Sockshuman's literary lair
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Secret Garden
I'd owned this book for several years before actually fetching it from my bookshelf and opening it. My reason for doing so was because I listened to some of the music from the musical of the same name and was interested. This book is about a young orphan girl named Mary who has to move to her Uncle Archibald's house in England from her home in India where she'd been spoiled all her life. Never knowing what it was like to truly live, she soon discovers things that most people would have known early on in life, like what it felt like to be hungry or how to get her clothes on. She also learns about a garden her uncle closed off after the untimely death of his wife. She discovers the key after a robin shows where it is to her and opens up the garden, choosing to keep it secret. Eventually she shows it to Dickon, a maid in the house's brother, her cousin, Colin, the gardener, Ben Weatherstaff, and finally to her Uncle Archibald. As she works slowly to bring the garden to it's former glory, she, along with the garden, learns how to live and improves in looks as a result. This is a classic novel and I suggest anyone of all ages to read it, although there's some heavy Yorkshire dialogue in it that some children might not understand, as well as themes of death and mourning.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
This book series is about a boy who's a demigod, or half mortal and half god. There are five books that detail five years at Camp Half Blood,a camp for young demigods. Throughout the series, he meets with different characters from Greek mythology who either help him, hinder him, or provide some comic relief. I like this series because it contains Greek mythology, which I had the pleasure of reading a huge book ( about +300 pages) on in third grade. I instantly fell in love with the characters and the overall plot of the stories, therefore loved it when they put a twist on it by putting a twelve year old in the equation. These books were written by Rick Riordan, who some kids might recognize from the first book in "The 39 Clues", a series which Riordan helps to write. The first book, "The Lightning Thief" was also made into a movie of the same name.
Because this series was made for kids, I'll be a bit gentler with the rating. I'd rate this for kids about 10 years old, in case some parents wouldn't want their children acquainted with blood and some crude humor. (This book is great for parents, too) The books can be as long as more than four hundred pages, so take that into account as well.
Because this series was made for kids, I'll be a bit gentler with the rating. I'd rate this for kids about 10 years old, in case some parents wouldn't want their children acquainted with blood and some crude humor. (This book is great for parents, too) The books can be as long as more than four hundred pages, so take that into account as well.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Phantom of the Opera
This is one of my favorite books. It's about a beautiful soprano named Christine who meets a mysterious man who lives beneath Opera House. He's a genius, but very (very) insane. He has a deformed face which he hides beneath a mask, and a punjab lasso that he uses to strangle anybody who interferes with his plans. He loves Christine, but her heart belongs to the Viscount Raoul De Chagny, who has a perfectly normal mind.
This amazing book has spawned many adaptations, including a 1935 (I think?) adaptation starring Lon Chaney, Jr. There's also been a famed musical version by Andrew Lloyd Webber that's captivated audiences across the world, a grisly horror version, a version of it set in the modern day that also has elements of Faust and Hunchback of Notre Dame, and many contemporary novels (Look up "Phantom of the Opera: Contemporary Stories") This novel is rather unique because even though the symphathy is with The Phantom, the story's protagonist is his rival, the lovesick Raoul, who's the story's Prince Charming. There are also many other characters to see in it, from the villainous Mme. Giry to the bewildered new managers of the Opera House.
This book is a must read for mystery and romance lovers. I'd recommend it for ages 10+ for the writing style and certain elements that some kids might not like. I'd recommend parents read it first before giving it to their kids.
This amazing book has spawned many adaptations, including a 1935 (I think?) adaptation starring Lon Chaney, Jr. There's also been a famed musical version by Andrew Lloyd Webber that's captivated audiences across the world, a grisly horror version, a version of it set in the modern day that also has elements of Faust and Hunchback of Notre Dame, and many contemporary novels (Look up "Phantom of the Opera: Contemporary Stories") This novel is rather unique because even though the symphathy is with The Phantom, the story's protagonist is his rival, the lovesick Raoul, who's the story's Prince Charming. There are also many other characters to see in it, from the villainous Mme. Giry to the bewildered new managers of the Opera House.
This book is a must read for mystery and romance lovers. I'd recommend it for ages 10+ for the writing style and certain elements that some kids might not like. I'd recommend parents read it first before giving it to their kids.
Starting off
Okay, because my last blog wasn't exactly uplifting, I decided to write a blog that's a bit cheerier. This will mostly be the books I've been reading with my comments on them. Each post will be a book I've read, or tried to read.
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