Scan barcode
becca_osborn's reviews
817 reviews
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
4.0
While reading, I was disappointed in this book. Then I realized what the author was doing, and I was impressed. The corruption, the power plays, etc. Nice.
Of course, I also attended a private school, so I was yelling "Yes! It's all real!" :)
Of course, I also attended a private school, so I was yelling "Yes! It's all real!" :)
The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher
4.0
Having arrived and lived in the White Mountains for some time, Will and his friends are given a new quest - they are training for some games in Germany in order to break into the Tripod's city to bring back new information. There's only one catch - no one who has gone has ever come back.
Armed with fake caps and a lot of athletic prowess, two of our three heroes are selected to go to the games. We meet Franz, who we don't like at first (oh, but we love him later), and go on another haphazard journey to not only get to the games, but to arrive at the city of the Tripods. What is held inside the city is a much more gruesome life than could be imagined, and before we know it, Will and Franz know that their time in the city is a ticking time bomb to their potential death. Will they survive the work? Will they be able to get information? And most importantly - will they be able to get back out?
Again - Christopher's strong point is the suspense and the journey. This book started out slow, but once they got to the city, it got interesting. Some of his descriptions could've used some more editing - this was a very innovative world, but it was harder to picture with his sloppy descriptions.
That being said, I eventually got to a point where instead of feeling like I was slogging through, I was flying through pages - and this probably changed once Will and Franz got into the city. Franz's unlikely sacrifice touches our hearts more than we realize - even though he is a rather flat character, and we know very little about him - we love him.
This book brings up a lot about loyalty and controlling impulsivity (and letting it loose in the right context). Very interesting.
Christopher ends on another great cliffhanger.
Again, I'd recommend this series as a companion to any dystopian series.
Armed with fake caps and a lot of athletic prowess, two of our three heroes are selected to go to the games. We meet Franz, who we don't like at first (oh, but we love him later), and go on another haphazard journey to not only get to the games, but to arrive at the city of the Tripods. What is held inside the city is a much more gruesome life than could be imagined, and before we know it, Will and Franz know that their time in the city is a ticking time bomb to their potential death. Will they survive the work? Will they be able to get information? And most importantly - will they be able to get back out?
Again - Christopher's strong point is the suspense and the journey. This book started out slow, but once they got to the city, it got interesting. Some of his descriptions could've used some more editing - this was a very innovative world, but it was harder to picture with his sloppy descriptions.
That being said, I eventually got to a point where instead of feeling like I was slogging through, I was flying through pages - and this probably changed once Will and Franz got into the city. Franz's unlikely sacrifice touches our hearts more than we realize - even though he is a rather flat character, and we know very little about him - we love him.
This book brings up a lot about loyalty and controlling impulsivity (and letting it loose in the right context). Very interesting.
Christopher ends on another great cliffhanger.
Again, I'd recommend this series as a companion to any dystopian series.
The White Mountains by John Christopher
3.0
Will Parker is a pre-teen who lives in a remote town that is sparsely monitored by large robotic creatures called Tripods. After seeing the changes in his friend after the capping, a ritualistic ceremony carried out by the Tripods signifying adulthood, he begins asking questions about the process for the first time in his life. A chance meeting with a man who calls himself Ozymandias leads him on a journey to the white mountains...with a few unexpected tagalongs along the way. Will learns how to survive in not the best company and has to deal with his impulsivity by making some tough decisions.
The best thing about this book by far is the world created and the character development. Will is the unlikely hero to a T - we get frustrated with his weaknesses, and we are proud of him in those moments where he is quite heroic. He is also definitely a pre-teen/early teen - Christopher nails this realism! The three characters are all interesting and balance each other out, and while we wish Beanpole was telling the story, we feel more at home with Will, the risky screwup.
The plot moves quickly - in some places too quickly - and Christopher has a writer's quirk of over-explaining and telling v. showing how they got out of certain predicaments, and even some problems with tenses sometimes (rather than leading the reader to the situation, telling it in a "meanwhile, this is what happened, but we're safe now). That being said, I was still glued to this book and was excited to find out what happened. This book (though the ending was a little anti-climactic) left me ready to find out what happens next! :)
This would be a fantastic companion series read for anyone interested in dystopic literature. The plot would seem rather run-of-the-mill now, but these books were published in the late 60s, I believe.
Pairings: Divergent series, Hunger Games Series, 1984, Ender's Game, The Time Machine, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange.
The best thing about this book by far is the world created and the character development. Will is the unlikely hero to a T - we get frustrated with his weaknesses, and we are proud of him in those moments where he is quite heroic. He is also definitely a pre-teen/early teen - Christopher nails this realism! The three characters are all interesting and balance each other out, and while we wish Beanpole was telling the story, we feel more at home with Will, the risky screwup.
The plot moves quickly - in some places too quickly - and Christopher has a writer's quirk of over-explaining and telling v. showing how they got out of certain predicaments, and even some problems with tenses sometimes (rather than leading the reader to the situation, telling it in a "meanwhile, this is what happened, but we're safe now). That being said, I was still glued to this book and was excited to find out what happened. This book (though the ending was a little anti-climactic) left me ready to find out what happens next! :)
This would be a fantastic companion series read for anyone interested in dystopic literature. The plot would seem rather run-of-the-mill now, but these books were published in the late 60s, I believe.
Pairings: Divergent series, Hunger Games Series, 1984, Ender's Game, The Time Machine, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange.
The Pool of Fire by John Christopher
4.0
A little predictable, but I loved the ending.
I loved the dissonance at the end.
"I too will leave my mountains and seas" (or something like that). SO POWERFUL.
Really loved this series more than I thought I would. <3 It is definitely dated now, but what a lovely read.
I loved the dissonance at the end.
"I too will leave my mountains and seas" (or something like that). SO POWERFUL.
Really loved this series more than I thought I would. <3 It is definitely dated now, but what a lovely read.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
4.0
Madeline is a high school aged girl living in a plastic bubble with a rare disease that means she can't go outside. When her new neighbors move in, she knows when she first sees Olly, her life won't be the same.
Yoon's writing is fantastic - she knows her YA audience well! :) I love the unexpected, heartbreaking twist at the end - I'm a sucker for sad books, even if I know the ending and even I didn't see this twist coming. That being said, there were a few plot holes, but nothing that left the book unreadable. This was a quick, fun read. Madeline and Olly remind you of the first few times you were in love, and even though you ache for their upcoming pain, you still go on the rollercoaster ride of "first love" with them...and willingly! MAJOR SPOILERS: I also appreciate the compassion that Yoon shows concerning mental health - that it can affect anyone. Even though we as readers are hopping mad at Madeline's mom (and Madeline is, too) and her mental illness (and we see that even those who "have their life together" can still be mentally ill, and that doesn't make them bad people) we have Carla, the voice of reason, to encourage her (Madeline) to forgive her mother someday.
I'd recommend this book to YA fans.
Yoon's writing is fantastic - she knows her YA audience well! :) I love the unexpected, heartbreaking twist at the end - I'm a sucker for sad books, even if I know the ending and even I didn't see this twist coming. That being said, there were a few plot holes, but nothing that left the book unreadable. This was a quick, fun read. Madeline and Olly remind you of the first few times you were in love, and even though you ache for their upcoming pain, you still go on the rollercoaster ride of "first love" with them...and willingly! MAJOR SPOILERS: I also appreciate the compassion that Yoon shows concerning mental health - that it can affect anyone. Even though we as readers are hopping mad at Madeline's mom (and Madeline is, too) and her mental illness (and we see that even those who "have their life together" can still be mentally ill, and that doesn't make them bad people) we have Carla, the voice of reason, to encourage her (Madeline) to forgive her mother someday.
I'd recommend this book to YA fans.