The Name of the Wind--first impressions

Title: The Name of the Wind

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Genre: Some adventure

Description:

I guess its not fair to criticize this book too much as I haven't finished yet, but it's a big book with small print, so here are my first impressions.

I have some complaints.

First of all, the main story is about a man who is usually described as having red hair and who has had a supposedly amazing past full of great and terrible things he wants to hide. One day a scribe finds him and decides to write his story.
Sounds exciting, doesn't it?
Not really.
They take a long time to get to the story of his terrible past, and pages are wasted where the scribe and the man are trying to find times for the man to tell his story. They do not introduce his "real" character until too late. You first know this man as someone with red hair who runs a bar. He shows up a bit more as the story goes on, but I thought that was just because he runs the only bar in town. I could hardly remember his name. then all of a sudden he seems to be a main character and Iam trying to figure out the importance of this man who-I-can't-remember-the-name-of. I learn he is a powerful character with a dark and mysterious past. But by now I just know him as the random bar-man and even as he tells his story, I wonder, Who the heck is this person?? Why am I reading about him? That's what I don't like about it. You are reading this story about a person you don't even know. His story doesn't seem important, and I haven't gotten to the good bits yet. So why read on? But I'm going to try to plod through because the librarian at school picked it out for me and really wants to know what I think of it. It's probably way overdue by now.

I wasn't too impressed with the writing. That's part of it. An attack happens on the road, a mysterious one that is supposed to inspire fear and excitement, but I found it boring. The event itself would be exciting, but it is too drawn out. You get kind of excited, but want to move on with the story. Everything was drawn out that way. The prologue gives a haunting message, "It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man waiting to die" (1). [we learned all about citations in school this week. My teachers would be proud of me] Anyway, the sentence hooks you in, but after 2 or 3 pages of gossiping men in a bar, you forget about it and aren't very curious anymore because it doesn't seem to be talked about anytime soon. Not every book starts out with a bang, but it really didn't seem like this one was going anywhere. They talk to much. I like a balanced amount of action and dialogue. This has too much dialogue. Sometimes I have know idea what they are talking about. For instance, what is a mounting board? They talk about it for 2 pages in Chapter 3. I guess I'll have to look it up.

A thing about the names. They are odd names, like Kvothe, Skarpi, and Bast, and I have trouble keeping them in my head and sometimes lose track of who is talking. Kvothe has several names, which complicates things further.

My first impressions weren't great, but isn't there a saying that you can't count on first impressions? I 'm actually looking forward to reading on to see if I can get to any really good bits in this book, then that review will come. I still have to find out what the name of the wind has to do with anything. Ta-ta!

Hooray!

Today is my mom's birthday. Happy birthday Mom!!!!! Lots of love from your daughter. :)

Pix from: http://www.gifts2pinas.com/pictures/balloons/balloons14-big.jpg

I Want to go Home

Title: I Want to go Home


Author: Gordon Korman


Genre: Humor


Description: A sarcastic boy and his faithful sidekick hate the camp they have been forced to go to, and they take every opportunity to run away.

This isn't a real hard read. I don't have much to say about it. But sometimes when I am in the middle of several books that are really serious and have some major character development, I like to take a step back and read this funny story. Rudy Miller has calm, cool ways of devising brilliant plans to escape, and the reaction of his camp counselours just makes me laugh. It's a nice simple story and a quick read.

Picture from: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/gordon-korman/i-want-to-go-home.htm

By the way, there is one flaw in the cover of this book. In the story, Camp Algonkian Island (the camp that Rudy was sent to) is a boys' camp! So there should be no girls!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (that's a mouthful)

Author: Mark Haddon

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Description: A dog is murdered on a dark night. Who did this? Why? What are all these strange secrets Christopher keeps uncovering about his family? Christopher is not your ordinary boy, but he must find out.

The voice in this book is really good. The story is in the point of view of an autistic child, so we get an insight on what his life is like, and with an interesting plot. For school, we were asked to read this and find out what we had in common with Christopher, then write a response. At first I was like, how am I ever going to find something in common between an autistic kid and an avid book reader? We live in different worlds, pretty much. So what did I make of it? Here is my response:

Probably like many others, I found very little in common with Christopher when reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for the first time. After finishing the last page, I looked back, but I still couldn’t find much that we shared. Then I thought about not focusing on specifics, but the big picture. For example: we both have a color we don’t like. Mine is orange instead of yellow and brown, but it is a likeness. With this new idea in mind, I read the book once more, and found many more similarities than before.

First I found little things we had almost exactly in common. We both have a favorite color, and we both like Indian food. We both like puzzles because they are calming. I do a Sudoku when I want to relax, and Christopher does the puzzle Conway’s Soldiers when he is overwhelmed on the crowded train. We both don’t like being shouted at because we are scared of further consequences. These similarities were easy to find because we both liked (or disliked) the same thing for the same reason.

I looked deeper into the story and found things we both have done or liked or wanted, but for different reasons. Christopher likes math because it is stable. I like math because there is always a specific and straightforward formula to find the answer. Christopher doesn’t like lies like the ones they tell in proper novels. I don’t like lies like the ones they tell in scary alien movies. Christopher wants things in a nice order because it makes him feel safe. When he sees 4 red cars in a row, they are in a nice order, so that makes it a Good Day. I want things in a nice order because it is easier to find things. Sometimes I spend an afternoon picking up my room so that it is orderly, which makes me feel better. We have both snooped around like detectives. Christopher snooped around to find out why his father hated Mr. Shears. I snooped around to find cool new things, like my favorite dress from Kindergarten, which was stuffed into a rag box. Christopher writes a story about his experiences. I just write stories.

I can relate to Christopher in a few big points of his life as well. He learns his mother has supposedly had a heart attack. He isn’t very sad, just accepting. When I was much younger, my grandmother had a heart attack. I didn’t understand so I didn’t worry much, just accepted the fact. Then, Christopher finds some hidden letters in a box, addressed to him! I once found a box of letters too, but addressed to my great-grandmother from my great-grandfather. In both cases, the letters piqued our curiosity. Finally, Christopher decides to go live with his mother and travels to London and has an adventure on the London Underground. The tube sign is only too familiar to me. Just this summer, my aunt took me to London, and I know exactly what the Underground is like. We share a big experience.

From reading this book and writing this paper, I found out how I can share a great deal with someone I would have thought to be a complete stranger. From small dislikes to big events we will always remember, Christopher and I have a lot in common.

Picture from http://reeyah.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/the_curious_incident.jpg

Coraline

Title: Coraline


Author: Neil Gaiman


Genre: Adventure,


Description: Coraline wishes for more than what she has in her dull, much-less-than perfect world, and it seems her wish has been answered when she finds a small door hidden in her dreary apartment. But this door and the perfect world behind it are more creepy and frightening than they seem.


Wow. Creepy. Scary. Frightening. Fascinating.


Neil Gaiman really takes you away with this highly suspenseful and intriguing story. He hooks you and lays out the setting neatly. He clearly describes the wills and wants of his character, and adds a bit of mystery. All seems innocent until you realize the truth along with Coraline. But does she turn back? No. As the story becomes more fast-paced, you read, being pulled deeper and deeper with each thrilling sentence.At the creepiest part of the book, you have to give it to Coraline for bravery. Even though her parents are missing and she has nothing to go to but a dreaful and powerful other mother, she faces her enemy and does whatever it takes to find her parents and triumph. It gives you courage too. If she can do it, so can I. I couldn't put this awesome book down. After the story, I gave some thought to the question: If I were in Coraline's place, what would I do?

Everyone I talked to told me this book was really scary, and I might not like it. I would never tell anyone not to read this book. The scary parts were so exciting, and I read them eagerly. And if you are scared, don't worry. It will all turn out O.K. in the end.

The Willoughbys

Title: The Willoughbys


Author: Lois Lowry

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Description: Four unhappy children wish to be orphans because they hate their parents, and and old grouch finds happiness again. I guess.


After some thought, I have found I do not know how to describe this book and its story. Maybe I could say it was random. Possibly undecided. A very simple story. The author had NO IDEA what she was doing.
Just kidding. But it is true that this book isn't the greatest piece of literature.

My first thought on this book was that it was sick and slightly racist. That sounds harsh, but what kind of kids wish their parents were dead so they could be orphans? What kind of parents name their twins the same name, then can't remember their other two children's names? Then the parents go on a vacation, leaving their kids behind and Put their House up For Sale. The trip turns out to be a perilous journey, and some fellow tourists die. And the parents say: 'It doesn't matter that they died, they were French." I mean, what kind of book is this?????? It is for children, right?? What is the book world coming to???? ....Okay, I'm calm now. But I don't understand why my sister likes this book. And one more thing. The oldest Willoughby child, Tim, is an absolute beast. For example, if his brothers and sisters don't do something absolutely right, he docks "points" off them. At the end of the day, he always has the most points, because he does everything perfectly. Ha ha. As an older sibling myself, I am appalled.



As I said before, I found the story random. One moment, you are learning about the aggravating Willoughby children and their horrible parents. Then, they find this abandoned baby on their doorstep. You may think this is a turning point for the Willoughbys, but it's not. Instead they shave the baby and dump it on somebody else's doorstep. Now it is time for the parents to go on their vacation. A nanny is being hired. There is this big fuss over the nanny, and you think, oh, this is going to be sort of like Mary Poppins! But think again. After that chapter, the nanny doesn't come up much, except when she makes cookies. Now enter another character, the old grouch. He finds the unwanted baby, and now the baby has to affect his life a little tiny bit, or otherwise, why have the baby in the story at all???

Book #1--Again

Being my first ever book review, my The True Meaning of Smekday review is pretty lame. I'm going to do this great book some justice right here.

Title: The True Meaning of Smekday

Author: Adam Rex

Genre: Adventure, Science Fiction

Description: Aliens envade Earth in 2013!! Join the Amazing Gratuity Tucci and her hilarious alien friend, J.Lo, on a journey you won't forget!

Anyway.

I laugh at what I just wrote, because the most distinguishable feature of the main character, Gratuity Tucci, is her voice. One of the most common things she does is go off topic then say, "Anyway." Adam Rex does a great job at the voices, and gives each character their own special way of speaking. J.Lo the alien's first language, Boovish, consists of strange sounds mixed together, like a Crying Baby Riding on a Duck with Its Mouth Full. Anyway. One of J.Lo's common English mistakes is saying 'for' or 'to' after the 5 w's. For example: Wherefor are you knowing it? or Whyfor is he exploring our car? He also confuses the word 'exploding' with 'exploring.' Not a good idea. Still, Gratuity and J.Lo make a hilarious combination with their distinct characters.

Not just the voices are great, but the plot. Aliens land, twice! They take up the entire U.S. and leave only one state for the entire human population! Find out what its really like, all through the eyes of an eleven -year-old girl whose mom was taken by the aliens! This same girl drives across America with her funny Boov sidekick and her cat! And get the first-hand story on how strange aliens can be! It can't get any better than that.

Even as an avid book reader, I only find a few books that really take me into their world. You always hear about books as being the doorway into different and amazing places. I'm not saying they aren't, but have you ever almost forgot where you were and belived yourself to be with the characters? With this one I laughed out loud and cautiously made my way across an alien-filled America with the two main characters.

This is a book you don't want to miss, seriously!!!!

Anyway.

Tangerine

Title: Tangerine

Author: Edward Bloor

Genre: Mystery, Adventure

Description: Moving to Tangerine, Florida, is not what it seems. This place used to be famous for it's Tangerine Groves. Now, as Paul Fisher finds out, there are more and more problems and danger resurfacing every day.

This book is definitely worth reading. It's very captivating, and the story holds onto you. You always want to read on, and you always are asking, "What's going to happen next?" The book has an air of suspense, although some parts are not really scary. Paul Fisher, the main character, becomes a soccer player on a great team. Being a soccer player, I find the games he plays as exciting as the suspicious crimes. You are astonished at how many things can go wrong in one place and in one lifetime, and you may think, "I am very lucky." How many times have you complained about a boring spot in a book? Never fear. In Tangerine, something is always happening. It may be drastic. It may be lightning. It may change your life. Okay, I'm exagerating, but you get the point. You won't be able to put this book down!

The Way Authors Use Words

When reading my many books, I noticed how the authors used word play or puns as names for their characters. I found some pretty fun names and some interesting origins in my reading. Here are some examples I want to show you:

In The True Meaning of Smekday, the main character is named Gratuity. Defined from the dictionary, gratuity is "a material favor or gift", which is usually money, and is given in return for service. In other words, a tip. Which turns out to be the character's nickname.

Trial By Journal is chock full of puns and word play. Almost every characters name has to do with their occupation and/or an animal. For example, one of Lily Watson's (no pun there) fellow jurors is named Woody Pecker (woodpecker, of course) and he owns a furniture store. Anna Conda styles snake-skin clothing. Penny Gwen sells tuxedos. The supposed murderer and murdered boy both have bird names-Bob White and Perry Keet. Lynn Goe (it took me a while to get this one, but I suppose it is lingo) is against child jurors (children should See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil). I liked reading all the creative names, and it's a good story too!!

Asterix in Britain is an old comic book about this Gaul named Asterix and his friend Obelix, and they travel to Britain to help defend a little town from being taken over by Romans. I just recently noticed how the author had some fun with the names.

Gaul Names
Anticlimax
Mykingdomforanos (I don't get this one, do any of you readers?)
Overoptimistix
Vitalstatistix
McAnix
Cacofonix (the musician whose music is ear shattering)
Haystax
Hiphiphurrax

Roman Names
Tillius Stratocummulus
Encylopaedicus Britannicus

The names are all like this, but I am surprised that I just noticed them!

In Harry Potter, there must be almost one hundred characters in all the books put together! I did some (more) reading and found out a couple of the origins of the names and spells. The names often reflect the characteristics of the character.
Rita Skeeter (Miss Skeeter): Like mosquito, a bloodthirsty pest. Indeed, Miss Skeeter is always out looking for the bloody details on a story, being a pest the whole time.
Severus Snape: Like severe, snub, and snipe. An unpopular and strict teacher who can't get the job he wants.
Professor Sprout: Like sprout. She teaches the study of magical plants.
Draco Malfoy: Like dragon (Draco=Latin for dragon), malevolent, malignant, and malfeasance. Draco is a true enemy of Harry.
Voldemort: Like death (mort = Latin for death) and Vol de mort (French for 'flight from death') Voldemort continually causes death but escapes from it himself.
Albus Dumbledore: A tricky one. Albus = Latin for white, Dumbledore= old English word for bumblebee White bumblebee. Go figure.

Latin origins can easily be found for all spells, and they usually explain exactly what that spell does.
I got these origins from Verbatim magazine, edited by Eric McKean, in the article by Jessie Randall. To read more interesting origins of names, places, things, passwords, and spells in the Harry Potter books, go here!

Just Ella

Title: Just Ella

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Genre: Fairy/Folk Tale

Description: The continuance of the story of Cinderella, but as Ella (a.k.a. Cinderella) begins to live the life of a princess, she realizes it is not what she thought.

I enjoyed this book, but I realized some parts are not what I thought. I like these stories about the aftermath or true story of a fairy tale, and this one goes pretty well, but, as I always say, every piece of writing has some weak spots.

As the story unfolds, Ella is not portrayed as the poor servant girl who needs mice and a fairy godmother to help her. She is an independent, defiant, strong-willed young woman, called Cinders-Ella by her Step-Evils. She took matters into her own hands, and somehow the magical story was brought into the mix by over-imaginative townsfolk. I like Cinderella known this way--she isn't so much the magical Disney character we know, but just herself, Ella. Hence the title.

The story is interesting as she fights back against the palace that is trying to shape her into the perfect lady. Her aims are set, and they continue like this through the whole book. I enjoyed her fight against delicacy, and the fight for her own way. She faces whatever lies between her and her goal. But it keeps going in this vein for the whole book, and then there is this abrupt change at the end. The first time I read this and finished it, I sat there for a moment and thought, "The End? Huh?" The story left off a little suddenly and it wasn't until I had read it a few times that I realized a point had been made by the author. When it leaves off, there are some unsolved problems and goings-on, but you are told Ella is happy. The End. It isn't quite that direct, so it took me a couple minutes to figure out that this story was told with Ella wanting more, wanting this and doing it, but never feeling content. So Ella has found her happiness. She finally knows her place. But until I reached the end, I had no idea this is what the author was getting at. I had a few guesses of the conclusion, but none of them fit in now, like she would finally find the right prince, or true love, or whatever. I am also a little unsure how Ella is happy. I think if I was in her place, I would have a sense of purpose and determination, but she already had that. This isn't as bad or abrupt of an ending as I first thought; there is evidence leading up to the conclusion, but it could do with some refining and some more wrapping up. I hope you readers will read this book and tell me what you think.

The author also has a habit (which sometimes gets annoying) of ending chapters with questions. Ella will make a statement,(for example, "I like chocolate.) then finish up the chapter with a contradicting question like "Or do I?" At some ponts she is facing confusing periods of time, but sometimes I just think, I don't know. Make up your mind. But these questions do supply an interesting bit of foreshadowing.

I look forward to your comments on this book, and hearing your thoughts.

The Last Dog on Earth!!

Title: The Last Dog on Earth

Author: Daniel Ehrenhaft

Genre: Adventure,

Description: A mysterious dog disease is gripping the state of Oregon, sending people into a frenzy! Logan Moore must protect his pooch, and must find a way to return the world to how it once normally was.

Cool Stuff: This book won 3rd place in the Division II 2008 Maud Hart Lovelace Awards. It totally should've gotten first.

Rating: *****! Seriously.

Alright, so it is kind of a lame description. It's good to be back and writing again, but I am a little out of practice. But trust me, this is an awesome, AWESOME book, and trust me, (again) I know a good book when I see one. I love the word pooch.

Anyway--there are tons of good things about this book. It rates in my top 5 favorite books.

To start, this story has an excellent hook. A couple, actually. The first is a strange, life or death situation, about a dog attack on another dog. It's sad, but gripping. Then it changes to a different location, and a little insert in the form of an incident report. It's a report of another dog attack, and this brings the same creepy hook. With these two first stories, you really want to know what's happening to these dogs. Not in a bad, impatient way, but you're interested. Hooked, actually. You can learn a good thing or two or three about hooks from this author.

The first time I read this book, I got blown over by the feeling. That's why I thought it deserved the Maud hart Lovelace Award. Don't strange dog attacks sound creepy? Well, it doesn't just sound creepy, it feels creepy. The story is written with three views. One, a little she-pup in a wolf pack being overcome by a sickness. Two, a strange teenage boy who hates a lot of things. Three, an unsocial, retired professor who lives in the peace and quiet with his dog companion. With the she-pup, you feel her terror as she runs for her life from the pack, the sickness filling her senses, driving her forward. With the boy, you feel his annoyance, and you are annoyed at the same things as him. With the professor, you feel his disregard for people, and his enjoyment with his dog. As the story progresses, you feel and understand their realization of this sickness, and of the urgency and the danger.

The story is written in an appealing way as well. Among the chapters, which include the different views of the two people and animal, you have news articles, statements between different people of authority, email exchanges, interviews/news articles, so you actually get more than three views. these also show what is going on outside the world of the main character that helps bring the story to life.

Once you get this book started, you won't be able to put it down!!

Wicked: Revisited

Title: Wicked

Author: Gregory McGuire

Genre: I forgot the genre on my last review of this, but I am not quite sure what it would be. Fantasy, definitely, but I am not sure of what else.

Description: The life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I suppose.

All right, now that that is all out of the way, I would like to treat you readers to the view of another distinguished reader. I received an email from this reader, who has, unlike me, finished this book and here is what they think: (ta-da!)

Dear Raindrop,
I finished Wicked. This is an adult book. Lots of promiscuous sex. Lots of boring political talk. Plenty of nasty violence. And some philosophical discussions on the nature of evil.

I picked out what I thought I would use to make this into a musical. Then we printed up the 18 pages that are available on Wikipedia so I could compare my ideas to reality. Well, I was wrong. Entirely. I guess it hadn't occurred to me that the musical would just use the idea of telling The Wizard of Oz from a different point of view than Dorothy's, and then just take the names and some of the personalities from Wicked and entirely rewrite the book. People who die in the book do not die in the musical. People important to the plot in the book never appear in the musical. The nature of evil is never particularly addressed. Some of the better dramatic moments in the book (that could translate well to a musical) are never used.

From the description, it sounds like the music is all one song instead of separate songs for separate characters or events. This reminds me of Willy Russel's Blood Brothers (which I really like and have seen twice in London, by the way, in different years), where all the songs are different words to what is basically the same tune. Unifying, I guess. Though I am more attuned to a structure like South Pacific or Oklahoma, what the Wikipedia article calls a leit motif for each character.

So, where the book is X and R rated, the musical sounds like it is pretty generally G, and I think that is fine. Probably it is a better musical than it is a book. The book took forever to read (406 pages and not a masterpiece of writing) and I thought a lot of it was sad if not totally disgusting--and I wondered how the musical would deal with that. The answer is: it doesn't deal with it at all. It leaves it out.
-JCF

Thanks to our reviewer!! I hope you readers are all intrigued to go see the musical, but to put the book in up in the attic or the dumpster (anyplace will do) and pick up the Willoughbys(review coming soon). Here is my quick response:

From my experiences, I would say that all of Gregory McGuire's books are mainly for adults. I tried reading Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, (it was a birthday present from a friend when I turned 9 or 10) but it is along the same lines as Wicked. I think kids look at the book and think, "Wow, the true story of the Wicked Witch of the West. That sounds really cool." Well, guess again. They may also believe the book is like the musical. One of my sister's friends gave Wicked to her on her 10th birthday. Gregory McGuire's books must make good birthday presents, but they are not totally great as reading books.

Lovely Pictures

This is a picture of raindrops that I really like:

And I also like Papa Smurf:

The Loveliest Thing on Earth

Don't you just love libraries?
All those wonderful books covering the shelves, just for you to enjoy reading.
The library I always go to has this wonderful little reading spot in the corner of the library, surrounded by windows and with several cushy armchairs. I could live in the library.
And thanks to the online library catalog, I have all the pictures of the books I review. So thank you, libraries, for supplying those pictures (and thanks for just existing, too)!
I love my library card.
I have a cool one, a red one with the library design on it. On the back it has my name and my signature from when I was five or six. I am sad though, because I had it in my pocket and it got bent, and the signature is wearing off. I don't want to get a new one, because the new cards are green with weird lettering.
Maybe I will be a librarian someday. My friends say I should be a teacher because I am so patient. Who knows? the future is a strange and complicated thing, in my opinion.
I love libraries.
No offense to bookstores, of course. The only difference is that you pay for the books and then you get to keep them.

I want a shirt that says this:

Have you been to a library today?

Or this:

I'd rather be reading!

Lights, Camera--Action!!!!!

Title: Stormbreaker

Author: Anthony Horowitz

Genre: Mystery, High ADVENTURE!!

Description: A 14 year old boy becomes a spy.

WARNING: those of you who are weak of heart, be careful when reading this book. This is one of the most action-packed books I have ever read, and I was constantly kept on my toes as the character performed numerous highly dangerous acts. At the start of the book, it is actually fairly low key, but then the main character (Alex) starts learning lots of startling information very fast, and things really speed up. I mean really speed up. Alex gets into to one dangerous situation after another, and you can't put the book down for fear that next time you pick it up, Alex finally will have gone too far and he will be dead. Even at the very end, when you think, Oh, this is the happy ending, and then they hit you with one last gripping scene. One may say it is a little too much, and yes, that is probably true. There is a lot of tension and suspense and high adventure and mystery and all that, but there isn't a lot of character development or some rest time in between all of Alex's tight situations. And because there isn't a lot of time for you to get to know the character, I do admit I momentarily forgot his name while writing this review. I did enjoy most of this book, and I could hardly put it down. I haven't read a book like that in a while. So if you would like something chock full of adventure and mystery and suspense, go check out Stormbreaker from your local library!