There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry--
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll--
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears the Human Soul--

-Emily Dickinson


November, 2010. This is when I had an epiphany that I knew nothing about literature. What exactly prompted this revelation, I don't remember. But what I did after that was print off "BBC's Top 100 Books" list in order to expand my horizons. (Although I'm aware that there are plenty of books omitted from the list, as well as new books constantly being published, this is intended simply to help me be acquainted with literature.) I challenged myself to read all of the books on the list. One year later, I've realized it will take much longer than expected. With only 7 of the 100 books read, this task seems daunting and unrealistic. While some may think it's somewhat masochistic, some may think it's an admirable goal. I guess it depends on the book I'm reading. Frequently I'll read a book that is not on this long list. I used to apologize for it, but I'm assuming hardly anyone reads it anyways.

I started by critiquing the books and authors, but the purpose for writing has changed over the years. The purpose of this blog isn't necessarily to write reviews for the benefit of high school procrastinators or for eagerly researching book-readers or for really anyone besides me. It's a documentation of my own progress as a learner and a reader, as well as being wonderfully cathartic. Books elicit an emotional response, which allows me to explore my own beliefs about life and spirituality.

As of Sunday, June 21st, 2015, I have read twenty-six books on the list. This is hopefully subject to change, and will be updated regularly...or more accurately, as regularly as I finish a book, which isn't always regular.


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

The Hunger Games Series - Suzanne Collins

Read in December-January, 2011.

Yes, I know that this is not on the list. But a very cute girl told me to read it before I saw the movie, so how could I have resisted?

I read the book in one day. No, not because of the very cute girl. Because it actually turned out to be a good book! I had suspected as much since no one has told me they didn't like it and a movie is coming out. But, I have made a vow to not judge any book without reading it. I felt that it got a little monotonous in the middle with all of the walking through the forest, though, but I'm sure it was monotonous for Katniss, too.

I felt that Katniss was a little hidebound, too. I kept thinking, "How does she NOT know that Peeta is in love with her?" But, in the words of my sister, "she doesn't need a man. She's the antithesis of Bella Swan." Some could say that she was a little preoccupied, too, with staying alive and all, but she still had on her mind what she needed to do to please the audience and Haymitch. 

I do plan on reading the other books, but not now. Maybe before the next movie comes out and a cute girl asks me to. I'm intrigued to see what the next books will be about. Yes, it left a cliffhanger for the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, but a whole book can't be centered around that, can it? Not after a book with intensity and violence of such a high caliber as in The Hunger Games, right?


Okay, so I read the other two books sometime during January. Seeing as the date is currently February 27, I'm a little behind on posting anything about them. this also means that I really will not have a whole lot of anything to say about them. Except that I didn't think that they were as nearly as good as the first one. Catching Fire was too much like the first one and Mockingjay wasn't like either of them. It wasn't consistent.  Catching Fire ended with a deus ex machina, which is a plot device that ends the conflict with some single event or circumstance which is often abrupt and unexpected. A simple example is if the story seems almost hopeless and you're thinking, "How in the world is she going to get out of this?!" and you turn the page and it turns out that Gertrude was only dreaming of coming home to her family somehow evolving into giant eagle-people crossbreeds with the natural instinct of an angry bird looking for prey. No, Katniss wasn't dreaming about reentering the Hunger Games, but the ending was definitely abrupt, unexpected, and, in my opinion, kind of like even the author didn't know how in the world she was going to get out of it. And Mockingjay was kind of silly. I don't really even want to talk about it. However, I do have something good to say about it. I was pleased with the resolution of the whole love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. It was realistic, I think. Other than that, I think this series has the general decline as most series do. It was a good idea, and even made it through a whole book without losing my enthusiasm. 
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1 comment:

  1. PeasDecember 27, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    There's also the issue of her spending most of her life taking care of her mother and sister and trying not to starve, so getting a boyfriend hasn't ever been on the top of her to-do list. As a result, though she had the opposite of an idyllic childhood, she has a certain naivete and innocence about her where relationships are concerned. It's just how you would expect a person who has nearly starved to be and you're like oh HI accurate characterization what's up? Read the other two, you'll love them.

    ALSO Peeta in the movie is played by that kid who used to live on our street. Peeta is my favorite, so...he better not mess it up. Also I was thinking they're going to have to tone down the books a good deal to make this movie PG-13.

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