This book is very funny and oddly with a lot of “heart.” It’s wacky and very fast-paced. I read it aloud to Lily (my 7-year-old daughter) and she absolutely adored it. I am quite curious to see how this “series” will unfold.
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Publisher: Arthur Levine Books
Edition: Manuscript, 2006 (Hardcover U.S. edition)
A slim volume with a tremendous vision. Or, maybe I should say with tremendous Visions — since 9-year-old Thomas, the protagonist, seems to be seeing many of them, and most prominently, the Lord Jesus.
A work of translation (from Dutch,) it is beautifully fluid. Enough references of the place, time, and history to pinpoint the setting but never interfere with the lean main story. Truly a gem.
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Pages: 864
Publisher: Spectra
Edition: Paperback, 1996
Thoroughly engrossing — full of gorey war and killing details… but the characters are so well drawn that it rings completely true. The twists and turns of the plotline, especially toward the end of this 800+-page book, kept me so emotionally involved and pumped that I am quite ready to go on to the next book — almost 1,000 pages long. It is soap-opera-esque, but with all the right forumulae for a successful one! I guess I truly crossed a threshold here with the reading of this book — officially I am now a genuine fantasy reader who is not daunted by the length of the book, only annoyed if the book is poorly presented!
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I need a good book! What a streak of non-too-impressive reading experiences!!! This infamous book that is no. 8 on the most challenged books list deserves no more but mild distain from me, mostly because its lack of subtlety. It’s like reading a really dry “how to” book on teens’ first sexual encounters. At least the ending is NOT too pat.
In Search of a Good Book… suggestion please??
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is a re-read. I loved this book upon first reading — more than 10 years ago. This second reading surprised me. I don’t remember ANY of the details, and I am usually really good at recalling details. Every scene and character was brand new to me — and not in a good way at all. I detest the didactic tone and the transparent “messages” of all the benefits of the imagination! (I don’t detest imagination, of course, just the way its worth is being handled in the book — and hey, whose idea is it that adults lose their imagination? I have a lot more imagination than some of the youngsters I know!)
Over all, I couldn’t believe that I once LOVED this book, as an adult, although I can see why so many children still love it — for its vivid descriptions of the very rich and imaginative details and the adventures the children embark on.
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This National Book Award Winner failed to intrigue me, either. It is nostalgic — faint echoes from old favorites such as Little Women and the E. Nesbit books. Some of the humor seems forced to me and the general complaint from other adult readers that the grown-ups in the story have almost no depth at all is a valid one. And to an extend, the children are stock characters themselves, each embodies a set of characteristics without surprises or changes. Their predicaments also don’t concern me much as a reader. Maybe I am too cynical and maybe this is a book for much younger children?
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This title is mildly amusing but never did get me completely hooked.
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I read the first half prior to the Printz Award Announcement and the second half after it had won the Printz. It was quite an amazing read and I could see how many of my students will truly enjoy this novel. Those who have embraced Perks of Being a Wallflower and A Curious Incident of a Dog at Night Time are ideal readers for this very thoughtful and intense read. I did find the “After” part a tad longer than necessary. Too much emphasis on the soul-searching side without the help of actual incidents to move the story along. Still a worthy winner of 2006.
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This wacky science ficition story is read so amazingly well by Stephen Fry! I thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience. Now I must go on with the rest of the series! Of course, I can see that maybe some of the slapstick jokes can get a bit tiring after being repeated a few more times than absolutely necessary. Fortunately it is a short tale. I don’t think I could have withstood the funny blasts much longer!
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I enjoyed reading this one: the main character is likable, the pacing is fast, and the problems are not that simplistically or easily resolved, although the story is a little bit outdated and does not include a real climatic scene.
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Edition: Audiobook, read by the author
This one, read by Sedaris, too, was thoroughly enjoyable. Witty, at times bitter, and other times revelational, it presents the modern American life’s many quirky sides. (Of course, it’s such life viewed via a very strange mind indeed.)
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After finally getting past the first few chapters of rather clunky writing and derivative plot details, I suddenly understood why the book has been so popular with young readers. This is a book that, young readers of fantasy stories would have written themselves: the surprising but not really complex plot twists, the relationships between major characters, and the resolutions are all very young-person-like (as opposed to childlike.) The actions flow quite quickly and there is definitely enough excitement to uphold reader’s interest. Now, I might actually go and read The Eldest.
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This scary, ugly world of the future (thousands of years away) is so well realized and extremely chilling. The story is exciting but oh, so very sad. Almost every single one of the characters, major or minor, dies along the way. So bleak — most of the deaths are justifiable, but some seem a bit gratuitous. Definitely not a book for the weak of stomach. After closing the book, I can still hear the grinding of the city wheels and gear and feel the pain from so many different kinds of wounds inflicted to the various characters.
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I definitely liked the character very much and enjoyed a few stories tremendously: especially the first story when she was 7 and the story about her first romance. However, it does not quite feel that all the stories are connected, and I can’t quite figure out how each of them builds on the previous version of Dolores. I think that is the intention — to show how she becomes the Dolores of the next stage. But, it might be just me as a reader who failed to see the connection between one set of characteristics to the next. It also seems very unrealistic, fairy-tale like almost — although I do know young women who remain true to their inner-selves and are accepted and even admired for their fierce loyalty to their own hearts. So, maybe it is not quite a fairy-tale!
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Edition: Audio Book
After hours of listening, I am now finally done with this famous work. So many of my friends read this when they were younger and told me how this book “changed their lives.” At this stage of my life, I definitely did not feel that the ideology or situations presented in the work have that much impact on my life as a whole. It is a gripping story with completely unforgettable characters, for sure.
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This reminds me of some of the best and most horrifying mangas I read as a teenager, fitting the serie’s title. Whoever wishes to read it, must proceed with caution — and a strong appetite for the graphically gory scenes.
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This is bound to be popular with anyone who loves action-packed adventure stories. Vastly accessible due to its simplicity both in prose style and in its explicitly directive explanations of Percy’s emotional reactions to events. For me, there were simply too many repeated and predictable patterns (and some scenes thrown in simply for thrills) and not enough layers for contemplation to warrant deep satisfaction.
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Even though it took me some effort to get into the main part of the story, once I adjusted my own mood to fit the text’s, the characters came alive and all the little scenes brought quite a bit of enjoyment: from their humor, insights, or authenticity. Definitely a book speaking for a specific audience — and there is no predicting whom it might attract.
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author: Neil Gaiman
audience: Adult
Like all the other Sandman graphic novels in the series (of 10 books,) this one is exquisitely designed and the story is the usual Gaiman-esque oddity: illogical and yet completely sensible, if one thinks with one’s heart, not one’s head. Some images are really quite gory… they even bothered me! (The severed, reconstructed Head of George which flapped its tongue and talked…hmm… really disturbing..)
author: Lisi Harrison
audience: 5th-7th
Wow… pre-Teen Soap Opera to the top level! My goodness. The girls are so mean and there does not seem to have any remorse after all their misdeeds… Yes, I wanted to read to find out what comes next, a guilty kind of pleasure, but am so appalled by the lack of any “moralistic” view that I simply won’t endorse this series. I am curious, though, as to why this is such a popular series and what the young readers (as young as 4th grade in my school) see in these books and how they view these girls.
author: Grace Lin
audience: 3th-5th
I am reviewing this one for the Horn Book so I won’t post my opinions here! (Horn Book 2006 March/April issue)
author: Zizou Corder
audience: 4th-6th
The rip-roaring conclusion of the adventurous and exciting trilogy did not disappoint me. Although so many threads are dealt with, the story line keeps pushing forward and the climax is quite satisfying. The blend of quality prose and very very childlike details remains the most charming aspect of this story.
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author: Neil Gaiman
audience: Adult
Definitely enjoyed this light, weird, fun, fantasy… Gaiman is so good at creating parallel worlds inhabited by slightly “off” characters — and they tend to be some form of magical/godlike beings. The images are so vividly presented that even I, the non-visual-reader, can picture the scenes, the settings, and the individual characters. It’s definitely a story that leaves a long-lasting impression.
author: Anthony Horowitz
audience: 4th-6th
Although I liked the gloomy and scary bits of the book, too many scenes simply did not work for me and the momentum kept being stopped by unnecessary descriptions of something that the readers already were told. At moments, it just seemed sloppy. Still, parts of the story work quite well and I imagine those who like both Alex Rider series and Cirque du Freak series will enjoy the blend of adventure and horror in this volume. I wonder whether the second book will be better than the first..
author: Diana Wynne Jones
audience: 6th-8th
I just love how Jones writes — there is a distinct tone, witty, dark, whimsical, and wise all at once.. and the world is so out of kelter… dangerous and fascinating at the same time, alluringly alarming.. is that how best describing this strange and charming book? I can’t wait to discuss it with the online pals who will start the discussion tomorrow — the last chapters are very murky and I could not quite figure out what really happened. Hopefully, in a few days, I’ll have some answers to my questions (and I don’t even know what my questions ARE!) This cover art puts me off, though. I much prefer the version I read – darker and more mysterious, much less focusing on the main characters.
author: Odo Hirsch
audience: 4th – 6th
Slightly entertaining and at times very funny, in an intellectual, quirky way. A really fast read with some interesting scenarios. I like especially Hazel’s relationships with all those surrounding her — from the fishmonger, to her best friends, to bullies whom she is not afraid to challenge. However, I did find the set of quirky characters appear a bit unbelievable and the mystery simply… not very mysterious?
author: Neil Gaiman
audience: Adult
Fascinating? Brilliant? Fragmented? All-encompassing? I cannot quite pin down exactly how to describe this book, except that I really enjoyed reading it. All the legends, myths, characters are highly intriguing. Of course, Gaiman’s ability to present the most grotesque, morbid, and gory images with utter beauty, total elegance, and an alluring charm is what truly attracts me. American Gods reminds me of Peter Greenaway’s movies.
author: Chris Lynch
audience: 8th and up
Although this book can make one very “uncomfortable,” I was impressed with Lynch’s ability to maintain a very unsympathetic, unreliable narrator’s view point throughout the book. What a sad story.. but I imagine, not a completely abnormal one. It’s interesting how one can justify just about anything that one does — no matter how external evidences all point to a very different conclusion. Thought-provoking, to say the least.
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