bookshelves: at-the-library, children-ya, fantasy
I really enjoyed reading the end of the Gregor story. Still fast paced and adventurous, this last book is more dismal. I guess it should be, it’s about a war. I like that many of the good things that happen to Gregor are a result of his previous kindness. I like the part Lizzie plays in this story, it’s her turn to make a difference. And I like seeing Ripred’s soft side. So, this is a good story with some serious events and lots of good topics to discuss with your kids. ]]>
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Beth A. wrote: "Wow, I was thinking it was a trilogy! " |
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bookshelves: audio-book, classics
I really enjoyed reading Dracula. Not at all boring or even gory, just suspenseful, creepy, and mysterious. The language was different enough to be fun to listen to without being difficult to understand. The story was really fascinating and many of the characters endearing. Persistence and goodness can eventually overcome evil. ]]>
bookshelves: at-the-library, audio-book, fantasy
This is a story about a young boy’s folly. Instead of staying with his teacher Ogion and learning patience and control, Sparrowhawk goes to Roak and learns magic at the school there. He gains power before he has the maturity to handle it. Angered and challenged by a rival, he releases an entity into the world who attacks and later hunts him until he figures out how to overcome it.
This story is about facing your fears, and having the wisdom to know when not to fight. It’s about solitude and friendship and generosity. LeGuin also repeatedly mentions equilibrium. A fun fantasy story, although I did manage to completely forget the plot in the five years since I read it last.
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bookshelves: at-the-library, sci-fi
I really enjoy the flow of Atwood’s writing in this book. It has a distinctive feel, almost like the rolling of waves. I love how the main character tells her story, it’s very stream of consciousness- what she’s thinking more than what actually happens. I like how she flits back in little segments to tell her back story.
The fact that this extremely foreign situation was new, that she came from a background very similar to ours, made this story feel much more real.
That they were taken from ordinary lives, their children taken from them, and indoctrinated by the Aunts. Everything they might use to harm themselves was taken from them. With Offred’s flowing, changing emotion, it feels very real.
Her world was one of puritanical zealots taking over government and culture- not allowing women to work, have money, or even to read grocery store signs. The world was very real within the story, but I do not feel this could actually happen in America as some other reviewers do.
It was so sad how she missed her daughter, and when she saw a picture of her it just made her sadder because her daughter no longer needed her, had most likely been told that she was dead.
This is an exploration of what we would do if we lost our freedoms, our rights, even our loved ones. Do we resist to death? Give in completely? Offred resisted, but only inside her own mind. Others formed resistance groups and tried to find others like themselves. Moria resisted for a while, then it seems she, too, gave up.
This is also about her complete isolation. There was no one she could trust, talk to. She wasn’t even allowed her own name. She was put in a uniform, identifying her only as a handmaid, and even her face was covered. She had no personal possessions, completely isolated and objectified, hopeless.
I actually liked the ending. A happy- ties everything up neatly- ending would have been a betrayal to the rest of the story, but this ending has just enough hope.
This is a good, thought provoking book, as well as just an interesting story, and I do recommend it although it does have some adult language and situations (obviously).
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bookshelves: at-the-library, fantasy
Love Terry Pratchett!
There were a lot of fun, new characters in this book. I especially liked: Glenda, the cook who goes to Vetinari without an appointment to tell him he is wrong- and survives. Nutt, who is everything he should not be. Dr. Hix who is obligatorily (mildly) evil.
I also love how Ponder Stubbins is taking over the University one responsibility at a time. And the fact that “None of us can help how we are made.”
One of the themes he discusses is prejudice. Again we meet a character that Ankh-Morpork just cannot accept, and the people learn how wrong their preconceptions are. Another was about worth. Is worth inherent, we have worth just because we are? Or does worth need to be constantly accumulated by meaningful contributions?
Oh, and somewhere in there, there was a bit about football.
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bookshelves: children-ya, fantasy
Another good story, lots of conflict and adventure, and fun to read. There was more friction between the characters, and I felt a little less connected to them. It did bother me that they again take the pups (kids) into a very dangerous situation, this time through a few poor decisions rather than necessity.
Unlike the previous three, this book is unresolved at the end. The next book will be a continuation of this story rather than the beginning of a new episode. I am hoping that the last book will continue the Gregor tradition of having a good but reasonable ending.
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bookshelves: at-the-library, children-ya, fantasy
I really enjoyed this third book in "The Underland Chronicles."
I don't feel like I can say too much without spoiling, but I think this is a great book to read and discuss with your kids. Questions abound, like "Why?" and "Could this ever happen in real life?" It would be a perfect time to discuss certain values. ]]>
bookshelves: at-the-library, children-ya, fantasy
I think I enjoyed this story even more than Gregor the Overlander. It has the same great characters and was quick paced and even a bit more suspenseful.
I love that Gregor recognizes that some things are “just wrong,” and he is true to this belief even under strong pressure from others to do as they would do, or what is expected of him. Another theme I noticed in these stories is that decisions and actions have results. The poor decision of ignoring a warning results in death and injury, a decision to show compassion and help someone leads to their loyalty and help later on. It continues with the theme of looking past prejudice.
These stories have been so much fun to read!
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