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__ceecee__'s Reviews (414)
I give up. I've been meaning to put it down several times, but a part of me wanted to read this through the end. But right now, I just don't care anymore. Life is too short and there are other books beckoning, and would probably engage me.
It was a long shot anyway, I'm not really into adult romance these days. Bitten would be pretty alright, for fans of werewolves. Kelley Armstrong knows how to make good stories. This just wasn't my cup of tea, I guess.
It was a long shot anyway, I'm not really into adult romance these days. Bitten would be pretty alright, for fans of werewolves. Kelley Armstrong knows how to make good stories. This just wasn't my cup of tea, I guess.
I thought I could go for a good road trip story, but this one just didn't do the trick. I've watched a crazy road trip movie, Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road, with the charming and one of my favorites, James Marsden, and I really liked that.
The Car really is about a car. The first third of the book I think involved assembling Terry's kit car and then Terry learning how to drive it. Then he meets two Vietnam war veterans and they go "trucking". It's supposed to be some coming-of-age/ life-changing story, but I didn't really learn much or see anything special with it. I like my descriptions poetic, and emotions palpable. This was just ... okay.
I've got to break this reading slump soon because all I seem to be reading these days are 2-star books. :/
The Car really is about a car. The first third of the book I think involved assembling Terry's kit car and then Terry learning how to drive it. Then he meets two Vietnam war veterans and they go "trucking". It's supposed to be some coming-of-age/ life-changing story, but I didn't really learn much or see anything special with it. I like my descriptions poetic, and emotions palpable. This was just ... okay.
I've got to break this reading slump soon because all I seem to be reading these days are 2-star books. :/
I'm starting to think I'm not at all for this sci-fi thing. Well, reading sci-fi anyway. The first half of the book I was like
Scratch that, that was the way I was throughout the whole book.
Ender is six when we begin, and already he has mastered Algebra, and is capable of beating another six-year old to a pulp. A six-year old bully, btw. Seriously. Six-year old bully. It wasn't so much the beating that got to me, but Ender's way of thinking: like a battler, like a soldier: "One punch isn't enough, I need to show these kids they can't mess with me anymore". So what does he do, he beats the kid so bad, he needed surgery. Not to mention, he has genius siblings as well, and a sociopath ten-year-old brother.
Maybe it's just me, being an older reader, and I think the target audience of this book was younger, but I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. This is one of those books one should read as a teenager.
Ender and all his friends/enemies/allies in Battle School all are 12 years old or younger, and didn't feel in any way like children. It was quite easy to forget I was reading a scene between a 7-year old and a 9-year old, they were that mature in their way of thinking and speaking. Which, I guess, was Card's point, only I didn't like it. I don't care if these were gifted children, you can't ruin their childhood like this.
It also didn't help that I could not appreciate battle tactics and the actual battles themselves, probably because I'm such a pacifist, or my imagination just doesn't run in that direction. The enemy gate is down? What does that mean?! (I'm sorry I'm an idiot)
If the movie for this comes out, I will definitely be watching, curious about these game-battles Ender plays.
I did like Ender, though, and felt for him, the poor genius bastard. Everything he did was perfect, just the right thing to do, and Ender knew it, and even that could weigh on a person.
The humanity of the characters, at one short moment I forgot I was reading about children, saved me from giving this book 2 stars.
*2.5 - 3 stars I cannot get over the fact that these were kids, and what was the point of ruining children's lives to save the world? Couldn't they have trained young adults, if not adults, to battle? Seriously. How can adults put the weight of humanity on children's shoulders and depend their lives on them? It didn't feel realistic to me at all.
Sure, child soldiers exist, and one can argue that there never is a perfect or unruined childhood. I still did not like it.
Update: 2.19.13 My copy of the book is the one with Card's Introduction, and the reason I didn't read it first was because I always felt that Introductions ruin someone's reading experience. Or that it gave away ideas I couldn't even understand, since I haven't read the novel yet, so what was the point of an introduction? I think it was either Neil Gaiman or Paulo Coelho that said: Introductions should be ignored.
Reading Card's introduction, I wonder if my reading experience would have changed if I read it first. Coz it sure felt like it was manipulating me to like and accept the fact that these kids talked and acted like adults. My childhood wasn't free of trauma, but I honestly didn't know anything when I was six. And here was Ender, the weight of humanity on his puny 6-year old shoulders. What. The. Hell.
One reviewer even said that in his introduction, Card was smug. Which I kind of see.
Introductions do kind of ruin the book.
Scratch that, that was the way I was throughout the whole book.
Ender is six when we begin, and already he has mastered Algebra, and is capable of beating another six-year old to a pulp. A six-year old bully, btw. Seriously. Six-year old bully. It wasn't so much the beating that got to me, but Ender's way of thinking: like a battler, like a soldier: "One punch isn't enough, I need to show these kids they can't mess with me anymore". So what does he do, he beats the kid so bad, he needed surgery. Not to mention, he has genius siblings as well, and a sociopath ten-year-old brother.
Maybe it's just me, being an older reader, and I think the target audience of this book was younger, but I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. This is one of those books one should read as a teenager.
Ender and all his friends/enemies/allies in Battle School all are 12 years old or younger, and didn't feel in any way like children. It was quite easy to forget I was reading a scene between a 7-year old and a 9-year old, they were that mature in their way of thinking and speaking. Which, I guess, was Card's point, only I didn't like it. I don't care if these were gifted children, you can't ruin their childhood like this.
It also didn't help that I could not appreciate battle tactics and the actual battles themselves, probably because I'm such a pacifist, or my imagination just doesn't run in that direction. The enemy gate is down? What does that mean?! (I'm sorry I'm an idiot)
If the movie for this comes out, I will definitely be watching, curious about these game-battles Ender plays.
Spoiler
The first look of the movie definitely didn't feature a six-year old Ender, they were young adults standing in line with Harrison Ford, so I guess, no naked 10-year-olds, folks.I did like Ender, though, and felt for him, the poor genius bastard. Everything he did was perfect, just the right thing to do, and Ender knew it, and even that could weigh on a person.
The humanity of the characters, at one short moment I forgot I was reading about children, saved me from giving this book 2 stars.
Spoiler
Especially considering Card's introduction*2.5 - 3 stars I cannot get over the fact that these were kids, and what was the point of ruining children's lives to save the world? Couldn't they have trained young adults, if not adults, to battle? Seriously. How can adults put the weight of humanity on children's shoulders and depend their lives on them? It didn't feel realistic to me at all.
Sure, child soldiers exist, and one can argue that there never is a perfect or unruined childhood. I still did not like it.
Update: 2.19.13 My copy of the book is the one with Card's Introduction, and the reason I didn't read it first was because I always felt that Introductions ruin someone's reading experience. Or that it gave away ideas I couldn't even understand, since I haven't read the novel yet, so what was the point of an introduction? I think it was either Neil Gaiman or Paulo Coelho that said: Introductions should be ignored.
Reading Card's introduction, I wonder if my reading experience would have changed if I read it first. Coz it sure felt like it was manipulating me to like and accept the fact that these kids talked and acted like adults. My childhood wasn't free of trauma, but I honestly didn't know anything when I was six. And here was Ender, the weight of humanity on his puny 6-year old shoulders. What. The. Hell.
One reviewer even said that in his introduction, Card was smug. Which I kind of see.
Introductions do kind of ruin the book.
If there's anything Warm Bodies taught me, it is that when I survive a zombie apocalypse I will definitely ransack museums and steal original works of art to display in my bedroom. That includes Van Gogh's paintings, perhaps Seraphine Louis' paintings, and if I'm really ambitious and superhuman, I'll take Michaelangelo's David. Who's with me?
I never thought I'd get into zombie novels. Heck, I'm such a scaredy cat, I didn't watch horror movies unless I was strongly coerced by my friends, and that didn't happen often. The only zombie movie I watched was 28 Days Later, and that was because Cillian Murphy was in it. Nowadays, I'm not so squeemish, I mean, I did enjoy The Cabin in the Woods.
Who knew zombie novels can be allegories of society? I didn't. I sometimes feel like a zombie myself, or think that the people around me are zombies - not living, merely existing. This zombie novel...wow. Forget vampires, ghosts and werewolves, zombie novels are where it's at!
R was witty and introspective, and that was alluring. Who wouldn't want a guy like that, even if he was a rotting corpse? Okay, okay, it's not for everybody.... Of course, R had to be gorgeous once he was cleaned up, so...let me eat up that man!(If you know a better term for "eat him up" let me know).
What I liked about Warm Bodies is that it didn't focus on the metaphors(I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a given in zombie books), it was philosophical but also really entertaining, not to mention the Beatles references.
I grin. "Hello."
"What are you doing here?" she hisses, trying to keep her voice down.
I shrug, deciding that this gesture, while easy to abuse, does have its place. It may even be vital vocabulary in a world as unspeakable as ours.
"Came to . . . see you."
"But I had to go home, remember? You were supposed to say goodbye."
"Don't know why you . . . say goodbye. I say . . . hello."
Man that cracked me up.
Thanks to 28 Days Later, I was able to imagine vividly the kind of world R lives in, and I just loved reading about those renegade zombies whose emotions are being stirred, but could only manage a grunt when R decided to chase after Julie and these apathetic beings decided to help him.
*5 stars It was weird, with bursts of profundity, with characters that are not typical. Despite the parallels between Romeo and Juliet and Warm Bodies (R is Romeo, Julie is Juliet, M is Mercutio, and Nora is Nurse..blah blah blah, who didn't see that coming?), R and Julie are far from the angsty, lovestruck, and ultimately tragic Shakespearean pair.
I am looking forward to reading [b:The Reapers Are the Angels|8051458|The Reapers Are the Angels (Reapers, #1)|Alden Bell|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317066698s/8051458.jpg|12707063] which I read was pretty awesome as well. Oh, and the sequel to Warm Bodies, of course.
I never thought I'd get into zombie novels. Heck, I'm such a scaredy cat, I didn't watch horror movies unless I was strongly coerced by my friends, and that didn't happen often. The only zombie movie I watched was 28 Days Later, and that was because Cillian Murphy was in it. Nowadays, I'm not so squeemish, I mean, I did enjoy The Cabin in the Woods.
Who knew zombie novels can be allegories of society? I didn't. I sometimes feel like a zombie myself, or think that the people around me are zombies - not living, merely existing. This zombie novel...wow. Forget vampires, ghosts and werewolves, zombie novels are where it's at!
R was witty and introspective, and that was alluring. Who wouldn't want a guy like that, even if he was a rotting corpse? Okay, okay, it's not for everybody.... Of course, R had to be gorgeous once he was cleaned up, so...let me eat up that man!(If you know a better term for "eat him up" let me know).
What I liked about Warm Bodies is that it didn't focus on the metaphors(I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a given in zombie books), it was philosophical but also really entertaining, not to mention the Beatles references.
I grin. "Hello."
"What are you doing here?" she hisses, trying to keep her voice down.
I shrug, deciding that this gesture, while easy to abuse, does have its place. It may even be vital vocabulary in a world as unspeakable as ours.
"Came to . . . see you."
"But I had to go home, remember? You were supposed to say goodbye."
"Don't know why you . . . say goodbye. I say . . . hello."
Man that cracked me up.
Thanks to 28 Days Later, I was able to imagine vividly the kind of world R lives in, and I just loved reading about those renegade zombies whose emotions are being stirred, but could only manage a grunt when R decided to chase after Julie and these apathetic beings decided to help him.
*5 stars It was weird, with bursts of profundity, with characters that are not typical. Despite the parallels between Romeo and Juliet and Warm Bodies (R is Romeo, Julie is Juliet, M is Mercutio, and Nora is Nurse..blah blah blah, who didn't see that coming?), R and Julie are far from the angsty, lovestruck, and ultimately tragic Shakespearean pair.
I am looking forward to reading [b:The Reapers Are the Angels|8051458|The Reapers Are the Angels (Reapers, #1)|Alden Bell|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317066698s/8051458.jpg|12707063] which I read was pretty awesome as well. Oh, and the sequel to Warm Bodies, of course.
Weird things happen and people pass it off as normal, and there's not much ado about it. And I really love weirdness like One Hundred Years of Solitude. Like Chris Gladis said, it was like walking into a dream, where you know that what's happening in the dream is illogical and yet you still go with the flow. It was fun.
The thing is, it was still a struggle to read, and it was hard to understand what the book was really about.
The thing is, it was still a struggle to read, and it was hard to understand what the book was really about.
I'm not into Paris like other people, and I do not get the lure of boarding schools, nor am I into the sophisticated English-accent cute boy type (I'm crazy, I know). If I reflect further upon it, I like under-the-radar type of guys, which is why I totally would have been into Josh instead.
Not that St. Clair isn't swoon worthy. Glob. He. Is. Dreamy. Which is why I added a new shelf (fictional boyfriends), because I will now officially keep track of swoon worthy guys that I've read about.
What hindered me from giving this 4 or 5 stars was because I did not enjoy it like I wanted to. The cover alone and the synopsis made me want to delay reading this book, which should have warned me, but then I saw these positive reviews from my GR friends, and I thought, hey, this could be different. Because truthfully, these are not the kind of novels I'd swarm to. But then, I gave a chance to [b:Dairy Queen|16178|Dairy Queen (Dairy Queen, #1)|Catherine Gilbert Murdock|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347858197s/16178.jpg|564970], and I loved that book.
It was hard to like Anna, especially when I can't relate to her. What did Anna ever do to snag a guy like St Clair? She's pretty but she doesn't realize it *rolls eyes*, she's nice, she prefers to stay at home than go out drinking, she's a neat freak, and St Clair can talk to her. Great, but I wasn't much convinced. Maybe if I had delved more into Anna's head instead of reading through a lot of conflicts, I could of liked her more?
It was hard to relate to the relationship problems in this book, actually. (I'm 23 and still single, what can I say?) Anna leaves this guy in Atlanta, with whom things might have been more intimate; at her first day in Paris, there's this attraction with gorgeous St Clair, but who already has a girlfriend; and the girl who first befriends Anna is also in love with St Clair.
A lot of drama there, but I didn't feel sparks. I just felt frustrated because...well, it was a complicated relationship. Though they develop their friendship throughout the book, and yes, it would be wonderful to be friends and then lovers, there were all these dilemmas. And I did not enjoy it.
You know what I did enjoy:
I was titter-tottering between giving this 2 or 3 stars, in the middle of reading it. But since I love well-made resolutions, overall, I liked the book.
What made Anna really likable to me was when she was watching Lost in Translation and realized that St Clair's friendship mattered more than being more than just friends to her, it didn't matter whether or not they would be together. Finally, Anna has her act together!
*3 stars A sweet,wish-fulfilling romance, albeit a bit too cliched [for me]. I love me my good endings, but this happy ending still didn't tip the scales and made me forget all the frustrating drama in the middle of the book.
Not that St. Clair isn't swoon worthy. Glob. He. Is. Dreamy. Which is why I added a new shelf (fictional boyfriends), because I will now officially keep track of swoon worthy guys that I've read about.
What hindered me from giving this 4 or 5 stars was because I did not enjoy it like I wanted to. The cover alone and the synopsis made me want to delay reading this book, which should have warned me, but then I saw these positive reviews from my GR friends, and I thought, hey, this could be different. Because truthfully, these are not the kind of novels I'd swarm to. But then, I gave a chance to [b:Dairy Queen|16178|Dairy Queen (Dairy Queen, #1)|Catherine Gilbert Murdock|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347858197s/16178.jpg|564970], and I loved that book.
It was hard to like Anna, especially when I can't relate to her. What did Anna ever do to snag a guy like St Clair? She's pretty but she doesn't realize it *rolls eyes*, she's nice, she prefers to stay at home than go out drinking, she's a neat freak, and St Clair can talk to her. Great, but I wasn't much convinced. Maybe if I had delved more into Anna's head instead of reading through a lot of conflicts, I could of liked her more?
It was hard to relate to the relationship problems in this book, actually. (I'm 23 and still single, what can I say?) Anna leaves this guy in Atlanta, with whom things might have been more intimate; at her first day in Paris, there's this attraction with gorgeous St Clair, but who already has a girlfriend; and the girl who first befriends Anna is also in love with St Clair.
A lot of drama there, but I didn't feel sparks. I just felt frustrated because...well, it was a complicated relationship. Though they develop their friendship throughout the book, and yes, it would be wonderful to be friends and then lovers, there were all these dilemmas. And I did not enjoy it.
You know what I did enjoy:
Spoiler
St Clair's secret message to Anna:I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
― Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
I was titter-tottering between giving this 2 or 3 stars, in the middle of reading it. But since I love well-made resolutions, overall, I liked the book.
What made Anna really likable to me was when she was watching Lost in Translation and realized that St Clair's friendship mattered more than being more than just friends to her, it didn't matter whether or not they would be together. Finally, Anna has her act together!
*3 stars A sweet,wish-fulfilling romance, albeit a bit too cliched [for me]. I love me my good endings, but this happy ending still didn't tip the scales and made me forget all the frustrating drama in the middle of the book.
The reason that this book is my favorite romance of all time is because it was totally different from the romances I read, back in the day when I really liked reading romances.
Heroines were not Mean Girls, like Sugar Beth was. Really. Heroines were goody-two-shoes, who had troubled pasts, but they were also spunky (who still says spunky?), and everybody just luurrrved them. Not Sugar Beth. And what kind of heroine's name is Sugar Beth? I almost didn't read this book for that, no kidding. Thank God for the 'dark prince' description of Mr Colin Byrne. Ooh-lala, he's my all-time favorite hero for being an Englishman through-and-through living in the South of America. A gothic hero living in modern times (and I didn't even like gothic heroes). But then, he's not really gothic if he's funny, right?
But SEP made a fantastical premise, and created a very romantic story out of two people you would not have thought should end up together. Sugar Beth was a mean girl, who went to college and left behind her southern hometown, it seemed, for good. Colin was Sugar Beth's English English teacher, 15 years ago. Now, how creepy is a student-teacher relationship? But with SEP's humor, she just made it all work.
This book was funny, dramatic, and fantastic and realistic at the same time. I would read this over and over.
Heroines were not Mean Girls, like Sugar Beth was. Really. Heroines were goody-two-shoes, who had troubled pasts, but they were also spunky (who still says spunky?), and everybody just luurrrved them. Not Sugar Beth. And what kind of heroine's name is Sugar Beth? I almost didn't read this book for that, no kidding. Thank God for the 'dark prince' description of Mr Colin Byrne. Ooh-lala, he's my all-time favorite hero for being an Englishman through-and-through living in the South of America. A gothic hero living in modern times (and I didn't even like gothic heroes). But then, he's not really gothic if he's funny, right?
But SEP made a fantastical premise, and created a very romantic story out of two people you would not have thought should end up together. Sugar Beth was a mean girl, who went to college and left behind her southern hometown, it seemed, for good. Colin was Sugar Beth's English English teacher, 15 years ago. Now, how creepy is a student-teacher relationship? But with SEP's humor, she just made it all work.
This book was funny, dramatic, and fantastic and realistic at the same time. I would read this over and over.
WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA
*4.5 stars* Glob, I loved reading this. Though the various spoilers I read in the internet, most especially Tumblr, kind of ruined it for me. That ending? Yeah, knew it was coming. Bummer. Thanks, Internet.
Nonetheless, there were things that took me by surprise and things that still affected me, even though I knew they were going to happen.
GRRM knows how to torment you. I suppose it's because of his background in screenwriting which accounts for almost every chapter ending in a cliffhanger. Real WTF cliffhangers. For instance, Dany was wondering where she would put her traitors: hang them or banish them, etc, and GRRM would write: Suddenly, she knew. And end that chapter. It wasn't very well written, even for a cliffhanger.
But oh well, I praise ASoIaF for its incredible storytelling. Maybe it's because I watched the series first, but it really did feel like I was reading different characters' voices. They were all distinct from one another. I've read other books who tried to write each chapter from various POVs, but they would sometimes befuddle me, because they seemed to talk alike.
I'd also like to make commentaries about the various narrators in the book, except the Prologue and Epilogue.
Jaime - Yeah, saw a lot of spoilers about this one. But how could I not love his relationship with Brienne? It was nice to know his side of things. It emphasized even more that PEOPLE ARE NOT WHO THEY SEEM TO BE, AND THINGS ARE NOT WHAT WE THINK THEY ARE. It was fun reading him, and his verbal parrying with Brienne, but I think his part could have been cut out? The series is way too long!
Catelyn - Ugh, totally knew it was coming.
Bran - Though it can be boring at times, compared to what's happening in King's Landing and everything, I love the development on his side of the story.
Davos - A lot of people love Davos. I like him enough. IT's just his side is a warring side, and I don't really like battle scenes.
He's one underrated character, considering how massive a help he is. Yeah, I see why people love him.
Samwell - Oh, Samwell, he's growing isn't he? He was pretty vital in narrating about the Others, the wildlings, especially since Jon had separated from his brothers. I love what Sam did in the end.
Sansa - Of all the narrators, I think I identify with Sansa the most. Thinking life is a song, and then grimly finding out that it isn't. You'd think Sansa'd be dead by now, but a combination of sense and royalty has helped her survive. I think Sansa will learn how to play the game.
Tyrion - AHHHHHH TYRIONNNNNNN. He's just awesome. A sad, sad character, really. He just never catches a break. When I read all the injustices done to him...like King's Landing never apprecaiting him just because he's a dwarf, and the people turning a blind eye on Joffrey's cruelties, and various hypocrisies. You gotta love Tyrion's speech in his trial. Joffrey, though. Oh, Joffrey.
Arya - I am so sad Gendry and Arya separated! Now I think they will never meet again. Damn GRRM, playing with my shipper heart and then tearing them apart! I knew what would happen with Arya, but I still loved reading it. Also, I think I found out what happened to Nymeria, and I really wish she and Arya would reunite.
Jon Snow - MMMYYYY BBAAAAABBBBBYYYYYY.
Okay, it's because of the gorgeous Kit Harington that I love reading his parts, even though I don't like battle scenes. And I'm happy Ghost came back.
Dany - Ugh, is there no end to her bamf-ness? I am reading the makings of a queen, how awesome is that? (And Barristan Selmy returns! Yay!) My friend told me I will miss her in A Feast for Crows, though. *frowny face*
A lot of deaths in this book (no less from GRRM), and a few weddings. New villains will surely crop up in AFfC, and what will happen to my babies? So...
*skipping off to read AFfC*
*4.5 stars* Glob, I loved reading this. Though the various spoilers I read in the internet, most especially Tumblr, kind of ruined it for me. That ending? Yeah, knew it was coming. Bummer. Thanks, Internet.
Nonetheless, there were things that took me by surprise and things that still affected me, even though I knew they were going to happen.
GRRM knows how to torment you. I suppose it's because of his background in screenwriting which accounts for almost every chapter ending in a cliffhanger. Real WTF cliffhangers. For instance, Dany was wondering where she would put her traitors: hang them or banish them, etc, and GRRM would write: Suddenly, she knew. And end that chapter. It wasn't very well written, even for a cliffhanger.
But oh well, I praise ASoIaF for its incredible storytelling. Maybe it's because I watched the series first, but it really did feel like I was reading different characters' voices. They were all distinct from one another. I've read other books who tried to write each chapter from various POVs, but they would sometimes befuddle me, because they seemed to talk alike.
I'd also like to make commentaries about the various narrators in the book, except the Prologue and Epilogue.
Jaime - Yeah, saw a lot of spoilers about this one. But how could I not love his relationship with Brienne? It was nice to know his side of things. It emphasized even more that PEOPLE ARE NOT WHO THEY SEEM TO BE, AND THINGS ARE NOT WHAT WE THINK THEY ARE. It was fun reading him, and his verbal parrying with Brienne, but I think his part could have been cut out? The series is way too long!
Catelyn - Ugh, totally knew it was coming.
Bran - Though it can be boring at times, compared to what's happening in King's Landing and everything, I love the development on his side of the story.
Davos - A lot of people love Davos. I like him enough. IT's just his side is a warring side, and I don't really like battle scenes.
He's one underrated character, considering how massive a help he is. Yeah, I see why people love him.
Samwell - Oh, Samwell, he's growing isn't he? He was pretty vital in narrating about the Others, the wildlings, especially since Jon had separated from his brothers. I love what Sam did in the end.
Sansa - Of all the narrators, I think I identify with Sansa the most. Thinking life is a song, and then grimly finding out that it isn't. You'd think Sansa'd be dead by now, but a combination of sense and royalty has helped her survive. I think Sansa will learn how to play the game.
Tyrion - AHHHHHH TYRIONNNNNNN. He's just awesome. A sad, sad character, really. He just never catches a break. When I read all the injustices done to him...like King's Landing never apprecaiting him just because he's a dwarf, and the people turning a blind eye on Joffrey's cruelties, and various hypocrisies. You gotta love Tyrion's speech in his trial. Joffrey, though. Oh, Joffrey.
Spoiler
Goodbye, and good riddance! Kind of an anticlimactic death, though. Joffrey should have been flayed, skinned, had his nails ripped from his fingers and burned, before he strangulated to death by poison. The little prick.Arya - I am so sad Gendry and Arya separated! Now I think they will never meet again. Damn GRRM, playing with my shipper heart and then tearing them apart! I knew what would happen with Arya, but I still loved reading it. Also, I think I found out what happened to Nymeria, and I really wish she and Arya would reunite.
Jon Snow - MMMYYYY BBAAAAABBBBBYYYYYY.
Okay, it's because of the gorgeous Kit Harington that I love reading his parts, even though I don't like battle scenes. And I'm happy Ghost came back.
Dany - Ugh, is there no end to her bamf-ness? I am reading the makings of a queen, how awesome is that? (And Barristan Selmy returns! Yay!) My friend told me I will miss her in A Feast for Crows, though. *frowny face*
A lot of deaths in this book (no less from GRRM), and a few weddings. New villains will surely crop up in AFfC, and what will happen to my babies? So...
*skipping off to read AFfC*
I would have only given this 4 stars, had the ending not spoken to me at such a point in my life. It's funny how the right book smacks you in the head at just the right time, opening your eyes, making you feel better. Granted, this book wasn't the answer, but it made me think about things for a while. It really got to me. Now I realize that I'm the answer.
To avoid sounding vague, let me just say that I was pretty mad at the world/universe/life. In Josephine Alibrandi's words:
I know that when the things we want to happen don't happen, it's usually for the better, but I'm still coming to terms with that.
What Looking for Alibrandi essentially left me with is:
I always have to remember that.
*4.5 stars Looking for Alibrandi is full of loving characters. I especially loved the character dynamics: Josephine's unexpected relationship with her long-absent father, her development with her grandmother, and her relationship with her boyfriend.
It's made me an official fan of Melina Marchetta.
To avoid sounding vague, let me just say that I was pretty mad at the world/universe/life. In Josephine Alibrandi's words:
"...Things don't turn out the way you want them to."Those words can be almost anybody's words. It's true: Life Sucks. Wouldn't things be much easier if things just turned out the way you expected them to?
I know that when the things we want to happen don't happen, it's usually for the better, but I'm still coming to terms with that.
What Looking for Alibrandi essentially left me with is:
"Promise me you'll never stop dreaming."
I always have to remember that.
*4.5 stars Looking for Alibrandi is full of loving characters. I especially loved the character dynamics: Josephine's unexpected relationship with her long-absent father, her development with her grandmother, and her relationship with her boyfriend.
It's made me an official fan of Melina Marchetta.