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constantcatreader's Reviews (1.39k)
Rating: ★★★★★
5: HOLY COW! GIVE ME MORE, MORE, MORE!
I love these characters. Read the book super quickly (about 20 days) I was pulled in and connected with a realistic feel of the story. Aloud responses to this story included: laughing, goose bumps, looking over my shoulder continuously, and rapid increase of heart-beat.
My Attempt at a Summary:
Edgar Fremantle has a terrible accident which almost leads to his death but instead leaves him jobless, wifeless, armless, and spiritless. His therapist encourages him to have an adventure, to move to a beautiful island and find what makes him happy. Edgar decides art is something he will pick up again, but once on the island, he begins to experience some paranormal occurrences, events he can seemingly control and others, not so much. After meeting Wireman and Elizabeth, his neighbors, he begins to believe he isn’t the only one experiencing the strange occurrences. He slowly begins to learn of Duma Key’s dark past, involving the salt water, his disturbing art, and Elizabeth herself.
Nahs:
- Pacing was a bit slow...yet, that’s classic King when it comes to suspense. He really draws the story out. I understand he is trying to build up to the scary bits and the grand huzzah, but at some points he writes a bit over my head. Nothing against King, it’s that I just don’t get some references because I'm younger (22).
- I would have enjoyed more details instead on Edgar’s family such as his daughters, his relationship with Pam before the accident, etc. I feel as if this would have made me have more connection with the characters; however, I am far from the great King, so who am I to question which details he added and which he did not, right?
http://gph.is/1SvZGXj
Aahs:
- Random encounters with dead people had me jumping out of my seat and quickly closing the book...because I was gettings spoked. After those little encounters, I would make sure my doors were locked!! LOL. If you like to get spooked like that, then this is the book for you in that regard! Classic King. The end of this book had me so scared, I was looking over my shoulder IN MY OWN HOUSE about to pee myself.
http://gph.is/19XIaA2
- Relevancy to my own life and to anyone’s life was what made me really enjoy this book. First, it shows us just how precious our lives our and how we should never take anything for granted not even for a day. It also struck me about the whole idea of happiness.
“He suggested I take it up again, and when I asked why, he said because I needed hedges against the night. I didn’t understand what he meant then, because I was lost and confused and in pain. I understand it better now. People say night falls, but here it rises. It rises out of the Gulf, after sunset’s done. Seeing that happen amazed me.”
- Then, when life does get hard, it has a powerful message of what to do when you feel like you just want to give up.
“If I kept saying it; if I kept reaching out. My accident really taught me just one thing: the only way to go on is to go on. To say 'I can do this' even when you know you can't.”
- Just one other life lesson (that I will mentions, there are a lot more) is when King’s characters emphasize the importance of memories. Since many of the characters are in their later halves of life, this story touches on the importance of cherishing the times we had with those we love.
“A person's memory is everything, really. Memory is identity. It's you.”
Too many good quotes to write here, but some of my favorites are at the end of this review. Scroll all the way down to find them!
- Genre: So this book falls into the genre fictional horror first with some supernatural/paranormal activity, thrill, mystery, and of course, suspense. I wouldn’t have thought to write a horror novel with the setting on a beautiful island in Florida. That was what stood out to me was seeing the cover and thinking, okay, is this book in the wrong section? This is supposed to Stephen King, the horror section? I was intrigued that I never heard much about it from the King fans on my instagram either. I think King for sure has majorly contributed to the genre of horror with this one, including beautiful sunsets, pink beach houses, and beautiful sea shells AND THEN making them still scary as hell? I would have thought of all those things being scary, but he always pulls through, King, he does always pull through for me.
http://gph.is/1syiqdU
- Theme: Memories are living. The entire theme which weaves itself through the book is this idea that memories are alive and well and define who we are greatly. The characters are all struggling with their past memories and how that defines their current existence today. Each character seems to have split moments in time which literally changed their entire life and its course. In a way, it would be questioned whether or not the island is a breeding ground for paranormal activity or are all the characters merely losing their minds on this tiny little piece of land in the middle of nowhere? Who knows…
http://gph.is/1VITigf
- Style: I feel as if Stephen King does not use as much of his long, flowing sentences as he does in other books I have read so far like It for a popular example. This book is an easier, quicker read than most of his books even though the length is 600 pages. The chapters are broken up into shorter sections which make stopping easy because you don’t have to worry about picking back up in the middle of a confusing place. Stephen King does a nice job of doing this in a lot of his books I have read so far again like It, as an example. There is a good balance of dialogue and narrative. The horror, for the majority of the novel, is sprinkled throughout in a way as if to get you when you least expect it! The end is just flat out scary… but that is expected from Stephen King.
- Format: The cover is what grabbed my attention. A pretty beach and sunset for a horror book by Stephen King? What?? The cover and overall plot, setting of the book is genius, in my opinion. Overall, there was a good balance in terms of dialogue and narrative. There are some gaps where there is little dialogue and mostly narrative. The books begins as mostly narrative and as more characters are established, the dialogue becomes much more rich, especially after we meet Wireman himself.
- Details or Gaps?: This book, as most King novels are, is filled with details about all the characters. As the readers, the gaps are there for a reason and are slowly filled in as the novel unfolds itself from Wireman, Edgar and his family, to Elizabeth’s gruesome past. King waited until the last 50 pages to really reel you into the mystery of the island of Duma Key. The story begins with Edgar’s physical accident, his divorce, and becomes fleshed out with the happenings on Duma Key for the following months, ending with sad deaths and horrific terror. I love the relationship between the main character Edgar, Wireman and Jack. I love how they are the ones who ultimately go on the journey together; however, Edgar is the one who does most of the butt kicking of Perse. I love the bond of the three special friends, and it was fun going on the mystery adventure with them. So the only thing I was left truly wondering was if Pam every spoke to Edgar again? What do you think, Constant Readers?
- Literary Devices: The setting flabbergasted me for some reason. I just didn’t think of beautiful sunsets as a potential horror story. King got me there. The plot is a bit slow, but we are slowly dragged in the sand across the shells until the very end. The characters are strong, real, and have interesting interactions between one another. I loved the constant reminder of the sea shells scraping together under the house at night, it tied the setting and creepy tone of the book together quite nicely.
http://gph.is/175t90L
- Uniqueness Scale: Big time 5 of the uniqueness scale. I mean, again, I wouldn’t have thought to make sea shells, pretty sunsets, and works of art into horror...that was pretty new and cool in my opinion.
5 - Never heard of and leaves you flabbergasted!
- Recommend?: Yes, of course, I recommend this book. I would recommend any Stephen King book because he is just the master of horror! However, I would only recommend this book to someone who has already enjoys a little paranormal activity, horror, thriller, suspense, or has already read some Stephen King before. Why? It isn’t the best book by him and if you don’t know his pattern, you may be thrown off by the long wait time. Also, if you don’t like horror, this won’t be your cup of tea and you will be terrified in certain parts of the book because it comes out of NOWHERE. That’s just your classic King, but that’s just how I like it.
http://gph.is/2aYNON3
- More of my favorite quotes:
“...muchacho…muchacho....muchacho...” - Wireman
“‘Art is a memory, Edgar.’” - Elizabeth
“‘Were those his exact words?’ She smiled brilliantly. ‘He’s a Baptist, Daddy, I’m interpreting.’” - Ilse
“where our sister.” - The twins
“That was all right; it is, for the most part, a pitiless world.” - Edgar
“‘Yahh, you ugly ******!’ Jack screamed. ‘**** ya mutha! **** ya GRANDmutha!’”
“As Wireman says, we fool ourselves so much we could do it for a living.” - Edgar
“‘Do the day, Edgar!’ [Wireman] … ‘And let the day do you!’ I called back.”
5: HOLY COW! GIVE ME MORE, MORE, MORE!
I love these characters. Read the book super quickly (about 20 days) I was pulled in and connected with a realistic feel of the story. Aloud responses to this story included: laughing, goose bumps, looking over my shoulder continuously, and rapid increase of heart-beat.
My Attempt at a Summary:
Edgar Fremantle has a terrible accident which almost leads to his death but instead leaves him jobless, wifeless, armless, and spiritless. His therapist encourages him to have an adventure, to move to a beautiful island and find what makes him happy. Edgar decides art is something he will pick up again, but once on the island, he begins to experience some paranormal occurrences, events he can seemingly control and others, not so much. After meeting Wireman and Elizabeth, his neighbors, he begins to believe he isn’t the only one experiencing the strange occurrences. He slowly begins to learn of Duma Key’s dark past, involving the salt water, his disturbing art, and Elizabeth herself.
Nahs:
- Pacing was a bit slow...yet, that’s classic King when it comes to suspense. He really draws the story out. I understand he is trying to build up to the scary bits and the grand huzzah, but at some points he writes a bit over my head. Nothing against King, it’s that I just don’t get some references because I'm younger (22).
- I would have enjoyed more details instead on Edgar’s family such as his daughters, his relationship with Pam before the accident, etc. I feel as if this would have made me have more connection with the characters; however, I am far from the great King, so who am I to question which details he added and which he did not, right?
http://gph.is/1SvZGXj
Aahs:
- Random encounters with dead people had me jumping out of my seat and quickly closing the book...because I was gettings spoked. After those little encounters, I would make sure my doors were locked!! LOL. If you like to get spooked like that, then this is the book for you in that regard! Classic King. The end of this book had me so scared, I was looking over my shoulder IN MY OWN HOUSE about to pee myself.
http://gph.is/19XIaA2
- Relevancy to my own life and to anyone’s life was what made me really enjoy this book. First, it shows us just how precious our lives our and how we should never take anything for granted not even for a day. It also struck me about the whole idea of happiness.
“He suggested I take it up again, and when I asked why, he said because I needed hedges against the night. I didn’t understand what he meant then, because I was lost and confused and in pain. I understand it better now. People say night falls, but here it rises. It rises out of the Gulf, after sunset’s done. Seeing that happen amazed me.”
- Then, when life does get hard, it has a powerful message of what to do when you feel like you just want to give up.
“If I kept saying it; if I kept reaching out. My accident really taught me just one thing: the only way to go on is to go on. To say 'I can do this' even when you know you can't.”
- Just one other life lesson (that I will mentions, there are a lot more) is when King’s characters emphasize the importance of memories. Since many of the characters are in their later halves of life, this story touches on the importance of cherishing the times we had with those we love.
“A person's memory is everything, really. Memory is identity. It's you.”
Too many good quotes to write here, but some of my favorites are at the end of this review. Scroll all the way down to find them!
- Genre: So this book falls into the genre fictional horror first with some supernatural/paranormal activity, thrill, mystery, and of course, suspense. I wouldn’t have thought to write a horror novel with the setting on a beautiful island in Florida. That was what stood out to me was seeing the cover and thinking, okay, is this book in the wrong section? This is supposed to Stephen King, the horror section? I was intrigued that I never heard much about it from the King fans on my instagram either. I think King for sure has majorly contributed to the genre of horror with this one, including beautiful sunsets, pink beach houses, and beautiful sea shells AND THEN making them still scary as hell? I would have thought of all those things being scary, but he always pulls through, King, he does always pull through for me.
http://gph.is/1syiqdU
- Theme: Memories are living. The entire theme which weaves itself through the book is this idea that memories are alive and well and define who we are greatly. The characters are all struggling with their past memories and how that defines their current existence today. Each character seems to have split moments in time which literally changed their entire life and its course. In a way, it would be questioned whether or not the island is a breeding ground for paranormal activity or are all the characters merely losing their minds on this tiny little piece of land in the middle of nowhere? Who knows…
http://gph.is/1VITigf
- Style: I feel as if Stephen King does not use as much of his long, flowing sentences as he does in other books I have read so far like It for a popular example. This book is an easier, quicker read than most of his books even though the length is 600 pages. The chapters are broken up into shorter sections which make stopping easy because you don’t have to worry about picking back up in the middle of a confusing place. Stephen King does a nice job of doing this in a lot of his books I have read so far again like It, as an example. There is a good balance of dialogue and narrative. The horror, for the majority of the novel, is sprinkled throughout in a way as if to get you when you least expect it! The end is just flat out scary… but that is expected from Stephen King.
- Format: The cover is what grabbed my attention. A pretty beach and sunset for a horror book by Stephen King? What?? The cover and overall plot, setting of the book is genius, in my opinion. Overall, there was a good balance in terms of dialogue and narrative. There are some gaps where there is little dialogue and mostly narrative. The books begins as mostly narrative and as more characters are established, the dialogue becomes much more rich, especially after we meet Wireman himself.
- Details or Gaps?: This book, as most King novels are, is filled with details about all the characters. As the readers, the gaps are there for a reason and are slowly filled in as the novel unfolds itself from Wireman, Edgar and his family, to Elizabeth’s gruesome past. King waited until the last 50 pages to really reel you into the mystery of the island of Duma Key. The story begins with Edgar’s physical accident, his divorce, and becomes fleshed out with the happenings on Duma Key for the following months, ending with sad deaths and horrific terror. I love the relationship between the main character Edgar, Wireman and Jack. I love how they are the ones who ultimately go on the journey together; however, Edgar is the one who does most of the butt kicking of Perse. I love the bond of the three special friends, and it was fun going on the mystery adventure with them. So the only thing I was left truly wondering was if Pam every spoke to Edgar again? What do you think, Constant Readers?
- Literary Devices: The setting flabbergasted me for some reason. I just didn’t think of beautiful sunsets as a potential horror story. King got me there. The plot is a bit slow, but we are slowly dragged in the sand across the shells until the very end. The characters are strong, real, and have interesting interactions between one another. I loved the constant reminder of the sea shells scraping together under the house at night, it tied the setting and creepy tone of the book together quite nicely.
http://gph.is/175t90L
- Uniqueness Scale: Big time 5 of the uniqueness scale. I mean, again, I wouldn’t have thought to make sea shells, pretty sunsets, and works of art into horror...that was pretty new and cool in my opinion.
5 - Never heard of and leaves you flabbergasted!
- Recommend?: Yes, of course, I recommend this book. I would recommend any Stephen King book because he is just the master of horror! However, I would only recommend this book to someone who has already enjoys a little paranormal activity, horror, thriller, suspense, or has already read some Stephen King before. Why? It isn’t the best book by him and if you don’t know his pattern, you may be thrown off by the long wait time. Also, if you don’t like horror, this won’t be your cup of tea and you will be terrified in certain parts of the book because it comes out of NOWHERE. That’s just your classic King, but that’s just how I like it.
http://gph.is/2aYNON3
- More of my favorite quotes:
“...muchacho…muchacho....muchacho...” - Wireman
“‘Art is a memory, Edgar.’” - Elizabeth
“‘Were those his exact words?’ She smiled brilliantly. ‘He’s a Baptist, Daddy, I’m interpreting.’” - Ilse
“where our sister.” - The twins
“That was all right; it is, for the most part, a pitiless world.” - Edgar
“‘Yahh, you ugly ******!’ Jack screamed. ‘**** ya mutha! **** ya GRANDmutha!’”
“As Wireman says, we fool ourselves so much we could do it for a living.” - Edgar
“‘Do the day, Edgar!’ [Wireman] … ‘And let the day do you!’ I called back.”
***Check out my other reviews on my website: https://shereviewsitall.wordpress.com
- Rating Scale: ★★
2: Meh, it passed the time okay…
It took me too long to finish, I became uninterested, annoyed, and forced myself to finish it; plus, it lacked in several areas.
http://gph.is/1Zls50y
- Summary:
In a mall there is small zoo, one of of the animals is The One and Only Ivan, a full grown silverback gorilla. With such a violent childhood, Ivan has blocked it from his mind. Until one day when Ruby, a baby elephant, joins the show in order to help liven up the old zoo. With the inspiration of art and finally someone to care and look out for, Ivan promises he will help them all escape from the zoo. Based on a real gorilla in an Atlanta zoo, this Newbery Medal book shows the strength of a promise, the power of hope, and the belief of change.
- Nahs: Depressing and Repetitive *BEATS HEAD ON WALL*
The sentences were short and choppy. The “chapters” were short and choppy. This made the entire story and plot choppy but not short. The book was so repetitive and randomly thrown together, making it hard to connect with the characters. Yes, I felt sad for the characters but that did not make me want to continue reading the story. What would have made the story better, I think, would to be to tell the story from multiple perspectives both the humans and the animals. There were so points where the animal’s past lives were explained; however, not enough to make it truly enjoyable.
http://gph.is/1fdUFNJ
Each “chapter” or really, each page, ended on a sad, depressing note. For example, each time the little girl draws Ivan, the gorilla, he says he always looks sad. Or it ends with Ivan having a sarcastic remarks about how stupid chimps or how strange humans are. Some of this is humorous, yes, but it becomes a bit too repetitive where it becomes annoying.
http://gph.is/1NSQ5H6
The animals want freedom from their cages; however, in the end, the animals are merely transported from one cage to another. Yes, they have friends now. Yes, they have better medical treatment. But, the ending seemed anticlimactic and made me sad for the animals and mad at the author for glorifying zoos. Why couldn’t Ruby have been relocated or taken to a sanctuary? Why must she live in a cage again?
http://gph.is/1UV03WJ
- Aahs: Animal Cruelty Awareness.
This book will hopefully raise awareness in children and their parents about just how depressing life can be trapped inside a cage where animals have no choice but to live life however humans force them.
The interesting perspective from Ivan the gorilla.
- Genre: Children ages 8-12. Fiction/Animals talk and are the main characters.
- Theme: Promise of friendship and hope of change.
First of all, Ivan learns what it feels like to truly care for another. Sweet Ruby, defenseless and scared finally gives Ivan the hope and the strength to do something about the animals' poor circumstances.
The book brings about awareness of animal rights and suffering (or, I hope so at least). In this new era and generation, people are becoming more attuned to the atrocities animals live through each and every day. I read a review on Goodreads where the reader was mad at the author for making humans appear so mean. Welp honey, that’s because we are. That reader completely missed a big point, in my opinion. Humans mistreat animals frequently, and we must learn to become aware and try our best to change these sad situations.
- Style and Format: Choppy first person.
In a way, yes, the style does fit the theme of the book. The book is written from a gorilla’s perspective and the sentences are short and to the point, such as how the author believes a monkey would think or speak. However, the overall style is choppy and takes away from the story. It seems rather random and careless. The chapters are SO short, making the plot or story choppy rather than flowing together. I feel like having the monkey’s thoughts be more human-like would be more relatable. Besides, how do we know how gorillas and animals really think? I don’t think this was necessary and overall, it just took away from the flow of the story. There was some decent amount of dialogue in the book between the characters with most of the story being carried by Ivan’s first person narrative in his mind.
http://gph.is/28USIrd
- Details or Gaps?: Gaps and confusing.
Maybe because I was rushing to finish or I feared I wouldn’t at all. I felt like some of the scenes were confusing. It may be do the choppy style of writing, but some major parts seem to be confusing to me, so I can’t imagine an 8 year old trying to read this book. The end was anticlimactic and unsatisfying for the theme of the book. Also, the story with Mack was interesting, yet left out a lot of details. Was Mack really abusing the animals? Not any more than a zoo will, really? So why was Mack made out to be a bad guy?
- Literary Devices:
Personification: Applegate uses personification of the animals in the book in order for the reader to try to understand how a gorilla might feel being stuck in a cage his whole life. Honestly he seems to not care until he sees how Ruby, the baby elephant, reacts to it all. She is depressed and confused. It is sad how the animals are merely sent to another cage. Yes, it is happy they are able to be with other animals, have friends; however, I would have rather seen the animals be liberated or at least live on sanctuaries without cages. It seemed like an anticlimactic ending which put too much praise on zoos. If the objective was to escape cages, the characters never did. The ending did not satisfy me and made me feel even more depressed.
Setting: The setting was confusing. Was there random cages in a mall? What kind of mall is that? I have seen aquariums in malls, but never zoos where an entire elephant is in a cage. That is very strange, and I don’t see how that was even legal.
Plot: There seems to be a lack of important, plot specific details in this book, but rather random facts that the author just slapped down to make a 300 page book. The plot seems to be neglected until about page 200 or so. Before than, each chapter just made me more depressed.
Characters: When it comes to character development, the only one who really changed was Ivan. Still, the characters don’t feel real or lack substance.
Mood: DEPRESSING. So sad. So depressing. The ending did NOT make up for it. For a child’s book, this was just too tragic. Reading this aloud to any child would be past my comfort zone.
http://gph.is/1b6QjZH
Uniqueness Scale: 3. - Same tale...with a twist?
- Recommend?:
Meh. I guess you could try it. It does have extremely high ratings on Goodreads, it won the Newbery Medal, it’s in like every classroom, bookstore, and library I go to. It is super popular. I personally did not enjoy it, and I had to force myself to finish it. It is depressing if you are sensitive to animal rights and suffrage. Animal rights are something I’m quite passionate about, so this book made me have to think about it.
- Where can you read it?
I was given the book in hardcopy as a gift. I also found it on OverDrive (online library, just sign in with a library near you). So, I was able to read it digitally on the go. I see it’s available on iBooks, Kindle, at Barnes and Noble, Google Play Books, and probably any bookstore because this book is very popular and has also won the Newbery Medal (somehow).
***Check out my other reviews on my website: https://shereviewsitall.wordpress.com
- Rating Scale: ★★
2: Meh, it passed the time okay…
It took me too long to finish, I became uninterested, annoyed, and forced myself to finish it; plus, it lacked in several areas.
http://gph.is/1Zls50y
- Summary:
In a mall there is small zoo, one of of the animals is The One and Only Ivan, a full grown silverback gorilla. With such a violent childhood, Ivan has blocked it from his mind. Until one day when Ruby, a baby elephant, joins the show in order to help liven up the old zoo. With the inspiration of art and finally someone to care and look out for, Ivan promises he will help them all escape from the zoo. Based on a real gorilla in an Atlanta zoo, this Newbery Medal book shows the strength of a promise, the power of hope, and the belief of change.
- Nahs: Depressing and Repetitive *BEATS HEAD ON WALL*
The sentences were short and choppy. The “chapters” were short and choppy. This made the entire story and plot choppy but not short. The book was so repetitive and randomly thrown together, making it hard to connect with the characters. Yes, I felt sad for the characters but that did not make me want to continue reading the story. What would have made the story better, I think, would to be to tell the story from multiple perspectives both the humans and the animals. There were so points where the animal’s past lives were explained; however, not enough to make it truly enjoyable.
http://gph.is/1fdUFNJ
Each “chapter” or really, each page, ended on a sad, depressing note. For example, each time the little girl draws Ivan, the gorilla, he says he always looks sad. Or it ends with Ivan having a sarcastic remarks about how stupid chimps or how strange humans are. Some of this is humorous, yes, but it becomes a bit too repetitive where it becomes annoying.
http://gph.is/1NSQ5H6
The animals want freedom from their cages; however, in the end, the animals are merely transported from one cage to another. Yes, they have friends now. Yes, they have better medical treatment. But, the ending seemed anticlimactic and made me sad for the animals and mad at the author for glorifying zoos. Why couldn’t Ruby have been relocated or taken to a sanctuary? Why must she live in a cage again?
http://gph.is/1UV03WJ
- Aahs: Animal Cruelty Awareness.
This book will hopefully raise awareness in children and their parents about just how depressing life can be trapped inside a cage where animals have no choice but to live life however humans force them.
The interesting perspective from Ivan the gorilla.
- Genre: Children ages 8-12. Fiction/Animals talk and are the main characters.
- Theme: Promise of friendship and hope of change.
First of all, Ivan learns what it feels like to truly care for another. Sweet Ruby, defenseless and scared finally gives Ivan the hope and the strength to do something about the animals' poor circumstances.
The book brings about awareness of animal rights and suffering (or, I hope so at least). In this new era and generation, people are becoming more attuned to the atrocities animals live through each and every day. I read a review on Goodreads where the reader was mad at the author for making humans appear so mean. Welp honey, that’s because we are. That reader completely missed a big point, in my opinion. Humans mistreat animals frequently, and we must learn to become aware and try our best to change these sad situations.
- Style and Format: Choppy first person.
In a way, yes, the style does fit the theme of the book. The book is written from a gorilla’s perspective and the sentences are short and to the point, such as how the author believes a monkey would think or speak. However, the overall style is choppy and takes away from the story. It seems rather random and careless. The chapters are SO short, making the plot or story choppy rather than flowing together. I feel like having the monkey’s thoughts be more human-like would be more relatable. Besides, how do we know how gorillas and animals really think? I don’t think this was necessary and overall, it just took away from the flow of the story. There was some decent amount of dialogue in the book between the characters with most of the story being carried by Ivan’s first person narrative in his mind.
http://gph.is/28USIrd
- Details or Gaps?: Gaps and confusing.
Maybe because I was rushing to finish or I feared I wouldn’t at all. I felt like some of the scenes were confusing. It may be do the choppy style of writing, but some major parts seem to be confusing to me, so I can’t imagine an 8 year old trying to read this book. The end was anticlimactic and unsatisfying for the theme of the book. Also, the story with Mack was interesting, yet left out a lot of details. Was Mack really abusing the animals? Not any more than a zoo will, really? So why was Mack made out to be a bad guy?
- Literary Devices:
Personification: Applegate uses personification of the animals in the book in order for the reader to try to understand how a gorilla might feel being stuck in a cage his whole life. Honestly he seems to not care until he sees how Ruby, the baby elephant, reacts to it all. She is depressed and confused. It is sad how the animals are merely sent to another cage. Yes, it is happy they are able to be with other animals, have friends; however, I would have rather seen the animals be liberated or at least live on sanctuaries without cages. It seemed like an anticlimactic ending which put too much praise on zoos. If the objective was to escape cages, the characters never did. The ending did not satisfy me and made me feel even more depressed.
Setting: The setting was confusing. Was there random cages in a mall? What kind of mall is that? I have seen aquariums in malls, but never zoos where an entire elephant is in a cage. That is very strange, and I don’t see how that was even legal.
Plot: There seems to be a lack of important, plot specific details in this book, but rather random facts that the author just slapped down to make a 300 page book. The plot seems to be neglected until about page 200 or so. Before than, each chapter just made me more depressed.
Characters: When it comes to character development, the only one who really changed was Ivan. Still, the characters don’t feel real or lack substance.
Mood: DEPRESSING. So sad. So depressing. The ending did NOT make up for it. For a child’s book, this was just too tragic. Reading this aloud to any child would be past my comfort zone.
http://gph.is/1b6QjZH
Uniqueness Scale: 3. - Same tale...with a twist?
- Recommend?:
Meh. I guess you could try it. It does have extremely high ratings on Goodreads, it won the Newbery Medal, it’s in like every classroom, bookstore, and library I go to. It is super popular. I personally did not enjoy it, and I had to force myself to finish it. It is depressing if you are sensitive to animal rights and suffrage. Animal rights are something I’m quite passionate about, so this book made me have to think about it.
- Where can you read it?
I was given the book in hardcopy as a gift. I also found it on OverDrive (online library, just sign in with a library near you). So, I was able to read it digitally on the go. I see it’s available on iBooks, Kindle, at Barnes and Noble, Google Play Books, and probably any bookstore because this book is very popular and has also won the Newbery Medal (somehow).
***Check out my other reviews on my website: https://shereviewsitall.wordpress.com
PARENTAL WARNING: There is suggestive humor and other sexual references in this book such as nudity and cold water. Words such as harlot and bimbo are used. “Son of a witch” as well. Also, the author of this book plays the flamboyant character on a tv show called Glee. So, as long as you're okay with all of that...read on!
http://gph.is/1V0QbfN
“Your story will forever be romanticized,” [The Evil Queen] told Snow White. “No one will ever think twice about mine. I will continue to be degraded into nothing but a grotesque villain until the end of time. But what the world fails to realize is that a villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told…”
Rating: 3 Stars!
3: Alright, I’ll keep reading the series. I enjoyed that…
- It didn’t take me longer than a month to read.
- Lacked in at least one or two of the following: pacing, characters, overall plot, entertainment, details, uniqueness, relevance, or style.
- The main things I had a problem with were the inappropriate jokes for a children’s book and the overall style of literature seemed lacking in eloquence (it’s definitely not written like C.S. Lewis or J.K. Rowling would). For example, Colfer struggled with making minor mistakes of contradicting himself as well as making many scenes unbelievable due to character’s acting unlike themselves or living through certain deadly situations.
http://gph.is/2ejVmYS
Nahs: What didn’t you like?
- The teacher calls a student an idiot and all the students are falling asleep in class. This teacher is horrible. As a teacher myself, I hate seeing the teacher being made into a bad person.
Little annoying, uh, mistakes?
- When describing the houses, the narrative says similar houses which were different?
- In the forest the frog was walking, and then when inside his house, suddenly he hops?
- The wolves leave because Connor throws Goldilocks her sword back? Lame.
- So, Connor lets his sister just climb up a life-threatening tower and she doesn't even mess up once? What is she a superhuman kid?? And he's all smug about finding the stairs?? What? This situation is a little unrealistically silly.
- The Evil Queen chooses the person who ruined her entire life and power to bring her back to power?
- Huntsman: “I'm too old to travel.”with Evil Queen: “You've TRAVELED ALL THIS WAY to tell me you're meaningless!?” What…?
http://gph.is/1ksBjZ3
Aahs: What did you like?
- How the beginning of the book starts with Snow White visiting the Evil Queen.
- How the siblings represent nerdy, alone, and ostracized with Alex and popular, troublemaker with Connor. This makes the story relatable to both sides.
- “Mr. Bailey’s eyes lit up as they always did just before he was about to tell a story.” Their dad has a cool story each time they struggle with the situation. It's pretty cool because the kids have to figure out the lesson on their own rather than their dad just tell them what to do.
- Flashbacks and details from the past are laid out in a beautiful story form with plenty of dialogue and narrative. It truly brings the character’s and their story to life. Although Colfer doesn’t write like C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, Colfer does know how to keep a plot moving along well.
http://gph.is/1POs9AT
- “...and a girl who claimed Puss in boots was an early example of animal cruelty…”
- LOL. The author takes a jab at his own ideas when Connor says just falling into a book is a lame way to find another world!
Genre: Fairy tale/Fantasy/Adventure. This story was super fun, as is most fairy tales or folk tales. There is so much feeling of whimsicality that it puts a smile on my face. It makes me feel warm even though there are villains and tragic endings. The stories have true meanings. I love how tales can relate to us no matter who we are, where we are from, or what is happening in our lives. It seems these tales speak volumes to all audiences across the board. I like how Colfer has twisted the stories, adding a touch more of personality to characters and breathing new life into these characters which are seemingly so well-known to us. I also like how Colfer incorporated the modern day twist.
Theme: “Villains are people with villainized circumstances.” There are so many lessons learned throughout this story; however, one of the biggest points that stood out to me was the sympathy directed toward the Evil Queen. The Queen reminds us that we are products of our circumstances, and her circumstances turned dismal. The motive behind all of the Evil Queen’s actions? It may surprise you...
http://gph.is/2bcFOap
Style: Great for young readers. A good length novel with a great plot, characters, and flow of story. Not the perfect example of “great literature,” but otherwise it entertaining and face-paced. I finished it very quickly and it never made me bored. I wanted to keep reading and reading. Overall, dialogue probably outweighs the narrative in this book. There is less descriptiveness about places or characters. Most of the story is conversation between characters. This was kind of disappointing or annoying in supposed-to-be action packed situations. So, when the twins got themselves into trouble, it wouldn’t necessarily explain the situation but rather you’d just have the twin’s dialogue cut with a dash and then you have their response “aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!” I personally became irritated with the lack of detail because when the twins were traveling from place to place, it kind of made the transitions and overall flow of the book a bit choppy.
http://gph.is/28USIrd
Uniqueness Scale: 3
1 - Tale as old as time... (yawn!)
2 - Same old, same old...yet enjoyable.
*3 - Same tale...with a twist?*
4 - New and refreshing!
5 - Never heard of and leaves you flabbergasted!
Recommend?: Yes.
As long as parents know the content and the author, they're okay with that, and are ready to explain some things.
Where can you read it?
I'm reading it on the digital library on OverDrive.com which is also an app for your devices.
You can also read it at the library or probably any bookstore or website. This book is really popular at the moment.
Check out my website. I review it all! https://shereviewsitall.wordpress.com
http://gph.is/1V0QbfN
“Your story will forever be romanticized,” [The Evil Queen] told Snow White. “No one will ever think twice about mine. I will continue to be degraded into nothing but a grotesque villain until the end of time. But what the world fails to realize is that a villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told…”
Rating: 3 Stars!
3: Alright, I’ll keep reading the series. I enjoyed that…
- It didn’t take me longer than a month to read.
- Lacked in at least one or two of the following: pacing, characters, overall plot, entertainment, details, uniqueness, relevance, or style.
- The main things I had a problem with were the inappropriate jokes for a children’s book and the overall style of literature seemed lacking in eloquence (it’s definitely not written like C.S. Lewis or J.K. Rowling would). For example, Colfer struggled with making minor mistakes of contradicting himself as well as making many scenes unbelievable due to character’s acting unlike themselves or living through certain deadly situations.
http://gph.is/2ejVmYS
Nahs: What didn’t you like?
- The teacher calls a student an idiot and all the students are falling asleep in class. This teacher is horrible. As a teacher myself, I hate seeing the teacher being made into a bad person.
Little annoying, uh, mistakes?
- When describing the houses, the narrative says similar houses which were different?
- In the forest the frog was walking, and then when inside his house, suddenly he hops?
- The wolves leave because Connor throws Goldilocks her sword back? Lame.
- So, Connor lets his sister just climb up a life-threatening tower and she doesn't even mess up once? What is she a superhuman kid?? And he's all smug about finding the stairs?? What? This situation is a little unrealistically silly.
- The Evil Queen chooses the person who ruined her entire life and power to bring her back to power?
- Huntsman: “I'm too old to travel.”with Evil Queen: “You've TRAVELED ALL THIS WAY to tell me you're meaningless!?” What…?
http://gph.is/1ksBjZ3
Aahs: What did you like?
- How the beginning of the book starts with Snow White visiting the Evil Queen.
- How the siblings represent nerdy, alone, and ostracized with Alex and popular, troublemaker with Connor. This makes the story relatable to both sides.
- “Mr. Bailey’s eyes lit up as they always did just before he was about to tell a story.” Their dad has a cool story each time they struggle with the situation. It's pretty cool because the kids have to figure out the lesson on their own rather than their dad just tell them what to do.
- Flashbacks and details from the past are laid out in a beautiful story form with plenty of dialogue and narrative. It truly brings the character’s and their story to life. Although Colfer doesn’t write like C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, Colfer does know how to keep a plot moving along well.
http://gph.is/1POs9AT
- “...and a girl who claimed Puss in boots was an early example of animal cruelty…”
- LOL. The author takes a jab at his own ideas when Connor says just falling into a book is a lame way to find another world!
Genre: Fairy tale/Fantasy/Adventure. This story was super fun, as is most fairy tales or folk tales. There is so much feeling of whimsicality that it puts a smile on my face. It makes me feel warm even though there are villains and tragic endings. The stories have true meanings. I love how tales can relate to us no matter who we are, where we are from, or what is happening in our lives. It seems these tales speak volumes to all audiences across the board. I like how Colfer has twisted the stories, adding a touch more of personality to characters and breathing new life into these characters which are seemingly so well-known to us. I also like how Colfer incorporated the modern day twist.
Theme: “Villains are people with villainized circumstances.” There are so many lessons learned throughout this story; however, one of the biggest points that stood out to me was the sympathy directed toward the Evil Queen. The Queen reminds us that we are products of our circumstances, and her circumstances turned dismal. The motive behind all of the Evil Queen’s actions? It may surprise you...
http://gph.is/2bcFOap
Style: Great for young readers. A good length novel with a great plot, characters, and flow of story. Not the perfect example of “great literature,” but otherwise it entertaining and face-paced. I finished it very quickly and it never made me bored. I wanted to keep reading and reading. Overall, dialogue probably outweighs the narrative in this book. There is less descriptiveness about places or characters. Most of the story is conversation between characters. This was kind of disappointing or annoying in supposed-to-be action packed situations. So, when the twins got themselves into trouble, it wouldn’t necessarily explain the situation but rather you’d just have the twin’s dialogue cut with a dash and then you have their response “aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!” I personally became irritated with the lack of detail because when the twins were traveling from place to place, it kind of made the transitions and overall flow of the book a bit choppy.
http://gph.is/28USIrd
Uniqueness Scale: 3
1 - Tale as old as time... (yawn!)
2 - Same old, same old...yet enjoyable.
*3 - Same tale...with a twist?*
4 - New and refreshing!
5 - Never heard of and leaves you flabbergasted!
Recommend?: Yes.
As long as parents know the content and the author, they're okay with that, and are ready to explain some things.
Where can you read it?
I'm reading it on the digital library on OverDrive.com which is also an app for your devices.
You can also read it at the library or probably any bookstore or website. This book is really popular at the moment.
Check out my website. I review it all! https://shereviewsitall.wordpress.com
The Obsession by Nora Roberts
Rating: 3.5 (The first 30 pages are a solid 5. Up until about 80% the book slowly tapers to a 4. The last like 20 pages made it below a 4...)
3: Alright, I’ll keep reading the series. I enjoyed that…
- It did not take me long to read the book (9 days... because the ending was BRUTAL to get through. The last 100 pages were BORING.)
- Lacked in at least one or two of the following: pacing, characters, overall plot, entertainment, details, uniqueness, relevance, or style.
- Pacing was hard towards the end with heavy dialogue and little to NO narrative.
Nahs:
- Cliche questions dealing with religion, homosexuality, and sex.
Examples:
“Where’s that girl, Suze...the one who accepted me for what I am?”
“We’re still an abomination? Is that what you really thing? Is that what your heart tells you?”
“What if she’s lousy in bed?”
http://gph.is/1bngnQi
- It’s get better!! Xander, the hot bad boy character, actually tells the main character TWICE to stop being cliche!!! Seems like Xander need s to chat with Roberts herself...LOL
Examples from Xander:
“And cliches like that are more weak ******** You can do better.”
“So straight to the cliche?” He shook his head. “I thought you’d do better. That’s not even a challenge…”
- Suddenly drops the family characters pretty hard after the introduction. I understand she enjoys solitude, but she does miss her family… I wish she wouldn't have moved so far away. Also, Mason suddenly shows up towards the end and then after all of the murders that happen, her uncles don’t show up until after she is almost murdered herself? What?
- The weird relationship between Naomi and Kevin…
"He cupped her chin, looked hard into her eyes, and did something she thought no one could at that moment. He made her smile. 'Bumps and bruises, only, Dr. Banner.'"
- Annnnndddd the constantly excessive use of the word “companionable.”
http://gph.is/2ddhFEv
- Okay, so the pacing is GREAT during the majority of the book… UNTIL about the last 100 pages. There is TOO MUCH DIALOGUE. Instead of having the characters TELL us what’s going on, I wish Nora Roberts would have given us some flashbacks and we could have SEEN these scenes instead. Because I had the hardest time getting through the last pages of this book because it got SO BORING with all the dialogue. It’s almost as if Roberts got lazy and forgot to narrate anything.
http://gph.is/18BfVbl
- FINALLY we encounter the bad guy: NO SHOCK IT’S THAT STUPID NERD FROM HIGH SCHOOL??? First of all, stupid. Second of all, obvious. Who else could it be? There are no other bad people besides her father who is in PRISON and they say that LOTS OF TIMES. I rather it have been her actual dad escaped. That would have been a lot more relevant and intriguing and scary.
There was so much agony building up and then THERE WAS ONLY 3 PAGES OF ENCOUNTERING THE VILLAIN????? And it was a lame 3 pages. Then, she blacks out and it doesn’t even EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS??? Xander beats the crud outta him supposedly, but we will never know because it’s as if Roberts gives up in the last 100 pages of this book… such a waste of a good story with decent characters.
Aahs:
- Great initial story and characters which had a lot of potential.
- I love how the Xander is so bluntly confident that she'll fall in love with him.
“Maybe you’ll fall in love with me, ask me to live with you in that big house on the bluff.”
- I liked how it went into detail of her remodeling this house and showing how she wanted it all done locally in a small town.
Good thrillers/horrors will always have that moment where you look up from the book and your eyes widen and the chill runs over your skin. Yep. This book had that. That's when you know the book is getting real good…
"When he raped her, when he choked her, he called her Naomi."
http://gph.is/1Br7IXD
Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Romance: I think this book focused too heavily on the romance rather than the thrill/suspense. I was forever waiting for something bad to happen to the main character… Maybe it’s because I just don’t like too much romance in a book because I think it gets old quickly. If you like bad boy romances with strong, stubborn independent women, this book is for you. Overall, I’d say it doesn’t really add anything special to the genre, yet it was still very intriguing and, mostly, face-paced and exciting.
Theme: Love overcomes. The main character struggles forming close relationships with those around her because she thinks they will judge her based upon her psycho rapist/murderer of a father. With the help of her friends and love interest, she finally begins to realize REAL friends and those who TRULY love you aren’t going to treat her any different because of the cruelty of her father from her past. I feel the theme was loosely supported throughout the book. It would have been better if she had to encounter her father and she would have overcome him herself instead of Xander coming in and messing up some random guy everyone barely remembers from the beginning of the book. I think Roberts could have done a much better job, but it seemed like she gave up, focusing too much on dialogue and then leaving huge gaps in good moments like leaving out the fight scene… I don’t know, I just feel like there was a lot of wasted potential for this book.
"Nothing needed to change. Could that be true? Was it really possible?"
"Love changed everything."
Style and Format: A lot of dialogue seems to be Nora Roberts style. I like the dialogue for most of the story and how she uses it because it gives the characters a lot of personality (even if they are a bit cliché). Towards the end of the book, the dialogue dominated the entire writing style, leaving little to no room for narrative and overall, hurting the story.
Details or Gaps?: Again, I wish Roberts had used more flashbacks or narrative during the end of the book when Mason, Naomi, and Xander are trying to figure out how many victims this psycho had killed along the way for the past 10 years. There are plenty of details about her house which I loved and about her relationship with Xander; however, I wish there was some more detail about her relationship with Mason and the uncles. It’s obvious they are close, but it would have been nice to have a scene of them all working at the restaurant or something like that. The beginning was quick paced, I think Roberts wanted to get to Xander and play up the romance; however, I think she may have left out some details in that haste. The middle of the book was great, explaining the house and her building relationship with Kevin, Jenny, Tag, and Xander as well as the band etc. However, the ending is where I began to completely lose interest. The ending was completely ridiculous after all that build up. I kept waiting for something good to happen and I was very much disappointed. All of a sudden her uncles show up, make her lemonade and toast while they all laugh about marriage. Horrible gaps in terms of narrative and overall just leaving out characters perspectives to making the story enjoyable and/or realistic.
Literary Devices:
- Interesting how the mother sells the story and now it is becoming a movie. I thought that was an interesting twist into a thriller. You never think of real movies being made from real stories and how those who lived through it will have to see that and how it will open those wounds again. An interesting perspective for a thriller novel.
- I love the characters. Naomi’s character is BA. I love the strong independent woman who doesn't act so smug about it. She does enjoys solitude and working hard. She's an admirable character.
- Even if Xander is a bit cliche as the “bad boy,” she does give him a twist: he likes to read. Of course, she has to throw this in because otherwise how would he figure out who is really is but from the book he's read? So, I'm wondering if it's less geniusness and more, oh this will fit in nicely.
http://gph.is/1oCGclU
- Ashley drops of the face of the earth? And so does her family. That was somewhat disappointing. It was nice to have Kevin and Jenny in the picture. They brought a lot of happiness and hope to the story.
- Setting-wise, I don't like Naomi being so far away from her family. That seems strange, even if she is independent. I think it does play into the theme where Naomi is trying to overcome her fears.
- The imagery in the book is strong until the ending where it goes south. In the majority of the book, Roberts doesn't need to use a lot of narrative to make pictures pop in your head. Her word choice is intentional and well done. Towards the end, I think more narrative would have made the book stronger.
- There is some symbolism in how the nerdy kids who has been copying her father represents her father is in there. I think that’s stupid. She goes up to him and tells him off when really she needs to be doing that to her FATHER, but it never happens in the book. Huge disappointment. Who cares about this ameteur rapist? The father is the real psycho and we never really hear about him much again… I don’t know. I think it was silly and lost some of its connection to the theme.
- The overall mood and tone was just not scary enough for me. The first 30 pages are deceptive because the rest of the book never lived up to the first pages ever again.
Uniqueness Scale:
2 - Same old, same old...yet enjoyable.
Recommend?: Yes, for those NOT offended by religious, homosexual, bad boy, and sex clichés. HAHA!
http://gph.is/2cJtEoV
Rating: 3.5 (The first 30 pages are a solid 5. Up until about 80% the book slowly tapers to a 4. The last like 20 pages made it below a 4...)
3: Alright, I’ll keep reading the series. I enjoyed that…
- It did not take me long to read the book (9 days... because the ending was BRUTAL to get through. The last 100 pages were BORING.)
- Lacked in at least one or two of the following: pacing, characters, overall plot, entertainment, details, uniqueness, relevance, or style.
- Pacing was hard towards the end with heavy dialogue and little to NO narrative.
Nahs:
- Cliche questions dealing with religion, homosexuality, and sex.
Examples:
“Where’s that girl, Suze...the one who accepted me for what I am?”
“We’re still an abomination? Is that what you really thing? Is that what your heart tells you?”
“What if she’s lousy in bed?”
http://gph.is/1bngnQi
- It’s get better!! Xander, the hot bad boy character, actually tells the main character TWICE to stop being cliche!!! Seems like Xander need s to chat with Roberts herself...LOL
Examples from Xander:
“And cliches like that are more weak ******** You can do better.”
“So straight to the cliche?” He shook his head. “I thought you’d do better. That’s not even a challenge…”
- Suddenly drops the family characters pretty hard after the introduction. I understand she enjoys solitude, but she does miss her family… I wish she wouldn't have moved so far away. Also, Mason suddenly shows up towards the end and then after all of the murders that happen, her uncles don’t show up until after she is almost murdered herself? What?
- The weird relationship between Naomi and Kevin…
"He cupped her chin, looked hard into her eyes, and did something she thought no one could at that moment. He made her smile. 'Bumps and bruises, only, Dr. Banner.'"
- Annnnndddd the constantly excessive use of the word “companionable.”
http://gph.is/2ddhFEv
- Okay, so the pacing is GREAT during the majority of the book… UNTIL about the last 100 pages. There is TOO MUCH DIALOGUE. Instead of having the characters TELL us what’s going on, I wish Nora Roberts would have given us some flashbacks and we could have SEEN these scenes instead. Because I had the hardest time getting through the last pages of this book because it got SO BORING with all the dialogue. It’s almost as if Roberts got lazy and forgot to narrate anything.
http://gph.is/18BfVbl
- FINALLY we encounter the bad guy: NO SHOCK IT’S THAT STUPID NERD FROM HIGH SCHOOL??? First of all, stupid. Second of all, obvious. Who else could it be? There are no other bad people besides her father who is in PRISON and they say that LOTS OF TIMES. I rather it have been her actual dad escaped. That would have been a lot more relevant and intriguing and scary.
There was so much agony building up and then THERE WAS ONLY 3 PAGES OF ENCOUNTERING THE VILLAIN????? And it was a lame 3 pages. Then, she blacks out and it doesn’t even EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS??? Xander beats the crud outta him supposedly, but we will never know because it’s as if Roberts gives up in the last 100 pages of this book… such a waste of a good story with decent characters.
Aahs:
- Great initial story and characters which had a lot of potential.
- I love how the Xander is so bluntly confident that she'll fall in love with him.
“Maybe you’ll fall in love with me, ask me to live with you in that big house on the bluff.”
- I liked how it went into detail of her remodeling this house and showing how she wanted it all done locally in a small town.
Good thrillers/horrors will always have that moment where you look up from the book and your eyes widen and the chill runs over your skin. Yep. This book had that. That's when you know the book is getting real good…
"When he raped her, when he choked her, he called her Naomi."
http://gph.is/1Br7IXD
Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Romance: I think this book focused too heavily on the romance rather than the thrill/suspense. I was forever waiting for something bad to happen to the main character… Maybe it’s because I just don’t like too much romance in a book because I think it gets old quickly. If you like bad boy romances with strong, stubborn independent women, this book is for you. Overall, I’d say it doesn’t really add anything special to the genre, yet it was still very intriguing and, mostly, face-paced and exciting.
Theme: Love overcomes. The main character struggles forming close relationships with those around her because she thinks they will judge her based upon her psycho rapist/murderer of a father. With the help of her friends and love interest, she finally begins to realize REAL friends and those who TRULY love you aren’t going to treat her any different because of the cruelty of her father from her past. I feel the theme was loosely supported throughout the book. It would have been better if she had to encounter her father and she would have overcome him herself instead of Xander coming in and messing up some random guy everyone barely remembers from the beginning of the book. I think Roberts could have done a much better job, but it seemed like she gave up, focusing too much on dialogue and then leaving huge gaps in good moments like leaving out the fight scene… I don’t know, I just feel like there was a lot of wasted potential for this book.
"Nothing needed to change. Could that be true? Was it really possible?"
"Love changed everything."
Style and Format: A lot of dialogue seems to be Nora Roberts style. I like the dialogue for most of the story and how she uses it because it gives the characters a lot of personality (even if they are a bit cliché). Towards the end of the book, the dialogue dominated the entire writing style, leaving little to no room for narrative and overall, hurting the story.
Details or Gaps?: Again, I wish Roberts had used more flashbacks or narrative during the end of the book when Mason, Naomi, and Xander are trying to figure out how many victims this psycho had killed along the way for the past 10 years. There are plenty of details about her house which I loved and about her relationship with Xander; however, I wish there was some more detail about her relationship with Mason and the uncles. It’s obvious they are close, but it would have been nice to have a scene of them all working at the restaurant or something like that. The beginning was quick paced, I think Roberts wanted to get to Xander and play up the romance; however, I think she may have left out some details in that haste. The middle of the book was great, explaining the house and her building relationship with Kevin, Jenny, Tag, and Xander as well as the band etc. However, the ending is where I began to completely lose interest. The ending was completely ridiculous after all that build up. I kept waiting for something good to happen and I was very much disappointed. All of a sudden her uncles show up, make her lemonade and toast while they all laugh about marriage. Horrible gaps in terms of narrative and overall just leaving out characters perspectives to making the story enjoyable and/or realistic.
Literary Devices:
- Interesting how the mother sells the story and now it is becoming a movie. I thought that was an interesting twist into a thriller. You never think of real movies being made from real stories and how those who lived through it will have to see that and how it will open those wounds again. An interesting perspective for a thriller novel.
- I love the characters. Naomi’s character is BA. I love the strong independent woman who doesn't act so smug about it. She does enjoys solitude and working hard. She's an admirable character.
- Even if Xander is a bit cliche as the “bad boy,” she does give him a twist: he likes to read. Of course, she has to throw this in because otherwise how would he figure out who is really is but from the book he's read? So, I'm wondering if it's less geniusness and more, oh this will fit in nicely.
http://gph.is/1oCGclU
- Ashley drops of the face of the earth? And so does her family. That was somewhat disappointing. It was nice to have Kevin and Jenny in the picture. They brought a lot of happiness and hope to the story.
- Setting-wise, I don't like Naomi being so far away from her family. That seems strange, even if she is independent. I think it does play into the theme where Naomi is trying to overcome her fears.
- The imagery in the book is strong until the ending where it goes south. In the majority of the book, Roberts doesn't need to use a lot of narrative to make pictures pop in your head. Her word choice is intentional and well done. Towards the end, I think more narrative would have made the book stronger.
- There is some symbolism in how the nerdy kids who has been copying her father represents her father is in there. I think that’s stupid. She goes up to him and tells him off when really she needs to be doing that to her FATHER, but it never happens in the book. Huge disappointment. Who cares about this ameteur rapist? The father is the real psycho and we never really hear about him much again… I don’t know. I think it was silly and lost some of its connection to the theme.
- The overall mood and tone was just not scary enough for me. The first 30 pages are deceptive because the rest of the book never lived up to the first pages ever again.
Uniqueness Scale:
2 - Same old, same old...yet enjoyable.
Recommend?: Yes, for those NOT offended by religious, homosexual, bad boy, and sex clichés. HAHA!
http://gph.is/2cJtEoV
“Secrets are a problem, maybe the biggest problem of all. They weigh on the mind and take up space in the world.”
http://gph.is/1oDmjJR
Rating Scale: ★★★★★
5: HOLY COW! Give me more, more, more!
I love Gwendy’s character and the mysterious Mr. Farris, read the book in under 2 hours, I was pulled in and connected with a realistic feel of the story, I was constantly pulled by the lingering suspense hanging above the story. My mind is whirling after with the possible connections to other King novels.
http://gph.is/1eWAN5D
Nahs: What didn’t you like?
- TOO SHORT!! I want more!
http://gph.is/1OKklpC
Aahs: What did you like?
- Gwendy’s name is unique.
- Gwendy’s determination and character change through the short story.
- The overall mystery left lingering with the box, Richard Farris, and her own connection to all of the unknown.
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Mystery
I feel like this story is a short story which could fit within another of King’s works. Someone suggested it could be the beginning to The Stand with the man in the hat, Richard Farris, corresponding to Randall Flagg.
http://gph.is/1NwVzF3
Theme: Secrets.
Gwendy is given the box because she is specially chosen. There is something about her that makes her stand out. The man with the hat knows she would never use the box for evil. While having the box makes certain aspects of her life better, she does have to ultimately pay the price as well.
“Secrets are a problem, maybe the biggest problem of all. They weigh on the mind and take up space in the world.”
Style: The book is short and very readable.
Even though it is co-authored, I couldn't tell at all. The chapters are quick and fun. I read the whole book under two hours in one sitting. There is a great balance between narrative and dialogue. The cover of the book is gorgeous and mysterious.
Details or Gaps?: Purposeful gaps.
- I think King or Chizmar left a lot out on purpose. Probably to drive us crazy. I always feel as if King has something up his sleeve and I feel a heavy anticipation when beginning any new book he has written. I know King has interwoven many characters and stories together, leaving behind Easter eggs for his readers. This only makes being a constant reader that much more enjoyable and exciting.
- Even though this book is very short, the book is still a satisfying read in terms of character development of Gwendy. It's crazy to think this book encompasses an entire decade or more of her life. Of course we would all love to know more about the other characters, especially the all elusive Mr. Farris. I'm sure there may be connections discovered by the CR community or either it is simply left to one’s own imagination.
http://gph.is/1R6UHZj
Literary Devices: SUSPENSE!!
The tone was always one of suspense hanging in the air. So many questions float around in your mind. Has GWendy hidden the box well enough? What happens if someone else does find it? What will she say? What does happen if you push a button?
http://gph.is/2dvi6Km
Uniqueness Scale: 5 - Never heard of and leaves you flabbergasted!
Recommend?: YES!
Especially if you are someone who wants to try out horror and Stephen King. This book is a great start.
http://gph.is/1V0QbfN
http://gph.is/1oDmjJR
Rating Scale: ★★★★★
5: HOLY COW! Give me more, more, more!
I love Gwendy’s character and the mysterious Mr. Farris, read the book in under 2 hours, I was pulled in and connected with a realistic feel of the story, I was constantly pulled by the lingering suspense hanging above the story. My mind is whirling after with the possible connections to other King novels.
http://gph.is/1eWAN5D
Nahs: What didn’t you like?
- TOO SHORT!! I want more!
http://gph.is/1OKklpC
Aahs: What did you like?
- Gwendy’s name is unique.
- Gwendy’s determination and character change through the short story.
- The overall mystery left lingering with the box, Richard Farris, and her own connection to all of the unknown.
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Mystery
I feel like this story is a short story which could fit within another of King’s works. Someone suggested it could be the beginning to The Stand with the man in the hat, Richard Farris, corresponding to Randall Flagg.
http://gph.is/1NwVzF3
Theme: Secrets.
Gwendy is given the box because she is specially chosen. There is something about her that makes her stand out. The man with the hat knows she would never use the box for evil. While having the box makes certain aspects of her life better, she does have to ultimately pay the price as well.
“Secrets are a problem, maybe the biggest problem of all. They weigh on the mind and take up space in the world.”
Style: The book is short and very readable.
Even though it is co-authored, I couldn't tell at all. The chapters are quick and fun. I read the whole book under two hours in one sitting. There is a great balance between narrative and dialogue. The cover of the book is gorgeous and mysterious.
Details or Gaps?: Purposeful gaps.
- I think King or Chizmar left a lot out on purpose. Probably to drive us crazy. I always feel as if King has something up his sleeve and I feel a heavy anticipation when beginning any new book he has written. I know King has interwoven many characters and stories together, leaving behind Easter eggs for his readers. This only makes being a constant reader that much more enjoyable and exciting.
- Even though this book is very short, the book is still a satisfying read in terms of character development of Gwendy. It's crazy to think this book encompasses an entire decade or more of her life. Of course we would all love to know more about the other characters, especially the all elusive Mr. Farris. I'm sure there may be connections discovered by the CR community or either it is simply left to one’s own imagination.
http://gph.is/1R6UHZj
Literary Devices: SUSPENSE!!
The tone was always one of suspense hanging in the air. So many questions float around in your mind. Has GWendy hidden the box well enough? What happens if someone else does find it? What will she say? What does happen if you push a button?
http://gph.is/2dvi6Km
Uniqueness Scale: 5 - Never heard of and leaves you flabbergasted!
Recommend?: YES!
Especially if you are someone who wants to try out horror and Stephen King. This book is a great start.
http://gph.is/1V0QbfN
Different Seasons is a collection of four short stories with each story aligning to a different season.
1. Rita (5 stars)
2. Apt Pupil (5 stars)
3. The Body (3 stars)
4. The Breathing Method (5 stars)
Order of what story I liked best to least: 1, 2, 4, 3
Rita is the first story (Spring) which is about men who are in prison for murder. From violence, to craftsmanship, to smuggled goods, and library books, this story spans over decades describing the interactions between prisoners and those in charge, overall telling the story of a man who was not a murderer, and dreamed of the hope and beauty beyond prison walls.
Next (Summer) is about the perfect "apt pupil" who becomes very interested in an old man's gruesome and secretive past. It's those which are seemingly normal and perfect which one must be most cautious of...and maybe even terrified of.
After summer comes Fall of Innocence - The Body. Anyone want to see a dead body? Don't all boys? This is the adventure of a writer's childhood misfits friends who go to seek death in order to find glory. This longer story has rich character development and will make you laugh out loud with the hilarity of young boys and their foolery.
Finally we have Winter - The Breathing Method which is a mysterious tale of a gentlemen's club where men meet to tell gripping tales, and the one which stood out the most was The Breathing Method. In his younger days, a doctor describes his disturbing encounter with a perfectly executed delivery, using the seemingly ridiculous Breathing Method. The ending of this tale will be sure to haunt your dreams... I know it will haunt mine.
Overall, the short stories were brilliant. The characters were believable and came alive with a sharpness. Where the first story took my breath away, Apt Pupil gave me the chills and I couldn't put that one down. The Body was a longer one which took me a while to trudge through, I flew through The Breathing Method as fast as a locomotive. (;
This constant reader was not disappointed. If you enjoy reading Stephen King already, this read will not let you down!! However, if you are new to Stephen King, I would not recommend this being your first read.
1. Rita (5 stars)
2. Apt Pupil (5 stars)
3. The Body (3 stars)
4. The Breathing Method (5 stars)
Order of what story I liked best to least: 1, 2, 4, 3
Rita is the first story (Spring) which is about men who are in prison for murder. From violence, to craftsmanship, to smuggled goods, and library books, this story spans over decades describing the interactions between prisoners and those in charge, overall telling the story of a man who was not a murderer, and dreamed of the hope and beauty beyond prison walls.
Next (Summer) is about the perfect "apt pupil" who becomes very interested in an old man's gruesome and secretive past. It's those which are seemingly normal and perfect which one must be most cautious of...and maybe even terrified of.
After summer comes Fall of Innocence - The Body. Anyone want to see a dead body? Don't all boys? This is the adventure of a writer's childhood misfits friends who go to seek death in order to find glory. This longer story has rich character development and will make you laugh out loud with the hilarity of young boys and their foolery.
Finally we have Winter - The Breathing Method which is a mysterious tale of a gentlemen's club where men meet to tell gripping tales, and the one which stood out the most was The Breathing Method. In his younger days, a doctor describes his disturbing encounter with a perfectly executed delivery, using the seemingly ridiculous Breathing Method. The ending of this tale will be sure to haunt your dreams... I know it will haunt mine.
Overall, the short stories were brilliant. The characters were believable and came alive with a sharpness. Where the first story took my breath away, Apt Pupil gave me the chills and I couldn't put that one down. The Body was a longer one which took me a while to trudge through, I flew through The Breathing Method as fast as a locomotive. (;
This constant reader was not disappointed. If you enjoy reading Stephen King already, this read will not let you down!! However, if you are new to Stephen King, I would not recommend this being your first read.
Starting this book, I had no idea it had so much romance in it. (Should have looked up the genre.) But it ended up being a good balance between adventure, action, fantasy, and, yes, the dirty romance. Parents, don't let your children read this one (even though this is SCARILY marked "Young adult" which I'm not sure how old YA even means) SO... I recommend this book for those at least 18 years of age due to the very sexual as well as violent scenes. This book is intense, and that's what made it IMPOSSIBLE for me to put it down. I read this book in literally A DAY!!!
So what's it about anyway?
In a world of brutal and strange monsters, mystical faeries and lowly humans live with a huge wall in between their two worlds. A human family falls from riches to rags, and as the youngest in her family, Feyre learns how to hunt in order to support her family. With hate in her heart, Feyre kills a faer in disguise. Her punishment? She must go to live on the other side of the wall for the rest of her life. What will become of her family? What will become of her? What terrors lie on the other side of the wall? She begins to realize the terror which will soon be unleashed onto all humans. What can she do, as a mere human, to save all those she loves? The answer lies within.
Okay, so five star rating. My heart literally hurt while reading this one. So much emotion and YES I cried, okay? Lame... but that's how good this was! The writing wasn't always the highest quality or maybe romance just makes me roll my eyes A LOT of the times because of the EXCESS CHEESE, but man the story and characters and emotion and the readability just blew those blemishes outta the water!!
So what's it about anyway?
In a world of brutal and strange monsters, mystical faeries and lowly humans live with a huge wall in between their two worlds. A human family falls from riches to rags, and as the youngest in her family, Feyre learns how to hunt in order to support her family. With hate in her heart, Feyre kills a faer in disguise. Her punishment? She must go to live on the other side of the wall for the rest of her life. What will become of her family? What will become of her? What terrors lie on the other side of the wall? She begins to realize the terror which will soon be unleashed onto all humans. What can she do, as a mere human, to save all those she loves? The answer lies within.
Okay, so five star rating. My heart literally hurt while reading this one. So much emotion and YES I cried, okay? Lame... but that's how good this was! The writing wasn't always the highest quality or maybe romance just makes me roll my eyes A LOT of the times because of the EXCESS CHEESE, but man the story and characters and emotion and the readability just blew those blemishes outta the water!!