I first read this book as a kid, and it's one of those books I could never get tired of re-reading. It creates a magic land of it's own, but through t...moreI first read this book as a kid, and it's one of those books I could never get tired of re-reading. It creates a magic land of it's own, but through the weirdness of it all, it just draws you in, and you start to feel as if you are in Wonderland yourself. It's a classic and a mustread for everyone.(less)
She has a gift with painting pictures with words, feelings and people leaping of the pages, so raw and real you can a...moreNicole Krauss writes beautifully.
She has a gift with painting pictures with words, feelings and people leaping of the pages, so raw and real you can almost touch them, and if you are not careful, they will cut you. Deeply. Really, with this book, “I don’t know what to say about it, except that it moved me in a way one hopes to be moved each time he begins a book.” And yet…. (view spoiler)[ if/when you’ve read the book, you’ll get what I did there. He. He….he. (hide spoiler)] I will try to say a few things more, with the help of some little excerpts from the book. This book is about ordinary people.
“Take for example the man walking down the street. You wouldn’t notice him necessarily, he’s not the sort of man one notices; everything about his clothes and demeanor ask not to be picked out from a crowd. Ordinarily – he would tell you this himself- he would be overlooked.”
And how, when you just look beyond the surface of apparent ordinariness, there’s a person that’s anything but ordinary, with feelings, and dreams, and thoughts, and regrets, and defeat, and joys, and suffering, and acceptance – a whole history that plays into their present and the choices they make, and the future that springs from those choices, and the people that they share their life with, both in their inner and outer world. Nicole Krauss gives the reader a glimpse into the world, that consist both the idiosyncracities, that makes every person’s life and personality different, but also the themes that lies behind them and that bind us all together - utter humanness, exposed.
“I try to make a point of being seen. Sometimes when I'm out, I'll buy a juice even when I'm not thirsty. If the store is crowded I'll even go so far as dropping change all over the floor, nickels and dimes skidding in every direction. All I want is not to die on a day I went unseen.”
Meet Leo Gursky, a man that the world doesn’t notice much, but who doesn’t want to be forgotten. “I knew that the way others had lost a leg or an arm, I’d lost whatever the thing is that makes people indelible.” A man, who has lived in solitude for much of his life, “Grammar of my life; as a rule of thumb, wherever there appears a plural, correct for singular.” , that thinks more than he talks, and who carries a history of love- loss- and regret, like most people. “The moment had passed, the door between the lives we could have led and the lives we led had shut in our faces.” , and who is now just waiting to die, to be gone in body, as he seems to have been gone in person, for much of his life. “Sometimes I forget that the world is not on the same schedule as I. That everything is not dying, or that if it is dying it will return to life, what with a little encouragement. “ What Nicole Krauss does in terms of bringing these existences to life and showing us the inner workings of a human life and mind is absolutely stunning. “It’s possible I cried. What’s the difference.” As far as looking behind the exterior and into the deep workings of a troubled soul, young or old, , she does an outstanding job, and if this is a gift she also has with real people, she could probably make an excellent psychologist. But. (view spoiler)[ I did it again. Hehehehe (hide spoiler)] As a writer you also have to be careful how you piece together the puzzle of your story, and that in the end the readers sees the grand picture, without any pieces missing. At least not any important pieces, that could damage the whole picture. And here I feel like Nicole Krauss failed a little bit, at least me, and why I had to knock off a star. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of the story, the changing perspectives or the point as to why she was showing us this or that, and unfortunately the ending left me unfulfilled. I’m okay with open endings, as long as I feel like it’s right for the people in the story and me as a reader to part (however little I might want to), and that we’ve travelled together on an important journey, that has now come to a natural end. But in this case I found the leaving was too abrupt, too many questions unanswered and without a proper goodbye or any real closure.
Nicole Krauss is a magnificent writer (as in writing). When it comes to storytelling, I think there’s room to grow. If a good book to you is one that is beautifully written, and looks into human existence, and you can live with a slow-moving, and not all that well-rounded up, plot, then I imagine you’ll like this book.
Slow start, but I liked the story, the characters, the writing, the romance.
And by the way, I imagine Christian looking something a long the lines of...more Slow start, but I liked the story, the characters, the writing, the romance.
And by the way, I imagine Christian looking something a long the lines of this: (less)
Just finished and it is still tugging at my heart and the beautiful prose swirling around in my mind. This is surely a book gem, a favourite, and I'll...moreJust finished and it is still tugging at my heart and the beautiful prose swirling around in my mind. This is surely a book gem, a favourite, and I'll recommend anyone with a passion for books and the art of words to read it.
more review to come, but as of now I just need it to settle....(less)
I would have easily given this book more than 5 stars if allowed. That's how good it is.
I strongly recommend everyone to start reading this as SOON as...moreI would have easily given this book more than 5 stars if allowed. That's how good it is.
I strongly recommend everyone to start reading this as SOON as you possibly can (preferably now)! I pretty much read it in one sitting, (only stopping to sleep, eat, pee), I could not put the book down, and at the same time, at every page I turned, I was sad I was getting nearer the end. I didn't want it to end, ever. It was not just GOOD, it was absolutely unfreakingbelievably AMAZING! I have fallen completely in love with this book, and already now I just want to re-read it, something I rarely ever want to do. I am completely blown away. This book was made of spectacular from start to finish, completely reeled me in, and just got better and better. At no point (!) were there parts were I got bored, annoyed or impatient, on the contrary I only got more and more anxious and sad that I was getting to the end.
To begin with I fell for the writing which is phenomenal and a key factor for me. The other is story, obviously, and this book had both TO PERFECTION. It seems impossible, but all in all, it realy was just flawless, there is absolutely nothing I can put my finger on or would have changed. Only maybe for my own selfish reasons, to make it a little longer, but then again, I dont think I would ever tire or get enough and no amount of pages could be long enough, and there's a serious risk I would never return to my own life.
I don't think I have ever read a book like this, that I love so wholeheartedly, word by word, page by page. That in itself is a shockfactor to me, and I was struck by despair to see that there were no more Jandy Nelson books to lay my hands on, because I was already addicted, in love (demented, that is) by her writing, her characters and her worlds. This book captured me, making me want to live in it, with it, or more so, in Jandy Nelsons fantasy where beautiful words and stories spring from and awesome people like Joe (and all his Fontaine brothers), Lennie, Gram, Big, Toby, Sarah and Bailey are alive. The way Nelson portrays characters and manages to make tham all so likeable (maybe except Rachel)is beyond me. I could vividly picture them all, and how they were thinking and feeling, despite this being a book written from first person perspective, and I felt so close to them the whole way through the book. Through Nelsons writing these characthers come alive, like I've very seldom experienced it.
The book main story is about Lennie dealing with the loss and pain of her sister's death and the way Nelson describes this grief and all the many many mixed and intense feelings that comes with it, is absolutely astounding. And she manages not just to convey Lennies grief but also Tobys and Gram's, so it makes you feel their aching loss, too. No review could ever do it justice trying to describe what it does to you, it has to be experienced, or in this case, read. On top of dealing with this difficult subject in a heartfelt and beautiful way, Nelson throws in an EPIC romance story/triangle, that beats that of Wuthering Heights by far! (Lennies favourite lovestory often referenced to in the book. On this matter me and her has a difference of opinion though, but well, I don't agree with my friends on everything). How ironic, too, that this is the first book I start reading after finishing 'Wuthering Heights'! Joe and Toby are both swoonworthy, making me want to relive my teenage days of young love. I completely understand the gaga over Joe, he is heartbreakingly awesome. In the mix of the grief and the romance is a good amount of humour, and Nelson puts all of this together in a way that just WORKS. I wish for just a grain of her talent, because to be able to write like this, create stories like this, is surely a gift, that is rarely found, even among published writers, who sell tons of books.
To round off, I'll say again that I could not possibly write anything that fairly depicts any of these characters or their grief or the romance, or the journey it is to read this book, instead I recommend you go meet them and have them tell, or more like show you, their story, through Nelsons artful writing, and let yourself be lost in or swept away by it, like I was.(less)
This is one of the first books I ever read on my own. And I have read it many times since. It's very dark and sad, but there's a glimmer of hope shini...moreThis is one of the first books I ever read on my own. And I have read it many times since. It's very dark and sad, but there's a glimmer of hope shining as a bright star on the night sky. It's beautiful and it touches and tears at my heart everytime I read it. I guess it's classified as a childrens book, but really it's an 'for every age' book. Adults as well as children will be moved by this story. I know for myself, this is one of the books I will never outgrow and which will never lose it's ability to touch my heart.(less)
This book is a great read. It's funny, charming, romantic, well-written and with lots of that teenage-drama we've all been through, and a book i'm sur...moreThis book is a great read. It's funny, charming, romantic, well-written and with lots of that teenage-drama we've all been through, and a book i'm sure many people will enjoy. Etienne Sct. Clair is charming and Anna and his story and journey towards love one to enjoy.If you've ever been struck by love and gone through the 'does he/she like me, does he/she not', you need to read this book. I'm sure it will bring back memories! So hurry up and go read it! :) The bookcover though, and also the title, I HATE. it looks and sounds so cheesy (which this book is not, maybe apart from the end, which was a little bit too clichee compared to the rest of the book, but ok), and I'm sure it steers a lot of people away from this book (as it did me), thinking it's something else than it is. If it hadn't been for Misty (whose opinion I trust very much) and her review, I probably never would have picked it up. So thanks Misty, for a good read and a glimpse into my own past ;)
I say this because this story also had a very personal mening to me, because it closely reflects that of my own falling seriously in love for the first time, which also happened on a boarding school (in denmark though).
This was a great read. Here's a classic I actually enjoyed and found to deserve it's title as a classic.
This book was published over a century ago,...moreThis was a great read. Here's a classic I actually enjoyed and found to deserve it's title as a classic.
This book was published over a century ago, and yet, it is more relevant than ever. In nowadays society where beauty, youth and fame seems to go hand in hand with succes, and where people are often measured, appraised or critisiced for their outer self, more than the inner one, the tale of Dorian Gray, a handsome young man facing the fact that he will one day age, and lose all that his beauty seems to bring him, seems more relevant than ever. To Dorian, losing his youth and beauty seems like the end of the world, one he cannot bear to face. That leads him to make a wish with dire consequences. Enter magical realism. A genre I feel rather ambivalent about, because I find doesnt always work. If there is too much magic and it becomes an 'anything goes' kind of thing, it can ruin an otherwise great story for me, leaving me out of touch with the story. But then at other times it works so beautifully wonderfully well, that it takes a story to a completely different level, by using magic to twist reality, and amping, enhancing and showcasing certain points ending up making them so much more real. The latter was the case, with The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Besides the theme of the book being relevant, the plot being well pulled off, I also think Oscar Wilde did a great job, building up his characters and the way they interacted with each other. I found myself hooked from beginning to end, even when the plot wasn't really going forward, but I as a reader, was giving just as satisfying scenes, conversations or thought processes into the characters lives.
Oscar Wilde didnt become famous for nothing. He has a deep, psychological insight and a philosophical look at life, that questions our reality, our values and our ideals and he manages to write about them in a well-written, understandable, interesting manner, that leaves the reader a little changed, a little more in touch with themselves, a little more of an agent in life than merely a spectator.
Have you ever read a book that you find so great and fascinating and important that you want to buy a massive amount of copies and give them to your l...moreHave you ever read a book that you find so great and fascinating and important that you want to buy a massive amount of copies and give them to your loved ones and pretty much every single person you meet?
It’s not that what it said was new to me, it was the way it said it. Simply, yet so beautifully.
The messages of this books are like a gem, wrapped up in this wonderful story about a boy and his adventures and discoveries along the way, that makes this book one I (maybe naively) think everyone can enjoy and take from what they want and need.
And if people don’t enjoy this book, it is properly because they are in a place, where they haven’t discovered for themselves the messages of this book to be true. And so it isn’t, for them. (Yet).
But it was indeed true for me. I found the book both enjoyable as a story, important in it’s messages, well-written with the power of this simple language reflecting the simple, yet sometimes hard to grasp truths in life, and filled with layers and metaphors that make me see these truths from many angles and many layers, that makes this book the gift that keeps giving.
I definitely recommend everyone giving ‘the alchemist’ a read. It’s rather short, so if you don’t find in it something of immense value as I did, then no harm done.
And if you do, it just might give you something invaluable as it did me. A treasure and a means of penetration to the Sould of the World.
So... I'll admit it from the get-go: this book started out sort of 'meh' for me. I was not really 'feeling it' and I sort of found the heroine a bit wh...moreSo... I'll admit it from the get-go: this book started out sort of 'meh' for me. I was not really 'feeling it' and I sort of found the heroine a bit whiny, self-absorbed, and a little too vengeful and agressive for my taste. My main complaints would be along these lines, 'Don't blame the world for your problems honey', 'dont judge and jump to conclusions' and'don't take your anger out on others'.
BUT about a 3rd of my way into the book though, things started to change. The story got a hold of me, I got invested in the characters that were coming alive on the pages, and the story seemed to have more depth than I initiallly thought, and I just wanted to keep on reading to see where this was all leading them, and me, since I was now fully on-board with it.
Then towards the end, at about the last 3rd or so of the book I was a lost cause. The characters had shown some actual growth, the story had unfolded itself beautifully, even if on some aspects anticipated, and I did not want the book to end which is a pretty good sign, that a book has managed to really get a hold on me.
It grew from a 3 - to a 4 - to a 5 star reading experience for me, and knowing what I know now, and if I were to re-read it, I doubt the beginning would seem like a 3 anymore.
Without saying too much, i can say this: This book is both sad, funny, sweet - at points trivial, at others deep - with flawed characters that make mistakes, but who learns and grows, and are able to apologise and forgive, who are both fighting change and embracing it, - and this book weaves it together beautifully, and it left me not able to get it out of my mind (not that I really wanted to), even when the last page had been turned (which is another one of those signs of a good reading experience). So if that sounds like the sort of book you like to read, I suggest you give it a try. And if you do, my only advice, will be this: have patience . Sometimes you have to get to know people better, to understand them, and sometimes you have to give people (including yourself) time to evolve and struggle with things before they can be resolved.
A book well-written, well-plotted, and well-told and I'm surely coming back to read more of Rothenbergs work.
This book was EVERYTHING and more. It has left my brain stunned at it's utter genious, which is why this review probably wont be very co...moreOH. MY. GOD.
This book was EVERYTHING and more. It has left my brain stunned at it's utter genious, which is why this review probably wont be very coherent, but who am I kidding? there is no way I could caption this brilliance that is this book anyway.
So I wont say much I will just say this:
From the very first pages I was encaptured by this book - loving the writing, and intrigued by the story. And as the story moved along, spinning pieces together, I just fell in love with it. Madly. Deeply.
THE CHARACTERS Felt real to me. They werent flawless, they made mistakes, had regrets, and they grew . I could very much relate to them, and both Lucy and Daniel had my respect and support. I felt I was loving, learning and agonising right along side with them.
THE ROMANCE Well-built, realistic and not overly romantised. Lucy and Daniel hasnt met or hooked up in every life, and there are a lot of conflicted feelings involved. But it still swept me off my feet.
THE PLOT/STORY Very well-crafted. I found Daniels perceptions about reincarnation, life and death very inspirering and resonant, and again the whole world and the people in it - BEN!! :) Joaquim :( - just all rang true for me, reeling me in. On this note I'll just mention the ending which has been a frustration to many. This book has a very open ending, leaving you thinking there will/should be a sequel. And I think that's how Ann Brashares originally planned it. Whether it is going to happen, still seems to be up in the air, from what I can gather from google. Something about approval from the publishers play into it, it seems. So it's not a lack of will. As much as I wish there was a guarantee of a sequel, the open ending, didnt ruin the experience for me. Couldn't. It was too good. I wouldnt have missed out on this book for the world. And I dont think any of you guys should let it discourage you either. Just know that all strings wont be ties up in the end, and you will be left begging for more, and that if we are lucky, our wish might be granted! I sure hope so, 'cause I am addicted, to this story, these characters and this world Ann Brashares has build. GIMME MORE!
THE WRITING Wonderful. Made me feel, see and hear everything that was going on inside and outside the characters and this world and made it all very relatable. I kept hearing Adele's 'Dont you remember' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkM6Uq... over and over in my head while reading this, the lyrics are like scarily on point, and it's such an emotional song, that just really embodies how I imagine Daniel is feeling. I dont think I'll ever be able to listen to that song without thinking of this book. Which I dont mind, at all :)
So. Being the last book in the series I had a lot of expectations of this book, that I didn’t have with the 2 earlier books. The earlier books had the...moreSo. Being the last book in the series I had a lot of expectations of this book, that I didn’t have with the 2 earlier books. The earlier books had the privilege of not being the end , and therefore leaving the possibility open of things changing or questions being answered or motivations and personal histories being explained in the future. The earlier books had to leave some things unanswered, choices left to be made and characters left to grow and troubles left to be faced, for there to be another book, and for the readers to come back, to want to find out how it all plays out. And they did a good job at that, which is why they earned one more star,. This last book had a different purpose (no pun intended), being the end of the journey. This book was the last chance to tie everything up and answer all the so-far unanswered questions and to do this in a way that would be satisfying. At the end of the book, we, the readers, have to say goodbye to our beloved characters and have to leave their world, and this parting (especially with characters you actually care about) makes it crucial that both they and we are at a place where there’s no unfinished business. And that is why this book doesn’t get the same amount ofvstars the previous books got. I was left with questions I had hoped to get answered more fully and expected to be left feeling more clarified, instead of just thrown some rather vague explanations of things, or brushing over journeys of other characters. I expected things to be tied up, put together, to feel I had all the pieces to the big puzzle, and instead I was left with a few missing holes left in the puzzle. I guess that could be because I didn’t keep track of it all as I should have, but even if that was the case, I felt these things could have been pointed out more, or summed up. The spoiler tags are actual spoilers – don’t click them if you don’t want to know!
The things that left me unsatisfied and questioning: I never quite understood how the visions worked as opposed to free will and destiny, and what the consequences were of not following them and why Claras mother was so adamant about needing to follow them. What was her experience with this? What lessons did she learn? Why did she push Clara so hard to go with her visions (view spoiler)[ to be with Christian, if the visions were up to the person themselves in the end, and had no ‘bad’ consequences?? (hide spoiler)] The way Claras mum reacted and pushed to keep to the visions always rubbed me the wrong way, and I was hoping she had some really good reasons for it, personally, or mythically, that would be revealed later on and excuse her bossy behaviour. Seeing how things unfolded and the explanations given, could have worked, it just didn’t add up, all things considered. It wasn’t the reasoning in the end itself, it was just that it seemed so utterly out of tune with what had been preached and pointed to in the earlier part of series.
Another thing that bothered me was the neatly, rosy, pretty fairytale ending to it all. This is a tricky one, because like I said earlier, being the last book, it has to end on a good note, where the readers feel like it’s safe to leave the characters. But I just felt like it went a little overboard with the fluffyness of it all, and how everything just fell neatly into place, very fast!, especially considered all the darkness and trials throughout. And at the same time it just felt a too cliché, (view spoiler)[ like, of course Clara ends up saving Tucker from death, from actually dying, bringing him back to life. And of course he’s brought back infused with light, neatly overcoming the difficulty of the nauseating glory. And this incident makes Clara all of a sudden able to choose between the 2 guys, without any more confliction. And of course Asael is out of the picture, leaving it to Samjeeza, who’s come to like Clara so much he’ll just leave her, and everyone else she cares about alone. No worries about the 7 and the war and all that. , (hide spoiler)] I think I would have preferred a longer roundup, more time and place to things being worked out. How exactly I’m not sure, but it just seemed too rushed, too fast, too easy.
The triangle , was another one of the things that was left off too easy and rushed for my sake. Let me just state that I’m one of the people that actually enjoy and love a good triangle. And throughout the series I’ve been very impressed with the way Cynthia Hand has handles this, making both guys so utterly charming and attractive, and building a solid foundation of friendship with both guys, making it so difficult for both Clara and the readers to choose one over the other. I’ve felt Claras confliction myself, not knowing which guy I was actually hoping she’d end up with. (view spoiler)[ which is why I actually thought it was both bold, smart and unexpected to have Tucker dying. I thought that was to be the end of the triangle, Clara finally having to let go of Tucker and being able to move on with Christian, and I actually applauded Cynthia Hand for taking this step and ending the triangle this way. As much as I would have been sad to see Tucker go, of course, and for the pain it would have brought Clara, in the end I think it would have made more sense, and ended the book in a more believable and satisfying manner, with the condition of course that Hand would have spent a bit more time on the emotional process left in the wake of that. I admit I actually would have preferred that ending to the one I got: Tucker revived and Christian just left with nothing, but… friendship. Honestly, the way Christian was left off, bothered me. What about him, his journey, his purpose, their connection? No, not a good way to leave him. (hide spoiler)]. Ending the triangle with a complete happily ever-after with the chose guy, and no looking back to all those impossiblw feelings with the other guy, who is left in the periphery, with a not severed, but certainly not satisfied, connection. It wasn’t believable for one, because I don’t think you can care so much for someone, being so drawn to them, and then all of a sudden, epiphany!, and you are left with no other feelings than friendship, you know what you want, and you never waver again. Love is a messy, complicated thing, and old feelings have a habit of sticking around, rearing their ugly head, creating doubts and turmoil, no matter how much at peace you are with your choices and your path. It’s just not as easy as it was made out to be, and in no way was it satisfying for me. As harsh as it sounds, I definitely would have preferred one of the guys dying (if you’ve read the spoiler tag you know which one too. But don’t click it, if you haven’t read the book), because that would have forced a different kind of letting go and moving on for Clara, where ‘what if’ wasn’t a choice she made, and therefore a dead end to wander down.
And what was Jeffreys visions and purpose about? Why did he have to start the fire and save Tucker? Looking back it makes absolutely no sense to me, what divine (view spoiler)[ or personal (hide spoiler)] reasoning there could be behind that. Same goes for the vision he had in Boundless – why, what, when, where?
I also wish there would have been a better look into the workings of several other characters like Samjeeza, Claras mother, Michael, Asael, and Phen. Why did the fallen ones fall? What made them shun the light and turn evil? What changed Claras mother from the way she used to be, to the way Clara knew her? What did she learn from life, why was she so secretive but still so opinionated? What scars did her choices in love leave, and why did she fall for one and then the other? Why did Michael help with some matters, and then stay out of others? Why did he fall for Claras mother, what made her so special that an archangel decides to actually play dad for at least a couple of years, and then goes back to angel duty. Wouldn’t that leave a bit of confliction and doubts in the wake?
Another little thing that bothered me was that a few of the planned twists and turns, seemed a bit obvious to me, and so I was left rather unsurprised with several turns of events, I guess should have left me with an OMG- feeling, that just never really happened. (view spoiler)[ So I figured out Lucy was bad, and probably a dark wing coming to recruit Jeffrey, her tattooing dad possibly being Asael. When Jeffrey disappeared I was pretty sure he was in hell, and that Clara would figure this out, when she went there, and that way messing up Samjeezas orders. The only thing that I wasn’t expecting, was Tucker dying, which I thought was good move. And then he didn’t. Not really. Love saved him. Yeah, a little too cheesy for my taste. (hide spoiler)].
What I loved about the book: Despite my above complaints, Boundless , just like its predecessors, is a solid, enjoyable read. Cynthia Hand writes well, with a good balance between show and tell, good character portrayls, suspense, action and love all combined in a good mix, and there are very many scenes, that are much less cliché than they easily could have been, that are just sweet and funny instead. The characters overall feel real , even if I don’t feel like we get to know everything there is and would be relevant to know about these characters. The triangle has been handled so well up until the very end, making both guys such good choices, that it seemed impossible to choose. I love the little everyday, normal interactions that are so filled with emotions, that prick and poke at all those emotions trying to be managed and concealed and failing at that, and leaping out everywhere here and there, making a romantic mess of things. I can safely say that I prefer those to the grand gestures of love and ‘you and me forever, baby’ and ‘it was always you’ type of things, which again was why the ending was less to my liking than the beginning and middle of this book, and the previous ones.
The unearthly series is definitely one I’ll recommend, but out of the 3 books, the last one was my least favourite.
Review to come, And it will be a very long ramble on all the things I love-love-loved In this book made of brilliancy and devastation and soul seeing a...moreReview to come, And it will be a very long ramble on all the things I love-love-loved In this book made of brilliancy and devastation and soul seeing and life's mysteries and beautiful, scorching writing and how deeply grateful and thankful I am that Katja Millay wrote this book, that I will never be able or want to forget.
But MUCH more on that later (like, probably, a lot later - since i am going on vacation for the next 3 weeks)!
Right now it's time for that life of mine that has been on hold for the last 3 days:)
edit,may 3rd, 2013:
This song, 'Bring me to life' by Evanescence fits this story so beautifully, heartbreakingly well.
Lyrics:
How can you see into my eyes like open doors? Leading you down into my core where I’ve become so numb Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold Until you find it there and lead it back home
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can’t wake up) Wake me up inside (Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark (Wake me up) Bid my blood to run (I can’t wake up) Before I come undone (Save me) Save me from the nothing I’ve become
Now that I know what I’m without You can't just leave me Breathe into me and make me real Bring me to life
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can’t wake up) Wake me up inside (Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark (Wake me up) Bid my blood to run (I can’t wake up) Before I come undone (Save me) Save me from the nothing I’ve become
Bring me to life (I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside) Bring me to life
Frozen inside without your touch Without your love, darling Only you are the life among the dead
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me I’ve been sleeping a thousand years it seems Got to open my eyes to everything Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul Don't let me die here There must be something more Bring me to life
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can’t wake up) Wake me up inside (Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark (Wake me up) Bid my blood to run (I can’t wake up) Before I come undone (Save me) Save me from the nothing I’ve become
(Bring me to life) I’ve been living a lie, there’s nothing inside (Bring me to life)
A good mix between romance, action, fantasy and mystery!
There was a good pace to it, so I never really got bored. I was a b...moreI really enjoyed this book.
A good mix between romance, action, fantasy and mystery!
There was a good pace to it, so I never really got bored. I was a bit dissappointed though, that a main figure, which also happened to be one half of the romance I was so much enjoying(!), for reasons I wont go into, wasnt featured in about 1/3 of the book, about half-way into it. There I was, getting all excited, and then GONE.
It wasnt that the rest of the story wasnt good, i was just enjoying the romance more. And it wasnt that Katsa wasn't interesting to follow, I just liked Po more. And I freakin' missed him, OK? He was great. I liked him. He was smart,funny, sweet and he managed to deal with all Katsa's bullsh*T moods, confusions and so on so fantastically well, I think he deserves some kind of medal or award. Or something. He respects her, challenges her, understands and gives her space. Men like that aren't easy to come by. I think Katsa should appreciate him more. Or someone else would be glad to do so.
And the ending. Just wasn't satisfactory for me. It was all left off too open, too non-chalant , too 'see you when I see you'. I'm not saying they necessarily should have gotten married or anything, but still... I needed... something. More.
And when I realised the next 2 books in the trilogy, isn't centered around (or even includes?) the same people, I was just dissappointed more. This story for me was really carried through these particular characters that I got to know and got invested in and I want to know what happens to them in this world, what other journeys and adventures will strike them. Honestly I just dont really care enough about the world itself to start over and read about it from someone elses point of view. (less)
My first Jane Austen book – and I really, really liked it. Which was totally unexpected, since I’ve seen the movie (years ago) and it didn’t really swe...moreMy first Jane Austen book – and I really, really liked it. Which was totally unexpected, since I’ve seen the movie (years ago) and it didn’t really sweep me of my feet or leave any lasting impression. I barely remember anything but the name Mr. Darcy, and I’m pretty sure I was a bit bored throughout, and wasn’t particularly fond of Elisabeth either.
Luckily so, but seemingly contradictory, the book left a completely different impression on me. This just attests to books and movies being two very different artforms and mediums, and what works in one genre, doesn’t necessarily work in the other, which is why an adaptation from a book to a movie has the potential/risk of falling out very different - for better or worse. It’s not that one artform can be named superior, as such (even if one of course can prefer one over the other:) ), it’s just that they have different strength and weaknesses, also very much depending on how (and how well) they are executed. Whereas the movie (obviously) has the power of visualizing a story that lacks description or coherence on paper, and of breathing life into characters that seemed inanimate and barren and makes show rather than tellan easy job, a book has the potential to take us deep into the inner workings of a character, into the very private of their thoughts, feelings, sometimes almost like to their very soul, which on screen doesn’t come across as easily and is very much depended upon the skill of the actor/actress. The pitfall of a book, in my opinion, will always be to rely more on telling rather than showing. When you work with words as a medium, the act of telling seems rather accustomed right? And that is exactly why I count writing that masters showing rather than telling as an art, because it seems counterintuitive, and because it completely surpasses my often overworking mind, and goes straight to my heart and my senses, making me feel and making me see the story unfold.
My point from all this, being: Jane Austen did that! She manages writing as an art, not just as storytelling
With this book, Jane Austen showed and she made every character seem real, some of them likeable, some of them rather annoying (yes Mrs. Bennet I’m thinking of you), but even with the annoying characters, I found as a reader, that I was provided with a glimpse, an insight into what was driving these characters, what life looked like from their perspective, which I found to be very gratifying. The characters have very distinct personalities, without becoming caricatures. There’s The goodnatured Father; The shallow, dramatic Mother; The wild, attentionseeking Sister; The quiet, shy Beauty; The amiable but also susceptible Bachelor; The brooding, reserved and honest Darcy; The strongwilled, sassy, funny, opinionated Elisabeth, and many many more….
These characters share a culture and a social world, with certain customs, rules and restrictions that may be different from the ones of our modern times, but likewise has consequences, if/when not followed. Jane Austen manages to be timeless, because you don’t have to know that world, to understand it. She doesn’t take these customs for granted, but weaves them into the story, into the dialogues, thought processes, emotions and scenes of her book.
And as the story unfolds these characters grow. Well, at least some of them does, anyway. Some might need a little more time, or life to throw a few more challenges their way, until they learn their lesson. But the main characters of this book, Mr. Darcy and Elisabeth Bennet, gradually change their view of each other, and of the world throughout this book. Enough to make them wiser, more open and less proud and prejudiced , but not so much that they become unrecognizable or their journey unbelievable. Austen allow her characters to make mistakes, to discover that, and to own them and to try to make amends, but without stripping them of grace.
“How despicably I have acted!" she cried; "I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity in useless or blameable mistrust! How humiliating is this discovery! Yet, how just a humiliation! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our aquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself.”
Yes, they fall in love, but this book is so much more than just a simple lovestory. This was demonstrated beautifully towards the end, when our two lovers finally get the chance to declare each other their love and clear up the misunderstandings and Jane Austen decides to completely SKIP over this, no dialogue, no detailed description, just a mentioning of it being done (it’s not like we didn’t know it already), and instead she gives us the ‘after’ dialogue where they talk to eahc other of their GROWTH, their regrets, their misjudgments, illbehaviour - basically a sum up to their journey and how they’ve changed, and how they did this in the process of falling in love, or was able to love, now that their own pride and prejudices weren’t clouding their judgment. In this way, Jane Austen aptly pointed out that growth was the essential force of the book, even if it came to be through, or resulted in, love.
And isn’t that how it happens to a lot of us? We fall in love, and in the process we learn and change, and see new sides of life, ourselves and others, or we realize new things about ourselves or others and end up being more receptive and able to love? I know it has for me.
MizzSandie
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