Charlie and the Great Glass Elevatorpicks up right where the first book left off, and Charlie finds himself with Mr.Original post from One More Page
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevatorpicks up right where the first book left off, and Charlie finds himself with Mr. Wonka and the rest of his family inside the glass elevator and by some crazy mishap involving one of Charlie's grandmothers, they all end up in outer space. But no fear, since Mr. Wonka is there! They find themselves looking at the world's first space hotel, some bewildered astronauts and finally some Vermicious Knids who are set on having them for lunch.
If Charlie and the Chocolate Factorywas fun and comforting, I was just kind of ...weirded out with the next book. There's lots of space stuff here, which was fun in itself, but the fun feel of the first book was missing in this book. It felt like all the other adults in this book save for Willy Wonka and Charlie's Grandpa Joe were all...well, stupid. The Vermicious Knids delivered the right kind of terror, I think, and even I wouldn't want to be trapped with them. Sure, there's a smidgen of adventure in the first part, but it didn't really fly with me. The second part, when they're back in the factory, worked a bit better for me although I felt like it was just an afterthought in the book. There is a bit of a lesson there somewhere, but it didn't have the same charm as the first book.
I guess if I were younger I would've enjoyed this one too, but honestly, I was just reading it to finish it when I got to the end. Although it had some fun merits, a part of me wished that I just stopped with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.Now I can't get the image of those Vermicious Knids out of my head....more
Charlie Bucket comes from a poor family who lives near Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory. Always hungry, CharlieOriginal post from One More Page
Charlie Bucket comes from a poor family who lives near Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory. Always hungry, Charlie looks forward to his birthday every year because he gets to have one chocolate bar. Just in time for his birthday, Willy Wonka announced that he is opening his factory again, and five lucky kids who can find a golden ticket will be given entrance to the factory. Our little hero finds one in the most unusual way. Together with four kids -- one who likes to eat, one who likes to chew gum, one who never stops watching TV and a spoiled brat -- Charlie comes in and finds that he may be in for the biggest adventure of his life.
I remember my first impression of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I was reading the first few pages: it cheered me up. Maybe it's a psychological thing with all the chocolates and all, but I felt a bit lighter when I was reading the first few pages. Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryis children's fiction anyway, so there's nothing heavy to expect in the book, which my busy and frazzled mind appreciated very much.
However, I realize now that while I'm reading this as an (almost) adult, I wasn't as enchanted with the book as it went on. I liked the Oompa-Loompa's song and all, and the lessons that Mr. Wonka gave about each kid are pretty valuable, but in the end I just find him a bit...creepy. I wouldn't want to be left alone with him, really. Perhaps if I read this as a kid, I would enjoy it for all its chocolate-y goodness, but the grown-up part of my mind is resisting some of its charm.
I think my younger self would have loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryif I had a chance to read it back then. My sweet tooth would have been beside herself with glee. But now that I'm a little bit older (I was about to say jaded, but that's too negative, heh), I just like it. I would've loved it, but now I just like it.
I listened to this book months ago, but you know how I have that backlog in reviewing books? Yeah, this is one of them.
I was on the search for an audiobook to listen to after I realized I wanted to listen to more audiobooks because it helps me multitask. I know audiobooks are dependent on the narrator, too, so I didn't want just any audiobook, but something that I would enjoy. And then Aaron told me about My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher, narrated by David Tennant. Oh I am so in. :)
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpieceis the story of ten-year-old Jamie as he tries to live in the aftermath of his older sister, Rose, dying in a terrorist attack. It has been five years since Rose died and Jamie could hardly remember her, but he could see the effect that this had on his family. This novel deals about loss, grief, hate, family and religion, all told in the eyes of a ten-year-old boy.
It was a pleasure listening to this book, not only because it was narrated by David Tennant, but because it was actually quite charming despite the serious topics it dealt with. The main character, Jamie, reminded me a bit of Auggie from Wonder, and I was immediately drawn to his story. Somehow, this gave the book a more honest point of view, and it gives us a different insight on grieving, especially for someone who you barely know but you should still grieve for.
I really liked Sunya, Jamie's Muslim friend, too. I liked how smart and resilient and friendly she was, and how she changed Jamie's perception of something that his father really hated and blamed for the loss of Rose. Jamie and Sunya's friendship was cute and funny and heartwarming, and that little hint of a young romance was done quite well. But more than this friendship, I really liked Jamie's relationship with his older sister, Jasmine. In a way, Jas lost more than anyone did, because Rose is her twin sister. Their sibling relationship made my heart hurt several times, and I liked how protective Jas was of Jamie even to the point of keeping something from him so he won't get hurt.
This book made me laugh and tear up several times, and when it left me with a nice and hopeful feeling in the end. It's not an easy novel to read, I think, but the author handled all the difficult issues very well. :) I liked My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiecea lot, and I also need to say that I think I liked it more because David Tennant narrated it to me. <3
P.S. I can't help but smile every time David Tennant says "Rose" in the audiobook. He turns into the the Doctor for a few seconds in my head before turning back into just the audiobook's narrator again. :D
So right after reading The Magician's Nephew, I jumped straight to the last book of The Chronicles of Narnia. Given the choice, I wouldn't really have done that just yet -- I tend to let the last book of any series linger a bit longer on my shelf, because I need a certain mindset before I say goodbye to any series I have loved, or at least, invested in. But I was on a little time pressure here -- I was determined to read this book for Holy Week, and it just so happened that my reading The Last Battle was also on Good Friday.
Perfect timing, you think?
In The Last Battle, there is trouble in Narnia. As a reader, I was immediately introduced to this trouble, and I already know that the Aslan parading around Narnia is false one. I think C.S. Lewis did that on purpose instead of putting the readers in a state of the unknown like the other Narnians. For the first time since reading the series, I was really and truly scared for Narnia. How could they believe that this Aslan is the real one they know? How can they believe that so easily? How can they lose all that hope so easily, too? With all this trouble, Eustace and Jill came tumbling down Narnia, to help out and save them -- but the question is, do they even want to be saved?
Like I said, it was the first time I was truly scared for the things happening in Narnia. I don't know if this is investment in the series, or I was just...well, scared. Aslan is hands down one of my favorite characters, and possibly one of my favorite representations of God in literature, so seeing someone parade as a false one is scary. But in a way I can't blame the people for acting that way. I'm not saying it's right, but it just wasn't surprising. Aslan being gone for a long time and with only his believers passing the belief down from generation to generation is bound to make some people question him at some point. I can't help but think of how it is here in the real world -- how people can just believe anyone and anything, and how, when disappointed by that, can make them not believe the one who should be believed in in the first place. It's a messy, messy, thing. The Last Battle reminds me a bit of Prince Caspian, where the characters' faith in Aslan was challenged so much that it was almost too late before they finally realized that they were wrong.
The Last Battle has a darker tone compared to the other books, and perhaps it also has the most bloodshed too. There were a bit too many battle scenes in this book that I can hardly think that this is a book for kids anymore. Reading The Magician's Nephew before this was a good idea, I think, because there were a lot of details mentioned there that was mentioned in this book. The final scenes were a bit confusing but I liked how they brought all the characters back together.
I wasn't planning to mention Susan in this review, but I guess I kind of have to. I think the Susan aspect is what makes The Last Battle a little dated. I mean, I understand what C.S. Lewis meant about it, and I guess it just so happened that Susan is that character who didn't go the way the others chose to. It might not sit comfortably with other people, though, especially with how it was explained. I think readers should be careful to remember the time when this book was written to put the Susan thing in the proper context.
Nevertheless, I think The Last Battle was a pretty good ending for a beloved series, even if it is one that can spur new questions, not about the book but about what the author intends for it to represent in real life. If anything, I think The Last Battle is the Narnia book that dealt the most about faith and its nature, and how it is really a matter of choosing to stand up for what you believe and for who you believe in, even if everyone and everything else around you is saying otherwise.
So long, Narnia. It's been a wonderful ride. One thing is for sure -- wherever I go live in the future, there will always, always be a copy of the seven books of The Chronicles of Narnia. :)
But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at least they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.
How many times have I tried reading this book and stopped? Twice, thrice? I can't remember. But I am kind of glad my reaOriginal post at One More Page
How many times have I tried reading this book and stopped? Twice, thrice? I can't remember. But I am kind of glad my reading ADD got me to push this book deeper down my TBR until I decided to do the right thing and read The Chronicles of Narnia in publication order.
But if you noticed, I didn't really read them one after the other. They say Narnia books are best read at a specific time of the year, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe being best read during Christmas, while The Last Battle during Lent. Since I want to have a dip in the Narnia world before going through the final book in the series, I decided to let The Magician's Nephew wait a bit more after I finished The Horse and His Boy, bundling it with the last book for a Holy Week read.
The Magician's Nephew is said to be a prequel for the series, but how much of it as a prequel is something I know nothing about. I remember being confused with who Digory and Polly were, especially since I really only knew and care about the Pevensie siblings. Digory and Polly were two friends living in London who were, well, quite bored. One day, they decided to do some exploring and somehow landed in Digory's uncle's room, who he was quite scared of because of his strange experiments and crazy antics in their house. His uncle made them a subject of his experiment, landing him and Polly in a strange new world -- another dimension, with only some rings to guide them. In this world, they meet a woman who is not who she seems, and a majestic lion whose song and breath can bring things to life.
I wasn't expecting to love The Magician's Nephew because of my previous reading ADD experiences, so I was pretty surprised at how I reacted to the end. I loved it in the same level as how I loved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe andThe Silver Chair. It was written in the same children's book way as the other books, but I guess the back story and the idea of "where it all began" fascinated me. There was enough adventure and fun in the story to keep me invested in it (and mind you, I was reading this on a long Maundy Thursday, so there were other books that I could easily pick up over the weekend to replace this). Even if the Pevensie siblings weren't there, I was interested in the characters, particularly Digory and Polly. I thought Digory's story with his mom was sweet and a bit sad, but I was glad it turned out well in the end.
The Magician's Nephew is a great example of creating a rich back story for a series, and even if it has been a while since I last read a Narnia book, the details came rushing back just as clear. This may be cheesy, but maybe it's because a part of me has started living in Narnia when I first started reading it? I like how this ties everything neatly, and I honestly think that making this a penultimate read in the series is the best way to read it, because it makes me want to go visit the previous books to check the other details. My friend said that reading this as the first book might lessen the wonder of Narnia come second book, and I must agree with that. Of course, I'll never know now given that I read it in a different order, but if you haven't read any book yet and I may recommend? Read The Magician's Nephew second to last. :) It would make the reading experience a little bit more magical.
As usual, I liked Aslan's presence in this book, and I liked how the final events were tied neatly at the end, explaining just exactly why some things happened in the next books. Oh, and if you're wondering -- the explanation of the lamp post is there, too.
Like I said, I wasn't expecting to really like this, but I was glad those expectations weren't met. This definitely made me more ready to read The Last Battle, and a little bit more ready to say goodbye to Narnia, a land that I've been visiting for the last two years. :)...more
There was a time a few years ago when I was hearing mass with my family, and I happened to stand beside this man at churOriginal post at One More Page
There was a time a few years ago when I was hearing mass with my family, and I happened to stand beside this man at church. The man wasn't dressed the way other people were dressed during Sunday mass. He looked scruffy, almost like he came straight from the streets to the church. He didn't look dangerous, and perhaps he even is nice given that he was in church and all. But what I really noticed were his hands. They were, if I were to be perfectly honest, kind of scary. The memory's vague, but I remember that it looked like he had some kind of skin disease -- lesions, wounds and spots -- the kind that one would refuse to touch in fear of contagion. I was afraid to touch it, knowing especially that at a certain part of the mass, I would have to hold his hand while praying The Lord's Prayer.
I tried, I really did. I was in church, and holding hands with a stranger during a prayer is the thing to do. It was the good thing, the kind thing, the loving thing. It was expected. I told myself that I would do it, that I would hold his hand during The Lord's Prayer and not be scared or repulsed or look for a hand sanitizer after the prayer. I told myself, I prepared myself and I wanted to do it.
But I didn't. When the priest told everyone to "join hands and as one family pray the prayer Jesus had taught us," I chickened out, opened my hand but did not take his, looked ahead and prayed, feeling the guilt grow heavier as the mass went on.
This particular memory may seem insignificant and well, I may be blowing things out of proportion. Perhaps the man never even noticed me at all -- but it struck me because I really wanted to do the kind thing, but I didn't because I was afraid. Just like how the other kids and grown ups in the book reacted to Auggie in Wonder by R.J. Palacio. August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that made him quite special to his family for his need of extra care. He has never attended a normal school, until he agreed with his parents to start attending fifth grade at Beecher Prep. Auggie is a perfect fit for the school, except maybe for his face. Told in Auggie's point of view as well as five more from the people around him, we follow Auggie as he faces one of the most challenging times of his young life.
I was prepared for a barrage of emotions that Wonder could probably give me, after reading several reviews and updates from Goodreads friends about this book. I knew that I was probably going to like it, but what I wasn't prepared for were what kind of emotions it would bring. Being a middle grade book, the writing was pretty simple and easy to read, especially since most of the narrators were kids as well. Wonder is bound to remind readers of their own middle school (or in my case, late elementary years, since we do not have middle school in the Philippines) experiences. It's strange to think of it, but young people can be very mean, even if it's not on purpose, and Wonder shows how it could be. My heart went out for Auggie, especially since he did not ask to look like the way he does. Like his parents, I wanted the best for him too.
The story was told not just in Auggie's point of view, but also with five other kids who surrounded Auggie's life. This made the book a little easier to relate to because let's admit it: most of us don't have what Auggie has. Of all the characters, I identified the most with his friend, Jack. I really wish I could be like Summer, that I could choose to be kind before anything else. I think Jack represents the side of everyone who tries to be good but fails, and then tries again anyway. And I think the trying is the most important part of it all.
There's a lot of buzz with what Wonder teaches, or attempts to teach, but I think maybe we shouldn't over think it too much. Sure, there are some parts that may seem a little simple, that the ending may seem to be a little too nicely wrapped up, almost like how a movie is done and we know real life is never that way. I see it as a simple thing: I see Wonder as a middle grade book that teaches kindness -- to quote, "...to be kinder than necessary." That as human beings, we do not just have "...the capacity to be kind, but the very choice of kindness..." and to choose that even when it's not easy, when it's inconvenient, even when it's uncomfortable.
Even though reading Wonder reminded me of that particular incident I shared at the start of this review which brought back some of the guilty feelings, this book made me feel a lot better after reading it. A little bit more whole, even. With a stronger resolve to be kinder than necessary. I think that a book that can make its readers feel like that is worth a second glance....more
I read this book sometime during high school, I think, not because of a school requirement but because people around meOriginal post at One More Page
I read this book sometime during high school, I think, not because of a school requirement but because people around me were quoting it and such. I remember being partly fascinated by it, but not so much to make it a favorite book. I just know that this book had a memorable line that everyone seems to know: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.
I ended up reading the book again for our book club's discussion, and seeing that it was a short book, I read it just a few days before the discussion happened. Still the same -- the book had that whimsical feel, with the little prince's innocence and stories bringing the pilot (and the readers) to wonder if this little prince was the real thing. The book didn't bring any new emotions, but it reminded me of just how sad I felt when I got to the end. I remember not knowing the answer to the question: what do you think happened to the little prince?
Nevertheless, the book gained more meaning to me after my friends and I had a very good (and brain-frying) discussion on it. Despite its thinness, The Little Prince is one of those books that pack a pretty heavy punch with its different adages that is pretty much applicable to so many things in life. I'd like to believe that people of all ages will be able to pick something interesting in this book, even if it gets a wee bit childish for older readers. After all, this was written as a children's book.
However, I would have to agree: the meat of the book really happens with the prince's conversations with the fox. Don't get me wrong -- the rest of the book was pretty lovely as well, but if you need the most popular quotes in the book, just look for that chapter. It's pretty much all there....more
I read and loved Nikki Grimes' A Girl Named Mister so I was very excited to get this book from Kuya Doni during one ofOriginal post at One More Page
I read and loved Nikki Grimes' A Girl Named Mister so I was very excited to get this book from Kuya Doni during one of our Goodreads meet ups. A slim volume with illustrated pages, this is a book that discusses griefs and its different effects on people struggling with it. Jerilyn and Jesse just lost their older brother -- too much too soon that they are at a loss at how to deal. Jerilyn holds it all together, showing an unruffled exterior but inside she is just as broken as how Jesse acts out. Questions about life, death and family surface and we get to see how the siblings and the rest of the family dealt with this loss. It will never be the same again, but it doesn't mean they can't be whole.
Nikki Grimes' poetry was easy to read and the illustrations were a good complement to the story. True to form, I found myself shedding some tears at a certain page, and I honestly cannot imagine losing my one and only brother too soon to death. While this book offers no solutions on how to handle grief and death and loss, it shows a hopeful picture that someday, it will all be okay....more
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