All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - 530 Pages
15) A Pulitzer-Prize winning book
I've now had quite a while to mull over my thoughts for this book and my love has not lessened.
When I was nearing the climax I was literally unable to turn the pages fast enough. I'm pretty sure it's a miracle I didn't completely tear out some of the pages I was trying to flip faster. The Pulitzer-Prize was very well deserved and this is one of the best books I've ever read.
The book tells the story about two young people who grow up during the second World War. One is a Marie-Laure, a blind french girl with a loving father who makes a miniature of their neighborhood so that she can navigate Paris. The other is Werner, a german orphan who is incredibly bright but because of his social status will seemingly die in the mines like his father. Anthony Doerr intertwines their stories perfectly and shows us just what it may have been like to grow up in such a time. All The Light We Cannot See is not completely a reference to Marie-Laure being blind, it's also about the literal light our brain cannot see. But it's also about all the stories and lives we cannot possibly know. It's about how others touch our lives is such significant ways but we will never know. It's about all the goodness that seems a miracle but has some meaning we cannot understand.
My love for WWII Historical Fiction was enough to make me want to read this book and the writing style was more than enough to hook me for the whole 530 pages. The chapters are short so it felt like I flew through this book in four days.
I don't know guys, sometimes a book is just so beautiful that I'm left speachless. That's why I put off writing this review, in hopes that some coherent thoughts and meditations would manifest themselves. All The Light We Cannot See is that book.
At risk of sounding juvenile I want to point out something. There are a lot of young adult books now a days that center on a group of people being oppressed because they are slightly different. I've read a lot this year already. I think we have a tendency to say, "That could never happen in our world. We would never make slaves out of people with red blood if we had silver or gold (Red Queen and Golden Son) THIS IS NOT A FANTASY. This happened, this STILL happens.
"Entropy is the degree of randomness or disorder in a system, Doctor."
His eyes fix on Werner's for a heartbeat, a glance both warm and chilling. "Disorder. You hear the commandant say it. You hear your bunk masters say it. There must be order. Life is chaos, gentleman. And what we represent is an ordering to that chaos. Even down to the genes. We are ordering the evolution of the species. Winnowing out the inferior, the unruly, the chaff. This is the great project of the Reich, the greatest project human beings have ever embarked on."
Hauptmann writes on the blackboard. The cadets inscribe the words into their composition books. The entropy of a closed system never decreases.
(Page 240)
The Book Thief has been my favorite book for years and years now, but I think All The Light We Cannot See may be my new favorite book. Well done Mr. Doerr, well done.
"Do you think, Madame, that in heaven we will really get to see God face-to-face?"
"We might."
"What if you're blind?"
"I'd expect that if God wants us to see something, we'll see it."
(Page 292)
Read on,
Jamie
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Red Queen & The Fault in our Stars
Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard - 383 pages
19) A book you choose based entirely on it's cover
I mean, come on, just look at it.
I choose this book with one look at the cover. Between the picture and the tag line they had me hook line and sinker. I won't lie though, I thought it was going to be historical fiction. Like, one of the powerful and scary queens of history. Buuuuut it was fantasy. That's okay though, just not at all what I was expecting. I didn't even read the flap or any kind of synopsis until I was almost finished, which was good because it pretty much gives half the book away.
This is going to be hard for me personally to review this book without giving out spoilers. So, I'll settle for some comparisons.
But first, I've found a very profound similarity in some of the books I've read this year. It basically comes down to slavery and oppression. One group is thought to be superior because they have magic or different colored blood and the other (which is usually just like us now-a-days) are their slaves. The Winner's Curse, Red Rising, and Mistborn are all like this. (AND a historical fiction book I just finished but is getting it's own post because it was that good)
When it comes down to it, Red Queen is like a Young Adult version of Red Rising/Golden Son with the powers of the X-men. The upper class is basically made out of mutants with silver blood instead of red. Besides that, they look the exact same.
I struggle with how much to give away since I knew NOTHING. But I do have to get something off my chest. The "plot twist" in this book was more obvious than Voldemort's missing nose. I mean, come on, that was supposed to shock me? (Tilt your screen to see the spoiler (((We've all seen Thor. We've all seen this play out before. You could've replaced "Cal" and "Maven" with "Thor" and "Loki" and you'd have a slight retelling of the comics. No duh the younger always overlooked brother with the evil mother betrayed you. And yet, since I love Loki, I tried to like Maven...didn't quite work out.)))) End spoiler.
This book has gotten a lot of flack for being too much like Red Rising. You know, I don't think they're THAT much alike. I get it. The blood color, the oppression of Reds, the infiltration of the upper class by an impostor, heck, even Darrow and Barrow sound the same. But ya know what? I was able to look past that and see them as different things.
My real problem was looking past some of the improbable escapes and whiney characters. There were a couple times I had to roll my eyes or shrug off things that just didn't make sense.
I think this book was a good start. The middle tended to drag, but the end picked up nicely and was a nice set up for another the sequel (my favorites). If nothing else, I hope the cover is as attractive as this one.
The Fault in our Stars - John Green - 313 pages
36) A book everybody has read but me
Okay, I'm kind of scared to review tFioS. As is mentioned above, just about everyone I know who reads has read this book and loves it fiercely. It shocked my friends when I finally told them I haven't read it (or seen the movie). This story is protected by fanatics of all sorts so I'm scared to share my opinion. Honestly though, it just felt like being stabbed. It was so painful. My uncle died from brain cancer a couple of years ago and his loss is still very real. So it didn't help when it felt like certain lines were written to force you to cry. I mean, it's enough to say "The new CD of so-and-so's favorite band was leaked early", you don't have to continue with "So-and-so will never get to hear this now because they're dead", we're smart enough to put that together...When this book was witty and clever, it was amazing. I finally connected to the characters a couple of chapters before the end. At it's heart, this book is a love story. It's about two characters who fall in love even though they know it won't last. The title is a reference to Romeo and Juliet. Green contends that Shakespeare was wrong when he wrote that the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves. According to the characters of this book the fault is indeed, in our stars. Sorry, but I've got to stand with the bard on this one.
I've read John Green a couple of times before, but every time I get a slight feeling that I just don't get it. His writing is clever and I love that and his blog is very entertaining, but his stories leave me wanting. In the end, I thought it was a good book, better than Paper Towns, but I still don't understand the need to wear the quotes on your clothes.
Don't kill me.
Read on,
Jamie
19) A book you choose based entirely on it's cover
I mean, come on, just look at it.
I choose this book with one look at the cover. Between the picture and the tag line they had me hook line and sinker. I won't lie though, I thought it was going to be historical fiction. Like, one of the powerful and scary queens of history. Buuuuut it was fantasy. That's okay though, just not at all what I was expecting. I didn't even read the flap or any kind of synopsis until I was almost finished, which was good because it pretty much gives half the book away.
This is going to be hard for me personally to review this book without giving out spoilers. So, I'll settle for some comparisons.
But first, I've found a very profound similarity in some of the books I've read this year. It basically comes down to slavery and oppression. One group is thought to be superior because they have magic or different colored blood and the other (which is usually just like us now-a-days) are their slaves. The Winner's Curse, Red Rising, and Mistborn are all like this. (AND a historical fiction book I just finished but is getting it's own post because it was that good)
When it comes down to it, Red Queen is like a Young Adult version of Red Rising/Golden Son with the powers of the X-men. The upper class is basically made out of mutants with silver blood instead of red. Besides that, they look the exact same.
I struggle with how much to give away since I knew NOTHING. But I do have to get something off my chest. The "plot twist" in this book was more obvious than Voldemort's missing nose. I mean, come on, that was supposed to shock me? (Tilt your screen to see the spoiler (((We've all seen Thor. We've all seen this play out before. You could've replaced "Cal" and "Maven" with "Thor" and "Loki" and you'd have a slight retelling of the comics. No duh the younger always overlooked brother with the evil mother betrayed you. And yet, since I love Loki, I tried to like Maven...didn't quite work out.)))) End spoiler.
This book has gotten a lot of flack for being too much like Red Rising. You know, I don't think they're THAT much alike. I get it. The blood color, the oppression of Reds, the infiltration of the upper class by an impostor, heck, even Darrow and Barrow sound the same. But ya know what? I was able to look past that and see them as different things.
My real problem was looking past some of the improbable escapes and whiney characters. There were a couple times I had to roll my eyes or shrug off things that just didn't make sense.
I think this book was a good start. The middle tended to drag, but the end picked up nicely and was a nice set up for another the sequel (my favorites). If nothing else, I hope the cover is as attractive as this one.
The Fault in our Stars - John Green - 313 pages
36) A book everybody has read but me
Okay, I'm kind of scared to review tFioS. As is mentioned above, just about everyone I know who reads has read this book and loves it fiercely. It shocked my friends when I finally told them I haven't read it (or seen the movie). This story is protected by fanatics of all sorts so I'm scared to share my opinion. Honestly though, it just felt like being stabbed. It was so painful. My uncle died from brain cancer a couple of years ago and his loss is still very real. So it didn't help when it felt like certain lines were written to force you to cry. I mean, it's enough to say "The new CD of so-and-so's favorite band was leaked early", you don't have to continue with "So-and-so will never get to hear this now because they're dead", we're smart enough to put that together...When this book was witty and clever, it was amazing. I finally connected to the characters a couple of chapters before the end. At it's heart, this book is a love story. It's about two characters who fall in love even though they know it won't last. The title is a reference to Romeo and Juliet. Green contends that Shakespeare was wrong when he wrote that the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves. According to the characters of this book the fault is indeed, in our stars. Sorry, but I've got to stand with the bard on this one.
I've read John Green a couple of times before, but every time I get a slight feeling that I just don't get it. His writing is clever and I love that and his blog is very entertaining, but his stories leave me wanting. In the end, I thought it was a good book, better than Paper Towns, but I still don't understand the need to wear the quotes on your clothes.
Don't kill me.
Read on,
Jamie
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Half the World & Mistborn
Half the World - Joe Abercrombie - 363 pgs
23) A Trilogy (Second Book)
Dang this series is good. It really hasn't relied on magic or any kind of fantasy yet though, so I'm left wondering what kind of role it will play in the third book which doesn't come out till July.
Remember that thing I said about sequels? Yeah, they are almost always my favorites (in books, not movies). This was no exception. I was already in the action from the first page, I got super excited when characters I already knew returned, and it gives the story and world building so much more depth.
I always feel weird writing about sequels and such because I'm scared to give anything away. I guess I can just liken it to things instead of giving a real synopsis (more on this later). This trilogy is turning out to be like a PG-13 version of Game of Thrones with less characters (that's not a completely bad thing).
Yup, well... I'm excited for the last book needless to say.
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson - 659 pgs
14) A book your friend recommends
Sazed shook his head, walking over to stand beside her. "Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief - what is faith - if you don't continue in it after failure?"
Vin frowned.
"Anyone can believe in someone, or something, that always succeeds, Mistress. But failure...ah, now, that is hard to believe in, certainly and truly."
You know, I think Goodreads is heaven sent. I mean, seriously. It's like Facebook for books, authors, and bookworms. I've been able to connect with others who like the same books I do and can even recommend books to me that I may have turned my nose up at otherwise.
Take Mistborn for example.
If I had read the synopsis I may have been a bit interested, but once I got to the part about Allomancy (using metals as a source of power) I probably would've put the book down. I like fantasy, but not if it interferes with the human element of the story and I was a bit afraid this book would fall into that trap. But with a friend to put the book (metaphorically) in my hands, I decided it was worth a try.
All of my preconceived notions were wrong. That's what I'm finding out this time around, books that I wouldn't normally read are becoming my favorites.
One of my favorite things to do is try to compare books to other stories I know, kind of like a giant mashup. This book had me recalling Oceans Eleven, Lord of the Rings, Oliver Twist, and a Jane Austen novel. Don't know how that's possible? Well neither do I, but it's magic.
I fell in love with these characters (you have plenty of time to do so in the 659 pages) and I didn't want to let them go when the book ended. There are more of course, but this book had it's own perfect arc which was so nice in a world where I keep receiving 300 page trilogies. It makes me miss the days of new Harry Potter books coming out.
Ya know, I don't even think I ever got a chance to get bored with this book. The writing style captivated me from the start.
The friend who recommended this to me actually had read the trilogy that comes much later in time but in the same world as the trilogy I read. He liked it a lot though and suggested I start at the beginning. I'm so very glad I did.
As a side note, I picked out a book today based completely on it's cover (number 19 on the list) and I'm pretty excited to start it. You'll have to stay tuned to see what I chose!
Read on,
Jamie
23) A Trilogy (Second Book)
Dang this series is good. It really hasn't relied on magic or any kind of fantasy yet though, so I'm left wondering what kind of role it will play in the third book which doesn't come out till July.
Remember that thing I said about sequels? Yeah, they are almost always my favorites (in books, not movies). This was no exception. I was already in the action from the first page, I got super excited when characters I already knew returned, and it gives the story and world building so much more depth.
I always feel weird writing about sequels and such because I'm scared to give anything away. I guess I can just liken it to things instead of giving a real synopsis (more on this later). This trilogy is turning out to be like a PG-13 version of Game of Thrones with less characters (that's not a completely bad thing).
Yup, well... I'm excited for the last book needless to say.
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson - 659 pgs
14) A book your friend recommends
Sazed shook his head, walking over to stand beside her. "Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief - what is faith - if you don't continue in it after failure?"
Vin frowned.
"Anyone can believe in someone, or something, that always succeeds, Mistress. But failure...ah, now, that is hard to believe in, certainly and truly."
You know, I think Goodreads is heaven sent. I mean, seriously. It's like Facebook for books, authors, and bookworms. I've been able to connect with others who like the same books I do and can even recommend books to me that I may have turned my nose up at otherwise.
Take Mistborn for example.
If I had read the synopsis I may have been a bit interested, but once I got to the part about Allomancy (using metals as a source of power) I probably would've put the book down. I like fantasy, but not if it interferes with the human element of the story and I was a bit afraid this book would fall into that trap. But with a friend to put the book (metaphorically) in my hands, I decided it was worth a try.
All of my preconceived notions were wrong. That's what I'm finding out this time around, books that I wouldn't normally read are becoming my favorites.
One of my favorite things to do is try to compare books to other stories I know, kind of like a giant mashup. This book had me recalling Oceans Eleven, Lord of the Rings, Oliver Twist, and a Jane Austen novel. Don't know how that's possible? Well neither do I, but it's magic.
I fell in love with these characters (you have plenty of time to do so in the 659 pages) and I didn't want to let them go when the book ended. There are more of course, but this book had it's own perfect arc which was so nice in a world where I keep receiving 300 page trilogies. It makes me miss the days of new Harry Potter books coming out.
Ya know, I don't even think I ever got a chance to get bored with this book. The writing style captivated me from the start.
The friend who recommended this to me actually had read the trilogy that comes much later in time but in the same world as the trilogy I read. He liked it a lot though and suggested I start at the beginning. I'm so very glad I did.
As a side note, I picked out a book today based completely on it's cover (number 19 on the list) and I'm pretty excited to start it. You'll have to stay tuned to see what I chose!
Read on,
Jamie
Thursday, April 9, 2015
The Winner's Curse & Code Name Verity
The Winner's Curse - Marie Rutkoski - 355 Pgs
39) A book with bad reviews
I chose The Winner's Curse not because it has poor rating on Goodreads (it actually has an impressive 4.07 average). I chose this book for my bad review book because of a specific bad review I read. It included one of my favorite gifs of one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite shows of all time. Basically, the reader was expressing that she didn't get the positive reviews and all the fans AT ALL. And you know what? Every reason she listed was legitimate, I even agreed with them without reading the book. If I had found this book on the shelf at the library, I would have picked it up (because the cover is very interesting), read the synopsis, and promptly put it back. I NEVER would have read this book if not for this specific challenge. Let me tell you why.
At it's heart, this book is a romance not an adventure. Don't get me wrong, there are battles of wit and knifes, there are deaths, but all of it kind of hinges on the love of the characters. Or should I say, character, singular. I don't usually go for romances unless it's Austen and I avoid angst-y teenaged romances like the plague. I certainly avoid romances that involve a slave and a master, it's too sketchy territory for me, there are too many things (like Stalkholm syndrome) that can happen.
The book is the beginning of a series about Kestrel (daughter of a powerful wealthy general) and Arin (whose people were enslaved by Kestrels) and I suppose how they are going to move heaven and earth to be together. That's the synopsis I would snort at and get away from. The redeeming factor of this story and why I really enjoyed it (4/5 stars) is because Arin's people are finally rising up from enslavement from these petty people. I won't even pretend I was sad when they revolted and killed people, I was cheering them on. I'll continue reading this series because I care what happens to them.
Another thing I appreciated in this story is that the girl isn't the rough and tumble, best fighter around. She practices, but she isn't physically talented. She is, however, the smartest cookie around (weeeelllll... kinda). It was nice to see a dynamic change where the girl didn't have to be able to kill 30 men on her own with a sword but she could outsmart them. GIRLS ARE SMART. And that brings me to my next book...
Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein - 332 pgs
11) A book set in a different country
"It's like being in love, discovering your best friend"
This book took me on a roller coaster. I have to say, I almost didn't finish this book. A good portion of the first half is all about airplanes. Yeah, I discovered I don't really love airplanes. I DO love historical fiction set during the world wars though, so I stuck with it by clenching my jaw and skim reading the plane bits. Once it got good though, I couldn't put it down. It just took a LONG time for it to get good. I wanted so badly to give it 3 or 4 stars because the beginning was SO boring to me, but by the end, I just couldn't do it. I gave it 5 stars. Once we stopped talking about airplanes and actually started talking about people, I was entranced.
The story is about two friends who meet while supporting the Allied cause. The story takes place in the United Kingdom and France. It's told in a very interesting fashion though because Verity is captured and giving up information to the Gestapo, but she tells the story through the eyes of her friend Maddie and then it will switch to her talking about her capturers and her current life as a prisoner after being tortured.
I can't say why, but I didn't cry during this book. I was shocked, angry, even "over it", but I never cried. It is a sad book, at times it's completely heart-wrenching, but no tears were shed. I think this may be because I was too surprised and angry to cry (or maybe I'm heartless...no, it's not that because I cried too many times when I read A Thousand Splendid Suns).
I don't even get why I love this book, because all signs point to me not really enjoying it. That poetry though. I included a quote from the book that I felt fit best when I think back. I marked others to share, but once I reached the end, none of them seemed to tie it all together so well as the one I put up top.
If you choose to start this book I plead with you to finish it. I'm so happy I finished the story and hope people don't give up like I almost did because it truly is a beautiful story of friendship.
Okay then. Two more down, thirty-six to go!
Read on,
Jamie
39) A book with bad reviews
I chose The Winner's Curse not because it has poor rating on Goodreads (it actually has an impressive 4.07 average). I chose this book for my bad review book because of a specific bad review I read. It included one of my favorite gifs of one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite shows of all time. Basically, the reader was expressing that she didn't get the positive reviews and all the fans AT ALL. And you know what? Every reason she listed was legitimate, I even agreed with them without reading the book. If I had found this book on the shelf at the library, I would have picked it up (because the cover is very interesting), read the synopsis, and promptly put it back. I NEVER would have read this book if not for this specific challenge. Let me tell you why.
At it's heart, this book is a romance not an adventure. Don't get me wrong, there are battles of wit and knifes, there are deaths, but all of it kind of hinges on the love of the characters. Or should I say, character, singular. I don't usually go for romances unless it's Austen and I avoid angst-y teenaged romances like the plague. I certainly avoid romances that involve a slave and a master, it's too sketchy territory for me, there are too many things (like Stalkholm syndrome) that can happen.
The book is the beginning of a series about Kestrel (daughter of a powerful wealthy general) and Arin (whose people were enslaved by Kestrels) and I suppose how they are going to move heaven and earth to be together. That's the synopsis I would snort at and get away from. The redeeming factor of this story and why I really enjoyed it (4/5 stars) is because Arin's people are finally rising up from enslavement from these petty people. I won't even pretend I was sad when they revolted and killed people, I was cheering them on. I'll continue reading this series because I care what happens to them.
Another thing I appreciated in this story is that the girl isn't the rough and tumble, best fighter around. She practices, but she isn't physically talented. She is, however, the smartest cookie around (weeeelllll... kinda). It was nice to see a dynamic change where the girl didn't have to be able to kill 30 men on her own with a sword but she could outsmart them. GIRLS ARE SMART. And that brings me to my next book...
Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein - 332 pgs
11) A book set in a different country
"It's like being in love, discovering your best friend"
This book took me on a roller coaster. I have to say, I almost didn't finish this book. A good portion of the first half is all about airplanes. Yeah, I discovered I don't really love airplanes. I DO love historical fiction set during the world wars though, so I stuck with it by clenching my jaw and skim reading the plane bits. Once it got good though, I couldn't put it down. It just took a LONG time for it to get good. I wanted so badly to give it 3 or 4 stars because the beginning was SO boring to me, but by the end, I just couldn't do it. I gave it 5 stars. Once we stopped talking about airplanes and actually started talking about people, I was entranced.
The story is about two friends who meet while supporting the Allied cause. The story takes place in the United Kingdom and France. It's told in a very interesting fashion though because Verity is captured and giving up information to the Gestapo, but she tells the story through the eyes of her friend Maddie and then it will switch to her talking about her capturers and her current life as a prisoner after being tortured.
I can't say why, but I didn't cry during this book. I was shocked, angry, even "over it", but I never cried. It is a sad book, at times it's completely heart-wrenching, but no tears were shed. I think this may be because I was too surprised and angry to cry (or maybe I'm heartless...no, it's not that because I cried too many times when I read A Thousand Splendid Suns).
I don't even get why I love this book, because all signs point to me not really enjoying it. That poetry though. I included a quote from the book that I felt fit best when I think back. I marked others to share, but once I reached the end, none of them seemed to tie it all together so well as the one I put up top.
If you choose to start this book I plead with you to finish it. I'm so happy I finished the story and hope people don't give up like I almost did because it truly is a beautiful story of friendship.
Okay then. Two more down, thirty-six to go!
Read on,
Jamie
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
12/50
Here they are! The first 12 reads of the year and what items they complete on my list. (In no real particular order.)
Allegiant - Veronica Roth - 526 pgs
10) A book with a one word title
A few of these books will seem very oddly placed for what item they complete, most of the time this is because I already knew I wanted to read this book and just placed it in a requirement it just happened to fit. Allegiant could fit a large number of the requirements (written by a female, made me cry, started but never finished, etc.) but I'm just going to file it under one word title. I don't know how I feel about this book being the end to the Divergent series; there seems to be so much left unresolved. Not to mention I feel like some choices were made to deliberately hurt me, not because they were necessary. The beginning seemed slow compared to the other two books, which is probably why I didn't finish it the first time I checked it out from the library. I won't lie, I didn't fully understand the premise either. It wasn't horrible though, just not what I expected/wanted. But hey, it wasn't worse than the end to the Series of Unfortunate Events books...
Four: A Divergent Collection - Veronica Roth - 285 pgs
5) A book with a number in the title
Does this count? Is it a number, or is it a name? Does it matter? I don't know, but this is my blog so I'm saying it counts.
Remember years back when Stephanie Meyer was going to publish Twilight from Edward's point of view? (Then people stole it and put it on the internet so she changed her mind) This is similar but completely different. Veronica Roth took Tobias/Four's backstory and wrote short stories as well as putting in some scenes in Divergent from Four's point of view. That was a confusing sentence, sorry. Basically, Veronica was writing the Divergent series from Four's POV, but as she wrote she discovered that Tris would be the better narrator. That made it so she had enough material to publish this little book. It's a quick read and really interesting. If you're a Divergent fan, don't miss out on this little treasure.
The Assassin's Blade - Sarah J. Maas - 435 pgs
6) A book written by an author under 30
Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas - 404 pgs
25) A book with a love triangle
Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas - 420 pgs
45) A book told from multiple points of view
Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas - 562 pgs
29) A book with magic in it
My goodness. I put the four Sarah J. Maas books in a row next since they're all one story. As much as I wish I could share all my feelings for this series with you, there wouldn't be enough time and you wouldn't have enough patience. I will say this. Many people need educating in the geometry department. A triangle has THREE SIDES. Everyone knows this, yes? So WHY do we call almost every relationship part of a love triangle??? A REAL love triangle should include three people who have some kind of relationship/feelings with the other two people, NOT one person loved by two people or one person who loves two people. Does that make sense? I feel like I should draw a picture. This series is an example of a real love triangle (The infernal devices is the best example though). Two boys who love each other and are like brothers who love the same girl and one girl who loves both the boys. That is what a triangle looks like. Rant done.
If you love high fantasy, you'll love these books. Celaena is one of the best written female characters around. She can hang with Katniss any day of the week. I will say that Throne of Glass is not perfect nor my favorite, but Crown of Midnight is. The Assassin's Blade is a prequel written after the first two books, but can be read first. I will say that I was a little crushed when I found out this isn't a trilogy and I have to wait quite a long time to get the whole story, but that means more adventures with Celaena, so... I'm good.
Red Rising - Pierce Brown - 382 pgs
27) A book with a color in the title
Just when I thought I'd found my new favorite series in Throne of Glass, something very unexpected happens. This is one of the first books I picked up because it fit the description of one of the books on my list. I saw it all over my library website and Goodreads (probably because the second book was about to come out) and thought, "I like Hunger Games and Game of Thrones" (the books it's being compared to) "I'll give it a try". Now, I don't hate them, but I don't particularly enjoy sci-fi books. I don't know why but too much talk of space and futuristic things I don't understand just turn me off to the story so picking this up was a leap of faith. I'm very glad I made that leap. And you know what? It IS a mix of Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. Just let that sink in. Now, this book is REALLY GOOD (the set up takes a while), but the sequel was AMAZING.
Golden Son - Pierce Brown - 442 pgs
26) A book set in the future
Why did I have to discover this book over a year before the last one comes out? This cliffhanger is the most brutal cliffhanger I've had to endure. I NEED to know what's going to happen. YOU HEAR ME PIERCE? I NEED TO KNOW NOW. My first thought after finishing this book was, "I've run right into Pierce Brown's torture chamber and I can't leave." UGH. This book broke me. Obviously I have a hard time making real sentences about it. READ THESE BOOKS. If for no other reason than I'll finally have someone to vent with.
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini - 370 pgs
28) A book that made you cry
Or as I like to call it A Thousand Splendid Sobs. If you were to look up Khaled Hosseini's books on Amazon, you'd probably find crates of tissues in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section. Those of you who read Kite Runner know what I'm talking about. I was still breaking out in tears a week after I finished this book. But not just because sad things happen, because I learned so much from this book. I know some people feel that reading one of Hosseini's books is reading all of them, but that's not how I see it. While Kite Runner was about childhood creativity and friendship, TSS is about women. Females everywhere take note, A Thousand Splendid Suns is an education definitely worth sobbing for.
The Kiss of Deception - Mary E. Pearson - 486 pgs
8) A book written by a female author
This book isn't terrible. This book isn't profound. In fact, it felt quite strange to read it after TSS, like it was superficial and shallow. Perhaps it really is. Honestly, I found this on Goodreads and just went for it. Apparently I missed the fact that you're not supposed to know who is the Prince and who is the Assassin until the official reveal a little past the halfway point. That went right over my head. Somewhere along the line I just made an assumption. And I was wrong. I had to look back through the book to get the plot twist through my head. That was exciting. The sequel will be at the bottom of my reading list when it comes out later this year. I hate becoming THAT guy, but I feel like I'm too old for this sort of writing.
We Were Liars - E. Lockhart - 225 pgs
20) A book you can read in one day
Kiss of Deception is going to look so dumb sandwiched between TSS and We Were Liars. I ranted to my mom about this book. I told her the whole story just so someone could sympathize with me. When that wasn't enough, I told my dad, and my sister, and my brother. I'm tempted to tell you. You'll find little information of what exactly We Were Liars is about. It's better to just read it and freak out about it later I suppose. The only thing I'm going to comment on is the description of emotional and physical pain being very poetic in this book. The main character suffers migraines, a pain I know all too well and have struggled with my whole life. The descriptions may seem like too much and overly poetic, but I can tell you first hand, that is EXACTLY what it feels like. It's a quick and enjoyable read.
Half a King - Joe Abercrombie - 333 pgs
22) A trilogy (This is the first book)
Lucky me, the last two books of this series both come out this year. If only Pierce Brown could do that...
I have a rule in which I require myself to read 100 pages before I give up on a book. Not going to lie, this book took 130. It's not that the beginning wasn't interesting and action-packed, but, I didn't really CARE. I already knew that stuff was going to happen, you told me on the cover and inside flap! But dude. Once this book got rolling, it REALLY got moving. The characters finally got interesting and I finally cared. I'm excited to read the next two.
I touched on this earlier when talking about the Throne of Glass series, but trilogies are funny things to me. I get to spend more time with the characters, but I have to wait years for the whole story.
Usually, the second book is my favorite. You are familiar with the characters and (hopefully) care about them, more questions are being answered but you don't feel the impending end lurking over you, and the author can just jump right into the action without too much set up. Win, win, win.
It'll be interesting to see how this trilogy plays out.
Well, hopefully I'll have a book tomorrow!
Read on,
Jamie
Allegiant - Veronica Roth - 526 pgs
10) A book with a one word title
A few of these books will seem very oddly placed for what item they complete, most of the time this is because I already knew I wanted to read this book and just placed it in a requirement it just happened to fit. Allegiant could fit a large number of the requirements (written by a female, made me cry, started but never finished, etc.) but I'm just going to file it under one word title. I don't know how I feel about this book being the end to the Divergent series; there seems to be so much left unresolved. Not to mention I feel like some choices were made to deliberately hurt me, not because they were necessary. The beginning seemed slow compared to the other two books, which is probably why I didn't finish it the first time I checked it out from the library. I won't lie, I didn't fully understand the premise either. It wasn't horrible though, just not what I expected/wanted. But hey, it wasn't worse than the end to the Series of Unfortunate Events books...
Four: A Divergent Collection - Veronica Roth - 285 pgs
5) A book with a number in the title
Does this count? Is it a number, or is it a name? Does it matter? I don't know, but this is my blog so I'm saying it counts.
Remember years back when Stephanie Meyer was going to publish Twilight from Edward's point of view? (Then people stole it and put it on the internet so she changed her mind) This is similar but completely different. Veronica Roth took Tobias/Four's backstory and wrote short stories as well as putting in some scenes in Divergent from Four's point of view. That was a confusing sentence, sorry. Basically, Veronica was writing the Divergent series from Four's POV, but as she wrote she discovered that Tris would be the better narrator. That made it so she had enough material to publish this little book. It's a quick read and really interesting. If you're a Divergent fan, don't miss out on this little treasure.
The Assassin's Blade - Sarah J. Maas - 435 pgs
6) A book written by an author under 30
Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas - 404 pgs
25) A book with a love triangle
Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas - 420 pgs
45) A book told from multiple points of view
Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas - 562 pgs
29) A book with magic in it
My goodness. I put the four Sarah J. Maas books in a row next since they're all one story. As much as I wish I could share all my feelings for this series with you, there wouldn't be enough time and you wouldn't have enough patience. I will say this. Many people need educating in the geometry department. A triangle has THREE SIDES. Everyone knows this, yes? So WHY do we call almost every relationship part of a love triangle??? A REAL love triangle should include three people who have some kind of relationship/feelings with the other two people, NOT one person loved by two people or one person who loves two people. Does that make sense? I feel like I should draw a picture. This series is an example of a real love triangle (The infernal devices is the best example though). Two boys who love each other and are like brothers who love the same girl and one girl who loves both the boys. That is what a triangle looks like. Rant done.
If you love high fantasy, you'll love these books. Celaena is one of the best written female characters around. She can hang with Katniss any day of the week. I will say that Throne of Glass is not perfect nor my favorite, but Crown of Midnight is. The Assassin's Blade is a prequel written after the first two books, but can be read first. I will say that I was a little crushed when I found out this isn't a trilogy and I have to wait quite a long time to get the whole story, but that means more adventures with Celaena, so... I'm good.
Red Rising - Pierce Brown - 382 pgs
27) A book with a color in the title
Just when I thought I'd found my new favorite series in Throne of Glass, something very unexpected happens. This is one of the first books I picked up because it fit the description of one of the books on my list. I saw it all over my library website and Goodreads (probably because the second book was about to come out) and thought, "I like Hunger Games and Game of Thrones" (the books it's being compared to) "I'll give it a try". Now, I don't hate them, but I don't particularly enjoy sci-fi books. I don't know why but too much talk of space and futuristic things I don't understand just turn me off to the story so picking this up was a leap of faith. I'm very glad I made that leap. And you know what? It IS a mix of Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. Just let that sink in. Now, this book is REALLY GOOD (the set up takes a while), but the sequel was AMAZING.
Golden Son - Pierce Brown - 442 pgs
26) A book set in the future
Why did I have to discover this book over a year before the last one comes out? This cliffhanger is the most brutal cliffhanger I've had to endure. I NEED to know what's going to happen. YOU HEAR ME PIERCE? I NEED TO KNOW NOW. My first thought after finishing this book was, "I've run right into Pierce Brown's torture chamber and I can't leave." UGH. This book broke me. Obviously I have a hard time making real sentences about it. READ THESE BOOKS. If for no other reason than I'll finally have someone to vent with.
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini - 370 pgs
28) A book that made you cry
Or as I like to call it A Thousand Splendid Sobs. If you were to look up Khaled Hosseini's books on Amazon, you'd probably find crates of tissues in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section. Those of you who read Kite Runner know what I'm talking about. I was still breaking out in tears a week after I finished this book. But not just because sad things happen, because I learned so much from this book. I know some people feel that reading one of Hosseini's books is reading all of them, but that's not how I see it. While Kite Runner was about childhood creativity and friendship, TSS is about women. Females everywhere take note, A Thousand Splendid Suns is an education definitely worth sobbing for.
The Kiss of Deception - Mary E. Pearson - 486 pgs
8) A book written by a female author
This book isn't terrible. This book isn't profound. In fact, it felt quite strange to read it after TSS, like it was superficial and shallow. Perhaps it really is. Honestly, I found this on Goodreads and just went for it. Apparently I missed the fact that you're not supposed to know who is the Prince and who is the Assassin until the official reveal a little past the halfway point. That went right over my head. Somewhere along the line I just made an assumption. And I was wrong. I had to look back through the book to get the plot twist through my head. That was exciting. The sequel will be at the bottom of my reading list when it comes out later this year. I hate becoming THAT guy, but I feel like I'm too old for this sort of writing.
We Were Liars - E. Lockhart - 225 pgs
20) A book you can read in one day
Kiss of Deception is going to look so dumb sandwiched between TSS and We Were Liars. I ranted to my mom about this book. I told her the whole story just so someone could sympathize with me. When that wasn't enough, I told my dad, and my sister, and my brother. I'm tempted to tell you. You'll find little information of what exactly We Were Liars is about. It's better to just read it and freak out about it later I suppose. The only thing I'm going to comment on is the description of emotional and physical pain being very poetic in this book. The main character suffers migraines, a pain I know all too well and have struggled with my whole life. The descriptions may seem like too much and overly poetic, but I can tell you first hand, that is EXACTLY what it feels like. It's a quick and enjoyable read.
Half a King - Joe Abercrombie - 333 pgs
22) A trilogy (This is the first book)
Lucky me, the last two books of this series both come out this year. If only Pierce Brown could do that...
I have a rule in which I require myself to read 100 pages before I give up on a book. Not going to lie, this book took 130. It's not that the beginning wasn't interesting and action-packed, but, I didn't really CARE. I already knew that stuff was going to happen, you told me on the cover and inside flap! But dude. Once this book got rolling, it REALLY got moving. The characters finally got interesting and I finally cared. I'm excited to read the next two.
I touched on this earlier when talking about the Throne of Glass series, but trilogies are funny things to me. I get to spend more time with the characters, but I have to wait years for the whole story.
Usually, the second book is my favorite. You are familiar with the characters and (hopefully) care about them, more questions are being answered but you don't feel the impending end lurking over you, and the author can just jump right into the action without too much set up. Win, win, win.
It'll be interesting to see how this trilogy plays out.
Well, hopefully I'll have a book tomorrow!
Read on,
Jamie
2015 Reading list
Hey there.
Yes, I got lost for a little while. I was a little bit busy graduating and Studying Abroad and living at Disney World... But I promised you another Book v. Movie post. It was going to be about The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Maybe the reason I never wrote it was because, once again, I liked the movie and the book equally.
Anyway. Instead of trying to review a book I read two years ago, I'm going to blog the books I've read this year.
This year has been an amazing one for the bookworm in me. From the discovery of Goodreads to the discovery of my lost bookshelf (I know, how do you lose a bookshelf??) this year has been one to blog.
But what spurred my spontaneous return is actually a lack of these things. Guys, I haven't had a book to read for two full days. 8 books on hold and not one has come in. I was starting to lose my mind. That's when I remembered this blog and the reading challenge I was (kind of) following.
It's a simple list of 50 things to read this year, some as random as "a book written by an Author with the same initials as you" (JU? Anyone??). Between that and Goodreads constantly asking me how many books I want to read this year, I've decided it is time for me to keep a reading goal again.
The last challenge was in pages, this time it'll be in books. I want to read 50 books this year. I know it's not shooting for the stars, but it's doable. I'm going to take most of the suggestions from published reading challenges and make up some of my own to replace the dumb ones. So here goes!
1) A book with 800+ pages
2) A classic romance
3) A book that became a movie
4) A book published this year
5) A book with a number in the title
6) A book from an author under 30
7) A funny book
8) A book with a Female author (This is a dumb one, a lot of authors are women, but I can't cut ALL of the suggestions)
9) A Mystery or Thriller
10) A book with a one word title
11) A book set in a different country
12) A popular Author's first book
13) A book you haven't read yet from an author you love
14) A book your friend recommends
15) A Pulitzer-Prize winning book
16) A book at the bottom of your to-read list
17) A book that scares you
18) A book 100+ years old
19) A book you choose based entirely on it's cover (I'm excited for this one)
20) A book you can read in one day
21) A book with antonyms in the title (You just want me to read War and Peace, huh?)
22, 23, 24) A trilogy
25) A book with a love triangle
26) A book set in the future
27) A book with a color in the title
28) A book that made you cry
29) A book with magic in it
30) A graphic novel
31) A book from an author you've never read before
32) A book you own but have never read
33) A play
34) A banned book
35) A book you started but never finished
36) A book everybody had read but you
37) A non-fiction book
38) A book a family member loves
39) A book with bad reviews (I don't know about this...)
40) A book with non-human characters
41) A book set during a holiday
42) Your old favorite book
43) A biography
44) A book of short stories
45) A book told from multiple points of view
46) A book written by two authors
47) A Goodreads suggestion
48) Reader's choice
49) Reader's choice
50) Reader's choice (aka whatever I want)
(Edited Jan 2016 to remove cross out of completed items)
Ideally, I'll come back to blog the books as I read them (probably two at a time), but I've got to catch up with the books I've already read for now.
Read on,
Jamie
Yes, I got lost for a little while. I was a little bit busy graduating and Studying Abroad and living at Disney World... But I promised you another Book v. Movie post. It was going to be about The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Maybe the reason I never wrote it was because, once again, I liked the movie and the book equally.
Anyway. Instead of trying to review a book I read two years ago, I'm going to blog the books I've read this year.
This year has been an amazing one for the bookworm in me. From the discovery of Goodreads to the discovery of my lost bookshelf (I know, how do you lose a bookshelf??) this year has been one to blog.
But what spurred my spontaneous return is actually a lack of these things. Guys, I haven't had a book to read for two full days. 8 books on hold and not one has come in. I was starting to lose my mind. That's when I remembered this blog and the reading challenge I was (kind of) following.
It's a simple list of 50 things to read this year, some as random as "a book written by an Author with the same initials as you" (JU? Anyone??). Between that and Goodreads constantly asking me how many books I want to read this year, I've decided it is time for me to keep a reading goal again.
The last challenge was in pages, this time it'll be in books. I want to read 50 books this year. I know it's not shooting for the stars, but it's doable. I'm going to take most of the suggestions from published reading challenges and make up some of my own to replace the dumb ones. So here goes!
1) A book with 800+ pages
2) A classic romance
3) A book that became a movie
4) A book published this year
5) A book with a number in the title
6) A book from an author under 30
7) A funny book
8) A book with a Female author (This is a dumb one, a lot of authors are women, but I can't cut ALL of the suggestions)
9) A Mystery or Thriller
10) A book with a one word title
11) A book set in a different country
12) A popular Author's first book
13) A book you haven't read yet from an author you love
14) A book your friend recommends
15) A Pulitzer-Prize winning book
16) A book at the bottom of your to-read list
17) A book that scares you
18) A book 100+ years old
19) A book you choose based entirely on it's cover (I'm excited for this one)
20) A book you can read in one day
21) A book with antonyms in the title (You just want me to read War and Peace, huh?)
22, 23, 24) A trilogy
25) A book with a love triangle
26) A book set in the future
27) A book with a color in the title
28) A book that made you cry
29) A book with magic in it
30) A graphic novel
31) A book from an author you've never read before
32) A book you own but have never read
33) A play
34) A banned book
35) A book you started but never finished
36) A book everybody had read but you
37) A non-fiction book
38) A book a family member loves
39) A book with bad reviews (I don't know about this...)
40) A book with non-human characters
41) A book set during a holiday
42) Your old favorite book
43) A biography
44) A book of short stories
45) A book told from multiple points of view
46) A book written by two authors
47) A Goodreads suggestion
48) Reader's choice
49) Reader's choice
50) Reader's choice (aka whatever I want)
(Edited Jan 2016 to remove cross out of completed items)
Ideally, I'll come back to blog the books as I read them (probably two at a time), but I've got to catch up with the books I've already read for now.
Read on,
Jamie
Friday, February 15, 2013
Books vs. Movies: Warm Bodies
"Oh my gosh I love ____!"
"Me TOO! Can you even believe they made it into a movie?"
"What?"
"Yeah, they left out the best parts in the writing too!"
"You mean there's a book?"
"Oh, you're one of THOSE PEOPLE."
"What do you mean? Just because I didn't read the book doesn't mean I can't like it!"
"No, it just means you don't appreciate or even know anything about it."
"The book was probably long and boring anyway. Don't be jealous just because I didn't have to sleep through six hundred pages."
It's a struggle that will go on for ages. The Book vs. The Movie version. No matter where you stand on this issue, I'm hoping that you all can agree that both have their moments. I believe there are movies that totally do the book justice, and both are equal in awesomness. I believe there are movies that are so incredible, they outdo the book on every front. I believe there are movies that are so awful, they create "haters" for a book that was spectacular.
I'll throw out a few notorious Book/Movies
-Lord of the Rings
-Twilight
-Chronicles of Narnia
-Princess Bride
-Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
-To Kill A Mockingbird
These and many others like it carry a large debate, which version was better? The Print? Or the Reel?
Since I'm the author of this piece, you might find it helpful to know that my prejudice in this debate is towards that of the Book, however, I have no agenda in convincing you to agree.
I've recently read two books, and then went to see their movie counterparts in the theaters. In round one we will be discussing...
Warm Bodies
By: Isaac Marion 256 Pages
"I shake my head apologetically, but I wince at her use of the word "human." I've never liked that differentiation. She is Living and I'm Dead, but I'd like to believe we're both human. Call me and idealist."
Warm Bodies is about R, a zombie in an apocalyptic world. He can't remember what his life was before he died, heck, he can't even remember his name. His life is a meaningless shuffle around the zombie infested airport and hunting the living in the city. That is, until he meets Julie, a living girl whose boyfriend he just ate. Whatever is going on between Julie and R, is changing the dead into... not quite so dead. But do they have enough time to save humanity? And will anyone understand? Probably not. That's why this book is funny, scary, and thought provoking.
In this world, the dead can be changed back into the living, if they receive and give LOVE. Love is the cure to the zombie apocalypse. (Wish it was that easy in Walking Dead...)
I enjoyed reading this book on my kindle, because I was free to highlight and mark pages as well as make notes. I highlighted so many wonderful quotes. And the best part is that they range from laugh out loud funny, to sit and ponder thought provoking. I feel like I have to share some more, because the writing is so beautiful, and if my wonderful synopsis didn't get you interested, I think the poetry of the writing will.
"I long for exclamation marks, but I'm drowning in ellipses."
"What's wrong with people?" She says, almost too quiet for me to hear. "Were they born with parts missing or did it all fall out somewhere along the way?"
"I feel like a toddler caught finger-painting the walls. Or killing dozens of people."
"Can the Dark Ages' doctors be blamed for their methods? The blood-letting, the leeches, the holes in the skulls? They were feeling their way blind, grasping at mysteries in a world without science, but the plague was upon them; they had to do something..."
"I am thinking about death. I'm thinking how brief life is compared to it."
I mean, really, just lyric, beautiful, engaging writing all the way through the book. I was never bored and always wondering what would happen next. It's a quick read and well worth your time to pick up.
THEN. I saw the movie.
And you know what? I loved it.
When it was true to the book, it was dead on. When they had to make changes, they were practical and most of the time for realism's sake or to cut down on time. They left everything important in while adding a bit more exposition which is fine by me.
I thought that the fact that R doesn't talk in the book, but has a running monologue of wonderful thoughts in his head, would be a hindrance, and wouldn't work on screen (think Hunger Games), but I was happily wrong. The narrative goes throughout the movie, this is what lets us think of this story as funny. The fact that a Zombie can have thoughts and feelings that it cannot express is a new thought, and in a world where almost every zombie plot possible has been written this is a nice change.
I even favored a few cuts. R's "family" in the book, was a confusing and random thing for me, and it would've been even harder to play out on screen.
I was only disappointed with one cut. For those familiar with either book or movie, my issue is with how R gets into the living's encampment in the movie. I think the scene from the book would've been cinematic gold. It's funny, and pretty realistic in terms of breaking in that fortified camp.
There is one HUGE change from the print to the screen, and that is Julie's relationship with her father. I'm not sure which version of this I liked better, but they were SO different. I think the book goes along with the theme in the writing which is that love changes people, and if a person is unwilling to love, they are less human than the zombies. The movie goes along with the, we need a happy and completely resolved ending to this movie! (Which is too bad, because there WILL one day be a sequel to Warm Bodies, and they kind of made it so they can't make another movie.)
So, I've thrown you the facts and the numbers, what do I think? I think the book and the movie are equal. They serve different purposes. The book is there to make you think and feel. The movie is there to entertain you. Both of them do extremely well at their tasks, so I just can't call a definite winner on this one. I will recommend, that if you love the movie, you should read the book. And if you love the book, you should see the movie. I don't believe either party will be disappointed!
TIE!
Read On,
Jamie
"Me TOO! Can you even believe they made it into a movie?"
"What?"
"Yeah, they left out the best parts in the writing too!"
"You mean there's a book?"
"Oh, you're one of THOSE PEOPLE."
"What do you mean? Just because I didn't read the book doesn't mean I can't like it!"
"No, it just means you don't appreciate or even know anything about it."
"The book was probably long and boring anyway. Don't be jealous just because I didn't have to sleep through six hundred pages."
It's a struggle that will go on for ages. The Book vs. The Movie version. No matter where you stand on this issue, I'm hoping that you all can agree that both have their moments. I believe there are movies that totally do the book justice, and both are equal in awesomness. I believe there are movies that are so incredible, they outdo the book on every front. I believe there are movies that are so awful, they create "haters" for a book that was spectacular.
I'll throw out a few notorious Book/Movies
-Lord of the Rings
-Twilight
-Chronicles of Narnia
-Princess Bride
-Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
-To Kill A Mockingbird
These and many others like it carry a large debate, which version was better? The Print? Or the Reel?
Since I'm the author of this piece, you might find it helpful to know that my prejudice in this debate is towards that of the Book, however, I have no agenda in convincing you to agree.
I've recently read two books, and then went to see their movie counterparts in the theaters. In round one we will be discussing...
Warm Bodies
By: Isaac Marion 256 Pages
"I shake my head apologetically, but I wince at her use of the word "human." I've never liked that differentiation. She is Living and I'm Dead, but I'd like to believe we're both human. Call me and idealist."
Warm Bodies is about R, a zombie in an apocalyptic world. He can't remember what his life was before he died, heck, he can't even remember his name. His life is a meaningless shuffle around the zombie infested airport and hunting the living in the city. That is, until he meets Julie, a living girl whose boyfriend he just ate. Whatever is going on between Julie and R, is changing the dead into... not quite so dead. But do they have enough time to save humanity? And will anyone understand? Probably not. That's why this book is funny, scary, and thought provoking.
In this world, the dead can be changed back into the living, if they receive and give LOVE. Love is the cure to the zombie apocalypse. (Wish it was that easy in Walking Dead...)
I enjoyed reading this book on my kindle, because I was free to highlight and mark pages as well as make notes. I highlighted so many wonderful quotes. And the best part is that they range from laugh out loud funny, to sit and ponder thought provoking. I feel like I have to share some more, because the writing is so beautiful, and if my wonderful synopsis didn't get you interested, I think the poetry of the writing will.
"I long for exclamation marks, but I'm drowning in ellipses."
"What's wrong with people?" She says, almost too quiet for me to hear. "Were they born with parts missing or did it all fall out somewhere along the way?"
"I feel like a toddler caught finger-painting the walls. Or killing dozens of people."
"Can the Dark Ages' doctors be blamed for their methods? The blood-letting, the leeches, the holes in the skulls? They were feeling their way blind, grasping at mysteries in a world without science, but the plague was upon them; they had to do something..."
"I am thinking about death. I'm thinking how brief life is compared to it."
I mean, really, just lyric, beautiful, engaging writing all the way through the book. I was never bored and always wondering what would happen next. It's a quick read and well worth your time to pick up.
THEN. I saw the movie.
And you know what? I loved it.
When it was true to the book, it was dead on. When they had to make changes, they were practical and most of the time for realism's sake or to cut down on time. They left everything important in while adding a bit more exposition which is fine by me.
I thought that the fact that R doesn't talk in the book, but has a running monologue of wonderful thoughts in his head, would be a hindrance, and wouldn't work on screen (think Hunger Games), but I was happily wrong. The narrative goes throughout the movie, this is what lets us think of this story as funny. The fact that a Zombie can have thoughts and feelings that it cannot express is a new thought, and in a world where almost every zombie plot possible has been written this is a nice change.
I even favored a few cuts. R's "family" in the book, was a confusing and random thing for me, and it would've been even harder to play out on screen.
I was only disappointed with one cut. For those familiar with either book or movie, my issue is with how R gets into the living's encampment in the movie. I think the scene from the book would've been cinematic gold. It's funny, and pretty realistic in terms of breaking in that fortified camp.
There is one HUGE change from the print to the screen, and that is Julie's relationship with her father. I'm not sure which version of this I liked better, but they were SO different. I think the book goes along with the theme in the writing which is that love changes people, and if a person is unwilling to love, they are less human than the zombies. The movie goes along with the, we need a happy and completely resolved ending to this movie! (Which is too bad, because there WILL one day be a sequel to Warm Bodies, and they kind of made it so they can't make another movie.)
So, I've thrown you the facts and the numbers, what do I think? I think the book and the movie are equal. They serve different purposes. The book is there to make you think and feel. The movie is there to entertain you. Both of them do extremely well at their tasks, so I just can't call a definite winner on this one. I will recommend, that if you love the movie, you should read the book. And if you love the book, you should see the movie. I don't believe either party will be disappointed!
TIE!
Read On,
Jamie
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