Hello everyone. This blog is turning into a primarily book review blog and I'm sorry, but I'm not exactly upset about it.
Finals are coming up so that means papers are demanding to be written. This will probably be my last post of the semester. I can't tell you when the next one will be (like you're actually waiting impatiently by your computer for my rambling updates).
So because it's been raining and I've been reading....
Confess by Colleen Hoover
Started: March 11, 2015
Finished: March 12, 2015
Stars: 3/5
I'm usually clutching her books after I finished them and my heart is warm and happy, but I feel almost indifferent with this one and it's upsetting me a little.
Which is not to say that I didn't like it. I did like it once I had finished it. I just felt that her other books are stronger and better reads.
The problem I found with this one was that it seemed very rushed. I felt like the plot was fast pace where the characters were trying to catch up in their development. I felt like two parts of my brain were at two different speeds: one focusing on the characters and the other keeping up with the action between the two. I got the impression that she was just tired of writing it and just decided to end it where she did, leaving so much out of the book.
[possible spoilers ahead]
I also thought that Colleen left out important information about the characters. Like where were Auburn's parents and siblings? They were really only mentioned twice and then quickly pushed aside. I wanted more of Owen's history and relationship with his father and brother and even his mom. I wanted more of Auburn's past with AJ and more information about AJ! What kind of kid was he? Was he difficult to raise? What were her feelings about AJ through the whole process? And what the hell do the initials AJ mean???? That really bothered me. Also why Adam was in the hospital in the first place, but whatever.
I wanted to know what happened when Owen and Auburn finally were able to be together. I wanted to know how the dynamic of Auburn, AJ and Owen worked, and the reaction of Lydia to the whole situation. I get it that ambiguous endings are cool too, but too much was left ambiguous! I just felt like hardly any of the minor details in this book were resolved, I'm still left wondering what the hell was going on in that book. (It may have been because I was reading it so quickly and was soooo interested in the plot and the mysteries of the characters.)
I didn't intend for this review to be super negative because I did enjoy this book. I sped through it. It was pretty easy to read and the action of the book and the mystery of the characters keeps you invested in the book. But it was just not up to the expectations I had going into reading it. I guess, in retrospect, Ugly Love was a tough act to follow.
Also, in my world of authors, Colleen Hoover and John Green would get along great. They both have the ability to pull at the heartstrings, just at two different age groups. Both authors write exceptionally diverse characters in each book and have great imagery and setting development.
Confess was a good book, don't read this the wrong way. I'm mostly upset that I didn't get enough of the book. If you want a summary of my four paragraphs.
[this book completed my "book by an author you love but haven't read yet" book for my 2015 Reading Challenge]
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
Started: April 13, 2015
Finished: April 20, 2015
Star: 1/5
This play is so overhyped. I was really annoyed the entire play. I didn't like a single character. All them were so fickle and betrayed their loyalties or were just plain dumb. Antony and Cleopatra went back and forth through the whole play from "I love him/her" to "I hate him/her." Very fickle relationship. Definitely not a healthy relationship.
I will say that Cleopatra is a feminist character. She's assertive and the men don't like her mainly because they are jealous of her power. They want to "dominate" her because of her beauty and seduction and to have some kind of power over her. They are basically scared of her because she's so pretty and powerful.
But she's also super annoying. She changes her mind all the time, she loses her focus when she's around Antony and she is jealous for almost the whole play. When Antony marries Octavia, all Cleopatra can ask is if Octavia is pretty, and if she's prettier than Octavia. This isn't because she wants Antony to have the best marriage/life possible. No. This is because Cleopatra is moody and petty and wants to be the "fairest of them all." I may be a little extreme here or I was just really bitter when I read this, but that was my understanding.
Antony was equally as pathetic. Think Romeo on steroids and you have Antony. Cleopatra can manipulate him like none other. Basically everything Antony does in the play is because of Cleopatra. She is the cause for every action he takes. And it seemed like he didn't have any reason because of his adoration of Cleopatra, which I understand was the entire point of their relationship. That love clouds your vision and you do stupid things because of love and whatnot. But Antony really perfected that theory.
To sum up Octavius Caesar, he's a jerk and a colossal asshole. He obviously has no idea how to run the Roman empire and he's an arrogant child.
I was just exhausted reading their petty relationship and the problems that they could've avoided had they actually used reason instead of rash passion and lust. Actions were based off of jealous a lot of the play and it was just irritating because they were all being so stupid.
I'm glad I read this so I can check it off my list (and I also read it for class but that's irrelevant), but I won't be reading this again.
[this book was my "classic romance book" for my 2015 Reading Challenge]
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
Started: April 13, 2105
Finished: April 21, 2015
Stars: 3/5
For starters, I had to read this book for my critical methods literature class whose theme is colonialism. I have read colonial themed lit since November and to say I'm little burnt out on imperialism, is an understatement. Because of this, I wasn't really looking forward to reading it.
So the first 30 pages of the book felt like torture and I was bored. And really really confused.
This book is not linear at all. It's like four different timelines and cut into little fragments throughout the book. It was really interesting to read and also slightly challenging. I had to figure out when what I was reading was taking place and who it was and all these different variables and it was cool!
The tone of the book is really detached. All of the characters are trying to distance themselves from part of their past or feelings or anything really. They all try to get lost in their work and to top it all off, they're trying to solve this mystery around a dead body that is possible linked to the government. There is so much going on in this book and it keeps you hooked on the semi-fictional world Ondaatje creates.
I loved reading about Sri Lanka and their different customs and cultures.
This book was sad though. There were so many issues that the characters were dealing with and the war itself set a somber mood for the story.
The ending was satisfying while still being like a cliffhanger. You felt a sense of closure at the end of the book, but you didn't actually get it. I wanted to know what happened! How the characters were doing at the end! Or maybe five years down the road! But the tone of the last chapter was hopeful. So you had this peace settle over you once you finished it. It was an odd feeling.
In retrospect, I really loved it. The characters are strong and well developed despite the fragments that Ondaatje gave us of their characters and backgrounds. It was a mystery in two aspects: one for the actual crime and the other for the characters and their connections and pasts. It was great.
[this book was my "book in another country" for my 2015 Reading Challenge]
SOP: Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys
Enjoy today.
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