Molly Looby's Blog, page 15
December 16, 2014
Paper Towns - John Green
Blurb
Quentin Jacobson has always loved Margo from afar. So when she climbs through his window to summon him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow. But the next morning, Q turns up at school and Margo doesn't. She's left clues to her disappearance, like a trail of breadcrumbs for Q to follow.
And everything leads to one unavoidable question:
Who is the real Margo?
My Review
If you've read my reviews of The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, you won't be surprised by the way I'm about to talk about Paper Towns. Yep, I'm afraid this is mostly going to be gushy. I adored this book. John Green is brilliant. I fell back into his style after one paragraph as though it hadn't been months and months since I last read one of his books.
I immediately fell in love with Q and his friends the way I didn't and couldn't with Miles in Looking for Alaska. They were completely real and relatable and really funny. Whenever Q, Ben and Radar were all in a chapter I just couldn't stop reading. I even laughed out loud. But they weren't perfect. The were flawed and so accurate to how people like that would be. I just really wanted to hang out with them.
The feeling of leaving school is written so perfectly. Exactly how I remember it. When Q left I felt that "perverse nostalgia" that he was feeling. That is a mark of a great book. I not only knew exactly how he was feeling, I felt it too. But not only did I feel it, I felt like I was reliving it.
When I got to Part Three I was so excited I could burst. I knew I was going to finish the book in that day and of course I did. Though I didn't want it to end. I just didn't want to stop reading it. It was too much fun!
If you're wondering which John Green book is my favourite, it's still The Fault in Our Stars purely because I could read it over and over and over and over. I think Paper Towns would never be as magical if I was to read it again, the mystery element is too strong.
I realise this review is short because I have no criticism to give whatsoever. I just have one last thing to say. I hope this: "I don't know how I look, but I know how I feel: Young. Goofy. Infinite." is a reference to The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Evaluation
Overall 10/10
Would I recommend it? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
Would I look up the author? Yes but I don't have to. There's only one more of his books I don't own.
Paper Towns . . . there has never been so much truth in a book all at once.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
Quentin Jacobson has always loved Margo from afar. So when she climbs through his window to summon him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow. But the next morning, Q turns up at school and Margo doesn't. She's left clues to her disappearance, like a trail of breadcrumbs for Q to follow.
And everything leads to one unavoidable question:
Who is the real Margo?
My Review
If you've read my reviews of The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, you won't be surprised by the way I'm about to talk about Paper Towns. Yep, I'm afraid this is mostly going to be gushy. I adored this book. John Green is brilliant. I fell back into his style after one paragraph as though it hadn't been months and months since I last read one of his books.
I immediately fell in love with Q and his friends the way I didn't and couldn't with Miles in Looking for Alaska. They were completely real and relatable and really funny. Whenever Q, Ben and Radar were all in a chapter I just couldn't stop reading. I even laughed out loud. But they weren't perfect. The were flawed and so accurate to how people like that would be. I just really wanted to hang out with them.
The feeling of leaving school is written so perfectly. Exactly how I remember it. When Q left I felt that "perverse nostalgia" that he was feeling. That is a mark of a great book. I not only knew exactly how he was feeling, I felt it too. But not only did I feel it, I felt like I was reliving it.
When I got to Part Three I was so excited I could burst. I knew I was going to finish the book in that day and of course I did. Though I didn't want it to end. I just didn't want to stop reading it. It was too much fun!
If you're wondering which John Green book is my favourite, it's still The Fault in Our Stars purely because I could read it over and over and over and over. I think Paper Towns would never be as magical if I was to read it again, the mystery element is too strong.
I realise this review is short because I have no criticism to give whatsoever. I just have one last thing to say. I hope this: "I don't know how I look, but I know how I feel: Young. Goofy. Infinite." is a reference to The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Evaluation
Overall 10/10
Would I recommend it? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
Would I look up the author? Yes but I don't have to. There's only one more of his books I don't own.
Paper Towns . . . there has never been so much truth in a book all at once.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
December 9, 2014
The Maze Runner - James Dashner
Blurb
When the lift cranks open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone - an army of boys welcome him to the Glade, an encampment at the centre of a terrible maze. The Gladers have no idea why they're there, or what's happened to the world outside. And following the arrival of a girl with a message, they must find a way out - or die.
My Review
I'm going to have to start off by apologizing because I just did not enjoy this book as much as I expected! It's stupid that I feel like I have to apologize but I do because the world Dashner's created is real and believable as are the characters. There's action and emotion and struggle.
So why didn't you like it? I hear you ask.
The quick answer is that it was too long. My main problem during The Maze Runner was how incredibly slow the whole thing was. I'm not saying there wasn't conflict and exciting parts because there were, and they were great, but the beginning dragged on for an eternity! I slogged through the first hundred pages wondering if anything at all was going to happen. I had to force myself to read every day or else I knew it'd be Christmas and I'd still be reading it. It was only when I got 250 pages in that I felt like I was enjoying myself. And that was most of the book read!
To be quite frank, the only reason I carried on until the end was because I felt like I needed to. I know how many people love this book and I wanted to love it too, I really, truly did but it was just not meant to be. That and the first chapter was incredible. I was fascinated, thrown into the Glade with Thomas, dying for answers. Answers that came too late to peak my interest.
The ending did get extremely intense and fast but, if you ask me, it was too little too late by that point. And to top it all off, the tying up loose ends and signing off part at the end was - to fit in with the rest of the book - far too long also.
I felt there was a golden 75 pages between 250 and 325 but that was it.
Although the characters felt real, for some reason I couldn't connect with any of them. I have no idea why this is and I don't blame Dashner because I think it was just me. I was just totally the wrong reader for this book, but I have no idea why.
I'll finish off with some offensive typos I found in my edition. At one point this happened ',.' In what universe is that okay to leave? And I also found a missing full stop. The capital letter of the next sentence was there but alas, the full stop had gone walk-abouts. Again, this isn't Dashner's fault, just an incompetent proofreader.
Evaluation
Overall 6/10
Would I recommend it? No. I did not enjoy it nearly enough.
Would I look up the author? No. For the same reason.
I'm saddened that, for me, The Maze Runner didn't live up to its hype.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
When the lift cranks open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone - an army of boys welcome him to the Glade, an encampment at the centre of a terrible maze. The Gladers have no idea why they're there, or what's happened to the world outside. And following the arrival of a girl with a message, they must find a way out - or die.
My Review
I'm going to have to start off by apologizing because I just did not enjoy this book as much as I expected! It's stupid that I feel like I have to apologize but I do because the world Dashner's created is real and believable as are the characters. There's action and emotion and struggle.
So why didn't you like it? I hear you ask.
The quick answer is that it was too long. My main problem during The Maze Runner was how incredibly slow the whole thing was. I'm not saying there wasn't conflict and exciting parts because there were, and they were great, but the beginning dragged on for an eternity! I slogged through the first hundred pages wondering if anything at all was going to happen. I had to force myself to read every day or else I knew it'd be Christmas and I'd still be reading it. It was only when I got 250 pages in that I felt like I was enjoying myself. And that was most of the book read!
To be quite frank, the only reason I carried on until the end was because I felt like I needed to. I know how many people love this book and I wanted to love it too, I really, truly did but it was just not meant to be. That and the first chapter was incredible. I was fascinated, thrown into the Glade with Thomas, dying for answers. Answers that came too late to peak my interest.
The ending did get extremely intense and fast but, if you ask me, it was too little too late by that point. And to top it all off, the tying up loose ends and signing off part at the end was - to fit in with the rest of the book - far too long also.
I felt there was a golden 75 pages between 250 and 325 but that was it.
Although the characters felt real, for some reason I couldn't connect with any of them. I have no idea why this is and I don't blame Dashner because I think it was just me. I was just totally the wrong reader for this book, but I have no idea why.
I'll finish off with some offensive typos I found in my edition. At one point this happened ',.' In what universe is that okay to leave? And I also found a missing full stop. The capital letter of the next sentence was there but alas, the full stop had gone walk-abouts. Again, this isn't Dashner's fault, just an incompetent proofreader.
Evaluation
Overall 6/10
Would I recommend it? No. I did not enjoy it nearly enough.
Would I look up the author? No. For the same reason.
I'm saddened that, for me, The Maze Runner didn't live up to its hype.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
December 2, 2014
Thereafter - The Movellas Advent Calendar
I'm thrilled to announce that my tenth novel, Thereafter is this year's Movellas Advent Calendar! Thereafter is twenty-five chapters long, one a day from now until Christmas! I couldn't be more excited about it.
Read the introductory blog here!
Thereafter was my NaNo14 novel and the best thing I've written so far (though I know I always say that!). I loved everything about this novel, but especially the characters. Abia and her friends and family lodged themselves in my heart straight away and I can't imagine this story featuring anyone else.
Here's the blurb, which you're probably sick of reading by this point but in case you've missed it:
There are always a host of flowers on the side of the road, whether brand new or shrivelled from weeks of rest. Their appearance, though sad, was never odd. So when another wave of flowers showed up on the outskirts of my home town, I didn't pay much attention apart from a deep aching sadness within. It was only upon mentioning it in passing I realised something was wrong. I spoke to everyone but to no avail. Maybe I was going crazy but . . .I was the only one who could see the flowers.
I'm thrilled by the amount of love Thereafter has received on Movellas already! It's incredible. I've had more likes and comments on Thereafter in forty-eight hours than stories I put up up over a year ago. I'm so grateful to everyone who's liked, favorited and commented and I can't even begin to express how ecstatic I am about all this.
Here are some of my fabulous comments from day one:
So go check out Thereafter and don't forget to tell me what you think!
Molly LoobyAuthor of Thereaftermolly.looby@hotmail.com
November 26, 2014
NaNoWriMo 2014 Pep Talk (Post #5)
For our last few days of this year's Wrimo, here is my pep talk that I wrote for Movellas. If you've never been on Movellas you should. It is the most incredible writing community I've ever come across and I don't know where I'd be without it.
I, on behalf of all the Wrimos who have reached the holy grail of 50,000 words, bestow this golden knowledge to you, fellow Movellian: you can do this. I know this for a fact because you are already trying. You are a mighty warrior and your war will be won. Glory will be yours.
You can do this, petrified writer. Chant it to yourself if you have to. Goodness knows I’ll be chanting it every day to keep myself chugging along.
You can do this, experienced and inexperienced authors of Movellas. Reaching 50,000 words, though it is a feeling like no other, is not the most important thing in the world. If you don’t reach the finish line by the time December shows its Christmasy head, don’t despair. You’ve still done something thousands, dare I say millions, want to do but are too afraid to try. Yes, you started your book.
Keep powering on, beautiful novelist. I’m not encouraging you to drop everything, (I’m afraid you still have to do your school work) but you are allowed to abandon your friends during these few weeks. This is a noble cause, your novel, let it know you can make sacrifices.
My advice to you is to sit down at the same time every day. Turn off your internet, put your phone in another room, (or turn that off as well) and make yourself write. If nothing else, you’ll get bored and have nothing else to do with yourself. After a few days, the routine will be like an old friend and you’ll spend fewer precious minutes twirling your thumbs and more time writing those diamond words.
Forget typos, you’ve no time for that. Don’t read back unless you have to remind yourself where you are. Forget about character and plot problems, they’re your inner editor’s problem. Do not, whatever you do, brilliant creator, let your inner editor out of its cage. I repeat DO NOT LET YOUR INNER EDITOR OUT OF ITS CAGE. Let it scream. Let it shout. Let it cry. Rejoice in its pain. It’s not often you’re allowed to do so.
Each day, stop when it gets exciting (once you’ve done the crucial 1,667 of course). Doing this will make it easier to start with minimal time wasted the next day. Every moment writing is important. I know not writing is a strange thing to suggest for NaNoWriMo, but doing this ensures you write lots every day and not just on odd days.
Your fellow Wrimo and friend @[Prodigy] implores you to use any method you can to overcome that crippling writer’s block. A spark of anything could help you out: a song, sketching your characters, even doing some research. Stop at nothing to slay the beast that haunts every writer’s nightmares.
Following those words, @[Ahlaam Nightshade], another gallant Wrimo and comrade, suggests writing prompts to finish off the monster and to boost your confidence because you are fantastic!
You can do it.
You are doing it.
You are an author and nobody can ever take that away.
MollyWrimo
First posted on Movellas.
November 18, 2014
NaNoWriMo 2014 Post #4
Hello to week three! Week three's usually a favourite of mine and I'm glad it's finally here. I take back what I said on my last post, week two was hard, it just hadn't caught up to me yet. But I battled on. In fact, it got harder once I reached 50,000 words, maybe because some of the drive dwindled because I'd reached the target.I reached 50K on day 12 which is a personal best and bloody amazing! That's an average of 4,000 words every day, something that I may never have the leisure of reaching ever again so I'm enjoying it now. I'm okay with the fact that this is probably going to be my personal best forever because I imagine every NaNo from now on is going to have obstacles such as life in the way. I didn't seem to have that pesky little problem this year. Lucky for you, I can't bombard you with stickers yet as you can't actually validate your word count until Thursday.On day 12 I wrote almost 6,800 words to reach 50K, a daily word count which I'm pretty sure is my largest ever.
But good news, I'm still excited about my story and that's what carried me through week two and into week three. I had little wobbles at times wondering if it was good enough but I soon told myself that it didn't matter and to not judge it until, 1: I've finished it, and 2: I've read it from start to finish. So I'm not allowed to doubt myself anymore. That helps.
Let's look at some stats again. By the end of day 17:
2011 - ZA - 28,6152012 - I Dare You - 38,9082013 - JAPOA/Fire and Ice - 37,571
2014 - Thereafter - 67,130
It's clear to see that this year I'm bossing it. This is shaping up to be the quickest book I've ever written! Insanity.
My goal is to finish it today - day 18 - meaning I've written an entire (and not short) novel in two and a half weeks.
Why wouldn't a publisher want this?
My NaNo page.My donation page. Make the world a more creative place!
Our Epic NaNo Race on Movellas.
Okay, gotta go finish my novel!
MollyWriMo
November 11, 2014
NaNoWriMo 2014 Post #3
Well, today is day 11 of NaNoWriMo and I've nearly finished. I know! Mental. I think I'm a tiny bit insane but that's okay. This is pretty much what my protagonist has been saying for a while now so I'm going to take a leaf out of her book.I should start off by saying all hail the covered up word count! I have written way more than I ever dreamt of just by covering up my word count and writing for long periods of time. I realised it was becoming too much about what that number said so I swiftly took it out of the equation. It was the best decision ever. I have written a huge amount of words every day. It's crazy.
According to NaNoWriMo, I'm doing so well that I'm going to be at 50,000 in two days. Meaning that I've completed NaNo in half the allotted time.
What? How?
To answer that question, I'm not intirely sure. It's fantastic to have a rival to push you to your absolute limit. I know for a fact I wouldn't be nearly as far if I wasn't battling it out with Aunt Midnight Rogue on Movellas every day to see who's going to win second place in the NaNo race. The winner reached 50K in 10 days which is just . . . inhuman I'm pretty sure of it.
I enjoyed comparing myself to last year so here are last year's day 10 stats compared to this year.
2011 - ZA - 16,7602012 - I Dare You - 21,8352013 - JAPOA/Fire and Ice - 20,951
2014 - Thereafter - 40,697
Yeah, I'm getting to the realm of double what I've usually written by this point. That's pretty damn scary.
I'm very lucky that we're on week two and I'm still in love with my story and characters. It's about this time that people want to kill their characters off because they're sick of being with them but I'm not having that problem. If anything I love my characters more with each day as I see more of them. I'm also on good terms with my plot. I'm not going to throw in the towel or mix it up because I've got week two blues. I'm in an excellent place in my story. I know that's down to how much of it is already written. I would most certainly be suffering from week two blues if I was still on some of the beginning stuff I'm past now.
For those of you competing, here's my NaNoWriMo pageAlso, here's a link to my donation page to make the world a more creative place.
See you at 50K.
MollyWrimo
November 4, 2014
NaNoWriMo 2014 Post #2
Yes, it's that time again and it's safe to say I've gone NaNoMental or NaNoPumped as I keep writing on Movellas.
Right now I'm on 10,538 words.
Let's talk about the first three days and not include today because without today the stats are pretty shocking. So on day three this year I had written 4,400 words more than I had last year. That's two and a half day's worth more in NaNo speak, one day being 1,667 words. How crazy is that? The craziest part of it is that I started off on day three with 5,250. Yep, I wrote 5,288 words in one day, doubling my word count. That's only 500 short of everything I'd written for ZA on day three back in 2011 - but I was a NaNo novice then. Now I am a master and I'm three days ahead already.
You want to know why I decided to double my word count on day three? 1: Because I could. 2: Because I wanted to see if I could write that much in one day (I have written more in a day before - somewhere around 6,000 is my record - but only ever to finish a novel). 3: And this is the most important, I wanted to get myself back in the race.
On Movellas, my favourite writing site, me and two others decided to host a NaNoWriMo Race where the Wrimos on Movellas would write as fast as possible to see who can reach 50,000 words first. Now it occurred to me yesterday that there were a lot of people reaching the 10,000 mark.
I wanted to be one of those people too. After all, if you don't play to win why are you playing?
So I decided in the almost three hours until my boyfriend got back from work, I was going to write another 2,500 words to make my total 10,000. Then I decided I wanted to make it 10,500 so I could say I doubled my word count. After turning off my internet, giving myself a pep talk, flinging my phone away from reaching distance and writing like a maniac, I did it. When I ticked over to 10,500 I could've cried.
For a visual representation of how far I came yesterday, here's what my word counts looked on day three for the previous three years:
2011 - ZA - 5,7002012 - I Dare You - 7,8402013 - Just a Pair of Abominations/Fire and Ice - 6,132
Yeah. It's shaping up to be a pretty good year so far, though I've still got a lot of work to do if I want to reach 50,000 first, but that's my kind of challenge.
I can't wait to see what the rest of the month brings!
Here's my donation page if you want to make the world a more creative place.Here's a link to my NaNoWriMo profile if you want to buddy up.
Here's to day four and a crate full of words.
Molly LoobyWrimo
October 28, 2014
Raging Star - Moira Young
Raging Star is the final book in the Dustlands trilogy. There may be spoilers for book one, Blood Red Road, and two, Rebel Heart. You have been pre-warned.
A Spoiler Free Bit About The Book
It's Saba's final fight and time is running out. It's time to free the slaves of New Eden and put a stop to the Pathfinder's reign.
My Review
Before we start, I think my tweet to Moira Young sums up how I felt about this book.
I was so excited to pick up this book because I loved the first two so much. I could hardly put either of them down and I couldn't wait to see where the end of Saba's journey was going to take her. However, I was equally parts terrified because I knew I was going to feel like I'd lost a little part of myself when I finished it. I was more than right.
My standards were high and Young was up for the challenge. Incredibly, I think Raging Star was my favourite of the trilogy.
It was so easy to slip back into the story. I love all the characters so much and I was desperate to find out how everything was going to come together. It was like I'd put down Rebel Heart down only a few minutes before picking Raging Star up. In reality, it was almost a year ago that I read Rebel Heart.
As always, I loved Saba's character development. By the time I got to Raging Star I understood her so well I knew what she would do and what she would think about everything. She was real to me. I backed up all her decisions and cheered for her the whole way through. I think she's my ultimate literary best friend. I would love to know her. It's so rare to feel this close to a character. I feel blessed to have read about her.
The progression of the other characters is great too, especially Lugh and Emmi. I just can't believe how much I've been through with these characters. And I loved every single one. Saba, Lugh, Emmi, Jack, DeMalo, Nero, Molly, Ash. All of them.
I don't really need to say this as the picture already does it for me but I cried so hard whilst reading Raging Star. Not only did it make me cry but it made me shout out and sob. I may as well have been holding Saba's hand the entire time. Her feelings have a direct path to my heart.
Again, this doesn't need saying but I finished it sobbing with tears rolling down my face. Raging Star had the most beautiful perfect ending.
I hope one day I can make a person feel as much as Young made me feel during the course of Raging Star.
Evaluation
Overall 10/10
Would I recommend it? Yes. This series was incredible from start to finish. I'm going to force it on all my friends. They can thank me later.
Would I look up the author? I already have. I can't wait for her to write something else. One thing's for certain, I'll read it.
The Dustlands trilogy has made it to my top ten book series of all time. That is not an easy thing to achieve. And Raging Star has joint place on my favourite book I've read this year with The Fault in Our Stars. Incredible, just incredible.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
A Spoiler Free Bit About The Book
It's Saba's final fight and time is running out. It's time to free the slaves of New Eden and put a stop to the Pathfinder's reign.
My Review
Before we start, I think my tweet to Moira Young sums up how I felt about this book.
I was so excited to pick up this book because I loved the first two so much. I could hardly put either of them down and I couldn't wait to see where the end of Saba's journey was going to take her. However, I was equally parts terrified because I knew I was going to feel like I'd lost a little part of myself when I finished it. I was more than right.
My standards were high and Young was up for the challenge. Incredibly, I think Raging Star was my favourite of the trilogy.
It was so easy to slip back into the story. I love all the characters so much and I was desperate to find out how everything was going to come together. It was like I'd put down Rebel Heart down only a few minutes before picking Raging Star up. In reality, it was almost a year ago that I read Rebel Heart.
As always, I loved Saba's character development. By the time I got to Raging Star I understood her so well I knew what she would do and what she would think about everything. She was real to me. I backed up all her decisions and cheered for her the whole way through. I think she's my ultimate literary best friend. I would love to know her. It's so rare to feel this close to a character. I feel blessed to have read about her.
The progression of the other characters is great too, especially Lugh and Emmi. I just can't believe how much I've been through with these characters. And I loved every single one. Saba, Lugh, Emmi, Jack, DeMalo, Nero, Molly, Ash. All of them.
I don't really need to say this as the picture already does it for me but I cried so hard whilst reading Raging Star. Not only did it make me cry but it made me shout out and sob. I may as well have been holding Saba's hand the entire time. Her feelings have a direct path to my heart.
Again, this doesn't need saying but I finished it sobbing with tears rolling down my face. Raging Star had the most beautiful perfect ending.
I hope one day I can make a person feel as much as Young made me feel during the course of Raging Star.
Evaluation
Overall 10/10
Would I recommend it? Yes. This series was incredible from start to finish. I'm going to force it on all my friends. They can thank me later.
Would I look up the author? I already have. I can't wait for her to write something else. One thing's for certain, I'll read it.
The Dustlands trilogy has made it to my top ten book series of all time. That is not an easy thing to achieve. And Raging Star has joint place on my favourite book I've read this year with The Fault in Our Stars. Incredible, just incredible.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
October 22, 2014
Wonder - R.J. Palacio
Blurb
My name is August.
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
My Review
Wonder is one of those books I've heard so much about that I was a little bit afraid to read it.
However, the first few chapters had me hooked. I loved the easy chatter of August as the narrator and somehow Palacio has mastered August talking to us and yet not telling us too much, if that makes any sense. This is so difficult to achieve that I was in awe from the offset.
I was also pleased that Wonder had chapter names. I miss chapter names in books, I read so few these days. I think in this case it's probably because Wonder is aimed at a younger audience than I'm used to. Unfortunately, because of this, I felt it was lacking some depth. I suppose it didn't need anything more because August is only ten (ten years my junior as I post this!) but picking it up, I had no idea how young a character he was. As a reader of mostly teenage fiction, this took a little bit of getting used to.
August himself, and all the other characters, were easily understood and relatable, which was of course, good. But as most of them were ten-year-olds I didn't connect with them as I wish I could have. August's sister, Via, however, I felt very connected to. Saying this though, August reminded me of Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower and that was a very beautiful thing.
The different point of views was a great surprise which I know I've now ruined but it was so important to see things from the other characters' perspectives. The story really needed that. I got on with all the point of views other than Justin, which I felt I could've done without. Maybe that was because I didn't like him very much. Plus, his point of view was devoid of capital letters which made me cringe.
Evaluation
8/10 overall.
Would I recommend it? Yes. It was truly beautiful and makes you think.
Would I look up the author? No. It was written for people younger than myself.
Wonder was a beautiful, heart-warming story that makes you proud to be human.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
My name is August.
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
My Review
Wonder is one of those books I've heard so much about that I was a little bit afraid to read it.
However, the first few chapters had me hooked. I loved the easy chatter of August as the narrator and somehow Palacio has mastered August talking to us and yet not telling us too much, if that makes any sense. This is so difficult to achieve that I was in awe from the offset.
I was also pleased that Wonder had chapter names. I miss chapter names in books, I read so few these days. I think in this case it's probably because Wonder is aimed at a younger audience than I'm used to. Unfortunately, because of this, I felt it was lacking some depth. I suppose it didn't need anything more because August is only ten (ten years my junior as I post this!) but picking it up, I had no idea how young a character he was. As a reader of mostly teenage fiction, this took a little bit of getting used to.
August himself, and all the other characters, were easily understood and relatable, which was of course, good. But as most of them were ten-year-olds I didn't connect with them as I wish I could have. August's sister, Via, however, I felt very connected to. Saying this though, August reminded me of Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower and that was a very beautiful thing.
The different point of views was a great surprise which I know I've now ruined but it was so important to see things from the other characters' perspectives. The story really needed that. I got on with all the point of views other than Justin, which I felt I could've done without. Maybe that was because I didn't like him very much. Plus, his point of view was devoid of capital letters which made me cringe.
Evaluation
8/10 overall.
Would I recommend it? Yes. It was truly beautiful and makes you think.
Would I look up the author? No. It was written for people younger than myself.
Wonder was a beautiful, heart-warming story that makes you proud to be human.
Molly LoobyAuthor / Ghostwriter / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Readymolly.looby@hotmail.com
October 15, 2014
NaNoWriMo 2014 Post #1
I have REALLY made a commitment to my NaNoWriMo novel. Yes, I updated my NaNo page. Scary, yes. I also set up my donation page and donated my usual $10 to get that all important halo on my profile. This year I've called it 'The Big Ten'.I know. How crazy is that?
This NaNoWriMo is super special to me because I will be writing my tenth novel and I'm terrified!
Celebrate with me by donating (or adding me as a buddy on NaNoWriMo) and your prize is this, the only thing I've written of my novel so far, the short synopsis for the NaNo site:
There are always a host of flowers on the side of the road, whether brand new or shrivelled from weeks of rest. Their appearance, though sad, was never odd. So when another wave of flowers showed up on the outskirts of my home town, I didn't pay much attention apart from a deep aching sadness within. It was only upon mentioning it in passing I realised something was wrong. I spoke to everyone but to no avail. Maybe I was going crazy but . . .I was the only one who could see the flowers.
An ecstatic,
Molly LoobyWrimomolly.looby@hotmail.com
