And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (#1)

Pages: 1-108

Wow! I'm actually enjoying a mystery. It's a mystery to me (haha, ok that was a bad joke, I get it) how I've been reading for so long without ever picking up an Agatha Christie novel. I think that this one is very interesting, and I like the style of writing.

So, first off, I really like how it's switching between the different characters' perspectives. With 10 characters, it is a little confusing at first, but a little bit into the book, I had already caught on. With so many different perspectives, the plot really unfolds beautifully. We get a little bit of information revealed at a time, and it's a lot of fun to read.

Next, I do enjoy her writing style. It's easy to read, and a bit of a departure from the kind of language I encountered in The Paradiso and The Three Musketeers. It's much cleaner, and although I hesitate to say that it's modern, it is a bit more up to our time's way of speaking and writing. It's refreshing to read this type of style again, since Silver Phoenix seemed to be just a bit of a stand-in filler between the books I really wanted to read. Silver Phoenix was a bit of a train wreck from the beginning, so I didn't pay too much attention to the author's writing style. I admit that I kind of wanted it to just be over and read it for the story. I'm finding that this isn't the case for And Then There Were None at all. I'm really into the story, and although I do usually bow to the strain of the suspense, I'm doing alright so far!

I'm enjoying this novel, and can't wait to read more!

My rating of the book so far: 9.5/10 (I don't know, but I'm not sure if it's a perfect 10?)

The Inferno (#1)

Cantos: VI, X, XI, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXV

Wow. Some of these Cantos were actually really interesting. Although some of the ones in the Bolgias are quite creative, like the divine retribution of the fortune tellers, I really thought that the punishments for the Violent against God, Nature, and Art were the most painful sounding. Raining fire and burning sands? That's some really strong violence. They literally feel the burn for their crimes.

However, I don't necessarily agree that some groups should be punished. Usurers and moneylenders don't seem to me like a group that deserves their punishment, but Dante's principles are slightly different from our own, so it's understandable.

The Silmarillion (#1)

Pages: 1-102

Favorite Quote: "But the sons of Men die indeed, and leave the world; wherefore they are called the Guests, or the strangers. Death is their fate, the gift of Iluvatar, which as Time wears even the Powers shall envy" (42).

This isn't such a major quote, as it is only mentioned as Iluvatar makes his Children, the Elves and the Men. However, I think it's quite profound. People usually think of Death as a bad thing, something to be feared, nit jere. it is spoken of as a gift. As you read on, the fate of te Elves is discussed, and among them is Miriel who grows tired of living. Humans don't live all that long, so we don't know just how weary living can get. It demonstrates the need for a balance between silence and noise, peace and vigorous action.

The Silmarillion is a very enjoyable book for those who love mythology and stories of a more classical style. The language Tolkien uses flows so well, it's almost like poetry in prose. I do like to read novels written in this kind of style because it just seems so much more fluid and flowing. It's hard to explain, but like Watership Down, the writing style seems "old-fashioned" in a way. It uses more words to express an idea, but it's in a good way. I love getting back into this deep fantasy. The story is so enchanting, and mixed with Tolkien's writing, it's really fun to read.

The only difficulty I'm coming across is that there are so many different characters! Of the Valar, there are already so many, but when I read about the history of the Elves and how they are split into so many different groups and have different leaders, it does get confusing! I do have to reread parts at times just to figure out who is who. What I really like, though, is encountering characters that appear in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and finding out their backstories. So fascinating! Tolkien's world is very elaborate and well thought out, making it exceptionally interesting to read about.

My Rating of the Book so Far: 10/10

(Valinor!)

A Thousand Splendid Suns (#1)

Pages: 1-94 (Part 1)

Although it is told in third person, the main character of Part 1, Mariam, feels very much alive. The clarity of the way her thoughts and emotions are illustrated is striking when the slightly detached air of the story is taken into consideration. Even though there really aren't too many scenes described in the stretch of time Part 1 encompasses, the ones Hosseini does pick to elaborate on are vividly painted to make it seem like the reader has lived through it all and has really connected to the characters. Khaled Hosseini proves again that he is a master story teller.

A Thousand Splendid Suns seems to be a study in perspectives. Mariam's thought processes shift as she goes through many different experiences, from living on the outskirts of society as a bastard child to being forced into a marriage with a man 30 years older than her. We see her originally clinging to believing that her father is a good man, truly caring for her and rejecting the cynical pessimism of her mother. But then, she realizes the truth and her viewpoints completely turn around, now scrutinizing people's actions through the lens of her mother's attitude. Mariam's relationship with her husband also changes beginning in fear and uncertainty to care and tenderness to abuse and growing farther apart after several miscarriages.

The tragedy seems a little veiled though. It feels as if a few scenes were rushed, not pumping out all the potential feeling, but every where else, it's phenomenal. Although the book's plot doesn't seem to really go anywhere, it's greatest strength is the connection it forms with the reader, the bridge for emotions, feelings, the ups and downs of the characters to really flow. It's a nice change from all the plot-driven, not really in depth books that are really popular today.

Rating of the book so far: 9/10 (It's good, but I'm a little iffy about it)

(Mariam means white tuberose--the flower above)

Watership Down (#1)

Pages: 1-132

Favorite Quote: "'No one must ever ask where another rabbit was, and anything else that could make ever ask where another rabbit was and anyone who asked 'Where?'--except in a song or a poem--must be silenced. To say 'Where?' was bad enough, but to speak /openly of the wires--that was intolerable. For that they would scratch and kill" (129/130).

Watership Down's cast of characters is comprised of rabbits, many different ones with different personalities and roles. It chronicles the journey of a small group of rabbits as they journey away from their warren after one of them, Fiver, has a premonition of the warren being destroyed.

Fiver is an interesting character, one whose insight into situations and early warnings of danger are not taken seriously by others. Nobody listens to him until it's almost too late, and it is slightly reminiscent of our own society, where we find that many times, dangers are overlooked and situations unconditionally accepted when we find ourselves grounded in a comfortable spot.

Fiver is the only one who suspects the overabundance of food and luxury of the warren they join temporarily, and the others accept the warren's strange behaviors in favor of staying in a comfortable place. One of their number is almost killed before they listen to Fiver opening their eyes to the sinister nature of the warren, the wonderful conditions supplied by Man in order to fatten the rabbits for harvesting by way of snares.

However, the rest of the warren seems to know about these snares, and instead of attempting to escape from the situation, they semi-accept it, letting themselves fall into a state of denial, defending their attempts to dismiss the situation, their cowardice by fighting tooth and nail against anyone trying to bring it to light. (see Favorite Quote at the top)

Humanity feels the effects of these kinds of actions as well. People unquestioningly accept comfort and ease of living with a dangerous disregard for any hidden strings, later impacts that may show up. And, when the horrible truth comes to light, when they almost die, choking themselves on a snare they run themselves into, they go one of two ways. The rabbits of the warren choose to accept their situation as is, lying to themselves to try to get back to the way of live they once had before the snares. But, this is self-destructive. They lose their identity, obsessively trying to deny what's going on around them and losing themselves, who they are in the process. But, in Fiver's group, they have another option. Reason is like a slap in the face, waking them up to realize that they can't accept this way of "living," and they decide to choose the unknown and possible hardship rather than the madness of living knowing of the possibility of impending death every day.

Rabbits are an interesting form for the characters to take. As in Fire Bringer, they mirror human behavior, perhaps more human than we ourselves see others as. The author's choice to use animal characters over human characters allows for more flexibility and an easier to see commentary on human behavior. Oftentimes, when one reads a book about humans, one subconsciously sees the points the author makes about human behavior, but when animals are used, these stick out much more, allowing for the author's intended point to be delivered much more clearly.

The writing style is very enjoyable. Starting out, it is very much like the format of a true story. One told out loud, one told to children before bedtime. There is just a unique quality around these types of stories. Situations are recurring, the characters on the journey encountering a problem and figuring out how to overcome them to run into another problem. It's an out-of-the-frying-pan- into-the-fire type of format. But, then this novel gets more serious. When the little band steps into the new warren, the tone shifts to a much more serious one, where the stakes are much higher, and the lessons to be learned much more profound.

At first glance, Watership Down may seem like a childish type of novel, but on closer inspection, it reveals itself to be full of profound ideas, teaching of the dangers of snares, both those external placed and those self-imposed.

Rating of the book so far: 10/10 (Yes, it really is a great classic!)

The Kite Runner (#1)

Pages: 1-100

One thought: Let me just say "Wow."

Starting off pretty lighthearted with the air of easy childhood, the voice of Amir immediately hits you as a striking feature. Told from an older Amir's perspective looking back, the tone is decidedly more mature, but it doesn't fail at all in conveying any of the emotions of his child self. Running to a hill after school to eat pomegranates, carve names in the tree, and reading stories to his illiterate servant/friend. It's the matter-of-fact way that it's presented that makes you take a double-take. The culture of Amir's Afghan world is wildly foreign, but Amir's voice makes you feel like you have lived there with him for your whole life even as you click through Google search results on qurma and the like.

Amir's character is a very human one. Set against his foil character morally exemplary servant/friend Hassan, many of Amir's own shortcomings come to light. Taking advantage of others because he can, failing to save his friend because of his own cowardice, and feeling guilt, deep, wrenching, devastating guilt. We've all had at least one of these experiences before, and Amir's experiences and decisions remind us of ourselves. He's the poster boy for spoiled, ungrateful kids, but we get to see his other sides too, when he's vulnerable and vying for affection from his father. He's a well rounded character whose very being seems to be jumping out of the pages to commune with you.

There are many scenes that are really powerful. In a particular scene Amir, suffering from guilt of leaving Hassan when Hassan really needed him, deliberately throws a pomegranate at Hassan and yells at the ever loyal Hassan to hit him back. Amir wants Hassan to show that he's capable of hurting people too, and Amir wants Hassan to punish him for being a coward, even when Hassan does not know why. But, Hassan just stands there and takes it, and when Amir is done, he does what Amir asks, he hits Amir back by smashing a pomegranate on his own forehead, "red dripping down his face like blood"(93). You can feel the anguish that Amir is going through, and Hassan's uncanny way of making every one of his actions meaningful really adds a strong note to the scene.

The Kite Runner really makes you feel. You go through not only Amir's emotions but also Hassan's through their turbulent relationship. It really is amazing.

My rating of the book so far: 10/10