Mike > Recent Status Updates

After a nine-month delay, I'm finally returning to this book. This time, I actually have the text in front of me, and I know that I can read it, so I'm actually going to review it this time. Yay!

Well, this isn't bad, I guess. I mean, the writing isn't great, but it isn't terrible, either.

I can't imagine this book being good. Perhaps I'm wrong. But I think it will not be good.

Are there any intelligent people in this play?

I is bored. Let's just end this.

I kinda wish there wasn't so much after the climax. But I guess it's mostly fine.

The Nurse is kind of a jackass. And Romeo is one of the biggest idiots in all of literature. Because of course he is.

I genuinely did not expect that. Wow. This book is... kind of sad.

It also kind of reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgcj-...

Jesus, this is a fast read. Also, it's a not-very-interesting one. Although I did enjoy Justine Larbalestier's story, and that's what I read the book for. So that's good.

I'm actually enjoying some of these. Although the stuff written by the editor is very, very stupid.

Jesus, these stories are quick. Already, I've read the introduction and two stories. I liked one of the stories, but glancing through the rest of the book... I have a feeling I won't like this.

D.J. MacHale gave a blurb to Michael Grant. My nine year-old self is SO EFFING HAPPY!

Earlier, I was having fun predicting things before they happened, but now, I'm not even paying attention. It's just too dull.

And we're finally getting to the actual trial. Funny - even though I knew it was the point of the entire book, I wasn't impatient at all.

I have just finished all of my required reading for this year! YAY! I can now finally read for myself at whatever pace I want! It's almost a foreign concept! I am very happy, if you can't tell. (Ironically, this occurs right as I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird on my own time. But I'm still reading it because I want to! YAY!)

Atticus seems very uncomfortable reminding the kids of their heritage. Although as someone who's lived in the south all his life... yeah, I would feel uncomfortable talking about it as well. At least I can't trace my heritage back to the Civil War.

So, that went about as badly as it could possibly have gone. Next time you get into a battle because of a pointless dispute between families, maybe you should bring poison. Much more efficient, and much less likely to get you exiled.

Why the hell do they keep saying 'spics' in the narration to refer to the Puerto Ricans? I mean, I get why it's in the Jets' dialogue, but when it's also IN THE NARRATION, it goes from natural expression from a character to outright racism.

Nikki is such a psychologically real character. And the story is really interesting, for a premise that I've been told is so cliche.

Now we're at nearly three-quarters in, and if this was the musical, the first act wouldn't have ended yet. PACING. YOU DON'T HAVE IT.

Not much has happened yet, but I don't feel like the pace is slow. Maybe because there aren't too many words per page, so a lot of the book can pass without many words going by.

Dude, we're a good bit further than halfway through, and if this were the musical, we would only be about two thirds of the way through the first act. I can't imagine how Shulman is possibly going to pull this off, from a pacing perspective, and judging by the rest of the book, he won't be able to pull it off.

The slang is done really well. I didn't think this kind of thing - the kind of speech you hear in Atlanta - was possible to do without being painful, but apparently it is.

"You know, I'm was just leaving," said Tony.

Funny. I'm was just ripping my kindle in half.

Nikki's voice is very distinct. I would expect nothing less from the author of After the Kiss.

I like how subtle the symbolism and metaphor is. Very masterful.

Jesus, nearly halfway through, and Tony and Maria haven't spoken a single line of dialogue to each other. This pacing is bizarre.

Finally, the story is making some progress. It's still not good, but at least it's better.

That was, like all the other twists in this book, completely impossible to see coming. Which wouldn't be a problem, except that this is a mystery, which I'm supposed to be able to figure out on my own.

That was the least necessary sex scene ever. I mean, really?