Mulling On Monday #18

  2 Stars

  Here we are, yet another dreary Monday as we approach ugly winter. It’s already wet and rainy here, and not very nice out, so that’s just rather unfortunate.

  But, it means I have to stay inside and do something, so, I get to read. And write, since I’m falling behind on my book and on this site. But whatever, here we are.

  The novel that I have for today was one I read over the summer and did not like, even tough lots of people have classified it as ‘an American classic’. One, I’m not American, so maybe I just don’t get the whole thing, but I did not enjoy this novel one bit. Drawn out and pointless, it was a struggle to keep reading.

  The novel is A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, who died in 2001. It’s been deemed a classic, amazing, and such a great read that I picked it up.

  Well, first of all, this was not the novel I thought I picked up. What I had heard of for such a promising read must be somewhere else…or misplaced.

  This novel could quite easily have fit into a short story, so imagine my surprise when I heard that this was indeed a short story before it even came near this 208 waste of time novel.

  Anyways, there were a few things I liked about this novel, or else it would have earned no stars whatsoever.

  What I liked about the novel was the new cover. The colors and the boy in the foreground with the building in the background is wonderful, and I find it to actually be quite pretty. 

  The characters, eventually did develop well enough, and turned into ‘round characters’, who changed by the end of the story (an extreme case of this would be Leper, who ***spoilers*** pretty much loses it and goes mental, such a contrast to his lovely, quiet self. But no, he stars seeing women’s heads on men’s bodies and limbs falling all over, but no big deal, that’s called character development. What???)

  I also liked the setting; it seemed nice, even though I assumed (wrongly, always read the back covers properly) that it would be in England, not New England. But that was my fault. But I thought that for all the metaphors and whatnot, this was the right setting for it.

  What I didn’t like.

  First of all, the characters were very hard to sympathize with; they were very self-centered and coldly focused on goals that made them hard to like. They were also supposed to be 16-17 years old, but I found them oddly immature, especially in the time they were in. I would guess them to be barley 13 if I had to guess without the author throwing the fact that they are old enough to enlist every second paragraph. 

  Along with strange character flips (see spoiler) and with out of place characteristics, the entire thing was hard to read mostly because of the characters.

This means that I also did not like Finny or Gene at all. And if you can’t like the leading characters, or the character’s whose head you are in, then there might be an issue.

  As for the story, like I said, it could have been condensed into 15 pages with little effort. If it had been a short story, I think I would have enjoyed it more than I did. The idea was half decent, it was just the presentation and the characters that killed it.

  Overall, a novel that should not bear the title ‘classic’ without first being a good novel. It needs more character and a better story development.

Phinny is a star athlete with his entire future in front of him. Gene is a brainy kid who shares the same room with him. Soon they become best friends in .he boy’s school that they go to, a peaceful place where the faraway war seem fake and distant.

That peace goes away when Finny falls off a jump from a Tree that belongs to the Super Secret Suicide Society that the boys made up. Finny shatters his leg, and Gene is hiding a secret that could hurt Finny even more…

In a novel that has been called classic, this will make you question right and wrong, and what really matters as a person.

 

 

Author: John Knowles

Published: December 1, 1984

Page Count: 208

ISBN: 0553280414    (isbn13: 978-0553280418)

Mulling On Monday #16/Mission Re-Read The YA Book Shelf

Overall, 3 Stars

So, now that things are more back to normal, I am going to be able to write more often. Yay. 

  Anyways, so for my first re-appearance, Monday Mulling is back! (This is also technically the Young Adult Mission, but for now it’s mixed) And the best part is, it’s back with a new series. Well, technically, the last book in the series, but nevertheless, it’s a new book with quite a buzz about it.

  Any guesses?

  So this series. I loved the first novel. Absolutely, without a doubt, loved it. Caught my attention and brought me to the dystopian genre. It was dark, it had a sense of ‘what-if’ reality, the characters shone. It was a great thing. So I was very excited for the second one.

  The second one, I disliked. Almost extremely so. I was less than impressed with the writing and character development. I found the plot too rushing, with little time to breathe- and not in a good way.

  As for the third one. There was so much hype and excitement for it. I thought the author would redeem themselves and fix everything that they had done wrong in the second one. After all, I waited anxiously for a year +.

  Did that happen?

  Quite frankly, no. I was actually really upset with the author, and felt that the third one was no where near redeemable. The first one was the best and the author couldn’t touch that. Which is sad to say, and I really hate to say it.

  Overall, the series is a great idea, and the first book makes it to the five star list. But the other two left me feeling so disjointed and disappointed that the series, overall, only gets three stars. That’s saying something.

  How did I even find this series?

  I admit, I saw it on Stephanie Meyer’s site. This was when Twilight was low-key and not as over-the-top as it is now. It was a good suggestion, and I am glad that I have read this series, I’m just disappointed with the last two.

  Anybody figure out what series this is?

  It’s The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

   On that note, here is the rest of the review, book by book.

  The Hunger Games

5 Stars

  This novel I was over the top impressed with. Great characters, a good pace, amazing story idea that is very haunting. Everything about this novel was lovely. I really liked the idea of the dystopian world. It’s changed my way of thinking, quite literally.

  What I thought was so great was the set up. Everything was well paced, the timing impeccable, and she knew how to get the readers on the edge of their seats.

  And while I wished the book was longer, just for more reading time, I feel that the novel was the right size for what Collins wanted to give us. Everything was nicely in it’s place, and she knew what she was doing.

  What I didn’t like in this novel was the ending. I was surprised to see such a cliff-hanger, but I took it in stride and immediately looked up when the next novel was coming out.

  Other than that, this book is highly enjoyable and I would recommend it.

Katniss is a sixteen year old girl living in a world of danger and foul-play. But it’s not from the foreboding woods and the people she lives with ; it’s the Capitol, a pro-apocalypse controlling government that has taken over the ruins of North America and turned it into a running, controlled Panem, where all is restricted.

But to get respect for what they have so graciously done, and to put down any rebellions like District 13, who has been blown to bits, The Capitol holds games. The Hunger Games.

Twenty four kids, two from each district are sent into a world-simulated area to kill each other. The rules are simple; be the last to survive. And that is Katniss’ plan.

In a novel raw with emotion and power, The Hunger Games is sure to please, and make you think about true government corruption.

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: September 14th, 2008

Page Count: 384

ISBN: 0439023483    (isbn13: 978-0439023481)

Catching Fire

3 Stars

  This novel, I had to read and re-read about four times to finally even enjoy it.

  There is just something off about this novel, which I feel, is the beginning of the downfall of the series. It’s fast-paced, yes, but, too fast, where it feels like you don’t even have time to process what has just happened two pages ago. Things appear and disappear randomly. It feels disjointed and not properly planned out.

  The characters undergo some development, but I feel like there was not enough for this sequel.

  What I did like was the introduction of the threat of Snow. He was a major threat before, but in this her seems even more frightening. He’s not a nice guy, to be sure.

  What I also liked was that the Quarter Quell was involved. However, this one is a mixed case for me, because I feel like it was too set up, to ‘on-purpose’. It just annoyed me a little.

  Overall, disappointing for me, but alas, these things happen.

In the next book of the Hunger Games series, this novel goes through the ‘after-life’ of the two winners of the Hunger Games. However, winning is no longer just a luxurious home, food on the table, and money in your hand. The Capitol is not exactly pleased with how the last Games turned out, and they are determined to  let the two winners know.

In a fearful, fast paced sequel to the first novel, this is one novel that will answer some questions; and pose some more.

 

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: September 1, 2009

Page Count: 400

ISBN: 0439023491   (isbn13:978-0439023498)

Mockingjay

2 1/2 Stars

  In the highly anticipated final novel to end The Hunger Games series, this novel is fast paced with unexpected twists and turns that are compelling. It wraps up the series and answers many of the questions posed after finishing the last novel. Who will Katniss end up with? What happened to everybody? What will the Capitol do?

  And that is probably the nicest thing I can say about this novel. Perhaps I’m just bitter about being disappointed again with this series, but I was actually angry with the novel. I spent how long waiting for it, and then how long reading it? I give up my time and money to read an author’s work. If they don’t give, then I believe I have a reason to be a little upset.

  Endless killing. Hopeless suspense. An ending that suddenly stops the blurring of action. What???

  The characters that had been so meticulously developed ending up meaning little to nothing because they change so much in this novel.

  Which brings to the the idea that this is a pure war novel. And that Katniss’ life and her feeling mean next to nothing in this. They could have killed her off for all I care, I was so upset.

  So. Here is the novel that I am extremely disappointed in. Collins, I am very upset with you, and expected so, so, SO much more from you. The story had such potential, everything had amazing potential and something that could be so useful, but I felt you threw it away. And thus, I am both saddened and angry.

  Overall, a major disappointment.

In the final book of the series, this novel is fast paced and desperate. With enough power to answer the remaining questions, and enough creativity to give new life to the characters, the last novel is a rocky and emotional ride.

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: August 24, 2010

Page Count: 400

ISBN: 0439023513   (isbn13:978-0439023511)

So that is that. Hope that you had a better experience with these novels.

Mulling On Monday #13

2 Stars

I seem to have issues finding a newer novel by an author that I have not read before. The newest novel to fall short of my expectations is A Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C. Bunce. It was a novel that I had wanted to get my hands on for a while, but just did not have the time to do so. So I finally did, and I find myself disappointed.

What is going to be hard about this review is telling what I did and did not like without giving too much away.

It is supposed to be a re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin. While I was able to see why this would be, and how it would be, I had issues finding exactly where it was. If anything, then it could have been a novel that did not have to reflect a re-telling of any fairy tale, though, again, I can see where it comes into play.

I found the pacing to be off in this novel. In some parts, it was very, very skilled, and had excellent timing. In other parts, not so much. It could be choppy and hard to read.

And while I realize that the majority of it is supposed to have a fairy tale quality to it, I found parts to be unrealistic and not believable. This comes in many forms, whether the decisions made by the characters, to the strange occurrences and ideas. I mean, the author notes that this is supposed to take place just before/the very beginning of the industrial evolution, but it seemed to be more of a Lord of the Rings type era with the magic and curses and such. It was very frustrating for me.

I also did not like, of course, the ending. Abrupt, if not foreseen, not to mention that it left much to be desired. It was too open ended. It did have the closure needed to end a book; it is not like it just ended, but it still seemed abrupt for what I was expecting.

What I did like were the characters. The majority of the characters were deep, well rounded and for the most part kept you guessing. I say the majority because two stick out in my mind that I feel were not adequate. The first one is Jack Spinner. The second is the heroine herself.

Jack Spinner is a character that is, yes, very much essential to the novel, however, towards the end he became more shady and random. He was not the character that I wanted to see. He was choppy and very much random. I also did not like that he seemed to be a bit of a head case, which gets explained by the end, but it threw me a bit.

The heroine, Charlotte, by the end made me really angry. She is so inconsistent, one moment believing in the curse and all that it pertains, and the next denouncing it and calling it folly. Okay then. Her random decision at the fair also made me angry, because who does that? Unless she was drunk (and I checked; she was not, she was just out of character) it does not seem to make sense.

However, they do all end up rounding out nicely by the end.

What I also liked was the cover. The hands bound in gold thread is a very clever idea, kudos to whomever thought of that. The girl also just suits the book.

I also liked learning about the process of the mill…the little that was talked about. The descriptions were fabulous, and I highly enjoyed the strange superstitions that the ‘village people’ had.

Overall, a ‘meh’ book, that I do not think I will be adding to my personal collection anytime soon.

Charlotte Miller needs some serious help.

With a mill to run, a town to keep together and her father’s recent death, any surprised that could cripple the mill could spell disaster.

Too bad her father neglected to mention the enormous debt that he racked up for some unbeknownst cause leaving Charlotte Miller and her sister Rosie in a heap of trouble.

With the bank calling in the debt, they have a very limited time to save the town, their life, and the mill.

The fact that the mill is cursed is not too big of help either.

Any help is welcome. But could the help they get actually cause more heartache and pain? Or will they be able to save everything that they hold dear?

In Elizabeth C. Bunce’s debut novel, A Curse Dark as Gold is a retelling of a classic fairy-tale where so much went wrong, with too much to lose.

Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce

Published: March 1st 2008 by Arthur A. Levine Books

Page Count: 396

ISBN: 0439895766    (isbn13: 9780439895767)

Mulling on Monday #11

2 Stars

Late, I know, but here it is, another Monday.

And while I know that I banned myself from any Nicholas Sparks, this is from a while ago, and I just forgot to put it up. So there. Yet another reason as to why I should go on a Sparks boycott for the time being.

Alright, so I am back and have just finished yet another Nicolas Sparks novel, one that I was unsure if I wanted to read because of who it was half inspired by; yes that would be Miley Cyrus.
So this novel gave me mixed emotions. It was overall written well, as in the Nicholas Sparks brand, but it seemed to slug through certain parts, and yet in some chapters you were bewildered as to where the time went.

Then there was the story line itself.

I am not 100% sure of what story Sparks was trying to tell here. The different elements of the story could have been good plot lines themselves. However, they were all put together in a giant, emotional mixing bowl. It felt at times like you were reading three different stories, and you just happened to know the characters.

What was most disappointing for me was the fact that I was able to put down the novel after, and just read another book. It was a “yeah, okay, that books done.” moment, which is something no author should be looking for.

I also found it awfully predictable. I knew what was going to happen chapters in advance.
Overall, it was an okay novel, though I am glad that I only borrowed it and did not buy it as I had originally planned.

Ronnie’s life is a mess, and it just keeps getting worse.

A shop-lifter in New-York, with slipping grades and a blind hate towards her father, things cannot get any worse when she is condemned to spend the summer with him, in a small town. It’s her own personal hell, come to life.

Things don’t get better fast. That is, until she meets a guy. And from there, everything changes into a different angle.

From the award-winning author Nicholas Sparks, comes a novel that tell of the power of summer love.

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Published: September 8th 2009 by Grand Central Publishing

Page Count: 405

ISBN: 0446547565    (isbn13: 9780446547567)

Mulling On Monday #7

 2 Stars

  Alright, another Monday. Another book to mull over. Another day down untill summer and some time to sit at the beach and read.

  I have just finished a book that had a lot of hype behind is, and was recently made into a movie. The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. I was told it was a great book, and that it was simply a must read.

  I feel like my time wasted.

  First of, all the action took place in the first few chapters of the book. Then, the rest of the novel is about Susie looking down at her woe-ridden family and friends and their issues. That’s it. Oh, unless you count Susie’s dad having suspicions about the creepy neighbour who we know for a fact killed her. But, I suppose you could count that as an issue.

  It was so drawn out also! The idea was good, okay, but it’s dragged on and on and on, to the point where I almost put the book away so I would not have to read it any longer.

  What I did like…the idea, perhaps? Even if it was not all that original?

  The characters were mostly developed, I guess, but the story threw any good that they would have done out the window.

  I also had issues with the ending (no, hugely this time). It was undeveloped, and the sudden irrelevent twist that really was not a twist at all just deepened my dislike for this already drawn out novel. That and a little other thing that happened at the end (no spoiler here…if you read it, you will know what I mean.) between Ray and Susie/Ruth. Weird, creepy stuff.

  Overall? The novel is a train-wreck of a messy plot and undevelopment.

  Susie Salmon was murdered…in her own community…in an era when these things were not supposed to happen. But now, she is in her own version of Heaven, when all you have to do is wish for something to have it – but even that is limited. Forced to watch her family and friends go through grief and questions, Susie knows all. But all is not enough for the pain she knows her family is goiong through.

This novel follows Susie and her family and friends as they go through the life and lies that would not happened if Susie had not died.

 The Lovely Bones is a novel that will expose other ideas of heaven…and perhaps one’s own personal hell.

Author: Alice Sebold

Published: September 1st 2006 by Little Brown and Co. (first published 2002)

Page Count: 328

ISBN: 0316166685    (isbn13: 9780316166683)

Mulling On Monday #6

2 Stars

  Alright. It’s been awhile since I have last written, but that was due to circumstances out of my controll, so, here I am now. Miss me?

  Just kidding.

  Alright, so for my sixth Monday Mulling Moment, I have chosen the book The Last Song. Yes, I know. Yet another Nicholas Sparks book? Yes. Another one. But this one I did not really enjoy.

  Why? Sparks seemed to have issues with choosing a topic and sticking to it. The story veered off in a dozen different directions that could have supplied three other books. Also, the summer in the novel seemed to fly by, by any standards, and by the end of the book, you were suprised that it could even spend that long. I also hated the fact that random things happened that had nothing to do with the story, and suddenly, they became full blown topics.

  What I did like. There was little that I did like, other than it was a quick read. And the fact that it was typical Sparks romance, with a tear-jerker moment thown in.

  Overall, quite frankly, the novel just made me roll my eyes untill I was unsure if I could roll them anymore. I had to slog through the summer flames and turtles and creepy dudes that threaten you, along with a chick who is so out of control and frames you. But whatever. Now I don’t have to see the movie.

  Ronnie is out of controll. A shoplifter with divorced parents living in New York, the ultimate hell would have to be being sent to see her father…who she has not talked to in years. He, after all, walked out on the family. But when her mother gives her the ultimate punishment, she is forced to see her father with her little brother in a dead-beat down where little happens.

That all changes when she  gets run into at a volleyball game. From there, the summer goes down as one of the most troubled and romantic of her life.

Yet another novel from the Award-Winning Nicholas Sparks, this is a light romance with every hint of truth.

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Published:

September 8th 2009 by Grand Central Publishing

Page Count: 390

ISBN: 0446547565    (isbn13: 9780446547567)