For this project I gathered some well-written Goodreads reviews of the books from this course,
as well as writing a review of my own.
as well as writing a review of my own.
Sold by Patricia McCormickReview by else fine
1. This book conveys less about the triumph of the human spirit and more about how Americans fix everything. In tone it read exactly like an early missionary novel.
2. I wish people would only write novels in verse if the verse actually served some purpose in the plot or the development of the character, or if the verse was good. In Sold it's simply a weird affectation. 3. The fact brought up as an afterthought in the end notes, that Nepalese women are fighting back by educating young village women and patrolling the borders themselves, is by far more inspirational and interesting than the acts of resistance in the story itself. A book about that would be fascinating. A topic this horrifying deserved a better book. Between Shades of Gray
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NoteI do not agree with all of these reviews, but each is a well-written depiction of the writer's own views. I admire the way these reviews are put together and the points that are made, which makes them good reviews even though they are not what I would say about the books.
Persepolis by Marjane SatrapiReview by Tatiana
"Persepolis" is a widely acclaimed memoir/graphic novel, it was rated highly by several of my fellow readers and therefore I've had my eye on it for a while. Sadly, now, after reading this book, I am a little underwhelmed by it.
As a graphic novel, it is a notable work. The cartoonish style of the drawing is superb, the subject matter is very current, the combination of tragedy and humor is clever. However, as a political memoir, "Persepolis" lacks. I don't know exactly why, but I never got a grip on what Satrapi's personal views on the politics within her country are. In fact, I am not even sure if she really knows what what was happening in her country. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that this memoir ends when the author is 14 (although writing it as an adult, she should be able to present her views clearly). Or maybe it is because Satrapi herself never personally experiences any hardship in this book. I find it very interesting that in times of turmoil, during the civil war for democracy, during the rise of religious fundamentalism, during the war with Iraq, Satrapi's family never seems to experience any discomfort. Quite the opposite, when people die and suffer, the writer's most hardship is to hide the liquor at a party (which they are not supposed to have), or to wear a headscarf, or to get an "Iron Maiden" poster through customs. This narration from a perspective of a person in power is a little disheartening and has a bit of a fake tone to it, as if the author doesn't know what is really happening in her country and writes about from her million dollar mansion while being served by one of her maids. It's not a bad book, especially for younger readers who want to know a little bit about Iran and its current political events. It is presented in a very appealing, easy format. But for me personally this book appears to be too superficial to leave any kind of lasting impression. I will however read the second part of the memoir. Maybe it will have some more insight. Secret Keeper by Mitali PerkinsReview by Maggie Desmond-O'Brien
I really hate it when people tell me a book is going to break my heart. Not that I'm not guilty of saying it, but it seems like so much weight to put on a little ARC (or paperback, or even hardcover) of a book. It stops me from making real connections to the characters, because all readers may be self-flagellants, but nobody really wants to punish themselves. (If you do, I've got a job rec for you in the kitchens of Hogwarts. A good house elf is so hard to find.) So as many good things as I'd heard about this book, even after Mitali Perkins was kind enough to send me a copy after I'd said I wanted to read it, I was still just the tiniest bit apprehensive to turn the first page.
I shouldn't have been. While the beginning was not at all what I expected, Asha's powerful voice grabbed me right away, and Mitali Perkins made a country and culture that seems to have exploded in popularity post-Slumdog Millionaire an exciting and fresh backdrop for the novel. I adore reading about India. I usually end up sitting on the kitchen counter with my very battered copies of Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier, or The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni; trying to read and stir my favorite lentil curry recipe at the same time. It always feels voyeuristic, though, almost exploitative; because I know that that's not anywhere near my life and, unless I win the lottery and can hop on a plane tomorrow, probably never will be. Secret Keeper, however, avoids the Mumbai slums and "American-Born-Confused-Desi" identity crises, focusing instead on making the vibrant and tumultuous world of Calcutta in the '70s relevant to a primarily American audience today. And, to my surprise, the ending really was heartbreaking. As I've mentioned before, I can usually read YA and even "literary" foreshadowing...well, like a book. There are few surprises, and too few books that I can really say have grabbed me, roughed me up a bit, and made my tear ducts run. This book is one of them. I won't spoil it, but the ending is very surprising, and not at all the run-of-the-mill heartbreaker you might be expecting. This is one of those books that I want to recommend to absolutely everybody I meet, and of course, to the rest of the book blogosphere! The reason it dazzles is not only the setting, but the characters. There wasn't a single one that I didn't identify with on some level, and none more so than Asha and Jay. Their romance-but-not-quite-a-romance was one of my favorite parts of the book - What can I say? Sometimes I'm a sucker too, believe it or not - and Asha's fierce love of her family even when she's frustrated with them is a feeling I'm sure every teen can identify with, even though their circumstances will probably be far from Asha's. The monster-in-laws idea is never overdone, as I had very much feared it would be, and every character has believable motives for doing what they do. It's beautiful, sometimes messy, and very real, just like life. In short, if you'd like to write YA fiction, take a leaf out of Mitali Perkins's book! (Or perhaps it would be better to just take the whole thing?) In short, I loved it. So, to all of you bloggers and authors out there who recommended this book, I'm sorry I still had that tiniest seed of doubt in my mind. It's gone now! |
Between Shades of Gray
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