Monday, August 10, 2009
Summer Reading Review
This summer you had the pleasure of reading a novel or play from the recommended list of titles in your AP Language acceptance letter. Since you must choose one more independent study novel to read this semester, you need feedback from your classmates assessing the novels they read. Out of five stars, how would you rate the book you read this summer (5=high, 1=low)? List the title you read, follow it with your rating, and explain why you would or would not recommend your choice to another reader. Your responses may be brief, but please be specific and edit your work!
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Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
ReplyDeleteFour stars****
This novel provided a fascinating perspective on human nature. The portrayal of Frankenstein is not exactly Hollywood. The so-called monster brings up the age old debate of nature vs. nurture; Shelly’s description of the monster’s education and attempts at incorporation into society gave me a look at humanity through the eyes of someone with the innocence and naivety of an infant but an intelligence level and capacity of an adult, especially when the “monster” is living next to, observing, and trying to adopt the ways of a family in the countryside of Germany. The view Shelly gives of an outsider looking in on the Western culture and societal values as well as human qualities made this an entrancing and thought provoking piece of literature for me, capturing my attention from start to finish. Anyone looking for a classic that makes you think: this is your kind of book.
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ReplyDeleteThe Power and the Glory: Graham Greene
ReplyDeleteRating: 4/5
This novel is a frightening commentary on the nature of religion in society which shines in its compositional brilliance. It takes place in a desolate Mexican city whose government has outlawed Catholicism. The main character, a "whisky priest", is the only remaining priest who has not fled or been killed. Through the course of the book, he attempts escape and finds himself constantly distracted from his destination and from safety. These distractions are sometimes tainted with ungodliness and the intimation that God did not will them to take place. At other times, his actions are holy in a non-religious way; he thinks them sinful when they are in fact the will of God. Throughout the journey of this fallen hero, Greene constantly impresses upon the reader the desolation and hopelessness of those without God. The characters that deny God are the very ones whose lives are rife with death and despair, and can take the form of both murderers and innocent children. Through this variety of characters and experiences, a picture is painted of Greene's opinion of the true nature of religion. This picture simultaneously abashes Catholicism and formal traditions and argues that a world without God is hell. He asserts that out of emptiness, God is born into the souls of man, and that out of the depths of despair, He appears and carries a torch and an end to suffering. Though this book is not entertaining, or a feel-good read, it is a beautifully crafted and important work of fiction. I would recommend this book to readers of all religious backgrounds for its universal appeal and haunting prose.
Mary Shelly: Frankenstein
ReplyDeleteRating: 4/5
Shelly’s flagship novel is rightfully acknowledged as a classic. Its elegant conceptions and attitudes towards the sciences underscore how knowledge can potentially destroy what humans have strived to achieve. The world was Victor Frankenstein’s “secrete.” He set out to conquer its most inscrutable enigma—the synthesis of life. At the time of Frankenstein’s publication, a time in which scientists like Darwin and Michael Faraday were at large, it is only natural for Shelly to compose the commoner’s side of the story—one of fear and skepticism towards new scientific advancements. The monster is therefore portrayed savagely—an unyielding beast who fervently desires a companion. The novel’s tone is never consistent. The audience sometimes favors the monster’s pleas yet at others, sympathizes with Victor’s heroic odyssey and his unfortunate loses. However, as the end reveals, both sides are at loss with the death of Victor. It is this central conflict which defines the novel. On a larger scheme, some (like Shelly) will argue against the pursuit of greater knowledge and science. Some will say that such a feat can never be accomplished with any amount of competence. Conversely, others will side with the narrative’s protagonist in his epic quest to contribute to mankind. The creation of such a being was not intended to wreak havoc on society—only to benefit mankind with indispensible knowledge and quench his thirst for new discovery. Overall however, Shelly firmly believes that life’s truest secretes are impervious with respects to the outside world and should not be tampered with. Her logic is, although fit for a fascinating read, outdated and almost irrelevant in modern times. For these reasons above, I credit Shelly’s novel with 4 stars.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 3/5
ReplyDeleteThe Book has a great plot to it, but the plot and the story really doesn’t come together until you are more then half way done. The Story in the beginning is hard to follow because it keeps switching back and forth in between two places. There are several main characters that are referred to in different ways which makes following the characters a little challenging at first because you are not sure who they are talking about. The end is great once you get to it.
Emma by Jane Austen, 5 stars
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book, but during the course of the summer, I know a lot of people who started this text and found it confusing. It is by no means an easy read, but if you push through it I found it completely worth it. It is a very feminine, romantic text so I don’t think that guys will enjoy this book as much as other texts on the list. You may have heard of the movie Clueless, which is based on this story. The text is full of funny and touching moments with a really satisfying ending. Emma is obsessed with making matches for her friends and is content in believing that she will never marry, but what happens when love interrupts her plans?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
ReplyDelete4/5
As some of you may know, this novel is a love story. However, Bronte includes a lot of twists and turns that makes this love story unusual. The novel contains the friction of passion versus morality, bringing the story to life. It starts with an almost forbidden love between two main characters. However, as the plot thickens, things begin to spiral downward. The love binding the two together causes personal and societal conflict that is released among their present and future lives. This novel is an interesting read; however, it can be hard to follow. It has many underlying themes that are hard to recognize, yet it is fascinating. Emily Bronte presents a different portrayal of the "hero" in her novel. I recommend this book to anyone who is up for a challenging read and who is interested in a unique love story intertwined between two generations.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
ReplyDelete4/5 stars
This story is a Gothic romantic story and if you don't like love stories, or tragic love stories, then you won't like this. This book is one of my favorite books because I can relate to it in certain aspects of my own life which tend to pull me into the book and keep reading it. But, the two main characters and their stubbornness to love each other to their full ability ultimately end in two broken hearts which tragically affect both characters. This book is hard to put down once you start reading it because the author writes with such descriptions and strong emotion.
I give "A Tale of Two Cities" a 1 out of 5 for various reasons. For one, the pacing is incredibly awful. There is no trace of any sort of plot for the first 300 pages. It's as if he took the usually opening paragraphs of setting and multiplied it by 300 times. I'm not even kidding. When you finally reach the plot, which is flimsy at best, you realize another fault of this so called "story". You don't care about the characters. This is a problem because Dickens obviously means you to care. But you can't. They are just too shallow! Not that they are obsessed with looks, they just have no depth! The girl is "perfect" and "quaint" the guy is wholesome, and the Doctor is mysterious but understanding. There is no inner conflict,or anything "inner" at all. It's as if Dickens expects you to all of a sudden care if some stranger you've heard about dies or not. It's just not possible to care because you never got any insight into the characters Dickens writes about. There is one character that shows a hint of depth, and that is only compared to the others, and he is absentee for the majority of the book! Another thing is Dickens apparently loved going off on these weird tangents that did nothing to progress the story. He was clearly trying to be symbolic, but it was so obvious it just came off as Dickens saying "Hey! Look over here! I'm being symbolic! Look how cleaver I am!" The symbols have no real impact, nor are they necessary, just annoying. Dickens had about 30 pages of story to write, and filled the rest with fluff. They only thing he does well is describe the mobs of the French Revolution, but this is no replacement for an utter lack of engaging story telling. I'm not sure why it's called a great book even, it must just be the literary geniuses who like to forget about story and just look at symbolism and word choice. But I believe a book should be judged with the STORY first and foremost. And if it doesn't have a good story, it's not a good book. Case closed.
ReplyDeletePS the very end is somewhat decent, for it involves the one interesting character, but that should make you forget the 350 pages of boredom you suffered through to get there.
Matt Arnold
Dracula by Bram Stoker
ReplyDeleteRating: 4.5 stars
I absolutely loved Dracula! It was a long novel, but well worth time. The only reason I am not giving it a five is because the ending was disappointing. Otherwise, it was a fascinating book in which Stoker draws parallels to our society, while exploring human behavior and its effect on society. This was very different however from a other novels because all these explorations are in the frame of a horror story, thus the reader never gets bored! Some of the most interesting aspects Bram portrays are insanity vs. sanity, doubt, fear, and the inherent evil that society possesses. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a tough, but wonderful book! It thoroughly enjoyed it and it is and might be the only book I actually liked to annotate.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
ReplyDeleteRating: 5 out of 5 stars
This book is an absolute classic. It encompasses the moral dilemma of when science has gone too far. In the book, Victor Frankenstein pursues knowledge out of the desire to learn and creates a monster. The monster seeks compassion and then turns to destructive ways. The reader can easily sympathize with either side, though the shifts in points of view do sway one’s opinion. In the age of science, this book is more prevalent than ever. In our society, we are currently performing abortions, genetically engineering organisms, and cloning animals in the pursuit of knowledge. One must wonder if this serves as a forewarning to the dangers of altering life. This book provides new insight on some potential consequences and therefore is a must-read in today’s society.
The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene.
ReplyDelete4/5 stars.
The Power and the Glory is a philosophical novel. Throughout the book, Greene writes in a way that causes the reader to question his actions and feelings. The main character, a “whisky priest,” is the only remaining priest left in Mexico. As the story progresses, the priest wanders from town to town, attempting to spread the Word of God. While doing this, however, he commits many sins and feels as though he is unfit to be a significant religious figure. He believes that he deserves to go to hell. Throughout the book, the reader finds himself questioning his own sins; however, by the end, the reader realizes that God’s forgiveness extends to anyone who seeks it.
The one downfall of this book was that I felt as if it had no true story line or climax. It was purely a list of where the priest went and what happened. I do, however, recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the mistakes of life.
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
ReplyDelete3.5/5 stars
Greene’s novel is the sort of book I don’t have a very strong opinion of. It is well written and does a fantastic job conveying the emotions of the characters in a relatively short novel. The story really shows the intricate feelings that make up passion and some of the consequences they bring. It is a rather peculiar tale about an adulterous affair. It is a twisted tale about man and woman and their relationship with God. Maurice Bendrix is in love with Sarah Miles who’s already married. He knows he can never completely have her so his love for her eventually brews into hate. After Sarah’s death he felt a sort of jealousy of God. I never really understood what hate was but after reading this book, I figured out you can never truly hate anyone if you don’t love them in a way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to explore very intense emotions and learn more about them but for a blissful summer day, it is the worst book one could possibly read.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
ReplyDelete4/5
I thought this was a great book. It starts with the main character, Victor Frankenstein being happy with a loving family but because he decides to push the boundries of science, he ends up creating a monster who ruins his life. The most interesting part of this novel is that the monster has feelings throughout the story. At several points in the novel you could argue that the monster has more admirable qualities then Victor does. Not only was this a great novel, but it is more applicable to society today then it was when it came out. The issue of how far science should go is huge in America. Overall I thought this was a good book that I would suggest to anyone who likes the classics.
Emma by Jane Austen
ReplyDeleteRating: 4/5
I quite liked this book! I was pleasantly surprised by Austen’s writing style as I dove further into the pages. At first, I was confused because of all the dialogue and somewhat meaningless discourse between characters, but after a while I realized the intent of the author and the necessity of these conversations. Everything in the novel depended upon the relationships the characters had with one another. Why I think I loved this book so much was because I adore the antagonist, Emma. It’s not often that the antagonist can be someone who is well liked, but somehow Austen is able to make it happen (for me, at least)! Her jealous, selfish personality simultaneous to her attempt to care for others intrigued me. I loved and hated Emma for almost every action she made. Unlike most books I’m used to reading, it didn’t necessarily consist of major events leading to major events leading to a shocking ending. Rather, this novel included a series of seemingly small events that were pertinent to the lives of each character and THAT leading to the exciting ending. Reading Austen was a challenging task, but her work is beautifully done and you’d be greatly missing out by not experiencing it. And boys, I know reading Austen might seem unappealing, but honestly anyone who can appreciate a classic novel would enjoy her. So go for it!
Dracula by Bram Stoker
ReplyDeleteFive Stars *****
Dracula was an amazing novel full of action, suspense, and just a little romance. It was difficult to start reading, but it doesn’t take long to become addicted. The novel identified many of the touchy topics of the Victorian era, including the sexual tension existing between men and women. Never a dull moment, the book kept you guessing the entire time. The heartbreaking story of Lucy Westenra and her three lovers and the unfailing love and devotion of Mina and Johnathon kept the more girly side me interested, while the actually hunting of Dracula and Johnathon’s escape from Castle Dracula kept me glued to my seat (or book, as the case may be). I’ve always enjoyed reading but Bram Stoker’s book was beyond enjoyable. I recommend this book to anyone looking for drama, comedy, romance, and horror. This book is for any reader looking for any genre!
Frankenstein By Mary Shelley
ReplyDelete4/5 stars
I throughly enjoyed this book. It presented an interesting character who made a completely tragic mistake. By pushing the boundaries of science and acting as a creator, he creates a living nightmare for himslef. After dealing with such regret he realizes his ambition pushed far beyond the power man is meant to have. He discovers in order to create one must be perfect in all virtue, man cannot create. The monster also creates an interesting situation. He longs to be included and loved. But he is so digusting in form humans cannot bear such a sight. He longs for his creator to once again create another, but after what has occured this cuases a great conflict between created and creator. This book also applies to the present day world. It persists to ask the question throughout the story, how far can science be pushed? Shelley urges the reader to use discretion in the science field throughout the novel.
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
ReplyDeleteRating: 4/5 stars
This book, set in the early 18th Century, is a great story, and it has a good, easy-to-find theme. At the beginning, it was slow because he had to give background knowledge on Captain Gulliver. But as the novel progresses, and you follow Gulliver to 4 imaginary lands in the far abroad oceans and seas, you feel as though you are there with him. Jonathan Swift's attention to details (ranging from the height of the natives to the area he makes his outhouse) create a vivid image of amazing lands that make you want to go on a voyage with the Captain. The major theme of the book is one that is profound and showed through many characters. I can’t remember the last time I was so intrigued by a book and its theme during the summer! Very recommended!
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
ReplyDeleteFour Stars! ****
A splendid classic comprised of entertaining twists and ghastly horrors! This novel encompasses a variety of commonly argued about, controversial issues, such as the dilemma involving the extent of scientific advancements, the clarification of morality and human nature, and the always “fuzzy” line between passion and logic. However, the innate desire of man to ascend from their earthly ways into the stature of a “god” is perhaps my favorite theme. Shelley uses Victor Frankenstein and his aspiration to become “creator” of life, to illustrate the natural vanity of humans, as they do everything they can in order to obtain the most power and knowledge; in Frankenstein’s case, this entails shedding himself of his human worries, and ultimately, becoming the “god” of another creature. The intriguing part of this story, however, is observed during his ascension into a “god”, as he must deal with the reality that he truly is still human in nature.
If any of these themes excite you, or if you are a major fan of the classic nightmare story, this book is definitely an option for you!
Emma by Jane Austen
ReplyDelete4/5
This is one of the best books I think I have ever read! This novel demonstrates the tangle of emotions involved with love and matchmaking. The main character is Emma, an extremely clever woman who enjoys giving advice and matchmaking. ALthough Emma believes herself to be quite the gifted matchmaker, she ultimately causes more trouble than good throughout the novel. Emma had recently successfully paired a good friend of hers, Ms. Taylor, with a respectable man, Mr. Weston, and then believes herself capable of more than ever. Her next goal is to match her friend Harriet Smith with Mr. Elton. This, however, is when Emma's first mistake is made. She realizes her failure when Mr. Elton confesses his love to her, and not her friends. Throughout the novel, Emma believes herself above marriage, and feels that she can do more good in the world if she remains single for the rest of her life. Even when she believes she has fallen in love, she does her best to prevent herself from becoming attatched to the person.
Emma is a truly wonderful story that anyone can relate to, a comical novel, and I would recommend it to anyone who would enjoy this type of plot.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
ReplyDelete4.5/5
Absolutely enthralling! While Frankenstein starts off very slow telling the tale of Victor Frankenstein as a child and his unrealistic interest in science and natural history. Mary Shelley seemed to feel the need to make the first 80 pages about Victor’s past, his family, and his travels to college before evening mentioning his work on the monster. Once mentioned, although a classic, I felt like I couldn’t put down the book. It was filled with true human emotions rushing out of the thoughts of the monster and how he does not fit into society. Frankenstein finds himself in a dilemma between fulfilling his passion of destroying the monster because it killed his little brother and wife, but also the responsibility of protecting his family from it rather then following it on a wild goose chase around the world. Even though I tend not to like school assigned reading, I did thoroughly enjoy this book, even though there would be at least 2 vocabulary words on each page I didn’t understand. My vocabulary has been expanded and it is great to know the REAL story of the Victor Frankenstein monster, and not just the Scooby-Doo cartoon version.(Which I now realize is actually incorrect!) I took away the last half the start because of the lengthy intro to the action part of the book, and almost the overuse of the strong vocabulary words!I would absolutely recommend to anyone, guy or girl, young or old.
~Matt Nadel
"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte
ReplyDeleteRating: 4/5
An excellent read, though it begins a little slow. It's only slow for perhaps 20 pages though, so its more than manageable. One of the best things about the book is the beautiful use of poetic language, I can think of several instances when I read a passage that was exceptional and simply sat there for a few moments in a state of "wow, that was beautiful". While many would find the book distasteful for the consistent theme of hatred and revenge, I really got a lot out of the story, finding it both interesting and insightful, as well as inspiring as it ends on a note of redemption of sorts, proving that "one tree won't grow as crooked as another with the same wind to twist it." I would recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a good read (who isn't?) and either has a large vocabulary or has a dictionary close at hand.
The Return of the Native, Thomas Hardy
ReplyDelete2 stars
The Return of the Native was a disconcerting tale based on the way in which assumptions often lead to self deception. Love is the central device in which Hardy uses to depict such a message. The main characters in the story are subject to love only when it comes in the form of an idea. They are unable to truly love those that they have chosen, but are infatuated by the identities that their own minds have created. They become so caught up in their private illusions that they cannot seem to process what happens in truth around them.
Although well written, with the use of numerous allusions and symbols, the plot itself is rather flat and repetitive. In reading the plot summary on the back, the storyline is almost exactly as described. Hardy spends too much time explaining and elaborating his theme that it is almost predictable and anticlimactic. With such description and content there are several passages that lack any real engagement, and with 400 pages it is really hard to remain resolute to finishing.
A Tale of Two Cities
ReplyDeleteby Charles Dickens
(4.5 stars)
A Tale of Two Cities is now one of my all time favorite books. Dickens’ tale has romance, history, significance, and a great plot. It’s a rather long read, but it is worth it. His writing consists of so many topics to analyze that you are constantly in awe and working your mind. There are plenty of symbols concerning human behavior, religion, and history. The plot revolves around the two countries of France and England during the French Revolution, where Dickens uses his characters to help the readers understand the violent time period more clearly. His characters have particular meanings, especially with the unlikely hero, Sydney Carton, who gives the ultimate sacrifice for the woman he loves. There definitely were some dull and hard times in the novel, but keep pushing through it because the conclusion is so meaningful, that it ties the tale all together.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
ReplyDeleteFour Stars****
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is an excellent book. It portrays humanity in a way I had not yet experience before, through the eyes of something wanting to coincide with humanity. This book illustrates the difference between wants and responsibility through Victor’s science. His passion for it eventually led to his downfall. But even more interesting to me is the portrayal of humanity through the monsters eyes. As a reader I began to hate Victor more, for his intense bias toward the monster. I began to sympathize with the “monster” and noticed many interesting trends about his failure to be accepted by humanity. My understanding of the book was only slightly skewed to failure to understand diction. Despite that, I personally would recommend this book to readers everywhere. I thought that it was thought provoking and captivating, making any reader who looks into this book truly understand society and its flaws.