Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Summer Reading Review
This summer you had the pleasure of reading a novel or play from the recommended list of titles in your AP Language acceptance letter. Since you must choose one more independent study novel to read this semester, you need feedback from your classmates assessing the novels they read. Out of five stars, how would you rate the book you read this summer (5=high, 1=low)? List the title you read, follow it with your rating, and explain why you would or would not recommend your choice to another reader. Your responses may be brief, but please be specific and edit your work!
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ReplyDeleteDracula, by Bram Stoker, contains many stories that all combine into one through journal entries. It displays numerous themes like death, compassion and perseverence. I would rate this book a "4" because it engages the audience from Jonothan's journal entries at the beginning throughout the other main characters entries. They explain their personal situations clearly so the reader does not confuse one character with another, but because it jumps from one situation to another there are unclear settings. In the end, they do get resolved. Each character comes from a different background. The reader can relate to a situation and be intrigued by Dracula and the mischief he causes. This novel displays courage that shows throughout all of the characters which make it appealing to all genres of literature.
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ReplyDeleteAs AP students, over the summer, we were given the opportunity to do an independent study; this included reading a novel from the provided list given to us by our teachers right before summer. The book I choose was a classic of Graham Greene’s titled The Power and the Glory. Overall, this book is a strong “4”. The book begins in the heat of the day, introducing the central character as a mere stranger and throughout the story, he is never named. The diction is as clever as it is unique, providing a trivial challenge to readers. Often we must assume by context it is the main character, who is most consistently called the Priest by Greene. The simplicity of it is genius. The story will never loosen its grip on you until the very last page, readers aren’t likely to become easily bored while reading this book. The Power and the Glory is an enticing game of cat and mouse which offers deep insight into the morality of the chase. With a surprise in nearly every chapter, thought provoking passages, and unforgettable characters, this book is definitely one I suggest you read. It is a quick read that is truly worth the effort of obtaining it from your local bookstore (and really, how hard is that?).
ReplyDeleteDracula by Bram Stoker is a novel that has the power to transport the reader back to their childhood memories of the monster Count Dracula. Through friendship, love, and horror, this novel takes the reader on a journey told by journal entries of 5 specific characters (beginning with Jonathon who enters Dracula's estate) and their encounters with the Count eventually intertwining all of their stories together. I would rate this novel a “4” for its profound use of realism when looked upon as a mythical tale; creating a setting that is both entirely fictional and nonfictional, it dives deep into the reader’s heart asking the question how far would you go to do something that would help all of mankind? The literary techniques that are seen throughout the novel captivate the reader’s mind and will not let go of it. Creating twists and turns throughout the story, this is more than a normal fairytale of a monster sucking people’s blood; but rather one that dives deeper into more issues such as trusting instincts and risking your life for a cause that might go in your favor or against it.
ReplyDeleteDracula, written by Bram Stoker, is an extremely dark yet thought-provoking tale told through a collection of journal entries. This literary masterpiece combines a myriad of reoccurring themes including the power of religious beliefs and the understanding of those who are different than others. I give Dracula a “5” because this story continuously pulls the reader inside the lives of the characters who express their thoughts and fears through the writings of their journals. Dracula is spontaneous and exciting yet also revealing in a way that exposes information about 19th century Europe. This book alludes to the intelligence and importance of women in society through the clever and brave female characters. The characters’ wide range of emotions and personalities allow a reader to find a character that they can connect with. Dracula is an outstanding story of perseverance and strength and I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer I read "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, and I would give it a 4.39 out of 5. While I presumed this to be mostly a horror story, I was surprised to find deep and profound thoughts on the meaning of man's existence. During the story, Frankenstein explores the beauty of life and then attempts to give life to his own creation. However, the creation becomes a hideous monster that is feared and shunned by the human race. The monster, after being rejected by every being and even his own creator, decides to make Frankenstein's life a living nightmare. This book is fairly haunting, dark, and depressing; however, I found that there were thought-provoking undertones to the novel. For example, both Frankenstein and his creation ponder why they exist and what their purpose is on Earth. I also found the book to be hard to put down; although I knew the ending was going to be grim, I was curious to see how the ongoing conflict would be resolved. And the ending was satisfying, in a haunting sort of way. I would definitely recommend this novel to a friend, especially because it is one of the most famous horror stories of all time.
ReplyDeleteEmma, by Jane Austen, is an intriguing novel focused on friendship, romance and the complexities of these relationships. The main character is manipulative, witty, and ambitious compared to the stereotypical quiet and innocent women of the late 1800’s. The plot follows her as she learns lessons about “true love” and the consequences of matchmaking. Jane Austen’s writing is unique, intriguing and simple. I would rate this book as a “4” out of 5. The relationships and the results are very predictable, but since this is a romantic novel that is not surprising. Despite the predictability, the book keeps the reader intrigued. Austen’s criticism of woman’s roles in society in the 1800’s is a firsthand perspective of the time period, making reading between the lines very interesting. The plot is clever and light hearted. I very much enjoyed Emma, and would recommend it to anyone interested in romantic novels.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I chose to read Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. On a basic level, it relays four voyages taken by Lemuel Gulliver. On each voyage, some misfortune occurs that leaves Gulliver separated from his ship on an unknown shore, and Gulliver is left to explore this new land. On his journeys, he finds a nation inhabited by tiny people, a land of giants, a floating island, and a race of talking horses. But on a level deeper than this, one can discover a biting satire on European government in the 1700s, on the differences between religions and religious practices, and a criticism of human nature at its most basic level. It is for this reason I would rate the book a ‘4’ out of ‘5.’ Although reading this book can be slow in parts, overall it is a fantastic story; the fact that it is interwoven with satire only enhances the novel. Although it may require further research to fully understand the novel (specifically that of politics in Europe during the time period), this book is worth the time and effort, and can be quite enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteEmma by Jane Austen
ReplyDelete“4” out of 5
The book is slow, in parts(specifically in the beginning before the reader has become used to Austen’s writing style), and can be difficult to understand, but overall it is dramatic and witty and a fun and intriguing read. This novel examines perspective, and mocks the perpetual masks that adorn the faces of those wanting to fit into society.
But be prepared, the main character is not extremely likable. In fact, I found her to be irritating and immature. Her maturity did increase throughout the read, but she is far from being my favorite character, an attitude that, I believe, Austen intentionally created. This provides a unique twist to the novel, but only adds to its depth. While reading it I was also very surprised to see how comical it is, despite its formality.
This novel is about a young woman, Emma Woodhouse, and her various relationships with those around her and her numerous misconceptions. It was first published in 1816, which leads to its occasional difficulties with comprehension. I also found it hard to relate to a few specific details due to obvious differences between our society and that of Jane Austen’s.
On the surface level, Emma is very obviously a romantic novel and includes an immense amount of drama. However, underneath this stereotype I believe that Emma is, in essence, a story about relationships (both romantic and not) and primarily about life. Therefore, although society has deemed Emma to be “a book for women” I would highly recommend it to anyone, both boys and girls, and would challenge a reader to look beyond the stereotypes and into the hilarious and dramatic lives of Emma Woodhouse and all that surround her.
Bram Stoker's Dracula is a timeless, classic novel that definitely earns itself a solid “5”. Since the very basics of the storyline are known universally, the unique structure (narration by the main characters’ journal entries) and the underlying messages of the novel unfortunately don’t get as much recognition as they should. A vampire terrorizing London and a group of people trying to defeat the Undead creature may be the plot, but Stoker’s intentions go much deeper in meaning. Through the clear distinction between the “good” and “bad” characters, Stoker is able to criticize both modernity and the freedoms of female sexuality and also illustrate the promise of Christian salvation. Not only are there significant themes in this novel, but Dracula is also a very suspenseful and exciting read that is full of extremely dark and compelling events. It is doubtful that anyone would be disappointed after reading Dracula. However, to those who are easily frightened, I would recommend not reading it in the middle of the night.
ReplyDeleteOver the Summer I read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and I would rate it a “4”. I found the story somewhat slow in parts particularly before the monster had been created. Sometimes the writing is difficult to read since it is in 1st person and many characters reveal their education through their vocabulary. It's mostly told from Victor Frankenstein's point of view, the scientist who creates a monster in the pursuit of glory through a great scientific achievement, ultimately creating life. Throughout Victor's narrative, even before the creation of the monster, it's clear that wherever this pursuit leads him is not good. The book draws many comparisons between God's creation of man and Victor's creation of the monster, which brings up interesting questions about how the author views God. Both Victor and his creation illustrate the effects of loneliness, creating parallels between the seemingly different characters. Despite being fiction, the author manages to make the creation of such a monster seem very possible, which contributes to making the story seem more haunting, rather than just unrealistic. From the beginning, I wondered how exactly everything would be resolved and ultimately I found the ending satisfying as it further emphasized the author’s themes and key ideas. Finally, it was interesting to find out what actually happened in the classic tale that is so often alluded to in media today.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I read A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and would give it a 4 rating. I decided to give this book that rating because it was a very slow read. Dickens is infamous for long-winded explanations in his writing, and it was quite clear in this book. To tell the truth, I had a very rough time understanding what was going on in the story because his writing is so complicated. After I read each chapter of the book, I would have to research online to get a clearer description of what was going on. However, the way he writes is very poetic, full of symbolism, and the amount of pages is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteThe storyline covers ideas of revenge, romance, death, sacrifice, identity. Dickens also sets the story in France and England (these are the two cities referred to in the title) right as the French Revolution is beginning. The story is brilliant, but the context it is written in is complicated because of how dated it is. A Tale of Two Cities was first published in 1859 in England, which is over 150 years ago! I would compare this book to any of Shakespeare’s works. Shakespeare has excellent plots, but his writing is hard to understand.
I recommend this book to anyone who craves a challenge because the story is ultimately worth it in the end. Plus, this book is one of the great classics, and it is a book I can say I have read cover to cover!
Over the summer, I read the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I would rate this novel a “4” because it is a deep, dark, horrific novel. The beginning of the novel started out slow, but it began to pick up after Victor Frankenstein gave life to his creation – his monster. Throughout the novel both Frankenstein and his creation are put through a series of painful, frightening events. For example, Frankenstein, on his travelsm is accused of murdering a man he would never wish to harm. Other than being put into dramatic incidents, both Frankenstein and his monster must explore meanings to their existence – find reasons to live. Both also seem to be searching for some kind of salvation to the things they have done wrong. This story is a terrific read with some difficulty because of the time difference between when it was written and now. I would recommend this novel to someone who is interested in the classics and would love to understand the story of Frankenstein and his creation.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I read A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. This book tells a story of sacrifice, revenge, and love set in France and England during the French Revolution. It features brilliant vocabulary and a dramatic storyline, but is an incredibly difficult read because of the language used. For that reason I would rate this book a “2.5” out of “5”, simply because it is such a hard book to follow. I had to look up words and research chapters online after my initial read and this took away some of the enjoyment of reading a book from start to finish. I also thought the storyline was very slow; the action didn’t pick up until the last 100 pages, which made the first 250 extremely difficult to get into. For those of you that enjoy challenging language and plots, this would be an excellent choice. However, to people looking for a short and easily understandable read, this is not the book for you.
ReplyDeleteJane Austen’s classic Emma, is a witty comedy about friendships and relationships set in England in the early 1800’s. The main character, Emma Woodhouse, attempts to assist other friends find happiness. She learns, however, that when dealing with emotions and relationships, that things can quickly change for the better or the worst. Good intentions become tangled in a state of disarray and this creates a comical story for the reader. I would rate this book as 5 out of 5, as I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As a reader you begin thinking in a similar fashion to Emma with regard to helping her friends, yet as the book progresses you become quite frustrated with Emma and her meddling ways. The reader learns more about relationships and may conclude just allowing the “chips” to fall where they may is the best approach as a friend. It is fascinating to see another side of the England’s early 1800’s from an author who writes about an era in which she lived. However, unlike Emma’s upper class status, Jane Austen was part of the lower class and this allowed Jane Austen to use satire to ridicule the upper class and the intricacies of England’s society in the early 1800’s. For anyone who enjoys a historical romantic comedy, I would highly suggest this comical novel.
ReplyDeleteThe novel, Emma by Jane Austen is a paradox of friendship and love, class and marriage, name and wealth, and gossip and truth. Austen challenges her readers by digging deep into the early 1800’s way of life and exemplifies its true nature of class, marriage, and guidance during this time. The main character, Emma is a self-proclaimed matchmaker, who ends up unbelievably meddling with all of her friend’s lives, thus creating more trouble for the whole town of Highbury. I would give the book a “4”, supporting the depth and thought that Austen put into this book. Although it is sometimes monotonous, it emphasizes the importance of a woman, but also belittles the female mind due to Emma’s unwise mistakes.
ReplyDeleteDue to the fact that Emma was written almost 200 years ago, there are some big differences from today’s culture and that of Jane Austen’s. I would recommend this book to a person who likes a good story, but also has the time to truly pick apart the details of the book. It would also be smart to read the book twice, because there are many underlying details that one cannot pick up on the first read. This book is an amazing story of love and friendship, and the struggle to do the right thing, and is a great novel.
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ReplyDelete"Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens is a strong “4.5”. It illustrates a tragic tale of love and sacrifice following the life of Miss Lucy Mannett and he father. This account is a riveting tale hindered only by Dickens absolute attention to detail and the older, complicated language in which it is written. Additionally, the plot and character development are quite intricate and can be difficult to follow at times. This story alternates between settings in France and England during the French Revolution. Much of the plot is very connected to this period so some research may be beneficial, but a basic knowledge is necessary to understand this literary work. However this book is so wonderful that it is worth the effort to understand. Personally, I sobbed at the authentically poetic conclusion. "Tale of Two Cities" was truly a wonderful novel.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I chose to read Dracula by Bram Stoker. I would give this novel a “4”. This classic tale of love, fear and mystery had me turning the pages as I learned more behind the story of this famous creature of terror. All of my assumptions I had about Dracula dropped away as I found myself sympathizing with the characters through their struggle of good vs. evil. Although there were places in the book that were dry and dull, Stoker did a wonderful job of writing between the lines. He explored many different themes from the purity of a person to the fight between emotions and logic. Stoker also wrote the novel as journal entries from different characters. This allows the reader to get even more involved with the book as they become intertwined with all of the different characters on their adventure from a castle in Transylvania to the bustling city of London. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a chillingly good read.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer my reading book of choice was Emma by Jane Austen. In this novel Jane Austen satirizes about the importance of wealth, social class, relationships, and the way of life in London during the 1800s. This novel, though intriguing, was a challenge for me due to the combination of unfamiliar writing techniques that were used. For example, the old English style writing Austen uses made it difficult to grasp the message of certain chapters as well as the tone. One of my favorite aspects of this book was how Austen portrayed the lives of those living in the estates of London during the 1800s. After getting used to Austen’s style of writing it became easier to tell when she would satirize about this topic. Overall, I would give this book a “3” rating because of the difficulty in getting used to the writing style. This book is a great challenging read that will definitely have you laughing!
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I chose to read Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. This captivating novel deserves "5" stars for Brontë’s creation of such a wise yet enchanting plot. Wuthering Heights may be seen as a conflicting love story, but when dissected by the reader, becomes a struggle between true passion and morality. Brontë’s powerful use of symbolism engulfs the reader into the enthralling life of Catherine Earnshaw and her psychological struggle between the man she truly loves and the classy gentleman who reaches society’s standards. This battle of morality will become strong enough to affect the following generation, altering the lives of those who knew her. I would definitely recommend this mesmerizing story to anyone searching for a passionate yet influential read.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, the book I chose to read was Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte; a twisted romance novel, it was an extremely exciting read and so I give it a “5.” Bronte pushes the limit of classical romance with her somewhat hellish main characters and dreary setting. However, despite all of that and the old English that it is written in which has been saddled with a difficult reputation, the story drew me in and kept me interested until the surprising and abrupt end. I would highly recommend this novel to both girls and boys because it is not an ordinary sappy romance, and the book is not without vengeance, violence and passionate competition. The plot of the novel is devious and unpredictable and if you are able to persevere through a few small drags, you are guaranteed to enjoy the read.
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ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I chose to read A Tale Of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. I would rate this book a "3" out of "5," because the language used in the novel is often difficult to understand, making the story move slowly. However, the storyline of the book is actually very fascinating once you have grasped what is going on. The setting is in London and Paris during the time of the French Revolution. Dickens embeds historical references to the Revolution throughout the text, making the book not only enjoyable (once you have come to understand the language), but educational to a degree as well. One of the key reasons why I would only rate this novel a "3," though, is because it was difficult for me to fully understand how brilliant the story was until the end, when everything started tying together. Until that point, the story was interesting, but not entirely captivating. This book is a classic, and I would definitely recommend this book to another reader, so long as the reader enjoys a challenge.
ReplyDeleteWuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is a tale of tormented love, troubled characters, betrayal, and vengeance. The tale focuses on a story of two lovers, whose unique relationship puts a bitter end to any chance of a ‘happily ever after’… for them at least. A haunting twist on a love story, Wuthering Heights displays many themes such as importance of communication, the destructiveness of love, circumstances of social classes, and the clash of two different forces. This book deserves “4” out of 5 stars because it is a little difficult to follow due to confusing characters and higher level vocabulary. The characters were confusing because of the slow beginning and the appearance of more and more throughout the book. The first few characters introduced in the novel were not technically the main characters, but people that the actual main character told stories about. Wuthering Heights was written in the mid-1800’s therefore, the writing style and language are different and sometimes tough to follow. Overall Wuthering Heights is an unforgettable love story but somewhat of a challenging read.
ReplyDeleteMary Shelley’s Frankenstein has evolved into a novel that far exceeds its original design as a scary campfire story. Overall, the rating I would give this book is a “4”. While the novel does have its drawbacks, namely in the pace of the story, its thematic devices and the sheer number of themes that can be derived from the plot more than compensate for this blot. Frankenstein has an exceedingly slow start; halfway through the 236-page novel the problems, and consequently the action, emerge. Towards the middle and end of the story the themes slowly begin oozing into both the character’s dialogue and the imagery surrounding them. A personal favorite is that of the dilemma facing Frankenstein’s creature. Some analysts call him a monster and others a misguided wretch and both may be considered correct. Will you feel compassion and pity for his situation or disgust and resentment at his deeds?
ReplyDeleteOkay I can't figure out how to delete my post but, embarrassing mistake- I listen Wuthering Heights author to be Charlotte Bronte, it is Emily Bronte. Sorry Mrs. Ferrill I meant to change it and I forgot.
ReplyDeleteI would not call Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, your typical horror novel. It has way more literary substance than its film counterpart. Thematically, the novel is a metaphor for man’s relationship with his creator. It also questions of the morality of man. Frankenstein is a classic gothic piece and relates to the romantics, especially in its glorification of nature’s innocence and beauty, the downfalls of science, and dangers of exploration. Aspects of the novel can easily be related to Shelley’s tragic life, and the themes, motifs, and symbols are easily recognizable.
ReplyDeleteHalfway through the short novel, Frankenstein developed a tedious rhythm of self-loathing language that depressed me and wore me out to a point where I became disinterested with the predictable fate of the characters. Shelley originally wrote Frankenstein as a short story, and if I were her, I would have kept it that way. I would give the book a “5” for content, but a “3” for enjoyment.
After reading the novel The End of the Affair by Graham Green, I would rate it a “4” out of “5.” The book tells the story of two lovers, Sarah Miles and Maurice Bendrix, from the point of view of Maurice, two years after the end of their affair. Through the memories of Maurice, and the diary of Sarah, the reader learns the details of the affair, and the events following it. Although it has a slow beginning, the novel picks up as Sarah’s diary entries begin, and the reader sees the other side of many of Maurice’s memories. While this book may not be one that is impossible to put down, it still keeps the reader interested, especially when it takes a completely unexpected turn. Throughout the novel, Maurice tells the reader that the book is more about hate than love, and the end of the novel reveals the true subject of his hatred. Overall this book is a compelling tale of love, hate and faith, and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for a fairly easy read that still has a great story line.
ReplyDeleteWuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte tells of two fated lovers, Catherine and Heathcliff, who can never find a way to be together. I would rate it a "3" out of "5" I found this to be a very interesting tale, unlike any book I have ever read before. One of the main problems for me was the language. This book was written many years ago, and uses a style of language that I found it very difficult to get used to. I often found myself reading and getting the gist of what was going on, rather than appreciating beautiful quotes, and enjoying the way the author wrote her story. Also, the characters are often hard to follow, leading to confusion in my part as to what was actually going on, although it cleared up fairly quickly each time I was confused. Wuthering Heights is a classic novel that I suggest everyone read in their lifetime, as long as they are up for a challenge.
ReplyDeleteWhile journeying across the world to lands both bizarre and extraordinary, Capt. Gulliver discovers that he is merely discovering worlds that mirror his own. In Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, the main character ,Gulliver, finds himself awash with creatures both big and small in fantastical lands. While Gulliver tries to convince these races of his own's greatness, he realizes that although these worlds seem quite different they in actuality are only his from a new perspective. I would give this story a "4." because while it is entertaining through its fantasy, Swift loses a lot of his criticism through the lack of knowledge we come prepared with. Swift's main audience is 1700's folk who are up to date on current affairs. Therefore, although Swift has evident satire, it is much more difficult to identify and understand. There are universal issues that Swift address, such as political corruption and right vs. might, which most anyone can understand, as well though. Swift's Gulliver's Travels is something I'd recommend for those looking for something entertaining and historic.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, the story of the destructiveness of a love that never changes and the power of social class was brought to life before my eyes. Catherine’s and Heathcliff’s love for each other never wavers throughout the entire story and because of this all the stories seem to be built around this unyielding aspect of love. This novel was filled with multiple dynamic characters as well as heated drama that all helped to keep you on your toes. I would give this novel a ‘4’ out of ‘5’. Although I adored all the action and quandaries found throughout the novel, the language used was very hard to follow and I found myself trying to manipulate and understand the text more than enjoy what was actually going on in the novel. This was because Wuthering Heights was written many years ago in a time where the kind of English used in the book is not used today which made it hard to understand in this century. Apart from the confusing text this book was overall an outstanding read. There were deaths, there were love stories, and there were many disputes but in the end justice was brought to light. Hareton and young Catherine finally get what they deserved and the book ends on good terms. I would suggest Wuthering Heights to anyone looking for a twisted love story, many politically incorrect situations, and at many points, a good laugh. Ultimately I would suggest this book to anyone looking for a captivating read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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