Estefanía’s Comments (group member since Dec 08, 2019)

Estefanía’s comments from the EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club group.

I second The Bluest Eye.

I nominate The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin, 304 pages. I also second The Flowers for Algernon.

I nominate The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer, 128 pages.

If comic books are to the included, I would recommend The Complete Maus. It's about the author's father and his experiences in World War II.

I didn't get the chance to get it from the library. However, I have heard a lot of good things about March: Book One, it's the first part of a trilogy about about the Civil Rights Movement.

They are so you are so thorough, I didn't post anything to avoid being too repetitive.

But yeah, it's a nice story that also needs some taking afterwards. It's important to acknowledge the past. I find it quite irritating when people decide to ignore some parts and pretend it was not a thing. The only thing that is accomplished is making it more difficult or impossible to have a conversation.

Well, I'm finished! And I'm half convinced that Heathcliff pulled a Carl Tanzler. I would be more surprised if he didn't.

Ellen, why did you wait so long to open your mouth? Oh, you were afraid to lose your job. You the obfuscated the truth so it would not reflect badly on you. This lady had so many opportunities to help but just stood around and did nothing. Heck, it didn't even cross her mind to ruin Heathcliff thought scandal.

I might enjoy a story of horrible people having free-for-all, as long as innocent people don't get trampled under their hoofs. However, the members of Linton the clan are so passive, trusting and unwilling to take the proper precautions in face of imminent danger, it goes from funny to annoying. Heathcliff wins by virtue of being the competent one.

The end leaves us with the idea that Ellen is supersticiosos and the moor is not haunted by sociopaths. But, this is fiction and Lockwood has already had the misfortune of seeing one of them! I will take the old mexican approche of taking everything with a grain of salt, but taking care of business. No night visits to the graveyard, proper disposal of certain items and calling a priest to bless the place as basic courtesy to the new tenants. They were a nightmare when they were alive. Why would anybody want to put up with them more than necessary? Maybe Hareton, the poor fool.

Now I want crossover with [inset famous detective] and somebody trying to get land by pretending to be those two. Sherlock Holmes/Wuthering Heights would be my choice.

Winter Soldier: Second Chances, written by Kyle Higgins and artwork by Rod Reis.


The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

I usually finish books. The problem is that I read one too many books at the same time. Meaning that things that are in my bookshelf can get ignored for a long time. I have books from 2017 in my currently reading. It's the result of getting bored or simple finding other thing that catches my interest.

I reached the point that sometimes I add books after a read a quarter. The other times it's so short I will be able to finish no problem.

I ended up very dependent of synopsis and recommendations over time. I came from the point of view the you can't criticizes something if you haven't read it. In addition, criticism must always be well informed. Thanks to that mentally, I got through Catcher in the Rye, so many horrible comic book and movies. Also, I learned a lot of useless trivia and how the train wrecks started. A notable side effect is I take very Doylist approach to things sometimes.

My list became a don't even start, because you will only get angry and frustrated. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood.

I haven't finished the book, but it seems like a well made horror story. It might be that Ellen Dean thought she was in the viper's nest or she may have not be all that off the mark. She has high sight and the death of the involved on her side. It's also easier to blame people for misfortune, if you believe them to be at fault. After all, only bad places attract ghost.

Although, I have found the story frightening, the pistol-knife is one of the funniest thing I have read. That is how you plan to kill your quasi brother? Not poison, a hunting accident, fire or even hiring somebody competent. No, he had to do it himself with the most ludicrous weapon available.

If it weren't for the endless pettiness and horrible temper of those three, lives could have been saved. But Hindley wins in spite of his incompetence. Who knows how Heathcliff would have turned out without Hindley dripping his poison on him.

My biggest question will be answered by the end. I think? How did this become a love story? The only answer I can think at this point, is that it went through the Endless Love process. A story of young and obsessive love that is meant to disturb, getting watered down each time it was adapted. The last time they tried, they turn the book into a Nicholas Sparks clone and did everything to make you sympathise with the pyromaniac. I won't spoil what they did, it was amazing. After this, I need to see some movie adaptations.

Sharon wrote: "To Kill a Mockingbird"

It was added to the bookshelf in 2017. However, it eligible for the Catch-up suggestions.

Jane Eyre (532 pages) was nominated in the classics suggestions, but it was added to the bookshelf on 2018. It was nominated and second by two other members.

Isn't Jane Eyre already on the bookshelf? I think it should be in the Catch-up suggestions.

I nominate La noche de Tlatelolco by Elena Poniatowska, 280 pages.
It was translated into english with the title Massacre in Mexico.

I nominate The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte, 576 pages. Also, second Flowers for Algernon.

I watched the first and second movie years ago, I didn't bother with the third. I was surprised that book could actually be a little packed duology. The hard part would be cutting some of the fat, because it's plot relevant.

It's a fun book. The second half really intrigued me. Seeing a character turn into a self-insert and taking every step on the road of the Gary Stu, with consequences felt new. I grew up with criticism toward the Mary Sue everywhere. The term use so prevalent, it has lost almost all meaning. The sight of someone doing their take on the male counterpart, four decades ago, was a welcome surprise.

The framing lets us know about the wrongness immediately. How even with the best of intentions, you can cause untold damage. Bastian gets the ultimate power, with the cache being memory loss. However he is a child, who doesn't even know there are rules. He remakes himself to be flawless, but needs ever escalating conflict to feel validated by others. This ends as one can expect.

Although, one of the down sides is the end feels overly long and short at the same time. Xayide taking over the City of Old Emperors, seemed like a given. But the author sticked to Bastian being the direct source of most of his problems.

I second 1984.

I nominate The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill, 164 pages.

I second the Flowers for Algernon.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson.

There is a movie adaptation called "The Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price. Yes, Omega Man and I Am Legend (2007) exists. However, I believe Price's version is the most faithful of the three.

Well, I have my family, Netflix, board games and tons of homework. I will be okay, but I can't really relax. The president is not taking anything seriously. The government still allowed Vive Latino last weekend! Why do you have a concert in middle of a plague?! I feel that I'm living in an episode of the Twilight Zone.

Before I go on a longer rant. Hope everyone stays safe. If anyone is interested in works in the public domain, we always have our favorite old friend Project Gutenberg. If you are looking for something "newer" like Animal Farm or The Great Gatsby, Project Gutenberg Australia can do the trick. Have a nice day!