1. Obtain a copy of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
2. Read the book.
3. Fall in love. Fall in lo...more3 STEPS TO BECOME ME, THOMAS:
1. Obtain a copy of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
2. Read the book.
3. Fall in love. Fall in love with the writing, the characters, everything. Read past midnight, read in school, read everywhere and all the time. Slam the book shut and whisper-scream oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. At the end of the book, allow a single tear to run down your right cheek and say a silent prayer of thanks for the fact that you are able to read at all.
Perhaps I’m making this book seem more dramatic than it actually is. It’s not dramatic at all, in the typical sense. There are no overtly sentimental Nicholas Sparks plot twists, no super sexy erotica Fifty Shades of Grey style, not even an ardent declaration of love via Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This book is about two Mexican-American teens trying to find their way in the world, but before they do that, they find each other – Aristotle and Dante, the former a self-doubting silent guy, the latter an expressive, fair skinned swimmer. We experience the story from Ari’s perspective, from the first time he met Dante at his local swimming pool.
I’d never really been very close to other people. I was pretty much a loner. I’d played basketball and baseball and done the Cub Scout thing, tried the Boy Scout thing – but I always kept my distance from the other boys. I never felt like I was a part of their world.
Throughout the book, Aristotle and Dante are exposed and layered, continually growing more complex but also becoming more bare. Their coming of age story is shown beautifully. What seems like a simple story about friendship is a simple story about friendship, but there are profound themes woven in and the quality of the characterization is simply breathtaking. Dante, a lover of poetry and a passionate crier, reminded me of myself so much it hurt, while every ounce of Aristotle’s emotions – his confusion, his longing, his hate – resonated with me.
I sometimes think that I don’t let myself know what I’m really thinking about. That doesn’t make much sense but it makes sense to me. I have this idea that the reason we have dreams is that we’re thinking about things we don’t know we’re thinking about – and those things, well, they sneak out of us in our dreams. Maybe we’re like tires with too much air in them. The air has to leak out. That’s what dreams are.
Benjamin Alire Saenz has poetic prose. There aren’t many compound sentences or large SAT words in this book, but every word impacted me. Sometimes the shortest sentence flooded me with feeling. Every description of Dante’s laugh, every time the boys would call each other weird, every moment they spent together – it felt like I was there, experiencing their friendship and their bond.
Have you ever heard that saying, if there’s a book you want to read but it’s not published, write it yourself? I won’t stop writing, but Saenz has accomplished that for me here. Saenz dedicates this book “to all the boys who’ve had to learn to play by different rules.” As a homosexual Asian-American living in Virginia, I’ve had to learn to play by the rules of my parents, my society, and most importantly, myself. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe will speak to Mexican-Americans, homosexuals, tom-girls, book nerds, loners, etc. Essentially, it will appeal to everyone who’s ever felt different, who’s ever felt like they weren’t sure of who they were. Highly recommended for all.(less)
I wanted to start this review selfishly. I even wrote "I'm going to be selfish and begin this review by saying...", but decided against it after think...moreI wanted to start this review selfishly. I even wrote "I'm going to be selfish and begin this review by saying...", but decided against it after thinking for several minutes. I realized something during that time - I still couldn't extricate myself from the characters of the book, even though it was over. And I felt bad for it.
Another epiphany occurred moments later. This isn't supposed to happen. You read the book(s), you learn about the characters, you love them (or hate them), and you let them go. That's what made this process - my personal goodbye to Grace, Sam, Cole, and Isabel - so painful. I didn't want to let them go.
I'm sure I've said it before: I aspire to write as well as Maggie Stiefvater. At sixteen, there are many things I have to improve about my writing, and many more things I have to learn in order to do so. I honestly feel like reading this series has pushed me in the right direction. Stiefvater's writing flows so beautifully and seamlessly, and it appears easy and natural. To me, Forever is just one big favorite quote.
The characters. I don't think I've been as emotionally invested in any book's characters as much as the ones in this trilogy. They're all so perfectly nuanced and deep. A conversation between Cole and Isabel could make me laugh out loud, and fifty pages later another dialogue between them reduce me to tears. Sam and Grace, I believe, are the golden couple. As much as I would love to have Sam for myself, he truly belongs with Grace, and I'm happy with the way the book ended.
I could go on and on about the characters, especially the way Stiefvater threw in small details and thoughts that caused them to come alive. Instead, I'll conclude this review by not saying goodbye. Sam, Grace, Isabel, Cole, and Mercy Falls will remain in my heart. Forever.
I don't know where to start. It took me exactly two weeks to read this 1,024 page novel, and after all of the heartbreaking loss and squeal-worthy rom...moreI don't know where to start. It took me exactly two weeks to read this 1,024 page novel, and after all of the heartbreaking loss and squeal-worthy romance these characters have experienced, I can only say that there is a reason why this book is a classic. Even if you're not a fan of romance, drama, historical fiction, etc., you need to read this book. You really do.
Above is the tidy little summary of how I feel about Gone With the Wind. Now I'm going to go into further detail about why I loved this book - but even after three hours, a workout session, and a delicious smoothie, I'm not sure it will sound right. My heart shattered three times just reading the last fifty pages.
Scarlett. Oh, I love this girl. I could write a 10,000 word essay about Scarlett O'Hara, with pleasure. I dare say that Margaret Mitchell's greatest accomplishment with Gone With the Wind is the characterization of Scarlett, the headstrong and haughty protagonist. I can't even begin explaining why I adore her so much without divulging plot details or letting loose a rant the size of the typical "terms and conditions" page seen so often (yet ignored, too). It requires serious skill to make the main character of a book selfish, stubborn, and sometimes completely unlikeable - but Mitchell pulls it off effortlessly.
Now, I'm no expert on history or the Civil War, but Mitchell's take on this time period shocked me. She portrayed the South in an entirely different way than I was taught in school, and her grasp of the events that occurred is amazing. How she showed the loving relationships between slaves and their owners, how she cast the KKK as not just a hate group against Negroes, and how she connected Scarlett's moral degradation with the fall of the South - it's simply superb.
Though the sheer size of this book may seem intimidating, don't be scared - it's worth every word.
Sing You Home is my new favorite novel by Jodi Picoult, and as of now (mid-March, 2011) my favorite book of this year.
There are so many things I wish...moreSing You Home is my new favorite novel by Jodi Picoult, and as of now (mid-March, 2011) my favorite book of this year.
There are so many things I wish I could say coherently about this book. I was at a loss of words when I finished it three hours ago, and I still am speechless. But I want to write this review while the emotions it evoked are still at their strongest.
The writing was superb as always. Picoult doesn't use a lot of "SAT" vocabulary, or extremely complex sentence structure, but the way she engages readers with detail and finesse is extraordinary. I am always tempted to read just a single page more, then just one chapter more, until I've gone through the entire 400+ page book. I even forgot to put this on my to-read shelf on Goodreads.
Picoult's characters are splendid - by the middle of the book I was immersed in Zoe's yearning for children and Max's difficulty with alcohol abuse, and I felt like they were real, breathing people. Vanessa's no-nonsense attitude I admired, and side characters like Dara and Lucy I came to love as well.
The element that really made me appreciate this novel was Picoult's take on gay marriage, and homosexual inequality in contemporary society. I cannot adequately state how inspiring this book was to me in that regard. Here is one of the many powerful quotes that I had to stop and re-read (I even put this in my favorite quotes section on Facebook)...
"I remember my mother telling me that, when she was a little girl in Catholic school, the nuns used to hit her left hand every time she wrote with it. Nowadays, if a teacher did that, she'd probably be arrested for child abuse. The optimist in me wants to believe sexuality will eventually become like handwriting: there's no right way or wrong way to do it. We're all just wired differently.
It's also worth nothing that, when you meet someone, you never bother to ask if he's right- or left- handed.
After all: Does it really matter to anyone other than the person holding the pen?"
East of Eden is purely beautiful. It's about the struggle between good and evil, and the power of choice that mankind possesses. Steinbeck's writing w...moreEast of Eden is purely beautiful. It's about the struggle between good and evil, and the power of choice that mankind possesses. Steinbeck's writing was powerful yet simple, and every word earned its place. I am genuinely glad I decided to read this outside of school, because even though the book appears thick and tiresome, it invokes a tremendous amount of insight to humanity itself. A classic.(less)
Originally, I thought this book should have been retitled The Hype. At least that's what I told my friend. I remember thinking something along the lin...moreOriginally, I thought this book should have been retitled The Hype. At least that's what I told my friend. I remember thinking something along the lines of, blah, another story about racism in the old southern days? Must be the chick-lit version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Wow. I was so wrong.
The Help details the lives of three women living in Jackson, Mississippi, right when the Civil Rights Movement began. There is Skeeter, a twenty-two-year-old aspiring writer who terribly misses her maid, Constantine. Aibileen is an experienced and knowledgeable black maid who is currently taking care of her seventeenth child, Mae Mobley, even though she realizes what's at stake for both of them. And Minny is a fierce, sassy cook who doesn't take nonsense from anyone, even when it risks her employment. This tumultuous trio takes the first step in sparking a movement that will ignite fire to the racism and hypocrisy of their small town.
My synopsis of the story probably isn't even a tenth of the merit it deserves. I don't want to spoil too much about the book, but the most amazing thing about The Help is its characters. They are so real, so lifelike, I could feel their thoughts pulsing through my head and their emotions racing through my veins. I was angry alongside them, cheered for them, and cried with them.
I think everyone should read this book, especially people who are ignorant about the racism and hypocrisy that still manages to plight everyday society. The Help wasn't just a darn good read, but something that has made me reevaluate and examine my own morals. I'll never forget it.
Want to read more of my reviews? Follow me here.(less)
I cannot find the right words to describe how I feel about this book. I am at a complete loss, because the heartbreak I'm suffering from only mirrors...moreI cannot find the right words to describe how I feel about this book. I am at a complete loss, because the heartbreak I'm suffering from only mirrors a decimal of what Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and many other characters experienced. There is no happy ending to be found here.
Mockingjay evokes a completely different set of emotions than The Hunger Games or Catching Fire. You will feel pity, you will feel anger, and you will feel despair. Hope is not present, not by a long shot.
But most of all, I walk away from this series with a sense of forthright fulfillment. War, regardless of its countless catalysts, is a horrible, horrible thing. And no person is left untouched.
Want to read more of my reviews? Follow me here.(less)
This book wasted my time. Instead of going to play tennis or work out at the gym with my friends, I read this book. Instead of packing for the trip I...moreThis book wasted my time. Instead of going to play tennis or work out at the gym with my friends, I read this book. Instead of packing for the trip I have to go on tomorrow, I read this book. Instead of going to the mall with my friends and watching a movie, I read this book. And I loved it.
"City Of Glass" is the third and final (sob) installment of the Mortal Instruments series, and is about Shadowhunter Clarissa Fray, who continues to be a hotheaded redhead that is in love with her own brother Jace, needs to wake up her mom from a coma, and is consistently stirring up trouble in the Clave, or the Shadowhunter realm. The adventure that takes place in this book is amazing, the plot breathtaking and the characters beautiful.
Now for my really personal opinion. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'm slightly depressed that the series is over, but oh my god was it worth it. I am so happy for Alec by the way... heh heh can't say any spoilers but woot woot. Glad that Jace and Clary aren't brother and sister. The Mortal Instruments is definitely at the top of my lists for favorite books now, and it will be difficult to beat. Own it.(less)
What They Always Tell Us is about two brothers, James and Alex, who are unlike each other in many ways - James is outgoing and popular, while Alex is...moreWhat They Always Tell Us is about two brothers, James and Alex, who are unlike each other in many ways - James is outgoing and popular, while Alex is compassionate and reserved. After Alex attempts to take his life at a party, James is left wondering what went wrong. Then, Alex meets James's friend Nathan, and the two form a friendship that could grown into something more.
This book is simple and stunning. As of May 2011, even after two years, it remains one of the best books I've ever read and my favorite young-adult novel that includes gay characters. The writing moved me to tears at one point - every time I pick up another book for teens with glbt themes I can't help but think I hope this is as good as What They Always Tell Us...
Not only did this novel provide a great read, it also helped me with personal struggles in my life. I am forever grateful to Barnes and Nobles, where this book happened to be on display as I walked by the young-adult section, and Martin Wilson, for writing such a quiet, uplifting story.
*Reaction to when I read this as a freshman in high school* After my second read-through of the novel (some parts independently and some parts at schoo...more*Reaction to when I read this as a freshman in high school* After my second read-through of the novel (some parts independently and some parts at school) I've really realized just how amazing this book is. I actually got teary-eyed quite a few times. Lee infuses tremendous writing technique with a story so real, raw, and damaging that it just left me irreversibly changed. There is no question why schools teach lessons with this novel; it's just... amazing. My heart is still aching and rooting for the characters in this novel as well, they will stay with me for a long time.
*A year later, as a sophomore*
Absolutely riveting. One of my favorite classics.(less)
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