I just finished a book that I bought in the children's section of Barnes and Noble. It is about a young boy who has black hair and bright green eyes who goes and learns about special powers he had no idea he had at a boarding school.
Okay, so it wasn't a boarding school, it was more of a summer camp that can double as a school if the kids have no where to go during the school year. And Percy Jackson is not a wizard. He is a demi-god.
The book I am talking about is Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
The buzz that I had heard about the book before I bought it was that it was as good as Harry Potter. Upon finishing the book, I am left to conclude: as good as? Not exactly. Ripped off? Definitely.
I understand that all literature is inspired, but there is a fine line between inspiration and plagarism.
The book definitely had some unique aspects. It places the Olympian Gods of ancient Greece on Mount Olympus. That was not the original aspect, obviously. In this book, Mount Olympus is located at the top of the Sears Tower. I had not actually read any present day adaptations of Greek Mythology, so that was quite interesting.
But as mentioned before, did Percy really need to have black hair and bright green eyes? Did he really need to go off on an adventure with his best friend and a girl who was not really their friend but was a lot smarter than they were? I could have done without it. At least make the best friend the girl, and the brainiac the boy. And would blonde hair really have killed him?
That being said, it definitely had some redeeming qualities. For instance, it teaches kids that learning disabilities such as ADHD can definitely be a strength instead of a weakness. Percy is dyslexic as well, though that is more of a hindrance. It is reasoned away that all of the children of the Gods are dyslexic because their minds are programed for ancient Greek. Will this get dyslexic children thinking that they might be the children of the Olympians? Maybe. But hey, I looked outside on my 11th birthday waiting to see if my Hogwarts letter had arrived yet. It is obvious that the children who are old enough to read this book will be old enough to differentiate between reality and fiction. Hopefully.
Was it a terrible book? No. Would I recommend it to kids Percy's age? Definitely. It was a fairly exciting story with a lot of action. It is something that they might actually want to put down their video games to read? Possibly.
Would I recommend it to adults? No, but it wasn't written for adults.
The audience it was written for could and, judging by the fact that it was a best seller and the movie that will be coming out this month, do enjoy reading it immensely. And for that, despite my complaints, I will give it a positive rating.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Talented Mr. Ripley
For one of my classes this year, I had to read the book, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Mos tof the books in this class, including The Secret Agent, I have not liked. This one was different. It is about a con man, Tom Ripley, who begins to admire the life an acquaintance leads in Europe. He admires it so much, that he murders the guy and takes over his life, convincing everyone that he is Dickie Greenleaf. The plot is fairly complex, but the book is easy to read and incredibly entertaining. When I have time, I might look into the sequels. I believe there are five total books featuring Tom Ripley.
One thing that must be said, is that the movie is not as good. Judging by the reviews online, it must be a fairly good movie if you have never read the book. However, when comparing it to the book, it just does not hold up. The movie adds characters and plot lines in an effort to make an already complex storyline even more complex, but the result is that the magic is lost.
My suggestion, read the book, forget the movie. That is not that surprising, as the only movie i have found so far that is better than the book, as I have mentioned before, was My Sister's Keeper.
One thing that must be said, is that the movie is not as good. Judging by the reviews online, it must be a fairly good movie if you have never read the book. However, when comparing it to the book, it just does not hold up. The movie adds characters and plot lines in an effort to make an already complex storyline even more complex, but the result is that the magic is lost.
My suggestion, read the book, forget the movie. That is not that surprising, as the only movie i have found so far that is better than the book, as I have mentioned before, was My Sister's Keeper.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Secret Agent
I recently read Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent. It'a a twisted story about a group of terrorists who talk more than they actually take action.
Okay so maybe it's a classic novel. Maybe people who know their stuff think it is amazing. All I know is when I read a book, I want it to be fun, not a chore. The Secret Agent wasn't just a chore. I wasn't just cleaning my room. I was cleaning the whole house. The complex narration style makes it incredibly difficult to read. I'm okay with this as long as at the end, I enjoyed the story in general. This is how I feel about Absalom Absalom by William Faulker. Incredibly hard to get through, but looking back, it was a great story. Looking back at Conrad's book, it still stunk.
Don't read it.
Okay so maybe it's a classic novel. Maybe people who know their stuff think it is amazing. All I know is when I read a book, I want it to be fun, not a chore. The Secret Agent wasn't just a chore. I wasn't just cleaning my room. I was cleaning the whole house. The complex narration style makes it incredibly difficult to read. I'm okay with this as long as at the end, I enjoyed the story in general. This is how I feel about Absalom Absalom by William Faulker. Incredibly hard to get through, but looking back, it was a great story. Looking back at Conrad's book, it still stunk.
Don't read it.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Apparently Nick Casavettes Agreed With Me
I just got back from seeing My Sister's Keeper in theaters.
It was everything great about the book, plus a much better ending. Go see it. Definitely worth it!
It was everything great about the book, plus a much better ending. Go see it. Definitely worth it!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
My Sister's Keeper
I should have written this review yesterday. If I had, it would have gone a little something like this:
I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book. It is filled with completely realistic characters facing a situation where there is no right solution. Either way it is decided, someone's life will be ruined. And yet they have to decide.
There is only one problem with writing the review yesterday. Yesterday, I hadn't finished the book. And thus, I must amend my review. Because I do have bad things to say about this book. And it is difficult to remember why I loved it so much to begin with.
My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, is about a thirteen year old girl named Anna. Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect donor match for her leukemia stricken sister. Her entire life, she has fulfilled this duty, without any major complaints. But now, her family is asking for one more donation. One more donation that will likely not even save her sister. A kidney. Anna does not want to donate the kidney, part because of the risks to her own health, as well as the fact that in the end, it will most likely only prolong her sister's suffering, not save her life. Because of this, she sues her parents for medical emancipation.
As I read this book, I was fascinated. I could not put it down. I have not watched television for the past week, and for most of you who actually read this blog, you know how big of a deal that is for me. It was spectacular. The book is told from nearly everyone involved's perspectives, and you really get to know the characters. You can see where every single person is coming from, and relate to the character you feel closest to. Parents who read this book often relate to the mother who is trying desperately to save her oldest daughter's life. Those who aren't parents relate more with Anna, who wants so desperately to be able to make life altering decisions for herself.
But the end? The ending is 100 percent a cop out ending. I thought I was reading a book where the author would make a decision. I thought we would get to see the consequences of that decision. We don't. I'm not going to go into specifics about it, because I would encourage people to read this book at least for the thought provocation of what you would do if you were in this family's position. I don't want to ruin the ending. But trust me. It's a cop out. Ask me more about my opinions after you have finished.
The ending of the book made me forget why I loved the book in the first place, though I can remember that I did. It is in this regard that this book epically fails.
But hey, I'm just one person. I know a lot of people who love it. I know a lot of people who love all of Jodi Picoult's books. But I am not one of them.
An explanation of the rating, it is neutral for the sole reason that I know that I could not put it down. But like I said, the ending was terrible
I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book. It is filled with completely realistic characters facing a situation where there is no right solution. Either way it is decided, someone's life will be ruined. And yet they have to decide.
There is only one problem with writing the review yesterday. Yesterday, I hadn't finished the book. And thus, I must amend my review. Because I do have bad things to say about this book. And it is difficult to remember why I loved it so much to begin with.
My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, is about a thirteen year old girl named Anna. Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect donor match for her leukemia stricken sister. Her entire life, she has fulfilled this duty, without any major complaints. But now, her family is asking for one more donation. One more donation that will likely not even save her sister. A kidney. Anna does not want to donate the kidney, part because of the risks to her own health, as well as the fact that in the end, it will most likely only prolong her sister's suffering, not save her life. Because of this, she sues her parents for medical emancipation.
As I read this book, I was fascinated. I could not put it down. I have not watched television for the past week, and for most of you who actually read this blog, you know how big of a deal that is for me. It was spectacular. The book is told from nearly everyone involved's perspectives, and you really get to know the characters. You can see where every single person is coming from, and relate to the character you feel closest to. Parents who read this book often relate to the mother who is trying desperately to save her oldest daughter's life. Those who aren't parents relate more with Anna, who wants so desperately to be able to make life altering decisions for herself.
But the end? The ending is 100 percent a cop out ending. I thought I was reading a book where the author would make a decision. I thought we would get to see the consequences of that decision. We don't. I'm not going to go into specifics about it, because I would encourage people to read this book at least for the thought provocation of what you would do if you were in this family's position. I don't want to ruin the ending. But trust me. It's a cop out. Ask me more about my opinions after you have finished.
The ending of the book made me forget why I loved the book in the first place, though I can remember that I did. It is in this regard that this book epically fails.
But hey, I'm just one person. I know a lot of people who love it. I know a lot of people who love all of Jodi Picoult's books. But I am not one of them.
An explanation of the rating, it is neutral for the sole reason that I know that I could not put it down. But like I said, the ending was terrible
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Not Your Average Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat
Reuben was the eldest of the children of Israel, with Simeon and Levi the next in line. Naphatali and Isachar and Asher and Gad, Zebulon and Dan took the total to nine. Jacob, Jacob and sons, Benjamin and Judah, which leaves only one. Jacob, Jacob and sons, Joseph, Jacob's favorite son.
But wait a minute, where does Dinah fit in????? Most people haven't even heard of her. But she's there. She is Jacob's thirteenth living child, nine months older than Joseph. Completely ignored in the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, she is almost ignored in the Bible, save for mention of her birth and a comment that she was raped and her brothers avenging her.
However, Anita Diamant decided that this brief mention was the hint at a much larger story, and she set out to tell that story. The result was one of the best books I have ever read.
The Red Tent tells not only the story of Dinah, but also of Rachel, Leah, Zilpah and Bilhah, Jacobs four wives. The story revolves around the tradition of the red tent, into which women go when they "feel the pull of the moon". Once a month, when the women are on their periods, they sit together and share stories, allowing the children to take care of them and fetch them their food and drink for once instead of the other way around.
It opens with a prologue, where Dinah's voice comes from beyond the grave, lamenting what has become of the story. "We have been lost to each other for so long. My name means nothing to you, My memory is dust. This is not your fault, or mine. The chain connecting mother to daughter was broken, and the word passed to the keeping of men, who had no way of knowing. This is why I became a footnote." And so she starts her tale of what really happened to her, of the secrets that the women shared, of the rituals that the men could never know about.
It feels like nothing is left out of this book. It is divided into three sections. The first is entitled "My Mothers' Stories" which chronicle all of the many births, miscarriages, and the now famous deception in which Leah and Rachel were switched on Rachel's wedding day, and Leah actually married Jacob instead. However, even this is given an original twist, for it is Rachel's idea in the first place. It goes into detail about each of the four wives, all of whom Dinah calls her mothers, and shows why she loves each one individually. The second is called "My Story". This picks up when Dinah is a young child, old enough to narrate her life. It includes her childhood, during which she was Joseph's best friend, and goes through young adulthood. The third section is "Egypt
This original tale seems to take a unique spin on all of the Bible stories that people have come to know and love. It is not always happy and cheerful. In fact, it is more often than not incredibly emotional. But it seems real. You can feel Dinah's pain along with her. You can sympathize with her and truly understand her.
My only complaint is that the voice of the narrator is consistent throughout. Normally this would be the exact opposite of a complaint, however, Dinah chronicles her entire life. Yet, the voice when she was a toddler was the same as when she was an old woman. It was difficult to notice the passing of time because of this. I did not realize she was older than maybe twenty five tops when it mentioned she was closer to forty.
Though it is a thick book, it is not difficult by any means. I encourage everyone, not just those who are religious to look into it.
But wait a minute, where does Dinah fit in????? Most people haven't even heard of her. But she's there. She is Jacob's thirteenth living child, nine months older than Joseph. Completely ignored in the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, she is almost ignored in the Bible, save for mention of her birth and a comment that she was raped and her brothers avenging her.
However, Anita Diamant decided that this brief mention was the hint at a much larger story, and she set out to tell that story. The result was one of the best books I have ever read.
The Red Tent tells not only the story of Dinah, but also of Rachel, Leah, Zilpah and Bilhah, Jacobs four wives. The story revolves around the tradition of the red tent, into which women go when they "feel the pull of the moon". Once a month, when the women are on their periods, they sit together and share stories, allowing the children to take care of them and fetch them their food and drink for once instead of the other way around.
It opens with a prologue, where Dinah's voice comes from beyond the grave, lamenting what has become of the story. "We have been lost to each other for so long. My name means nothing to you, My memory is dust. This is not your fault, or mine. The chain connecting mother to daughter was broken, and the word passed to the keeping of men, who had no way of knowing. This is why I became a footnote." And so she starts her tale of what really happened to her, of the secrets that the women shared, of the rituals that the men could never know about.
It feels like nothing is left out of this book. It is divided into three sections. The first is entitled "My Mothers' Stories" which chronicle all of the many births, miscarriages, and the now famous deception in which Leah and Rachel were switched on Rachel's wedding day, and Leah actually married Jacob instead. However, even this is given an original twist, for it is Rachel's idea in the first place. It goes into detail about each of the four wives, all of whom Dinah calls her mothers, and shows why she loves each one individually. The second is called "My Story". This picks up when Dinah is a young child, old enough to narrate her life. It includes her childhood, during which she was Joseph's best friend, and goes through young adulthood. The third section is "
This original tale seems to take a unique spin on all of the Bible stories that people have come to know and love. It is not always happy and cheerful. In fact, it is more often than not incredibly emotional. But it seems real. You can feel Dinah's pain along with her. You can sympathize with her and truly understand her.
My only complaint is that the voice of the narrator is consistent throughout. Normally this would be the exact opposite of a complaint, however, Dinah chronicles her entire life. Yet, the voice when she was a toddler was the same as when she was an old woman. It was difficult to notice the passing of time because of this. I did not realize she was older than maybe twenty five tops when it mentioned she was closer to forty.
Though it is a thick book, it is not difficult by any means. I encourage everyone, not just those who are religious to look into it.
The future of the summer
Well, this summer already isn't going the way I had planned. This was going to be the summer of reading. It was going to be the summer where I finally made a dent in my bookshelf. Then one of my friends talked to one of my professors for next fall. I'm taking a class called "The Myth of Tolkien". It's only a one hundred level class, so I figured the course load would not be too rough. Maybe read one of the Lord of the Rings books, the Hobbit, MAYBE the Silmarillion. No. We are reading ALL of the Lord of the Rings books, the Hobbit AND the Silmarillion. Have you seen how thick some of those books are????? And so, though I read the Lord of the Rings when I was in middle school, I'm spending at least part of the summer rereading them in an effort to lighten the course load for next semester. Wish me luck!
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