We're only two months into the new year and I've already fallen behind regarding the books I've read that I pledged to keep track of. Just a couple to share feelings about this time around:
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
To be fair, I should begin this review by stating that I don't like books written by Sparks. I watched (yes, as in the movies...) A Walk to Remember, Message in a Bottle and The Notebook so I get the idea that Sparks may be the kind of guy who dwells in the unrealistic world of the hopeless romantic (with extremely depressing endings). That said, when a student of mine brought me this book and said I just "HAD" to read it, I was less than agreeable.
Yet I have determined that if my kids are willing to read a book, I will also read said book so we can discuss the subject. So I read. I maintain that I am correct about the unrealistic world of the hopeless romantic. Sparks does have a narrative style that makes it easy to read his works, and I find the characters relatable and understandable. But the selling point of this book? The ending. It wasn't what I expected AT ALL, but I was totally amenable to the way it ended. If you can manage to stomach all of the "blah blah blah-love-of-my-life" garbage that I rarely find palatable, you may actually learn something realistic from the end--that marriage is sacred.
The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
I totally realize it's a kid series, but that's not going to stop me from reading. I have always loved Greek Mythology and all of the trivial characters that make up that web of interesting. Riordan has the talent and skill to take that mythology and weave it into a character that is both fun and interesting. It's easy-reading fiction that serves to heighten the sense of hero-will-overcome-evil mentality. I haven't read the last book yet, but I'm really looking forward to what I assume is Percy's final stand against the Titans.
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
To be fair, I should begin this review by stating that I don't like books written by Sparks. I watched (yes, as in the movies...) A Walk to Remember, Message in a Bottle and The Notebook so I get the idea that Sparks may be the kind of guy who dwells in the unrealistic world of the hopeless romantic (with extremely depressing endings). That said, when a student of mine brought me this book and said I just "HAD" to read it, I was less than agreeable.
Yet I have determined that if my kids are willing to read a book, I will also read said book so we can discuss the subject. So I read. I maintain that I am correct about the unrealistic world of the hopeless romantic. Sparks does have a narrative style that makes it easy to read his works, and I find the characters relatable and understandable. But the selling point of this book? The ending. It wasn't what I expected AT ALL, but I was totally amenable to the way it ended. If you can manage to stomach all of the "blah blah blah-love-of-my-life" garbage that I rarely find palatable, you may actually learn something realistic from the end--that marriage is sacred.
The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
I totally realize it's a kid series, but that's not going to stop me from reading. I have always loved Greek Mythology and all of the trivial characters that make up that web of interesting. Riordan has the talent and skill to take that mythology and weave it into a character that is both fun and interesting. It's easy-reading fiction that serves to heighten the sense of hero-will-overcome-evil mentality. I haven't read the last book yet, but I'm really looking forward to what I assume is Percy's final stand against the Titans.
1 comment:
She likes "Dear John"....HA! Sparks definitely deserves his own sub-genre of literature! Glad that you found something slightly delightful and pleasing to your poor, insensitive soul in the book! Perhaps Chris would like to talk about it! ;-)
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