Years ago I was watching The X-Files movie and during the climax scene Mulder and Scully need to get out of some remote, creepy warehouse before the b...moreYears ago I was watching The X-Files movie and during the climax scene Mulder and Scully need to get out of some remote, creepy warehouse before the building is destroyed (probably by aliens; it was always aliens that messed up Mulder's plans, and the show. Once upon a time X-Files was one of my favorite shows until they fell on the alien crutch every singe episode and gave up on coming up with with cool sci-fi explanations for the unexplained. Aliens ruin another good story, sigh. But I digress, back to the movie). Only Mulder and Scully aren't running or scheming or even freaking out. They're talking, without a hint of panic, while in my brain I'm shouting at them "Move! Now! Or you're going to die! Okay, fine, if you're not worried about your predicament, I don't know why I should be."
That's how I felt getting to the climax scene of this book. Big, tense scene coming up, but instead of the characters being proactive or planning or running or doing anything at all, they sit around and wait for the cool action scenes to fall upon them. For all their awesome powers and abilities, they don't do much to fight or consider the obvious strategies that would get them out of their predicaments. I wish the author (more ranting about that later) would have planned the segues and logistics behind those scenes that will look cool on the big screen instead focusing so much on the action so I didn't find myself rolling my eyes so much in the last hundred pages. All the workings were there for a great climax if it had just been crafted a little better.
But let's talk about the rest of the book. The premise is that nine alien children from a destroyed planet are hiding out on earth until they develop their powers and are strong enough to fight back. But their destroyers are on earth tracking and killing the children one by one. The novel begins when the first three have been killed and number four knows he's next. I'm not a huge fan of alien plot stories, but it was a good premise, and I was hooked from the first page. The balance of answering my questions while keeping me intrigued about what I didn't know until I cared enough about number four to find out the rest of his story was perfectly done. That balance of pacing is something that is very hard to get just right in commercial fiction and it's done just right here to keep to you glued to the story. In fact, until the climax read like a choreographed fight, I probably would have given this four stars.
I liked number four (never really came to think of him as John) and was vested in his story, and while I think Sarah could have been better defined, more than just gorgeous and empty, for an action book, the characterization wasn't bad. Sometimes alien was too-convenient answer, there were some holes and mistakes that most people probably wouldn't stop to think about, and the chameleon was way too obvious, but overall I found the description of this other planet and people interesting and well done. Very imaginative and creative. Normally I'd think present tense would be perfect for a fast-paced action story, but something about the dry short, choppy sentences (a guy obviously wrote this) coupled with the present tense rated on my nerves as childish. But all of that is details. The story was good and I can see why people are caught up in it and why it's been optioned as a movie. The bad news comes in the form of the sequel...
Remember James Frey who dealt with a lot of backlash for the untruths he told in A Million Little Pieces? Well, he's back in the news, again with people up in arms for his Frey Fiction Factory (Full Fathom Five). Frey has been offering MFA students a mere $250 for their high-concept blockbusters and a promise of 40% some undisclosed amount the author can never verify. What's worse is that Frey owns the rights to the work and doesn't have to use the author's writing or credit him in anyway. You can read the abysmal contract here.
A guy named Jobie Hughes is one of the authors who took up Frey's offer in hopes of making a name for himself in the publishing industry. I Am Number Four is his creation, thus the pseudonym. He has since parted ways with Frey (good for him), but he doesn't own the rights to his baby. So if there is a sequel, he will not be the one to write it. All of this did nothing to change my opinion of the book (only Frey), but it is disheartening to see a promising series get lost in a war over money.(less)
The big question in my head most of this book, was "who is the target audience?" Nobody in the book is over 15 (despite the 18-year-olds on the awful...moreThe big question in my head most of this book, was "who is the target audience?" Nobody in the book is over 15 (despite the 18-year-olds on the awful cover), so you'd think 13 or 14 year-olds, but at close to 600 pages, I can't see most of them reading this. And if you get too old, stories about abandoned children--babies--dying of neglect might bother you, or maybe even stories where you'd have disappeared because you've hit your 15th birthday. But despite all that, it's a great premise with a lot of fantastic twists that drive the story forward. I'd say this is one of those few YA books that really appeals to guys more than girls.
My other question was: is there really that much of a hierarchy of bullies and that many sociopaths in any given society? I realize when society breaks down, so does civilization, but that many "bad kids" was a little unbelievable for me. However, some of those villains are very strong though and thoroughly creepy and they were great assets to the tension in the story. All the characters are very well fleshed out. And the other characters are very likable. Sam is the quiet kid who acts heroically when disaster is thrust upon him and Astrid the quiet know-it-all with a big heart. No matter what had happened, I would have been interested in their story and rooted for them.
Grant did a good job adding twists and turns and unexpected problems along the way. It's a very creative story. I was a little disappointed with the open ending, but all-in-all a good read. Those meet-doom-around-every-bend thrillers aren't my favorite (thus why I'd recommend the book more to guys than girls), but it's well written and creative. I can only imagine where Grant takes the series from here.(less)
If Dashner got anything right, he delivered with the suspense. The writing can be a little dry and non-descript (maybe it's a guy thing), but once I b...moreIf Dashner got anything right, he delivered with the suspense. The writing can be a little dry and non-descript (maybe it's a guy thing), but once I became involved with the story, I didn't want to put it down. My problem with the book is that Dashner sometimes sacrificed the story for the suspense. It didn't always feel organic, the character choices and the plot direction, and it made me pull out of the story a little. Also, because he built up the suspense so much, the story didn't always deliver.
(view spoiler)[For instance, I thought the grievers were thoroughly creepy in the beginning, the stuff of nightmares, but once Thomas encountered them, Dashner didn't bother scaring us anymore. I felt as though he thought we could freak ourselves out now that we understood what they were, but after Thomas beat them, I needed Dashner to remind me that they were a threat. And I was disappointed with that night in the maze. Going into it, the suspense was awesome, but then the night felt like two hours from sunset to sunrise and it was too easy for Thomas. I wanted more escaping going on, more struggle with the maze, more time in there. (hide spoiler)]
Dashner explains why Thomas has an easy time in the maze, but still. I would have liked more discovery from him instead of him just knowing stuff from his erased memory and that goes for the whole glade and all the people, not just the maze. It's tough to balance a plot-driven story with the slow pace of character development, and I think this story needed to be faster paced, but I would have liked a little more development, a little more showing of the other characters instead of Thomas telling us what they were like. More depth to the stereotypes and even with Thomas, a few fatal character flaws, a few catastrophic mistakes (other than going into the maze), that made me have to figure out if I liked and trusted him and fear for his life a little more. Also, the fake swears didn't ring true. Normally I love made-up words in a dystopia, but these didn't feel like made-up words so much as replacements for real swear words Dashner didn't want to use. There were a few times that it was too obvious what words they were supposed to be and that they were a straight-across replacement.
I think the story could have used a few more drafts before publication, but overall it's a solid, suspenseful story. I really liked the idea of the grievers and the maze test and WICKED: intense, unique, creative. When all my nitpicking fades, I'll remember that I liked the story.
I'd say this is a cross between The Uglies and (view spoiler)[Dark City (hide spoiler)]. Interesting, but not completely original. I struggled underst...moreI'd say this is a cross between The Uglies and (view spoiler)[Dark City (hide spoiler)]. Interesting, but not completely original. I struggled understanding some of the world, especially the way she calculated birthdays and eventually gave up trying to figure out how old everyone was or how much time had passed. Plus, there were some minor discrepancies/holes in her world that gave me pause (like the rotating of shifts that supposed to be half on/half off, but then staggered when it was convenient). Some of the plot twists or character availability/knowledge seemed a little too convenient too.
Having said all that, her world is vivid and I have a clear picture in my mind of Trella and the Inside. The more I read the more intrigued I became with the plot. The intensity had a nice crescendo through the book. I wasn't surprised by the end, having watched that not-well-known movie in my spoiler, but it was still interesting. And Snyder includes a lot plot twists to keep you turning pages. The story was good enough, it just felt too much like the Uglies for me to be wowed by it. And of course, it's a series. I've committed to only reading the first of a series and being okay with those loose ends at the end.(less)
I'm struggling to pin a rating on this book. Atwood, as always, is a beautiful writer. The first fifty or so pages I drank up her language, her descri...moreI'm struggling to pin a rating on this book. Atwood, as always, is a beautiful writer. The first fifty or so pages I drank up her language, her description and setting. But I have to confess that I didn't like the book. Part of that could be as a parent (of an 8-year-old girl no less) there were parts of Oryx's history that I struggled to read. Child pornography (and abuse) is about the only thing that makes we want to get violent and start castrating guys. After reading that section, I struggled to keep my personal feelings out of the story.
For much of the book I thought the grittiness of these characters overdone, graphic for the sake of being graphic. By the end of the book I got it. Atwood is comparing the depravity of society with a engineered race that asks the question what is better: innocence without substance or depravity with the complexities of the human mind that include creativity and appreciation for beauty? Does the human race deserve to live with the power we have to destroy our planet and ourselves? When is artificial too much? Image alterations, genetically engineered animals, or even mankind? What are the repercussions of the world we are now creating?
I think the concept was interesting and certainly got me thinking. Snowman is left to care for the genetically engineered children of Crake after a lab-produced virus wipes out the human race. Most of the book takes place in disconnected memory, making it slow to read. Even Snowman, while I initially liked him, didn't warrant much sympathy from me. He seemed so emotionally disconnected and didn't value or open up to the myriad of women he slept with. The middle especially dragged for me. I wanted to skip through all the grittiness to the answers Snowman was building up to. And I wanted more from the characters she brushes through. In Margaret Atwood style, we don't get answers as much as questions about society. I was okay with an open ending, but I wanted to know what Crake's intentions had been. We get Snowman's assumptions, but I wasn't a hundred percent sold on his view. I guess that's not the point of the book, though. Does it really matter what intentions people with too much power have when destruction is the same.
I'd say the book is a good one for Margaret Atwood fans. I wouldn't say it's as good as Handmaid's Tale, but along the same alley. I may come back and up my rating once the grittiness of the characters is shed and the impression of the novel is left.(less)
I'm always amazed when speculative fiction stands the test of time. In 1953, Bradbury created a world where: -people are so obsessed with TV that socia...moreI'm always amazed when speculative fiction stands the test of time. In 1953, Bradbury created a world where: -people are so obsessed with TV that socializing is getting together and watching your favorite show; it's all anyone talks about anymore (Bachelor parties anyone?) -characters on shows are your family, more real to you than your own family (I think this mentality started with Friends) -people watch reality shows and police chases like a drug -kids are so desensitized by what they see on TV that vehicular manslaughter is a popular past time (okay we haven't gone that far, but we are desensitized and drawn to crashes on the side of the road) -everyone drives at alarming speeds without seeing the world around them or thinking of the consequences if they crashed or hit anyone -in his go, go, go society, nobody can be bothered to stop and think, to stop and see the world, to interact with people -houses aren't build with porches any longer because nobody sits around and talks anymore -advertisement jingles are fed to people everywhere so much so that it prevents anyone from thinking beyond them -people are too impatient and disinterested in real knowledge and need things dumbed down for them (the kind of information you could get from a quick twitter; look at the difference in literature from the classics that teens can't even get through these days and modern literature where short, choppy, fragmented sentences are a must) -the voice of minorities is strongest: political correctness (though the term and its way as social thinking didn't come about until the 1990s) is what spears people to get rid of books with portrayals of history that offend them as a minority (read reviews for Gone With the Wind; that book would never be allowed to be published now because of its real portrayal of the South during the Civil War) -his society is so high on instant gratification and a sense of well being that they can't be bothered with guilt, remorse, morality, other people, anything that disrupts their mind-numbing, thinkless state of happiness -TV is a babysitter for parents too busy and self-absorbed to be bothered with their own children (started with Sesame Street) -families aren't important anymore nor is having children; people are just too preoccupied to be bothered with something that disrupts their lives that are busy, busy, busy about nothing
Bradbury's book has a definite 1950s feel to it, but the intrinsic message/warning in his society is more relevant today that it has ever been. It's scary how much he got right.(less)
Page one, I'm iffy. Pro-life and Pro-choice fight a civil war and the only way to satisfy both armies is the agreement that no abortions take place bu...morePage one, I'm iffy. Pro-life and Pro-choice fight a civil war and the only way to satisfy both armies is the agreement that no abortions take place but from the ages of thirteen to eighteen any child can be unwound and his or her divided body and soul be used as organ donation? First off, pro-choice isn't going to go for a woman sacrificing her body through pregnancy and raising a child thirteen years before she can dispose of it. And pro-life isn't going to go for the termination of a child who is more developed than an embryo. I'm not buying that anyone would go for this resolution.
Page ten, I don't care anymore. I'm already invested in Connor's fate when he goes on the run after finding the copy of his Unwind order. The premise may be absurd, but Shusterman made the distopia so real for me that I had to find out the fate of these unwanted kids through every horrific detail. The story never slows down with twists paced through the end that kept me glued to the book. What disturbed me most (beside the unwinding) was the music played at the chop shop. Every time I think a society could not possibly go that far, throw in a little reminder of Nazi Germany and I know it already has.
While disturbing, the story is near impossible to put down or get out of your head once you do because every scene can be taken to discuss a larger issue in society. It's not really about the absurdity of the resolution but a vehicle for Shusterman to make statements about society. He introduces important questions about abortion, organ donation, stem cell research, the destructive power of propaganda, apathy of uninformed decisions, consequences, parental control, and religious fanaticism among others. But he doesn't shove answers down our throats. He just introduces the discussion. Pro-choice advocates could make the claim that Shusterman is defending their cause by showing all the unwanted children that would come from anti-abortion laws. Pro-life advocates could make the claim that Shusterman is defending their cause by showing how sick the destruction of children is as parents turn a blind eye to the specifics of the practice just because they selfishly don't want to deal with a child anymore. I think what Shusterman is showing is that a society should never allow a government to be its moral compass, but individuals should make their own informed, ethical decisions.(less)
The pacing of the mystery, the bits of humor, the authentic 1979 New York kids were all spot on. I finished this book with a smile and then reread it...moreThe pacing of the mystery, the bits of humor, the authentic 1979 New York kids were all spot on. I finished this book with a smile and then reread it with my daughter. Now, every few days she reminds me that it was a great book. I guess she finished it with a smile too.(less)
**spoiler alert** I'm not sure whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. It's definitely a page turner. I found myself increasingly anxious for Miranda and h...more**spoiler alert** I'm not sure whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. It's definitely a page turner. I found myself increasingly anxious for Miranda and her family, but unfortunately, I didn't get much resolution. In the end, there is still volcanic ash in the sky meaning there will be no future food production whenever the cans of food that magically appear at city hall are extinguished. It just extended their inevitable deaths. Just a mention that the sky was clearing would have been enough for me to hope. I also didn't mind that she never figured out what happened to Dan and her dad, but she could have at least asked about a letter from her dad at city hall. Then if nothing was there, I would have assumed that something happened to her father and leave it at that, but she goes downtown to ask and then nothing.
It made me sad that everyone knew Jonny was the one to survive if it came down to one. I wanted a reason for Jonny instead of Matt or Miranda, something more than he was the youngest and a boy. That Miranda knew that and when she confronted her mother she didn't say anything to deny it or comfort her bugged me about her. I didn't always like her mother, but I didn't always like Miranda either, which just made them realistic portrayals of mother and daughter. I enjoyed the unfolding of the characters as much as I enjoyed the plot unfolding.
The story was frightening and made me want to go out and double-stock my food storage. A lot of the daily trials that I hadn't considered popped up in the story. Miranda's mom was smart, getting right on the ball buying up all the supplies they needed, but even then, I kept thinking that their food supply should have run out long before—and they were the ones who bothered stocking up. How was everyone else surviving? I know how the preacher was surviving, but I wish there had been some follow up with him too, some discovery that he had died in the flu epidemic. I wanted her to find out how many people in her town survived. Now that city hall was open and they had food, they could have asked. It's good that the book made me question so many things, I just wish a few of my questions had been answered.
On a sidenote, Pfeffer's statement that people who turn to God in times of grief brainwashed and stupid rubbed me the wrong way. There's also her obvious portrayal of Bush as an idiot hiding out on his ranch in Texas telling everyone that everything was okay. That didn't bother me as much as I just didn't think this was the place for such strong political (or religious) statements. It added character to the story for sure. I just didn't like it. Religion and politics, the two taboo topics and all that.
The book had a lot of promise, but I wanted more. More from Miranda, more explanation of what was going on, and more of a conclusion. Not more as in I loved the story and want to continue it. More as in if Pfeffer had answered a few things for me than maybe I would be curious, but she left too much open for me to go on.(less)
I started this book over a week ago and only got through the first page before all the "likes" turned me off. I took a break, read a few other books,...moreI started this book over a week ago and only got through the first page before all the "likes" turned me off. I took a break, read a few other books, and tried again. This time I got through two chapters before I closed the book and took a breath. "I can't do this," I told myself. "I hate books that overuse our obnoxious vernacular. And the made-up words are annoying and stupid. I much preferred the made-up slang in A Clockwork Orange." "So you're going to punish Anderson for using slang that is more realistic? You're going to punish him for making you uncomfortable with the world the way it is, for yourself because you know you use that word, like it or not." "Okay," I told the stupid analytic part of my brain. "If you'll just like shut up. I'll keep reading." And that is how I ended up reading this book.
And it did make me uncomfortable. It's everything obnoxious about our media-frenzied, frantic-paced, impulse-driven, uneducated-praising society exemplified megawatt. In Anderson's world people are hardwired into corporate feeds that advertise to them according to what they're thinking, feeling, saying, looking at, etc. They chat with each other, watch shows, check the internet, invade each other's privacy, all within their bodies. Schools have quit teaching them facts because all that's accessible at the push of a button-no simpler than that, with nothing more than a thought. All their interactions are interrupted by this internal conversation/shopping/distraction. Through a combination of advertising and ignorance these shallow people don't care that the feeds are destroying them after they've destroyed the world where they continue to live in vertically stacked suburbs with fake air and fake sun and fake food. And they all (adults included) speak in that valley-girl like/dude hollowness, only their words are mega and unit and still plenty of like and f words.
I picked up this book weeks after my disenchantment with facebook over the debacle on targeting advertising for us. I can see spelling and vocabulary plummeting in this text-typing generation and the interruption of technology into every moment of our lives. I fear for the laziness in education when information is at our fingertips. I can fathom technology being introduced where electronic devices are implanted so kids (okay me too) stop breaking them and losing them. I don't think we're that far off from biological computers. I can see the pitfalls of our society heading in something akin to this direction and it's disturbing. No more jokes from me about my surgically implanted cellphone. But those "likes" are too ingrained. I just have to keep kicking myself mentally whenever one slips out.
ETA: I've been thinking about this book ever since I read it. I can't stop thinking about it. For all the dystopias I've been reading, I'm amazed that Anderson's world could discomfort me this much. And I've been thinking about his main character. While reading it, I was often disappointed with his choices, but now I think he was the perfect embodiment of this shallow world. I loved that Anderson offers no judgment or solution, just shows us this world with all its many flaws and lets it creep under your skin and make you uncomfortable with where the world is headed. M.T. Anderson is amazing. I look forward to reading his other books.(less)
Well, hmmm. I'm not sure how to react to Mockingjay. I didn't love it and I'm not sure it satisfied me, but it was a disturbing read that wil...more3.5 stars
Well, hmmm. I'm not sure how to react to Mockingjay. I didn't love it and I'm not sure it satisfied me, but it was a disturbing read that will stick with me. Sadly, I can't say that I'll be recommending the series as fervently as I did after reading The Hunger Games. Not that the series isn't good, but I'm not longer sure it's for the masses of YA readers.
Like Catching Fire, Mockingjay took awhile for me to get into. When the pages turned into the triple digits and I wasn't hooked, I got worried it wouldn't be epic. And maybe that's problem: I expected this to match The Hunger Games when I don't think anything can. Like Catching Fire, the stakes are upped, the gruesomeness of war more real, and the intensity more fierce. And in the end, that was my biggest problem. In my opinion, this crossed the line with violence into shock value for the sake of shock value. Yes, it's meant to be thought-provoking and show the price of war to humanity, but at the peak of all this violence, I pulled out of the story. It wasn't President Snow or President Coin (I hated that name) torturing Katniss; it was Collins. I could see the questions running through her head: "What is the worst thing I could do to Katniss? What will break her the most?"
In war, the casualties fall randomly, if heavily, but this was all targeted at Katniss. The death that should have hurt most hardly fazed me (view spoiler)[Primrose (hide spoiler)]; at that point, I had already shut down in a story that was working too hard to manipulate my emotions. It was (view spoiler)[Finnick's death (hide spoiler)] killed me (no pun intended), and it disappeared like a whisper. It seemed like Collins picked the only character she made us care about in this book on purpose. It should have felt natural to the progression of the story, but it didn't. (view spoiler)[Primrose's death upset me because it made the whole series seem pointless, which I'm sure is the frustration Collins was going for--the futility of war, the aftereffect, the scarring, the psychological burden--but it's so under described and anticlimactic that it fell short for me. (hide spoiler)] Plus, the desensitization was, in my opinion, too much. There is a lot of bleakness in the other books in the series, but it is balanced with a humanity and hope that I think is crucial in YA fiction.
My review of Hunger Games states that Collins took an unbelievable story and made it believable. Here, she took the believable violence and cruelty of war and made it a little unbelievable for me. I struggled to find motivation from President Snow targeting children, to understand why the citizens of the capital continued to believe him, to accept that these villains could be this sadistically evil, to believe that this much could go wrong for one person, to champion Collin's bleak take on humanity. Not that this story is any more unbelievable than The Hunger Games, but Collins delivered this one with such a numb, detached string of events that relied on violence instead of characters to deliver her message. Even more important than hope in YA is a strong character you would follow anywhere. I didn't want to follow Katniss in this story.
She shut down in the end, but really she'd been shutting down the entire book. After the fiery character of the first two books, it was hard to get nothing from her (especially as a first-person POV) and still feel vested in the outcome of her story. Her cold, detached comments to (view spoiler)[Peeta (hide spoiler)] in particular bothered me, especially after everything he sacrificed for her. I had to keep reminding myself of all the horror she'd been through because although her detachment realistic, it bothered me. I couldn't remember why anyone wanted a self-absorbed teenager as the Mockingjay. I didn't need Katniss to lead the revolution, but I wanted something from her: a peek into her emotions/insights, a proactive motion, anything that pushed her character forward. Without any character development (from any of the characters), the story relied too heavily on action without connecting the pieces, developing those story lines, or making me care about the characters involved. I would have almost rather heard the story from a third party watching a broken Mockingjay than the emptiness with which Katniss tells her story. What I really wanted is Katniss back. I know I can't have her, but if I had to lose her, I wanted to feel heartbreak instead of nothing.
About the love triangle... (view spoiler)[You need only look at the comment section to this review to know I'm a Gale fan--was a Gale fan. But I was happy with the resolution for these reasons:
1. Gale never showed up in this book, not the intense Gale hiding a painful love for Katniss that I loved. Not once in this book did I feel his love for her. Was comfortable with her, coldly understanding, wanted to win her because it was a competition, but never once did I sense any love. And when he knew the enormous hurdle he had to overcome to win her back, he laughed and walked away. I would not have minded if the Gale who showed up for this story had been one of its casualties. It was pretty clear from the first chapter that Collins was directing us away from this relationship she had dangled in front of us. If this is the way the relationship had always been, as this book seems to imply, than this is the relationship that should have been there in Catching Fire.
2. For the first time in the trilogy, Peeta was not a Gary Stu, a doormat, a little too sacrificial for me to believe. He bite back. Unlike during the games, I never doubted that he could survive on his own. He stopped wanting to be a pointless martyr (the death pleas were still there, but this time they made sense). Not that I ever wanted Peeta to be mean or broken, but he can have heart and a backbone too. He could have a few flaws. Finally, I could root for him.
3. My last reason is not that as Gale and Peeta changed, Katniss did too, and so did the world they lived in. In a harsh war world, you need someone strong and skilled by your side. In the other books, Katniss needed Gale. In a world where you have lost everything and no longer have a reason or the mental state or the will to fight, you need someone soft and caring. Even before Katniss said her bit about needing heart not fire, I knew she was going to say it. And finally, the words were true.
So yes, I am eating my words and saying Katniss ended up with the right person. I just hate what Collins did to her to make her need it. (hide spoiler)]
I guess what depresses me most about this book is that I expected so much more from it. I know Collins is capable of power. In the end, I was too numb to feel its power, to even cry, to feel anything at all. I left a fantastic series with a major blank.(less)
Have you ever wondered if the Matrix would make a good book and then tried to imagine how an author would describe Reeves billowing trench coat and th...moreHave you ever wondered if the Matrix would make a good book and then tried to imagine how an author would describe Reeves billowing trench coat and those swift motions that robotically counter those powerful agents? Probably not, but if you had, you'd quickly realize that somethings are best visual. And speaking of the Matrix, you know how the Matrix was cool and then the sequels weren't as good (when are they ever) and by the end you were done with this idea that was originally so creative but then just dragged on? You're getting a pretty good of what reading ArchEnemy is like. I often had trouble following what he was describing and other times frustrated that he kept cutting scenes short, jumping to someone else's dire circumstances, just to leave you hanging on a cliffhanger without telling you anything that happened. The Looking Glass Wars was interesting and different, but I'm kind of over the novelty of it and not really interested in the graphic novel turn the series has taken. Beddor should have wrapped up his story in one book and left it at that.(less)
In some ways I liked this book more than Hunger Games and in some ways less. The suspense is stronger, the relationships deeper, and the twists greate...moreIn some ways I liked this book more than Hunger Games and in some ways less. The suspense is stronger, the relationships deeper, and the twists greater, making this more of a page turner, but it took too long to get there. Plus it's the basic outline of Hunger Games so you're not as intrigued or enamored by the details that have to be hashed out again.
I found myself thinking too much of the Uglies, particularly the societal control and makeovers. The capital did not concern me as much in Hunger Games because I was focused on the games, but the similarities are definitely there and even more obvious here. I also found myself questioning the validity of her forced relationship with Peeta. It bugged me a little in Hunger Games (not in the arena but afterwords) and if Collins had moved on from it quicker I wouldn't have thought so much about it. While not as contrived as other stories I've read (*cough* Eclipse), I did find myself questioning the validity of the country's stability relying on Katniss kissing Peeta for the camera. Yeah it was believable enough that she was forced, but a little too convenient to keep the love triangle going.
I wanted less love triangle in the beginning and more action in the end. It isn't until about halfway through that the story really begins and with too many details about her wardrobe and her time wandering beyond the fence. Once it did get exciting, I didn't want to put the book down and although I was anxious for the conclusion, I felt like it was rushed. I wanted more details. I kept forgetting which characters were which because I hadn't heard enough of them (which is probably the effect Collins was going for, but even with the dummy trick I had to go back and find the name).
I can see the developmental difference in Katniss, an older, wiser, more observant girl while still retaining that fire. I thought her confusion over Peeta and Gale well done and age appropriate. I could feel her emotion for both boys--her respect, camaraderie, in sync feelings with Gale and her protective, guilty, grateful feelings for Peeta--and why she could not give up or disappoint either one. I enjoyed learning more about Haymitch and seeing more of the danger Katniss' district faced for her unintended rebellion. In Hunger Games I felt intense concern for Katniss where here I felt it for her whole district. Of course, with a more dangerous story, there is definitely more gore. Once again, not appropriate for younger teens.
It's challenging to take the same format and mix it up enough to keep it exciting, but Collins is an excellent story teller and she does a good job keeping the plot exciting (although her overuse of periods for all forms of punctuation still bother me). She makes you feel more invested in the tributes, more angry at the capital, and more fearful for the districts, which made the book more intense. I got to about twenty pages from the end and wondered how she was going to wrap everything up. I had an idea in my head, but no, she still surprised me. And now I'm even more anxious to read the conclusion. (less)
This book wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was about a girl waking from a coma and relearning her life, which it was, but I was not...more3.5 stars
This book wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was about a girl waking from a coma and relearning her life, which it was, but I was not prepared for the futuristic medical sci-fi elements. Instead of being a book about self discovery, it became one about ethics in modern medicine and what makes a person human. It was interesting and at times the writing beautiful, but occasionally it dragged or lacked explanation. Plus, the ending seemed to erase all the statements the book made. I probably would have given it 4 stars had the ending stayed true to the book. I think girls at that age where they are asking questions about society could be moved by this story and encouraged to ask their own questions about what defines them and humanity. Good, solid read.(less)
I wouldn't say this is the best Vonnegut I've read. In fact there isn't anything unusual or creative about it. But it was his last book since he died...moreI wouldn't say this is the best Vonnegut I've read. In fact there isn't anything unusual or creative about it. But it was his last book since he died and reading about Kilgore Trout made me smile. Remembering Vonnegut's self-abasing humor made me smile too. There were a couple of insights in the book that made me think, but there were also plenty of times I my mind was wandering and the story didn't grab me. I liked the book more as an autobiographical eulogy than the story. (less)
I started this book thinking the idea was preposterous: a government choosing to squelch rebellion by forcing its citizens to give up their children a...moreI started this book thinking the idea was preposterous: a government choosing to squelch rebellion by forcing its citizens to give up their children as contenders in the ultimate reality show of death to the last survivor. Yeah right, and yet it reminded me a lot of the absurdity of the Nazi party, child armies in Africa, and even back to the gladiators of the Roman empire. I realized I believed a government could be this arrogant and wrathful, that society could be this absurd, that the common people would be too afraid to fight back. When people are pitted against each other instead of turning on the establishment they often fight each other within the failed system, fighting for that elusive top spot or ignoring the pain of others grateful to escape tragedy themselves.
I soon found myself intensely involved in the Hunger Games and hoping for a certain outcome that would certainly bring about the death of many children but save our brave heroine. Once you're in, what option do you have but to play and survive? Collins did an amazing job of taking an unbelievable and predictable storyline and making it believable and unpredictable. Complete with an impossible love interest, twists in the arena to keep you guessing, and both sympathy and hatred for the other characters, the book is hard to put down. I stayed up late to reach the conclusion that would seem obvious but was still evasive when I could conceive many alternate endings. In some ways the story reminded me of Lord of the Flies, but without as frustrating of a dues ex machina ending.
I found it interesting that even in this life and death situation, the kids refused to do anything that would displease the Capitol and make them look rebellious or unwilling to play, or worse emotional and disturbed by death. They did not bond with each other, help each other, or ever want to be indebted by anyone's kindness. Sad that the gravest error would be vulnerability of spirit because the tough ones are the ones to survive. While Katniss gets out of having to do a lot of the killing, she still plays her part, and even being the cause of one death is too many. I found it interesting that they switch to survival mode and kill without thought or regret. I'm sure the regret and nightmares will come later, but we as the readers have to feel the sadness of the deaths now, and live with our own relief that a child died who wasn't Katniss. There is obviously a lot of death hashed out, but only a handful experienced by our narrator. There is one death that is rather gruesome, but for the most part, I thought the subject matter handled appropriately for YA. Nonetheless the subject matter is not appropriate for younger children.
My one compliant about the novel would be the overuse of fragments. As a grammar freak, I'll let powerful fragments go. On occasion. As a literary device. But you throw five and six back to back. Just for effect. And all I'm doing is counting. How many are going by before we're back to complete sentences. There were a few paragraphs with way too many. But that's just a style difference. And the story is worth it. A good tale and a thinker.
Even after I closed this book, I found myself mulling over the statements about society, our gruesome need for reality TV, our shallow obsession with looks, how much a community will let others suffer as long as they are safe, and the strength of the human spirit when backed up against the wall. I enjoyed Katniss' emotionally detached character, Peeta's vulnerable goodness, and Rue's small but fighting spirit. Now I want to learn more about Gale. A good strong female protagonist and a great set up for the sequel which I will be reading. How will the Capital be brought down? Who will Katniss chose? Can she stand by and let another gruesome show go by training the tributes from her village without action? Can this society be saved or is it beyond redemption? I'm intrigued.
ETA: I've been thinking a lot about the messages in the Hunger Games with all the hype for the movie. Good dystopias are warnings, something to make you mull over trends in society by making these public wrongs absurd and larger than life. Here are some of the comparisons I found between Panem and our society:
-Overindulgence. The plastic surgery, the bright peacocky colors, the time and money spent primping, the obnoxious outfits that one could never work in or survive in come catastrophe. The shoes Effie Trinket wears in the movie are popular today and nobody can walk properly in them. Our obsession with looks is headed toward the unimaginable level of the Capitol. And the overindulgence doesn't stop at appearances. The overeating, the mcmansions, party-the-time lifestyle. Our shallow, keeping-up-with-the Joneses society is heading there.
-Entitlement. The people of the Capitol don't care where their resources come from, who works and dies for it, or how limited the supply is. They don't conserve; they don't say "thank you"; they don't look beyond themselves. The degree of separation from them and their food and resources means they have no appreciation for it. It's like us with our grocery stores full of already slaughtered food and the diamonds we were fought hard for in Africa. You can say the entitlement is a lesson for the 1% out there and you can say the entitlement is a lesson for the anti-1% who feel entitled for their government to support them. Even the poor in America are still better off than most of the world. We are all the 1% and the sense of entitlement from Americans could be our downfall.
-Desensitization. Reality TV, video games, gruesome movies (like the Hunger Games :) ) have desensitized us. As horrific as the Hunger Games is (not the book but the actual Games in a society), how far off are we when girls throw parties to watch other girls get their hearts broken on The Bachelor, or when we feel nothing as people starve through a month on Survivor, or break out in fights on shows on MTV. We stop shy of death, but how long before push the envelope there too? How long before a gladiator-style game becomes popular for us too? After all, we are following the footsteps of the Roman Empire. I've been reading articles on Yahoo! like crazy the past few weeks about how to do Katniss' braid or what food to eat in celebration of the movie release. We are as bad as the Capitol in some cases.(less)
I think I may have like this better than Ender's Game. Maybe I wouldn't have liked it at all if I had read them back to back or had read it rather tha...moreI think I may have like this better than Ender's Game. Maybe I wouldn't have liked it at all if I had read them back to back or had read it rather than listened to it, but trying to remember the sequences in Ender's Game as I read them from a different perspective was interesting. I enjoyed seeing the story from the one training just in case Ender fails. Bean's impassionate analysis vs Ender's emotional turmoil. The kid you don't quite like at first because he's too self-confident in his intelligence and then you learn to trust him better than you would yourself. That's about how I felt about the book too. Slow at first but then as you weave into Bean's perspective you see everything from his conclusions and I came to like him very much, more even than Ender. I empathized with him more and came to to root for him more than I ever had for Ender. How systematically Bean took his place knowing everyone would follow Ender but not him, understanding people did not like or trust him, processing lengthy paragraphs of deductive reasoning in a split second until he had could accurately access any situation so you as the reader recognize the potential he never gets credit for. His story's a little more heart-wrenching than Ender's. He could have been the hero, even if he did not believe it himself. I liked that Bean. And I liked his story.
My only disappointment with the book is that in Ender's Game this was obviously not Bean's story and the few interactions that did not feel authentic to Bean's character are connector points to Ender's story. Case in point, when Bean says he can't find his way back to the dorm, when Bean freaks out not understanding when Graff takes Ender to Commander school, and most importantly when Ender deducts that Bean is a great strategist on small projects but not good at grasping the whole picture. Card tries to smooth these over with excuses like Ender being fed doubts about Bean so he won't keep him busy, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. Either Ender isn't as brilliant as he's sold to be in not being able to understand Bean's genius or Bean was never intended to be as large of character as Ender's Shadow portrays. I just wish Card would have known Bean's story while he wrote Ender's so he could place better clues about Bean's story in the original story. (less)
While I'm not sure how I feel about books that take the imagination of another author and warp the story, some stories leave themselves open to interp...moreWhile I'm not sure how I feel about books that take the imagination of another author and warp the story, some stories leave themselves open to interpretation of symbolism and I found Beddor's world imaginative. In his story Alyss is a princess from Wonderland who finds herself trapped in our world and must find her way back to reclaim the Queendom from her evil aunt Redd. In Beddor's interpretation, the white rabbit is the albino tutor Bibwit Harte, the mad hatter a combat trained body guard whose hat is his favorite weapon, and the treasure cat an evil assassin. When Alyss tries to find a believer to incredible story, her tale is twisted into the famous book we all know. While I enjoyed the picture he painted of his Wonderland, I wanted to hear more about Alyss' turmoil as she wonders if her memories are imagination, Dodge's anger as he is consumed with vengeance, and what exactly makes Bibwit and Hatter tick. A lot of the character development is breezed over, but the story develops quickly and kept my interest. I particularly enjoyed his parallels from Wonderland to events in history. It's a quick read and rather imaginative.(less)
I wanted to like this book more than I did--to see that Stephenie Meyer can pick a topic not meant for shallow teenage girls and write on a deeper lev...moreI wanted to like this book more than I did--to see that Stephenie Meyer can pick a topic not meant for shallow teenage girls and write on a deeper level--but I think this book is more of the same, sans the vampire excitement. I liked the idea: an alien soul inhibiting the host body of a girl who doesn't want to relinquish her control and the conflicts that arise, particularly in romance. There are some interesting topics, like what defines humanity and are we living worthy enough for the planet we are entrusted. The story isn't as page-turning as Twilight, but mulling nonetheless.
My problem with Stephenie Meyer is her characters. They seem shallow, unbelievable, and small variants on her same cookie cutter. Her girls in particular are, well dumb, always jumping to the wrong conclusions, never wanting to believe they could be loved. Your damsel in distress. I am often exasperated by the emotion and stupidity of her female characters. I tried to allow for the alien learning curve, but when solutions and realizations are painfully obvious to me chapters before they are explored by the characters it creates frustratingly slow plot progression.
The mold for guys is more frustrating because they exhibit none of the characters I am drawn to, and even ones I despise. They are always big, strong, forceful verging on the abusive side of controlling with a scary tendency to irrational jealousy and anger. They are emotionally immature, intense, and display their passion with an abnormal display of affection and cheesiness to the women who make them crazy with love. I don't trust intensely passionate men. (I did like Jeb's character but he wasn't a main romantic interest characters so he didn't need to be intense.)
Because of this conversations were unrealistic. I could not imagine real people speaking this way so the story felt childish at times. The cheese is laid on so thickly in parts I could not swallow it. This is supposed to be a more adult-themed book, but in many ways I found it less adult enticing and more juvenile in tone. Her choice of juvenile-enticing characters is proof enough that her style is not intended for a truly adult audience.
Plus the middle dragged with insignificant humdrum and a lack of good character development. There was more that could have been explored with a two-spirit/one-body complex. And there were holes in this parasite species theory that bothered me. I didn't care enough about the story to think about them too much, but they were there and made her tale less believable. So creative idea, but the delivery and details didn't quite hit the mark.
(view spoiler)[What I did like in story development was the relationship between Ian and Wanda, how slowly and deeply it changed, until he could read and understand her better than she could and he could completely differentiate between the two souls. (hide spoiler)] What Stephenie Meyer is good at is passionate taboo romance. As for Wanda herself how she changed from first juxtaposing her ingrained annihilation justification with her extreme pacifist views to sympathy for humans and eventually protective love for the planet.
I still don't think Stephenie Meyer is a good writer, but she's a decent storyteller. Had Twilight not brought her fame, I doubt this book would go far. Creative plot idea, but it could have been so much more if she had explored the conflicts between Melanie and Wanda more thoroughly and left a morally obvious choice without a happy ending. Then it would have been a book for adults. The book was too shallow and slow enough that I probably wouldn't read it again. (less)
Science fiction is not my thing. So it was with some trepidation that I opened my book club choice for the month, ready to endure another Stars Wars i...moreScience fiction is not my thing. So it was with some trepidation that I opened my book club choice for the month, ready to endure another Stars Wars inspired knock off. And most of the book I had my head set on 3 stars, writing my review in the back of my mind: sure the story was interesting because it's about the psychology of child manipulation but the battle games lost me, both in interest and sometimes even understanding. It's sci fi. I liked the filler but not the meat. But then I finished the book and had a change of heart.
In this story, earth is preparing for a third invasion from an alien planet by training children from infancy for battle. (Card named the aliens "buggers" which I wonder if he knew the profane use of the word elsewhere in the world or if he was playing off that definition.) Even though the book was written in the early age of computer technology and before internet, Card smartly realized its importance in the future. I was not disappointed with his vision of a crowded earth population run by government treaties and reliant on computer and science technology and internet networking. It still seems appropriate instead of dated.
It's written from the perspective of a 6-year-old boy unsure of whom he can trust when the other students hate him and the teachers use him. Most of the book you're watching this boy genius grow up, battle his inner demons as he struggles to differentiate himself from his cruel brother, somehow keep his kindness while training to be a killer, and figure out whether or not he wants to be the hope of the world. Is heroism worth the cost of these children's souls? Do the ends of a saved world justify the means of so many children losing their childhood?
And all that growing up is done in one battle stimulation after the next. I wasn't sure if it was truly long in the middle or if my patience wore thin because I have none for sci fi. But since the men testing Ender kept changing the rules and pushing him to his limits to see how he would react, even though the mass of the book is his training games it kept me turning pages wondering what would happen to Ender. He didn't trust the teachers so you know something was up they weren't disclosing.
The whole book heads toward one particular outcome, but near the end an alternate solution is presented. I wasn't sure how Card would end the battle without disappointing me. I didn't want to see Ender as a heartless killer, but I didn't want him to be gullible or soft either. I didn't want the ultimate message to be a cop out nor did I just want a Hollywood ending where the enemy is always just bad without value and earth saves the day at the last minute.
And what about the end of the war? When you've spent every waking and even sleeping hour preparing for a mission, what do you do with the rest of your life? There is nothing Ender could do that would give him back his life or even make him feel purposeful. Or so I thought. I was sure I would be disappointed with the end and yet I wasn't. In the end, Card gave me all of what I wanted. The mission Ender embarks upon at the end of the book almost justifies the emotional torture and certainly gives the side of Ender you want to see bloom a chance to heal his soul. It makes him a bigger hero than the mission thrust upon him does. It is because of the ending that I decided I really did like the book. A lot. And I am impressed with his imagination.
For those of you who have read here are some questions I wondered:
When Valentine states there could be worse men in power than Peter, I could not imagine who could be worse. All he cared about is power and would do anything to get it. He wanted to kill his brother when he was a boy of six. He tortured animals, a sign of a serial killer. What could be worse? I suppose stupidity? As long as he was given power he would take care of the world in order to maintain it, but what about the casualties he takes to get it?
The competition, to the point of murderous rage and jealousy, seemed over the top for me. Sure they are fighting for world glory, placed in a strange stimulus environment, and chosen for their genius and ability to fight, but the homogeneously violent children seemed apt on pulling down the superior like crabs in a bucket. Could children truly act so viciously toward one another? The saving grace is his toon leader who introduces the doubt of why they should play puppet to the school leaders or even play the games at all.
I can't conceive society humble enough to admit they needed the recklessness and empathy of children instead of leaving it to adult maturity. The trick aspect of the battles since children are easy to mold and manipulate saved me from being entirely against their methods. But I don't think they needed to completely alienate Ender for him to succeed. Play on his empathy; make him want to succeed to please. Don't destroy all that is good in the boy to use him and then leave him purposeless in life.
The self-defense murders bothered me. I know he was cornered and wanted to protect himself from further attacks and he didn't understand the extent of the pain he caused, but I still felt a truly compassionate child would not have it in him to hurt someone that badly. I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
I didn't buy the aliens not understanding there was intelligent life on earth because we don't dream each other's dreams, particularly since they are supposed to be quick learners. Mankind discovered their presence pre-attack and organized a defensive fleet. How can that not be intelligent? If there were only one attack I could buy into it, but not with two. I guess it goes back to your definition of intelligence.
My biggest complaint: I didn't understand the little doctor destroying everything but the recreation of the game surviving. We watch the planet disintegrate and resemble into an unidentifiable mass but this whole layout survives intact? Despite the technicalities, I did appreciate Ender's opportunity for redemption, to do what he thought ethical for the alien planet. Him going in as a peace mediator and stopping the third invasion would have left the story flat, where this way he realistically couldn't get out of being used as a military hero, but still got to find his own solution for coexistence, use his brilliance and empathy for his true mission in life.
Maybe it's hypocritical of me to not understand a major plot progression and not let it bother my enjoyment of the story, but a) I really wanted that ending and b) more importantly felt it could have been plausible somehow that I'm not seeing. So I'm willing to overlook this detail, or if not overlook at least not get hung up on it. So even though I was confused by the ruins left for Ender and not entirely reeled in by the battles, the story pulled me in and I enjoyed the overall message. It's the best science fiction I've ever read. Well technically it's the only, but who's counting?(less)
If a movie is adapted from a book, I refuse to watch it until I've read the book. Had I known this was a story beforehand, I would have read it first....moreIf a movie is adapted from a book, I refuse to watch it until I've read the book. Had I known this was a story beforehand, I would have read it first. As it is, my review leans heavily on a comparison between the story and the blockbuster film, a movie I liked until I read this book (ok technically it's a novella) and realized how much they messed with the essence of the story. I would love to see an old black and white Hitchcock-esque film as the story was intended. The writing's not great, but the idea is a good one.
I thought it was creepier in the book that the vampires were people he had known in life who knew he was in his house and stood outside his house calling him. Creepy. His moral complex about killing the creatures brought a different depth as well. Plus Neville is just an average guy trying to survive so you feel more connected, can put yourself in his nightmare more easily, giving the plot a better horror edge.
The interaction with the woman is better too, more of a reason to be tense and distrustful, where in the movie she is obviously not infected so you'd have no reason not to embrace her. His rage and distrust of her didn't make sense where in the book you truly doubted that another human would have all of a sudden appeared on his doorstep. It's the point at which the movie crumbles and the book picks up.
In the end, Neville's left with this Darwinian revelation vs a lame Hollywood saves the day ending for mass audiences. It would have made such a great ending. It's such a great twist on your expectation of horror. The title makes sense in the story, leaving you to contemplate its creepy abruptness, so not what I was expecting and better than any ending I could imagine because it switches your frame of reference.
About the writing: I especially found the middle section hard to follow and dull with poorly explained bacteria research. I would read sections a couple of times before giving up trying to understand his spotty logic. In parts to keep the suspense alive he would not completely explain himself but then forget to explain later so I was left to question. And I never completely understood the difference between the dead and live vampires. I think that could have been better explained as well. It's a good idea, poorly written, but it's worth it for the good idea.
The other stories in the book are just okay, only one or two of which I liked enough to remember. I think part of the downfall of the other stories is that they are futuristic stories written half a century ago so his creations just don't jive with modern realities. (less)
For concept, Orwell gets 5 stars for being the father of dystopias. No dystopia since has reached the level of creepiness that he has. Unfortunately,...moreFor concept, Orwell gets 5 stars for being the father of dystopias. No dystopia since has reached the level of creepiness that he has. Unfortunately, this book read more like a discourse on Orwell's dystopia than a picture of one. I know that's indicative of the time, but this one was excessively so. Orwell's style of writing was very dry and very much tell without a lot of show. He missed a lot of good opportunities to make this book real for me. Every time I became invested in the story and sure the next turn of events would make the story worth it, it was just more of the same dry, intellectual writing.
Having said that, his dystopia is pretty creepy and the opening line one of my favorites ever: "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." I liked the concept of doublethink and how easy it is for the mind to alter its reality and belief. History exists only in memory and is therefore not a solid reality. The idea of bleakness and control and the fascist creed of the State were very thought-provoking if not well executed. I would have liked more exploration into the effects of these concepts instead of lectures on them.
Interestingly enough, the moment I lost faith in this society ever overthrowing its totalitarian government was when I discovered that it encompassed the entire world. That there was no diversity of government showed that ultimate power had already been gained, both in a macro and a micro sense. While disturbing in theory, I wish I had been shown more of Winston's transition in the end. If I had taken the journey with him, it would have been powerful. As it was, I felt rather empty myself of the loss since I never made much of a connection to Winston.
Definitely worth the read if for anything for the warnings inherent in Orwell's society. This hit especially close to home, the way in which people (politicians more than anyone) turn words around so everything is the opposite of what it seems:
War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is Strength(less)
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