Remember how I promised that I'd update you on what I read in September? Well, here it is! I read a large amount of books this month. I can't figure out how or why since I've been (1) babysitting a lot and (2) starting school.
This month, as a result of the large amount of books that I need to read, I decided to categorize my reads. I attempted to read a classic, a book that is a part of a series, a book that I've already read before, a nonfiction book, and just a general fiction book. I'm unsure of whether or not this actually worked. Some of the categories I fulfilled and others I didn't. Without further ado...
**Most of these books can be purchased on Thriftbooks.com. If you purchase any of these books through my affiliate link, which can be found here or by clicking on the title of a specific book, I will receive a small commission for every book that you purchase. I have used Thriftbooks.com to purchase a number of books and have had no problems, their prices are hard to beat and their customer service is wonderful.**
The first book I read fit into my 'book from a series' category. This is the first book from Westerfeld's trilogy. The plot is super hard to explain, so if you're interested check out Goodreads! I'll do my best to explain, though. This book is set in an alternate pre-World War 1 scenario. It's very steam-punkish (I use this term but I'm still not 100% sure what it means!) One of the main characters is a prince who has to fight for his throne and the other character is a young girl who has dressed up as a young boy in order to follow her passion. Like I said, it's kind of hard to explain. I enjoyed the book; however I don't think that I will continue with the series. 
This book was haunting. Not in a creepy way, but in a too realistic way. The Handmaid's Tale probably would only count towards my general fiction category; I've seen it referenced as a classic, but it was written in 1985. The book follows a woman who has found herself in a society that has shifted from what we would expect to find in the 1980's to one that is almost colonial in its nature. Woman have no rights and they're only valued for their children-bearing. Each woman has their own place in society; there are Marthas (the housekeepers), Handmaid's (child-bearers), Wives, etc. One could put this book in the 'dystopian' genre. The reason that I found this book more haunting than any other dystopian that I've read is because the main character remembers when the world and society was normal or as it should be.
This was my reread for the month; I read this book around November of 2013, I believe. So it hasn't even been a full year. There isn't much explanation needed to give an overview of the book. It follows a young shepherd who is searching for treasure. He has to give up everything he has worked for, go against what the people around him think is best, and fight against his own wants and desires in order to find what he's been searching for. It's super adventurous and inspiring! I wanted to reread this book because I feel like there are so many intricacies and hidden lessons in Coelho's writing. There are some things in the book that I disagree with and some things that I agree with. However, I love being able to see different ways of viewing the world. Coelho writes this book like a parable. There's a life lesson in almost every single word he writes. The book was just as great as the last time I read it; I would recommend picking it up, if you haven't already.
This book was bizarre for me and that has nothing to do with the author's writing or the plot line itself. Before reading the book, I've watched, and loved, the movie numerous times. The movie follows the book almost to a tee. So, it's not that I didn't like the book, it's just that the book wasn't super exciting. If you've never watched the movie or read the book, it's about a boy, Stanley Yelnats, who was wrongly accused of a crime and sent to Camp Green Lake, a camp for troubled boys. At this camp, they must dig one hole a day in order to 'build character'. However, as one may expect, there's more going. The book is compelling, funny, and adventurous. I think that Sachar does a good job of portraying each of the characters and connecting the reader to the characters.
Oh, The Scarlet Letter. I want to love this book so much. I think that the plot line is intriguing and complicated. I love the intricacies of how the events interact and change the society. But I just can't do it. I've tried twice to read this book all the way through, both times I quit and burnt out with 60 or so pages left. I can typically trudge through dated writing and most times I find it poetic and I love the picture that this type of writing creates. Not this book. I don't know if it's the long, drawn out sentences or the random tangents that Hawthorne goes on about the type of grass that a minor character was walking through when going past the main character who was doing some inconsequential activity. I just can't even. I think that I've finally given up on this book for good.
This book was interesting. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this, yet. Firstly, I finished this book on October 1st. But it still counts for September!! I don't think that I have too much to write about The Ocean at the End of the Lane because I'm still trying to process it. It was odd. Not what I was expecting. I don't know that I found it 'compelling' or 'brilliant' as many of the reviews on Goodreads said. However, it did keep me coming back for more. I found it kind of 'random' if that makes any sense. I felt confused through most of the book. It's not that Gaiman didn't explain things well, he crafted a good story that was beautifully written. I think it's more that I wasn't expecting what I read. I'm sorry for this lame review, I felt weirdly about this book. The End.
Overall, I read a lot of books in September; although, I didn't read any great new books. Have you read any of these books? Do you agree with my thoughts, do you disagree? Let me know!!
I totally agree about The Scarlet Letter. The story line and characters are really good, but Hawthorne is just so wordy!! Its tough to wade through all of his ridiculously drawn out descriptions to get to the meat of the story, but it is worth it. It's kind of like Moby Dick in that sense.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I really wanted to read it because I loved the story line; however, after two attempts, I felt that I just needed to let it go and read something that I'll enjoy more.
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