A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Summary:
'Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; -- the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!'

After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the ageing Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There the lives of two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine.

This edition uses the text as it appeared in its serial publication in 1859 to convey the full scope of Dickens's vision, and includes the original illustrations by H. K. Browne ('Phiz'). Richard Maxwell's introduction discusses the intricate interweaving of epic drama with personal tragedy. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I finally finished A Tale of Two Cities! I've been "reading" it since the summer, meaning that I started it then and haven't touched it since. Luckily it was on GoodReads for free, which is pretty awesome.

It's hard for me to judge classics because we all know they are magnificent works of literature, but sometimes it's hard for modern readers to enjoy them. At least it is for me. When I have to actually work to read a book, it makes it less fun, which is really unfortunate. That being said, I did enjoy A Tale of Two Cities (how could I not?) but I will admit that it takes a certain amount of concentration to finish.

I wanted to read A Tale of Two Cities because I've never read any Charles Dickens (except abridged versions of A Christmas Carol, which doesn't count) and it's referenced a lot in The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. I could definitely see the parallels, which is pretty cool, but also makes me worried for certain characters' well-being.

I love that this novel is set during the French Revolution, which is such a fascinating time period. I'm surprised more historical fiction isn't written about this era because there is so much potential. There was a lot of emphasis on the revolutionaries and the novel really showcased the "Reign of Terror" which the characters in A Tale of Two Cities fall prey to.

Ultimately, the ending of A Tale of Two Cities was what made the book for me, because I was so surprised  by the actions of Sydney Carton. His character gives new meaning to the term sacrifice because his love for Lucie meant that her happiness trumped all else, including his own. Charles Dickens wrote such a great character!

So those are my thoughts on the classic A Tale of Two Cities. Obviously I'm not a literary scholar but I enjoyed the story as much as is possible when you have to really focus on the text. If you're interested in the themes found in this novel then give A Tale of Two Cities a chance! You can read it online on GoodReads, too!

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library, then read on GoodReads

1859/Penguin Classics/544 pages.

Emma by Jane Austen

Summary:
Emma Woodhouse is a wealthy, exquisite, and thoroughly self-deluded young woman who has "lived in the world with very little to distress or vex her." Jane Austen exercises her taste for gently satiric social observation and her talent for investing seemingly trival events with profound moral significance as Emma tries to arrange a wealthy marriage for her poor friend Harriet, but refuses to recognize her own feelings for the gallant Mr. Knightley. Though Austen found her heroine to be a person whom "no one but myself will much like," Emma is her most cleverly woven, riotously comedic, and pleasing novel of manners. (from back cover)

Review:
I really enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice last year, so I thought I would give Emma a try. I was glad that I did, because Emma was a great novel.

Obviously Emma is a classic, and I'm happy to report it's one of the classics that I like. The writing is a little bit harder to read than modern English, but it's really not that bad. One thing I've noticed about older writing is that they tend to have really long sentences, but that's about the only thing that's different. It's funny, because in terms of plot not that much happens in Emma (even though it's over 400 pages) but the book is still interesting to read. The narration is very well-written and even though a lot of the book is Emma's thoughts, I still liked to read about them.

Emma paints a very accurate picture of the life of gentry in 19th century England, and even moreso because it's actually written during that time. I could actually get a feel of the lives of these people which mostly was sitting around chatting with friends, but it all seemed very leisurely.

One of the plot points in Emma is that she is constantly matchmaking her friends and neighbors. This goes badly as she is usually wrong and then someone's feelings end up getting hurt. Even though I already knew who was getting together (I was spoiled sometime in the past, not sure where) it was still interesting to see how everything happened.

If you enjoyed any of Jane Austen's previous novels, I would definitely recommend Emma. Even if you haven't read any of Austen's other books, Emma is still a great place to begin.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library

1815/Barnes and Noble Classic/462 pages.

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Summary:
From the moment of its publication in 1961, Revolutionary Road was hailed as a masterpiece of realistic fiction and as the most evocative portrayal of the opulent desolation of the American suburbs. It's the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a bright, beautiful, and talented couple who have lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner. With heartbreaking compassion and remorseless clarity, Richard Yates shows how Frank and April Wheeler mortgage their spiritual birthright, betraying not only each other, but their best selves. (from back cover).

Review:
This is the rare case of having seen the movie before the book, which definitely influenced my read. Loving the movie version of Revolutionary Road (I might even say it's my all-time favorite movie), I had high expectations for the book, which were thankfully met. I enjoyed the story of Frank and April Wheeler (again) and loved experiencing it through a different medium.

I don't want to make this review about comparing the book and movie (I'll probably do a post on that later), but it's really weird trying to review a book that you know what happens. I'm going to try to pretend that I haven't seen the movie already and see how that goes.

Like the summary states above, Frank and April Wheeler are a couple who pretty much think they're better than everyone because they don't want to fall into the standard mold of suburban couple: nice house, 2.5 kids, white picket fence, etc. It's like The Great Gatsby in that it's the disillusionment of the American Dream, in the 1950's. Things start to go wrong, April and Frank are fighting, and then they start to see everything they ever wanted disappear. Revolutionary Road is from Frank's point-of-view, so you understand his side better and sympathize with him a little more (at least I did).

The writing in Revolutionary Road was easy to read, nice and smooth, just the right amount of narration, plot and dialogue. If you liked the movie, then you'll like the book, and vice versa. I also think that Revolutionary Road is a nice companion to The Great Gatsby and it's literary without being too heavy handed in symbolism and figurative language.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: Christmas gift.

1961/Vintage Contemporaries/355 pages.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Summary:
Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and must endure the hypocrisises of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness. (from GoodReads)

Review:
Along with Gone With the Wind, my grandmother also suggested that I read Anna Karenina, which was a book she loved when she was younger. Since I really enjoyed Gone With the Wind, I thought I would give Anna Karenina a try. Though this book was just as long as Gone With the Wind, Anna Karenina was not quite as good.

I always feel bad if I don't completely love classic literature. I mean, there's a reason that this book is famous, right? But I have to remember that, like with books today, I'm not going to love every book that is considered a classic. I did like Anna Karenina. But it was just so slow and long that it made it a chore to read.

The book follows a lot of different characters and gives stories all from their points of view. Luckily for the reader, all the characters are inter-related and so their stories coincide. This made it easier to follow everything that was going on. Despite the fact that the book follows about seven or eight different people, only two are considered to be protagonists: Anna Karenina and Levin. Anna Karenina is, obviously, the adulturous wife who cannot seem to find happiness no matter what she does and Levin is a wealthy farmer who searches for the meaning of life and really wants a family. These two characters only come into contact once or twice but Levin's wife is Anna's brother's sister-in-law, so they are kind of related.

It's hard to explain the plot with so many different things happening, but at the core Anna Karenina is about Anna's illicit relationship with Count Vronsky. It was interesting to read about adultery in 19th century Russia, where somewhat of a double standard occurs (it's okay for a husband to cheat but not a wife). With this being a classic and all, there's a lot of symbolism and imagery, which I had to look on SparkNotes to really understand.

If you decide to read Anna Karenina, be warned that it is a huge undertaking. It's long and slow but still an interesting novel if you like books about history, relationships and Russia.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library.

1873/Penguin Classics/817 pages.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Summary:
Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte's only novel, is one of the pinnacles of 19th-century English literature. It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls in love with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family. (from GoodReads)

Review:
Wuthering Heights is an interesting novel. I liked it as much as you can like a book where you hate all the characters and nothing really happy happens. It's kind of the way you felt while reading A Series of Unfortunate Events: everything is depressing but you still like the book.

Wuthering Heights is supposed to center on Heathcliff and Catherine and their love, and I say "supposed" because Catherine dies half-way through the novel. I like how the summary says that Heathcliff focuses his life on making Catherine's family miserable, because that's pretty much his life mission. He is just a nasty, grumpy, mean-spirited person, but you want to keep reading and see if there's anything redeeming about him. And the only redeeming thing I could find was his love for Cathy, even though it was a passionate, angry, and tempestuous love.

Another interesting thing about the novel is that the whole story is told second-hand. The narrator is a character named Mr. Lockwood who decides to rent a house from Heathcliff. Mr. Lockwood hears the story of Heathcliff and Catherine and their families from an old maid Ellen Dean. Ellen, fortunately, is present for most of the events involving the cast of characters and she acts almost as an omniscent presence because she knows everything.

Wuthering Heights reminded me a lot of Jane Eyre, because they are both gothic novels, so that made me like it even more. And hey, the authors were sisters! What a coincidence! Really, though, I did like Wuthering Heights even if it wasn't always pleasant to read. The love between Heathcliff and Catherine was more of an example of what you don't want, however, there is a somewhat happy ending for Catherine's daughter.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from a friend.

1847/Barnes & Noble Classic/290 pages.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Summary:

Heralded by readers everywhere since its publication in 1936 as The Great American Novel, Gone With the Wind explores the depths of human passions with an intensity as bold as its setting in the bluff red hills of Georgia. A superb piece of storytelling, it brings the drama of the Civil War and Reconstruction vividly to life.

This is the tale of Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled, ruthless daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, who arrives at young womanhood just in time to see the Civil War sweep away the life for which her upbringing as prepared her. After the fall of Atlanta she returns to the plantation and by stubborn shrewdness saves her home from both Sherman and the carpetbaggers. But in the process she hardens. She has neared starvation and she vows never to be hungry again.

In these vivid pages live the unforgettable people who have captured the attention of millions of readers - of every age, in every walk of life. Here are Rhett Butler, Scarlett's counterpart, a professional scoundrel as courageous as Scarlett herself; Melanie Wilkes, a loyal friend and true gentlewoman; and Ashley Wilkes, for whom the world ended at Appomattox. Here are all the characters and memorable episodes that make Gone With the Wind a book to read and re-read and remember forever. (from book jacket)

Review:

I decided to read Gone With the Wind after my grandmom kept begging me to read it and telling me that I would love it and want to be like Scarlett. Then my mom bought me a copy in the beginning of last summer. And now I have finally gotten around to reading Gone With the Wind. I'm really glad I had all these people conspiraring to get me to read this epic novel, because it was truly a great piece of American literature.

Gone With the Wind had all the detail and accuracy of a non-fiction book on the Civil War, but it had the drama and plot of the best fiction around. This made for a very good combination because I love history, but I'd rather read actual stories rather than war accounts. Margaret Mitchell is truly a great author and I'm saddened by the fact that she died before she could write any more novels.

Gone With the Wind is (very) long at over 1000 pages. While the length bordered on ridiculous, the sheer volume allows for a lot of plot and character development, which is always a positive. And surprisingly, the book was rarely slow. I won't deny that the language was older and slightly harder to get through - but that just made it better in my opinion.

Scarlett is one of my favorite literary characters. She is bred to be a wife and the manager of a great plantation, but all that changes when the Civil War begins. She quickly becomes smart, resourceful, and cunning. Scarlett would do anything to ensure the safety and well-being of herself, her family, and her beloved Tara, which makes her a strong and brave character. She's also charming and uses her whiles to woo a number of men, including the witty and devilish Rhett Butler, another favorite of mine.

Gone With the Wind is truly a wonderful piece of literature; it's full of romance, war, excitement, history, everything that makes a novel great. Don't let the size scare you, because you'll fly through these pages quickly and wonder how you ever lived your life without reading this great story.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

FTC: copy given to me as a gift.

1936/Scribner/1037 pages.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Summary:

A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice and equality. Thus the stage is set for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned - a razor-edged fairy tale against tyranny to a totalitarianism just as terrible. When Animal Farm was first published, Stalinist Russia was seen as its target. Today it is devastatingly clear that wherever and whenever freedom is attacked, under whatever banner, the cutting clarity and savage comedy of George Orwell's masterpiece have a meaning and message still ferociously fresh. (from back cover)

Review:

I loved George Orwell's other famous novel, 1984, as it is one of the most revered dystopias. Animal Farm is a little different in that it is a satire of Communist Russia, so any history buff will enjoy all the parallels.

The story starts out on Manor Farm, where the animals are mistreated by their owner Mr. Jones. When an elderly pig named Old Major suggests that the animals overthrow Mr. Jones and rule the farm in harmony, the animals agree and succeed in running Mr. Jones from the farm. Immediately, two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, become leaders and establish Seven Commandments and the rules for the farm. As a mirror to the Soviet Union, Snowball is supposed to be Leon Trotsky and Napolean is Joseph Stalin. What is cool is that everything that happens in Animal Farm can be attributed to a real event in history. Even the characters of Snowball and Napoleon share personality traits with their likenesses.

Even though the animals call for equality, it is obvious, as in any society, that classes will emerge. Since the pigs are smarter than all the other animals, they take it upon themselves to be the leaders. And in leading, the pigs get a lot of perks like more food, no labor, and residency in the farm house. I liked watching the plot develop and to see the similarities between this regime and the one in Communist Russia. George Orwell has definitely mastered the art of satire.

Even if you know nothing about Russia and the Soviet Union, Animal Farm is vague enough that the events and characters can be likened to any totalitarian regime in history. Even without reading the novella, the line "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" is sure to strike a chord with anyone, like it did with me when I first read it.

A short, simple book, Animal Farm is perfect for book clubs or literature classes as it provides plenty of discussion and symbolism. And even if you read it for fun, like I did, I'm sure you will enjoy its message.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

FTC: borrowed from a friend.

1945/Signet Classics/138 pages.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Summary:

This drama is one of the great comedy plays by William Shakespeare. The play revolves around the adventures of four young lovers, a group of amateur actors and their interactions with the fairies who inhabit a moonlit forest. The story takes place in Midsummer and is a complex farce featuring Hermia & Lysander and Helena & Demetrius. Their romantic intrigues are confused and complicated still further by entering the forest where Oberon, the King of the Fairies and his Queen, Titania, preside. Puck (or Robin Goodfellow) is a major character who is full of mischief and tricks. Other visitors to the enchanted forest include Bottom the weaver and his friends Snug, Snout, Quince and Flute the amateur dramatists who want to rehearse their terrible but hilarious version of the play Pyramus and Thisbe. (from globe-theatre.org.uk)

Review:

I've read a few of Shakespeare's plays at this point, and I must say that A Midsummer Night's Dream is up there as one of my favorites (and is probably my favorite comedy). It was actually pretty funny as a play. You might think that something written in the 17th century wouldn't appeal to people of today, but it still does, even after all this time. It really demonstrates the timelessness of Shakespeare and his work.

I had to read this play for my theater class and now we are in the midst of a group project on it, which includes acting out a scene. It's really cool to read the play, research it, discuss it, and then watch others act it out. I feel like I learned more about the play this way.

As for the story, I think it has a brilliant plot. There's a lot going on, as well as a lot of characters, but it all ties together wonderfully. You have the lovers, Hermia and Lysander, and then Demetrius, who is in love with Hermia and Hermia's friend Helena, who is in love with Demetrius. Hilarity and disaster ensues when Puck (a fairy) matchmakes the couples and messes everything up. There's also Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, and group of workers who are putting on a play. These workers are hilarious because they aren't the smartest characters and are always using the wrong words to describe things and just all around not very bright.

I feel like I'm not doing the best to explain this play, but just know that it's really funny and well worth a read if you need a good book for English class or something. I also read the Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare version, with modern English on one side and Shakespeare on the other, which was really helpful. Though I do insist you still read the Shakespeare side because his writing is beautiful.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

FTC: borrowed from a friend.

Heart of Darkness / The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad

In this pair of literary voyages into the inner self, Joseph Conrad has written two of the most chilling, disturbing, and noteworthy pieces of fiction of this century. Heart of Darkness, which first appeared in Blackwood's Magazine in 1902, makes a devastating comment on the corruptibility of humankind. Based on Conrad's own 1890 trip up the Congo river, the story is told by Marlow, the novelist's alter ego. It is a journey into darkness and horror - both literally, as the narrator descends into a sinister jungle landscape, and metaphorically, as he witnesses the depth of moral depravity symbolized by the agent Kurtz. Another voyage into the self occurs in The Secret Sharer, the tale of a young sea captain's first command as he sails into the Gulf of Siam - and into an encounter with his "double," the Jungian shadow self of the unconcious mind.

Joseph Conrad boldly experimented with the novella and novel forms, filled his writing with exotic places he himself had traveled, and concerned himself with honor, guilt, moral alienation, and expiation of sin. Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer encapsulate his literary achievements - and his haunting portrayal of the dark side of man. (Taken from back cover)

Wow that was one of the longest summaries ever, but I thought it accurately depicted these stories without giving too much away. This was a book I had to read for school and it contained two novellas by Joseph Conrad. For those who don't know, a novella is longer than a short story but shorter than an actual novel. For example, The Secret Sharer is about 45 pages and Heart of Darkness is about 100 pages.

Let's start with The Secret Sharer, since this was the first story in the book. Me and short stories don't always get along and I think Sharer fell into this category for me. Unless a short story really appeals to me (and most don't), I end up not liking them. Most of the time it's because I can't figure out the point or author's intent. In longer books, there's much more space for the author to explain something or make a point, but in short stories it's more subtle. I honestly did not see the reason why Conrad wrote Sharer. It's about a commander of a ship who lets a man named Leggatt onboard who killed another man, but Leggatt is eerily similar to the captain. Anyway the novella was extremely boring in which nothing happened. I do not recommend it.

Onward to Heart of Darkness! HoD is a little different because I already knew what is was about before I started reading and I already knew the message and point of the story. The whole novella is basically another character telling a very long story. This an annoying style of writing because it becomes extremely difficult to tell what's going on and who's speaking, especially because Conrad decided to only give a few key characters names. So most of the time I had no idea what was happening. This story was also boring; so boring in fact that I fell asleep while reading it. In the daytime. When I wasn't tired at all. And I'll have you know that I can't take naps in the afternoon or anything, but I still fell asleep. As stated above the difference with this book is that it actually had a good message. It takes place during Europe's colonialism and imperialism of Africa and the point it makes is that even "civilized" people can be uncivilized and savage. So I thought the novella was really boring but I still think it's good to read. Kind of a double-edged sword here so beware.

Ok so this is a really long review. In short, don't read The Secret Sharer, it's boring and even though Heart of Darkness is boring too, it has a really good message.

5 out of 10.

FTC: I borrowed this book from school.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The story of Victor Frankenstein and of the monstrous creation he created has held readers spellbound ever since it was published almost two centuries ago. On the surface, it is a novel of tense and steadily mounting horror; but on a more profound level, it offers searching illumination of the human condition in its portrayal of a scientist who oversteps the bounds of conscience, and of a monster brought to life in an alien world, ever more desperately attempting to escape the torture of his solitude. A novel of hallucinatory intensity, Frankenstein represents one of the most striking flowerings of the Romantic imagination. (Taken from back cover)

Another book for English class, but I didn't like Frankenstein as much as some of the other books I've read for this course. I've seen the 1931 movie version, and I thought the book would be somewhat similar to that, but I was completely wrong. I was also a little disappointed because in the book there's no creepy laboratory, no Igor, no great scene where Dr. Frankenstein shouts, "He's alive!" Instead, the process of the creating the monster is described very vaguely, and the monster is still horrifyingly ugly, but now has the capability of eloquent speech. I was expecting him to be grunting and growling, but instead we have this being who is almost human, besides physical apperance of course. So the book was not what I expected at all. Besides losing my faith in pop culture to accurately depict great works of literature in movies (just kidding), the book was okay. Not amazing, but not too too bad. There was a lot of description of nature, which served as pathetic fallacy (look at my great knowledge of literary techniques!), but still got annoying. Dr. Frankenstein was also an annoying character; he felt so guilty for creating the monster, that he was depressed the whole time. Who wants to read a book about the main character moaning and complaining the whole time? Besides some things I didn't like, I was glad to get a chance to read Frankenstein, because it is a classic, and shed some misconceptions I had about the book/movie.

5 out of 10.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. How she takes up the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, meets and loves Mr. Rochester and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage are elements in a story that trascends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than that traditionally accorded to her sex in Victorian society. (Taken from back cover)

I had to read Jane Eyre for school and I, suprisingly, loved it. My class has about fifteen people in it, and I have a feeling that I'm going to be the only one who actually read the book (not counting a girl who already read it). And I think that's a shame because I really enjoyed it. Yes, Jane Eyre is long (502 pages) and the writing is at times thick with unnecessary detail, but the characters and plot make the read worthwhile. I especially liked Jane. She wasn't annoying and didn't really have any big faults that bothered me. By the way Charlotte Bronte wrote her, she could have been a real person. There is a bit of a mystery in the story and that kept me reading to find out what happened next. Even though Jane Eyre is very long and is sometimes slow reading, I thought it was an excellent book. If you have to read this for school, please give it a chance!

8 out of 10.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Unusual among Edith Wharton's work is Ethan Frome, a dramatic tale that takes us into the most private recesses of a remote New England village. Remarkable for its beauty and simplicity, this story of great love shadowed by tragedy has become an authentically American classic. (Taken from back cover)

Surprisingly, I loved Ethan Frome. I was really curious about this book, because I've never read any of Edith Wharton's work and my teacher hinted that this book would be about an affair. And it was actually very good. The book was written in 1911, so it wasn't too long ago. It's extremely short and gets to the point quickly, which I like. There is a lot of imagery and description in some parts, but it's written so beautifully that I didn't mind. The plot moved at a decent pace, the characterization was good, the ending was surprising. There is a bit of a twist that I wasn't expecting, which was refreshing because I usually can predict the endings of books pretty well. If you ever need to read any of Edith Wharton's work, whether for school or for fun, I would definitely recommend Ethan Frome.

7 out of 10.

King Lear by William Shakespeare

Lear is an old and aging king who is ready to give up his throne, and decides to split the kingdom between his three daughters: Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. All the girls have to do to receive their inheritance is to profess their love of their father. Goneril and Regan have no problems lying about their love, but Cordelia, the only daughter who actually loves Lear, refuses. She is subsequently banished and Lear foolishly splits the country between Goneril and Regan. Along with some other manipulative characters, the two daughters start planning and scheming, and the country may very well end in ruin.

This is the fourth Shakespeare play I've read (along with Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Twelfth Night) and compared to those I thought it was pretty good. It wasn't my favorite, but it was definitely enjoyable and not too bad of a read for being written in the early 1600s. There was a lot of intrigue and manipulation, which made the story interesting. There were a lot of different characters, some good and some pretty shady, and you never knew what was going to happen next. The ending was sad, but you have to remember that this was a tragedy. So if you have to read a Shakespeare play, this one wasn't too bad.

7 out of 10.

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

The tragedy of a typical American--a salesman who at the age of sixty-three is faced with what he cannot face; defeat and disillusionment. (Taken from Amazon)

That summary is short and sweet, huh? Well, I think it pretty much captures the theme of the book. Death of a Salesman is about an elderly man, Willy Loman, who realizes that his life did not turn out how he planned. He's not the rich, successful and popular salesman he aspired to be and his two sons are lazy and not the adored children he thought they were. The play shows how Willy has this revelation that his life isn't perfect and brings him back to reality. I thought that Death of a Salesman was an okay book/play. It was pretty easy to read: very short and the writing was simple. The problem was I just wasn't that interested in it. We were discussing in class Willy's character, like whether we pitied him or didn't like him and I realized I had no opinion. I didn't care one way or another about the play or any of the characters in it. I was completely opinionless on the subject, which is really weird for me. Sorry about the non-review, but I thought I should say something on it because I did read it.

5 out of 10.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Jay Gatsby is the man who has everything. But one thing will always be out of his reach...Everybody who is anybody is seen at his glittering parties. Day and night his Long Island mansion buzzes with bright young things drinking, dancing and debating his mysterious character. For Gatsby - young, handsome, fabulously rich - always seems alone in the crowd, watching and waiting, though no one knows what for. Beneath the shimmering surface of his life he is hiding a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled. And soon this destructive obsession will force his world to unravel. (taken from amazon)

Once again, another book for English class. I apologize for the lack of YA books. I've been really busy but have some reviews coming up (hopefully). Anyway, I loved The Great Gatsby. A lot of people have told me that they liked it and I completely agree with them. It's such an easy read, you have no idea that the book is about 80 years old. Even with the time difference, it's easy to relate to the characters, setting, and conflict. I don't want to give too much away, but the book is a tragic love story juxtaposed with social commentary on the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald was part of the Lost Generation and it is easy to see his feelings of discontent with society at the time. I must say, the ending is a tad anti-climatic, but it fit well with the story. The Great Gatsby is a timeless novel that will appeal to readers of all generations.

8 out of 10.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God, an American classic, is the luminous and haunting novel about Janie Crawford, a Southern Black woman in the 1930s, whose journey from a free-spirited girl to a woman of independence and substance has inspired writers and readers for close to 70 years.

This poetic, graceful love story, rooted in Black folk traditions and steeped in mythic realism, celebrates boldly and brilliantly African-American culture and heritage. And in a powerful, mesmerizing narrative, it pays quiet tribute to a Black woman who, though constricted by the times, still demanded to be heard.

Originally published in 1937 and long out of print, the book was reissued in 1975 and nearly three decades later Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a seminal novel in American fiction. (taken from amazon)

This is another book I had to read for my AP English Lit class and I thought it was okay. At first, I had so much trouble reading it becauase all the dialogue is written in a Southern Black dialect. Not that there's anything wrong with that, and I know that the book is praised for its authenticity, but boy, was it difficult to read. But as I continued with the book, I got used to the language and started to enjoy it a little. The plot was interesting and Janie goes through three husbands, so there is never a lack of drama. I liked that the book gave me a glipse into the life of a Black Southerner in the 1930s. Surprisingly, Their Eyes Were Watching God ended up being an interesting read.

7 out of 10.

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Holden Caulfield is surely one of the most recognized names and favorite protagonists in contemporary American literature. Several generations of young readers especially have been startled to recognize so many of their own ideas and feelings in Holden's distaste for all the "phonies" that surround him. (Taken from back cover)

I was pleasantly surprised by The Catcher in the Rye. I thought that I wouldn't like it, but I actually did. I had to read it for my AP English literature class, so look out for reviews on a bunch of "classics" because I have to do a lot of reading for that class. Anyway, Holden definitely has that teenage angst/moodiness thing going on. He is what some adults think every teenager is like. He's sarcastic, uses profanity, fails classes in school, the whole deal. He also thinks that everyone around him is "phony" and is putting on some kind of act. I actually thought that aspect of his personality was quite annoying. Obviously, there's psychological reasons why he thinks that way, but to believe that everyone is putting up some kind of front is ridiculous. It's also ridiculous because Holden lies all the time. Besides that, I enjoyed the book immensely. It was easy to read and was actually pretty funny at times, since it's told in first person with Holden narrating the story. It was not what I expected at all, but in a good way. I would definitely recommend this book to all readers, and especially to those who need a "classic" for their book report.


7 out of 10.

Native Son by Richard Wright

Bigger Thomas is an African-American growing up in Chicago during the Great Depression. When he accidentally kills Mary Dalton, the daughter of the family he's working for, he burns her body and sends the family a ransom note to cover up his crime. When her bones are discovered in the basement furnace, Bigger must run for his life. But the police and hundreds of volunteers comb the city streets for Bigger and soon he is captured and taken into police custody. Now Bigger is charged with both rape and murder, though he is only guilty of one, and has little hope of escaping the electric chair.

This was the last book I had to read for summer reading and when I finished it, I sighed a breath a relief. It actually wasn't too bad, but I was so glad to be finally done the reading portion. I didn't mind reading Native Son too much. It was written in the forties, but the language wasn't any different than today's. The book was interesting, but the parts about Bigger killing Mary Dalton and stuffing her in the furnace were actually pretty gruesome. What I didn't like about Native Son was that I felt that Bigger didn't learn from his mistake (killing Mary). It seemed like he resolved himself to the fact that he would eventually kill someone, instead of feeling remorseful about her death. All in all, it was probably better than most other classics my teacher could have chosen from, but it definitely wasn't anything spectacular.

5 out of 10.

Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John tells the story of a girl's painful growth into young womanhood. Annie Victoria John, the narrator, progresses from a blissful childhood in Antigua, when she is the center of her mother's attention, to a trying adolescence filled with fierce maternal conflict, to her departure from Antigua for England at the age of seventeen. (Taken from SparkNotes)

I know that this summary isn't a very good one, but there really is nothing to this book. It's told in the first person point of view and is pretty much all about the life of a young girl named Annie. She grows up, makes new friends, rebels against her parents, feels animosity towards her mother, the usual adolescent stuff. It is the ultimate coming of age story, rife with symbolism and themes that I was unable to discern. Yes, this was another summer reading book and a much easier read than The Shipping News. For one, it was a lot shorter: only 148 pages to the 300+ of The Shipping News. It was also more interesting to read and in my opinion better written than the former. As I stated before, there was a lot of literary signifcance to this book that I did not figure out, and I cannot understand how anyone else can figure it out. So I'm resorting to SparkNotes once again to try to do my summer work. But if you ever have to read this book for school, just know that it's a short and fairly easy read.

5 out of 10.

The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx

At thirty-six, Quoyle, a third-rate newspaperman, is wrenched violenty from his workaday life when his two-timing wife meets her just desserts. He retreats with his two daughters to his ancestral home on the starkly beautiful Newfoundland coast, where a rich cast of local characters all play a part in Quoyle's struggle to reclaim his life. As three generations of his family cobble up new lives, Quoyle confronts his private demons - and the unpredictable forces of nature and society - and begins to see the possibility of love without pain or misery.

A vigorous and darkly comic, and at times magical portrait of the contemporary American family, The Shipping News shows why Annie Proulx is recognized as one of the most gifted and original writers in America today. (Taken from back of book)

So this is the first summer reading book I read. It took me about a month to finish it, and only because I decided to read other things in between because I hated it so much. Yes, by the fortieth page, I loathed this book. I didn't like the main character Quoyle at all. He had no backbone and allowed everyone to walk all over him. I would later find out, thanks to SparkNotes, that Quoyle's exaggerated misery is written to be almost comedic. I also could not stand the writing, which is extremely sparse and prone to incomplete sentences. A sample phrase would read as: The aunt walked upstairs. Forgot her scarf. Got into the car. I just didn't understand why the author would decide not to use pronouns.

But, as I forced myself to read The Shipping News (it was summer reading, after all), I started liking it more. I got used to the writing and the style and the characters. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I enjoyed it, but it was bearable. Which is disappointing because it did win the Pulitzer Prize, so you would think that I would like it. I did like that Quoyle's character changed and he learned a lot about himself by the end of the book. That transformation redeems the book slightly in my eyes.

5 out of 10.