Genre: Classic Literature/Fiction
Ratings (for the whole series):
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 2.5
Suitable ending 2.5
Personal favoritism 2.5
Poetic language 2.0
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 4.5
Original, well-developed characters 3.0
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 1.5
Literary value and/or educational value 5.0
Total: 31.00
Final Rating: 3 stars
4-sentence summary:
Jonathan Harker is a young English solicitor who visits the eery Transylvania to aid a new client in his transition to his newly acquired London property. The client in question is Count Dracula, an unsettling older gentleman whose strange tendencies become clear to Jonathan throughout his stay in Transylvania. Count Dracula is in fact a vampire, and he begins to wreak havoc on London and on those whom Jonathan, and his fiance Mina, know and love.
Critique:
(I finished this book with an assortment of various media: Kindle for iPad, Kindle for Mac, and listened to an audiobook)
So many things to discuss! First of all, I had never read Dracula before a few weeks ago, and had never seen a movie about it. Everything I knew about Dracula was hearsay and common knowledge.
I couldn't help but compare it to Frankenstein as I went along. Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is so incredibly different from the green Frankenstein with bolts in his neck as shown in popular media. Dracula stays more true to his form, even in popular media. But it's impossible not to compare him to the 'modern day vampire', and my curiosity was piqued.
Bram Stoker created (or altered) many of the myths of vampire that we know today (no reflection in a mirror, no shadow, craving blood, association with vampire bat, sleeps in a coffin, aversion to both garlic and crucifix) but many of those myths have been misconstrued. For instance, Stoker's Dracula does not burst into flame in sunlight (or, I might add, sparkle). His vampires can even walk around during the day; they are just weaker and more vulnerable. In the book, they also have the ability to command "lesser" animals such as rodents and wolves (which I found especially interesting, given the recent werewolf vs. vampire fascination). It's believed that Stoker took some of these "vampire traits" from old mythology about vampires, but created a large portion of it himself. (Research into vampire mythology is actually quite fascinating, albeit disturbing. Stories such as this are particularly troubling).
Now on to the plot! ... I don't have much to say. Aside from creating one of the most captivating villains of all time, I don't think Bram Stoker was a very talented author. The plot is sluggish and almost unbearable at points. For such a fascinating plot, you'd think it would never lag. However, I think the story would be more fitting for a novel half the size of this one.
An interesting aspect of the plot (as I've also researched into the novel to some depth) are the themes within. My favorite, of course, being the theme of Victorian female sexuality. The book does a wonderful job of linking loose women with Hellish monsters. Another aspect of the book I loved is the historical background for the novel; it's believed that Stoker loosely based Dracula upon Vlad the Impaler. It's no wonder this book has been subject to endless speculation and research. It's also full of imagery and metaphors that are perfect for a high school English class.
Despite the fun history behind the novel (and also despite the terrible movie adaptations of it) I found I could not fully enjoy the novel. From a literary standpoint, it's a brilliant novel with lots to offer. But from an average reader's standpoint, it remains pretty sluggish and sometimes even predictable. ("She has bites on her neck. Let's spend 30 pages wondering what that could mean!") I would recommend it if you have a desire to "read the classics" or are curious about the mythology of the vampire... but aside from that, I probably wouldn't recommend it.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Genre: Fiction/Historical/Mystery
Ratings (for the whole series):
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 4.5
Suitable ending 5.0
Personal favoritism 4.0
Poetic language 3.5
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 5.0
Original, well-developed characters 5.0
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 4.0
Literary value and/or educational value 2.5
Total: 41.00
Final Rating: 4 stars
4-sentence summary:
Nell is told on her 21st birthday that she is not who she thought she was: she was found alone on a ship when she was 4 years old and adopted into an Australian family. Decades later, Nell's granddaughter Cassandra attempts to uncover the mystery behind Nell's appearance in Australia as a young girl, the family who abandoned her there, and the mysterious cottage that Nell gifted to Cassandra upon her death.
Critique:
Perhaps I begin reading all books with high expectations that are difficult to meet. When I began this book, I was immensely disappointed with its plot. For starters, you are told right off the bat that Nell is adopted. I felt that the mystery, in part, had already been solved. I am also not a huge fan of mysteries in general (the whole Whodunnit thing was never very appealing to me). What I failed to understand, at the beginning of this novel, was how Kate Morton was only touching the tip of the iceberg.... because this book went on to meet all my expectations- and more.
I don't know if I could say it any better than how People magazine reviewed the book: "Morton excels at creating absorbing mystery". But let me explain in brief how she does so. The author's setting for the book is only partly in modern-day. A large portion of the story is told from the perspective of characters living at the turn of the 20th century. The mystery, as it were, has not yet become a mystery at that time- thus, we understand from the modern perspective what the components of the mystery are, and then we see from the flashback perspective how those components have fallen into place.
The author also creates very compelling characters. The story is told from the perspective of a half dozen individuals (both past and present) and forces you to become emotionally invested in each of them. This book may contain characters that seem archetypal, but it's the motivation and desires of these characters that make them so compelling. This book, at it's core, is not so much a mystery as it is a character study. And a fabulous one at that.
The story uses romantic language to describe the settings of both Australia and England, yet never becomes stale or commonplace. The plot keeps you guessing until the very end, and still maintains a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. All in all, this book is full of beautiful language, intriguing characters, and captivating plot. This book earns a definite recommendation and an apology for ever having doubted it.
Ratings (for the whole series):
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 4.5
Suitable ending 5.0
Personal favoritism 4.0
Poetic language 3.5
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 5.0
Original, well-developed characters 5.0
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 4.0
Literary value and/or educational value 2.5
Total: 41.00
Final Rating: 4 stars
4-sentence summary:
Nell is told on her 21st birthday that she is not who she thought she was: she was found alone on a ship when she was 4 years old and adopted into an Australian family. Decades later, Nell's granddaughter Cassandra attempts to uncover the mystery behind Nell's appearance in Australia as a young girl, the family who abandoned her there, and the mysterious cottage that Nell gifted to Cassandra upon her death.
Critique:
Perhaps I begin reading all books with high expectations that are difficult to meet. When I began this book, I was immensely disappointed with its plot. For starters, you are told right off the bat that Nell is adopted. I felt that the mystery, in part, had already been solved. I am also not a huge fan of mysteries in general (the whole Whodunnit thing was never very appealing to me). What I failed to understand, at the beginning of this novel, was how Kate Morton was only touching the tip of the iceberg.... because this book went on to meet all my expectations- and more.
I don't know if I could say it any better than how People magazine reviewed the book: "Morton excels at creating absorbing mystery". But let me explain in brief how she does so. The author's setting for the book is only partly in modern-day. A large portion of the story is told from the perspective of characters living at the turn of the 20th century. The mystery, as it were, has not yet become a mystery at that time- thus, we understand from the modern perspective what the components of the mystery are, and then we see from the flashback perspective how those components have fallen into place.
The author also creates very compelling characters. The story is told from the perspective of a half dozen individuals (both past and present) and forces you to become emotionally invested in each of them. This book may contain characters that seem archetypal, but it's the motivation and desires of these characters that make them so compelling. This book, at it's core, is not so much a mystery as it is a character study. And a fabulous one at that.
The story uses romantic language to describe the settings of both Australia and England, yet never becomes stale or commonplace. The plot keeps you guessing until the very end, and still maintains a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. All in all, this book is full of beautiful language, intriguing characters, and captivating plot. This book earns a definite recommendation and an apology for ever having doubted it.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris
A.K.A. "The Sookie Stackhouse Novels"
Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Supernatural
Ratings (for the whole series):
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 4.5
Suitable ending 4.0
Personal favoritism 4.5
Poetic language 2.5
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 4.5
Original, well-developed characters 3.5
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 4.0
Literary value and/or educational value 1.0
Total: 36.00
Final Rating: 3 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in a small Lousiana town, Bon Temps, in a world where vampires have just "come out of the closet" to the public. The series of ten books follows her story, along with the stories of new characters (vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc.) as they are introduced. "True Blood", a show on Showtime, is an adaptation of the novels, though they vary in some significant ways.
Critique:
Yes, I feel guilty for reading these "trashy" novels. I feel bad for even admitting that I've watched "True Blood". It's certainly not intellectual TV, or a literary classic novel. But do I care? Heck no! These books were a delightful read. But let me start at the beginning.
I watched the three seasons of True Blood after a recommendation from my sister. The show is extremely sensational: lots of drama, sex, romance, violence... everything you want in a Showtime show. And I won't lie: I was hooked. I should mention, I certainly do not read vampire novels. (I read the Twilight series for my classes, and was disappointed in the obsessive and unhealthy relationships as examples for teenagers, but that's another story entirely.) But I figured that since the TV series was pretty fun to watch, I'd give the books a try.
The books are also sensational: they are FULL of sex, drama, romance, violence. I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone under the age of 18! But as for me? I love them! It takes all the cheap ingredients of a quick, fun story, throws them into a blender, adds MORE fun ingredients, and then spits it back out as a quick, fun read.
Charlaine Harris (who lives alone with her 12 cats? just kidding) does a wonderful job of outdoing herself on each novel. She may not write classic literature, but she does a great job of portraying "everyday" people and their development over time. And perhaps I empathize with Sookie because I am also a waitress. I also enjoy the books because they differ from the show in delightful ways (though I won't give any obvious spoilers). They are a quick read; I think I read all 10 of them in under a month. They aren't worth reviewing individually, as they all follow the same pattern and style. So I figured I would review them all together. And, though it is difficult for authors to do, Charlaine Harris has done something wonderful: each book in the series is better than the last. Which sets my expectations very high for the newest book in the series, due out in May of this year.
The downsides of the books? Charlaine Harris, as much as I love her fun writing style, has a habit of sometimes doing things that I, as a reader, frown upon. For instance, she introduced Elvis as a vampire. (Sigh). Aside from being corny and tacky and just plain wrong, I was disappointed by how many times Charlaine brought this character back into the story. She also writes in some ties (easter eggs?) to the TV show, which I thought was tacky. She should not be drawing information or inspiration from the TV show, it should be vice versa. But apart from a few tacky additions to her stories, Charlaine Harris still writes a very enjoyable novel.
If you enjoy brainless reads, slightly scandalous reads, or if you enjoyed the show, I think you'd enjoy the books. I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed them.
The books, in order:
1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas
3. Club Dead
4. Dead to the World
5. Dead as a Doornail
6. Definitely Dead
7. All Together Dead
8. From Dead to Worse
9. Dead and Gone
10. Dead in the Family
11. (May 2011) Dead Reckoning
Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Supernatural
Ratings (for the whole series):
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 4.5
Suitable ending 4.0
Personal favoritism 4.5
Poetic language 2.5
Memorable 4.5
Original, creative plot 4.5
Original, well-developed characters 3.5
Probability of recommendation 3.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 4.0
Literary value and/or educational value 1.0
Total: 36.00
Final Rating: 3 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in a small Lousiana town, Bon Temps, in a world where vampires have just "come out of the closet" to the public. The series of ten books follows her story, along with the stories of new characters (vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc.) as they are introduced. "True Blood", a show on Showtime, is an adaptation of the novels, though they vary in some significant ways.
Critique:
Yes, I feel guilty for reading these "trashy" novels. I feel bad for even admitting that I've watched "True Blood". It's certainly not intellectual TV, or a literary classic novel. But do I care? Heck no! These books were a delightful read. But let me start at the beginning.
I watched the three seasons of True Blood after a recommendation from my sister. The show is extremely sensational: lots of drama, sex, romance, violence... everything you want in a Showtime show. And I won't lie: I was hooked. I should mention, I certainly do not read vampire novels. (I read the Twilight series for my classes, and was disappointed in the obsessive and unhealthy relationships as examples for teenagers, but that's another story entirely.) But I figured that since the TV series was pretty fun to watch, I'd give the books a try.
The books are also sensational: they are FULL of sex, drama, romance, violence. I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone under the age of 18! But as for me? I love them! It takes all the cheap ingredients of a quick, fun story, throws them into a blender, adds MORE fun ingredients, and then spits it back out as a quick, fun read.
Charlaine Harris (who lives alone with her 12 cats? just kidding) does a wonderful job of outdoing herself on each novel. She may not write classic literature, but she does a great job of portraying "everyday" people and their development over time. And perhaps I empathize with Sookie because I am also a waitress. I also enjoy the books because they differ from the show in delightful ways (though I won't give any obvious spoilers). They are a quick read; I think I read all 10 of them in under a month. They aren't worth reviewing individually, as they all follow the same pattern and style. So I figured I would review them all together. And, though it is difficult for authors to do, Charlaine Harris has done something wonderful: each book in the series is better than the last. Which sets my expectations very high for the newest book in the series, due out in May of this year.
The downsides of the books? Charlaine Harris, as much as I love her fun writing style, has a habit of sometimes doing things that I, as a reader, frown upon. For instance, she introduced Elvis as a vampire. (Sigh). Aside from being corny and tacky and just plain wrong, I was disappointed by how many times Charlaine brought this character back into the story. She also writes in some ties (easter eggs?) to the TV show, which I thought was tacky. She should not be drawing information or inspiration from the TV show, it should be vice versa. But apart from a few tacky additions to her stories, Charlaine Harris still writes a very enjoyable novel.
If you enjoy brainless reads, slightly scandalous reads, or if you enjoyed the show, I think you'd enjoy the books. I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed them.
The books, in order:
1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas
3. Club Dead
4. Dead to the World
5. Dead as a Doornail
6. Definitely Dead
7. All Together Dead
8. From Dead to Worse
9. Dead and Gone
10. Dead in the Family
11. (May 2011) Dead Reckoning
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 5.0
Suitable ending 5.0
Personal favoritism 5.0
Poetic language 4.75
Memorable 4.75
Original, creative plot 4.75
Original, well-developed characters 4.5
Probability of recommendation 5.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 3.5
Literary value and/or educational value 4.0
Total: 46.25
Final Rating: 4 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Colin Singleton is a former child prodigy, now at the "washed up" age of 18, facing a life of potential non-genius. His girlfriend, Katherine, has just broken up with him, and he is devastated. But she is in fact the 19th Katherine that Colin has dated. Inspired by his best friend to recover from the breakup, the two embark on a road trip and discover more than they bargained for.
Critique:
I must start this critique by saying that this book is going to be constantly compared to "Looking for Alaska", the Printz Award winner also written by John Green. "Looking for Alaska" is in my top 5 of favorite books ever, so you can imagine that reading a second book by John Green came with high expectations. And I must say, with absolute confidence, that I was not in the least disappointed.
This book, as with Alaska, is full of very unique, quirky, and life-like characters. Colin has so many odd aspects to his personality (such as constantly anagramming words) and has such interesting flaws that he is at once a likeable and memorable character. His best friend, Hassan, (the self-described "non-terrorist) is a witty, chubby Muslim who is the perfect opposite for Colin. I hesitate to use the word "bromance" here, since that term has been associated with some rather crappy movies as of late, but Colin and Hassan exemplify what it means to be best friends: to help one another for better or worse, and sprinkled with a ton of humor. Their friendship is definitely a highlight of the book.
One of the other interesting features of the book is the constant footnotes. As Colin is a child prodigy, his mind is constantly taking the reader down the road of "interesting facts" which are usually explained, with some chagrin, by the author. It's amusing and not at all distracting, much to my surprise.
However; An Abundance of Katherines lacks the depth of Alaska in one simple way: this book is not tragic. For some reason, although both stories focus on a young man coming of age, the tragic story seems all at once more meaningful and full of depth than the one with the humorous, quirky characters. They are obviously written by the same masterful author (his style becomes evident immediately upon reading) and both are excellent stories.
Katherines is a quick read and an enjoyable one and I would highly recommend it for high school students and adults alike.
"There's no romance in geometry."
"Just you wait."
Ratings:
Ease with which to read/enjoyable narration style 5.0
Suitable ending 5.0
Personal favoritism 5.0
Poetic language 4.75
Memorable 4.75
Original, creative plot 4.75
Original, well-developed characters 4.5
Probability of recommendation 5.0
Ability to "move" emotionally 3.5
Literary value and/or educational value 4.0
Total: 46.25
Final Rating: 4 1/2 stars
4-sentence summary:
Colin Singleton is a former child prodigy, now at the "washed up" age of 18, facing a life of potential non-genius. His girlfriend, Katherine, has just broken up with him, and he is devastated. But she is in fact the 19th Katherine that Colin has dated. Inspired by his best friend to recover from the breakup, the two embark on a road trip and discover more than they bargained for.
Critique:
I must start this critique by saying that this book is going to be constantly compared to "Looking for Alaska", the Printz Award winner also written by John Green. "Looking for Alaska" is in my top 5 of favorite books ever, so you can imagine that reading a second book by John Green came with high expectations. And I must say, with absolute confidence, that I was not in the least disappointed.
This book, as with Alaska, is full of very unique, quirky, and life-like characters. Colin has so many odd aspects to his personality (such as constantly anagramming words) and has such interesting flaws that he is at once a likeable and memorable character. His best friend, Hassan, (the self-described "non-terrorist) is a witty, chubby Muslim who is the perfect opposite for Colin. I hesitate to use the word "bromance" here, since that term has been associated with some rather crappy movies as of late, but Colin and Hassan exemplify what it means to be best friends: to help one another for better or worse, and sprinkled with a ton of humor. Their friendship is definitely a highlight of the book.
One of the other interesting features of the book is the constant footnotes. As Colin is a child prodigy, his mind is constantly taking the reader down the road of "interesting facts" which are usually explained, with some chagrin, by the author. It's amusing and not at all distracting, much to my surprise.
However; An Abundance of Katherines lacks the depth of Alaska in one simple way: this book is not tragic. For some reason, although both stories focus on a young man coming of age, the tragic story seems all at once more meaningful and full of depth than the one with the humorous, quirky characters. They are obviously written by the same masterful author (his style becomes evident immediately upon reading) and both are excellent stories.
Katherines is a quick read and an enjoyable one and I would highly recommend it for high school students and adults alike.
"There's no romance in geometry."
"Just you wait."
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