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ajsterkel's reviews
812 reviews
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
5.0
This was one of the books that changed my life as a child. I just reread it as an adult for a grad school essay, and I still love it. It's probably one of my favorite books of all time. It's an entertaining story with relatable characters for children, but it also has a lot for adult readers to think about. The book explores the issues surrounding poverty vs wealth and innovation/change vs tradition. The book shows how some parents relate differently to female children and male children. It shows the difficulties of male/female friendship in elementary school. It confronts issues about gender and how society believes that boys and girls should behave. Best of all, it shows that imagination is important, fears can be conquered, and belief in yourself is essential.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
3.0
This collection of linked short stories centers on Benny, a record executive, and his assistant, Sasha.
The writing is poetic, and it’s worth reading just for that, but the stories themselves are . . . "meh." They all melted together in my mind because they felt very repetitive: music, drug use, sex, un-relatable characters, repeat for 300 pages. I think I would have liked this book a lot more if it had been shorter.
My favorite story is the one that’s told in PowerPoint slides. It’s creative, and it works well. I also think the author did a nice job of finding unique ways to link the stories together. I enjoyed discovering the connections between them.
I guess I’m baffled about why this won a Pulitzer. Maybe I missed something. It’s definitely not the worst short story collection I’ve ever read, but I got a little bored with it.
The writing is poetic, and it’s worth reading just for that, but the stories themselves are . . . "meh." They all melted together in my mind because they felt very repetitive: music, drug use, sex, un-relatable characters, repeat for 300 pages. I think I would have liked this book a lot more if it had been shorter.
My favorite story is the one that’s told in PowerPoint slides. It’s creative, and it works well. I also think the author did a nice job of finding unique ways to link the stories together. I enjoyed discovering the connections between them.
I guess I’m baffled about why this won a Pulitzer. Maybe I missed something. It’s definitely not the worst short story collection I’ve ever read, but I got a little bored with it.
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
5.0
I loved Stargirl as a kid, and I still love it as an adult. I also think it has one of the best covers I've ever seen on a book. It's simple, memorable, and attention-grabbing. Very cool.
The main character, Stargirl, is a little unusual. She cheers for both teams during basketball games, attends the funerals of strangers, brings her pet rat everywhere, and likes to wear costumes. At first, the students at her new high school find her behavior funny, but soon she starts to get on their nerves. Stargirl and her boyfriend, Leo, become social outcasts. Leo has a much harder time coping with this than Stargirl. They can either change themselves in the hopes of making friends, or they can stay outcasts for the rest of high school.
Stargirl fits the manic pixie dream girl trope, and some of her behavior pushes the boundaries of believability, but I think she's actually more realistic than most characters who fit the trope. First, only one boy (Leo) lusts after her, and even he is often unhappy with their relationship. Almost everybody in Stargirl's life finds her insufferably annoying. Like many manic pixie dream girls, she's loud, unpredictable, and embarrassing. In real life, a manic pixie wouldn't be a "dream girl." She'd be irritating, like Stargirl. So, I believe that Stargirl is the most realistic version of the trope I've ever seen.
Every character in this book is slightly cliche, and that doesn't bother me at all. There is so much more to this story than just the characters.
Stargirl gives readers a lot to think about without being too preachy. That's what I love about it. It's about nonconformity and the confidence to be yourself. It's about acceptance, love, kindness, and understanding. Most importantly, it asks the question, What would you give up in order to fit in?
The main character, Stargirl, is a little unusual. She cheers for both teams during basketball games, attends the funerals of strangers, brings her pet rat everywhere, and likes to wear costumes. At first, the students at her new high school find her behavior funny, but soon she starts to get on their nerves. Stargirl and her boyfriend, Leo, become social outcasts. Leo has a much harder time coping with this than Stargirl. They can either change themselves in the hopes of making friends, or they can stay outcasts for the rest of high school.
Stargirl fits the manic pixie dream girl trope, and some of her behavior pushes the boundaries of believability, but I think she's actually more realistic than most characters who fit the trope. First, only one boy (Leo) lusts after her, and even he is often unhappy with their relationship. Almost everybody in Stargirl's life finds her insufferably annoying. Like many manic pixie dream girls, she's loud, unpredictable, and embarrassing. In real life, a manic pixie wouldn't be a "dream girl." She'd be irritating, like Stargirl. So, I believe that Stargirl is the most realistic version of the trope I've ever seen.
Every character in this book is slightly cliche, and that doesn't bother me at all. There is so much more to this story than just the characters.
Stargirl gives readers a lot to think about without being too preachy. That's what I love about it. It's about nonconformity and the confidence to be yourself. It's about acceptance, love, kindness, and understanding. Most importantly, it asks the question, What would you give up in order to fit in?
The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
3.0
Survival stories are one of my favorite genres, and I haven’t read one in years, so I knew that I needed this book as soon as I saw the cover.
The narrator, Robie, is on a cargo flight from Hawaii to Midway Atoll when her plane crashes into the ocean. Robie and the co-pilot, Max, are the only survivors. All they have is a yellow raft, a few supplies, and the garbage that they pull out of the ocean.
This novel goes fast. The action begins quickly and doesn’t let up. I started reading, and then suddenly I was halfway through the book, and then suddenly it was over. If you’re looking for something that you can read in a few hours, I’d recommend this one.
I did have some issues with the story. Robie is a very bland narrator. I never really got a sense of her personality. All I know about her is that she’s extremely incompetent at everything, thinks she knows better than everyone else, and gives up easily. Those are interesting character traits, but I would have enjoyed her story more if I’d known her better. I had a hard time caring about what happened to her because she never felt real to me.
There is a twist ending. I don’t want to spoil it, but I didn’t think it was much of a twist. I kind of suspected that it was coming. This same twist has also been done several times in other books and movies, so I wasn’t surprised when it did happen.
Even with my criticisms, I enjoyed The Raft. It’s a quick read and an entertaining way to spend a few hours.
The narrator, Robie, is on a cargo flight from Hawaii to Midway Atoll when her plane crashes into the ocean. Robie and the co-pilot, Max, are the only survivors. All they have is a yellow raft, a few supplies, and the garbage that they pull out of the ocean.
This novel goes fast. The action begins quickly and doesn’t let up. I started reading, and then suddenly I was halfway through the book, and then suddenly it was over. If you’re looking for something that you can read in a few hours, I’d recommend this one.
I did have some issues with the story. Robie is a very bland narrator. I never really got a sense of her personality. All I know about her is that she’s extremely incompetent at everything, thinks she knows better than everyone else, and gives up easily. Those are interesting character traits, but I would have enjoyed her story more if I’d known her better. I had a hard time caring about what happened to her because she never felt real to me.
There is a twist ending. I don’t want to spoil it, but I didn’t think it was much of a twist. I kind of suspected that it was coming. This same twist has also been done several times in other books and movies, so I wasn’t surprised when it did happen.
Even with my criticisms, I enjoyed The Raft. It’s a quick read and an entertaining way to spend a few hours.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
5.0
I just want to know if Cath finished her fanfic and if she killed Baz. I know there’s going to be some sort of sequel to Fangirl, but I want to know now. I’m not that patient.
Fangirl is about Cath’s freshman year at college. It’s her first time away from home, her first time living without her twin sister, and the first time that boys are truly interested in her. Cath feels alone and overwhelmed. One thing that connects her to her pre-college life is her obsession with fanfiction and the Simon Snow book series. However, she may be forced to give that up.
This is the best book I’ve read so far this year. The characters and the relationships between them are well-developed and realistic. Cath is the most relatable character that I’ve read in a long time. I think a lot of people can see some part of themselves in her. She’s insecure, awkward, funny, stubborn, determined, and trying to figure out what she wants in life. It’s hard not to root for her.
The dialogue is amazing. There are a few literal LOL moments. I loved the back-and-forth between Cath, Levi, and Reagan. The characters have very distinct personalities that really come out during conversations.
Usually, I have a lot of issues with the romances in YA books. There are way too many abusive relationships that are presented as healthy and normal. This isn’t a problem in Fangirl. I actually like the relationships in this book. Levi is slightly too clingy for my tastes, but he treats women (and everybody else) nicely. He apologizes when he screws up. He’s not overly jealous. He respects his girlfriend’s privacy and doesn’t pressure her into doing anything that she doesn’t want to do. And, best of all, he’s not an airbrushed supermodel. He’s a realistic-looking person. You don’t know how happy this makes me.
I know that a lot of readers criticize Fangirl for misrepresenting the people who are involved in fandoms. I’ve never cared enough about anything to participate in a fandom, and I’ve never written fanfiction. I have no idea if Cath is a realistic fangirl or not. She seems pretty realistic to me.
My criticism is about Cath’s mind-blowing stupidity in her fiction-writing class. She turns in fanfiction for one of her assignments, and then she’s confused when she gets an F. I have a hard time believing that Cath is this stupid. The point of fiction-writing class is to learn how to write fiction. If you’re borrowing another author’s characters, setting, magic system, world building, etc., then you’re missing out on a lot of learning. In fiction class, you’re supposed to come up with these things yourself. Of course the professor is going to get irritated if you use material from another author. “Borrowing” is basically cheating.
Also, Cath knows that she isn’t allowed to make money from her fanfiction, but she seems stunned when the professor calls her work “plagiarism.” Fanfiction is plagiarism. That’s why Cath isn’t allowed to make money from it. She shouldn’t be so shocked to hear somebody call her work what it is. She should also know that universities don’t allow plagiarism.
Other than Cath’s stupidity, I really enjoyed this book. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. Now I’m tempted to start reading fanfiction.
Fangirl is about Cath’s freshman year at college. It’s her first time away from home, her first time living without her twin sister, and the first time that boys are truly interested in her. Cath feels alone and overwhelmed. One thing that connects her to her pre-college life is her obsession with fanfiction and the Simon Snow book series. However, she may be forced to give that up.
This is the best book I’ve read so far this year. The characters and the relationships between them are well-developed and realistic. Cath is the most relatable character that I’ve read in a long time. I think a lot of people can see some part of themselves in her. She’s insecure, awkward, funny, stubborn, determined, and trying to figure out what she wants in life. It’s hard not to root for her.
The dialogue is amazing. There are a few literal LOL moments. I loved the back-and-forth between Cath, Levi, and Reagan. The characters have very distinct personalities that really come out during conversations.
Usually, I have a lot of issues with the romances in YA books. There are way too many abusive relationships that are presented as healthy and normal. This isn’t a problem in Fangirl. I actually like the relationships in this book. Levi is slightly too clingy for my tastes, but he treats women (and everybody else) nicely. He apologizes when he screws up. He’s not overly jealous. He respects his girlfriend’s privacy and doesn’t pressure her into doing anything that she doesn’t want to do. And, best of all, he’s not an airbrushed supermodel. He’s a realistic-looking person. You don’t know how happy this makes me.
I know that a lot of readers criticize Fangirl for misrepresenting the people who are involved in fandoms. I’ve never cared enough about anything to participate in a fandom, and I’ve never written fanfiction. I have no idea if Cath is a realistic fangirl or not. She seems pretty realistic to me.
My criticism is about Cath’s mind-blowing stupidity in her fiction-writing class. She turns in fanfiction for one of her assignments, and then she’s confused when she gets an F. I have a hard time believing that Cath is this stupid. The point of fiction-writing class is to learn how to write fiction. If you’re borrowing another author’s characters, setting, magic system, world building, etc., then you’re missing out on a lot of learning. In fiction class, you’re supposed to come up with these things yourself. Of course the professor is going to get irritated if you use material from another author. “Borrowing” is basically cheating.
Also, Cath knows that she isn’t allowed to make money from her fanfiction, but she seems stunned when the professor calls her work “plagiarism.” Fanfiction is plagiarism. That’s why Cath isn’t allowed to make money from it. She shouldn’t be so shocked to hear somebody call her work what it is. She should also know that universities don’t allow plagiarism.
Other than Cath’s stupidity, I really enjoyed this book. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. Now I’m tempted to start reading fanfiction.
House Arrest by Ellen Meeropol
3.0
A home health care nurse, Emily, has to care for a pregnant woman, Pippa, who was put under house arrest after her young daughter wandered off during a religious ceremony and froze to death.
This story seems simple on the outside, but it raises a lot of interesting ethical and legal questions about medicine, religion, and the American justice system. I love the way that the author handled the cult in this book. The fictional cult members are treated as humans by the author and not stereotyped or villainized. I like that the author pointed out how Pippa would be treated more fairly by the justice system if she were Christian. She would have been allowed out of her house for important religious services. The author also realistically shows the public's hostile response to the cult after newspaper articles are published about them. The only thing that bothers me about the cult in this book is Pippa's lawyer calling the group a cult when he's talking to her. It seems unprofessional, and she doesn't react to that word being used to describe her family. That doesn't feel realistic to me.
This book is about family. The reader gets glimpses of dysfunctional families, extended families, and the nontraditional families that the characters created for themselves. It shows that "family" is whatever you make it.
I enjoyed this book, even though I have some issues with it. Emily is a very bland character. I think the author intended for her to be plain, but I had a hard time connecting with her and caring about her. I'm also not sure why Gina and Sam have points-of-view. They are both more interesting than Emily, but their POVs add nothing to the story. Some of the medical stuff, especially the stuff about Spina Bifida, distracted me. It made me curious, but the author doesn't explain it well enough to satisfy my curiosity. I know that Emily is a nurse, but I'm not sure why some of the medical stuff needed to be in the story. Finally, the characters' legal problems are wrapped up too quickly and neatly at the end.
This book is published by a small press, and I know that they probably don't have a ton of money, but I wish that the book had more pages and fewer words on each page. Having a little more white space on the pages would have been easier on my eyes. There are also a few typos.
This book is worth reading because it is extremely thought-provoking. The characters grapple with difficult moral questions that have no clear answers. If you love books that make you think, I'd recommend this one.
This story seems simple on the outside, but it raises a lot of interesting ethical and legal questions about medicine, religion, and the American justice system. I love the way that the author handled the cult in this book. The fictional cult members are treated as humans by the author and not stereotyped or villainized. I like that the author pointed out how Pippa would be treated more fairly by the justice system if she were Christian. She would have been allowed out of her house for important religious services. The author also realistically shows the public's hostile response to the cult after newspaper articles are published about them. The only thing that bothers me about the cult in this book is Pippa's lawyer calling the group a cult when he's talking to her. It seems unprofessional, and she doesn't react to that word being used to describe her family. That doesn't feel realistic to me.
This book is about family. The reader gets glimpses of dysfunctional families, extended families, and the nontraditional families that the characters created for themselves. It shows that "family" is whatever you make it.
I enjoyed this book, even though I have some issues with it. Emily is a very bland character. I think the author intended for her to be plain, but I had a hard time connecting with her and caring about her. I'm also not sure why Gina and Sam have points-of-view. They are both more interesting than Emily, but their POVs add nothing to the story. Some of the medical stuff, especially the stuff about Spina Bifida, distracted me. It made me curious, but the author doesn't explain it well enough to satisfy my curiosity. I know that Emily is a nurse, but I'm not sure why some of the medical stuff needed to be in the story. Finally, the characters' legal problems are wrapped up too quickly and neatly at the end.
This book is published by a small press, and I know that they probably don't have a ton of money, but I wish that the book had more pages and fewer words on each page. Having a little more white space on the pages would have been easier on my eyes. There are also a few typos.
This book is worth reading because it is extremely thought-provoking. The characters grapple with difficult moral questions that have no clear answers. If you love books that make you think, I'd recommend this one.
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
3.0
Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite YA writers. I love Speak, and Wintergirls, and Twisted, but I struggled with this book.
Seventeen-year-old Hayley has a lot to deal with: her first year at a traditional high school, her first boyfriend, an alcoholic/suicidal father, and a stepmother who she hates. Hayley is desperate to be a normal teenager, but it’s hard to be normal when her home life is always on the verge of collapse.
There are elements of this book that I love. The writing is great (despite a few obvious typos). The romance between Hayley and Finn is cute, and their dialogue is funny. The plot is a little slow, but it’s interesting enough to keep my attention. I really like the complexity of the relationship between Hayley and her parents. She loves them and hates them, and it feels very realistic. Hayley’s parents are my favorite characters, which is unusual for a YA book. The author did a wonderful job of developing the adult characters.
Unfortunately, the elements of the book that I love are overshadowed by my intense dislike of Hayley. She’s angry, mean, and judgmental. I completely understand why she acts the way she does, but it was hard to read a 400-page novel from the POV of an angry person. I could only take Hayley in small doses. I needed to close the book often to get away from her.
Hayley’s anger also made it hard for me to understand her relationship with Finn. What does he see in her? She’s mean to him, and he just keeps coming back for more meanness. Why?
At the end of the book, I was really hoping that Hayley would learn to be less angry and judgmental. She doesn’t understand that everybody has problems. Nobody’s life is perfect. She acts like she’s better than other people. She calls her fellow students “Zombies” and gets angry at a girl for wearing a mini skirt. I wanted Hayley to learn to be nice, but she doesn’t seem to learn anything. Her parents are the ones who learn all of the lessons.
This isn’t a bad book. It’s definitely worth reading, and I’m glad I read it. It’s an important story that needs to be told. I just would have enjoyed it a lot more if the narrator hadn’t been a brat.
Seventeen-year-old Hayley has a lot to deal with: her first year at a traditional high school, her first boyfriend, an alcoholic/suicidal father, and a stepmother who she hates. Hayley is desperate to be a normal teenager, but it’s hard to be normal when her home life is always on the verge of collapse.
There are elements of this book that I love. The writing is great (despite a few obvious typos). The romance between Hayley and Finn is cute, and their dialogue is funny. The plot is a little slow, but it’s interesting enough to keep my attention. I really like the complexity of the relationship between Hayley and her parents. She loves them and hates them, and it feels very realistic. Hayley’s parents are my favorite characters, which is unusual for a YA book. The author did a wonderful job of developing the adult characters.
Unfortunately, the elements of the book that I love are overshadowed by my intense dislike of Hayley. She’s angry, mean, and judgmental. I completely understand why she acts the way she does, but it was hard to read a 400-page novel from the POV of an angry person. I could only take Hayley in small doses. I needed to close the book often to get away from her.
Hayley’s anger also made it hard for me to understand her relationship with Finn. What does he see in her? She’s mean to him, and he just keeps coming back for more meanness. Why?
At the end of the book, I was really hoping that Hayley would learn to be less angry and judgmental. She doesn’t understand that everybody has problems. Nobody’s life is perfect. She acts like she’s better than other people. She calls her fellow students “Zombies” and gets angry at a girl for wearing a mini skirt. I wanted Hayley to learn to be nice, but she doesn’t seem to learn anything. Her parents are the ones who learn all of the lessons.
This isn’t a bad book. It’s definitely worth reading, and I’m glad I read it. It’s an important story that needs to be told. I just would have enjoyed it a lot more if the narrator hadn’t been a brat.
Gated by Amy Christine Parker
3.0
I need to get the sequel to this book immediately. I still have so many questions . . .
Lyla and her family are a little unusual. They live in a place called the Community with a man named Pioneer and twenty other families. The families are rarely allowed to leave the Community, and Pioneer is their only source of outside information. They spend their days building an underground bunker to protect them from the upcoming apocalypse. The world could end any day. The Community needs to be prepared. However, all of their plans come crashing down when Lyla meets a boy from outside the Community and starts to question what Pioneer has taught her.
I’ve actually read a lot of books about religious/political/doomsday cults, but almost all of them have been nonfiction. I’ve decided to branch out and read more cult fiction. I had a few problems with Gated, but I was not disappointed.
My favorite character is Lyla’s mom. The author does a great job of showing her grief over losing one of her daughters. I also think that she is the most complex and believable character in the novel. I understand why she behaves the way she does, and I think it’s realistic.
The pacing of this book is slow for a thriller, but it’s definitely a gripping story with an action-packed ending. I stayed up way too late last night because I needed to know how it ended. I had to find out if Lyla and her family survive Pioneer’s crazy plan.
My biggest issue with the book is that the cult is hugely underdeveloped. The reader is just expected to believe that these families think the apocalypse is coming. I needed to know much more about how Pioneer convinced these people to follow him. I know that doomsday cults exist in real life, but I understand the mentality of the leaders and followers in those groups. I didn’t really understand the group in this book, so I had a hard time believing some of their actions. I hope there is more backstory about the Community in the sequel.
Another thing that bothers me (maybe I missed the explanation) is this: At one point, Pioneer turns off the oxygen in the underground bunker. Lyla and her parents know that it’s turned off. Everybody else will probably figure it out soon. Why didn't anybody attempt to turn it back on?
Even with the violence at the end, I’d recommend this book for young teenagers. The writing and the romance might be bland for older readers. Younger people may also have an easier time suspending their disbelief and overlooking some of the book’s flaws.
Despite my criticisms, I did enjoy Gated. It’s a quick, entertaining read with a very creepy ending. I will be reading the next book as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Lyla and her family are a little unusual. They live in a place called the Community with a man named Pioneer and twenty other families. The families are rarely allowed to leave the Community, and Pioneer is their only source of outside information. They spend their days building an underground bunker to protect them from the upcoming apocalypse. The world could end any day. The Community needs to be prepared. However, all of their plans come crashing down when Lyla meets a boy from outside the Community and starts to question what Pioneer has taught her.
I’ve actually read a lot of books about religious/political/doomsday cults, but almost all of them have been nonfiction. I’ve decided to branch out and read more cult fiction. I had a few problems with Gated, but I was not disappointed.
My favorite character is Lyla’s mom. The author does a great job of showing her grief over losing one of her daughters. I also think that she is the most complex and believable character in the novel. I understand why she behaves the way she does, and I think it’s realistic.
The pacing of this book is slow for a thriller, but it’s definitely a gripping story with an action-packed ending. I stayed up way too late last night because I needed to know how it ended. I had to find out if Lyla and her family survive Pioneer’s crazy plan.
My biggest issue with the book is that the cult is hugely underdeveloped. The reader is just expected to believe that these families think the apocalypse is coming. I needed to know much more about how Pioneer convinced these people to follow him. I know that doomsday cults exist in real life, but I understand the mentality of the leaders and followers in those groups. I didn’t really understand the group in this book, so I had a hard time believing some of their actions. I hope there is more backstory about the Community in the sequel.
Another thing that bothers me (maybe I missed the explanation) is this: At one point, Pioneer turns off the oxygen in the underground bunker. Lyla and her parents know that it’s turned off. Everybody else will probably figure it out soon. Why didn't anybody attempt to turn it back on?
Even with the violence at the end, I’d recommend this book for young teenagers. The writing and the romance might be bland for older readers. Younger people may also have an easier time suspending their disbelief and overlooking some of the book’s flaws.
Despite my criticisms, I did enjoy Gated. It’s a quick, entertaining read with a very creepy ending. I will be reading the next book as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
3.0
I’m not usually a fan of fairytale retellings, but Cinder is a little unusual. The main character is a cyborg who lives in plague-infested future Beijing. She falls in love with Prince Kai, but she’s afraid to reveal her true identity to him.
Cinder takes a well-known fairytale (Cinderella) and transforms it into a quick-paced sci-fi story. It’s the most creative and entertaining fairytale retelling that I’ve come across so far. I flew through it. It’s definitely a fast, fun read.
The characters are the best part of the story. Cinder is a strong woman who can take care of herself. I was also very happy to discover that the prince actually has a personality. In many fairytales (and their retellings), the prince is just a plot device to move the story forward. That’s not the case with Cinder. Prince Kai is likeable, funny, and tries hard to do the right thing for his kingdom.
Even though I found Cinder entertaining, I still have a lot of problems with it. My biggest issue is its predictability. Nothing in this book surprised me, but I think I was supposed to be surprised. I wasn’t. I was just frustrated that it took the characters so long to figure out something that I saw instantly.
The story has some inconsistencies. For example, the plague is highly contagious and can live on clothing, but nothing happens when Cinder goes straight from the quarantine facility to the palace. She doesn’t seem concerned that she could infect someone.
I know that this book is part of a series, and the world will become more developed as the series progresses, but there are a ton of missed opportunities for world-building in Cinder. The reader does not learn much about the history or culture of New Beijing. The bias against cyborgs is never fully explained. Even the landscape and layout of the city is unclear in my mind.
I did have fun reading this book. It’s imaginative, but I’m undecided if I’m going to continue with the series.
Cinder takes a well-known fairytale (Cinderella) and transforms it into a quick-paced sci-fi story. It’s the most creative and entertaining fairytale retelling that I’ve come across so far. I flew through it. It’s definitely a fast, fun read.
The characters are the best part of the story. Cinder is a strong woman who can take care of herself. I was also very happy to discover that the prince actually has a personality. In many fairytales (and their retellings), the prince is just a plot device to move the story forward. That’s not the case with Cinder. Prince Kai is likeable, funny, and tries hard to do the right thing for his kingdom.
Even though I found Cinder entertaining, I still have a lot of problems with it. My biggest issue is its predictability. Nothing in this book surprised me, but I think I was supposed to be surprised. I wasn’t. I was just frustrated that it took the characters so long to figure out something that I saw instantly.
The story has some inconsistencies. For example, the plague is highly contagious and can live on clothing, but nothing happens when Cinder goes straight from the quarantine facility to the palace. She doesn’t seem concerned that she could infect someone.
I know that this book is part of a series, and the world will become more developed as the series progresses, but there are a ton of missed opportunities for world-building in Cinder. The reader does not learn much about the history or culture of New Beijing. The bias against cyborgs is never fully explained. Even the landscape and layout of the city is unclear in my mind.
I did have fun reading this book. It’s imaginative, but I’m undecided if I’m going to continue with the series.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
3.0
It took me days to write this review because I have such mixed feelings about this book. After much deleting and rewriting, I've decided that I did like If I Stay, but it wasn't what I expected.
Seventeen-year-old Mia is involved in a car accident that kills her family and leaves her in a coma. While in the coma, Mia can see and hear everything that happens around her, but she can't interact with anyone. She has to decide if she wants to live or join her family in whatever comes after death.
There is so much hype surrounding this novel. I know that hype isn't a book's fault, but I've heard so many good things about it that I think my expectations were a little high. While I was reading, I kept waiting to see the greatness that everybody else saw. When the book ended, my reaction was, "Wait, that's it? There's nothing else?" I was kind of disappointed.
Even though my expectations weren't met, there is a lot to love about If I Stay. The writing is brilliant at times, especially toward the end. I also really like the nonlinear structure because it's not something that's done a lot in young adult books. I love it when authors do something that's a little outside the box.
The novel wasn't as depressing or melodramatic as I expected. I actually procrastinated picking up If I Stay for a long time because the synopsis sounded cheesy. However, the book doesn't cross into melodrama too often, and the flashbacks help lighten the mood. I was pleasantly surprised by that.
My biggest criticism is the characters. I couldn't connect with any of them. They lack depth, and they're all so unrealistically nice. Mia's family is so perfect, and so happy, and so loving. I just didn't buy it. It also makes a lot of the flashbacks feel repetitive because most of them are about a happy family being happy. I wanted to see some realistic conflict. Did Mia ever argue with her parents? Did she ever get annoyed by her little brother? Seeing more of the less-than-wonderful moments would have made the characters feel more realistic to me.
There is a lot to like about If I Stay, and I do understand why people love it, but I was slightly underwhelmed. I'm still deciding if I want to read the sequel.
Seventeen-year-old Mia is involved in a car accident that kills her family and leaves her in a coma. While in the coma, Mia can see and hear everything that happens around her, but she can't interact with anyone. She has to decide if she wants to live or join her family in whatever comes after death.
There is so much hype surrounding this novel. I know that hype isn't a book's fault, but I've heard so many good things about it that I think my expectations were a little high. While I was reading, I kept waiting to see the greatness that everybody else saw. When the book ended, my reaction was, "Wait, that's it? There's nothing else?" I was kind of disappointed.
Even though my expectations weren't met, there is a lot to love about If I Stay. The writing is brilliant at times, especially toward the end. I also really like the nonlinear structure because it's not something that's done a lot in young adult books. I love it when authors do something that's a little outside the box.
The novel wasn't as depressing or melodramatic as I expected. I actually procrastinated picking up If I Stay for a long time because the synopsis sounded cheesy. However, the book doesn't cross into melodrama too often, and the flashbacks help lighten the mood. I was pleasantly surprised by that.
My biggest criticism is the characters. I couldn't connect with any of them. They lack depth, and they're all so unrealistically nice. Mia's family is so perfect, and so happy, and so loving. I just didn't buy it. It also makes a lot of the flashbacks feel repetitive because most of them are about a happy family being happy. I wanted to see some realistic conflict. Did Mia ever argue with her parents? Did she ever get annoyed by her little brother? Seeing more of the less-than-wonderful moments would have made the characters feel more realistic to me.
There is a lot to like about If I Stay, and I do understand why people love it, but I was slightly underwhelmed. I'm still deciding if I want to read the sequel.