Worn Out Pages: 2013

literature

This Sentence Has 7 Different Meanings

2:32 PM

Writing Tip: From Monotonous to Versatile

5:14 PM

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"A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" by Edgar Allan Poe

7:24 PM

John Green

"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green

9:10 PM

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Summary from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars

"The Fault In Our Stars" written by John Green is a heart aching story that will succeed in ripping your heart right out of your chest in a time most least expected. All the characters in the book were given their own individual personality which really made you love them and get close to them, which is essential if the author's purpose was to make the reader grieve, which it probably was John Green's plan all along (which is evident if you have ever read any of his other books). The way the story was carried out and the timing of everything was absolutely perfect in a heart wrenching sort of way, if that makes any sense to you. I suggest this book to everyone, whether you like a sob story or not. It is real worth your time. The characters are all really love-able even though they have their little habits that might annoy specific readers, but you would eventually learn to ignore those tiny flaws. The reader learns to love most of the characters without even noticing it, which is a really sneaky thing to do on John Green's part. The tragedies that take place in the story will act like cancer (read the book, you'll understand how clever that was) you will not think there is anything really seriously wrong, but then it just hits you and the next thing you know your in your room crying for four hours straight not knowing if you will ever recover from your grief. So basically "The Fault In Our Stars" is a really good book and everyone should read it. I am not going to be giving a rating for this specific book because I am too conflicted on whether I loved it or hated it, but if I were to give it based on the characters, plot, and literature, I would give it 4.5/5.

Because this review is kind of late, I am going to post another review on Saturday and another on Sunday.

The Book So Far: "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

3:33 PM

A Child Called It

"A Child Called 'It'" by Dave Pelzer

12:18 PM

Summary: (from goodreads)
This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60748.A_Child_Called_It_

An acquaintance of mine recommended A Child Called 'It' by Dave Pelzer telling me it was really worth my time, so I started reading it. I was under the impression that it was sad story of a man who was abused as a child by his mother, but I really was not prepared to read the horrors that were written in the pages, especially since I knew everything that was written was perfectly true. When I first read the book, it was how I imagined it to be. It started off with him being taken away from his family by the police and then him recalling good memories he had with them. However, as I read more into the book, it slowly got more and more violent, vile, and heart-aching. There were some moments in the book which I honestly wish I could unread and forget, but at the same time, I am more informed of what actually happens to some people, and that's really why people read this book. I for one did not have the stomachs to actually finish the entire book, but I think its safe to say that I may have read some of the worst parts in the book. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that does have the stomachs to read it because it is very informative. It's important for people to know that what happened to Dave Pelzer does actually happen in real life, and most likely still currently happens to other kids too.

"The Lost World" by Arthur Conan Doyle

11:10 AM

Rating: 4.7/5
Summary (from goodreads):
In The Lost World, the first in a series of books to feature the bold Professor Challenger—a character many critics consider one of the most finely drawn in science fiction—Challenger and his party embark on an expedition to a remote Amazonian plateau where, as the good professor puts it, “the ordinary laws of Nature are suspended” and numerous prehistoric creatures and ape-men have survived. “Just as Sherlock Holmes set the standard—and in some sense established the formula—for the detective story . . . , so too has The Lost World set the standard and the formula for fantasy-adventure stories . . . ,” Michael Crichton writes in his Introduction. “The tone and techniques that Conan Doyle first refined in The Lost World have become standard narrative procedures in popular entertainment of the present day.”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10155.The_Lost_World

The Lost World is a very entertaining book written by the one and only Arthur Conan Doyle who is famously known for his Sherlock Holmes novels. It is about three brave men, and one who wants to prove his bravery to the love of his life, who go on an expedition to prove a very violent professor's claim that there exists pre-historic life in South America.The novel is actually very slow-paced and includes some science, making it quite boring at times, but it wasn't necessarily a book you wouldn't want to finish. Even though I put the book down several times and wouldn't go back to it for a day or two, I always had the intention of finishing The Lost World because it did have a good plot. It was a book the kind of book where the characters were in constant danger, so it had the effect of making the reader think their favorite character might die, which is mainly why I kept going back to it.

One thing I really like about The Lost World, along with all of Arthur Conan Doyle's writing, is the amount of imagery and description. When reading the books he writes, it slips your mind that the people in his novels are only characters. They all have distinct personalities and characteristics and the way he describes them, it puts a clear and vivid image in your head of what they look like. Arthur Conan Doyle makes you love these characters in times of happiness and grieve them in times of sadness. Not only the people, but the places he describes, especially in The Lost World since he had to make it up from his imagination, it puts you in awe. I just think since I am speaking of his books, he deserves to be credited for his efforts.

The Lost World is written in the point of view of the man who wants to prove his bravery: Mr. Malone. I found this really irritating at some points, especially the beginning, partially because the woman he wants to marry, Gladys, is extremely annoying and naive, saying she wants to marry only a brave and perfect man, which is the reason she refuses to marry Mr.Malone. The other reason I found this irritating was because I found Mr.Malone very pathetic at times, saying he's only going on this expedition for her, even though he's gained quite a lot of knowledge and met amazing people due to this journey.

Despite the main character's foolish personality, there were other characters I absolutely adored...mainly the other three men that also went on this expedition. There were two professors that went on this journey, the violent one and another, and I have to say, their relationship was one I wouldn't want to see ever die out. They would constantly bicker about science trying to prove each other wrong, making it seem as if they couldn't stand the sight of each other, but they both actually really cared deeply about each other, not wanting one another to ever be in harm's way. The same goes for the other two that were came on this expedition: Mr. Malone and Lord John Roxton. When I was first introduced to Lord John Roxton, I did not think I would like him at all, but he proved himself to be worthy of my love by showing courage, humbleness, and sincerity.

My favorite part of The Lost World has to be the ending. I say this because I thought it would revolve around the love story between Mr.Malone and Gladys, but thankfully it wasn't. It was much better. You have to read it to find out.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is willing to cope with Mr.Malone's foolishness and the dry parts where science is involved.

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This Sentence Has 7 Different Meanings

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Writing Tip: From Monotonous to Versatile

Interesting Words

"A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" by Edgar Allan Poe

"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green

The Book So Far: "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

"A Child Called 'It'" by Dave Pelzer

"The Lost World" by Arthur Conan Doyle

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