Katherine writes:
Reflecting back on my latest read, George Eliot's The Mill On
The Floss, I'm also reflecting back to the life of character
Maggie Tulliver, the novel's protagonist. For our first entry
blog, I mentioned the life of author George Eliot and her secret
affair with married man George Henry Lewes. As I was reading
Maggie's story, I felt that I was also connecting to George
Eliot, in the aspect that she put a bit of her life in Maggie's
love connection to character Stephen Guest, who is engaged to
Maggie's cousin Lucy. This intrigued me and enticed me to read
on, eventually I became engrossed in the novel. The story is
certainly a good read, with the exception of a rather dull
beginning. Eliot's story starts off rather plainly, not very
appealing, and in need of some encouragement to get you through.
The turning point in the novel where the pace picks up a bit, and
gets going, is when Eliot includes humorous situations, such as
Maggie cutting all her hair off because she thinks her aunts like
short thin hair better. In fact, her family is repulsed by her
new hair style, with its stumpy jagged edges sticking out every
which way. If you are someone who prefers a page turner from the
get-go, I would not recommend this novel for you, however you
would be missing out on a classic read with a devastating
cliff-hanger ending. I would rate this book a six and a half out
of ten. Overall it was a good book, however the monotonous ending
brings it down slightly, and for me personally it wasn't the
exact type of genre I was looking for. However I do not
discourage others from picking it off the shelves, in fact I hope
you do just so because the ending is definitely worth it.
Showing posts with label Final entry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Final entry. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
Araz writes:
The novel that I read as my third quarter classic was The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. This novel was well composed and written. It gives you a good glimpse of what political life was back in the day and shows how political leader’s family members lived. This novel is based off of a letter that was written to Isabel Allende’s grandfather who was on his death bed. The beginning of the novel was pretty boring but by chapter six the story got really good and I was unable to put down the novel. I would rate this novel an 8 out of 10 because it had an easy plot to follow. The only problem was that they never notified the reader when the points of view were changing. This novel is considered a journal that Clara and Alba wrote in. This journal enabled them to write down all their thoughts and ideas. I would definitely recommend this novel to a friend because I know they would enjoy it as much as I did.
The novel that I read as my third quarter classic was The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. This novel was well composed and written. It gives you a good glimpse of what political life was back in the day and shows how political leader’s family members lived. This novel is based off of a letter that was written to Isabel Allende’s grandfather who was on his death bed. The beginning of the novel was pretty boring but by chapter six the story got really good and I was unable to put down the novel. I would rate this novel an 8 out of 10 because it had an easy plot to follow. The only problem was that they never notified the reader when the points of view were changing. This novel is considered a journal that Clara and Alba wrote in. This journal enabled them to write down all their thoughts and ideas. I would definitely recommend this novel to a friend because I know they would enjoy it as much as I did.
Cat’s Cradle
Sasha writes:
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a sarcastic, darkly humorous account of the aftermath of a number of fictitious WWII events. The story is told by John, although his role in the plot, other than to chronicle the events is minimal.
The story is kicked off by a man named Felix Hoenikker, a brilliant, if somewhat childish scientist and inventor, who was one of the unintentional parents of the atomic bomb. His last invention before he died was a mysterious substance called ice-nine. When the story takes place Hoenikker is already dead and it is his children who are actually there.
What is probably my favorite aspect of the book is the fictitious religion that many of the characters practice. The religion is called Bokononism and is based around the teachings of a man named Bokonon. Many of the parables and facets of Bokononism are mentioned throughout the book. They can be confusing at times but if you pay attention the pieces do fit.
The novel is written in a style that can at times feel choppy, with very short chapters and often very short sentences, but at the end it has a well-put together feel and the style fits with the story.
At the end of the novel I was left with a feeling of satisfaction, something I always enjoy when finishing a good novel, and something I experience all to infrequently. This has become one of my new favorite novels and I would probably give it a nine out of ten and a strong recommendation. I would however caution someone who does not particularly enjoy reading and who does not enjoy novels that do not get straight to the point that this could be frustrating.
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a sarcastic, darkly humorous account of the aftermath of a number of fictitious WWII events. The story is told by John, although his role in the plot, other than to chronicle the events is minimal.
The story is kicked off by a man named Felix Hoenikker, a brilliant, if somewhat childish scientist and inventor, who was one of the unintentional parents of the atomic bomb. His last invention before he died was a mysterious substance called ice-nine. When the story takes place Hoenikker is already dead and it is his children who are actually there.
What is probably my favorite aspect of the book is the fictitious religion that many of the characters practice. The religion is called Bokononism and is based around the teachings of a man named Bokonon. Many of the parables and facets of Bokononism are mentioned throughout the book. They can be confusing at times but if you pay attention the pieces do fit.
The novel is written in a style that can at times feel choppy, with very short chapters and often very short sentences, but at the end it has a well-put together feel and the style fits with the story.
At the end of the novel I was left with a feeling of satisfaction, something I always enjoy when finishing a good novel, and something I experience all to infrequently. This has become one of my new favorite novels and I would probably give it a nine out of ten and a strong recommendation. I would however caution someone who does not particularly enjoy reading and who does not enjoy novels that do not get straight to the point that this could be frustrating.
A Room with a View
Mairian writes:
In this story Lucy the main character falls in love with a guy she met in Italy named George Emerson. Sadly many people she know disapprove of him and his father and once her cousin finds him kissing her in a garden she decides Lucy must go away from him and not tell her mother. They pack to leave to Rome to stay with the Vyses. When Lucy goes back home to Surrey she accepts the third marriage proposal from Cecil Vyse Cecil disapproves of many people and one day he sees the Emerson’s in a Museum and offers them a small ugly villa that they move into. After a game of tennis George kisses Lucy once again and explains why she shouldn’t marry Cecil. Lucy sees Cecil differently and breaks off the engagement that night. Lucy doesn’t believe that she loves George and decides to go to Greece with the Miss Alans. By surprise she meets Mr. Emerson who tells her that she loves George and should marry him instead. The book ends with a happy ending of Lucy and George in Italy, in the same Hotel they stayed before, in a room with a view.
I would give this novel 8 out of 10. I thought it was a good story and it is very interesting. Once I got further in the novel it kept my attention but in the beginning it was a little hard to understand and it was progressing slowly. Overall it was a good book and I would recommend it to other student’s especially the ones who enjoy love stories.
In this story Lucy the main character falls in love with a guy she met in Italy named George Emerson. Sadly many people she know disapprove of him and his father and once her cousin finds him kissing her in a garden she decides Lucy must go away from him and not tell her mother. They pack to leave to Rome to stay with the Vyses. When Lucy goes back home to Surrey she accepts the third marriage proposal from Cecil Vyse Cecil disapproves of many people and one day he sees the Emerson’s in a Museum and offers them a small ugly villa that they move into. After a game of tennis George kisses Lucy once again and explains why she shouldn’t marry Cecil. Lucy sees Cecil differently and breaks off the engagement that night. Lucy doesn’t believe that she loves George and decides to go to Greece with the Miss Alans. By surprise she meets Mr. Emerson who tells her that she loves George and should marry him instead. The book ends with a happy ending of Lucy and George in Italy, in the same Hotel they stayed before, in a room with a view.
I would give this novel 8 out of 10. I thought it was a good story and it is very interesting. Once I got further in the novel it kept my attention but in the beginning it was a little hard to understand and it was progressing slowly. Overall it was a good book and I would recommend it to other student’s especially the ones who enjoy love stories.
Jude The Obscure
Nick writes:
Jude The Obscure by Thomas hardy a novel renowned for its
quality, writer, and the mark it left in the time period based on
its obscenity. Although it's not nearly as bad as many of the
books out there now, for the time period it was considered
vulgar. Based on the language in the novel it can be assumed the
time period was some time ago most likely in the late 1800's
possibly early 1900's. The language can make this a tougher read,
but I would still recommend it to someone that I knew could
handle filling in the blanks, and figuring out what Thomas Hardy
is trying to say. Halfway through the Novel you find the
difference in language doesn't have any effect on your reading
any longer. Now on to the Main summary, Jude is an ambitious,
intelligent and well, obscure boy. In the beginning of the novel
you meet a boy who's only mentor is leaving to go to the center
of learning in that area. Christminster. To Jude the teacher
leaving was a huge deal, the teacher had meant a lot to Jude, and
was close enough to Jude to have told him his private ambitions
to become a scholar at the university in Christminster. Jude's
Ambitions soon turn into a lifestyle. He reads classics, and
learns all he can with a little help from his old friend, and
mentor teacher. A Huge theme I noticed in the novel was how a
human's love can get in the way of their ambitions. This is
exactly the story in Jude's case. He's dumb enough to find
himself involved in a relationship with a Young girl who cares
not for his needs. His first mistake was Arabella, the
relationship like many in his family's history ended poorly and
had a huge effect on Jude getting to Christminster because he was
forced to put his classics aside for the most part and focus on
his wife. He married her in response to her lie that she was
pregnant. Arabella unintentionally messed up Jude's life pretty
badly. Eventually Jude moves into Christminster to fulfill his
dream, and this was the section Jude faced his disappointment in
many aspect. His Teacher, His mentor, had he really cared for
Jude so much? Evidentially not because he couldn't seem to
remember the name Jude at all, for me reading this I could really
feel Jude's tremendous disappointment. Jude will find
disappointment repeatedly from this point on. Although I loved
the story in the novel I did find it hard to read for a long
period of time. As to not spoil the end I will not reveal
whether or not Jude reaches his dream, or if he ever finds love
again. I do recommend this as a book, but only if you have the
time to read it, I truly found it much more enjoyable in rations,
possibly half hour a night to forty five minutes. After that the
book begins to seem much worse than it really is. I liked the
book, but I wouldn't have finished it if I didn't have too. This
is because I prefer books that really get my emotions going, and
have a lot to them. Somehow this novel just wasn't doing it for
me. Because of the situation I have two scales for this book. On
the scale of how much I enjoyed it I give it a six out of ten. On
a scale of how much I appreciate the writing, and how well I
realize it is written I give it a nine. Unfortunately my
appreciation for Thomas Hardy's style was not enough to make the
book stimulate my brain for long.
Jude The Obscure by Thomas hardy a novel renowned for its
quality, writer, and the mark it left in the time period based on
its obscenity. Although it's not nearly as bad as many of the
books out there now, for the time period it was considered
vulgar. Based on the language in the novel it can be assumed the
time period was some time ago most likely in the late 1800's
possibly early 1900's. The language can make this a tougher read,
but I would still recommend it to someone that I knew could
handle filling in the blanks, and figuring out what Thomas Hardy
is trying to say. Halfway through the Novel you find the
difference in language doesn't have any effect on your reading
any longer. Now on to the Main summary, Jude is an ambitious,
intelligent and well, obscure boy. In the beginning of the novel
you meet a boy who's only mentor is leaving to go to the center
of learning in that area. Christminster. To Jude the teacher
leaving was a huge deal, the teacher had meant a lot to Jude, and
was close enough to Jude to have told him his private ambitions
to become a scholar at the university in Christminster. Jude's
Ambitions soon turn into a lifestyle. He reads classics, and
learns all he can with a little help from his old friend, and
mentor teacher. A Huge theme I noticed in the novel was how a
human's love can get in the way of their ambitions. This is
exactly the story in Jude's case. He's dumb enough to find
himself involved in a relationship with a Young girl who cares
not for his needs. His first mistake was Arabella, the
relationship like many in his family's history ended poorly and
had a huge effect on Jude getting to Christminster because he was
forced to put his classics aside for the most part and focus on
his wife. He married her in response to her lie that she was
pregnant. Arabella unintentionally messed up Jude's life pretty
badly. Eventually Jude moves into Christminster to fulfill his
dream, and this was the section Jude faced his disappointment in
many aspect. His Teacher, His mentor, had he really cared for
Jude so much? Evidentially not because he couldn't seem to
remember the name Jude at all, for me reading this I could really
feel Jude's tremendous disappointment. Jude will find
disappointment repeatedly from this point on. Although I loved
the story in the novel I did find it hard to read for a long
period of time. As to not spoil the end I will not reveal
whether or not Jude reaches his dream, or if he ever finds love
again. I do recommend this as a book, but only if you have the
time to read it, I truly found it much more enjoyable in rations,
possibly half hour a night to forty five minutes. After that the
book begins to seem much worse than it really is. I liked the
book, but I wouldn't have finished it if I didn't have too. This
is because I prefer books that really get my emotions going, and
have a lot to them. Somehow this novel just wasn't doing it for
me. Because of the situation I have two scales for this book. On
the scale of how much I enjoyed it I give it a six out of ten. On
a scale of how much I appreciate the writing, and how well I
realize it is written I give it a nine. Unfortunately my
appreciation for Thomas Hardy's style was not enough to make the
book stimulate my brain for long.
The Cider House Rules
Caitie writes:
I read The Cider House Rules by John Irving. The book is about an orphanage in St. Cloud’s Maine where illegal abortions are preformed. Dr. Wilbur Larch cares for all the orphans in St. Cloud’s orphanage with the help of Nurse Edna and Nurse Angela. These nurses also help him with abortions. The nurses are responsible for naming all the orphans, one orphan they name Homer Wells. Homer is not an average baby, he does not cry. When adoptive families take Homer home they think there is something wrong with him, one family beats him to make him cry. This made him sensitive to the smallest touch or movement. Now he won’t stop crying. Each family can never seem to really mesh with Homer Wells. Dr. Larch stops trying to find Homer Wells’ perfect fit after Homer went on a day trip with one family and the family was gruesomely killed. Homer remains at the orphanage and becomes a son to Dr. Larch and Nurse Edna and Nurse Angela. They start giving him responsibilities and chores. He has to take out the trash and this is how he discovers Dr. Larch’s secret, he finds a fetus in the trash. Dr. Larch has to tell Homer about his secret career. He tells Homer and even starts training him to be an abortionist.
Homer is starved for attention at times so becomes close friends with a rude girl named Melonie, who is in the same predicament as Homer as far as being an orphan that never gets adopted in the girl’s division of St. Cloud’s. Homer and Melonie make a promise to each other that neither would leave St. Cloud’s without the other. Homer is trained to be an abortionist for the next few years. In the meantime the reader is introduced to Candy Kendall and Wally Worthington. Wally comes from a very rich family who owns a famous apple orchard; Candy’s dad is a very hard working, well respected handy man. Candy and Wally are “the couple” in Heart’s Haven, a town a few miles from St. Cloud’s. Candy happens to be the same age as Homer Wells and when she discovers she is pregnant she feels she is too young and has too much going on in her life right now to support a child. She knows Wally will support her, money is not an issue, and she just wants more time to live her life without having to care for a kid. She feels that she has no choice but to gat an abortion. Wally has heard about St. Cloud’s and Dr. Larch’s work. He takes Candy to St. Cloud’s for an abortion. The couple meets Homer Wells there. Homer really likes Candy and wants to help her but he has made up his mind that he thinks abortion is wrong, he doesn’t want to perform abortions anymore. This destroys Dr. Larch who had spent so much time training Homer. Homer will deliver babies but he will not kill them. So during Candy’s procedure he waits outside and talks with Wally. They create a fast friendship and he asks Homer if he wants to take a road trip with him and Candy. This road trip turns into a summer job for Homer. He had to break his promise with Melonie when he left and now Dr. Larch feels like his son is being taken away. Dr. Larch solves many of his problems with his ether addiction but this time he tries to find a new apprentice. He asks Melonie if she would like to learn how to abort a pregnancy. This does not work out because Melonie does not like blood and guts. Dr. Larch is very depressed and doesn’t hear from Homer for a while. Homer is having fun but the story has a twist that I do not want to give away if you want to read the book which I highly recommend.
It was a great book and I really enjoyed it. I like the way John Irving writes. He describes things really well; I can see what is going on. I also really like the characters and the setting. I think they add to the story in the best way. I would give the book 7 out of 10. I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it to anyone that likes a really good author; I wouldn’t however recommend this book to people who usually choose fantasy books. I would also not recommend it to anyone who is particularly squeamish or easily disturbed because there are some very disturbing scenes in the book.
I read The Cider House Rules by John Irving. The book is about an orphanage in St. Cloud’s Maine where illegal abortions are preformed. Dr. Wilbur Larch cares for all the orphans in St. Cloud’s orphanage with the help of Nurse Edna and Nurse Angela. These nurses also help him with abortions. The nurses are responsible for naming all the orphans, one orphan they name Homer Wells. Homer is not an average baby, he does not cry. When adoptive families take Homer home they think there is something wrong with him, one family beats him to make him cry. This made him sensitive to the smallest touch or movement. Now he won’t stop crying. Each family can never seem to really mesh with Homer Wells. Dr. Larch stops trying to find Homer Wells’ perfect fit after Homer went on a day trip with one family and the family was gruesomely killed. Homer remains at the orphanage and becomes a son to Dr. Larch and Nurse Edna and Nurse Angela. They start giving him responsibilities and chores. He has to take out the trash and this is how he discovers Dr. Larch’s secret, he finds a fetus in the trash. Dr. Larch has to tell Homer about his secret career. He tells Homer and even starts training him to be an abortionist.
Homer is starved for attention at times so becomes close friends with a rude girl named Melonie, who is in the same predicament as Homer as far as being an orphan that never gets adopted in the girl’s division of St. Cloud’s. Homer and Melonie make a promise to each other that neither would leave St. Cloud’s without the other. Homer is trained to be an abortionist for the next few years. In the meantime the reader is introduced to Candy Kendall and Wally Worthington. Wally comes from a very rich family who owns a famous apple orchard; Candy’s dad is a very hard working, well respected handy man. Candy and Wally are “the couple” in Heart’s Haven, a town a few miles from St. Cloud’s. Candy happens to be the same age as Homer Wells and when she discovers she is pregnant she feels she is too young and has too much going on in her life right now to support a child. She knows Wally will support her, money is not an issue, and she just wants more time to live her life without having to care for a kid. She feels that she has no choice but to gat an abortion. Wally has heard about St. Cloud’s and Dr. Larch’s work. He takes Candy to St. Cloud’s for an abortion. The couple meets Homer Wells there. Homer really likes Candy and wants to help her but he has made up his mind that he thinks abortion is wrong, he doesn’t want to perform abortions anymore. This destroys Dr. Larch who had spent so much time training Homer. Homer will deliver babies but he will not kill them. So during Candy’s procedure he waits outside and talks with Wally. They create a fast friendship and he asks Homer if he wants to take a road trip with him and Candy. This road trip turns into a summer job for Homer. He had to break his promise with Melonie when he left and now Dr. Larch feels like his son is being taken away. Dr. Larch solves many of his problems with his ether addiction but this time he tries to find a new apprentice. He asks Melonie if she would like to learn how to abort a pregnancy. This does not work out because Melonie does not like blood and guts. Dr. Larch is very depressed and doesn’t hear from Homer for a while. Homer is having fun but the story has a twist that I do not want to give away if you want to read the book which I highly recommend.
It was a great book and I really enjoyed it. I like the way John Irving writes. He describes things really well; I can see what is going on. I also really like the characters and the setting. I think they add to the story in the best way. I would give the book 7 out of 10. I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it to anyone that likes a really good author; I wouldn’t however recommend this book to people who usually choose fantasy books. I would also not recommend it to anyone who is particularly squeamish or easily disturbed because there are some very disturbing scenes in the book.
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