Mini Reviews (Because I'm drowning in books!) Part I

Last time I checked, there were seven books that I needed to review, and as much as I would just like to not write anything, I thought it would be unfair to all those books (especially as I loved most of them).  However, Blogger gave me such a hard time that I gave up, and when I got back to this post, I already have nine books to talk about.  Nine.  I read way too fast these past few weeks but I was totally in a slump about what to write about books.  It's sad.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 266 pages
Bought from Powerbooks 

This extraordinary work chronicles the crack-up of Esther Greenwood: brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, successful - but slowly going under, and maybe for the last time. Step by careful step, Sylvia Plath takes us with Esther through a painful month in New York as a contest-winning junior editor on a magazine, her increasingly strained relationships with her mother and the boy she dated in college, and eventually, devastatingly, into the madness itself.

Review:  I really loved The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.  It's like old school chick lit, but with more sensitive, more serious themes.  Esther was such a lively presence, even during the times when she was at her lowest.  The story just got to me and there were times when I had to pause because it got too emotional.  The voice just messes with your brain that you are led to believe everything, even the parts where it's obviously wrong but you get convinced otherwise.  Way to go Sylvia for your awesome story.  Too bad she's gone now. I would have loved to write her a letter.

 

Forget You by Jennifer Echols
MTV Books, 292 pages
Received via Random Acts of Kindness from Ashley @ BookAHolics Anonymous 

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

Review:  There were some parts of the synopsis for Forget You by Jennifer Echols that was a bit misleading, but I still loved the overall story.  Some parts were a bit muddled, and sometimes I did not like Zoey all that much but the fact that I felt strongly about/against her just means that the writing style was very effective and made the novel really alive and realistic.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Penguin Classics, 453 pages
From The Boyfriend, bought from National Bookstore 

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.

Review:  Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre was awesome!  It was funny, it was emotional, and most of all, it was powerful!  (OK enough of the exclamation points) I loved the dialogue, which was filled with humor and Jane's sarcastic wit.  She was snarky, smart, and had a lot of guts that had she been born in the present times she would have Girl Power written all over her.  The other characters were remarkable as well for contributing to a genuine feel to the novel.  The writing was a bit confusing at first, especially when Jane was describing what another person was telling her, but once you were able to wade through that, you're good.  I loved this book!

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
Scholastic Press, 288 pages
Bought from Powerbooks 

June and Wes do not "meet cute." They do not fall in love at first sight. They do not swoon with scorching desire. They do not believe that they are instant soul mates destined to be together forever.

This is not that kind of love story.

Instead, they just hang around in each other's orbits...until eventually they collide. And even after that happens, they're still not sure where it will go. Especially when June starts to pity-date one of Wes's friends, and Wes makes some choices that he immediately regrets.

Review:  I've been looking for a copy of The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman for so long that I was so overjoyed when I found one and bought it right away - regardless how much it cost (it was pretty expensive).  Fortunately, I was spared from regretting the purchase.  The story contained within this book was worth every penny I paid for it; even though this is mainly a very light read, it had a lot of great moments and I loved that the romantic angle was uniquely executed.  The characters were the type you would want to be friends with had they been real, and the writing itself was simple enough that you can really focus on the story itself and not worry about other details. 

It should be noted that after I read this one, my Mom went ahead and devoured this book, and she was all mesmerized by the cover.

*****

Thought I'm done?  I'm just getting started.  Four books down, five AND MORE to go.  Watch out for the next mini review :D

Check out my Mini Reviews Part Two

Book Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Photo taken from Penguin Group Website

Book Info

Title:  The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author:  Oscar Wilde
Publisher:  Penguin Classics

Language: English

Format: Paperback

Pages:  224 pages

ISBN - 13:  978-0143106142

Source:  Purchased, National Book Store

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"Oscar Wilde's story of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is one of his most popular works. Written in Wilde's characteristically dazzling manner, full of stinging epigrams and shrewd observations, the tale of Dorian Gray's moral disintegration caused something of a scandal when it first appeared in 1890. Wilde was attacked for his decadence and corrupting influence, and a few years later the book and the aesthetic/moral dilemma it presented became issues in the trials occasioned by Wilde's homosexual liaisons, trials that resulted in his imprisonment. Of the book's value as autobiography, Wilde noted in a letter, 'Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps."'

Review

I now understand why this book was considered the catalyst for Oscar Wilde's decline in popularity.

Full of twisted Hedonistic philosophies, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a study of the pretentious, the vain, and the selfish, and the consequences of such idiosyncrasies.  This is a cautionary tale against shallow pursuits and superficial happiness.  Many of us are familiar with this story.  Dorian Gray was a handsome young man, who in a moment of narcissism wished to preserve his youth and good looks and let a painting of himself reflect the physical changes he will encounter as he ages.

The premise is intriguing, interesting, and unique.  However, the delivery of the story was too muddled and full of dialogue, I got too exhausted just reading a single chapter.  I did finish the book though, but it was not a superbly enjoyable experience.  There was a lot of commentary going on, and I had to skip through whole paragraphs just so I could get on with the story.  Mr. Wilde may be a master aesthete, but this novel was just too crowded with his epigrams and ideas, and they were not even subtly inserted, they were blatantly slapped onto the pages that I sometimes wonder if I was just reading an extended essay on hedonism and aesthetics.

As for the story itself, it started off strong, but finished poorly.  Dorian Gray's character was not very strong, and he was more often than not overpowered by other characters like Lord Henry or Basil Hallward.  And his personality was too effeminate, his relationship with Basil and Henry a little bit too familiar that it was misleading at times.  Which was probably the reason that people from Mr. Wilde's time thought that this book was a corrupting influence in the society. 

If anything, this book taught us the dangers of vanity and selfishness.  I just wished that it also gave us a good story to accompany that lesson.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Wuthering Heights 
Author:  Emily Bronte

Publisher:  Penguin Classics, Deluxe Edition

Language: English

Format:  Paperback 

Pages:  352 pages

ISBN-10:  0143105434

ISBN-13:  978-0143105435

Source:  Purchased, Fully Booked

Buy this book on Amazon 
*Part of my Mini Reading Challenge* 

 

Summary

From Goodreads:  

"Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte's only novel, is one of the pinnacles of 19th-century English literature. It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls in love with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family."

Review

I admitted recently that I have never read this book ever.  And so, I am remedied that problem by getting a copy of this book, specifically this one with the cover design by Ruben Toledo - which I thought was pretty chic.  My mother, who is a big Bronte Sisters fan (but obviously not very much because she did not have her own copy of this one that I could have just borrowed), was so thrilled that I got a copy and read it before I did.  She told me that in her elementary days, they were made to write a book report on their favorite book, and this was the book she chose to write a report on.  Her teacher, upon learning that she chose Wuthering Heights, reacted odd and commented, "That is really what you want to read?  Do you really understand this story?"  My mother felt a bit strange that a teacher would ask that of her because she really loved this book and also told me that it might get tough to connect to this book at first, but once you understand what it's all about, it would blow your mind.

And it did.

Unfortunately, I could not just read this in one sitting - not the book's fault - but I often reluctantly put this down for when life happens.  When I finished reading this, I had a long chat with my mother about this book and she was glad that I liked it too.  She even asked me when I'll be writing a review.  I told her that actually, it felt disrespectful that I would attempt to review a classic, since in my opinion, next to the Bible, the classics are the most reverent books ever written.  But she said that I should write a review, do an article where a modern eye critiques a classic book, and try to convince people to read this and not be daunted by its supposedly 'queer' story.

The Bronte Sisters were a group of people who were never allowed to make free with their lives as we are now.  They could not just get out of the house and do whatever they wanted, and so, they poured their boredom into writing.  One thing that would stand out to me about Emily in this book:  She was a very observant person.  And now I understand where 'Emily The Strange' came from.  Why?  Not because Heathcliff and Catherine were monsters, but because this story is such a powerful love story that proves love conquers all - even transcending the mind and only listens to the heart. 

I do not know if I got it right, but I thought that a love story between two obviously insane people - one out of the abuse he received from childhood, one inheriting a familial flaw - is not just humorous, but also very touching and compelling. Another thing adding to the humor was the fact that it was told through Nelly Dean's and Mr. Lockwood's eyes, two people who were very outside what was really happening between the key characters of the story, especially Mr. Lockwood who I think is a good description of a reader who had just begun reading this book and felt lost.  Mr. Lockwood was very much the clueless tenant which somehow reflects the reader in the first few pages of this book, until the story unfolds and clarity slowly creeps into the reader's mind - and then the similarity with Mr. Lockwood fades as the reader has acquired new knowledge about the story, yet Mr. Lockwood remains ever the confused gentleman.

Either this is the most confusing story ever written, or one of the best love stories of our time, but I have to hand it to Ms. Bronte - she knew how to create alive and vivid characters.  They all jumped out of the book and seemed to live in the real world for all their strangeness and individuality.  Their voices were very distinct and different.  You never confuse any of the characters, not even Catherine and her daughter, Catherine II.  Even the narrators, Mr. Lockwood and Nelly Dean had their own nuances in their narration that you knew exactly who was talking and their attitudes also made it easier for the reader to realize whether the narrator saw it accurately or was too forgiving/undiscerning as in the case of Nelly Dean.

I sometimes wonder whether Ms. Bronte realized what a powerful book she had written, seeing as it was the only novel she completed and her only main audience were her two sisters Anne and Charlotte.  She has written great characters studies, and not only were the main characters given unique personalities, but the minor ones as well.  Her strict attention to detail from the characters to the setting to the writing itself was remarkable and interesting.  This is not just a romantic novel - it is also an intelligent manifesto on then society's stratified status and she also poked fun on both the educated and uneducated people, always giving a touch of humor to every chapter.  This the kind of book that makes you want to just write a letter to its author, or as Holden Caulfield said in The Catcher In the Rye:  "What I really love about a song, or a book ...if it's really good. I mean if the writer is really talking to you. Then you feel like they're this really great friend of yours and you can just call them up on the phone whenever you want."  That is exactly how I feel about this.  If Ms. Bronte were alive, I would definitely write her a letter to tell her what a great novel she has written.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

(Photo taken from Goodreads)

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author:  Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Publisher: Quirk Books

Language: English
ISBN-10:  1594743347

ISBN-13:  978-1594743344

Buy this book on Amazon

Rating: 

I previously said I'll be reading this but I ended up ditching it because it bored me.  Well, in between books, I tried to read a few pages and now I am done, hence this review.

At first I was really fascinated with the concept of introducing a completely bizarre story into the classics, helps stir things up and encourages a renewed interest in the books.  I even did a post on these book mashups and most of the commenters on that post said they have a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  I was also thinking of which book I could pick up, and thinking that this book is the most popular one, I know a friend who has a copy and borrowed this and started reading.  The first few chapters are funny and interesting, but I think all of you have experienced having a conversation with your parents/friends/anyone else you know where they always bring up this silly incident which makes you laugh the first few times but then the joke gets old pretty soon and all you could say when they repeat it again is, "Yeah, I think you already told me that story..." but they still insist on telling you about it again?  That's what happened in this book.  I loved Pride and Prejudice so much and I understand that that book, as well as Austen's other books are really very powerful that the magic of their stories transcends time.  I also like zombies although not too much to go gaga over them but enough to give me a laugh when I read about them, and it was interesting to see Austen's storyline being invaded by zombies.  But mere insertions of a zombie fight or some such thing is not really that riveting to me, it was just like reading Pride and Prejudice all over again, but this time it's like my mind is warping some of the passages that makes reading about zombies not very amusing.

I thought the book would be giving different twists and quirks and maybe that's what disappointed me so much.  I suppose I could not expect any of the major characters to die or turn into a zombie, but something to that effect could have been better, could have at least made the book more fascinating on its own, than relying on Austen's power and just tossing in some undead beings.  For me, it doesn't really matter if you don't stay too faithful to the original book, the point here is to create a new story from an old book and a new concept right?   This book had a lot of promise, but the execution was poorly done.

Of course, Austen's prim and proper manner of writing is preserved, the voice solid and clear, the characters charming and relatable.  I loved the graphic illustrations and the realistic tone of dialogue but that's where it stops.  If the story itself had been written with more creativity and force, this book could have been better.  I could not picture myself  buying this book and keeping it on my shelf to re-read it over and over.  Good thing I did not get this on my own, otherwise, I would be really kicking myself in the head right now for wasting a lot of money on something as useless as this book.

Mr. Darcy's Diary by Maya Slater

(Photo taken from Fantastic Fiction)

Title: Mr. Darcy's Diary

Author: Maya Slater
Publisher: Phoenix
Language: English
ISBN - 10: 0753822660
ISBN - 13: 978-0753822661
Rating:







Have you ever wondered what goes on in another person's mind while doing things? What do you think a butcher thinks while chopping off a large pound of meat? What a schoolteacher thinks while writing lectures on the board apart from the lesson at hand? What a man thinks while he is being lectured upon by his wife? In Mr. Darcy's Diary, a classic retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice through Mr. Darcy's eyes explores this gentleman's mind frame through the entries in his diary. And I must say, the story is presented as seamlessly and as accurately as I could have imagined it. Fitzwilliam Darcy is my favorite character (don't we all?) as he often appears aloof, proud, and silent, and his personality alludes to mystery, which I always love. Which is why, as soon as I saw this book, I grabbed it from the shelf.

Mr. Darcy's Diary attempted to shed light on some mysteries in the original novel, giving the readers an understanding of Wickham's treachery, shedding light on Miss Caroline's true motives and feelings, and also showing a sympathetic, sensitive, and passionate man beneath the strong, reserved, and proud facade that is Mr. Darcy himself. I have always speculated about how the men feels in Pride and Prejudice, as the original novel seems to be more focused on the Bennet family. In this book, it served to make me love my favorite characters in the original novel more. Elizabeth definitely deserves a man as passionate and as in love with her as Mr. Darcy was. This diary is realistically written, with brief recollections of day-to-day events in Mr. Darcy's life, yet never seeming to lose any detail.

The author has also brought humor to the book through the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Peebles, his valet. The latter's obsession with his master's grooming and fashion provides some comedic banters and lightens an otherwise brooding and serious story.

Before reading this book, I actually reread Pride and Prejudice again, just so I won't be easily fooled by this book, but to my pleasant surprise, the story in this book blended seamlessly into the original novel, it was like reading an actual sequel. Hands down to Maya Slater - this was a risky endeavor for her - Pride and Prejudice is one of the most well-loved of the classics, and a careless handling of its story may prove fatal for the story, if not for the one who wrote it. But reading through this book, I would have not wanted it any other way.

A lesson in pride: this book showed how Mr. Darcy has shed his pride in the face of true love. As you read through the passages of his diary, you'll be shocked at how this proud man crumbled in the face of rejection and loneliness, and how it helped him become the man that finally deserved Elizabeth's love.

A lesson in empathy: this book teaches the reader that other people have minds and feelings too, despite their outward reactions and affectations, inside they have their own thoughts, not all of which may be agreeable or nice, or, in Mr. Darcy's case, not very "Mr. Darcy."