Gulliver is in Lilliput, the lack of dialogue is almost unbearable. He explains everything that occurs in detail but never shares his conversations. I found this to be quite frustrating. Also, when I read through the book I did not understand much of the satire. Since I did not grow up in the 1700’s it was difficult to pick up on the political jokes Swift was spinning into the novel. The lands Gulliver later visits such as the land of the giants, a city in the sky, and a land of horses that enslave human-like creatures, are captivating. One could easily liken such a tale to those of C.S. Lewis.
Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is a captivating novel that exposes many truths about human nature through Gulliver’s adventures to different and unknown worlds. Overall, Gulliver’s Travels deserves a five because of its brilliant prose and enticing stories. Throughout the novel, Swift allows the reader to realize the utter ignorance of human beings. In Lilliput, for example, Swift uses the Lilliputians’ pride in themselves and their accomplishments to demonstrate the foolish pride of human nature in its own trivial existence. In addition to criticizing human nature, Swift pleasures the audience through the absurd portrayals of the people Gulliver encounters. When reading the book, one finds themselves awestruck at the detail that Swift uses to describe the unfortunate, fortuitous, and downright crazy things that happen to Gulliver. This is demonstrated best when the Emperor of Lilliput employs Gulliver in the stealing of Blefscu, their rivaling empire’s, ships. Because Gulliver is a giant compared to the people he is dealing with when stealing the ships, Swift makes the reader laugh with the inane idea of one giant prevailing against thousands of little people. While most of the book is funny and clever, the ending, in the land of the Houyhnhnms, seemed slow and drawn out; the criticism of human nature and utopia can be indentified fairly quickly and it feels like the idea is reiterated over and over again. Another thing that a reader gets down in while reading Gulliver’s Travels is the political satire. While the humor used for this part of the book is funny, it is exceptionally hard to understand what Swift is criticizing. Other than these few shortcomings, Gulliver’s Travels is a great book to read.
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ReplyDeleteJane Austen’s, Emma, is a piece of literature for every classic romantic. Austen’s main character, Emma Woodhouse, has a fancy for making matches, however, claims she will never, herself, marry. The irony of this novel is ultimately the relationship of Emma and Mr. Knightley. Austen’s use of irony in Emma allows for the reader to interpret the actual meaning of events that take place. When reading Emma, one finds themselves speculating the veritable meaning of the dialogue between characters throughout the novel. Austen’s use of dialogue, that often juxtaposes the obvious meaning of the text, causes one to theorize over the ultimate outcome of Emma’s matches; for example, the erroneous match between Harriet and Mr. Elton. While I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about love, I discourage it to those who cannot stand the idea, essentially, of a chick flick; they will find it dull and tedious and would not enjoy this book. Austen’s Emma earns a four out of five for the challenge and captivation it brings to its narrative pages.
ReplyDeleteIslands filled with miniatures, giants, extreme intellectuals, and talking horses are not out of reach in Jonathan Swifts Gulliver’s Travels; likewise, it is an entertaining read and worthy of a four. Gulliver’s Travels provides much diversity for readers as it follows the voyages of a British explorer to unknown lands upon which he discovers civilizations beyond his imagination. Each island experience strengthens Swift’s satire on the human race, and ultimately forces Gulliver to analyze the condition of his own people. While every curious encounter is exciting and provocative, there are points at which Gulliver’s Travels becomes a bit repetitive and predictable, resulting in its ranking finishing just short of a perfect five. This novel is intriguing and a perfect fit for those who can look beyond the science fiction to evaluate this piece of literature for what it is: a brilliantly composed and revealing satire. Swift assembled Gulliver’s Travels with dexterity to insure that every sentence contributed to his powerful criticism. This novel highly recommended to anyone open to a shocking perspective of humanity.
ReplyDeleteEmily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights proved to be an entertaining, if occasionally frustrating, read. After the first forty pages (in which the reader is quite confused because the main character Catherine is dead), the storyline picks up as an account of the past from Ellen Dean. My main source of dismay was the characters. With two exceptions, I despised every character in the book, including the narrators. Constantly making terrible decisions, twisting the truth, and breaking all sorts of moral boundaries, Heathcliff and Catherine are irksome and detestable. Ellen Dean even twists the storyline for her own ends. However, Brontë’s use of such characters is just as enthralling as it is disturbing. Along with keeping the reader interested, the characters enforce some of Brontë’s themes about love and society. I enjoyed the Wuthering Heights and believed it earned a four out of five. Brontë’s masterful descriptions and the constant hope for the future made this book worthwhile and meaningful.
ReplyDeleteGraham Greene's The Power and the Glory deserves a 2.5 out of 5. I say this because it is only half a book. A book consists of two parts: the message, and a story. Greene develops the message artfully as it slowly builds up in the form of a hunted priest's thoughts, and dramatically draws the strings of the thesis together at the end of the novel. The story sucks. I hardly wanted to read the book because you hear more of the priest's internal complaints than plot development. It takes 200 pages of aimless wandering for the priest to muddle his way through a thought process that could have been completed in a well written two page paper in one afternoon. Alas, that does not make for a very good novel and the reader is subjected to a series of slow and painful plot developments. It does have some good points and lessons of morality that are easy to write about and a great Sparknotes so I would recommend reading it, and even though 200-some pages seems a bit much for the simple story it is one of the shorter books.
ReplyDeleteA Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens deserves a two out of five stars. The book is very confusing and gory. Characters’ similar names like Sydney and Stryver force the reader to pay close attention to detail or else one is easily lost. Also, Dickens constantly switches from London to Paris. The book over all is very confusing until about half way through. Evil characters like Madame Defarge and the Vengeance never ceased to stop killing everyone in the book, and those who love a good ole demonized character would love Madame Defarge. She killed every man she’s ever hated by doing pilgrimages, cutting off people’s heads, and hanging every rich man or foreigner in sight. The deaths were violent and not for the weak stomached. The people in Paris are described like animals while doing a dance called the carmagnole, which often led to killing rampages. The book absolutely destroys any hope or happiness left in the human soul. The only thing about the book I liked is the sacrifices that both Lucie and Carton make for the ones they love. If one loves butchery and hatred then go ahead and read A Tale of Two Cities.
ReplyDeleteOver the course of the summer, I chose to read Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. I would give the book four out of five stars, mainly because the story was a bit dry at times. I tend to like texts that are written in a more non-fiction way, which was a great help when Swift was describing elements of the new worlds. The detail he put into creating a world such as that of the Lilliputians is extremely precise. There were times that I simply became bored with the book, as a certain description or account seemed to drag on for what seemed to be an eternity. That was just a small complaint in comparison to the highlights of the book. Through Swift’s narrative, I was able to clearly imagine the worlds that Gulliver went to. I would recommend this book to only certain friends, as the attitude of the book does require a certain taste. If you are not interested in a historical fictitious book, then I would not have you read Gulliver’s Travesl. If you enjoy vivid, scientific descriptions of worlds imagined, lined with satire criticizing the role of government in any capacity, then this is the book for you.
ReplyDeleteAssumption, curiosity, and opinionated; these characteristics create many complicated problems in Jane Austen’s novel, Emma. Out of five stars, the book is a 2 for several reasons. Since the setting is rural England in the early 19th century, the conflicts are dull compared to a modern society. For example, dinner parties and house visits make a day’s activities twice as exciting than other days filled with endless conversations listening to Miss Bates, a character that talks for pages, literally. The climax was rather monotonous overall because it consisted of Emma, the main character, realizing her own feelings of love for Mr. Knightley, a man that she has known for most of her life. This can be considered the climax because throughout most of the novel, Emma states that she will never marry and therefore, this is a huge character recognition for herself. All through the novel, Emma also attempts to match-make her protégée, Harriet Smith, with worthy bachelors. This leads to many problems because Emma assumes more than what knowledge she actually possesses causing more heartache than happiness. Even though the book lacks action, it is a perfect read for someone who enjoys love triangles and the pursuit of finding the perfect match in following your own heart.
ReplyDeleteAlthough creepy and well developed, Bram Stroker’s novel, Dracula, contains several flaws earning it three out of five stars. To begin, the novel contains eerie descriptions and situations an individual hardly desires to engage in, yet there is hardly any suspense throughout. The plot of Dracula is rather predictable, and not the reader predicted it a page before predictable. One hundred pages well before some events occurred, the reader easily can identify the outcome of the event. An example is when Lucy Westenra has been bitten by Dracula, and it becomes obvious she will transform into a vampire, yet the reader does not find out until a hundred pages later.This lack of suspense deters the ready from feeling horrified to sheer boredom. Additionally, the plot is well developed, with multiple characters containing dimension, but there is a redundancy about the novel which makes the reader want to fall asleep. For instance, the character Mina Harker shares an insight on Dracula in her journal entry, and twenty pages later Dr. Seward expresses the same opinion, just in different wording. This again adds to the boredom the reader feels as they read Dracula. Finally, the literary elements are, in my opinion, really easy to spot out, but there are very few of them that are applicable and identifiable of a reader in his/her teens. Easily, one can spot out the religious references and motifs such as blood and the colors red and white, but other than after researching, the literary elements and themes are not obvious; they are not retainable even if one of this generation thinks about it. Research shows there are themes such as the fear of modernization and repressed women, but how could a generation of tech savvy and equal righted individuals discover this? Despite the flaws of the novel, an interesting element of Dracula is the writing style. The use of journal entries definitely saved the novel and added interest for the reader. This makes the reader feel as if he/she is immersed in the novel and engaging in the characters’ thought processes and events. Overall, this book is okay, not fantastic, but not dreadful. I would recommend to someone who enjoys horror, a quick read, and digging through their brains for literary elements to discuss.
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ReplyDeleteGraham Greene’s The Power and the Glory is a novel that failed to meet this reader’s expectations. Out of five, I would give it a two. After reading the back cover copy, I expected to read an action filled story about the last priest’s on Earth epic fight for survival. I could not have been more wrong. I found turning the pages of this novel to be a rather tedious task that I would not wish upon any other person. The book had an ingenious plot, but that same plot failed to develop into anything more interesting than dust found under a rug. The story was filled with long and meaningless passages about the priest’s travels and encounters along his journey. Not only did the story drag along slower than a snail, but I also found the dialogue incredibly confusing and irrelevant. However, amongst the bland elements of the book, there were a few things I did enjoy. Graham Greene’s immense vocabulary not only added to the plot of the novel, but also to the excellent descriptions of this post-apocalyptic Mexico. These descriptions make it easier for the reader to get through this novel, and receive their reward of a clever and interesting cliffhanger ending. Despite the elements of the book I did enjoy, I would still recommend it only to people who enjoy slow and nondescript novels.
ReplyDeleteA Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, is a slow yet intriguing read. This novel deserves a three out of five due to the fact of its status as a classic. The novel follows several characters through a troubling time in Europe, the French Revolution. It tells of love, greed, gore, and sympathy as the characters find themselves caught in the midst of the horrid French Revolution. The novel receives a three out of the possible five because of its extreme detail. Chapters will go on without a single word of dialogue making it a tiresome read. However, if the reader can appreciate this story as a classic it makes it much more enjoyable. For example, the middle of the book is very slow and there is very little to relate to, but the idea of classic makes it so a reader can appreciate the style of writing Dickens shows. The book also shows a sign of happiness at the end where the reader sees the power of love and what it drives one to do. I recommend A Tale of Two Cities because it is indeed a classic, however slow and sad it gets, it is still a great piece of literature and I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteMary Shelley’s Frankenstein is an enthralling literary work that deserves 4.5 out of 5 stars and a recommendation to another reader. Shelley’s novel deserves a 4.5 star rating and a recommendation because her novel is made up of multiple stories and allusions to tell the tale of one man and his wretched creation of a monster. The only reason that it does not deserve a perfect 5 star rating is that the beginning is redolent with prosaic descriptions of characters that aren’t as important as Dr. Frankenstein and his monster. Shelley gives the reader both the perspective of Dr. Frankenstein and the monster to create juxtaposition between the two characters which helps the reader to interpret which one is the protagonist. The most interesting parts of the novel are the chapters when the monster is telling his creator about his attempts to be part of society. The monster tries to do many things to please humans such as retrieving firewood for cottagers and saving a little girl from drowning, but after every courteous gesture the monster is cast aside by society because of his wretched appearance. These parts stir sympathy for the monster. His journey for acceptance is a very universal and relatable pursuit. However, he destroys the feelings of sympathy in the reader when he vows to take revenge on his creator. Shelley made the monster as a round character so that his confusion mirrors every human being’s confusion about life. At one point the monster confusedly compares himself to both Adam and Satan from Milton’s Paradise Lost. His creator leaves him to decide which one he truly is just as Shelley leaves the reader with the same conundrum.
ReplyDeleteI would give Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities 3.5 out of 5 stars, because it is a slow and confusing read for most of the book, but picks up at the end and leaves the reader with a strong message about the power of love. The main source of confusion for me was that the overwhelming amount of dialogue made it hard to keep track of who was speaking and what they were saying. Because of this, I had to reread crucial parts of the book later on because I had misunderstood what the characters meant (especially during the courtroom scene in England when John Barsad is called to the witness stand). Dickens also spends a lot of time describing the everyday and uneventful lives of characters like Sydney, Stryver, Darnay, and Lucie back in England. While this helps the reader relate to the characters more, it could have been done in much fewer words. Despite all of this, though, the action really picks up near the end of the book. Darnay returns to France to save a friend, only to be arrested and given a death sentence. Through this crisis and the other characters determination to save his life, Dickens beautifully illustrates what true friendship and love is. I wholeheartedly recommend reading A Tale of Two Cities, but know going in that it will take some work to get through it.
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ReplyDeleteMary Shelley’s absurd horror, Frankenstein, provokes many thoughts concerning human nature and the biases that accompany it. The novel earns a fair 2.5. While entertaining the reader with nail-biting suspense in select few chapters, a large amount of the pages were dedicated to slow moving and repetitive narrations belonging to Victor, the protagonist. Frankenstein also possessed a twist that the reader does not expect which thankfully breaks the chain of predictability. This twist, of course, is when Victor climbs high in the mountains to confront the very “monster” he had created two years prior. I was shocked to discover that the wretch was eager to tell Victor the tales of post-creation. Surprisingly the demon was very affluent. I was under the impression that Frankenstein (the monster) was illiterate and unintelligent. Although these chapters were very engaging, the reader finds the rest of the book predictable. The monster is seen as macabre to the human eye, he is looked upon with hatred and disgust. Being chased away after numerable attempts of kindness he turns to murder. His first victim is Victor’s brother and the monster frames a family friend, Justine, who is found guilty. However, she was known to be innocent by Victor who knew the true perpetrator. After this first incident the monster proceeds to slaughter many others close to Victor but every murder is predictable and dramatically ironic.
ReplyDeleteOne could argue Shelley’s great portrayal of the monster and how she forced her audience to ponder the treatment it received. I do agree that she forced society to think about how the monster was treated, but a message does not make a book wildly entertaining, it only gives it purpose. Frankenstein lacks the entertainment that many seek and I would not recommend it to my peers.
The Once and Future King, a novel by T. H. White, is an artful retelling of the saga of King Arthur, worthy of four stars out of five. White divides the story into 4 sections, each telling a different part of King Arthur’s tale. The first section is a highly enjoyable, light-hearted record of Wart, the young boy who grows up to be King Arthur, and his childhood adventures. These 24 chapters are filled with dry humor and creative character developments that engage the reader straight from the start. The next three sections present an increasingly darker and depressing view of King Arthur’s struggle between justice and the future of England. White holds a captive audience throughout. He uses Lancelot and Guenever’s romance and simultaneous betrayal to carefully spin a web of emotion around the reader while steadily developing the intriguing plot and multiple characters. King Arthur’s yearning to create a society of honor and justice appeals to the reader’s heart to the extent that when Arthur reaches a moment of heartbreak, the reader experiences the same distress. The few possible complaints deal with the few sections of slow reading and the lack of a fairy tale ending. T. H. White created a truly wonderful novel when he wrote The Once and Future King, a novel that should be recommended to all.
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ReplyDeleteGulliver’s Travels, by Jonathon Swift, exposes the follies of mankind as Gulliver, the main character, voyages to many unique islands. Swift uses satire to criticize the English government and human society which makes this a fun read; however, there are pages of long descriptions and a lack of dialogue; therefore, Gulliver’s Travels earns a three out of five. Gulliver visits the islands of Lilliput, where the small islanders have extremely excessive pride in their tiny civilization, Brobdignag, where giants (compared to Gulliver) roam the land and are examined close up, Laputa, where swift creates a hilarious race to criticize inventors, scientists, philosophers and the folly of theoretical knowledge, and Gulliver interacts with the Houyhnhnms, where Swift plays with the idea of a “utopia,” or perfect civilization. During his travels, Gulliver is always the odd one out except when he is in England, and he is often set back by his humanity. Especially when he visits the Houyhnhnms, Gulliver is bound by his humanity because he is too much like the Yahoo’s, whom the Houyhnhnms have kindly tamed and kept as the only “bad” thing in their relatively perfect society. This book is great for the deep thinker that can recognize satire and pick up on symbols, but does not mind long explanations and a lack of dialogue, which become mundane after a while.
ReplyDeleteThe Once and Future King by T.H. White was a stirring retelling of the classic tale of King Arthur. Of a highest rating of five stars, The Once and Future King deserves a four. White writes an interesting read where the words are easy to follow and intriguing. The first book of the four is by far the most enjoyable, for it is very lighthearted to enhance King Arthur’s young age. Humor is playfully knit into Merlyn’s brief presence. Because Merlyn can see both the past and future, he often comments on situations hundreds of years into the future that the reader can identify with, while the ignorant King Arthur remains in the past- a superb use of dramatic irony. Once the first book has been blissfully devoured however, the novel diverts to serious themes of lust, purity, murder, forgiveness, right and wrong. These themes are only subtly alluded to in the first book, but the second book immediately dives into a radically dark setting in comparison, opening the scene with a boiling cat and mere children making promises of revenge and murder. Women are portrayed very poorly as the only female characters in the novel consistently trick and seduce men, leading to their downfall.
ReplyDeleteThe novel is a long read with a familiar plot, but no matter if the realm of knights is an utter bore, White’s writing makes up for it. This novel is easy to read, but takes a while to get through its near 800 pages. I would recommend this novel to anyone willing to take the time to read it and stomach low key provocative sexual and antifeminist themes. Aside from those two this novel is very enjoyable and highly recommended.
A repetitive, at times dull, yet entertaining satire on the human race is an appropriate way to describe Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and therefore deems it four out of five stars. Lands of miniature people, giants, magical people and horses are somewhat far reaches to parallel the human race. Swift’s satire is a funny one but can be baffling and awfully repetitive at times. Gulliver travels to these lands and ultimately learns many lessons about the lives of outsiders to the human-race as well as many lessons about the lives of humans. While Gulliver is in each of these lands, there is a tendency of repetition in each story line. Gulliver is eventually safely received, enjoys the land and culture but is exiled in the end. This makes it dull and predictable but what Gulliver endures is extremely entertaining. At times he is the sex toy of the giants, the protector of the little people, and purely an audience to the magical people and the horses. This book is recommended simply because, although the story line is somewhat predictable, Gulliver endures many interesting people and places. Swift’s satire of the human race is also quite entertaining and reason enough to go on this adventure.
ReplyDeleteMary Shelley's renowned work Frankenstein is an interesting literary piece that brings forward the delusion of society and what it really means to be human. The piece is a slow read at parts and focuses mainly on lives of Victor Frankenstein, a man of science who succeeded in creating monster, and his creation. One could argue that either is the protagonist as the majority of the story focuses on the life of each individual post-creation. Some of the story seems irrelevant and drawn on, such as the focus around Frankenstein’s romantic interest and family back home, but mostly the story is enthralling in the sense that one is truly left to wonder about society’s perceptions of “perfection”. Frankenstein tries to create a perfect being, yet is appalled with his monster and flees from him. Both Frankenstein and his monster are round characters possessing an unpredictable nature that helps the reader through the rather drawl dialogue. Shelley also incorporates a sense of good versus evil, and references Milton’s Paradise Lost as Frankenstein’s monster wonders whether he is more like Adam or Satan. The reader is left sympathizing with the monster at some parts, as he is banished by all humans and deemed hideous and unruly, yet also at times criticizes both Frankenstein and his monster for their vengeful nature, especially the monster when he murders his creators brother, then frames Frankenstein’s love interest as the killer. Shelley creates a unique piece that I recommend be read. The specific language enhances the story’s charm, readers are intrigued by the juxtaposition created through the stories of the monster and Frankenstein, and the text leaves one curious about their views in today’s society, but the dense plot and rather drawn out scenes earn this novel a three out of five stars.
ReplyDeleteA Tale of Two Cities by by Charles Dickens is, out of five stars, worthy of a four. Though the language is at times hard to get through, it is a book worth reading. This book is labeled a classic and I am convinced that it deserves this title. The story takes place during the French Revolution and the plot deals with the bloodthirsty revolutionists. This story shows the duality of this time period; it shows the atrocities committed by both the revolutionists and the aristocrats of the time while also illustrating how anyone can change for the better. The plot follows a man who is released from imprisonment for eighteen years and his daughter, Lucie, who brings him back to almost his prior state before imprisonment. A man named Darnay later marries Lucie and soon after is arrested for his true identity, a relative of a disliked aristocrat. While some characters are arguably flat (Lucie Manette and Darnay) others are fairly developed, like Sydney Carton (a drunken lawyer). Though this story is a little slow at times it is worthwhile but not outstanding.
ReplyDeleteA Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a captivating story about love and oppression, sacrifice and determination. Out of five stars, this book deserves four and a half. Dickens skillfully structures this novel with a perfect balance of romance between Lucie and Darnay and violence during the French Revolution. This, along with the change of setting between England and France, attracts the attention of the reader very well. Carton’s famous sacrifice by the guillotine and Doctor Manette’s inspiring resurrection are unforgettable parts in this novel that make it very enjoyable. The determination and violence of the revolutionaries, especially Madame Defarge, give the reader complex and mixed feelings about their morality, which leads to internal debate on what is considered “right” in society even today. This enchanting tale not only entertains, but also gives the reader incite to the feelings of the oppressed during the time of the French Revolution. Although it is a bit lengthy, it is a fantastic read and is definitely recommended.
ReplyDeleteBram Stoker’s Dracula proved to be a very captivating and creepy novel but only in certain parts of the book. Some of the themes that were explored were that of the battle between evil and Christianity, the repression of female sexuality, and the idea of superstition versus modern day science. Out of five stars, Dracula receives a three because while it was long and tedious in certain parts, it was also pretty intriguing and interesting in other parts. Also readers have to put the book into its context. For the most part, the reason that the book feels more predictable would be because readers today have background knowledge on vampires and have a set mindset of what a horror story should consist of. The fact is that when Dracula was written, it was very different from other books and being a classic, it sort of set the standards for what vampire stories would become. The novel is told from different perspectives throughout the book, starting with Jonathan Harker while trapped at Castle Dracula. The beginning was very creepy and interesting but I sort of liked it when it switched to the perspectives of the women and Dr. Seward, because I thought that the comparison of what they wrote before they encountered Dracula versus afterwards showed the immense impact that the evil of Dracula had on each of their lives. The story was a little bit predictable but it almost seems as though Stoker wanted that to show a bit of naivety on the characters’ parts to create a disbelief in their reality. Dr. Van Helsing was the combination between the thought of reality and fantasy which proved to help the most with open-mindedness. Mina and Lucy were the feminine innocence showing what “danger” women could cause to the men in their lives. Reinfield sort of bordered on the subject of man or beast and evil or misunderstood. Dracula was continually compared to the devil and Hell and opposite Christianity. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fond of classics and is also okay with spooky stories but for more impatient readers just wanting a light read, this probably isn’t the book for them.
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ReplyDeleteGulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift is a fun, energetic adventure tale of a seaman who ends up ashore at some unusual destinations. Out of five stars it redeems some due to Swift’s creative descriptions and subliminal life lessons. Although at times Swift’s description seems fairly repetitive, his first destination takes the reader to a place where Gulliver is a giant compared to the native people. Immediately he is given food and a beverage because of his weak state due to his journey. This brings up the issue about corruption in society and how even when a man was starving and in need, the common people took advantage of him with drugs to put him to sleep. This is just the beginning. This book appeals to the reader looking for an adventure both through Gulliver and through their thinking. Gulliver’s Travels deserves three out of five stars.
ReplyDeleteBram Stoker’s Dracula is a riveting tale of a vampire who literally sucks the life out of innocent citizens, while controlling the movements and actions of wolves to instill fear in his potential victims, and making a name for himself amongst his victim’s friends and family and villagers in his hometown. The back cover of the book notes that Dracula “is the tale of those who instill a diabolical craving in their victims, the men and women from whose blood they draw their only sustenance. It is a novel of peculiar power, of hypnotic fascination (Stoker, Bram)”. While there is some truth to that brief synopsis, I found that there was also an underlying source of fallacy. The title of the story is derived from the name of the hell-raising vampire, Count Dracula; however, the description on the back cover of the book fails to mention the long list of characters affected by his antics, who seem to occupy more pages than the Count himself. Lucy Westenra, one of Count Dracula’s many victims, becomes the obsession of her close friend Mina, Mina’s husband Jonathan (another one of the Count’s victims), Dr. Van Helsing, and her several lovers when she dies of puncture wounds from Count Dracula’s bite. The story is set in a journal entry format following each character’s, with the exception of Count Dracula’s, depiction of the events following Lucy’s transformation into a vampire. Stoker does a wonderful job describing the process Dr. Van Helsing and Quincey Morris (one of Lucy’s loyal lovers) use to “kill” Lucy after the transformation, involving a wooden stake and a hammer, driven through her heart. Out of five stars, I would giveDracula a three because Stoker nailed the idea of good vs. evil and the art of manipulation; however, he focused solely on Count Dracula’s victims instead of the vampire himself. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a journal entry style book, but I would be cautious of choosing this book for an independent study because a.) It’s almost 400 pages long, b.) The murder descriptions are very detailed and inappropriate for those with weak stomachs, and c.) Lucy’s death is the main event of the book it seems, and it gets repetitive after Stoker decides she needs 3 blood transfusions to save her life (which eventually fail anyway).
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it sucked dick lol
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