Book Reviews by Genre: Literature

I initially picked this book after seeing all the clout it was getting, as I'm sure many have noticed, it's popularity is unmatched. I walked into reading the story with a raised eyebrow, unsure if it would live up to its hype. It did. The story closely follows the Greek invasion of Troy after Helen is swept away by Paris, and if you have read the Iliad, then I am sure you already understand the plot. What differs from the work of Homer, however, is the pace at which Miller writes and the story she pushes. It is a beautiful rendition of war, love, and heartbreak. Between fighting battles and training with Chiron, Miller shows the sides of these famous heroes we all guessed at but never saw-- from running along a sun-warmed beach to tearing out hair, you will never be as deeply connected to characters as you will while reading this. My favorite part about this book was how beautiful Miller's incredible prose and the scenes that are forever engraved in my head: Thetis touching the chin of Achilles, Patroclus's hands on the gold of well-known armor, and a stone memorial built on the greatest hill, two figures standing side by side nearby it. This is not only one of the top book's I've read this year, but nearly the best book I've read in my entire life.

Junior-11

Review of Book R. Crusoe

In plague struck Italy around the 1350s, 3 young adult boys and 7 teenage girls as well as their servants hide out in various castles while telling each other stories to pass the time. Each of them has to tell one story per day. For each day there is a new theme decided by the"ruler" of that day. These themes include; Misadventures with happy endings,Tragic loves, Bawdy loves, Munificence, and Avoiding Misfortune with witty remarks.

Though this is a good and classic book it is not for everyone due to it having mature sexual themes, so if you do not like such things either dont read this book or stick to the days that arent about things like those... also watch out for Dioneo's stories because he can say a story on whatever he likes. Alltogether a good book if not for everyone.

Once There Were Wolves is a story about a biologist leading a team of scientists trying to reintroduce wolves into the highlands of Scotland in order to heal the damaged ecosystem of the area.

Main character, Inti (the biologist), has mirror touch synesthesia which is a rare condition where a person feels a similar sensation in their body to the physical sensation another is actually feeling. Inti is independent, determined, and single-minded. When it comes to the reintroduction of the wolves to the area, she will not let the local farmers deter her, even as the wolves pose a serious threat to their animals. And things get a little hairy.

The present day scenes unfolding this story are interspersed with flashbacks of Inti's childhood and trauma she experienced as a young girl.

This is a beautifully told story with interesting characters, a strong environmental theme, and a bit of mystery. Once There Were Wolves was my first Charlotte McConaghy book and I will definitely look for more!

I have favorite authors, like anybody else. There are authors I don't care for, authors I just kinda like, and authors I get excited about. But, then there are authors that I have a certain warmth for that is different than just excitement or interest. That feeling can be hard to describe, but Sally Rooney pulls that feeling out of me. There is something in what she writes about and the way she writes it that just gives me those feels. That warmth started with Normal People and was solidified with her latest release, Beautiful World, Where Are You?

Beautiful World, Where Are You? is one of those pesky novels that has no quotation marks and minimal paragraphs, both of which lend to a stream-of- consciousness feel, so consider yourself warned.

It explores the daily life and thoughts of two friends, Alice and Eileen, told often through letters they write to one anotleor. Both of the women, and their love interests, are deeply flawed and true-to-life, working through relationships (even with one another) that are confusing, and messed up and imperfect. Part of the beauty of this book is that their issues are our issues, and their lives have an aimlessness that mirrors how real life can feel sometimes. There is a deep search for purpose and meaning in this book. It felt real, and in that sense, if you are looking for your books to help you escape reality, Rooney might not be the author for you.

But, the ways Sally Rooney is able to zoom her scenes out and beautifully describe the world surrounding her characters, is absolutely lovely.

Of note is that this is the first book of fiction I've read that has addressed daily life during the pandemic, and, after reading it, I look forward to reading more books with that backdrop.

The premise of the book Hell of a Book by Jason Mott is as follows: an African American author has written a book and is touring the country to promote it. On his tour, he keeps encountering the same small child everywhere he goes. I can't say much beyond that without giving too much away.

This book recently won the 2021 National Book Award for fiction and I just don't think my review of it will do it justice. Not only that, but I hate writing overly exuberant reviews of books that are this unusual, because not everybody is going to love this book. Or understand it. But, that's the whole point, I think.

It's unusual. It's transcendent. It's elusive. It's ironic. It's deep. It's moving. It gives you tons to think about but very little to grasp onto.

I absolutely loved it. And I already want to read it again.

Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe is an amazing study of enlightenment views on religion, morality, and social structure, all wrapped up in a fascinating tale of the supernatural. Doctor Faustus makes a deal with the Devil in exchange for power and knowledge, but, as a result, he constantly wars with himself. On one side, Faustus wants to repent his actions and avoid damnation, however, Faustus also is driven on by his greed and arrogance to pursue his dark arts and continue fulfilling his desires, visiting places such as the Papal and Imperial courts, leaving only after he has achieved his mischief. The story is amazing when considered within the historical context of its writing, the enlightenment philosophy and religious teachings show throughout the book, pitting the Old Testament views of damnation and repentance against the more forgiving views of the New Testament. I would highly recommend Doctor Faustus to those seeking to learn about the enlightenment and 16th century culture.
Harrison
Grade 12

The Little Friend is a story about family, loss, remembrance, and childhood. It all rotates around a mysterious tragedy in the Dufresnes family, where the youngest boy, Robin, was found strangled and hung in a tree out back. Years later, his precocious younger sister Harriet is determined to find the killer. In her quest, she tangles with snakes and water towers and drugs and family trauma, all shown through the eyes of a bright and, for now, innocent child.
The reason this book gets a three is not because it is a so-so book, mediocre in all avenues but largely strung together enough to earn the title "Pretty Good". This book was fantastic. And bad. And thrilling. And boring. And gloriously written. And horribly structured. I read this because Donna Tartt wrote it, and I love her writing style. This style came alive in her book undoubtedly, but any future readers should be warned that the writing, and the characters, are the only things of substance in this story. The writing is prosaic and setting appropriate and beautiful and heart wrenching and perfect. The characters are so fleshed out and developed that when you're reading you can hear them breath. But that is it. The plot is nearly insubstantial, or at least insignificant. On one hand, I read this whole book and found no story of relevance. On the other hand, through the writing and the characters and the subtle morals and stories along the way, I was pulled through an entire book where I found no story of relevance. Would I recommend this? It all depends on you. If you want a story that all ties up loosely and leaves you happy and fulfilled at the end, I would say no. But if you want a tale that is so realistic and magical that you can't take your hands off the strange, wonderful pages, then I would say go for it. All in all, this book earns three stars for being nearly incomprehensible, and yet, one of the most meaningful books I've ever read. I loved it, and I will never read it again.
Reviewer grade: 11

it was the worst book ever. pointless.

*spoiler alert* Beowulf is ugly and mean and rude and abusive and does not understand the concept of consent it made me cry for days what's the point of a book if it has the stupidest ending ever created.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel about Jean Louise Finch (Scout), living through her father Atticus' controversial decision to defend a black man in court. Along with experiencing the tribulations of racism in her home town of Maycomb County, Scout, her brother Jem, and her friend Dill explore the curiosities of the town and investigate the mysterious Boo Radley. The plot gave me excitement to continuing reading, and the joining of the two plots at the end created a perfect ending to the story. I thought that the book was really good due to the knowledge that was gained about the history during the Great Depression and the progression throughout the book that helped develop the main character. This was a school required book, but I would definitely recommend it to readers in high school and above.
Reviewer Grade: 9

F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" begins with a straightforward introduction to its main character and narrator, Nick Carraway. Nick fancies himself a man of high morals and while he does not always succeed, he tries his best to adhere to his principles at all times. Nick comes from a prominent family in a middle western city; however, after fighting in the Third Infantry Division during World War I, Nick tires of the monotony of the Midwest and goes east — to New York — in order to learn the bond business and in pursuit of more adventure. Nick settles in West Egg, a village that is described best as housing those who are "new money," and is a direct counterpart to East Egg, home to New York's most elite. It is in New York that the we are introduced to Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin; Tom Buchanan, Daisy's husband and Nick's former schoolmate; Jordan Baker, the Buchanans' close friend and renowned golfer; and finally, to Jay Gatsby, Nick's neighbor and the titular character of the novel. Nick becomes entangles within the affairs (both literal and figurative) of these characters, as both his fascination and friendship with Gatsby grow.

At face value, "The Great Gatsby" may appear almost to be a soap-opera, but in truth, it is the very opposite. Much like its characters, beneath its shimmering facade, "The Great Gatsby" houses profound and poignant messages and themes — about societal roles, the ever-elusive American dream, and human nature.

In things fall apart we met the main character, Okonkwo, who once gained fame and respect by his village of Umuofia. Okonkwo is an ambitious man within the Umuofia clan of the Igbo tribe. By the time the British colonial administrator arrives everything that Okonkwo holds dear becomes threatened after an accidental shooting. Okonkwo must flee with his family from his beloved village for seven years, losing the life that he worked so hard to gain. He gets through his seven years of exile only to go back home and discover that everything has changed. White missionaries have come to convert Africa to their ways. we liked Things fall apart because it had this idea that capture African culture, specially Nigerian culture. Okonkwo is an interesting character because his unwillingness to adapt to the new change represents an internal struggle many pre-colonized Africans faced in the wake of colonization. The ending is symbolic because it represents the ultimate death of culture as a result of European exploration. Overall, the writer tried to make us see how Africans struggle to keep their culture and identity from colonization.

"Fahrenheit 451" is a short story that tells about Montag's transformation from finding a pleasure in burning books, to loving books and all the knowledge that comes with it. Montag lives in a society where the government has forbidden to read books and seek knowledge through writing. Montag is part of a group called "Fireman" who are supposed to put out fire, but that's not the case since they do the opposite. He lives with his girlfriend and has a bad relationship with her. They don't really talk and just look after themselves. Deep down, he cares for her, we'll find out when Montag gets home and see she's fallen over because of an overdose, where he called the ambulance and the police. At the end of Fahrenheit 451, Montag escapes the city and joins a small community of survivors who have successfully fled the repressive society and are dedicated to memorizing books. The group is moving north to start anew, and for the first time in his life Montag has a future to look forward to.

The short story is one of the few books I find interesting. Usually, I do not read many books and definitely not with the genre "dystopia". If you compare this short story to the society we live in right now, you can see they are opposite to each other so for me it is very interesting to hear how the people in "Fahrenheit 451" were dehumanized. The introduction was very boring, but the further you got into the short story, the more interesting it became. In the end, someone was really good. I still think this short story is relevant to us today because it proves what good conditions we live in, and I certainly appreciate more the privacy and freedom I have. "Fahrenheit 451" has a lot of themes, such as the power of books, because you can really see how much a book can have meaning. All the power a book may have manifested in this particular short story. There are also other themes, such as, Loss of Individuality, Role of Technology and ignorance and Knowledge. All these themes have an important meaning in this short story.

After I read this book, I was trapped by the dystopian world and all the social problems they had. I wonder a lot what our society would look like if the government had banned reading books, would I have read this?

Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory about a farm of talking animals that push out their farmer after the abuse that they endure and proceed to create their own form of government. The animals form their government without the realization of the need to work for survival and have to adapt to the situation which causes discrepancies and arguments. I thought that this book was really good due to the surprising climax, ruthless betrayal, and the historical relation that it contains, but it does have some dragging parts. The plot is unpredictable and very interesting throughout. I had to read this book for school and thought it would be boring, but after reading it I gained knowledge of history through symbolism and recommend this book for history enthusiasts such as myself. Reviewer Grade: 9

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a dystopian novel about Guy Montag; a firefighter in a world that has illegalized books. His occupation results in burning books that are found in citizens' homes and after witnessing a woman that was burned with her books after refusing to leave them, Guy has a disturbing realization of his society. The progressive plot gave me the excitement of coming home and reading while the ending left me in a jaw dropping manner. I thought that the book was amazing due to the mysterious plot and the relations it has to our world today. I had to read this for school and thought it was going to be boring, but in the long run it became one of my most favorite books I have ever read and I would definitely recommend it for readers who love dystopian novels. Reviewer Grade: 9

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells is a science-fiction novel about a man in England in the 1800s who creates a way to make himself completely invisible without a way to change it. The life of a scientist named Griffin, who uses his invisibility for harm, is described throughout the book with an unpredictable ending. I selected this book for a school report, but I would definitely recommend the book to read if wanting a novel that keeps you on edge and wanting more. I thought that this book was pretty good due to the mysterious plot and ending though there were some dragging parts. I believe it is worth the wait for the surprising ending that left me in shock.
Reviewer Grade: 9

"The Invisible Man" by H.G. Wells is a gothic literature novel about an albino man in the 1800s who turns himself invisible. The book follows his journey through England as he commits a multitude of crimes and inevitably gets caught and killed. I didn't like reading it because I felt it was boring, and it was hard to keep reading since I had a strong dislike for the main character. Despite not liking the novel, I read it for school during our gothic literature unit, and it is a good example of gothic literature. "The Invisible Man" isn't surprising but rather shocking because the invisible man's actions are so abnormal. It could be relatable if you were wronged by someone or something and want to take revenge on them. It's not one of the best books I've read this year.

Introduction , imprint, synopsis, genre, central theme and evaluation

Really Good.

There was no sophomore slump for author Yaa Gyasi, who lit the literary world ablaze with her searing debut novel, Homegoing (2016). That work of historical fiction was deeply personal and her exceptional contemporary follow-up Transcendent Kingdom (2020) draws upon her experiences growing up with Ghanaian parents in in northern Alabama. This powerful and emotionally raw novel centers on Giffy, a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the connections between depression and addiction. Her brother was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal, deeply religious mother is bedridden. Dad left long ago. Giffy hopes science will find the why behind the suffering. But she still hungers for her childhood faith and struggles to find a balance between religion and science, hope and despair, living and inertia. It’s a personal journey with a conclusion that will leave you with hope, if not a clear answer.