52 Books in 52 Weeks (2011) discussion

Book reviews for week 30.

4/5

"The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good." – Stanley Kubrick

This is a very interesting book, and nowadays I can see that it's even a polarizing one. In short, it's the story and inner struggles of a boy transitioning from adolescence into adulthood and all the mental conflicts that goes on with it. It's a character study more than a plot-driven book. It is also considered a literature fiction and not a genre fiction.

Catcher has a plot, however minimalistic, and is very subtle; it focuses on a realistic narrative from a single point of view. One must be aware that you're not only seeing things from the perception of Holden, an angry teenager, but also being in his mind, with all the stuff that's been shooting up and down, randomly and furiously. And at the time (even now) it is unparalleled and entirely unthought of to write a novel from the POV of a teenager. Who doesn't remember his teen years? Being misunderstood all the time, walking on the line that separates a boy from a man, and trying to fit in life and understanding the cruelty of it. That follows depression and angst, which adults mostly disregard as a "phase", resulting in an even deeper disconnection between us, teenagers, and our surroundings. (Note: I'm 23.)

This mental deterioration drives one insane, and with practically no one around, it's not just hitting rock bottom – it's teething through said rock and descending into a new low. I believe that Salinger portrayed that time period impeccably well, and his style of writing was gripping. I extremely disliked the settings at first, and found Holden to be obnoxious and annoying, but you have to get to the mindset of a teenager to understand him, and that's what Holden was in reality – an obnoxious little man who is annoyed at his own life. I had never had such a change of heart before with a book, but I regard that to Salinger's terrific way of telling his story and letting you delve deeper in an angst-soaked mind. While I'm not a fan of Holden, the protagonist, Salinger's addictive way of storytelling made me appreciate everything I initially disliked and ended up enjoying the book after about the first third.

The emotional gravity of the story doesn't rely on plot, as much as it is on the characters, and it's not just Holden. Take Phoebe, his sister, for example. She's one of the very few who appear frequently in the book, and she's my favorite character because Salinger portrayed her wonderfully, and even was able to descend a bit, to that field of innocence, and capture her feelings pretty well. The fluctuating anger, the fear, the unconditioned attachment – that was one hell of a character. I'm highly impressed because it is extremely hard to make a child's persona appealing and interesting and not cliche, and Phoebe was anything but that.

You ought to read it even if you ended up disliking it, and I find it an essential read for any teenager. The fact that this book was written 50 years ago and is still funny (the flower on the tomb part, for example) and can resonate with me is a magnificent celebration in itself.

حاطب ليل ضجر
by عبدالعزيز بن عبدالمحسن التويجري


4/5

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

One Foot Wrong by Sofie Laguna


Hester lives in the house and isn't allowed outside. She lives with Sack and Boot and often eats her food under the table with Cat and goes to the hanging room if she is bad. God the bird watches over her and Jesus is drumming the beat inside her head. Then one day she has to go to school and learns that everybody is different from her and that a secret has no sound and lives in your darkest corner where it sits and waits.


I cannot praise this book enough, it is simply incredible. If you are looking for a happy slappy relaxing book to take with you on your holidays then perhaps this isn't for you. It is probably the most dark and disturbing thing I have ever read but it is written with such skill and imagination, it is hypnotic.

Sofie Laguna takes us into the world of Hester, a young girl who is locked in her own private world.. The imagination of this writer is brilliant and makes a sad story un-putdownable ! It is a remarkable and shocking read. Brilliantly written.

After Dark, Haruki Murakami

Enjoyed the narrator's sharp descriptions, loved the characters; which Murakami did a terrific job at fleshing them out, and enjoyed the art house films & jazz music mentions, but it misses something crucial. Uncertain of what it is, but I found myself a bit unsatisfied after I was finished.


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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling

What can I really say that hasn't been said before about Harry Potter?

I never read the books nor watch the films before. When the Harry Potter craziness spread all over the world, I was very busy with my Agatha Christie books, and I couldn't care less - back then- about Harry Potter. I absolutely love the fantasy genre, and always told myself I'm going to read the Harry Potter books someday, and only just finished the first volume.

I'm very happy with the book. I smiled and let out a happy sigh when I finished –in only two sits, which is a record for me. Everything was crafted perfectly; the writing is superb, the events were remarkable and gripping, and the characters -all of them!- were interesting and memorable.

Harry Potter is the perfect fantasy formula, drawing apparent inspirations from Tolkien but branching deeply and separately to form its own league. This is a book to be read by everyone. Excellent blend of literature & imagery. The book often reminded me of the Dragon Quest games – light-hearted; yes, but it's simply perfect.

Babysitting Wars by Mimi McCoy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


it was fun and cute and i thought it was nice i guess.



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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

4/5

It was quite funny. Not as good as the first two though!

The Relativity of Wrong by Isaac Asimov

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've decided to read this collection of essays after a person recommended that I read Asimov's article: 'The Relativity of Wrong' since I loved this quote of his and used it many times:

"When people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together."

This book contains that title-essay (which was the most important one, in my opinion), in addition to the other 16 articles that were scientific but very simple, detailed, and required no previous deep knowledge of any sciences. Asimov divided his essays into three groups: Isotopes and Elements (I liked this one the least, since I am not very interested in Chemistry), The Solar System, and Beyond The Solar System. What I really loved about his writing style is that he included an interesting and fun anecdote in the beginning of each article.

Read 'The Relativity of Wrong' (essay, not the whole book) here: http://depa.pquim.unam.mx/amyd/archivero...

I can't wait to read Asimov's fiction!



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4.5/5 stars

Super creepy and tons of twists in the plot which I love! I'd highly recommend this

Remember Me?
Sophie Kinsella
3/5

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

It's a book that would make you smile and laugh , think about your past and be grateful for the GREAT present before you discover the PAINFUL TRUTH.
It took me 3 days to finish it and i would recommend it to any one one who just got finished from a philosophical book :)

Who Goes There?: Seven Tales of Science-Fiction
John W. Campbell

3/5

A novella about an expedition that finds a frozen alien whose ship crash landed in Antarctica 20 million years ago. The plot developed in a way I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed it.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Great book. I picked it up as a part of a reading challenge my friend and I are doing, and I am seriously glad I did. Fast-paced, and told with the voice of a most likable protagonist, it was an excellent read. I think it's one of the best coming of age novels I've read so far. I liked the idea of letters to an unknown end, and I thought they were written well enough to make the sequence of the letters flow naturally and not feel contrived.

Although, I did feel at times that I was reading from the perspective of a twelve or eleven year old. But I guess it's just the way Charlie thinks, and it didn't bother me that much.

All in all, I think it's definitely recommended.



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Lord of the Flies
By William Golding
Rating: 5/5


A great classic!
The story is not about a group of young boys stuck on a deserted island and try to govern themselves with catastrophic results.
It's about man, nature, civilization vs. savagery and The beast inside each of us.